4571. And God said to him. That this signifies perception from the Divine, is evident from the signification in the historicals of the Word of “to say” as being to perceive (see n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3395, 3509). That it was from the Divine is signified by “God said;” for the Divine was in the Lord from conception. This was His being, for He was conceived from Jehovah, and therefore His perception was from the Divine, but it was according to the state of the reception by His Human, because He made the Human in Himself Divine by successive steps. Hence it is evident that as the Divine or God was in Him, by the words “God said to him” is signified perception from the Divine.

1898. Sarai said unto Abram. That this signifies that it was so perceived, is evident from the signification of “Sarai” and of “Abram,” namely, that “Sarai” is truth adjoined to good, and “Abram” is the internal man; and therefore that “Sarai said to Abram,” in the internal sense cannot signify any conversation, but perception. The Lord’s perception at that time was from truth adjoined to good, which dictated to Him how the case was. There is something similar with a celestial man who receives perception; for there is something of truth adjoined to good which dictates; afterwards there is good from which or through which the truth is perceived. (That “to say,” in the internal sense, signifies to perceive, may be seen above, n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822)