But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul uses Moses' words not just to show God's plan for the Gentiles, but to highlight how Israel’s own actions—their worship of idols, which were "no gods"—provoked God to turn His favor towards those they despised. This reveals a divine justice where God mirrors the "jealousy" they caused Him by bestowing His grace on those they considered "no people" or a "foolish nation."
But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says, “I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul anticipates another objection: that Israel couldn't have known the gospel would extend to Gentiles and that they themselves would be rejected. He counters by pointing to Moses, who prophesied that God would provoke Israel's jealousy by favoring those considered "no people" and a "foolish nation," clearly pointing to the inclusion of the Gentiles.
Why would God choose to favor 'no people' and a 'foolish nation' over His own chosen people? It's not about who deserves it most, but about God's unfolding plan.
Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:21, where God declares, 'I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a people; I will anger them with a nation that has no understanding.'
A Divine Strategy
This isn't about God finding a 'better' people. The terms 'no people' and 'foolish nation' reflect how the Gentiles were viewed by Israel: lacking status, divine revelation, and proper worship. God deliberately chooses those who, by human standards, seem least likely.
The Purpose of Provocation
The core idea is jealousy and anger. God's actions towards the Gentiles were meant to stir a reaction in Israel. This highlights God's sovereignty – His right to bestow favor and to use the actions of one group to speak to another. It’s a divine tactic to reveal Israel’s own spiritual state and to draw them back, or to highlight their rejection.
Paul asks, 'Did not Israel know?' This isn't just a rhetorical question; it points to a profound failure to grasp God's ancient warnings.
The question 'Did not Israel know?' carries a strong implication: Yes, they should have known.
What They Should Have Known
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Paul is connecting the Gentiles' inclusion and Israel's rejection to Old Testament prophecies. They had access to the Scriptures, including the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy, which foretold this very dynamic.
The Root of Ignorance
Their failure wasn't a lack of information, but a lack of understanding and willingness. They possessed the prophetic texts but interpreted them through a lens of nationalistic pride, failing to see God's universal plan. This willful ignorance led them to reject the Messiah and the spreading of the Gospel to the nations.
Understand the original words
Israēl · Greek Noun
The covenant people of God, descendants of Jacob. Throughout Scripture, they are the objects of God's special calling and the recipients of His covenants, yet they are often noted for their struggles with spiritual blindness or disobedience.
parazēloō · Greek Verb
A strong, usually negative emotion provoked by perception or experience. Biblically, God sometimes uses the success of others (often Gentiles) to provoke His people to spiritual jealousy, aiming to stir them toward repentance.
asynetos · Greek Adjective
A state of lacking spiritual wisdom or understanding, especially regarding the knowledge of God. It often refers to those who are outside of the covenant community and therefore spiritually 'unwise' or 'senseless' by worldly standards.
Paul uses Moses' ancient song to show that the jealousy and anger of Israel, provoked by God's favor toward the Gentiles, was a foretold, not unexpected, outcome.
c. 1400 BC
Exodus and Wilderness Journey
Moses leads the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, receiving God's law and covenant. This period establishes Israel as God's chosen people and sets the stage for future prophecies.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Song of Moses
In Deuteronomy 32, Moses delivers a prophetic song that recounts God's faithfulness and Israel's future unfaithfulness, foretelling God's judgment and the calling of other nations.
c. 700 BC
Isaiah's Prophecies
Isaiah prophesies about the coming Messiah, the salvation offered to both Jews and Gentiles, and the rejection of the Messiah by many Israelites.
c. 605-562 BC
Babylonian Exile
Many Israelites are deported to Babylon, a period of intense suffering and reflection that further shapes their understanding of God's judgment and mercy.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus
Jesus Christ is crucified and resurrected, marking the pivotal event of salvation history. His followers begin to spread the gospel message.
c. AD 40-60
Paul's Missionary Journeys
The Apostle Paul travels extensively, preaching the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles and establishing early Christian communities across the Roman Empire.
This is the direct source of the quote Paul uses, showing God's ancient declaration that He would use 'no people' and a 'foolish nation' to provoke His own people, Israel, to jealousy and anger.
Romans 11:11Paul further develops this idea of God's plan to use the Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy, highlighting that Israel's stumbling opened the way for salvation to the Gentiles.
1 Peter 2:9-10Peter echoes the sentiment of 'no people' becoming God's people, describing believers as a 'chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own possession' who were once 'no people' but are now called to proclaim God's excellencies.
Isaiah 65:1-2This passage from Isaiah describes God stretching out His hands to a rebellious people who sought Him not, illustrating the 'foolish nation' concept and God's initiative in reaching out to those outside His covenant.
barnesRomans 10:19: "But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you."
But I say ... - Still further to meet the objection, he shows that the doctrine which he was maintaining was actually taught in the Old Testament. Did not Israel know? - Did not the Jews understand. Is it not recorded in their books, etc. that they had full opportunity to be acquainted with this truth? This question is an emphati…
vincentRomans 10:19: "But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you."
Did Israel not know?As in Romans 10:18, a negative answer is implied. "It is surely not true that Israel did not know." Did not know what? That the Gospel should go forth into all the earth. Moses and Isaiah had prophesied the conversion of the Gentiles, and Isaiah the opposition of the Jews thereto.First MosesFirst in order; the…
Paul uses Moses' words not just to show God's plan for the Gentiles, but to highlight how Israel’s own actions—their worship of idols, which were "no gods"—provoked God to turn His favor towards those they despised. This reveals a divine justice where God mirrors the "jealousy" they caused Him by bestowing His grace on those they considered "no people" or a "foolish nation."
Paul anticipates another objection: that Israel couldn't have known the gospel would extend to Gentiles and that they themselves would be rejected. He counters by pointing to Moses, who prophesied that God would provoke Israel's jealousy by favoring those considered "no people" and a "foolish nation," clearly pointing to the inclusion of the Gentiles.
Paul anticipates another objection: that Israel couldn't have known the gospel would extend to Gentiles and that they themselves would be rejected. He counters by pointing to Moses, who prophesied that God would provoke Israel's jealousy by favoring those considered "no people" and a "foolish nation," clearly pointing to the inclusion of the Gentiles.
"But I ask, did Israel not understand? First Moses says,
“I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;
with a foolish nation I will make you angry.”" — Paul uses Moses' words not just to show God's plan for the Gentiles, but to highlight how Israel’s own actions—their worship of idols, which were "no gods"—provoked God to turn His favor towards thos…
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Last reviewed October 2026