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יא מתעוררת השאלה: האם זנח אלוהים את עמו? חס וחלילה! הרי אני עצמי יהודי, מזרעו של אברהם אבינו ומשבט בנימין. לא, אלוהים לא הפקיר את עמו, שבו בחר עוד מבראשית. האם אינכם זוכרים מה אומרים הכתובים על אליהו הנביא? אליהו זעק אל אלוהים והתלונן על עם-ישראל[a]: "את מזבחתיך הרסו ואת נביאיך הרגו בחרב, ואיותר אני לבדי ויבקשו את נפשי לקחתה".

ומה ענה לו אלוהים? "השארתי בישראל שבעת אלפים אשר לא כרעו (ברכיים) לבעל."

גם היום לא כל היהודים פנו עורף לאלוהים; יש ביניהם כאלה שנושעו – לפי בחירתו וחסדו של אלוהים. ואם הם נבחרו בזכות חסדו של אלוהים, משמע שלא נבחרו בזכות מעשיהם הטובים. אילו נבחרו בזכות מעשיהם הטובים לא היה זה חסד, כי חסד זה מתנה ולא גמול לעבודה.

מה המסקנה? רוב היהודים לא השיגו את הצדקה אשר ביקשו, רק מעטים השיגו – אלה שבחר אלוהים – ואילו האחרים נעשו עיוורים לאמת. כפי שכתוב בישעיהו[b]: ה' הרדים את עם ישראל, ועל כן הם הביטו אך לא ראו, שמעו אך לא הבינו. ודוד אמר בתהילים[c] שהשפע והאוכל שלהם יטמנו להם פח, ויביאו אותם למחשבה שהכול כשורה בינם לבין אלוהים. 10 עיניהם תחשכנה והם יכרעו תחת מעמסה כבדה.

11 האם פירוש הדבר שאלוהים הפקיר את עמו והתכחש אליו? ודאי שלא! מאחר שהיהודים חטאו העניק אלוהים לגויים ישועה ורצון להיוושע, כדי לעורר את קנאת היהודים ואת רצונם להיוושע. 12 ואם חטאם של היהודים הביא עושר שכזה לעולם, תארו לעצמכם איזו ברכה יביאו היהודים לעולם כאשר יחזרו בתשובה ויאמינו במשיח!

13 עתה אני מדבר אליכם, הגויים: כידוע לכם מינה אותי אלוהים לבשר לכם את בשורתו, ואני מבצע את המוטל עלי על הצד הטוב ביותר. 14 אולי כך אוכל לעורר את קנאתם של היהודים, בני-עמי, ואחדים מהם ייוושעו. 15 אם המרידות שלהם באלוהים הביאה לעולם סליחת חטאים, תארו לעצמכם מה תהיה תוצאת חזרתם בתשובה – ממש תחיית המתים! 16 אם החלה המוקדשת לה' קודש היא, כך כל העיסה, ואם שורש העץ קודש לה' – כך גם הגזע והענפים.

17 אם חלק מהענפים – חלק מהיהודים – נכרתו, ובמקומם אתה, ענף זית בר, הורכבת על העץ, חוברת לשורשיו ונהנית ממזונו העשיר, 18 אל תתפאר, ואל תזלזל בענפים שנכרתו! אם תחוש גאווה, הזכר לעצמך כי יש לך חשיבות כלשהי רק משום שאלוהים הרכיב אותך על העץ, לפי תוכניתו. מלבד זאת, לא אתה נושא את העץ – אתה אינך אלא ענף; השורש הוא הנושא אותך ואת העץ! 19 אם תאמר: "אבל הענפים ההם נכרתו כדי שלי – הגוי – יהיה מקום בעץ, ומשום כך אני חשוב." 20 זכור, היהודים נכרתו משום שלא האמינו, ואתה הורכבת רק משום שהאמנת. אל תתגאה בעצמך, אלא הישמר לך, והתייחס אל אלוהים בכבוד וביראה. 21 כי אם אלוהים לא חס על הענפים הטבעיים, הוא לא יחוס גם עליך. 22 שימו לב, אלוהים הוא טוב לב, ויחד עם זאת קפדן ומחמיר. הוא מחמיר עם אלה שאינם מצייתים לו, אולם הוא ייטיב אתכם, אם תמשיכו לאהוב אותו ולבטוח בו. אם לא תאהבו אותו ולא תבטחו בו, הוא יכרות גם אתכם. 23 דעו לכם שאם היהודים יאמינו, אלוהים ירכיבם חזרה על העץ. אל תחשבו שהדבר למעלה מכוחו!

24 אם אלוהים היה מוכן לקחת אתכם, הגויים, שהייתם רחוקים ממנו כל-כך והייתם ענפי זית בר, ולהרכיבכם על עץ הזית שלו שהוא ממין משובח, האם אינכם חושבים שישמח יותר להרכיב חזרה על העץ את היהודים, אשר היו הענפים הטבעיים?

25 אחי היקרים, איני רוצה להעלים מכם את האמת, פן תתגאו בעצמכם. נכון שיהודים רבים אינם מאמינים בבשורת אלוהים, אך מצב זה יימשך רק עד שכל הגויים, אשר נבחרו על-ידי אלוהים, יאמינו בו. 26 ואז כל עם-ישראל ייוושע, ככתוב[d]: "ובא לציון גואל ולשבי פשע ביעקב." 27 אלוהים אף אמר שיכרות ברית עם ישראל ויסלח לחטאיהם[e].

28 יהודים רבים הם עתה אויבי הבשורה; הם שונאים אותה. אולם כל זה היה לתועלת שלכם, כי בגלל יחסם זה העניק לכם אלוהים את אוצרותיו. אבל עלינו לזכור שהיהודים הם עדיין עמו הנבחר של אלוהים, בזכות הבטחותיו לאברהם, יצחק ויעקב. 29 שהרי אלוהים לעולם אינו מתחרט על דבריו, ולעולם אינו דורש חזרה את מתנותיו. 30 פעם גם אתם מרדתם באלוהים, אך הוא ריחם עליכם. 31 עתה היהודים הם המורדים והסרבנים, ברם יום אחד הם יחזרו בתשובה, ואלוהים ירחם גם עליהם כפי שריחם עליכם. 32 כי אלוהים הסגיר לידי החטא את כל בני-האדם, כדי שיוכל לרחם על כולם.

33 מה נפלא הוא אלוהינו! מה עמוקה ועשירה חכמתו! מה עשירה דעתו! דרכיו ומשפטיו הם למעלה מכושר הבנתנו ותפיסתנו. 34 מי מאיתנו יודע את מחשבותיו? מי חכם דיו כדי לייעץ לו? 35 או מי העניק לו מעולם מתנה המזכה אותו בגמול? 36 הרי הכול בא מאלוהים לבדו. הכול נברא על-ידו ולכבודו. לאלוהים הכבוד לעולם. – אמן.

11 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel saying,

Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:

10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.

29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:

31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

Israel’s Rejection Not Total

11 I say then, (A)has God cast away His people? (B)Certainly not! For (C)I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom (D)He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, (E)Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? But what does the divine response say to him? (F)“I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” (G)Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And (H)if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. [a]But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.

What then? (I)Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were (J)blinded. Just as it is written:

(K)“God has given them a spirit of stupor,
(L)Eyes that they should not see
And ears that they should not hear,
To this very day.”

And David says:

(M)“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
A stumbling block and a recompense to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see,
And bow down their back always.”

Israel’s Rejection Not Final

11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But (N)through their [b]fall, to provoke them to (O)jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their [c]fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as (P)I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and (Q)save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be (R)but life from the dead?

16 For if (S)the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if (T)some of the branches were broken off, (U)and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and [d]fatness of the olive tree, 18 (V)do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.

19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of (W)unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, [e]goodness, (X)if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise (Y)you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, (Z)if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?

25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be (AA)wise in your own [f]opinion, that (AB)blindness in part has happened to Israel (AC)until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be [g]saved, as it is written:

(AD)“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For (AE)this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”

28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are (AF)beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are (AG)irrevocable. 30 For as you (AH)were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has [h]committed them (AI)all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

34 “For who has known the (AJ)mind of the Lord?
Or (AK)who has become His counselor?”
35 “Or(AL) who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”

36 For (AM)of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, (AN)to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:6 NU omits the rest of v. 6.
  2. Romans 11:11 trespass
  3. Romans 11:12 trespass
  4. Romans 11:17 richness
  5. Romans 11:22 NU adds of God
  6. Romans 11:25 estimation
  7. Romans 11:26 Or delivered
  8. Romans 11:32 shut them all up in

The Remnant of Israel

11 I ask, then, (A)has God rejected his people? By no means! For (B)I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham,[a] a member of the tribe of Benjamin. (C)God has not rejected his people whom he (D)foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? (E)“Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God's reply to him? (F)“I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too at the present time there is (G)a remnant, chosen by grace. (H)But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

What then? (I)Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest (J)were hardened, as it is written,

(K)“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
    (L)eyes that would not see
    and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”

And David says,

(M)“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
    and bend their backs forever.”

Gentiles Grafted In

11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass (N)salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion[b] mean!

13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as (O)I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and (P)thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means (Q)the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 (R)If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 But if (S)some of the branches were broken off, and you, (T)although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root[c] of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you (U)stand fast through faith. So (V)do not become proud, but (W)fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, (X)provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise (Y)you too will be cut off. 23 And (Z)even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

The Mystery of Israel's Salvation

25 (AA)Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers:[d] (AB)a partial hardening has come upon Israel, (AC)until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

(AD)“The Deliverer will come (AE)from Zion,
    he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
27 “and this will be my (AF)covenant with them
    (AG)when I take away their sins.”

28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are (AH)beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and (AI)the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as (AJ)you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now[e] receive mercy. 32 For God (AK)has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and (AL)wisdom and knowledge of God! (AM)How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34 “For (AN)who has known the mind of the Lord,
    or (AO)who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or (AP)who has given a gift to him
    that he might be repaid?”

36 For (AQ)from him and through him and to him are all things. (AR)To him be glory forever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 11:1 Or one of the offspring of Abraham
  2. Romans 11:12 Greek their fullness
  3. Romans 11:17 Greek root of richness; some manuscripts richness
  4. Romans 11:25 Or brothers and sisters
  5. Romans 11:31 Some manuscripts omit now