3264. Whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham. That this signifies the birth of the spiritual man from Divine influx into the affection of memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of “bearing,” as being to come into existence (n. 2621, 2629); from the representation of “Hagar the Egyptian,” as being the life of the exterior man (n. 1896, 1909); and from the signification of “handmaid,” as being the affection of memory-knowledges and of knowledges that is of the exterior man (n. 1895, 2691). It is said “Sarah’s handmaid,” because by Sarah is represented the Lord’s Divine truth, to which the affection of memory-knowledges and of the knowledges of truth is subordinate. As by Ishmael is represented the spiritual man, it is evident that by these words, “whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham,” is signified the birth of the spiritual man from Divine influx into the affection of memory-knowledges.

[2] That man’s rational is born in this manner, see n. 1895, 1896, 1902, 1910, 2094, 2557, 3030, 3074; consequently the spiritual is thus born, for this is not possible except in the rational, wherefore the spiritual man and the rational man are almost the same, those who are spiritual differing among themselves merely according to the quality of the reason and the consequent quality of life that prevails among them. That their birth or regeneration is from Divine influx into the affection of knowledges may also be seen above (n. 1555, 1904, 2046, 2063, 2189, 2657, 2675, 2691, 2697, 2979). See also what has been stated and shown above concerning Ishmael; namely, that by him was represented the Lord’s first rational, which was not yet Divine (n. 1893); that afterwards the truly rational or spiritual were represented (n. 2078, 2691), and thereby the Lord’s spiritual church (n. 2699).

2691. God heard the voice of the child. That this signifies help at that time, is evident from the signification of “God hearing a voice,” said in the historic sense, as being in the internal sense to bring help; and from the signification of the “child,” as being spiritual truth-explained before; here it is the state in which the spiritual was as to truth; for it is said that He heard the voice of the child, and again in this verse, that He heard the voice of the child where he was, that is, in what state; and in what precedes it was shown that it was in a state of the greatest grief on account of the privation of truth. The voice of the child, and not Hagar’s, is said to have been heard, because the state of the spiritual man is treated of. By the child, or Ishmael, is represented the man of the spiritual church; by his mother Hagar, the affection of the knowledges of truth, which is that which had grief. Man’s rational is born of the affection of memory-knowledges as a mother (n. 1895-1896, 1902, 1910, 2094, 2524); but his spiritual is born of the affection of the knowledges of truth from doctrine, especially from the Word. The spiritual itself is here the “child;” and the affection of the knowledges of truth is “Hagar.”