9373. Come up unto Jehovah. That this signifies conjunction with the Lord, is evident from the signification of “coming up,” as being to be raised toward interior things (see n. 3084, 4539, 4969, 5406, 5817, 6007), consequently also to be conjoined (n. 8760). That it denotes conjunction with the Lord, is because by “Jehovah” in the Word is meant the the Lord, (n. 1343, 1736, 1793, 2004, 2005, 2018, 2025, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5663, 6280, 6303, 6905, 8274, 8864, 9315). A secret which also lies hidden in the internal sense of these words, is that the sons of Jacob, over whom Moses was the head, were not called and chosen; but they themselves insisted that Divine worship should be instituted among them (according to wh at has been said in n. 4290, 4293); and therefore it is here said, “and He said unto Moses, Come up unto Jehovah,” as if not Jehovah, but another, had said that he should come up. For the same reason in what follows it is said that “the people should not go up” (verse 2); and that “Jehovah sent not His hand unto the sons of Israel who were set apart” (verse 11); and that “the appearance of the glory of Jehovah was like devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the sons of Israel” (verse 17); and lastly that Moses, being called the seventh day, “entered into the midst of the cloud.” For by “the cloud” is meant the Word in the letter (n. 5922, 6343, 6752, 6832, 8106, 8443, 8781); and with the sons of Jacob the Word was separated from its internal sense, because they were in external worship without internal, as can be clearly seen from the fact that now, as before, they said, “all the words which Jehovah hath spoken we will do” (verse 3); and yet scarcely forty days afterward they worshiped a golden calf instead of Jehovah; which shows that this was hidden in their hearts while they were saying with their lips that they would serve Jehovah alone. But nevertheless those who are meant by “the called and the chosen” are those who are in internal worship, and who from internal worship are in external; that is, those who are in love to and faith in the Lord, and from this in love toward the neighbor.

2105. Verses 24-26 And Abraham was a son of ninety-nine years when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was a son of thirteen years when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. On that very day Abraham was circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

'Abraham was a son of ninety-nine years' means the state and the period of time prior to the union of the Lord's Divine Essence with His Human Essence. 'When he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin' means when the evils occupying the External Man were totally driven out. 'And Ishmael his son' means those who become rational from truths of faith from the Lord. 'A son of thirteen years' means sacred remnants. 'When he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin' means purification, as previously. 'On that very day' means at that very time. 'Abraham was circumcised, and Ishmael his son' means that when the Lord joined His Human Essence to the Divine Essence, He also joined to Himself and saved everyone else who becomes rational from truth.

16. Verse 1. In the beginning God created the heavens [coelum] and the earth. The most ancient time is called “the beginning.” By the prophets it is in various places called the “days of old” [antiquitatis] and also the “days of eternity.” The “beginning” also involves the first period when man is being regenerated, for he is then born anew, and receives life. Regeneration itself is therefore called a “new creation” of man. The expressions to “create” to “form” to “make” in almost all parts of the prophetic writings signify to regenerate, yet with a difference in the signification. As in Isaiah:

Everyone that is called by My name, I have created him for My glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him (Isaiah 43:7).

And therefore the Lord is called the “Redeemer” the “Former from the womb” the “Maker” and also the “Creator;” as in the same Prophet:

I am Jehovah your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King (Isaiah 43:15).

In David:

The people that is created shall praise Jah (Psalms 102:18).

Again:

Thou sendest forth Thy spirit, they are created, and Thou renewest the faces of the ground (Psalms 104:30).

That “heaven” signifies the internal man; and “earth” the external man before regeneration, may be seen from what follows.