5628. And God Shaddai. That this signifies consolation after hardships, is evident from the signification of “Shaddai,” as being temptation and consolation after it (n. 1992, 4572); here therefore consolation after the hardships they had suffered in Egypt. That it is consolation after hardships is plain also from the words that follow in continuance—“give you mercies before the man.” That “Shaddai” signifies temptation and consolation after it, is because the ancients designated the One Only God by various names, according to the various things that were from Him; and as they believed that temptations were from Him, they then called God “Shaddai,” and by this name they did not mean another God, but the Only One in respect to temptations. But when the Ancient Church declined, they began to worship as many gods as there were names for the One Only God, and also of themselves added to them many more. This practice at last became so prevalent that every family had its own god, and they wholly distinguished him from the rest who were worshiped by other families.

[2] Terah’s family, of which was Abraham, worshiped Shaddai for its god (see n. 1356, 1992, 2559, 3667); and hence not only Abraham, but Jacob also, acknowledged Shaddai as his god, even in the land of Canaan; and this was permitted them lest they should be forced from their own religiosity; for no one is forced from what he regards as holy. But as the ancients understood by “Shaddai” Jehovah Himself, or the Lord, who was so styled when they underwent temptations, therefore Jehovah or the Lord regained this name with Abraham, as is plain from Genesis 17:1, and also with Jacob, Genesis 35:11. The reason why not merely temptation, but consolation also, is signified by “Shaddai,” is that consolation follows all spiritual temptations. This has been given me to know by experience in the other life; for when anyone there suffers hard things from evil spirits, through infestations, incitements to evils, and persuasions to falsities, after the evil spirits have been removed, he is received by angels, and is brought into a state of comfort by means of a delight conformable to his genius.

1356. That by “Terah” is signified idolatrous worship, may be seen from the derivations spoken of from the twentieth verse to this place. This Second Ancient Church degenerated from a kind of internal worship, and was so adulterated that at last it became idolatrous; as churches are wont to do, in that from internal things they go to external, and finally terminate in mere external things, internal things being blotted out. That such was the case with this church, insomuch that a great part of them did not acknowledge Jehovah as God, but worshiped other gods, is evident in Joshua:

Joshua said unto all the people, Thus hath said Jehovah the God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt of old time beyond the river, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor; and they served other gods. Now therefore fear Jehovah, and serve Him in integrity and in truth; and put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the river, and in Egypt, and serve ye Jehovah. And if it be evil in your eyes to serve Jehovah, choose ye this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods that your fathers served, that were beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites (Joshua 24:2, 14-15).

Here it is very plain that Terah, Abram, and Nahor were idolaters.

[2] That Nahor was a nation in which there was idolatrous worship, is also evident from Laban the Syrian, who dwelt in the city of Nahor, and worshiped the images or teraphim which Rachel carried away (Genesis 24:10; 31:19, 26, 32, 34). And that there was one god of Abraham, another god of Nahor, and another of their father, that is, of Terah, is evident from Genesis 31:53. It is also plainly stated by Moses concerning Abram, that Jehovah was not known to him:

I Jehovah appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, in God Shaddai, but by My name Jehovah I was not known to them (Exodus 6:3).

From all this it is evident how much this church fell away among this nation into the idolatrous worship which is here signified by Terah; and because it is signified by Terah, it is also signified by Abram, Nahor, and Haran.