AISBT Reader"Not my people" called "my people", and only the remnant saved: Hosea and Isaiah (Romans 9:25–29)
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exegetical · Rom 9:25–29 · ✓ Approved

"Not my people" called "my people", and only the remnant saved: Hosea and Isaiah (Romans 9:25–29)

Says "I will call them ‘My People’ who are not My people" (9:25, BSB), and "they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’" (9:26, BSB). Paul cites Hos 2:23 and 1:10, which are 2:25 and 2:1 in the MT and LXX. He follows the LXX "beloved" of Codex B but uses καλέσω (kalesō, "I will call") and puts "not my people" first; at 1:10 he adds ἐκεῖ (ekei, "there") as in A (note.language.Rom.9.25-Rom.9.26.hos-2-23-1-10; xref.Rom.9.25.Hos.2.23.heb; xref.Rom.9.26.Hos.1.10.heb).

Says Hosea spoke of Israel (Hos 1:6–10), and Paul applies the words to the Gentiles as well, those called "not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles" (9:24, BSB).

Uncertain How Paul justifies the application. The options are a principle drawn by analogy (God makes "not my people" his people), a fulfillment that reaches beyond Hosea's horizon, or the restoration of the scattered northern tribes taking in Gentiles (note.language.Rom.9.25-Rom.9.26.hos-2-23-1-10).

Says "Isaiah cries out concerning Israel" (9:27, BSB): "Though the number of the Israelites is like the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved. For the Lord will carry out His sentence on the earth thoroughly and decisively" (9:27–28, BSB). The opening words come from Hos 1:10 and the rest abridges Isa 10:22–23; ὑπόλειμμα (hypoleimma, "remnant") stands for the LXX κατάλιμμα (note.language.Rom.9.27-Rom.9.29.isa-10-22-23-1-9; xref.Rom.9.27-Rom.9.28.Isa.10.22-Isa.10.23.heb). The team text of 9:28 is the shorter one; RP2018 and the TR add "in righteousness" and repeat the thought, as in the LXX (var.Rom.9.28.syntemnon).

Says "Unless the Lord of Hosts had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah" (9:29, BSB), quoting Isa 1:9 as in the LXX, where σπέρμα (sperma, "seed") renders "a few survivors" (note.language.Rom.9.27-Rom.9.29.isa-10-22-23-1-9; xref.Rom.9.29.Isa.1.9.heb).

Implies The remnant answers 9:6: God's word has not failed, because he has kept a remnant within Israel, as 11:5 states.

Claims

  • SaysPaul cites Hos 2:23 (MT/LXX 2:25) and 1:10 (MT/LXX 2:1): God will call 'not my people' 'my people', and they will be called sons of the living God (9:25–26); his wording follows B's 'beloved', uses καλέσω, and adds ἐκεῖ as in A.
  • SaysHosea spoke of Israel (Hos 1:6–10); Paul applies the words to Gentiles as well (9:24–26).
  • UncertainHow Paul justifies applying Hosea to Gentiles: a principle by analogy; a fulfillment beyond Hosea's horizon; or the scattered northern tribes taking in Gentiles.
  • SaysIsaiah cries out that only the remnant will be saved and that the Lord will carry out his sentence thoroughly and decisively (9:27–28), from Hos 1:10 and an abridged Isa 10:22–23; the team text of 9:28 is the shorter (var.Rom.9.28.syntemnon).
  • SaysUnless the Lord of Hosts had left a seed, Israel would have become like Sodom and Gomorrah (9:29, quoting Isa 1:9 as in the LXX).
  • ImpliesThe remnant answers 9:6: God's word has not failed because he has kept a remnant (11:5).

Citations

  • BSB public domain Rom 9:24–29
  • SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Rom 9:24–29; 11:5
Sources Bible Scholarship & Tool CC BY 4.0 SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 BSB public domain

2026-11-04

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