Neh 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 Gen 11:28, to which may be added what Amama (x) 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 (y): and gavest him the name of Abraham; which was changed when the covenant of circumcision was given him, Gen 17:5. (x) Anti-barbar. Biblic. l. 3. p. 652. (y) Fortunati Schaech. Elaeochrism. Myrothec. l. 1. c. 9. col. 44.”

“The fire of the Chaldeans. The city of Ur, in Chaldea, the name of which signifies fire. Or out of the fire of the tribulations and temptations, to which he was there exposed. The ancient Rabbins understood this literally, affirming that Abraham was cast into the fire by the idolaters, and brought out by a miracle without any hurt. (Challoner) — The Chaldeans adored fire, (St. Jerome, q. Heb. in Genesis xi. 31.) and the Persians probably imitated them. (Strabo xv.) — The emperor Heraclius destroyed their Pyreia. (Suidas.) — St. Jerome translates Ur of the Chaldeans, in all other places. (Amama) — Septuagint, “the country of,” &c. (Calmet) — It is supposed that the sacred fire preserved in this city, gave name to it, ( Ur, “fire,”) as Heliopolis was so called, from the particular worship of “the sun.” (Haydock) — Abraham, to imply some mystery, Genesis xvii. (Worthington) — See Isaias xliii. 27.”