Israel heard: the psalm line, the warning, and the outstretched hands (Romans 10:18–21)

Says "But I ask, did they not hear? Indeed they did" (10:18, BSB). μὴ οὐκ ἤκουσαν expects the answer that they did hear, and μενοῦνγε (menounge, "indeed") confirms it. The confirmation is Ps 19:4 (Ps 19:5 in the Hebrew, Ps 18:5 in the Greek numbering): "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world" (10:18, BSB). On the Hebrew and Greek of the psalm see note.language.Rom.10.18-Rom.10.19.ps-19-4-deut-32-21.

Uncertain How the psalm line is used for the spread of the message. This commentary takes no lean. The main options: an analogy or rhetorical extension, the creation's voice taken up for the proclaimed word; a typology, the heavens' witness as a pattern fulfilled in the gospel; or a statement of how far the mission had already reached. On any of these, 10:18 denies that Israel failed to obey because no word reached them.

Says "I ask instead, did Israel not understand?" (10:19, BSB). Moses answers first, with Deut 32:21: "I will make you jealous by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation without understanding" (10:19, BSB). On the form of the quotation see note.cross-reference.Deut.32.21.rom-10-19-form. The Byzantine text has the order μὴ οὐκ ἔγνω Ἰσραήλ (see var.Rom.10.19.israel-order).

Uncertain What Israel is asked whether it knew (ἔγνω, egnō). The question expects that Israel did know. This commentary leans that Israel knew the warning in its own Scriptures, that God would provoke it by a people that is not a nation, and still did not submit (10:3, 21). The main alternative is that Israel did not grasp the gospel itself, in line with zeal "not on the basis of knowledge" (10:2, BSB).

Says "And Isaiah boldly says: “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me.”" (10:20, BSB). "But as for Israel he says: “All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”" (10:21, BSB). The citations are Isa 65:1 and 65:2. Some witnesses and editions lack the ἐν before τοῖς ἐμὲ μὴ ζητοῦσιν (see var.Rom.10.20.en). On Isa 65:1–2 see note.language.Rom.10.20-Rom.10.21.isa-65-1-2.

The jealousy of Deut 32:21 is taken up again in 11:11–14. Israel's future is the subject of Romans 11.