2085. 'For his seed after him' means those who would have faith in the Lord. This is clear from the meaning of 'seed' as faith, dealt with already in 1025, 1447, 1610, 2034. 'Seed' here means those who have faith grounded in love, that is, who have love to the Lord, and who are therefore celestial people or those who belong to the celestial Church, for the seed descending from Isaac is the subject. Those however who have faith grounded in charity, that is, who have charity towards the neighbour, and who are therefore spiritual people or those who belong to the spiritual Church, are meant by 'Ishmael' who is the subject in the next verse. For the distinction between celestial people and spiritual, see above 2069, 2078, and also for the distinction between having love to the Lord and having charity towards the neighbour, 2023.