Romans 11:8
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as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
as it is written-- (Isa 29:10; Deu 29:4). God hath given--"gave" them the spirit of slumber--"stupor" unto this day--"this present day."
Open source ↗The apostle, having reconciled that great truth of the rejection of the Jews with the promise made unto the fathers, is, in this chapter, further labouring to mollify the harshness of it, and to reconcile it to the divine goodness in general. It might be said, "Hath God then cast away his people?" The apostles therefore sets himself, in this chapter, to make a reply to this objection, and that two ways: - I. He shows at large what the mercy is that is mixed with this wrath (v. 1-32). II. He infers thence the infinite wisdom and sovereignty of God, with the adoration of which he concludes this chapter and subject (Rom 11:33-36).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.
For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes, O prophets; He has covered your heads, O seers.
“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.
“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.
He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
So these nations worshiped the LORD but also served their idols, and to this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.
To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.