'Ishmael' signifies the Lord's merely human rational and rationality separate from good.

In Genesis 25:12, 'Ishmael' signifies the spiritual church.

(Odkazy: Arcana Coelestia 1944)

1942. Verse 11 And the angel of Jehovah said to her, Behold, you are with child, and you will bear a son, and you will call his name Ishmael because Jehovah has hearkened to your affliction.

'The angel of Jehovah said to her' means the interior man's thought. 'Behold, you are with child' means the life of the rational man. 'You will bear a son' means the truth of this [rational man]. 'And you will call his name Ishmael' means its state of life. 'Because Jehovah has hearkened to your affliction' means since it was submitting itself.