3273. Verses 17-18 These are the years of Ishmael's life, a hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his peoples. And they resided from Havilah as far as Shur, which is opposite Egypt as you come towards Asshur. [His lot] fell opposite all his brothers.

'These are the years of Ishmael's life' means a state representative of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, portrayed by means of Ishmael. 'A hundred and thirty-seven years' means the things constituting that state. 'And he breathed his last and died' means the end of the representation portrayed by means of Ishmael. 'And he was gathered to his peoples' means that these things involving Ishmael [were completed]. 'And they resided from Havilah as far as Shur, which is opposite Egypt as you come towards Asshur' means the whole extent of intelligence. '[His lot] fell opposite all his brothers' means disputes concerning truth, but that he was the superior.

3251. 'These are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived' means the state representative of the Lord as regards the Divine itself that was portrayed by means of Abraham. This is clear from the meaning of 'days' and of 'years' as states, dealt with in 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788, and from the meaning here of 'life' also as state, dealt with in 2904, here as the representative states portrayed by means of Abraham. Indeed his whole life as described in the Word was representative, the end of which life is the subject now. The consideration that Abraham represented the Lord as regards the Divine itself has been shown in the explanations that have been given, and so as to represent Him he was named Abraham - the letter H, taken from the name Jehovah, having been inserted, 2010. Abraham represented both the Divine itself, which is called the Father, and the Divine Human, which is referred to as the Son. He accordingly represented the Lord as regards both, though the Divine Human represented by Him was the Divine Human existing from eternity, of which the Lord was the manifestation and to which He subordinated the Human born in time when He glorified it. This is the representation of the Lord portrayed by means of Abraham.