16.
Doubtless thou art our Father,] q. d. Surely thou livest, and art still our Father, and therefore wilt take notice of us as of thy children, and of the miserable condi∣tion in which we are.
Though Abraham be ignorant of us,] i. e. Though Abraham, who was our Father according to the flesh, is now dead, and therefore neither knoweth us, nor our con∣dition.
And Israel acknowledge us not,] i. e. And though Israel (who was also our Father according to the flesh) is now dead, and therefore acknowledgeth us not, though we were his sons.
Why was Abraham ignorant of them? and why did not Israel acknowledge them at this time?
Ans. Because Abraham and Israel were both dead at this time, and so all their thoughts perished, Psal. 146.4.
Thou O Lord art our Father,] i. e. Thou O Lord (I say) livest, and art our Fa∣ther.
Our Redeemer,] The people of the Jews calleth the Lord their Redeemer, because he had redeemed them, at all times, out of the hands of their Enemies.
Thy Name is from everlasting.] i. e. Thou art from everlasting, and so being from everlasting, shalt be to everlasting; for that which hath no beginning, shall have no ending.
By this he preferred God as a Father, be∣fore Abraham, and before Jacob; For though Abraham and Jacob were both their Fathers, yet they were mortal, and both dead, and so had no longer any know∣ledge and care of them, as a Father had of his children: But God is everlasting, and dyeth not, and so can always both take no∣tice, and have a care of them which are his.
Thy Name] i. e. Thou. See Cap. 30. vers. 27.