Paragraph 10:19–21

10:19a

did Israel not understand?: This is a rhetorical question. The Greek grammar, as in 10:18a, indicates that Paul expected the readers to answer, “They did understand.” If possible, translate in a way that expects the answer “They have heard.” Here are some ways:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Is it maybe possible that they didn’t understand what they heard?

• As a statement. For example:

it is true that the Israelites understood.

Israel: Here this name refers to the people of Israel, often called “the Jews.”

understand: Paul did not explicitly say here what was understood. He implies “the word of Christ” (10:17b) as he did in 10:18a. Some languages must say what is understood. For example:

understand ⌊it⌋
-or-
understand ⌊that message⌋

10:19b

The quote in 10:19b–c is from Deuteronomy 32:21. If you indicate the location of quotes from the Old Testament with cross-references, you may want to do so here.

First, Moses says: Here the word First indicates that Moses was the first one who wrote about God giving his message about the Christ/Messiah to non-Jews.

Moses says: The verb is present tense, but Moses wrote the words of 10:16c over 1,500 years before Paul lived. Greek scholars call it the historical present. In many languages the normal way of referring to a past event must be used. For example:

Moses said

The quote is Moses speaking on God’s behalf. The words are from God. The “I” in the quote refers to God, not Moses. For example:

Moses, ⌊for God,⌋ said
-or-
Moses, ⌊speaking for God,⌋ said

This clause introduces a quote from the Old Testament. Some languages usually introduce Old Testament quotes in a certain way. For example:

⌊in the Scriptures⌋ Moses ⌊wrote what God⌋ said
-or-
Moses ⌊wrote in the Holy Book God⌋ saying this:

I will make you jealous: In the Greek the meaning of the word I is emphasized. For example:

I myself will make you jealous

jealous: Here this word refers to being resentful of someone for something they have. The Jews resent that Gentiles have attained the kingdom of God (and probably that they use Hebrew Scriptures, what many Christians now call the Old Testament). The Jews think that those things belong to them.

those who are not a nation: This refers to a variety of Gentiles. They come from many nations or people groups. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

people who are not even a nation (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
a nation that is no nation (Revised English Bible)
-or-
a group of people who are from all over

You should not translate this phrase with your key term for Gentiles.

10:19c

I will make you angry by a nation without understanding: The Greek puts the phrase by a nation without understanding in the front of the clause as part of a Greek poetic form. In some languages it must be in its usual place in the clause. For example:

I will make you angry with/using a nation without understanding

without understanding: The Greek word here refers to a lack of understanding, usually implying bad morals too. Here are other ways to translate this word:

that has no understanding (New International Version)
-or-
without sense/thinking

General Comment on 10:19b–c

These words are a quote of Deuteronomy 32:21. If you indicate the location of quotes from the Old Testament with cross-references, you may want to do so here.

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