Nehemiah 9:7

7 You, Lord God, chose Abram ¹ and led him out of Ur in Babylonia; you changed his name to Abraham.

Nehemiah 9:7 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 9:7

Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram
From among the Chaldeans, and out of his father's family:

and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees;
by calling him from thence, of which see ( Genesis 11:28 Genesis 11:31 ) ( 12:1 ) , to which may be added what Amama ^F24 on that place observes; that some think that the sacred fire, which the Chaldeans worshipped, was kept in this city, from whence it was called Ur, that being worshipped by them and by the Assyrians under the name of Ur ^F25:

and gavest him the name of Abraham;
which was changed when the covenant of circumcision was given him, ( Genesis 17:5 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

F24 Anti-barbar. Biblic. l. 3. p. 652.
F25 Fortunati Schaech. Elaeochrism. Myrothec. l. 1. c. 9. col. 44.

Nehemiah 9:7 In-Context

5 The following Levites gave a call to worship: Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah. They said: "Stand up and praise the Lord your God; praise him forever and ever! Let everyone praise his glorious name, although no human praise is great enough."

6 And then the people of Israel prayed this prayer: "You, Lord, you alone are Lord; you made the heavens and the stars of the sky. You made land and sea and everything in them; you gave life to all. The heavenly powers bow down and worship you.

7 You, Lord God, chose Abram and led him out of Ur in Babylonia; you changed his name to Abraham.

8 You found that he was faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him. You promised to give him the land of the Canaanites, the land of the Hittites and the Amorites, the land of the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Girgashites, to be a land where his descendants would live. You kept your promise, because you are faithful.

9 "You saw how our ancestors suffered in Egypt; you heard their call for help at the Red Sea.

Cross References

• 1. 9.7 aGenesis 11.31; 12.1; bGenesis 17.5.