Romans 11:8-10 - Exposition

According as it is written, God gave them a spirit of slumber (rather, stupor. The word is κατανύξις , cited from Isaiah 29:10 in the LXX . Cf. Psalms 60:3 , where the LXX . has οἷνον κατανύξεως . It is from the verb which means κατανύσσειν , properly "to prick" (see Acts 2:37 , κατενύγησαν τῇ καρδίᾳ ). The noun seems to have got its sense as above from the idea of a pricking shock, causing stupefaction ), 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 stumbling-block, and a recompense unto them. Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway . The references in Psalms 60:8 are a combination of Deuteronomy 29:3 and Isaiah 29:10 , quoted freely from the LXX .; that in Isaiah 29:9 is to Psalms 69:23 , Psalms 69:24 , also quoted freely. (For similar combination and free quotation of texts, so as to bring out Old Testament ideas, cf. Romans 3:10-19 ; Romans 9:32 , Romans 9:33 .) It is not necessary that the passages here referred to should be regarded as directly prophetic of the time of Christ. It is enough for the purpose of the argument that God's people should be shown to be liable to the state of stupefaction described, without ceasing to be his people. And so the thought, which has been in view all along, is now taken up, of the present hardening of Israel as a nation not being intended to be permanent.