But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.
Verse 19. But I say, etc. Still further to meet the objection, he shows that the doctrine which he was maintaining was actually taught in the Old Testament. Did not Israel know? Did not the Jews understand? Is it not recorded in their books, etc., that they had full opportunity to be acquainted with this truth? This question is an emphatic way of affirming that they did know.
But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by [them that are] no people, [and] by a foolish nation I will anger you. (13) The defender and maintainer of the Jew's cause goes on still to ask whether the Jews also did not know God, the one who called them.
But I say, Did not Israel know?--know, from their own Scriptures, of God's intention to bring in the Gentiles? First--that is First in the prophetic line [DE WETTE]. Moses saith, &c.--"I will provoke you to jealousy ('against') [them that are] not a nation, and against a nation without understanding will I anger you" (Deu 32:21).