4846. For he said. That this signifies thought, is evident from the signification of “saying” in the historic parts of the Word, as being to perceive and also to think (see n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 3395). Here therefore by “he said” is signified that he said in himself, or thought, that Tamar would not be given to Shelah his son for a wife-in the internal sense that the internal things of the representative church would be alienated (n. 4844).

1791. Abram said, Lord Jehovih. That this signifies the Lord’s perception, may be seen from the fact that the Lord had the most interior and perfect perception of all things. This perception, as before said, was a perceptive sensation and knowledge of all things that were taking place in heaven, and was a continual communication and internal conversation with Jehovah, which the Lord alone had. This is meant in the internal sense by the words “Abram said to Jehovah;” this was represented by Abram when he spoke with Jehovah; and the like is signified in what follows wherever the expression “Abram said to Jehovah” occurs.