2693. 'And said to her, What is the matter, Hagar?' means perception regarding one's state. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' in historical parts of the Word as perceiving, dealt with already, and from the meaning of 'What is the matter, Hagar?' as its state at the time. Although He questions her and says, 'What is the matter, Hagar?' the meaning here is that the Lord knew its state. In the sense of the letter this is a question asked by the Lord, but in the internal sense the infinite perception of all things is meant. One reads in various places in the Word of people being questioned about their state, but the reason why they are questioned is this: Man has no other belief than that no one knows his thoughts, let alone the state of his affection. An added reason is that people may be helped by being able to express their feelings (sensa animi), which usually does them good, see 1701, 1931.
Genesis 21
1
And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
2
For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3
And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
4
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5
And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
6
And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
7
And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
8
And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
9
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
10
Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
11
And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
12
And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
13
And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
14
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
15
And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
16
And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
17
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
18
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
19
And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
20
And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
21
And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
22
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
23
Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
24
And Abraham said, I will swear.
25
And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
26
And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
27
And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
28
And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
30
And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
31
Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them.
32
Thus they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
33
And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
34
And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.
Arcana Coelestia # 1931
1931. That 'he said, Hagar, Sarai's servant-girl' means information is clear from the train of thought, for Hagar is addressed by the angel as if she were to inform him of something. In the Word, even though Jehovah knows already, it is common for Jehovah to question someone and for people to make replies to Him. He knows not only what took place but also the causes and the ends, thus every least intimate detail. But since a person is not aware of this and believes that nobody else can possibly know what he does in secret, and still less what he thinks, that which takes place therefore does so in accordance with his belief. But the truth of the matter is that even quite common and ordinary spirits perceive a person's thoughts better than the person does himself. Angelic spirits perceive the more interior aspects of his thoughts, and angels those that are more interior still, that is to say, the causes and the ends in view about which the person himself knows but little. This I have been given to know from much and continuing experience lasting for many years. Since spirits and angels perceive those things, what then must the perception be of the Lord or Jehovah, who is Infinite, and who enables all others to perceive?
