4568. And God said to him, Thy name is Jacob. That this signifies the quality of the Lord’s external Divine natural, is evident from the signification of “name,” as being quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421); and from the representation of Jacob, as being the Lord’s Divine natural, of which often above. It is called external, because “Israel” is the Lord’s internal Divine natural, of which in what now follows.

3421. And he called their names. That this signifies their quality, is evident from the signification of “calling names,” as being the quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3237); and as “to call names” or “a name” signifies the quality, therefore “to call” without a name being mentioned, in the internal sense of the Word signifies to be of such a quality. As in Isaiah:

Hear ye this, O house of Jacob ¹ who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah. For they call themselves of the city of holiness, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel (Isaiah 48:1-2); where “calling themselves of the city of holiness” signifies being of such a quality. And in Luke:

Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus; He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:31-32);

“to be called the Son of the Most High” denotes being.

Footnotes: