3384. And Isaac dwelt in Gerar. That this signifies the Lord’s state in regard to the things of faith relatively to the rational things that were to be adjoined, is evident from the signification of “dwelling in Gerar,” as being to be in the things which are of faith; thus the state in regard to these things; for “to dwell” signifies to live (n. 1293), and “Gerar” signifies the things which are of faith, (n. 1209, 2504, 3365)—and from the representation of Isaac, as being the Lord as to the Divine rational (n. 1893, 2066, 2072, 2083, 2630). That it is relatively to the rational things that were to be adjoined, is evident from what goes before and from what follows; for in this whole chapter these things are treated of, namely, the rational things which when enlightened by the Divine of the Lord are appearances of truth.

[2] That “to dwell” denotes to be and to live, thus the state, is evident from many passages in the Word. As in David:

I will dwell in the house of Jehovah for length of days (Psalms 23:6). One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life (Psalms 27:4). He that worketh deceit shall not dwell in the midst of My house (Psalms 101:7); where “dwelling in the house of Jehovah” denotes being and living in the good of love, for this is the “house of Jehovah.”

In Isaiah:

They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined (Isaiah 9:2);

“they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death” denotes the state of those who are in ignorance of good and truth. Again:

Babel shall not be inhabited forever (Isaiah 13:20);

denoting the state of damnation of those who are “Babel.”

[3] Again:

O Jehovah God of Israel that inhabitest the cherubim (Isaiah 37:16); O shepherd of Israel inhabiting the cherubim, shine forth (Psalms 80:1);

“to inhabit the cherubim” is the Lord as to a state of providence, lest anyone should enter into the holy things of love and faith unless prepared by the the Lord, (n. 308).

In David:

In peace will I both lay me down and sleep, for Thou Jehovah alone makest me dwell in safety (Psalms 4:8);

“to make to dwell in safety” signifies a state of peace.

In Jeremiah:

O thou that dwellest upon many waters, great in treasures, thine end is come, the measure of thy gain (Jeremiah 51:13); concerning Babel; “dwelling upon many waters” denotes being in knowledges concerning truth.

[4] In Daniel:

God Himself revealeth the deep and secret things, He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him (Daniel 2:22); where “dwelling” denotes being. Again in the same Prophet:

Under that tree the beast of the field had shadow, and the fowls of heaven dwelt in the branches thereof (Daniel 4:12).

And in Ezekiel:

Under its branches all the wild beast of the field brought forth, and in its shadow dwelt all great nations (Ezekiel 31:6); where “dwelling” denotes being and living.

In Hosea:

The threshing-floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail her. They shall not dwell in the land of Jehovah; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt (Hos. 9:2-3);

“not to dwell in the land of Jehovah” denotes not to be in a state of the good of love, consequently not in the Lord’s kingdom.

2072. And laughed. That this signifies the affection of truth, may be seen from the origin and essence of laughter, for its origin is nothing but the affection of truth, or else the affection of what is false, from which come the gladness and merriment that in laughter display themselves in the face, which shows that the essence of laughter is nothing else. Laughter is indeed an external thing that belongs to the body because to the face; but in the Word interior things are expressed and signified by exterior things; just as all the interior affections of the mind are expressed and signified by means of the face, interior hearing and obedience being signified by the ear, interior sight or understanding by the eye, power and strength by the hand and arm, and so on, and in the same way the affection of truth by laughter.

[2] In man’s rational there is truth, which is its chief characteristic, and there is also the affection of good, but this is in the very affection of truth as its soul. The affection of good which is in the rational does not display itself by means of laughter, but by means of a certain joy and consequent pleasurable delight which does not laugh; for in laughter there is usually something that is not so good. The reason why truth is the chief characteristic in man’s rational, is that the rational is formed by means of the knowledges of truth, for by no other means can anyone ever become rational. The knowledges of good are truths, equally as much as are the knowledges of truth.

[3] That “laughter” here signifies the affection of truth, may be seen from its being related that Abraham laughed; and in like manner Sarah, both before Isaac was born, and afterwards; and also from Isaac’s being named from “laughter,” for the word “Isaac” means “laughter.” That Abraham laughed when he heard about Isaac, is evident from this verse, for it is said that Abraham laughed when he heard about a son from Sarah. That Sarah also laughed before Isaac’s birth, when she heard from Jehovah that she should bear a son, is told in the words, “When Sarah heard at the door of the tent, Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am grown old shall I have pleasure? and my lord old? And Jehovah said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, and I am become old? Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was, afraid. And He said, Nay, but thou didst laugh” (Genesis 18:12-13, 15). And later, when Isaac had been born, “Abraham called the name of his son Isaac” (meaning “laughter”); and Sarah said, “God hath made laughter for me; everyone that heareth shall laugh with me” (Genesis 21:3, 6). Unless “laughing” and the name “Isaac,” meaning “laughter,” involved such things, these matters would never have been related.