1358. Abram, Nahor, and Haran were actual people after whom nations that were idolaters were also named, as is clear from the historical sections of the Word. That this was so in the case of Nahor has been shown already, for the city itself was called 'the city of Nahor', Genesis 24:10. At that time cities were nothing else than families dwelling together; and many families constituted a nation. That many nations were born from Abraham is clear not only from the descendants of Ishmael, who were the Ishmaelites, but also from the descendants of his many sons born to his wife Keturah, whose names are given in Genesis 25:1-4.

The word "stranger" is used many times in the Bible, and it is sometimes paired with the word "sojourner". They are different concepts in the Hebrew, and some translations make the mistake of using them interchangeably. 'A sojourner', like 'a stranger', indicates a newcomer and inhabitant from another land; but 'a sojourner' refers to people who were taught and accepted the Church's truths, whereas those who were not taught them because they were unwilling to accept them are called 'strangers'. (Arcana Coelestia 8002)

In Ezekiel 28:7, 'strangers' signify falsities which destroy truths, and 'the terrible of the nations' signifies evils which destroy good.