. It came to pass after these words. That this signifies after the things just accomplished, is evident without explication. The things which have been treated of are those respecting Abimelech and Abraham, that they made a covenant in Beer-sheba, and lastly that Abraham raised up a grove in Beer-sheba, by which was signified that human rational things were adjoined to the doctrine of faith, which is in itself Divine. Here now the Lord‘s temptation as to the rational, which is signified by Isaac, is treated of; for by temptations the Lord made His Human Divine, and thus His rational, in which the human commences (n. 2106, 2194), by chastising and expelling all in the rational that was merely human, or the maternal human. This is the connection of the things of the preceding chapter with those in this chapter; whence it is said, "It came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham."
. That God did tempt Abraham. That this signifies the Lord’s most grievous and inmost temptations, is evident from what follows. That in the internal sense by "Abraham" is represented and meant the Lord, is manifest from all that precedes where Abraham is treated of. That the Lord suffered most grievous and inmost temptations, which are described in this chapter in the internal sense, will be made evident. But its being said that "God did tempt," is according to the sense of the letter, in which temptations and many other things are attributed to God; but it is according to the internal sense that God tempts no one; but in the time of temptations is continually liberating from them, as far as possible, or as far as the liberation does not do harm, and is continually looking to the good into which He is leading him who is in the temptations; for God never takes part in temptations in any other manner; and though it is predicated of Him that He permits, still it is not according to the idea which man has of permission, namely, that by permitting He concurs. Man cannot comprehend it in any other manner than that he who permits is also willing; but it is the evil within the man which causes, and even leads into the temptation; and no cause of this is in Gods the cause is not in the king or in the judge, when a man does evil and suffers punishment therefor. For he who separates himself from the laws of Divine order, all of which are the laws of good and thence of truth, casts himself into the laws that are opposite to Divine order, which are those of evil and falsity, and thence of punishments and torments.
. And said unto him, Abraham. That this signifies the Lord‘s perception from Divine truth, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historical statements of the Word, as being to perceive (n. 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619); and from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord. That the perception was from Divine truth, may be seen from the fact that "God" is named, and not "Jehovah;" for where truth is treated of in the Word, there "God" is named; but where good is treated of, there "Jehovah" is named (n. 2586). Hence it is that it is said "God" in this verse and also in those which follow, to (verse 11), for the reason that temptation is there treated of. And that it is said "Jehovah" in (verse 11) and those that follow, is because liberation is then treated of; for all temptation and condemnation is from truth, but all liberation and salvation is from good. That truth condemns and good saves, see (n. 1685, 2258, 2335).
. And he said, Here am I. That this signifies thought and reflection, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being to perceive (n. 2769), but here to think and reflect, because they are the words of an answer for all thought and the reflection therefrom comes from perception (n. 1919, 2515, 2552).
GENESIS 22:1
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