Romans 11 7

Romans 11:7 kjv

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

Romans 11:7 nkjv

What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

Romans 11:7 niv

What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened,

Romans 11:7 esv

What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,

Romans 11:7 nlt

So this is the situation: Most of the people of Israel have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have ? the ones God has chosen ? but the hearts of the rest were hardened.

Romans 11 verses

Romans 11 7 Meaning

This verse explains the two contrasting outcomes for the nation of Israel regarding salvation. On one hand, the majority of Israel, in their pursuit of righteousness through the Law, failed to achieve it. On the other hand, a chosen remnant within Israel, termed "the elect," did obtain this righteousness by God's grace through faith. Consequently, the rest of the nation, those not part of this chosen remnant, experienced a spiritual hardening or insensitivity to God's truth.

Romans 11 7 Context

Romans 11:7 concludes Paul's argument begun in Romans 11:1, addressing the question of whether God has rejected His people, Israel. Paul categorically denied this, pointing to himself as an Israelite believer and, more importantly, to the existence of a remnant chosen by grace, mirroring Elijah's time (Rom 11:2-6). This verse summarizes the overall spiritual condition of Israel in Paul's day, explaining why there is a remnant chosen by grace: because the majority of Israel, despite their diligent pursuit, fundamentally missed the mark. Historically, Israel had often interpreted their covenant relationship and the Law as a means to achieve righteousness by human effort. Culturally, there was strong adherence to the Mosaic Law and traditions, with many expecting a Messiah who would establish an earthly kingdom based on their merits, rather than one requiring humble faith. Paul indirectly refutes the belief that salvation is a national right or earned by works, contrasting it with God's sovereign choice and grace.

Romans 11 7 Word analysis

• What then? (Τί οὖν; Ti oun?) - A rhetorical phrase indicating a summary conclusion or the next logical step from the preceding points (Rom 11:1-6), inviting the reader to consider the implication of a "remnant chosen by grace."
• Israel (Ἰσραήλ Israēl) - Refers to the physical, ethnic nation of Israel as a collective, not specifically individual Jewish believers or unbelievers.
• failed to obtain (οὐκ ἐπέτυχεν ouk epetychen) - A strong negation ("not") combined with a verb meaning "to attain, achieve, obtain." It denotes a decisive lack of success in their diligent pursuit.
• what it was seeking (ὃ ἐπεζήτει ho epezētei) - "Seeking" (epizēteō) implies an earnest, persistent, and often habitual quest. The object of their seeking was righteousness and salvation, which they sought through their understanding of the Law (Rom 9:31; 10:2).
• but (δὲ de) - A contrasting conjunction, introducing a distinct counter-point.
• the elect (ἡ ἐκλογή hē eklogē) - Literally "the election" or "the chosen ones." This refers specifically to the remnant chosen by God's grace, as mentioned in Rom 11:5. It emphasizes God's sovereign choice as the basis for their salvation, rather than human merit.
• obtained it (ἐπέτυχεν epetychen) - The same verb as "failed to obtain," used positively here. The "it" refers back to "what it was seeking" – righteousness leading to salvation. The elect did achieve this goal.
• while the rest (οἱ δὲ λοιποί hoi de loipoi) - Refers to the majority of ethnic Israel, distinct from "the elect," those who did not come to faith in Christ.
• were hardened (ἐπωρώθησαν epōrōthēsan) - Passive voice of poroō (πωρόω), meaning "to make callous, dull, blind, or insensible." This signifies a spiritual state of insensitivity or obtuseness, rendering them unable or unwilling to respond to God's truth. It implies a divine action or consequence resulting from their resistance.

Word-groups by word-groups analysis:

• "What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking": This phrase highlights a major theological conclusion from chapters 9-11. Israel as a collective, through their pursuit of righteousness via the Law, failed to achieve genuine righteousness (justification), stumbling over Christ. It sets up the stark contrast that follows.
• "but the elect obtained it": This emphasizes God's distinguishing grace and sovereign purpose. While the collective effort failed, a specific, divinely chosen group succeeded in obtaining what the nation broadly sought, but through God's method (faith in Christ), not their own (works of the Law).
• "while the rest were hardened": This phrase explains the outcome for the non-elect majority. Their spiritual state is one of hardening, meaning insensitivity or dullness, preventing them from perceiving the truth of the Gospel. This hardening is a divine work, or a divine allowance, rooted in God's sovereignty (as argued in Rom 9) and human rejection, serving God's larger redemptive purposes (Rom 11:25).

Romans 11 7 Bonus section

The concept of "hardening" is not merely passive human unresponsiveness but often has an active divine component (as seen in Pharaoh's hardening, Exo 7:3, and the numerous Old Testament prophecies cited in Romans 9-11). It highlights God's sovereignty in allowing or even orchestrating a condition for His greater redemptive purposes. Paul will further elaborate that this hardening is not permanent for all Israel (Rom 11:25-27) but plays a crucial role in enabling Gentile salvation. The "seeking" by Israel here is tragic because it represents immense effort and religious fervor directed towards a goal (righteousness) but by a flawed means (legalistic self-justification) rather than by faith in God's provided way.

Romans 11 7 Commentary

Romans 11:7 encapsulates a central truth regarding God's dealings with Israel: the distinction between the physical nation and the spiritual remnant. Despite Israel's ardent zeal for God, their pursuit of righteousness was fundamentally misdirected towards self-effort through the Law, causing them to stumble over Christ, the true end of the Law. While the nation collectively missed this mark, God's promise to Israel remained true through "the elect"—a chosen remnant who, by grace, attained the righteousness sought. The remaining majority, however, experienced a judicial hardening of heart, a spiritual insensitivity that rendered them unresponsive to the Gospel. This state, not merely a human failure but a divine act or consequence, served to magnify God's sovereignty, underscore the insufficiency of human works, and open the door for Gentile inclusion (Rom 11:11-12), revealing God's complex and merciful plan.