Arcana Coelestia #4206
4206. 'May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor judge between us' means the Divine flowing into both, that is to say, into the good existing with those inside the Church, and into the good with those outside it. This is clear from the meaning of 'the God of Abraham' as the Lord's Divine regarding those inside the Church, and from the meaning of 'the God of Nahor' as the Lord's Divine regarding those outside the Church; and from this it is evident that these two expressions mean the Divine flowing into both kinds of good. The reasons why 'the God of Abraham' means the Lord's Divine regarding those inside the Church is that 'Abraham' represents the Lord's Divine, and consequently that which comes directly from the Lord, 3245, 3778. Those therefore who are inside the Church are meant in particular by 'Abraham's children', John 8:39. And the reason why 'the God of Nahor' means the Lord's Divine regarding those outside the Church is that 'Nahor' represents the Church consisting of gentiles, and 'his children' those among them who dwell in a brotherly relationship with one another, 2863, 2864, 2868, 3052, 3778. So also at this point, 'Laban' who was Nahor's son represents good that is 'out of line', such as gentiles receive from the Lord.
[2] The reason why such variations involving the Lord are represented is not that those variations exist within the Lord but that His Divine is received variously by men. It is like the life present in man. This life flows into and activates the various sensory and motor organs of the body, and the various members and viscera. At every point variety presents itself, for the eye sees in one way, the ear hears in another, and the tongue discerns in yet another; also the arm and hand have one kind of movement, the lower limbs and feet another; then again the lungs act in one way, the heart in another; also the liver in one way, the stomach in another; and so on. Yet it is one single life that activates them all so variously; not that the life itself acts in different ways but because it is received in different ways. Indeed it is the form that each organ takes that determines how it acts.
Genesis 22
1
It happened after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" He said, "Here I am."
2
He said, "Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there for a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of."
3
Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him.
4
On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.
5
Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go yonder. We will worship, and come back to you."
6
Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together.
7
Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, "My father?" He said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
8
Abraham said, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they both went together.
9
They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood.
10
Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.
11
The angel of Yahweh called to him out of the sky, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" He said, "Here I am."
12
He said, "Don't lay your hand on the boy, neither do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."
13
Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
14
Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide. As it is said to this day, "On Yahweh's mountain, it will be provided."
15
The angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time out of the sky,
16
and said, "I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,
17
that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your seed greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your seed will possess the gate of his enemies.
18
In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice."
19
So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
20
It happened after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, "Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
21
Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
22
Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel."
23
Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
24
His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
