2968. Verses 17-18 And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah - which was before Mamre - the field and the cave which was in it, and every tree which was in the field, which was in all its borders round about, was made over to Abraham as an acquisition, before the eyes of the sons of Heth, in [the presence] of all entering the gate of his city. 'The field of Ephron' means that which constitutes the Church. 'Which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre' means the nature and extent of regeneration. 'The field and the cave which was in it' means as regards the good and truth of faith. 'And every tree which was in the field' means the interior cognitions of the Church. 'Which was in all its borders round about' means exterior cognitions. 'Was made over to Abraham as an acquisition' means that these were considered to be the Lord's alone. 'Before the eyes of the sons of Heth' means according to their understanding. 'In [the presence] of all entering the gate of his city' means as regards all matters of doctrine.

1436. 'And [every] soul which they had gained in Haran' means every essential with life in it that was possible in that obscure state. This is clear from the meaning of 'soul' as an essential that has life in it, and from the meaning of 'Haran' as an obscure state, dealt with in the previous verse. 'Soul' in the proper sense means that with man which possesses life, and so his life itself. That in man which has life in it is not the body but the soul, and it is through the soul that the body receives life. The life itself in man, that is, that which has life, is derived from heavenly love; nothing with life in it is possible if that love is not the source of it. This explains why 'soul' here means the good which derives its life from heavenly love, this good being the fundamental essential that has life in it. In the literal sense 'soul' is used here to mean every human being, and also all the livestock, and which they had acquired to themselves; but in the internal sense nothing else is meant than [every] essential with life in it.