2549. Verses 10-11. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou that thou hast done this word? And Abraham said, Because I said, Surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me on account of the word of my wife. “Abimelech said unto Abraham,” signifies further thought from the doctrine of faith; “what sawest thou that thou hast done this word?” signifies a looking into the cause; “Abraham said,” signifies a perception which is an answer; “because I said surely there is no fear of God in this place,” signifies thought thence derived: that they would have no respect for spiritual truth in the state in which they were; “and they will kill me on account of the word of my wife,” signifies that the celestial things of faith would thus also perish if they were to think that spiritual truth alone could be conjoined with celestial good.

2543. The men feared greatly. That this signifies even until they should become averse, is evident from the signification here of “fearing;” and from the signification of the “men.” “Fearing,” or “fear,” like all other emotions, though in appearance simple, involves in itself many things, namely, in worldly matters the loss of life, of reputation, of honor, and of gain; and in heavenly matters the loss of what is good and true, and of the life thence derived. As fear involves these things it also involves aversion to whatever endeavors to destroy them; and this the more in proportion as the man is in the affection of what is good and true. To this very affection aversion is the opposite or contrary, and therefore by “fearing” is here signified to become averse. How great was the Lord’s aversion is evident from the zeal with which the things in the next verse are said; which zeal was for doctrine, that it might be free from contamination by anything rational or by anything of memory-knowledge. (That “men” signify rational things and memory-knowledges, or all intellectual things whatever, has been shown above, n. 158, 265, 749, 915, 1007)