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Romans 11:4

in Romans 11

And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have left for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.

KJV

But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

This verse in Romans 11

Commentary

14 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

But what saith the answer of God - The answer which God made assured him that there were seven thousand, that is, several or many thousands; for so we must understand the word seven, a certain for an uncertain number. These had continued faithful to God; but, because of Jezebel’s persecution, they were obliged to conceal their attachment to the true religion; and God, in his providence, preserved them from her sanguinary rage.

This site's exposition

did God reject His people

on Romans 11:1-4

Paul answers whether God rejected His people with his flattest no, then points to himself, an Israelite of the tribe of Benjamin. Elijah thought he was the only one left, and God answered with seven thousand men He had kept for Himself.

This site's exposition

the divine reply

The divine reply renders chrematismos, a word Barnes finds nowhere else in the New Testament, meaning an answer given by God. Theodoret draws the lesson that Elijah knew nothing of the seven thousand until God told him. The hidden faithful outnumbered what the prophet could see.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers5 voices

A commentator

Ambrosiaster

COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES · Written before 384.

proposed

This is clear, for Paul shows that not only Elijah remained as one devoted to God who did not worship idols, but that there were many who remained faithful to God, just as there were not a few Jews who believed in Christ.

A commentator

Origen of Alexandria

COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.

proposed

And when Elijah made this lament before God, hear what the divine oracles answer him: "I have left for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed their knees to Baal." Baal is the name of an idol, to whose worship that people had fallen away, having abandoned the law of God. But let us see what the very number of seven thousand men indicates. The number seven pertains to rest. For "on the seventh day God rested."

A commentator

Apostolic Constitutions

Constitutions of the Holy Apostles Book 8 · Written before 380.

proposed

Nor did Samuel, who had done so many surprising things, disregard David the beloved of God: yet they were both prophets, and the one was high priest, and the other was king. And when there were only seven thousand holy men in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal, Elijah alone among them, and his disciple Elisha, were workers of miracles. Yet neither did Elijah despise Obadiah the steward, who feared God, but wrought no signs; nor did Elisha despise his own disciple when he trembled at the enemies. Moreover, neither did the wise Daniel who was twice delivered from the mouths of the lions, nor the three children who were delivered from the furnace of fire, despise the rest of their fellow-Israelites: for they knew that they had not escaped these terrible miseries by their own might; but by the power of God did they both work miracles, and were delivered from miseries. Wherefore let none of you exalt himself against his brother, though he be a prophet, or though he be a worker of miracles: for if it happens that there be no longer an unbeliever, all the power of signs will thenceforwards be superfluous. For to be pious is from any one's good disposition; but to work wonders is from the power of Him that works them by us...

A commentator

Theodoret of Cyrus

INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS · Written before 458.

proposed

Elijah did not know about these 7, until God revealed their existence to him. So it is not unbelievable that you too are ignorant of how many Jews have believed in the Savior.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Romans 18 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"He hath not cast off His people, whom He foreknew." As though he said, I have with me three, five, or ten thousand. What then? has the people come to be three, five, or ten thousand? that seed that compared with the stars of heaven for multitude, or the sand of the sea? Is this the way you deceive us and put a cheat upon us, by making the whole people thyself and the few that are with thee; and didst thou inflate us with idle hopes, and say that the promise has been fulfilled, when all are lost, and the salvation comes down to a few? This is all bombast and vanity! we cannot away with such sophistry as this. Now, that they may not say this, see how in the sequel he proceeds to the answer, not giving the objection indeed, but before it grounding the answer to it upon ancient history. What then is the answer? "Wot ye not," he says, "what the Scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, and digged down Thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to Myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace." What he means is nearly this. "God hath not cast off His people." For had He done so, He would have admitted none of them. But if He did admit some, He hath not cast them off. Still it is said, if He had not cast off, He would have admitted all. This does not follow; since in Elijah's time the part to be saved had come down to "seven thousand:" and now also there are probably many that believe. But if you do not know who they are, this is no wonder, for that prophet, who was so great and good a man, did not know. But God ordered things for Himself when even the prophet knew them not. […]
6 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Romans · Written before 1107.

proposed

The Apostle could have been objected to: what are you saying, Paul? Do you really consider the people who are likened to sand and stars to consist of three thousand, five thousand, a great multitude of people? Therefore he says: even in the time of …

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on Romans · Written before 1274.

proposed

Then when he says but what does, he gives the divine reply, saying: but what does the divine answer say to him, i.e., to Elijah. It is this: I have left me, i.e., for my worship by not permitting them to fall into sin, seven …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Those God will own for his faithful witnesses that are bold in bearing their testimony to the present truth, 2 Pet. i. This is thank-worthy, not to bow to Baal when every body bows. Sober singularity is commonly the badge of true sincerity. [3.] The application of this instance to the case in hand: Even so at this present time,
But what saith the answer of God unto him?....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Wot--that is, "Know" ye not that the scripture saith of--literally, "in," that is, in the section which relates to Elias? how he maketh intercession--"pleadeth" against Israel--(The word "saying," which follows, as also the particle "and" before "digged down," should be omitted, as without manuscript authority).
The answer of God - ὁ χρηματισμός ho chrēmatismos. This word is used no where else in the New Testament. It means an oracle, a divine response. It does not indicate the manner in which it was done, but implies only that it was an oracle, or answer made to his complaint by God. Such an answer, at such a time, would be full of comfort, and silence every complaint. The way in which this answer was in fact given, was not in a storm, or an earthquake, but in a still, small voice; 1Ki 19:11-12. I have reserved - The Hebrew is, “I have caused to remain,” or to be reserved. This shows that it was of God that this was done. Amidst the general corruption and idolatry he had restrained a part, though it was a remnant. The honor of having done it he claims for himself, and does not trace it to any goodness or virtue in them. So in the case of all those who are saved from sin and ruin, the honor belongs not to man, but to God. To myself - For my own service and glory. I have kept them steadfast in my worship, and have not suffered them to become idolaters. Seven thousand men - Seven is often used in the Scriptures to denote an indefinite or round number. Perhaps it may be so here, to intimate that there was a considerable number remaining. This should lead us to hope that even in the darkest times in the church, there may be many more friends of God than we suppose. Elijah supposed he was alone; and yet at that moment there were thousands who were the true friends of God; a small number, indeed, compared with the multitude of idolaters; but large when compared with what was supposed to be remaining by the dejected and disheartened prophet. Who have not bowed the knee - To bow or bend the knee is an expression denoting worship; Php 2:10; Eph 3:14; Isa 45:23. To Baal - The word “Baal” in Hebrew means Lord, or Master. […]

The words behind it

16 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    1 Kings 19:18

    Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

    it leads to

    • Romans 11:4–5

      And what was the divine reply to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”

    • Isaiah 1:9

      Unless the LORD of Hosts had left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.

    • Isaiah 10:20–22

      On that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer depend on him who struck them, but they will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy…

    • Hosea 13:2

      Now they sin more and more and make for themselves cast images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say of them, “They offer human sacrifice and…

    • Philippians 2:10

      that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

  • Through

    Numbers 25:3

    So Israel joined in worshiping Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD burned against them.

    it leads to

    • Hosea 9:10

      I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the firstfruits of the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal-peor, and consecrated themselves to Shame; so…

    • Joshua 22:17

      Was not the sin of Peor enough for us, from which we have not cleansed ourselves to this day? It even brought a plague upon the congregation of the LORD.

  • Through

    Judges 2:13

    for they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.

    it leads to

    • Judges 10:6

      And again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. They served the Baals, the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and Philistines. Thus…

Where this verse is studied

About Romans

Saint Paul Writing His Epistles, Valentin de Boulogne, about 1618 to 1620, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Public domain.
Saint Paul Writing His Epistles, Valentin de Boulogne, about 1618 to 1620, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Public domain.
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Apostolic Constitutions, Constitutions of the Holy Apostles Book 8; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 18; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Robert Haldane, Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans; Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.