For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights that God's mercy isn't earned or dictated by human actions, but flows from His own sovereign choice. The repeated phrasing emphasizes that the reason for His mercy is simply that it is His will to show mercy, not because someone has deserved it.
For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is responding to the anticipated objection that God is unjust if He chooses some people for salvation and passes over others, especially in the context of His sovereign choice of Israel. To demonstrate God's absolute right to show mercy as He sees fit, Paul quotes God’s own declaration to Moses from Exodus 33:19, emphasizing that God’s mercy is not earned or owed, but freely given according to His sovereign will. This highlights that God's choices are not based on human merit but on His own unfettered purpose, which is later contrasted with human striving and willing.
Have you ever felt like you deserved something from God, or perhaps felt God owed you a certain outcome? This verse cuts right to the heart of that idea.
Paul is addressing a potential objection: 'If God is just, how can he choose some to save and not others?' He answers this by going back to God's own words to Moses in Exodus 33:19. God declares, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.'
What This Means:
Ask a follow-up
This statement about God's sovereign choice can sound harsh. But how does it fit with the God who is also described as loving and compassionate?
It's crucial to see this declaration within its broader context. While God asserts His sovereign right to show mercy as He pleases, this doesn't negate His revealed character. The very passage God quotes to Moses is immediately followed by a profound self-revelation:
The Lord, The Lord God:
Understand the original words
eleos · Greek Noun
The unmerited favor and active withholding of judgment or wrath from those who deserve it, flowing from God's character and sovereign will.
oiktirmos · Greek Noun
A deep, sympathetic feeling of distress for others, accompanied by an earnest desire to alleviate their suffering; in Scripture, it often refers to God's tender care for His people.
The verse is a direct quote from God's self-revelation to Moses in Exodus 33, given after Moses' plea for mercy and his request to see God's glory. This context highlights that God's declaration of sovereign mercy is not a cold, arbitrary decree, but a profound statement made within a deeply relational moment, intended to reveal His character as He makes His goodness pass before Moses.
~1450 BC
Ten Commandments Given
God gives the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai, establishing a covenant relationship with Israel. This foundational event shapes Israel's identity and their understanding of God's justice and mercy.
c. 1450 BC— this verse
God's Glory Revealed to Moses
Following Israel's sin with the golden calf, Moses pleads for God's presence and mercy. God declares His goodness and proclaims His name, including His compassionate nature, to Moses.
c. 1450 BC
Proclamation of God's Name
In Exodus 34, God reveals more of His character to Moses, proclaiming Himself as 'merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.' This follows the declaration about His sovereign mercy.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom Established
The establishment of the Davidic monarchy solidifies Israel's national identity and its complex relationship with God, marked by both divine favor and judgment.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonian conquest and destruction of Jerusalem lead to the exile of many Israelites, highlighting God's judgment and the consequences of disobedience.
c. 500 BC - c. AD 50
Second Temple Period
The return from exile and the rebuilding of the Temple mark a period of covenant renewal but also internal religious and political struggles, influencing Jewish understanding of God's chosen people.
This is the direct source of the quote Paul uses, showing God's declaration of His own sovereign choice in bestowing mercy and compassion.
Exodus 34:6-7Immediately following God's declaration in Exodus 33:19, this passage reveals God's character as 'merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,' providing a crucial balance to the assertion of sovereignty.
Deuteronomy 7:7-8This passage highlights God's election of Israel not because of their size or merit, but solely out of His love and faithfulness, echoing the principle of God's unmerited favor.
John 3:16This well-known verse demonstrates God's initiative in salvation through His Son, illustrating His 'mercy' and 'compassion' extended to 'whoever believes' – a specific outworking of His sovereign choice.
Jeremiah 18:1-6The imagery of the potter and the clay illustrates God's absolute sovereignty over His creation, including His right to deal with people according to His own will, similar to how God's choice is presented in Romans 9.
cambridgeRomans 9:15: "For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."
15 . For ] The connexion is; “The thought of injustice in these acts of the Eternal Judge is all the more to be rejected because they follow a principle expressed in His own words; for He says to Moses, &c.” That the principle, so expressed, is absolutely right, is taken for granted. To the Apostle, God’s word is final and absolute. With Him nothing indee…
barnesRomans 9:15: "For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."
For he saith to Moses - Exodus 33:19 . I will have mercy - This is said by God when he declared expressly that he would make all his goodness pass before Moses Exodus 33:19, and when, therefore, it was regarded, not as a proof of stern and inexorable justice, but as "the very proof of his benevolence," and the highest which he thought proper to exhibit. W…
This verse highlights that God's mercy isn't earned or dictated by human actions, but flows from His own sovereign choice. The repeated phrasing emphasizes that the reason for His mercy is simply that it is His will to show mercy, not because someone has deserved it.
Paul is responding to the anticipated objection that God is unjust if He chooses some people for salvation and passes over others, especially in the context of His sovereign choice of Israel. To demonstrate God's absolute right to show mercy as He sees fit, Paul quotes God’s own declaration to Moses from Exodus 33:19, emphasizing that God’s mercy is not earned or owed, but freely given according to His sovereign will. This highlights that God's choices are not based on human merit but on His own unfettered purpose, which is later contrasted with human striving and willing.
Paul is responding to the anticipated objection that God is unjust if He chooses some people for salvation and passes over others, especially in the context of His sovereign choice of Israel. To demonstrate God's absolute right to show mercy as He sees fit, Paul quotes God’s own declaration to Moses from Exodus 33:19, emphasizing that God’s mercy is not earned or owed, but freely given according to His sovereign will. This highlights that God's choices are not based on human merit but on His own unfettered purpose, which is later contrasted with human striving and willing.
"For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”" — This verse highlights that God's mercy isn't earned or dictated by human actions, but flows from His own sovereign choice. The repeated phrasing emphasizes that the reason for His mercy is simply t…
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Last reviewed October 2026