1. I ask, therefore, has Hashem repudiated His people? Not at all! Chas v'shalom! For I too am a ben Yisroel, of the zera Avraham (seed of Avraham Avinu), of the tribe of Binyamin.
2. Hashem has not repudiated His people whom He foreknew [TEHILLIM 94:14; Ro 8:29]. Or do you not have da'as what the Kitvei Hakodesh says in the section about Eliyahu HaNavi, how he appeals to Hashem against Yisroel?
3. "Adonoi, they have killed your Nevi'im, they have torn down your mizbe'achot (altars), and I alone have been left, and they seek my life." [MELACHIM ALEF 19:10]
4. But what is Hashem's answer to him? "I have kept for Myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Ba'al." [MELACHIM ALEF 19:18]
5. Thus, therefore, also in the zman hazeh, there has come into being a she'erit (remnant, remainder) in accordance with the bechirah (election) of chesed (free, unmerited favor or grace).
6. But if on the mekor (basis) of chen v'chesed (unmerited favor, grace), then not on the mekor (basis) of [loin (wages), batsolen (pay) for] ma'asim (works), vi-bahlt (since) otherwise chesed would no longer be chesed (4:4-5).
7. What then? What Yisroel sought for, that is what it did not obtain; but hannivcharim (the elect, the chosen ones) obtained it. And the rest were hardened (9:17-18)
8. As it is written, "G-d gave to them a ruach tardemah (spirit of deep sleep), eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear, until this very day" [Isa 29:10].
9. And Dovid said, "Let their shulchan (table) become a snare and a net, a trap and a retribution for them;
10. " Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever." TEHILLIM 68:23-24 TARGUM HASHIVIM; [69:22-23].