The answer is: He sat down on the East of the city

Jonah 4:5 - A place where he probably had a good view of the city.

While Jonah lounged on the east side of the city, it's fascinating to think about his state of mind. He was poised to see what would happen to Nineveh, a city he initially ignored in his call due to its wickedness. Jonah’s choice of viewpoint served more than just functional purposes; it was also symbolic. From that elevated position outside the city, Jonah was taking it upon himself to get a front-row seat to witness potential punishment, all while grappling with his emotions about mercy and judgment.

This moment brings to mind another biblical stand on hills — when Moses stood overlooking the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 34:1). In both instances, characters found themselves observing significant transitions, yet their reactions were starkly different. Moses had a sentiment of fulfillment despite a bittersweet farewell, whereas Jonah began to simmer with dissatisfaction, hoping for the wrath he expected to fall upon Nineveh.

Interestingly, Jonah also builds a booth to shelter himself while watching. Similar to ancient Israel's Feast of Tabernacles, where people dwell in makeshift shelters in gratitude for God’s provision, Jonah's small booth is ironically constructed for leveraging personal comfort while internally fuming. Through Jonah, the narrative questions the nature of compassion and our own responses to divine mercy extended even to those we may view as undeserving. It exemplifies that, sometimes, we might be stuck between wishing for justice and the reality of love triumphing over judgment.