2587. 'Because of the matter of Sarah' means through the rational if it had joined itself. This is clear from the representation of 'Sarah when a sister' as rational truth, dealt with in 2508. 'The matter of Sarah' means the whole affair, that is to say, of her being called a sister, and of Abimelech's taking her, but not going near her. What more is meant by these things will be stated in what follows immediately below.

2172. That 'Abraham' here is the Lord in that state as regards good is clear from the representation of 'Abraham'. Abraham represents the Lord in the human when he is speaking to Jehovah, as is the case here, and also previously in 1989, where he represented the Lord in that state and at that time of life, for that too was an occasion when He spoke to Jehovah. In other places 'Abraham' represents the Lord's Divine Good and 'Sarah' Divine Truth, and therefore he represents His rational good.