3266. And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael. That this signifies the qualities of their doctrinal things, namely, of those who are spiritual, is evident from the signification of “name,” as being quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006); from the signification of “sons,” as being truths, and also doctrinal things (see n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623); and from the representation of Ishmael, as being those who are spiritual (n. 3263).

144. That to “call by name” signifies to know the quality, is because the ancients, by the “name” understood the essence of a thing, and by “seeing and calling by name” they understood to know the quality. The reason was that they gave names to their sons and daughters according to the things which were signified, for every name had something peculiar in it, from which, and by which, they might know the origin and the nature of their children, as will be seen in a future part of this work, when, of the Lord’s Divine mercy, we come to treat of the twelve sons of Jacob. As therefore the names implied the source and quality of the things named, nothing else was understood by “calling by name.” This was the customary mode of speaking among them, but one who does not understand this may wonder that such things should be signified.