4124. 'And he caught up with him on mount Gilead means a kind of joining together was thereby effected. This is clear from the meaning of 'catching up with' as a joining together, and from the meaning of 'mount Gilead' as good involved at the first stage of the joining together, dealt with above in 4117; so that 'he caught up with him on mount Gilead' means a kind of joining together.

1896. 'Her name was Hagar' means the life of the exterior or natural man. This becomes clear from what has been stated already, and also from the meaning of Hagar' as a foreign woman or one living in foreign parts. 'Foreigners' represented people who were to receive instruction, and living in foreign parts represented instruction, and also rules of life, as shown already in 1463. When it is stated in the Word what a person's name is, as here, that 'her name was Hagar', it means that the name embodies something to which attention should be paid, for 'calling by name' is knowing a person's character, as shown already in 144, 145, 340. Not one particle exists in the Word without a reason and without meaning some real thing in the internal sense.