Here are some excerpts from Swedenborg's "Arcana Coelestia" that help explain the inner meaning of this chapter:

AC 1778. Here in the internal sense are continued the things concerning the Lord after He had endured in childhood the most severe combats of temptations, which were directed against the love which He cherished toward the whole human race, and in particular toward the church; and therefore being anxious concerning their future state a promise was made Him but it was shown at the same time what the state of the church would become toward its end when it would begin to expire; but that still a new church should revive, which would take the place of the former, and the heavenly kingdom would be immensely increased.

AC 1779. The Lord‘s consolation after the combats of temptations described (verse 1).

AC 1780. The Lord’s complaint respecting the church, that it was in externals only (verses 2, 3). A promise concerning an internal church (verse 4). Concerning its multiplication (verse 5). That the Lord is righteousness (verse 6). And unto Him alone belongs the kingdom in the heavens and on earth (verse 7).

AC 1781. And as He desired to be assured that the human race would be saved (verse 8), it was shown Him how the case is with the church, in general, specifically, and in particular (verses 9 to 17).

AC 1782. The "heifer," "she-goat," and "ram," are the representatives of the celestial things of the church; the "turtledove" and the "young pigeon" are the representatives of its spiritual things (verse 9). The church was on one side, and the Lord on the other (verse 10). The Lord would dissipate evils and falsities (verse 11). But the falsities would still infest it (verses 12, 13). From these there should be deliverance (verse 14). Thus the Lord received consolation (verse 15). But that evils would take possession (verse 16). And at last nothing hut falsities and cupidities would reign (verse 17). Then would come the Lord‘s kingdom, and a new church, the extension of which is described (verse 18). The falsities and evils to be expelled from it are the nations named (verses 19 to 21).

1778. Genesis 15

1. After these events ¹ the word of Jehovah came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I am a shield to you, your exceedingly great reward.

2. And Abram said, O Lord Jehovih, what will You give me, seeing that I go childless, ² and the steward of my house is this Damascene, Eliezer?

3. And Abram said, See, to me you have not given seed, and behold, a son of my house is my heir.

4. And behold, the word of Jehovah came to him, saying, This man will not be your heir, but he who comes out of your own loins will be your heir.

5. And He brought him outside and said, Look, now, towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them. And He said to him, So will your seed be.

6. And he believed in Jehovah, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

7. And He said to him, I am Jehovah, who brought you forth out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit.

8. And he said, O Lord Jehovih, by what shall I know that I shall inherit it?

9. And He said to him, Take for Me ³ a three year old heifer, and a three year old she-goat, and a three year old ram, a turtle dove and a fledgling.

10. And he took for himself all these, and parted each of them down the middle and laid each part opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut apart.

11. And birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.

12. And as the sun was going down a deep sleep came over Abram, and, behold, a dread of a great darkness was coming over him.

13. And He said to Abram, Know for sure that your seed will be strangers in a land not theirs. And they will serve them, ⁴ and these will afflict them for four hundred years.

14. And also the nation which they are going to serve will I judge; and afterwards they will go out with great acquisitions.

15. And you will come to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age.

16. And in the fourth generation they will return from here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet come to a close.

17. And the sun went down and there was thick darkness; and behold, a smoking furnace and a flaming torch which passed between those pieces.

18. On that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, To your seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river, the river Phrath. ⁵

19. The Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite,

20. And the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim,

21. And the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.

CONTENTS

Continued here in the internal sense are matters concerning the Lord after He had undergone in childhood the very severe conflicts brought about by temptations - conflicts directed against the love He cherished towards the entire human race, and in particular towards the Church. As He was therefore anxious about the future state of these, a promise was made to Him. But at the same time He was shown what the state of the Church was to become in its final days, when it was beginning to breathe its last, but nevertheless that a new Church would gather strength to take the place of the previous one; and the heavenly kingdom would be vastly increased.

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