Romans 9 · Verse 4

Romans 9:4

Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

Romans 9:4, King James Version

Romans 9:4 in other translations

BSB	the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.
WEB	who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises;
ASV	who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
YLT	who are Israelites, whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the lawgiving, and the service, and the promises,
DARBY	who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the law-giving, and the service, and the promises;
BBE	Who are Israelites: who have the place of sons, and the glory, and the agreements with God, and the giving of the law, and the worship, and the hope offered by God:
Webster	Who are Israelites; to whom pertain the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

What does Romans 9:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

4. Who are Israelites--See Ro 11:1; 2Co 11:22; Php 3:5. to whom pertaineth--"whose is" the adoption--It is true that, compared with the new economy, the old was a state of minority and pupilage, and so far that of a bond-servant (Ga 4:1-3); yet, compared with the state of the surrounding heathen, the choice of Abraham and his seed was a real separation of them to be a Family of God (Ex 4:22; De 32:6; Is 1:2; Jr 31:9; Ho 11:1; Mal 1:6). and the glory--that "glory of the Lord," or "visible token of the Divine Presence in the midst of them," which rested on the ark and filled the tabernacle during all their wanderings in the wilderness; which in Jerusalem continued to be seen in the tabernacle and temple, and only disappeared when, at the Captivity, the temple was demolished, and the sun of the ancient economy began to go down. This was what the Jews called the "Shekinah." and the covenants--"the covenants of promise" to which the Gentiles before Christ were "strangers" (Ep 2:12); meaning the one covenant with Abraham in its successive renewals (see Ga 3:16, 17). and the giving of the law--from Mount Sinai, and the possession of it thereafter, which the Jews justly deemed their peculiar honor (De 26:18, 19; Psa 147:19, 20; Ro 2:17). and the service of God--or, of the sanctuary, meaning the whole divinely instituted religious service, in the celebration of which they were brought so nigh unto God. and the promises--the great Abrahamic promises, successively unfolded, and which had their fulfilment only in Christ; (see He 7:6; Ga 3:16, 21; Ac 26:6, 7).

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 4. Who are Israelites. Descended from Israel, or Jacob; honoured by having such an ancestor, and by bearing a name so distinguished as that of his descendants. It was formerly the honourable appellation of the people of God.

To whom pertaineth. To whom it belongs. It was their elevated external privilege.

The adoption. Of the nation into the family of God, or to be regarded as his peculiar people, De 7:6.

And the glory. The symbol of the Divine presence that attended them from Egypt, and that finally rested over the ark in the first temple --the Shekinah, Ex 13:21,22, 25:22.

And the covenants. The various compacts or promises which had been made from time to time with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and with the nation; the pledges of the Divine protection.

The giving of the law. On Mount Sinai, Ex 20:1. Comp. Ps 147:19.

And the service of God. The temple service; regarded by them as the pride and ornament of their nation.

And the promises. Of the Messiah; and of the spread of the true religion from them as a nation.

(x) "adoption" De 7:6 (y) "glory" Ps 90:16, Isa 60:19 (1) "covenants" or, "testaments" (z) "covenants" Gen 17:2, De 29:14, Jer 31:33 (a) "law" Ps 147:19, Rom 3:2 (b) "service of God" Ex 12:25 (c) "promises" Eph 2:12

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 4 Who are Israelites - Descendants of Jacob, a man so highly favored of God, and from whom he received his name Israel - a prince of God, Gen 32:28; from which name his descendants were called Israelites, and separated unto God for his glory and praise. Their very name of Israelites implied their very high dignity; they were a royal nation; princes of the most high God. The adoption - The Israelites were all taken into the family of God, and were called his sons and first-born, Exo 4:22; Deu 14:1; Jer 31:9; Hos 11:1; and this adoption took place when God made the covenant with them at Horeb. The glory - The manifestation of God among them; principally by the cloud and pillar, and the Shekinah, or Divine presence, appearing between the cherubim over the mercy-seat. These were peculiar to the Jews; no other nation was ever thus favored. The covenants - The covenants made with Abraham, both that which relates to the spiritual seed, and that which was peculiar to his natural descendants, Gal 3:16, Gal 3:17; which covenants were afterwards renewed by Moses, Deu 29:1. Some suppose that the singular is here put for the plural, and that by covenants we are to understand the decalogue, which is termed ברית berith, or covenant, Deu 4:13. But it is more likely that the apostle alludes to the great covenant made with Abraham, and to its various renewals and extensions at different times afterwards, as well as to its twofold design - the grant of the land of Canaan, and the rest that remains for the people of God. The giving of the law - The revelation of God by God himself, containing a system of moral and political precepts. This was also peculiar to the Jews; for to no other nation had he ever given a revelation of his will. The service - Λατρεια. The particular ordinances, rites, and ceremonies of their religious worship, and especially the sacrificial system, so expressive of the sinfulness of sin and the holiness of God. The promises - The land of Canaan, and the blessings of the Messiah and his kingdom; which promises had been made and often repeated to the patriarchs and to the prophets.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 9:1-5

Chapter Outline The apostle's concern that his countrymen were strangers to the gospel. (1-5) The promises are made good to the spiritual seed of Abraham. (6-13) Answers to objections against God's sovereign conduct, in exercising mercy and justice. (14-24) This sovereignty is in God's dealing both with Jews and Gentiles. (25-29) The falling short of the Jews is owing to their seeking justification, not by faith…

Read the full comment on Romans 9:1-5 →

Romans 9:4 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.

οἵτινέςoitineswhoG3748

εἰσινeisinareG1510

Ἰσραηλῖται,IsraēlitaiIsraelites,G2475

ὧνhōnwhose [is]G3739

ἡhētheG3588

υἱοθεσίαhuiothesiadivine adoption as sonsG5206

καὶkaiandG2532

ἡhētheG3588

δόξαdoxagloryG1391

καὶkaiandG2532

αἱhaitheG3588

διαθῆκαιdiathēkaicovenantsG1242

καὶkaiandG2532

ἡhētheG3588

νομοθεσίαnomothesialawgivingG3548

καὶkaiandG2532

ἡhētheG3588

λατρείαlatreiaserviceG2999

καὶkaiandG2532

αἱhaitheG3588

ἐπαγγελίαι,epangeliaipromises,G1860

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

Cross references for Romans 9:4

Ephesians 2:12
That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Psalms 147:19
He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel.
Genesis 17:2
And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
Romans 9:6
Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Acts 2:39
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Deuteronomy 7:6
For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
Exodus 4:22
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
Hebrews 9:1
Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
1 Kings 8:11
So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
Romans 8:15
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Psalms 89:3
I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Acts 3:25-26
Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

are Israelites.
6; Ge 32:28; Ex 19:3-6; De 7:6; Ps 73:1; Isa 41:8; 46:3; Joh 1:47
the adoption.
Ex 4:22; De 14:1; Jer 31:9,20; Ho 11:1
and the glory.
Nu 7:89; 1Sa 4:21,22; 1Ki 8:11; Ps 63:2; 78:61; 90:16; Isa 60:19
covenants. or, testaments.
Ge 15:18; 17:2,7,10; Ex 24:7,8; 34:27; De 29:1; 31:16; Ne 13:29
Ps 89:3,34; Jer 31:33; 33:20-25; Ac 3:25; Heb 8:6-10
the giving.
3:2; Ne 9:13,14; Ps 147:19; Eze 20:11,12; Joh 1:17
the service.
Ex 12:25; Isa 5:2; Mt 21:33; Heb 9:3,10
promises.
Lu 1:54,55,69-75; Ac 2:39; 3:25,26; 13:32,33; Eph 2:12; Heb 6:13-17

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

Context

Romans 9:3
For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
Romans 9:4
Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
Romans 9:5
Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Read all of Romans 9

Romans 9:4 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Que son israelitas, de los cuales es la adopción, y la gloria, y el pacto, y la data de la ley, y el culto, y las promesas;
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	qui sont Israélites, auxquels sont l’adoption, et la gloire, et les alliances, et le don de la loi, et le service divin, et les promesses;
German Elberfelder 1871	welche Israeliten sind, deren die Sohnschaft ist und die Herrlichkeit und die Bündnisse und die Gesetzgebung und der Dienst und die Verheißungen;
Latin Clementine Vulgate	qui sunt Israëlitæ, quorum adoptio est filiorum, et gloria, et testamentum, et legislatio, et obsequium, et promissa: