Romans 9:25

Romans 9:25. As he saith also in Hosea (Romans 2:23). The Hebrew text is here followed more closely than the Septuagint. What has just been said of the Gentiles accords with (‘as') this prophecy; ‘also,' probably, suggests that this is a secondary (or typical) application of the passage, while ‘Hosea' refers to the book, as in our usage. On Paul's use of the Old Testament, see Excursus on Galatians 4:19-30. Here we may say either that the prophecy lays down a general principle which is applicable to the calling of Gentiles, or that its primary reference was typical of this later event. The latter is more accordant with Paul's conception of the Old Testament, and with the peculiar character of the original prophecy.

I will call that my people, etc. This passage refers to the fact that the prophet had Seen told (Hosea 1:6; Hosea 1:9) to give to a daughter and a son the names Lo-Ruhamah (not having obtained mercy) and Lo-Ammi (not my people). The former name symbolized the visible deprivation of mercy, the latter visible rejection as a people. The Apostle uses the LXX. equivalent of these names (‘not beloved' for Lo-Ruhamah'), inverting the order, to emphasize the thought ‘not my people,' which was prominent in his mind. ‘I will call' is substituted for ‘I will say to,' without altering the sense, for' calling' here means to ‘name,' as do the words of the original prophecy. But undoubtedly the Apostle in this application had in mind the calling of the Gentiles to salvation. The original reference was to the ten tribes, not to the heathen; but they had become idolatrous, and any typical significance of the language addressed to them would apply to the reception of the Gentiles.