Isaiah 43:27

Your ‘first relative’ could possibly be Adam (see Genesis chapter 3). Or Abraham (see Genesis 12:18 and Genesis 20:9). But more probably the reference is to Jacob (see Genesis 46:3-7; Hosea 12:2-4).

‘Jacob’ was the original name of ‘Israel’ (see Genesis 35:10).

• However, Ezekiel uses a similar picture in words (Ezekiel 16:3). He is not referring to any particular *ancestor. Rather, he is explaining how God originally chose Israel. Across the world, nations were serving false gods. And the people were often very evil. But God chose one family out of those nations. And, in time, that family would become the nation called Israel.