6648. 'And multiplied and became very very numerous' means that they increased enormously in truths from good. This is clear from the meaning of 'multiplying' as increasing in truths, dealt with in 43, 55, 913, 983, 2846, 2847; and from the meaning of 'became numerous' as further branching out, thus a constant increase in truth. The reason why it is an increase in truth from good is that the subject now is the Church when it has been established. For so far as the establishment of the Church with a person is concerned, it happens as follows: While it is being established the person is governed by truths, and through them good increases. But once the Church has been established with him he is governed by good, and from good by truths, which are then constantly increasing. Little increase takes place while he lives in the world, because in the world concerns about food and clothing and about other matters prevent it. But in the next life the increase is vast, and goes on for evermore; for there is no end to wisdom from the Divine. In this way the angels are constantly being made more perfect, and in that same way all entering the next life are made into angels; for every aspect of wisdom is capable of infinite expansion and the aspects of wisdom are infinite in number. From this it may be seen that wisdom can go on increasing for evermore and still not reach very far beyond the first degree, the reason for this being that the Divine is the Infinite, and what has its origin in the Infinite is inevitably like that.

2846. 'I will certainly bless you' means fruitfulness by virtue of the affection for truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'being blessed' as being enriched with celestial and spiritual good, dealt with in 981, 1096, 1420, 1422 - here, being enriched with good that is the product of faith, or what amounts to the same, with the affection for truth, for those who are spiritual are the subject. In this verse where Jehovah says to Abraham, 'I will certainly bless you', Abraham represents the Lord as regards the Divine Human, as he has done already in this chapter. The Lord Himself was not able to be blessed as He is Blessing itself; but the verb 'to be blessed' is used when, as His love desires, the number of those who are being saved is abounding, and therefore in the internal sense it is these that are meant here, as is clear also from the things that follow next. The expression 'fruitfulness' is employed here because it is said in reference to affection, whereas the expression 'multiplying', as in what follows, has reference to truths derived from that affection.