6458. 'Which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite' means redemption. This is clear from the meaning of 'buying' as making one's own, dealt with in 5374, 5397, 5410, 5426, thus also redeeming, since what one redeems one makes one's own; from the representation of 'Abraham' in the highest sense as the Lord, dealt with in 1965, 1989, 2011, 3245, 3251, 3305, 3703, 4615, 6098, 6185, 6276; from the meaning of 'the field' as the Church, dealt with in 2971, 3766; and from the representation of 'Ephron the Hittite' as those with whom the ability exists to receive what is good and true, dealt with in 2933, 2940, 2969. From all this one may see what the meaning of these words is - the redemption by the Lord of those in the Church with whom the ability exists to receive what is good and true.

1989. That 'Abram' means the Lord in that state and at that age is clear from what has been stated already about Abram. In the internal sense Abram represents the Lord, for when mentioned in the Word no other Abram is meant in heaven. People who have been born inside the Church and have heard of him from the Word do indeed know of Abram when they enter the next life, but because he is no different from any other human being and cannot be of any help to them, they are no longer interested in him. Furthermore they are informed that in the Word 'Abram' has been used to mean no one other than the Lord. Indeed angels, who possess heavenly ideas but form no image of any man with them, know nothing at all about Abram. Consequently when the Word is read by man and Abram is mentioned they perceive no one other than the Lord. And in the statement made here they perceive the Lord passing through that state and that age, for here Jehovah is talking to Abram, that is, to the Lord.