2509. 'And Abimelech king of Gerar sent' means the doctrine of faith. This is clear from what has been stated above in 2504 - that by 'Philistia' is meant knowledge of the cognitions of faith, 1197, 1198, by 'Gerar', which was situated in Philistia, is meant faith, 1209, 2504, and by 'king' the truth itself of faith, 1672, 2015, 2069; consequently by 'Abimelech' is meant the doctrine of faith, but the doctrine of faith which has regard to rational things, as will be evident from what follows next.

1209. That 'Gerar' means things that have been revealed concerning faith, and thus in general means faith itself, becomes clear from the places where Gerar is mentioned, as in Genesis 20:1; 26:1, 17, whose meaning will in the Lord's Divine mercy be explained later on.