3262. Verse 12. And these are the births of Ishmael the son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham. “And these are the births of Ishmael the son of Abraham,” signifies the derivations of the spiritual church represented by Ishmael; “whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham,” signifies the birth of the spiritual man from Divine influx into the affection of memory-knowledges.

2833. And Abraham went, and took the ram. That this signifies their liberation by the Lord’s Divine Human, is evident from the representation of Abraham, as being here the Lord as to His Divine Human (for when Jehovah, or the angel of Jehovah, speaks with Abraham, then “Jehovah,” or the “angel of Jehovah,” is the Divine Itself, and “Abraham” is the Divine Human); and also from the signification of a “ram,” as being the spiritual (n. 2830). It is hence manifest that Abraham’s going and taking the ram caught in the thicket by his horns, signifies the liberation of the spiritual by the Lord’s Divine Human. (That without the Lord’s coming into the world the spiritual could not possibly have been saved, may be seen above, n. 2661, 2716; and that they have salvation and liberation by the Lord’s Divine Human, n. 2716)