1672. And the kings that were with him. That this signifies the apparent truth which is of that good, is evident from the signification of “kings” in the Word. “Kings,” “kingdoms,” and “peoples,” in the historical and the prophetical parts of the Word, signify truths and the things which are of truths, as may be abundantly confirmed. In the Word an accurate distinction is made between a “people” and a “nation;” by a “people” are signified truths, and by a “nation” goods, as before shown (n. 1259, 1260). “Kings” are predicated of peoples, but not so much of nations. Before the sons of Israel sought for kings, they were a nation, and represented good, or the celestial; but after they desired a king, and received one, they became a people, and did not represent good or the celestial, but truth or the spiritual; which was the reason why this was imputed to them as a fault (see 1 Samuel 8:7-22, concerning which subject, of the Lord’s Divine mercy elsewhere). As Chedorlaomer is named here, and it is added, “the kings that were with him,” both good and truth are signified; by “Chedorlaomer,” good, and by “the kings,” truth. But what was the quality of the good and truth at the beginning of the Lord’s temptations has already been stated.

3367. 'Jehovah appeared to him, and said' means thought coming from the Divine. This is clear from the meaning of 'appearing', when said of the Lord who is Jehovah, as the Divine itself which was within Him. The fact that Jehovah was within the Lord, and that the Lord Himself was Jehovah, has been shown in many places already, see 1343, 1725, 1729, 1733, 1736, 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1902, 1921, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2018, 2025, 2156, 2329, 2447, 2921, 3023, 3035, 3061; and that to the extent the Lord had united the Human Essence to the Divine Essence He spoke to Jehovah as though to Himself, 1745, 1999. Thus 'Jehovah's appearing to him' in the internal sense means coming from the Divine. The fact that it was thought doing so is clear from the meaning of 'saying' as perceiving and also thinking, as has been shown quite often.