1963. Abram was a son of eighty years and six years. That this signifies the Lord’s state in respect to the celestial good acquired by means of the combats of temptations, is evident from the signification of “eighty,” in which number is involved much the same as in “forty;” and that these numbers signify temptations has been already shown (n. 730, 862); and from the signification of “six,” as being combat, also explained before (n. 720, 737, 900); and further from the signification of “ten,” as being remains (treated of, n. 576); which remains in the Lord’s case were the possessions of celestial goods by which He united the Human Essence to the Divine Essence (n. 1906, at the end). These three numbers are components of the number eighty-six, in which such things are involved, and which thus signifies the Lord’s state in regard to the celestial good acquired by means of the combats of temptations; for all numbers in the Word signify actual things (as before shown, n. 482, 487, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813). As in this case the numbers mentioned are numbers of years, and as they are also mentioned in historical connection with Abram, it appears as if they were not significative of such things. But there is nothing written in the Word which does not pass into a spiritual and a celestial sense when it passes over to the angels; for angels are in none other than spiritual and celestial ideas, and when the Word is being read by a man, the angels neither know nor perceive what “eighty-six” is, nor do they care of what age Abram was when Hagar bare Ishmael to him; but from such a number, when read, the things involved in the numbers immediately come to them; and the same is the case with all the other expressions, as they have been explained in the internal sense.

900. In the second month. That this signifies the whole state before regeneration, is evident from the signification of “two” in the Word. “Two” signifies the same as “six” that is, the combat and labor which precede regeneration; thus here the whole state which precedes the completion of man’s regeneration. Periods of time, great and small, are commonly distinguished in the Word as “threes” or “sevens” and are called “days” “weeks” “months” “years” or “ages.” “Three” and “seven” are holy, “two” and “six” which precede, are not holy, but are relatively profane, as before shown (n. 720). “Three” and “seven” are both sacred for the additional reason that they are predicated of the last judgment, which is to come on the “third” or on the “seventh” day. The last judgment comes to everyone when the Lord comes, both in general and in particular. For example, there was a last judgment when the Lord came into the world, and there will be a last judgment when He shall come in glory; there is a last judgment when He comes to any man whatever in particular; and there is also a last judgment for everyone when he dies. This last judgment is what is meant by the “third day” and the “seventh day” which is holy to those who have lived well, but not holy to those who have lived ill. Thus the “third day” or the “seventh day” is predicated as well of those who are adjudged to death, as of those who are adjudged to life; and therefore these numbers signify what is not holy to those who are adjudged to death, and what is holy to those who are adjudged to life. “Two” and “six” preceding three and seven, have relation to and signify in general all that state which precedes. This is the signification of “two” and of “six” in application to any subject, and to any matter that is the subject of which they are predicated, as is more clearly evident from what now follows about the number twenty-seven.