1020. That these things are meant becomes clear from the fact that everything put together as history from Genesis 1 down to Eber in Chapter 11 means something different from what appears in the letter, and from the consideration that the historical narratives there are purely made-up history customary among the most ancient people. When attesting the truth of some matter they would say that 'Jehovah said it'. Here however 'God' is used because the subject is the spiritual Church. And they did the same when anything true was being, or had been, put into effect.

1794. 'What will You give me, seeing that I go childless' ¹ means that there was no internal Church. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'walking childless'. In the internal sense 'walking' is living, as shown already in 519. One who is childless however, who has no seed or descendants of his own, is dealt with below in verses 3-5, where the meaning of one who is childless or has no seed is explained.

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