4822. 'And he called his name Er' means the essential nature of that falsity. This is clear from the meaning of 'calling the name' as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421, namely the nature of the falsity of the Church, dealt with immediately above in 4821. The expression 'the nature of the falsity' is used because falsities differ from one another, even as truths do, so much so that the different types of falsity can hardly be counted; and each type of falsity has its own specific nature by which it is distinguished from any other. Common falsities reign among the wicked in every Church, but each person's falsity varies in keeping with the life he leads. The falsity which existed in the Jewish Church and is referred to here was falsity springing from the evil of self-love and of love of the world based on this, see 4818.

4827. 'And he was in Kezib as she was giving birth to him' means the state. This is clear from the meaning of 'Kezib' as the state, namely that of idolatry meant by 'Shelah' which existed among the Jewish nation, and from the meaning of 'giving birth' as being joined in action, dealt with in 3905, 3915, 3919. And because it was joined to the evil present in that idolatry, it is said that 'she' called his name Shelah, as is evident from the original language; for 'she' - the daughter of Shua - means evil begotten by falsity springing from evil, 4818, 4819.