Romans 9:25,26

“ As He saith also in Osee, I will call that my people, which was not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called sons of the living God. ”

The words as also evidently refer to the last words of Romans 9:24: “but also of the Gentiles.” To facilitate the exposition of the following quotation, Hofmann has thought it best to apply this as also to the first words of Romans 9:24: “not of the Jews only.” But this reference is not in keeping with the apostle's thought; for when he really passes to the prophecies relating to Israel, Romans 9:27, he expressly indicates this transition. The difficulty which has driven Hofmann to his view is this Hosea, in the two passages quoted, Romans 2:23 and Romans 1:10, is certainly speaking of the Israelites of the ten tribes scattered in distant lands, and not of Gentiles; how can the apostle apply them to the latter? St. Peter does exactly the same thing (1Pe 2:10). Hodge remarks that the ten tribes having relapsed into idolatry, were thus in the same state as the Gentiles, so that what was said of the former could equally be applied to the latter. Then he cites the fact, as Tholuck does, that in Scripture a general truth enunciated in regard to a particular class of men is afterward applied to all those whose character and position are found to be the same. And, indeed, in the mouth of God the expressions: “that which is not of my people;” “her which is not beloved;” “I will call them my people..., beloved,” express a principle of the divine government which comes into play everywhere when circumstances reappear similar to those to which they were originally applied. This was the case with the Gentiles yet more completely, if that is possible, than with the inhabitants of Samaria. We shall add, that the exiled Israelites being mingled with the Gentiles, and forming one homogeneous mass with them, cannot be brought to God separately from them. Isaiah 49:22 represents the Gentiles as carrying the sons of Israel in their arms and their daughters on their shoulders, and consequently as being restored to grace along with them.

Instead of: I will call, Hosea simply says: I will say to. The meaning is the same; for I will call applies to the new name which will be given them (see the full context of Hosea). Only by the form I will call, Paul alludes to the calling of the Gentiles to salvation.