Devine Scripture

Romans 11:10

What does Romans 11:10 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 11:10 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 11:10 means

David’s further words portray the inward consequences of unbelief: darkened eyes unable to see, and a bent back under continual burden. It is a stark picture of spiritual incapacity and servitude. Paul uses this to underline that Israel’s present hardness is not superficial; it affects perception and posture toward God. Yet even such judgment does not exhaust God’s plan. The images prepare the reader to appreciate the surprising turn: from severity to mercy, from stumbling to a pathway that brings salvation to others. The darkness described is real, but it is not the end of the story God is writing with Israel and the nations.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, And bow thou down their back always.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, And bow thou down their back always.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Let their eyes be made dark so that they may not see, and let their back be bent down at all times.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

let their eyes be darkened--not to behold, and their back do Thou always bow down.'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see: and bow down their back always.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

let their eyes be darkened not to see, and bow down their back alway.

Context

With verses 9–10 Paul completes his string of Old Testament citations explaining the reality and depth of Israel’s hardening. This closes the diagnostic section that began in verse 7 and sets the stage for a major transition in verse 11. There Paul asks whether the stumble is final and answers with hope, revealing a redemptive design in which Gentile salvation arises and ultimately contributes to Israel’s restoration.

v.9And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, And a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them:

v.10This passage

v.11I say then, Did they stumble that they might fall? God forbid: but by their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Zechariah 11:17

    Woe to the worthless shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

  • Jude 1:6

    And angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

  • Deuteronomy 28:64

    And Jehovah will scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers, even wood and stone.

  • Isaiah 51:23

    and I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee, that have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over; and thou hast laid thy back as the ground, and as the street, to them that go over.

  • 2 Peter 2:4

    For if God spared not angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

  • Romans 11:8

    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.

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