Charles Ellicott Commentary Romans 9:4

"who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service [of God], and the promises;" — Romans 9:4 (ASV)

The adoption.—They are the theocratic people, the people whom God had, as it were, adopted to Himself, and taken into the special filial relation. (Compare to Hosea 11:1, I called my son out of Egypt; Exodus 4:22, Israel is my son, even my firstborn; and others.)

The glory.—The Shechinah, or visible symbol of God’s presence. (Exodus 24:16; Exodus 40:34–35; 1 Samuel 4:22; 1 Kings 8:10–11; Ezekiel 1:28; Hebrews 9:5.)

The covenants.—Not the two tables of stone, but the several compacts made by God with Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 12:1–3; Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:14–17; Genesis 15:1–21; Genesis 17:1–22; Genesis 22:15–18; Genesis 26:2–5; Genesis 26:34; Genesis 28:13–15; Genesis 35:9–12; Genesis 46:3–4).

The service of God.—The temple service and ritual.

The promises.—Especially the Messianic promises, a term correlative to the “covenants” above.