2112. That 'Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael' means that, when the Lord joined His Human Essence to the Divine Essence, He also joined to Himself and saved everyone else who becomes rational from truth is clear from the representation of 'Abraham' in this chapter as the Lord in that state and at that time of life, dealt with above in 1989, and from the representation of 'Ishmael' here as those who become rational from truth, dealt with above in 2078, 2087, 2088, and also from the meaning of 'being circumcised' as being purified, dealt with above in 2039, and, in reference to the Lord, as being glorified - and so as casting off the human and putting on the Divine. That being glorified means putting on the Divine, see 2033 above, and that He also joined to Himself at the same time those who become rational, that is, spiritual, from truth, see 2034, 2078, 2088, above.

2078. 'O that Ishmael might live before You!' means that others who are rational from truth should not perish. This is clear from the representation and consequent meaning of 'Ishmael' as the rational, dealt with in the previous chapter, where Ishmael was the subject. Inside the Church there are two types of people, namely spiritual and celestial. The former - the spiritual - become rational from truth, but the latter - the celestial - do so from good. For what distinguishes spiritual people from celestial, see 2069 above, and in many places in Volume One. The former, namely spiritual people who become rational through truth, are here meant by 'Ishmael', for the name 'Ishmael' in its genuine sense means rational truth, as shown already in 1839, 1949 1951. When this rational truth is adopted and desired by good, as it is here by the Lord (meant by Abraham), it means that which is spiritual, and so the spiritual man. Or what amounts to the same, it means the spiritual Church, the salvation of which the Lord, out of the Divine love referred to immediately above in 2077, earnestly desired. That desire is expressed by the words, O that Ishmael might live before You!