. Abraham was a son of ninety and nine years. That this signifies the state and time before the union of the Lord’s Divine Essence with His Human Essence, is evident from the signification of "ninety-nine years," as being the time before the Lord fully conjoined the internal man with the rational (n. 1988). The Lord‘s internal man, as already shown, was Jehovah Himself, that is, the Divine itself; which, when it was united to the Human, was united to the rational; for the human begins in the inmost of the rational, and extends itself thence to man’s external.
. When he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That this signifies when He utterly expelled the evils of His external man, is evident from the signification of "being circumcised," as being to be purified from the loves of self and of the world, or what is the same, from evils; for all evils come from these loves (n. 2039, 2041, 2053, 2057); and that the Lord expelled the evils by His own power, and thereby made His Human Essence Divine, has been abundantly shown, and now just above (n. 2025).
. Ishmael his son. That this signifies those who become rational from the truths of faith, is evident from the representation of Ishmael here, as being those who become rational from truth, that is, who become spiritual (n. 2078, 2087, 2088).
. A son of thirteen years. That this signifies holy remains, may be seen from the signification of "ten," as being remains (n. 576, 1988); and from the signification of "three," as being what is holy (n. 720, 901). Thus the number "thirteen," being composed of ten and three, signifies holy remains. That numbers in the Word signify actual things (n. 482, 487, 488, 493, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 893). What the remains with man are (n. 468, 530, 561, 660, 1050, 1906).
. When he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That this signifies purification, is evident from the signification of "being circumcised," as being to be purified from the loves of self and of the world (n. 2039); and from the signification of "circumcising the flesh of the foreskin," as being the removal of those loves (n. 2041, 2053, 2057).
. In the selfsame day. That this signifies that it was then, is evident from the signification of "day," as being time and state (n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893).
. Was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. That this signifies that when the Lord conjoined His Human Essence with His Divine Essence, He also conjoined with Himself all others who become rational from truth and saved them, is evident from the representation of Abraham in this chapter, as being the Lord in that state and at that age (n. 1989); and from the representation of Ishmael here, as being those who become rational from truth (n. 2078, 2087, 2088); and also from the signification of "being circumcised," as being to be purified (n. 2039), and when predicated of the Lord, to be glorified, and thus to put off the human and to put on the Divine. That to be glorified is to put on the Divine (n. 2033); and that the Lord then conjoined with Himself those who become rational from truth, that is, the spiritual (n. 2034, 2078, 2088).
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