2726. Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days. That this signifies that the Lord adjoined to the doctrine of faith very many things from the memory-knowledge of human knowledges is evident from the signification of “sojourning,” as being to instruct (see n. 1463, 2025); from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord (see n. 1965, 1989, 2011, 2501); from the signification of the “land of the Philistines,” or Philistia, as being the memory-knowledge of knowledges (see n. 1197, 1198); and from the signification of “days,” as being the state of the thing which is treated of (n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893); here, because knowledges from the things of memory and reason are treated of, and it is said “many days,” it signifies relatively very many things. Thus far, from verse 22, rational things from human memory-knowledges, added to the doctrine of faith, are treated of, as is manifest from the explication; and here is the conclusion of them. As regards the subject itself; as in itself it is deep, and as much is said about it in chapter 26, it may be well at present to defer further explication.

1965. This then is the internal sense of the things contained in this chapter concerning Abram, Hagar, and Ishmael. But how copious this sense is, that is, what illimitable things it contains, may be seen from the mere consideration that as in the internal sense all things in the Word both in general and in particular regard the Lord, and treat of the Lord-for the life of the Word, because the Word itself, is from this-they also, in the internal sense, treat at the same time of His kingdom in the heavens, and of His kingdom on earth, which is the church; and in the same way they treat of everyone in whom is the Lord’s kingdom; and besides this they treat in general of all that is celestial and spiritual, for all these are from the Lord. Hence it is that by Abram is also represented the celestial church, the celestial man, and the celestial itself, and so on. But to extend the explication to all these would make it too tedious.