Romans 9 · Verse 10

Romans 9:10

And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

Romans 9:10, King James Version

Romans 9:10 in other translations

BSB	Not only that, but Rebecca’s children were conceived by one man, our father Isaac.
WEB	Not only so, but Rebekah also conceived by one, by our father Isaac.
ASV	And not only so; but Rebecca also having conceived by one, even by our father Isaac—
YLT	And not only so, but also Rebecca, having conceived by one--Isaac our father--
DARBY	And not only that, but Rebecca having conceived by one, Isaac our father,
BBE	And not only so, but Rebecca being about to have a child by our father Isaac--
Webster	And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac,

What does Romans 9:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 9:10-13

10-13. And not only this; but when Rebecca, &c.--It might be thought that there was a natural reason for preferring the child of Sarah, as being Abraham's true and first wife, both to the child of Hagar, Sarah's maid, and to the children of Keturah, his second wife. But there could be no such reason in the case of Rebecca, Isaac's only wife; for the choice of her son Jacob was the choice of one of two sons by the same mother and of the younger in preference to the elder, and before either of them was born, and consequently before either had done good or evil to be a ground of preference: and all to show that the sole ground of distinction lay in the unconditional choice of God--"not of works, but of Him that calleth."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 10. And not only this. Not only is the principle of making a distinction among the natural descendants of Abraham thus settled by the promise, but it is still further seen and illustrated in the birth of the two sons of Isaac. He had shown that the principle of thus making a distinction among the posterity of Abraham was recognized in the original promise, thus proving that all the descendants of Abraham were not of course to be saved; and he now proceeds to show that the principle was recognized in the case of his posterity in the family of Isaac. And he shows that it is not according to any natural principles that the selection was made; that he not only made a distinction between Jacob and Esau, but that he did it according to his good pleasure, choosing the younger to be the object of his favour, and rejecting the elder, who, according to the custom of the times, was supposed to be entitled to peculiar honour and rights. And, in order to prove that this was done according to his own pleasure, he shows that the distinction was made before they were born; before they had formed any character; and, consequently, in such a way that it could not be pretended that it was in consequence of any works which they had performed.

But when Rebecca. The wife of Isaac. See Gen 25:21,23.

(m) "Rebecca" Gen 25:21,23

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 10 And not only this - A Jew might object: "Ishmael was rejected, not by the sovereign will of God, but because he was the son of the handmaid, or bond-woman, and therefore unworthy to be the peculiar seed; but observe, this was not the only limitation of the seed of Abraham with regard to inheriting the promise, for when Rebecca was with child by that one person of Abraham's issue to whom the promise was made, namely, our father Isaac, she went to inquire of the Lord, Gen 25:22, Gen 25:23 : And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of People shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one People shall be stronger than the other People; and the elder shall serve the younger. That is, the posterity of the younger shall be a nation much more prosperous and happy than the posterity of the elder.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 9:6-13

The rejection of the Jews by the gospel dispensation, did not break God's promise to the patriarchs. The promises and threatenings shall be fulfilled. Grace does not run in the blood; nor are saving benefits always found with outward church privileges. Not only some of Abraham's seed were chosen, and others not, but God therein wrought according to the counsel of his own will. God foresaw both Esau and Jacob as born…

Read the full comment on Romans 9:6-13 →

Romans 9:10 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.

ΟὐOuNotG3756

μόνονmonononlyG3441

δέ,dethen,G1161

ἀλλὰallabutG235

καὶkaialsoG2532

ῬεβέκκαRhebekkaRebeccaG4479

ἐξexbyG1537

ἑνὸςhenosoneG1520

κοίτηνkoitēnconceptionG2845

ἔχουσαechousahavingG2192

ἸσαὰκIsaakIsaacG2464

τοῦtoutheG3588

πατρὸςpatrosfatherG3962

ἡμῶν·hēmōnof us;G3165

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

Cross references for Romans 9:10

Genesis 25:21-23
And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the Lord. And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Luke 16:26
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Romans 5:11
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Romans 5:3
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

not only.
5:3,11; Lu 16:26
but when.
Ge 25:21-23
Rebekah.

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

Context

Romans 9:9
For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
Romans 9:10
And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
Romans 9:11
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

Read all of Romans 9

Romans 9:10 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y no sólo esto; mas también Rebeca concibiendo de uno, de Isaac nuestro padre,
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et non seulement cela, mais aussi quant à Rebecca, lorsqu’elle conçut d’un, d’Isaac, notre père,
German Elberfelder 1871	Nicht allein aber das, sondern auch Rebekka, als sie schwanger war von Einem, von Isaak, unserem Vater,
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Non solum autem illa: sed et Rebecca ex uno concubitu habens, Isaac patris nostri.