2085. To his seed after him. That this signifies those who should have faith in the Lord, is evident from the signification of “seed,” as being faith (explained before, n. 1025, 1447, 1610, 2034). Those are here signified by “seed” who have the faith of love, that is, who have love to the Lord; consequently the celestial, or those who are of the celestial church; for the seed from Isaac is treated of. But they who have the faith of charity, that is, who have charity toward the neighbor-consequently the spiritual, or those who are of the spiritual church-are signified by “Ishmael,” who is treated of in the verse that now follows. (What the distinction is between the celestial and the spiritual, may be seen above, n. 2069, 2078; and also what the distinction is between having love to the Lord and having charity toward the neighbor, n. 2023)

1260. Because in the Most Ancient and in the Ancient Church, nations signified goods, or good men, therefore in the opposite sense they signify evils, or evil men. In like manner peoples, because they signified truths, in the opposite sense signify falsities. For in a depraved church good is turned into evil, and truth into falsity. Hence comes the signification of “nations” and of “peoples” in this opposite sense in many places in the Word, as in Isaiah 13:4; 14:6; 18:2, 7; 30:28; 34:1-2; Ezekiel 20:32.