Nehemiah 9:7
What does Nehemiah 9:7 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 9:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 9:7 means
God is addressed as the one who chose Abram, brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name Abraham. This emphasizes grace and initiative: Abram did not make himself; God called him and redefined his identity and destiny. The change of name signifies covenant purpose and promise. By highlighting origin and call, the prayer reminds Israel that their existence as a people stems from divine election, not human achievement. In confessing sins, they also confess that their roots lie in God’s faithful choosing. This magnifies God’s goodness at the start of their history and prepares to recall the covenant and its fulfillment in the gift of land.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Thou art Jehovah the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham,
KJV
King James Version · 1611Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Thou art Jehovah the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham,
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949You are the Lord, the God, who took Abram and made him yours, guiding him from Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`Thou <FI>art<Fi> He, O Jehovah God, who didst fix on Abraham, and didst bring him out from Ur of the Chaldeans, and didst make his name Abraham,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Thou O Lord God, art he who chosest Abram, and broughtest him forth out of the fire of the Chaldeans, and gavest him the name of Abraham.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Thou art the Same, Jehovah Elohim, who didst choose Abram and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;
Context
Coming from the wide horizon of creation, the prayer zooms in to the patriarchal beginning of Israel’s story. Verse 7 sets Abraham’s call as the next anchor point. The following verse will speak of God finding Abraham faithful and making a covenant to give land to his seed. This movement shows that the Creator is also the covenant-maker who shapes a people for Himself.
v.6Thou art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
v.7This passage
v.8and foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it unto his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Genesis 11:31
And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.
- Joshua 24:2
And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods.
- Genesis 12:1
Now Jehovah said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto the land that I will show thee:
- Genesis 17:5
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee.
- Deuteronomy 10:15
Only Jehovah had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this day.
- Acts 7:2
And he said, Brethren and fathers, hearken: The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
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