2981. 'Which is Hebron' means that this was a new Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'Hebron' as the spiritual Church, dealt with above in this chapter, in 2909. There the expression 'Kiriath Arba, which is Hebron' occurs, for the reason that 'Kiriath Arba' means the Church as regards truth and 'Hebron' the Church as regards good. But here the name Kiriath Arba is not used any more, only Hebron, because the subject is a regenerate person, who does not act any longer from truth but from good, as stated above in 2979.

2980. 'At the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre' means that in this way they were regenerated to the extent that they could be. This is clear from the meaning of 'the cave' as the truth of faith enveloped in obscurity, dealt with in 2935; from the meaning of 'the field' as the good of faith, dealt with in 2971; from the meaning of 'Machpelah facing (or before) Mamre', as the nature and extent of regeneration, dealt with in 2970. Thus the meaning is that they were regenerated by means of the good and truth of faith to the extent that they could be, that is, according to their ability and understanding, 2913, 2928, 2975.