plan he now admitted the Gentiles to favor. And as this "general principle" was established; as the history of the Jews themselves was a precedent in the case, it ought not to be objected in the time of Paul that the "same principle" should be carried out to meet the case also of the Gentiles. In the place - The place where they may be scattered, or where they may dwell. Or rather, perhaps, in those nations which were not regarded as the people of God, there shall be a people to whom this shall apply. Where it was said unto them - Where the proper appellation of the people was, that they were not the people of God; where they were idolatrous, sinful, aliens, strangers; so that they had none of the marks of the children of God. Ye are not my people - People in covenant with God; under his protection, as their Sovereign, and keeping his laws. There shall they be called - That is, there they "shall be." The verb to call in the Hebrew writings means often the same as "to be." It denotes that this shall be the appellation which properly expresses their character. It is a figure perhaps almost unique to the Hebrews; and it gives additional interest to the case. Instead of saying coldly and abstractedly, "they are such," it introduces also the idea that such is the "favorable judgment" of God in the case; see Matthew 5:9 , "Peace-makers ...shall be