How nice to be "chosen".
Like being the favorite son of a father who has many children-- but the rest have been evicted and left homeless and starving!
The Israelites had many contemporaneous societies from the huge civilizations/dynasties co-existing in China, India and Japan, to their neighboring tribes in the Middle East.
Apparently God was unconcerned that all these other cultures were unaware of the one true God-- many were polytheistic.

Suddenly after the crucifixion it was imperative that the "Gentiles" be "redeemed"
But the "Gentiles " pre-Jesus, were lost souls whom evidently God did not care about, and to whom He clearly did not reveal Himself.

How easy to see God as "loving", "merciful"
when you are the chosen favorite.
When you are of a tribe destined by God's decree to be butchered, along with your children  wife and all your animals -- by the spears of your "God fearing neighbors", maybe you see God differently?