Romans 9:12
What does Romans 9:12 mean?
A plain-English look at Romans 9:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Romans 9:12 means
God declared, “The elder shall serve the younger,” overturning usual cultural expectations. The point is not to trace all historical details, but to show the principle: God’s call determines the line of promise. By placing the younger over the elder, God highlighted that His purposes are not bound to human customs, primogeniture, or perceived fitness. The oracle defined roles in service of the larger redemptive plan. Paul employs it to teach that God’s electing word, spoken before birth, sets the course for how the covenant blessings flow, and His wisdom, not human status, rules the story.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
KJV
King James Version · 1611It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949It was said to her, The older will be the servant of the younger.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`The greater shall serve the less;'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Not of works, but of him that calleth, it was said to her: The elder shall serve the younger.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890it was said to her, The greater shall serve the less:
Context
After stating the principle of election apart from works (v. 11), verse 12 cites God’s prenatal oracle to Rebecca. The reversal—elder serving younger—dramatizes God’s sovereign freedom. Verse 13 will add Scripture’s valuation of Jacob and Esau to complete the picture. These verses form the immediate basis for Paul’s later defense of God’s righteousness (vv. 14–18) and His right as the potter over the clay (vv. 19–21). The flow moves from example to doctrine to anticipated objections.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 Kings 22:47
And there was no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
- Genesis 25:22
And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, wherefore do I live? And she went to inquire of Jehovah.
- 2 Samuel 8:14
And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And Jehovah gave victory to David whithersoever he went.
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