SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:4
Mas ¿qu le dice la respuesta de Dios? He dejado para mí siete mil varones, que no han doblado las rodillas delante de Baal.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 11:4
Verse 4. 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. Who have not bowed the knee] Baal was the god of Jezebel; or, in other words, his worship was then the worship of the state; but there were several thousands of pious Israelites who had not acknowledged this idol, and did not partake in the idolatrous worship.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. But what saith the answer of God unto him ? etc..] The divine response, or oracle, the lwq tb , Bath Kol, or voice from heaven; the still small voice of the Lord, which Elijah heard, ( 1 Kings 19:12): I have reserved to myself ; for his worship and service, to be partakers of his grace, inheritors of his kingdom, to show forth his praise, and for his name's sake, for his honour and glory: these he reserved in eternal election, in the council and covenant of peace; separated them in time from others by his grace, and preserved them from the general defection and apostasy: even seven thousand men : meaning either that precise and exact number, which was but small in comparison of the very large multitude of persons that were in the ten tribes, or else a certain number for an uncertain: who have not bowed the knee ; a sign of reverence and adoration: to [the image] of Baal ; Jezebel's god, the god of the Zidonians; a name common to many of the deities of the Gentiles, and signifies lord, or master; we read of Baalim in the plural number, for there were lords many of this name: in the Greek text the article is of the feminine gender, wherefore our translators have supplied the word image. This word has, in the Septuagint version, sometimes a feminine article as here; (see Kings 21:3 Jeremiah 2:8,23,28 7:9 11:13) ( Jeremiah 12:16 19:5 23:27 32:29,35 Hosea 2:8 13:1); but in ( 1 Kings 19:18), from whence this passage is taken, the article is masculine, as it is also in ( Judges 2:11,13), and in other places. This deity being either of both sexes, or of no distinguished sex; or it may be, the reason it has so often a feminine article is, because it was a young heifer, or in the form of one; so in the history of Tobias 1:5, it is said, that all the tribes which apostatized together sacrificed, th baal th damalei , to Baal the heifer. The apostle's view in mentioning this instance is to show, that when the church and cause of God are at the lowest, God has always some true worshippers of him; and that he never casts away his foreknown people, whose numbers are generally more than they are thought to be by the saints themselves; good men, as Elijah, may be mistaken in this matter; all which he accommodates to the then present state of God's people, in ( Romans 11:5).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-10 - There was a chosen remnant of believing Jews, who had righteousness an life by faith in Jesus Christ. These were kept according to the election of grace. If then this election was of grace, it could not be of works, either performed or foreseen. Every truly good disposition in a fallen creature must be the effect, therefore it cannot be the cause of the grace of God bestowed on him. Salvation from the first to the last must be either of grace or of debt. These things are so directl contrary to each other that they cannot be blended together. God glorifies his grace by changing the hearts and tempers of the rebellious. How then should they wonder and praise him! The Jewis nation were as in a deep sleep, without knowledge of their danger, or concern about it; having no sense of their need of the Saviour, or of their being upon the borders of eternal ruin. David, having by the Spirit foretold the sufferings of Christ from his own people, the Jews foretells the dreadful judgments of God upon them for it, Ps 69. Thi teaches us how to understand other prayers of David against his enemies; they are prophecies of the judgments of God, not expression of his own anger. Divine curses will work long; and we have our eye darkened, if we are bowed down in worldly-mindedness.
Greek Textus Receptus
αλλα 235 CONJ τι 5101 I-ASN λεγει 3004 5719 V-PAI-3S αυτω 846 P-DSM ο 3588 T-NSM χρηματισμος 5538 N-NSM κατελιπον 2641 5627 V-2AAI-1S εμαυτω 1683 F-1DSM επτακισχιλιους 2035 A-APM ανδρας 435 N-APM οιτινες 3748 R-NPM ουκ 3756 PRT-N εκαμψαν 2578 5656 V-AAI-3P γονυ 1119 N-ASN τη 3588 T-DSF βααλ 896 N-PRI
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. Answer (crhmatismov). Only here in the New Testament. For the kindred verb crhmatizw warn, see on Matt. ii. 12; Luke ii. 26; Acts xii. 26. Compare Rom. viii. 3. The word means an oracular answer. In the New Testament the verb is commonly rendered warn.I have reserved (katelipon). Varying from both Septuagint and Hebrew. Heb., I will reserve; Sept., thou wilt leave.
To Baal (th Baal). The feminine article is used with the name instead of the masculine (as in Septuagint in this passage). It occurs, however, in the Septuagint with both the masculine and the feminine article. Various reasons are given for the use of the feminine, some supposing an ellipsis, the image of Baal; others that the deity was conceived as bisexual; others that the feminine article represents the feminine noun hJ aijscunh shame Heb., bosheth, which was used as a substitute for Baal when this name became odious to the Israelites.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
11:4 {The answer of God} (ho chrmatismos). An old word in various senses like crematizw, only here in N.T. See this use of the verb in #Mt 2:12,22; Lu 2:26; Ac 10:22. {To Baal} (ti Baal). Feminine article. In the LXX the name Baal is either masculine or feminine. The explanation is that the Jews put _Bosheth_ (aiscune, shame) for Baal and in the LXX the feminine article occurs because aiscune is so, though here the LXX has the masculine t"i.
