You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.
English Standard Version (ESV)
While it mentions the name change from Abram to Abraham, the verse highlights that God didn't just give a new name, but that the very act of changing it signified Abraham's new identity and calling. This underscores that God's choices for us aren't just labels, but fundamentally reshape who we are and where we're going.
You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The people of Israel have gathered for a solemn day of fasting and repentance, confessing their sins and remembering God's faithfulness. This verse kicks off a prayer that recounts God's history with them, starting with the very foundation of their nation—the choosing of Abraham from Ur and the significant renaming that marked a new covenant. This historical recounting serves to remind them of God's steadfast love and faithfulness, even as they acknowledge their own repeated failures.
Ever feel like you were chosen, even when you didn't deserve it? Nehemiah reminds us that God's relationship with His people began with a deliberate, personal choice.
This verse kicks off a powerful prayer of confession and remembrance in Nehemiah 9. The people are looking back at their history, and they start with the very foundation: God's choice of Abram (later Abraham).
A Deliberate Act
The Root of Covenant
God didn't just choose Abram; He called him out of his homeland and even changed his name. What's the big deal about a name change?
The verse highlights two significant actions God took concerning Abram: bringing him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and giving him a new name, Abraham.
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Leaving the Familiar
A Name and a Promise
Understand the original words
bachar · Hebrew Verb
To select or elect someone for a specific purpose or relationship; in Scripture, it implies God's sovereign initiative in grace.
This prayer, delivered during the post-exilic period as Jerusalem's walls are rebuilt, recalls God's foundational act of choosing Abraham. It grounds the people's identity and God's faithfulness in an ancient, personal call, setting the stage for their return and restoration.
c. 2100 BC— this verse
Abraham called from Ur
God calls Abram (later Abraham) from Ur of the Chaldeans, a major city in southern Mesopotamia, initiating a foundational journey of faith.
c. 2000 BC - 1700 BC
Patriarchal Period
This era encompasses the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, marked by God's covenant promises and the establishment of a distinct family line.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
Following centuries of slavery, the descendants of Abraham are miraculously delivered from Egypt, a pivotal event in their national formation.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest and Settlement of Canaan
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites conquer and divide the promised land, fulfilling God's ancient covenant with Abraham.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports many Judeans, including members of the royal family and skilled laborers, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar completely destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and intensifying the exile for the remaining population.
c. 444 BC
Rebuilding Jerusalem's Walls
Nehemiah leads the returned exiles in the remarkable and challenging task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, restoring the city's security.
This passage recounts God's initial call to Abram, detailing the command to leave his land and the promises that followed, directly illustrating the 'choosing' and 'bringing out' mentioned in Nehemiah.
Genesis 17:5Here, God explicitly changes Abram's name to Abraham, signifying a new covenant and a broader destiny, which directly connects to God 'giving him the name Abraham' as a sign of His faithfulness.
Acts 7:2-4Stephen recounts the call of Abraham, referencing God speaking to him in Mesopotamia and telling him to go out from his country, echoing Nehemiah's summary of God's foundational act of choosing and bringing Abraham out.
Isaiah 41:9This prophecy speaks of God choosing Abraham from the ends of the earth and calling him His servant, highlighting the sovereign, intentional nature of God's selection of Abraham as the foundation of His people.
bensonNehemiah 9:7: "Thou 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;"
Nehemiah 9:7 . Thou art the Lord who didst choose Abraham — Here follows a compendious history of the affairs of the Hebrew nation, which, it is likely was composed by Ezra or Nehemiah in the form of a prayer, and delivered to the Levites, that they might pronounce it distinctly before the whole congregation, from their several scaffolds, whi…
clarkeNehemiah 9:7: "Thou 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;"
Who didst choose Abram - See the notes on Exodus 13:21 (note). The name of Abraham - For the explanation of this name, See the notes on Genesis 17:5.
While it mentions the name change from Abram to Abraham, the verse highlights that God didn't just give a new name, but that the very act of changing it signified Abraham's new identity and calling. This underscores that God's choices for us aren't just labels, but fundamentally reshape who we are and where we're going.
The people of Israel have gathered for a solemn day of fasting and repentance, confessing their sins and remembering God's faithfulness. This verse kicks off a prayer that recounts God's history with them, starting with the very foundation of their nation—the choosing of Abraham from Ur and the significant renaming that marked a new covenant. This historical recounting serves to remind them of God's steadfast love and faithfulness, even as they acknowledge their own repeated failures.
The people of Israel have gathered for a solemn day of fasting and repentance, confessing their sins and remembering God's faithfulness. This verse kicks off a prayer that recounts God's history with them, starting with the very foundation of their nation—the choosing of Abraham from Ur and the significant renaming that marked a new covenant. This historical recounting serves to remind them of God's steadfast love and faithfulness, even as they acknowledge their own repeated failures.
"You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham." — While it mentions the name change from Abram to Abraham, the verse highlights that God didn't just give a new name, but that the very act of changing it signified Abraham's new identity and calli…
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Last reviewed October 2026