Passage
But I say: Hath not Israel known? First, Moses saith: I will provoke you to jealousy by that which is not a nation: by a foolish nation I will anger you.
Romans 10:19 (DRB)
Nearby Context
Romans 10:17 Faith then cometh by hearing; and hearing by the word of Christ.
Romans 10:18 But I say: Have they not heard? Yes, verily: Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the whole world.
Romans 10:19 But I say: Hath not Israel known? First, Moses saith: I will provoke you to jealousy by that which is not a nation: by a foolish nation I will anger you.
Romans 10:20 But Isaias is bold, and saith: I was found by them that did not seek me. I appeared openly to them that asked not after me.
Romans 10:21 But to Israel he saith: All the day long have I spread my hands to a people that believeth not and contradicteth me.
Study Lenses
The verse centers on "hath", "israel", "known", "first", "moses", "saith", "provoke", and "jealousy". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "hath" and "israel", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.
The nearby context moves from verse 18's "But I say Have they not heard..." into verse 20's "But Isaias is bold and saith I...", so "hath" and "israel" belong inside that flow. In Romans context, the local focus is righteousness by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and God's covenant faithfulness.
A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "hath" and "israel" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.