2001. That the expression “God” is used for the reason that the Lord is represented by the God Shaddai whom Abram worshiped, and also because truth is treated of, which was to be united to good, is evident from what has been said before. In the Word the Lord is sometimes called “Jehovah,” sometimes “Jehovah God,” also the “Lord Jehovih,” and sometimes “God,” and always for a secret reason in the internal sense. Where love or good; and the celestial church, are treated of, He is called “JEHOVAH;” but when faith or truth, and the spiritual church, are treated of, He is called “God,” and this constantly; and the reason is, that the Lord’s very Being itself is of love, and the Being thence derived is of faith (n. 709, 732). Here therefore the Lord is called “God,” because the truth which is to be united to good is treated of. Another reason is that the Lord willed to be represented by the God Shaddai that Abram worshiped, on which account the name God is retained in what follows; for in this chapter He is called “Jehovah” only once, and “God” several times (as in verses 7-8, 15, 18-19, 22-23).

709. The name “Jehovah” is here used because the subject now treated of is charity. In the preceding chapter, from the ninth verse, it is not said “Jehovah” but “God” for the reason that the subject there treated of is the preparation of “Noah” (that is, of the man of the church called “Noah”) as to the things of his understanding, which relate to faith; whereas the subject here treated of is his preparation as to the things of the will, which are of love. When the things of the understanding, or the truths of faith, are the subject treated of, the name “God” is used, but when the things of the will, or the goods of love are treated of, the name “Jehovah” is used. For the things of the understanding, or of faith, do not constitute the church, but the things of the will, which are of love. Jehovah is in love and charity and not in faith unless it is a faith of love or of charity. And therefore in the Word faith is compared to “night” and love to “day”; as in the first chapter of Genesis, where the “great lights” are spoken of, it is said that the “greater light” or the sun, which signifies love, should rule the day, and the “lesser light” or the moon, which signifies faith, should rule the night (Genesis 1:14, 16); and it is the same in the Prophets (Jeremiah 31:35; 33:20; Psalms 136:8-9; Revelation 8:12).