8650. 'Of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land)' means the essential nature of the good of truth of those outside the Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'the name' and 'calling the name' as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421, 6674. That essential nature is described by the words uttered by Moses then, which were, I have been a sojourner in a foreign land. The reason why these words mean the good of truth of those outside the Church is that 'a sojourner'' means those who were born outside the Church, yet were receiving instruction in things of the Church; and 'a foreign land' means a place where the Church does not exist. For the meaning of 'a sojourner' as those who were born outside the Church and were receiving instruction in things of the Church, see 1463, 4444, 7908, 8007, 8013. The reason why 'a foreign land' is where the genuine Church does not exist is that 'land' or 'earth' means the Church, 662, 1067, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118 (end), 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577, and 'foreign' a place where what is genuine does not exist; for the Lord's Church is spread throughout all lands, and so exists also among gentiles, 2049, 2284, 2589-2604. Furthermore when Gershom was born Moses was outside his own Church, among those with whom the good of simple truth existed, who are meant by 'the Midianites', see 6793-6796.

1896. 'Her name was Hagar' means the life of the exterior or natural man. This becomes clear from what has been stated already, and also from the meaning of Hagar' as a foreign woman or one living in foreign parts. 'Foreigners' represented people who were to receive instruction, and living in foreign parts represented instruction, and also rules of life, as shown already in 1463. When it is stated in the Word what a person's name is, as here, that 'her name was Hagar', it means that the name embodies something to which attention should be paid, for 'calling by name' is knowing a person's character, as shown already in 144, 145, 340. Not one particle exists in the Word without a reason and without meaning some real thing in the internal sense.