Bible Strands
Romans 10:19
I ask instead, did Israel not understand? First, Moses says: “I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation without understanding.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Roman church, continuing his argument from 10:18 about Israel’s response to the preached word. He poses a rhetorical question to establish that Israel’s lack of understanding was not a failure of divine revelation.
The words — ἀλλὰ (alla) "But" and ἔγνω (egnō) "did know" frame the rhetorical challenge, while μὴ (mē) "surely not" and οὐκ (ouk) "not" combine to indicate Paul expects a negative answer.
The thread — Paul quotes Moses from Deuteronomy 32:21 to show this pattern was prophesied. He later applies the same jealousy motif in Romans 11:11 and 11:14 to explain how Gentile inclusion would spur Israel to salvation.
Why it lands — It requires the reader to accept that Israel’s rejection was foreseen and used by God to extend the gospel to the nations. The passage demands a shift from blaming Israel’s blindness to recognizing God’s deliberate, redemptive sequence.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 32:21 They have provoked My jealousy by that which is not God; they have enraged Me with their worthless idols. So I will make them jealous by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation without understanding.
- Romans 11:11 I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.
- Romans 11:14 in the hope that I may provoke my own people to jealousy and save some of them.
- Titus 3:3 For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
- 1 Peter 2:10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
- Psalms 115:5 They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see;
- Isaiah 44:18 They do not comprehend or discern, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and closed their minds so they cannot understand.
- 1 Corinthians 1:12 What I mean is this: Individuals among you are saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”
- Jeremiah 10:8 But they are altogether senseless and foolish, instructed by worthless idols made of wood!
- Jeremiah 10:14 Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.