Romans 9:13 is a deeply discussed passage, often misunderstood. Paul quotes Malachi 1:2-3: “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.” This verse is not about God arbitrarily deciding individual salvation. Rather, it is a declaration of God’s covenantal purposes for nations and His plan to bring salvation to the whole world, including the Gentiles.
This study will focus on the biblical context of Romans 9, its connections to Israel and the Gentiles, and its ultimate conclusion in Romans 11, showing that God’s goal is to provoke Israel to return to Him.
Love and Hate: A Contextual Understanding
The terms love and hate in this passage are covenantal and refer to God’s choice of one nation over another for a specific purpose. In the Hebrew mindset, “hate” often means to reject or choose against rather than emotional hostility. For example:
- In Genesis 29:30-31, Jacob “loved Rachel more than Leah,” but the text describes Leah as “hated.” This shows a preferential choice, not emotional hatred.
- In Luke 14:26, Jesus says, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother… he cannot be My disciple.” This does not mean literal hatred but prioritizing one relationship over another.
Thus, in Romans 9:13, God’s “love” for Jacob and “hate” for Esau refers to His choice of Jacob (Israel) to carry His covenant blessings and His rejection of Esau (Edom) for that role.
Context: God’s Covenant with Israel
Romans 9 is part of Paul’s broader discussion in Romans 9-11, addressing the question of why many Israelites have rejected Christ while Gentiles are coming to salvation. Paul begins by expressing his anguish over Israel’s unbelief (Romans 9:1-5) and assures that God’s promises have not failed. He explains that God’s purposes were never based on ethnicity alone, but on His plan to bring salvation to the world.
Election in Context:
Paul points to God’s choice of Jacob over Esau (Romans 9:10-13). This choice was about God’s purpose in history, not about individual salvation. Jacob was chosen to carry the covenant through which the Messiah would come, while Esau’s descendants (Edom) were not chosen for this role.
Importantly, this is not about eternal destinies. Malachi 1:2-3, which Paul quotes, refers to the nations of Israel (descendants of Jacob) and Edom (descendants of Esau) long after the individuals had died. God’s “love” and “hate” reflect His covenantal choice for His redemptive plan, not personal favoritism or condemnation.
Israel’s Relationship to the Gentiles
Paul’s discussion in Romans 9 sets the stage for addressing Israel’s relationship to the Gentiles. While many Israelites rejected Christ, Gentiles are being grafted into the family of God through faith (Romans 9:30-33). This is not a rejection of Israel but part of God’s plan to provoke Israel to repentance and restoration.
God’s Purpose for Israel:
Romans 9:6-8 clarifies that not all who are descended from Israel are part of the “true Israel.” True children of Abraham are those who share his faith (Romans 4:16-17). This does not mean God has rejected Israel entirely; rather, it highlights that salvation is through faith, not ethnicity.God’s Inclusion of the Gentiles:
Romans 9:24-26 demonstrates that God’s plan always included Gentiles: “Even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. As He says also in Hosea: ‘I will call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved, who was not beloved.’”
Romans 9-11 as a Unified Message
Romans 9-11 should be read as a cohesive argument, not isolated passages. Paul’s aim is to show God’s faithfulness to His promises and His redemptive plan for both Jews and Gentiles.
Romans 9: God’s choice of Israel to carry His covenant purposes, with the inclusion of Gentiles as part of His plan.
Romans 10: The necessity of faith for salvation, emphasizing that “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Salvation is available to all, Jew and Gentile alike.
Romans 11: God’s plan to restore Israel, using the salvation of Gentiles to provoke Israel to jealousy and return to Him: “Through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:11).
Romans 11:25-26 concludes with hope for Israel’s future: “Blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved.” God’s promises to Israel remain, and His plan includes their restoration.
Jacob and Esau as Representatives
Jacob and Esau represent nations (Israel and Edom) and God’s plan to work through Israel to bring about salvation for the world. Paul is not teaching individual predestination to salvation or condemnation but showing how God has orchestrated history to fulfill His covenant promises.
This is further emphasized in Romans 9:22-23, where Paul speaks of God’s patience with vessels of wrath to show His mercy to vessels of mercy. These vessels are not individuals predestined to destruction but groups (Israel and Gentiles) used by God to reveal His glory.
Provoking Israel to Jealousy
One of the most profound truths in Romans 9-11 is God’s plan to use the salvation of Gentiles to provoke Israel to return to Him. Romans 11:11-12 states:
“I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!”
God’s plan is redemptive. The Gentiles’ inclusion is not the rejection of Israel but part of His purpose to bring them back. This echoes Deuteronomy 32:21, where God foretells using other nations to provoke Israel to jealousy.
My Final Thoughts
Romans 9:13, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated,” is not about individual salvation but God’s plan to use Jacob (Israel) as the vehicle for His covenant blessings. Paul’s argument in Romans 9-11 shows that God’s plan includes the Gentiles and that their inclusion will ultimately provoke Israel to return to Him. This passage is a reminder of God’s mercy, faithfulness, and redemptive purpose for all who come to Him through faith.
