Acts 13:17

“The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, etc.] Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their seed after them, to be a peculiar people to himself; wherefore he is often, as here, styled their God, and whom he distinguished and blessed with many blessings, civil and religious, above all people upon the face of the earth. The apostle seems particularly to address himself to the Gentiles, the inhabitants of Antioch, and the proselytes of righteousness, now in the synagogue, (<441342>Acts 13:42,43) and, as it were, with his finger pointed to the native Jews present, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, a part of the people whose God the Lord was: and exalted the people when they dwelt…”

“The God of this people - Who has manifested himself as the special friend and protector of this nation. This implied a belief that he had been particularly their God; a favorite doctrine of the Jews, and one that would conciliate their favor toward Paul. Of Israel - The Jews. Chose our fathers - Selected the nation to be a chosen and special people to himself, Deuteronomy 7:6-7. And exalted the people - Raised them up from a low and depressed state of bondage, to freedom, and to special privileges as a nation. When they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt - ἐν τῇ παροικίᾳ en tē paroikia. This properly refers to their dwelling there as foreigners. They were always strangers there in…”

“The God - By such a commemoration of God's favours to their fathers, at once their minds were conciliated to the speaker, they were convinced of their duty to God, and invited to believe his promise, and the accomplishment of it. Act 13:17-22, contain the whole sum of the Old Testament. Of this people - Paul here chiefly addresses himself to those whom he styles, Ye that fear God: he speaks of Israel first; and Act 13:26, speaks more directly to the Israelites themselves. Chose - And this exalted the people; not any merit or goodness of their own, Eze 20:5. Our fathers - Abraham and his posterity. Isa 1:2. Acts 13:18”

“13:17-22 To establish common ground, Paul traced Jewish history from the Exodus onward, stressing the Jews’ powerful deliverance from Egyptian bondage, the providential occupation of their inheritance in Canaan, the establishment of the monarchy, the removal of Saul, and the special place of David.”

“God: Acts 7:2-53; Gen 12:1-3, Gen 17:7, Gen 17:8; Deu 4:37, Deu 7:6-8, Deu 9:5, Deu 14:2; Neh 9:7, Neh 9:8; Psa 105:6-12, Psa 105:42, Psa 105:43, Psa 135:4; Isa 41:8, Isa 41:9, Isa 44:1; Jer 33:24-26; Pe1 2:9 and exalted: Act 7:17; Exo 1:7-9; Deu 10:22; Psa 105:23, Psa 105:24 and with: Act 7:36; Exod. 6:1-14:31, 15:1-21, Exo 18:11; Deu 4:20, Deu 4:34, Deu 7:19; Sa1 4:8; Neh 9:9-12; Psa 77:13-20, Psa 78:12, Psa 78:13, Psa 78:42-53, Psa 105:26-39, Psa 106:7-11; Psa 114:1-8, Psa 135:8-10, Psa 136:10-15; Isa 63:9-14; Jer 32:20, Jer 32:21; Amo 2:10; Mic 6:4, Mic 7:15, Mic 7:16 Acts 13:18”