Romans 11:8

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.

a. ESV:  As it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”  [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."]

 

b. NKJV: Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.”  [Scripture quotations marked "NKJV" are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.]

c.  NASB 1995: Just as it is written, “GOD GAVE THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR,

EYES TO SEE NOT AND EARS TO HEAR NOT, DOWN TO THIS VERY DAY.”  [NASB95 New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

d. Amplified Bible Classic: As it is written, God gave them a spirit (an attitude) of stupor, eyes that should not see and ears that should not hear, [that has continued] down to this very day. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

 

e. Peshitta Eastern Text: As it is written, God has given them a stubborn spirit, eyes that cannot see, and ears that cannot hear, unto this very day. [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

f. Unless otherwise noted all Greek and Hebrew is from Blue Letter Bible.

1. “(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber…”

a. According [as] [Strong: 2531 kathos kath-oce' from 2596 and 5613; just (or inasmuch) as, that:--according to, (according, even) as, how, when.]

 

b. [it is] written [Strong: 1125 grapho graf'-o a primary verb; to "grave", especially to write; figuratively, to describe:--describe, write(-ing, -ten).]

 

c. God [Strong: 2316 theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

 

d. [hath] given [Strong: 1325 didomi did'-o-mee a prolonged form of a primary verb (which is used as an alternative in most of the tenses); to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection):--adventure, bestow, bring forth, commit, deliver (up), give, grant, hinder, make, minister, number, offer, have power, put, receive, set, shew, smite (+ with the hand), strike (+ with the palm of the hand), suffer, take, utter, yield.]

 

e. them [Strong: 846 autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

   

f. [the] spirit [Strong: 4151 pneuma pnyoo'-mah from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:--ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.]

 

g. [of] slumber [Strong: 2659 katanuxis kat-an'-oox-is from 2660; a prickling (sensation, as of the limbs asleep), i.e. (by implication, (perhaps by some confusion with 3506 or even with 3571)) stupor (lethargy):--slumber.]

1). This quote is taken from Isaiah 29:9, 10 and is referring to spiritual blindness and to spiritual sleep. 

a). Isaiah 29:9, 10  Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

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.

2). The sense of this passage is often compared with another passage in Isaiah. It gives the impression that God is sovereignly causing these people to sin. 

a). Isaiah 6:9, 10 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

3). The Isaiah 6 passage is quoted by Jesus when he is teaching about the Parable of the Sower sowing the Word and it is there we find the explanation for the mistaken view that God is causing their sin. 

a). Matthew 13:13-15 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

13:14 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:

13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

b). Jesus goes on to explain in Matthew 13:13-15, that the effect of not understanding on the part of the people is a fulfillment of a passage in Isaiah. This explanation also clears up a misunderstanding of Isaiah 6:9, 10. In looking at the passage in Isaiah 6,  it appears that God out of sovereign choice is the one making the people to not understand, because he says make their heart fat, make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes. But Jesus clears it up by saying the people themselves caused their own inability to hear or see, through their own disobedience.

c). Isaiah 6:9, 10 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

(1) waxed gross [Zodhiates: 3975 * pachuno;] to become dull and callous.] [NIV: “become calloused”].

(2) In his definition, Zodhiates cites a passage in Deuteronomy that clearly shows the fault is on the people and not God.

(3) Deuteronomy 32:15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxed fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

2. “...eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.”

a. Eyes [Strong: 3788 ophthalmos of-thal-mos' from 3700; the eye (literally or figuratively); by implication, vision; figuratively, envy (from the jealous side-glance):--eye, sight.]

 

b. [that they should] not [Strong: 3361 me may a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations.]

 

c. see [Strong: 991 blepo blep'-o a primary verb; to look at (literally or figuratively):--behold, beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed.]

 

d. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

 

e. ears [Strong: 3775 ous ooce apparently a primary word; the ear (physically or mentally):--ear.]

   

f. [that they should] not [Strong: 3361 me may a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas 3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas 3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether:--any but (that), X forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations.]

 

g. hear [Strong: 191 akouo ak-oo'-o a primary verb; to hear (in various senses):--give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.]

 

h. unto [Strong: 2193 heos heh'-oce of uncertain affinity; a conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until (of time and place):--even (until, unto), (as) far (as), how long, (un-)til(-l), (hither-, un-, up) to, while(-s).]

 

i. this [Strong: 4594 semeron say'-mer-on neuter (as adverb) of a presumed compound of the article 3588 (t changed to s) and 2250; on the (i.e. this) day (or night current or just passed); generally, now (i.e. at present, hitherto):--this (to-)day.]

   

j. day [Strong: 2250 hemera hay-mer'-ah feminine (with 5610 implied) of a derivative of hemai (to sit; akin to the base of 1476) meaning tame, i.e. gentle; day, i.e. (literally) the time space between dawn and dark, or the whole 24 hours (but several days were usually reckoned by the Jews as inclusive of the parts of both extremes); figuratively, a period (always defined more or less clearly by the context):--age, + alway, (mid-)day (by day, (-ly)), + for ever, judgment, (day) time, while, years.]

1). The eyes and ears Paul is referring to are not physical, they are spiritual. We have spiritual senses.

a). Taste: Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

b). Hearing: Matthew 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

c).  Seeing: 2 Peter 1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his sins.

d). Feeling: Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.

e). Smell: Isaiah 11:3  And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

(1) quick understanding [Strong: 7306 ruwach roo'-akh a primitive root; properly, to blow, i.e. breathe; only (literally) to smell or (by implication, perceive (figuratively, to anticipate, enjoy):--accept, smell, X touch, make of quick understanding.] [Gesenius:

2). We deaden them by our disobedience.