3447. 'Abimelech went to him from Gerar' means the doctrine of faith which has regard to rational concepts. This is clear from the representation of 'Abimelech' as the doctrine of faith which has regard to rational concepts, dealt with in 2504, 2509, 2510, 3391, 3393, 3398, and from the meaning of 'Gerar' as faith, dealt with in 1209, 2504, 3365, 3384, 3385. For what doctrine having regard to rational concepts is, see 3368. From here to verse 33 the subject has to do with those among whom the literal sense of the Word and from this matters of doctrine concerning faith exist, and with the agreement of those matters of doctrine, insofar as they are drawn from the literal sense, with the internal sense; for 'Abimelech, and Ahuzzath his companion, and Phicol the commander of his army' represent those matters of doctrine. They are those who make faith the essential thing, and who, though they do not reject charity, rank it below faith, and so rate doctrine above life. Almost all our Churches today are like this, with the exception of that which exists in Christian Gentilism where people are allowed to venerate saints and images of them.

[2] As within every Church that is the Lord's some people are internal and others are external - the internal being those whose affection is for good, the external those whose affection is for truth - so it is also with those who are represented here by Abimelech, his companion, and the commander of his army. Those who are internal have been dealt with already in Chapter 21:22-33, where it is said of Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army that they came to Abraham and made a covenant with him in Beersheba, see 2719, 2720. But those who are external are dealt with here.

2720. Verse 22 And so it was at that time, that Abimelech spoke, and Phicol the general of his army, to Abraham, saying, God is with you in all that you are doing.

Verse 23 And now swear to me here by God that you will not lie to me, and to my son, and to my grandson; according to the kindness which I have done to you, may you do to me and to the land in which you have sojourned.

Verse 24 And Abraham said, I will swear.

Verse 25 And Abraham reproached Abimelech on account of a well of water which Abimelech's servants had seized.

Verse 26 And Abimelech said, I do not know who has done this thing; and you also did not point it out to me, and I too have not heard about it until today.

Verse 27 And Abraham took flocks and herds and gave them to Abimelech; and the two of them made a covenant.

Verse 28 And Abraham set seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves.

Verse 29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, What are these seven ewe-lambs which you have set by themselves?

Verse 30 And he said, Because you will take the seven ewe-lambs from my hand, that they may be a witness for me that I dug this well.

Verse 31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them swore an oath.

Verse 32 And they made a covenant in Beersheba; and Abimelech rose up, and Phicol the general of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines.

[2] 'So it was at that time' means the state which the Lord passed through when the Rational was made Divine. 'That Abimelech spoke, and Phicol the general of his army, to Abraham' means the merely human rational ideas based on facts that were to be allied to the doctrine of faith, which in itself is Divine. 'Saying, God is with you in all that you are doing' means that it was Divine in every single detail.

[3] 'And now swear to me here by God' means an affirmation. 'That you will not lie to me' means without any element of doubt. 'And to my son, and to my grandson' means regarding matters of faith. 'According to the kindness which I have done to you' means the rational ideas which the Lord had been taught previously. 'May you do to me and to the land in which you have sojourned' means that which is reciprocal.

[4] 'And Abraham said, I will swear' means a complete affirmation. 'And Abraham reproached Abimelech' means the Lord's displeasure. 'On account of a well of water which Abimelech's servants had seized' means the doctrine of faith, that factual knowledge wished to attribute that doctrine to itself.

[5] 'And Abimelech said' means a reply. 'I do not know who has done this thing' means that the rational dictated something different. 'And you also did not point it out to me' means that it did not come from the Divine. 'And I too have not heard about it until today' means that it was now disclosed for the first time.

[6] 'And Abraham took flocks and herds and gave them to Abimelech' means Divine Goods implanted in the rational ideas belonging to doctrine that were meant by Abimelech. 'And the two of them made a covenant' means joined together thus. 'And Abraham set seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves' means the holiness of innocence.

[7] 'And Abimelech said to Abraham, What are these seven ewe-lambs which you have set by themselves?' means that He was to be taught and would acknowledge. 'And he said, Because you will take the seven ewe-lambs from my hand' means the holiness of innocence received from the Divine. 'That they may be a witness for me' means certainty. 'That I have dug this well' means that the doctrine came from the Divine.

[8] 'Therefore he called that place Beersheba' means the state and the nature of the doctrine. 'Because there the two of them swore an oath' means as a result of the joining together. 'And they made a covenant in Beersheba' means that the merely human rational ideas were allied to the doctrine of faith. 'And Abimelech rose up, and Phicol the general of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines' means that nevertheless they did not form part of that doctrine.