4591. 'That she called his name Ben-oni' means the nature of that state. This is clear from the meaning of 'calling the name' as the essential nature, often dealt with already. The state that is described here in the internal sense is a state of temptations, the nature of this state being meant by 'Ben-oni'; for in the original language Ben-oni means Son of my pain (or sorrow). In ancient times infants were given names by which states were meant spiritually, see 1946, 2643, 3422, 4298.

3961. 'And she called his name Zebulun' means the essential nature of it. This is clear from the meaning of 'calling the name' as the essential nature, dealt with above. He was given the name Zebulun from the expression 'dwelling together', a name which embodies the things stated immediately above in 3960 about 'dwelling together', and at the same time the things meant in the rest of the words uttered by Leah.