3817. Verses 16-17. And Laban had two daughters, the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. And Leah’s eyes were weak, and Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in look. “And Laban had two daughters,” signifies the affections of truth from the good which is from a common stock; “the name of the elder was Leah,” signifies the affection of external truth with its quality; “and the name of the younger was Rachel,” signifies the affection of internal truth with its quality; “and Leah’s eyes were weak,” signifies that the affection of external truth is such in regard to the understanding of it; “and Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in look,” signifies that the affection of internal truth is such in regard to what is spiritual.

1896. And her name was Hagar. That this signifies the life of the exterior or natural man, may be seen from what has been said, and also from the meaning of “Hagar,” which is “a stranger” or “sojourner.” Strangers represented those who were to be instructed, and sojourning represented instruction and also principles of life [vitae instituta], as shown above (n. 1463). When anyone’s name is stated in the Word, as here that “her name was Hagar,” it signifies that something is involved in the name to which attention should be given, for to “call by name” means to know a person’s quality (as before shown, n. 144, 145, 340). No syllable in the Word is there without a cause, or without a signification in the internal sense of some actual thing.