Romans 11 · Verse 8

Romans 11:8

(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.

Romans 11:8, King James Version

Romans 11:8 in other translations

BSB	as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see, and ears that could not hear, to this very day.”
WEB	According as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.”
ASV	according as it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this very day.
YLT	according as it hath been written, ‘God gave to them a spirit of deep sleep, eyes not to see, and ears not to hear,' --unto this very day,
DARBY	according as it is written,God has given to them a spirit of slumber, eyes not to see, and ears not to hear, unto this day.
BBE	As it was said in the holy Writings, God gave them a spirit of sleep, eyes which might not see, and ears which have no hearing, to this day.
Webster	(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;) to this day.

What does Romans 11:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 11:7-10

7-10. What then?--How stands the fact? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for--better, "What Israel is in search of (that is, Justification, or acceptance with God--see on Ro 9:31); this he found not; but the election (the elect remnant of Israel) found it, and the rest were hardened," or judicially given over to the "hardness of their own hearts."

Read the full comment on Romans 11:7-10 →

Barnes' Notes

Verse 8. According as it is written. That is, they are blinded in accordance with what is written. The fact and the manner accord with the ancient declaration. This is recorded in Isa 29:10, and in De 29:4. The same sentiment is found also substantially in Isa 6:9,10. The principal place referred to here, however, is doubtless Isa 29:10,

"For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep
sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets and your
rulers hath he covered."

The quotation is not, however, literally made either from the Hebrew or the Septuagint; but the sense is preserved. The phrase "according as" means, upon the same principle, or in the same manner.

God hath given. Expressions like this are common in the Scriptures, where God is represented as having an agency in producing the wickedness and stupidity of sinners. See Rom 9:17,18. Mt 13:16; Mk 4:11, Mk 4:12; also 2Thes 2:11. This quotation is not made literally. The Hebrew in Isaiah is, God has poured upon them the spirit of slumber. The sense, however, is retained.

The spirit of slumber. The spirit of slumber is not different from slumber itself. The word spirit is often used thus. The word slumber here is a literal translation of the Hebrew. The Greek word, however, (κατανυξεως), implies also the notion of compunction; and hence in the margin is is rendered remorse. It means any emotion, or any influence whatever, that shall benumb the faculties, and make them insensible. Hence it here means simply insensibility.

Eyes that they should not see, etc. This expression is not taken literally from any single place in the Old Testament; but expresses the general sense of several passages, Isa 6:10, De 29:4. It denotes a state of mind not different from a spirit of slumber. When we sleep, the eyes are insensible to surrounding objects, and the ear to sounds. Though in themselves the organs may be perfect, yet the mind is as though they were not; and we have eves which then do not see, and ears which do not hear. Thus with the Jews. Though they had all the proper faculties for understanding and receiving the gospel, yet they rejected it. They were stupid, and insensible to its claims and its truths.

Unto this day. Until the day that Paul wrote. The characteristic of the Jews that existed in the time of Isaiah, existed also in the time of Paul. It was a trait of the people; and their insensibility to the demands of the gospel developed nothing new in them.

(1) "slumber" or, "remorse" (i) "eyes" Isa 29:10 (k) "should not see" De 29:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 8 God hath given them the spirit of slumber - As they had wilfully closed their eyes against the light, so God has, in judgment, given them up to the spirit of slumber. The very word and revelation of God, which should have awakened their consciences, and opened their eyes and ears, have had a very different effect; and because they did not receive the truth in the love thereof, that which would otherwise have been the savour of life unto life, has become the savour of death unto death; and this continues to the present day.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 11:1-10

There was a chosen remnant of believing Jews, who had righteousness and life by faith in Jesus Christ. These were kept according to the election of grace. If then this election was of grace, it could not be of works, either performed or foreseen. Every truly good disposition in a fallen creature must be the effect, therefore it cannot be the cause, of the grace of God bestowed on him. Salvation from the first to the…

Read the full comment on Romans 11:1-10 →

Romans 11:8 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καθὼςkathōseven asG2531

γέγραπται·gegraptaiit has been written:G1125

ἔδωκενedōkenGaveG1325

αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846

ὁho<the>G3588

θεὸςtheosGodG2316

πνεῦμαpneumaa spiritG4151

κατανύξεως,katanuxeōsof stupor,G2659

ὀφθαλμοὺςophthalmouseyesG3788

τοῦtou<the>G3588

μὴmēnotG3361

βλέπεινblepeinto seeG991

καὶkaiandG2532

ὦταōtaearsG3775

τοῦtou<the>G3588

μὴmēnotG3361

ἀκούεινakoueinto hearG191

ἕωςhe'ōsuntoG2193

τῆςtēstheG3588

σήμερονsēmerontodayG4594

ἡμέρας.hēmerasday.G2250

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Romans 11:8

Deuteronomy 29:4
Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
Isaiah 29:10
For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.
Ezekiel 12:2
Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.
Jeremiah 5:21
Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
2 Corinthians 3:14-15
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
Luke 8:10
And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
Acts 28:26
Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
Matthew 13:13-14
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mark 4:11-12
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Isaiah 6:9
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
2 Kings 17:41
So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.
2 Kings 17:34
Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

God.
Isa 29:10
slumber. or, remorse. eyes.
De 29:4; Isa 6:9; Jer 5:21; Eze 12:2; Mr 4:11,12; Lu 8:10; Ac 28:26
unto this day.
2Ki 17:34,41; 2Co 3:14,15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Romans 11:7
What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Romans 11:8
(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.
Romans 11:9
And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:

Read all of Romans 11

Romans 11:8 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Como está escrito: Dióles Dios espíritu de remordimiento, ojos con que no vean, y oídos con que no oigan, hasta el día de hoy.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	selon qu’il est écrit: « Dieu leur a donné un esprit d’étourdissement, des yeux pour ne point voir et des oreilles pour ne point entendre, jusqu’au jour d’aujourd’hui ».
German Elberfelder 1871	wie geschrieben steht: "Gott hat ihnen einen Geist der Schlafsucht gegeben, Augen, um nicht zu sehen, und Ohren, um nicht zu hören, bis auf den heutigen Tag".
Latin Clementine Vulgate	sicut scriptum est: Dedit illis Deus spiritum compunctionis: oculos ut non videant, et aures ut non audiant, usque in hodiernum diem.