2836. Abraham called the name of that place. That this signifies the quality of their state (namely, of the spiritual) from the Lord’s Divine Human, is evident from the signification of “calling a name,” as being to know what the thing is, that is, its quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009); from the signification of “place,” as being state (see n. 1273-1277, 1376-1381, 2625); and from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord as to His Divine Human (see n. 2833). Hence it is manifest that “Abraham called the name of that place,” signifies the quality of the state of the spiritual from the Lord’s Divine Human. That the spiritual are saved by the Lord’s coming into the world, was shown above (n. 2661, 2716); also that they have illumination from the Lord’s Divine Human (n. 2716); and that it is provided that those should be saved who are in the faith of charity, that is, in charity, follows in this verse. This is the state which is signified by these words.

1896. And her name was Hagar. That this signifies the life of the exterior or natural man, may be seen from what has been said, and also from the meaning of “Hagar,” which is “a stranger” or “sojourner.” Strangers represented those who were to be instructed, and sojourning represented instruction and also principles of life [vitae instituta], as shown above (n. 1463). When anyone’s name is stated in the Word, as here that “her name was Hagar,” it signifies that something is involved in the name to which attention should be given, for to “call by name” means to know a person’s quality (as before shown, n. 144, 145, 340). No syllable in the Word is there without a cause, or without a signification in the internal sense of some actual thing.