AC GENESIS Chapter33

AC 4332. By way of preface to the preceding chapter there were unfolded the things foretold by the Lord in (Matthew 24:32-35), concerning His coming; by which is understood the last period of the former church and the first of a new church. The last period or end of the former church, and the first period or beginning of a new church, have been treated of thus far (n. 4056-4060, 4229-4231).  There are now to be unfolded the words that follow:

But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not the angels of the heavens, but My Father only. And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man. For as they were in the days before the flood, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field one shall be taken, and one shall be left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; one shall be taken, and one shall be left (Matthew 24:36-42).

AC 4333. What is signified by these words in the internal sense will appear from the following explication that there is described what the state will be when the old church is being rejected and the new is being set up.  That the rejection of the old church and the setting up of the new is what is meant by the ”consummation of the age,“ and by the ”coming of the Son of man,“ and in general by the Last Judgment, has been already repeatedly shown; and also that a Last Judgment has several times taken place on this globe: first, when the Lord‘s celestial church, which was the Most Ancient, perished in the antediluvians by an inundation of evils and falsities, which in the internal sense is the ”flood;“

[2] second, when the spiritual church, which was after the flood, and is called the Ancient, being spread over much of the Asiatic world, ceased of itself;

[3] third, when the representative of a church among the posterity of Jacob was destroyed, which took place when the ten tribes were carried away into perpetual captivity and dispersed among the nations; and finally when Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Jews also were dispersed.  Because there was then a consummation of the age after the Lord’s coming, therefore also many things said by the Lord in the Evangelists concerning the consummation of that age are also applicable to the Jewish nation, and are likewise applied to them by many at this day.  Nevertheless the subject treated of in the above words is specifically and especially the consummation of the age now at hand,     namely, the end of the Christian Church, which is also treated of by John in the Apocalypse. This will be the fourth Last Judgment on this globe. What the words involve that are contained in (Matt. 24:36-42) adduced above, will appear from their internal sense, which is as follows.

AC 4334. But of that day and hour knoweth no one; signifies the state of the church at that time as to goods and truths, that it would not appear to anyone, neither on earth nor in heaven.  For by ”day and hour“ here is not meant day and hour, or time; but state as to good and truth.  That times in the Word signify states, (n. 2625, 2788, 2837, 3254, 3356); as also do ”days,“ (n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785); and thence also hours, but specifically state.  That it is here state as to good and truth, is because the subject treated of is the church, for good and truth make the church. 

[2] Not the angels of the heavens, but My Father only; signifies that heaven does not know the state of the church as to good and truth specifically, but the Lord alone, and also when that state of the church will come.  That the Lord Himself is meant by the ”Father,“ (n. 15, 1729, 2004, 2005, 3690); and that the Divine Good in the Lord is what is called the ”Father,“ and the Divine Truth from the Divine Good ”the Son,“ (n. 2803, 3703, 3704, 3736); and therefore they who believe that the Father is one and the Son another, and who separate them from each other, do not understand the Scriptures. 

[3] For as they were in the days before the flood;  signifies the state of vastation of those who are of the church, which is compared to the state of vastation of the first or Most Ancient Church; the consummation of the age or Last Judgment of which is described in the Word by the ”flood.“ That by the ”flood“ is signified an inundation of evils and falsities and the consequent consummation of that age, (n. 310, 660, 662, 705, 739, 790, 805, 1120).  That ”days“ signify states, see above.

[4] Eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage;  signifies their state as to the appropriation of evil and falsity, and the consequent conjunction with these.  That ”to eat“ denotes the appropriation of good, and ”to drink“ the appropriation of truth, (n. 3168, 3513, 3596); thus in the opposite sense the appropriation of evil and falsity.  That ”to marry“ denotes conjunction with evil, and ”to give in marriage,“ conjunction with falsity, may be seen from what has been said and shown respecting marriage and conjugial love (n. 686, 2173, 2618, 2728, 2729, 2737, 2739, 2803, 3132, 3155), namely, that in the internal sense this is the conjunction of good and truth, but here in the opposite sense the conjunction of evil and falsity.  Whatever the Lord spoke, being Divine, is not the same in the internal sense as in the letter.  Thus eating and drinking in the Holy Supper do not signify in the spiritual sense eating and drinking, but the appropriation of the good of the Lord‘s Divine love (n. 2165, 2177, 2187, 2343, 2359, 3464, 3478, 3735, 4211, 4217).  And as when predicated of the church and the Lord’s kingdom the conjugial is the conjunction of the good of love with the truth of faith, therefore from this conjunction the Lord‘s kingdom is called in the Word the heavenly marriage. 

[5] Until the day that Noah entered into the ark; signifies the end of the former church, and the beginning of the new.  For by ”Noah“ is signified the Ancient Church in general which succeeded the Most Ancient after the flood (n. 773); and by the ”ark,“ the church itself (n. 639). ”Day,“ which is mentioned several times in these verses, signifies state, as shown just above. 

[6] And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away signifies that the men of the church will not then know that they are inundated by evils and falsities, because on account of the evils and falsities in which they are they will not know what the good of love to the Lord is, and the good of charity toward the neighbor, and also what the truth of faith, and that this is from that love and charity, and is not possible except with those who live in this love and in this charity. They will also be ignorant that the internal is what saves and condemns, but not the external separate from the internal. 

[7] So shall the coming of the Son of man be signifies the Divine Truth, and that they will not receive it. It has been said before (n. 3897-3901), that the ”coming of the Son of man“ is the Divine Truth which will then be revealed (n. 2803, 2813, 3004-3009, 3704).

[8] Then shall two be in the field one shall be taken, and one shall be left; signifies those within the church who are in good, and those within the church who are in evil that they who are in good will be saved, and that they who are in evil will be condemned. That a ”field“ denotes the church as to good, see (n. 2971, 3196, 3310, 3317, 3766).

[9] Two women shall be grinding at the mill; one shall be taken, and one shall be left signifies those within the church who are in truth, that is, in the affection of it from good, that they will be saved; and those within the church who are in truth, that is, in the affection of it from evil, that they will be condemned.  That in the Word ”to grind,“ and a ”mill“ have this signification, will be evident from what now follows.  From all this it is now evident that by these words is described what the state as to good and truth will be within the church when it is being rejected, and a new church is being adopted.

AC 4335. That in the Word by ”those who grind“ are meant those within the church who are in truth from the affection of good, and in the opposite sense those within the church who are in truth from the affection of evil, may be seen from the following passages.  In Isaiah:

Come down, and sit upon the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit in the earth, there is not a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans take a millstone and grind meal, uncover thy hair, make bare the foot, uncover the thigh, pass through the rivers (Isa.  47:1, 2);

the ”daughter of Babylon“ denotes those whose externals appear holy and good, but their interiors are profane and evil (n. 1182, 1326); the ”daughter of the Chaldeans,“ those whose externals appear holy and true, but their interiors are profane and false (n. 1368, 1816); ”to take a millstone and grind meal“ denotes to hatch doctrinal things from the truths which they pervert; for as meal is from wheat or barley, it signifies truths from good, but in the opposite sense truths which they pervert in order to mislead.  In Jeremiah:

I will destroy from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of the millstones and the light of the lamp; and this whole land shall be for a waste and a desolation (Jer. 25:10, 11).

[2] And in John:

Every craftsman of every craft shall not be found in Babylon any more, every voice of the millstone shall not be heard therein any more and the light of a lamp shall not shine therein any more and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall not be heard therein any more (Rev. 18:21-23);

”the voice of a millstone being heard no more in Babylon“ denotes that there will be no truth; and ”the light of a lamp shining no more,“ that there will be no intelligence of truth.  In Lamentations:

They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah princes were hanged up by their hand, the faces of the old men were not honored the young men were carried away to grind, and the children fall in the wood (Lamentations 5:11-14);

”the young men being carried away to grind“ denotes to hatch falsities by applying truths, and thus persuading.

[3] In uses.’

Every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon‘ his throne, to the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mills (Exod. 11:5);

the ”firstborn of Egypt“ denotes the truths of faith separated from the good of charity, which truths becomes falsities (n. 3325); the ”firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mills“ denotes the affection of such truth, whence come falsities.  These things were represented by these historicals.

[4] In the same:

He shall not take in pledge the mills or the millstone, for they are the soul of him that pledgeth (Deut. 24:6).

This law was enacted because by ”mills“ were signified doctrinal things, and by a ”millstone,“ the truths thereof, which are what are called the ”soul of him that pledgeth.“ It is manifest that this law would not have been given, nor would it have been said that it was his ” soul,“ unless mills and a millstone had a spiritual signification.

[5] That grinding derives its signification from representatives that come forth in the world of spirits, has been shown me; for I have seen there those who were as if grinding without any end of use, and merely for their own pleasure.  And as in such a case truths are devoid of their own affection from good, they do indeed appear as truths in the outward form; but as there is no internal in them, they are phantasms and if there is an evil internal, they are then employed to confirm the evil; and thus by application to evil they become falsities.

1. And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and saw, and behold Esau came, and with him four hundred men.  And he divided the children over unto Leah, and over unto Rachel, and over unto the two handmaids.

2. And he put the handmaids and their children first, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph after.

3. And he himself passed over before them, and bowed himself to the earth seven times, until he drew near even unto his brother.

4. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell upon his neck, and kissed him; and they wept.

5. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are these to thee?  And he said, The children whom God hath graciously bestowed upon thy servant.

6. And the handmaids drew near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

7. And Leah also and her children drew near, and they bowed themselves; and afterwards Joseph and Rachel drew near, and bowed themselves.

8. And he said, What to thee are all these camps which I met?  And he said, To find grace in the eyes of my lord.

9. And Esau said, I have much my brother, be to thee what is to thee.

10. And Jacob said, Nay I pray, if I pray I have found grace in thine eyes, then accept my present from my hand; for because that I have seen thy faces like seeing the faces of God, and thou hast accepted me.

11. Take I pray my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath graciously bestowed upon me, and because I have all. And he urged him, and he took it.

12. And he said, Let us journey, and go, and I will go close by thee.

13. And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and that the flocks and the herds are suckling with me, and if they drive them on in one day, all the flocks will die.

14. Let my lord I pray pass over before his servant, and I will proceed slowly to the foot of the work that is before me, and to the foot of the children, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.

15. And Esau said, Let me set I pray with thee of the people who are with me.  And he said, Wherefore is this? let me find grace in the eyes of my lord.

16. And Esau returned in that day unto his way, unto Seir.

17. And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him a house, and made booths for his acquisition; therefore he called the name of the place Succoth.

18. And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came thither from Paddanaram, and encamped to the faces of the city.

19. And he bought the portion of the field, where he had stretched his tent, from the hand of the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred kesitah.

20. And he erected there an altar, and he called it El Elohe Israel.

AC 4336. The subject here treated of in the internal sense is the conjunction of Divine good natural which is ”Esau,“ with the good of truth which is ”Jacob;“ thus the submission of the latter, and its insinuation into Divine good natural.  The process by which this is effected is described.  Lastly the acquisition of interior truths is treated of.

AC 4337. In the foregoing chapters, where ”Jacob“ is spoken of, the subject treated of in the internal sense was the acquisition of truth in the natural, which acquisition is made in order that this truth may be conjoined with good, for all truth is for the sake of this end.  ”Jacob,“ in the internal sense, is this truth, and ”Esau“ is the good with which the truth is to be conjoined. Before the conjunction is effected, truth appears to be in the first place; but after the conjunction, good is actually in the first place (n. 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 3995).  This is also what is signified by the prophecy of Isaac to Esau:--

”Upon thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shall break his yoke from off thy neck“ (Gen. 27:40).

And this state is what is described in the present chapter. For this reason Jacob calls Esau his ”lord,“ and himself his ”servant“ (verses 5, 8, 13, 14).

[2] Be it known that Jacob here represents the good of truth.  But regarded in itself the good of truth is only truth; for so long as truth is in the memory only, it is called truth; but when in the will and thence in act, it is called the good of truth; for to do truth is nothing else. Whatever proceeds from the will is called good, for the essential of the will is love and the derivative affection; and everything that is done from love and its affection is named good.  Neither can truth be conjoined with the good that flows in through the internal man and is in its origin Divine (which is here represented by Esau), until the truth is truth in will and act; that is, the good of truth. For the good that flows in through the internal man and is in its origin Divine, flows into the will, and there meets the good of truth that has been insinuated through the external man.

AC 4338. Verses 1-3.  And Jacob lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold Esau came, and with him four hundred men.  And he divided the children over unto Leah, and over unto Rachel, and over unto the too handmaids.  And he put the handmaids and their children first, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph after.  And he himself passed over before them, and bowed himself to the earth seven times, until he drew near even unto his brother.  ”And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and saw,“ signifies the perception and attention of the good of truth, which is ”Jacob;“ ”and behold Esau came,“ signifies Divine good natural; ”and with him four hundred men,“ signifies the state; ”and he divided the children over unto Leah,“ signifies the arrangement of external truths under their affection;” “and over unto Rachel,” signifies the arrangement of interior truths under their affection; “and over unto the two handmaids,” signifies under the affection of things that are of service to these affections; “and he put the handmaids and their children first, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph after,” signifies order from the generals in which were the rest; “and be himself passed over before them,” signifies the universal, thus all things; “and bowed himself to the earth seven times,” signifies the submission of all things; “until he drew near even unto his brother,” signifies conjunction on the part of the good from truth, which is “Jacob.”

AC 4339. And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and saw.  That this signifies the perception and attention of the good of truth, which is “Jacob,” is evident from the signification of “lifting up his eyes and seeing,” as being perception and attention.  For lifting up the eyes is an external that corresponds to elevation of the mind (which is an internal), consequently to perception; and therefore “seeing” corresponds to attention. Jacob here represents the good of truth, (n. 4337).

AC 4340. And behold Esau came. That this signifies Divine good natural, is evident from the representation of Esau, as being Divine good in the natural (n. 3576).

AC 4341. And with him four hundred men. That this signifies its state, here the state of the conjunction of Divine good with truth in the natural, is because this conjunction is the subject treated of.  “Four hundred” in the Word signifies the state and duration of temptation (n. 1847, 2959, 2966); and as all the conjunction of good with truth is effected through temptations, therefore it is a state of temptations which is here meant. Goods are conjoined with truths through temptations, (n. 2272, 3318); and temptations come when good begins to act the first part, (n. 4248, 4249); and also the union of the Lord‘s Divine essence with His Human essence was effected through temptations, (n. 1737).

[2] The good itself which is to be conjoined with truth is not tempted, but the truth.  And moreover truth is not tempted by good, but by falsities and evils, and also by fallacies and illusions and the affection of these, which adhere to truths in the natural. For when good flows in, which is effected by an internal way, or through the internal rational man, the ideas of the natural man, formed from the fallacies of the senses and the derivative illusions, cannot endure its approach, for they are in disagreement with it, and hence comes anxiety in the natural, and temptation.  These are the things which are described in this chapter in the internal sense by Jacob’s coming into fear and thence into anxiety, and consequently into a state of submission and humiliation, when Esau came with four hundred men; for their conjunction is not effected in any other way. From this it may be seen that by the “four hundred men” is signified a state of temptations; by “four hundred,” this state itself, and by “men,” the rational truths which are conjoined with good when it flows into the natural. By “men” are signified intellectual and rational things, (n. 265, 749, 1007, 3134).

[3] But these things are such as fall into obscurity with man, for the reason that when he is living in the body, the distinction between the rational and the natural does not appear not at all to those who are not regenerate, and very little even to those who are regenerate.  For they do not react upon it, nor indeed do they care about it, for the knowledges of the interior things of man have been almost obliterated, and yet in old time these made the all of intelligence with men within the church.  These things may however in some degree appear from what has been shown before concerning the rational and its influx into the natural, namely, that the natural is regenerated through the rational (n. 3286, 3288), and that the rational receives truths before the natural (n. 9368, 3671).  These truths, which inflow with good from the rational into the natural, are what in the internal sense are signified by the “four hundred men” who came with Esau.

AC 4342. And he divided the children over unto Leah.  That this signifies the arrangement of external truths under their affection, is evident from the signification of “dividing over unto,” as being arrangement; from the signification of “children” or “sons,” as being truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); and from the representation of Leah, as being the affection of exterior truth (n. 3793, 3819).  Hence the “children” or “sons” here denote truths of exterior affection, consequently external truths.  Those truths are said to be external which are called sensuous truths, that is, those which flow in immediately from the world through the senses of the body.  But interior truths (which are signified by the children of Rachel) are those which are interiorly in the natural, and are more nearly under the view of the rational, and to which fallacies and their illusions do not so strongly adhere as they do to sensuous truths.  For the more interiorly truths go, the more are they purified from worldly and earthly things.

AC 4343. And over unto Rachel. That this signifies the arrangement of interior truths under their affection, is evident from the representation of Rachel, as being the affection of interior truth (n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819). Hence her “children” or “sons” here denote interior truths (n. 4342).

AC 4344. And over unto the two handmaids.  That this signifies under the affection of things that are of service to these affections, is evident from the signification of “handmaids,” as being the affections of memory-knowledges and of knowledges (n. 1895, 2567, 3835, 3849), and as being means that are of service for the conjunction of the external and the internal man (n. 3913, 3917); and from the representation of Zilpah and Bilhah, who here are the “handmaids,” as being exterior affections that are of service as means (n. 3849, 3931).

AC 4345. And he put the handmaids and their children first, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph after. That this signifies order from more general things in which were all the rest, may be seen from what has been said just above respecting the signification of the “handmaids,” of “Leah,” of “Rachel,” and of their “children” namely, that the “handmaids” denote the affections of memory-knowledges and of knowledges; “Leah,” the affection of exterior truth; and “Rachel,” the affection of interior truth.  The affections of memory-knowledges and of knowledges are the most external, for memory-knowledges and knowledges themselves are things from which and in which are truths.  The affection of external truth follows from this, and is more interior, and the affection of interior truth is still more interior.  The more exterior they are, the more general also they are; and the more interior, the less general, and relatively are called particulars and singulars.

[2] With regard to generals, these are called generals because they consist of particulars, consequently because they contain particulars within them.  Generals without particulars are not generals, but are so called from particulars. The case herein is like that of a whole and its parts. A whole cannot be called a whole unless there are parts, for the whole consists of parts.  For in the nature of things there is nothing which does not come forth and subsist from other things, and because it comes forth and subsists from other things it is called a general, and the things of which it consists and from which it subsists are said to be particulars. External things are what consist of internal things, and therefore external things are relatively general.  It is so with man and his faculties; the more exterior these are, the more general they are; for they consist of things more interior, and these of inmost things in order.

[3] The body itself, and the things of the body, such as those called the external senses and the actions, are relatively the most general.  The natural mind and the things of this mind are less general, because more interior, and relatively are called particulars.  But the rational mind and the things of this mind are still more interior, and relatively are singulars. All this is manifest to the life when man puts off the body and becomes a spirit; for it is then manifest to him that his bodily things had been no other than the most general of the things of his spirit, and that the bodily things had come forth and subsisted from those of his spirit; thus that the things of the spirit had been relatively particulars. And when the same spirit becomes an angel (that is, when he is uplifted into heaven), it is manifest to him that the same things which he had previously seen and felt in general, and thus in obscurity, he now sees and feels in particular and in clearness; for he now sees and feels innumerable things which he had previously seen and felt as one.

[4] This is also evident from man himself during his life in the world the things which he sees and feels in infancy are most general; but those which he sees and feels in childhood and youth are the particulars of these generals; and those which he sees and feels in adult age are the singulars of these particulars.  For as a man advances in age, he insinuates particulars into the generals of infancy, and afterwards singulars into the particulars.  For he advances successively toward things more interior, and infills the generals with particulars, and the particulars with singulars. From this it may now be seen what is meant by “order from the generals in which were all the rest,” which is signified by his placing the handmaids and their children first, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and her children after.

[5] When a man is being regenerated, or what is the same, when the truths in him are being conjoined with good, the case is similar, and this is the subject here treated of.  Then general affections with their truths (which here are the “handmaids” and their “children”), are first insinuated into good; then those less general (that is, those which are relatively particulars), which here are “Leah” and her “children;” and finally those still less general (that is, those which are relatively singulars), which here are “Rachel” and “Joseph.” For man then passes in like manner as it were through ages, first being in his infancy, and then in childhood and youth, and finally in adult age.

AC 4346. And he himself passed over before them.  That this signifies the universal, thus all things, is evident from the representation of Jacob, who here is “himself,” as being the good of truth, that is, truth in will and act (n. 4337). The good of truth is the universal of all things; for the generals, particulars, and singulars spoken of just above, belong to it, because they are in it.

AC 4347. And bowed himself to the earth seven times.  That this signifies the submission of all things, is evident from the signification of “bowing one‘s self to the earth,” as being an effect of humiliation (n. 2153), consequently submission.  The highest degree of submission is signified by “seven times,” and the submission of all things by “Jacob’s bowing himself;” for Jacob represents the universal of all things (n. 4346).

[2] As regards humiliation and submission, few know why this must be in presence of the Divine when man is in worship; and consequently they do not know what it effects.  They who are not in the knowledge of interior things cannot believe otherwise than that the Divine wills the humiliation and submission of man, as a man does who is in the lust of glory; and consequently that the Divine wills glory therefrom, and is affected with the glory which man ascribes to Him.  But the case is altogether different.  The Divine is not in any affection of glory, for what glory has the Divine from man?  But He wills humiliation and submission, not for His own, but for man‘s sake.  For when man is in humiliation he feels aversion for the evil and falsity in him (n. 2327, 2423, 3994), and thus removes them, and on their removal the Divine can flow in with good and truth.  Everyone may be aware of this in himself.  He who is of elated mind is in the love of self, and not only sets himself above others, but also cares nothing for the Divine, and consequently rejects the influx of good, and thence its conjunction with truths.  This is the genuine reason for man’s humiliation before the Divine.

[3] It is therefore manifest that good cannot be conjoined with truths, thus that man cannot be regenerated, unless he humbles and submits himself.  Humiliation and submission are predicated of truths because truths flow in through the external man, but good through the internal; and the things that inflow through the external man are attended with fallacies and the consequent falsities with their affections; whereas this is not the case with the things that inflow through the internal man, because it is the Divine that flows in through this, and comes to meet truths, in order that they may be conjoined. From this it is now manifest what is meant by the submission of all things, which is signified by Jacob‘s “bowing himself to the earth seven times, until he drew near even unto his brother.”

AC 4348. Until he drew near even unto his brother.  That this signifies conjunction on the part of the good from truth which is “Jacob,” is evident from the signification of “drawing near,” as being to conjoin himself; from the representation of Esau, who here is the “brother,” as being Divine good in the natural (n. 4337); and from the representation of Jacob, as being the good of truth (n. 4337).  How these things are circumstanced has been explained just above (n. 4347).

AC 4349. Verse 4. And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell upon his neck, and kissed him; and they wept. “And Esau ran to meet him,” signifies the influx of Divine good natural, “and embraced him,” signifies the first conjunction of love; “and fell upon his neck,” signifies the second conjunction of all things in that universal; “and kissed him,” signifies interior conjunction from love; “and they wept,” signifies the effect.

AC 4350. And Esau ran to meet him. That this signifies the influx of Divine good natural, is evident from the signification of “running to meet,” as being influx; and from the representation of Esau, as being Divine good natural (n. 4337, 4340). That “to run to meet” here denotes influx, is because Divine good flows in through the internal man, and comes to meet the truth which is being insinuated through the external man, in order that they may be conjoined.  The same is also manifest from what follows; for it follows that he embraced him, fell upon his neck, and kissed him; by which as will be seen is signified conjunction by love.

AC 4351. And embraced him. That this signifies the first conjunction of love, is evident from the signification of “to embrace,” as being affection (n. 3807).  And as affection is of love, and love looks to conjunction, it is therefore the conjunction of love which is here signified.  That it is the first conjunction of love, is because there follows that he fell upon his neck, and then that he kissed him, which signify closer and more interior conjunctions from love.  That embracing is an effect which flows from the conjunction of love, is manifest without further explication, and consequently that in the internal sense it denotes this conjunction; for the things of the internal sense are presented in the Word by those which are external.

AC 4352. And fell upon his neck.  That this signifies a second conjunction of all things which are in that universal, is evident from the signification of “to fall upon the neck,” as being closer conjunction, for it is a closer embrace.  Moreover by the “neck” is signified in the internal sense the influx and communication of the interiors with the exteriors, and the consequent conjunction (n. 3542, 3603).  That this denotes a conjunction of all things or with all things in that universal, is because Jacob, who is here meant by his, denotes the universal of all things in respect to truths (n. 4346).

[2] The conjunction of good with truths in the natural is here described, with which the case is this: Good flows in through the internal man into the external, and there conjoins itself with the truths that have been insinuated through the external man. For the good that flows in through the internal is of love,  because there is not any spiritual and celestial good that is not of love, from this it is, and from this it is called good in man. The love itself which is in good and with good is that which conjoins.  Unless love were within and present, there could not possibly be any conjunction; for love is nothing else than spiritual conjunction, because this is effected by it.  The love is from no other source than the Lord, for He is the fountain and origin of all celestial and spiritual love, consequently of all the good thence derived.  This love is twofold-celestial and spiritual.  Celestial love is love to the Lord, and spiritual love is love toward the neighbor, which is called charity. It is these loves from which is all celestial and spiritual good, and which conjoin themselves with the truths which are called the truths of faith; for the truths of faith regarded without love are only words without life; but through love, and thus through conjunction with the good of love, they receive life.  It may be seen from this, that there is never anything of faith except with those who are in the good of love, and that the faith is according to the love.

[3] And as there is never anything of faith except with those who are in the good of love, therefore neither is there any confidence or trust.  With all those who are not in love and charity, the trust or confidence which is called the trust or confidence of faith, is either spurious, or such as is also possible with diabolical spirits when they are in a state of fear or of anguish, or in a state of persuasion from the love of self and of the world.  But because at this day men have made faith saving without the goods of charity, and yet see from afar that the truths of faith cannot save, because these exist also with the wicked, therefore they acknowledge confidence and trust, and call this faith, not knowing what it is, and that it is possible even with the wicked, and that there is no spiritual confidence except that which flows in through the good of love and charity not at the time when the man is in fear and anguish, or in persuasion from the love of self and of the world, but when he is in a state of freedom; and not with any but those in whom good has been conjoined with truths, and inrooted by the previous course of life; thus not in sickness, misfortunes, perils of life, or when death is at hand. If this confidence or trust which appears in a state of compulsion would save a man, all mortals would be saved; for to this kind of confidence everyone is easily reduced, and there are none to whom the Lord, who wills the salvation of all, would not impart it.  But as regards the confidence or trust which is called faith  what this is, what is its nature and with whom it is found, will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be told elsewhere.

AC 4353. And kissed him.  That this signifies interior conjunction from love, is evident from the signification of “kissing,” as being conjunction from love (n. 3573, 3574, 4215), here interior conjunction.  In this verse the conjunction of the Divine good of the natural which is “Esau,” with the truth there which is “Jacob,” is treated of in general; but in what follows this conjunction is described specifically.  As regards the conjunction itself, it is this which effects man‘s regeneration; for man is regenerated by the fact that the truths in him are being conjoined with good, that is, that the things which belong to faith are being conjoined with those which belong to charity. The process is fully described in these and the following verses. The Lord is indeed the subject treated of how He made His natural Divine, consequently how He united Divine good to the truth in His natural.  But as man’s regeneration is an image of the Lord‘s glorification (n. 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490), this regeneration is also treated of at the same time in the internal sense.  And as regeneration can fall into man’s idea, but not so fully the Lord‘s glorification, the latter may be illustrated by the former.

[2] It is manifest from what has been explained that the conjunction of good with truths (by which regeneration is effected) progresses more and more interiorly; that is, truths are successively conjoined more interiorly with good.  For the end of regeneration is that the internal man may be conjoined with the external, thus the spiritual with the natural through the rational.  Without the conjunction of both of these there is no regeneration.  Nor can this conjunction be effected until good has first been conjoined with truths in the natural; for the natural must be the plane, and the things that are in the natural must correspond.  This is the reason why when the natural is being regenerated, the conjunction of good with truths becomes successively more interior.  For the spiritual conjoins itself first with the things which are inmost in the natural, and then by means of these with those which are more exterior.  Nor can man’s internal conjoin itself with his external, unless the truth in the external becomes the good of truth, that is, truth in will and act (n. 4337); for then for the first time they can be conjoined, inasmuch as the Lord flows in with man through his internal man, and in fact through the good therein. This good can be conjoined with good in the external man, but not good with truth immediately.

[3] From this it may be seen that the truth in man must first become truth in will and act (that is, the good of truth), before the conjunction of the rational with the natural, or the internal man with the external, can take place. But how truth becomes the good of truth, must be evident to everyone who pays attention. All Divine truth regards these two precepts to love God above all things, and the neighbor as one‘s self.  It is these precepts from which and for the sake of which truths are, and to which truths tend, more nearly and more remotely.  Therefore when truths are put into act, they are insinuated successively into their beginning and their end, namely, into charity toward the neighbor, and into love to the Lord; and thereby truth becomes good, which is called the good of truth; and when this takes place, it can then be conjoined with the internal man, which conjunction becomes successively more interior, in proportion as more interior truths are implanted in this good.  Act precedes, man’s willing follows; for that which a man does from the understanding, he at last does from the will, and finally puts it on as a habit; and it is then insinuated in his rational or internal man.  And when it has been insinuated in this, the man no longer does good from truth, but from good; for he then begins to perceive therein somewhat of blessedness, and as it were somewhat of heaven.  This remains with him after death, and by means of it he is uplifted into heaven by the Lord.

AC 4354. And they wept.  That this signifies the effect, is evident from the signification of “weeping,” as being the effect of grief, and also the effect of joy (n. 3801), here, the effect of joy from the conjunction of good with truths through love.

AC 4355. Verses 5-7. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are these to thee? And he said, The children whom God hath graciously bestowed upon thy servant. And the handmaids drew near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.  And Leah also and her children drew near, and they bowed themselves; and afterwards Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed themselves. “And he lifted up his eyes,” signifies perception; “and saw the women and the children,” signifies of the affections of truth and of the truths belonging thereto; “and said, Who are these to thee? signifies acknowledgment; ”and he said, The children whom God hath graciously bestowed upon thy servant,“ signifies truths from the Divine Providence; ”and the handmaids drew near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves,“ signifies sensuous memory-knowledges and their truths, and their submission; ”and Leah also and her children drew near, and they bowed themselves,“ signifies the affection of the truth of faith as to exterior things, and their truths, and their submissive introduction; ”and afterwards Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed themselves,“ signifies the affections of the truth of faith as to interior things, and their submissive introduction.

AC 4356. And he lifted up his eyes. That this signifies perception, is evident from the signification of ”lifting up the eyes,“ as being perception (n. 4083, 4339).

AC 4357. And saw the women and the children. That this signifies of the affections of truth, and of the truths belonging thereto, is evident from the signification of the ”women,“ here the handmaids, and of Leah and Rachel, as being the affections of truth (n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819, 4344); and from the signification of ”children“ or ”sons,“ as being truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373), here the truths that belong to the affections.

AC 4358. And said, Who are these to thee? That this signifies acknowledgment, may be seen from the fact that interrogations in the sense of the letter are not interrogations in the supreme sense; for the Lord, who is treated of in this sense, has no need to interrogate man, because He knows all things both in general and in particular. Hence this interrogation, ”Who are these to thee?“  signifies acknowledgment.  For by Esau is represented the Lord as to Divine good natural; and Divine good immediately acknowledges the truths that it conjoins with itself.  And moreover all good does this, for good cannot have being without what it calls truths, nor can truths without that which they call good.  They conjoin themselves of themselves; but such as the good is, such are the truths it conjoins with itself.  It is good that acknowledges them, and couples itself as a husband with a wife; for the conjunction of good with truths is marriage in the spiritual sense (n. 2508, 2618). Good acknowledges its own truth, and truth its own good, and they are conjoined, (n. 3101, 3102, 3161, 3179, 3180).

AC 4359. And he said, The children whom God hath graciously bestowed upon thy servant.  That this signifies truths from the Divine Providence, is evident from the signification of ”children“ or ”sons,“ as being truths (n. 4357); and from the signification of the words, ”whom God hath graciously bestowed,“ as being from the Divine Providence; for whatever God bestows is of His Providence.

AC 4360. And the handmaids drew near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.  That this signifies sensuous knowledges and their truths, and their submission, is evident from the signification of ”handmaids,“ as being the affections of memory knowledges and of the knowledges which are of the external man (n. 4344), consequently sensuous memory-knowledges; from the signification of ”children“ or ”sons,“ as being truths (n. 4357); and from the signification of ”bowing one‘s self,“ as being submission. The sensuous memory-knowledges signified by the ”handmaids“ are the  memory-knowledges of the external things of the world, and therefore are the most general of all knowledges (n. 4345), and are those which enter immediately through the external senses, and are perceived by the sense itself.  In these are all little children; and moreover they serve as planes to the knowledges of spiritual things, for spiritual things are founded upon natural, and are represented in them.  As truths are conjoined with good according to order, beginning with the more general (n. 4345), therefore it is here mentioned that the handmaids and their children bowed themselves, that is, submitted, first.

AC 4361. And Leah also and her children drew near, and they bowed themselves.  That this signifies the affection of the truth of faith as to exterior things, and their truths, and their submissive introduction, is evident from the representation of Leah, as being the affection of exterior truth (n. 3793, 3819), and therefore the affection of the truth of faith as to exterior things; from the signification of ”children“ or ”sons,“ as being truths; and from the signification of ”bowing one’s self,“ as being submission; that is, submissive introduction into the Divine good natural which is represented by Esau.

AC 4362. And afterwards Joseph and Rachel drew near and they bowed themselves. That this signifies the affections of the truth of faith as to interior things, and their submissive introduction, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial spiritual (n. 4286); from the representation of Rachel, as being the affection of interior truth (n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819); and from the signification of ”bowing one‘s self,“ as being submissive introduction (n. 4361). How these things are circumstanced has been explained above at (verse 2).

AC 4363. Verses 8-11. And he said, What to thee are all these camps which I met? And he said, To find grace in the eyes of my lord.  And Esau said, I have much, my brother, be to thee what is to thee.  And Jacob said, Nay I pray, if I pray I have found grace in thine eyes, then accept my present from my hand; for because that I have seen thy faces like seeing the faces of God, and thou hast accepted me.  Take I pray my blessing that is brought to thee, because God hath graciously bestowed upon me, and because I have all. And he urged him, and he took it. ”And he said, Whit to thee are all these camps which I met?“ signifies the special things which are thence derived; ”and he said, To find grace in the eyes of my lord,“ signifies grateful initiation; ”and Esau said, I have much, my brother, be to thee what is to thee,“ signifies tacit acceptance, in order that he might thus insinuate the affection of the good from truth; ”and Jacob said, Nay I pray,“ signifies the first beginning of affection; ”if I pray I have found grace in thine eyes, then accept my present from my hand,“ signifies the reciprocal of affection in order that it might he insinuated; ”for because that I have seen thy faces like seeing the faces of God, and thou hast accepted me,“ signifies the affection itself in the perception with which it was reciprocally insinuated; ”take I pray my blessing that is brought to thee,“ signifies the Divine things that were to be adjoined to Divine good natural; ”because God hath graciously bestowed upon me,“ signifies from Providence; ”and because I have all,“ signifies His spiritual riches; ”and he urged him, and he took it,“ signifies that from the good of truth this affection was insinuated by means of affection inspired by Divine good.

AC 4364. And he said, What to thee are all these camps which I met?  That this signifies the special things which are thence derived, is evident from the signification here of ”camps,“ as being special things; for they are those enumerated in the foregoing chapter (Gen. 32:14, 15), namely, two hundred she-goats, and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milch camels and their colts, forty heifers and ten bullocks, twenty she-asses and ten foals; by which were meant goods and truths with their things of service, by means of which initiation might be effected (n. 4263, 4264), consequently special things.  The special things here referred to are nothing else than such as confirm truths as being true, and goods as being good.  They are accessory to the man’s thoughts and affections, that is, to the things which he knows and loves, and on account of which he favors and affirms a thing to be so.  The presents which in the church of olden time were given to kings and priests likewise involved such things.  It is well known that another is brought over to one‘s opinion, or to what we say is good and true, both by reasons and by affections; and it is these very confirmatory things that are meant by ”special things,“ and are here signified by ”camps;“ for which reason it is said that these camps were ”to find grace in the eyes of my lord;“ and afterwards, ”if I pray I have found grace in thine eyes, then accept my present from my hand.“

[2] The case is the same in spiritual things, or in matters of faith, when these are being conjoined with the good of charity.  Man believes that goods and truths flow in immediately from heaven, thus without mediums within him; but he is much mistaken.  The Lord leads everyone by means of his affections, and thus bends him by a tacit providence, for He leads him through freedom (n. 1937, 1947).  That all freedom is of affection or love, may be seen above (n. 2870, 2873); and hence all the conjunction of good with truth is effected in freedom, but not in compulsion (n. 2875-2878, 2881, 3145, 3146, 3158, 4031).  When therefore man has been led in freedom to good, truths are then accepted and implanted, and he begins to be affected by them, and is thus introduced little by little into heavenly freedom.  When one who has been regenerated (that is, who loves his neighbor, and still more who loves the Lord) reflects upon his past life, he will find that he has been led by many things of his thought and by many of his affection.

[3] What is here specifically meant by the special things which are thence derived, may be seen more clearly from examples.  Let the truth which is to be insinuated into good be this that man has life after death.  This truth is not accepted unless it is confirmed by special things, as by these that a man can think not only of the things he sees and feels, but also of those which he does not see and feel; that he can also be affected by them; that he can be conjoined with them by affection, consequently with heaven, nay, with the Lord Himself; and that he who can be conjoined with the Divine, can never die. These and many more such things are the special things which first occur, before this truth is being insinuated into good, that is, before it is fully believed.  This truth does indeed first submit itself, but still the special things cause it to be accepted.

[4] Take as another example the truth that man is a spirit, and that he is clothed with a body while he lives in the world.  This also is a truth which is to be insinuated into good; for unless it has been so insinuated, the man cares nothing for heaven, for he then thinks of himself as he does of the brute animals.  But this truth cannot be insinuated except by means of special things, as by these that the body which he carries about serves for uses in this world, namely, that he may see the things that are in the world with material eyes, and may act by material muscles, thereby having powers that are adapted to the heavy things in the world; and that nevertheless there is something more interior which thinks and wills of which the body is the instrument or material organ; and that a man’s spirit is himself, or the man himself, who acts and feels through these organic forms; and that he can confirm this by many of his own experiences if he is once in the belief that the case is so. All these are special things, which are set forth in advance, and which cause the truth itself that is in question to be insinuated into good; and they are derived from it. It is these and similar things that are here signified by the ”camps.“

AC 4365. And he said, To find grace in the eyes of my lord. That this signifies grateful initiation, may be seen without explication; for ”to find grace“ denotes that they may be accepted, and things which are accepted are gratefully initiated, that is, are insinuated.

AC 4366. And Esau said, I have much, my brother, be to thee what is to thee. That this signifies tacit acceptance, in order that he might thus insinuate the affection of the good from truth, may be seen from this refusal, in that it involves assent; for he nevertheless accepted. In anyone‘s refusing and at the same time accepting, the end sometimes is that affection may be insinuated; and moreover this is thereby increased, and thus passes from thinking well into willing well. In spiritual life man is led by the Lord by things nearly like those by which a man leads others in civil life, in which it is usual to refuse to accept, to the end that the giver may act from affection; thus not from thinking only, but also from willing. For if the favor should not be accepted, the end in view would be lost; and therefore the end urges the giver to think of it still more intently, and thus to will it from the heart.

[2] The reason why this kind of thing does not appear in spiritual life as in civil life, is that there are few in whom good is being conjoined with truths, that is, who are being regenerated; and moreover the few who are being regenerated do not reflect upon such things; nor can they do so, for they do not know what spiritual good is, because they do not know what charity is and what in the genuine sense the neighbor is.  And as they do not know these things, neither can they have an interior idea of the truth that belongs to faith.  And moreover they separate spiritual life from civil life so widely, that they would not dare to draw any idea of the one from the other. That the two correspond, and that spiritual life is represented in civil life, they know not at all, and some do not even allow any comparison; when yet the case really is that no idea can be had of spiritual life except from the things that are in civil life; and therefore if the latter is set aside, the former falls to the ground, until at last it is no longer believed in as may be plainly evident from the fact that it is no longer believed that spirits and angels associate and converse together as men do, and reason in like manner as men do about what is honorable and becoming, just and fair, and good and true, and this much more perfectly; still less that they see, hear, and explore one another, join together in societies, dwell together, and many other like things.

AC 4367. And Jacob said, Nay I pray.  That this signifies the first beginning of affection, may be seen from what was said just above, namely, that refusing to accept a present insinuates affection, which is here manifested by his saying, ”Nay I pray.“  From this it is evident that these words denote the first beginning of affection.

AC 4368. If I pray I have found grace in thine eyes, then accept my present from my hand.  That this signifies the reciprocal of affection in order that it might he insinuated, is evident from what precedes and what follows.  For the subject treated of is the conjunction of good with truths in the natural, consequently the insinuation of affection from good into truth. That the refusal of the present sent by Jacob was for this purpose that affection might be insinuated into truth, was shown above (n. 4366); and therefore by the words immediately preceding, ”Nay I pray,“ is signified the first beginning of affection (n. 4367).  Hence by these words, ”If I have found grace in thine eyes, then accept my present from my hand,“ is signified the reciprocal of affection in order that it might be insinuated; for he says this from good will, that is, from affection. Hence in what follows it is said that he ”urged him.“

[2] By the reciprocal of affection, which is insinuated by the good which is Esau into the truth which is Jacob, there is meant the affection of truth.  For there are two affections which are heavenly the affection of good, and the affection of truth. The affection of truth originates solely from good. The affection itself comes from this source; for truth has no life from itself, but receives life from good; and therefore when a man is affected by truth, this is not from truth, but from the good that flows into the truth, and produces the affection itself.  This is what is here meant by the ”reciprocal of affection in order that it might be insinuated.“ It is known that there are many within the church who are affected by the Word of the Lord, and who bestow much pains on the reading of it; but still there are few who have as their end that they may be instructed in the truth, for most remain in their own dogma, the confirmation of which from the Word is their sole aim.  These seem to be in the affection of truth, but are not; for those alone are in the affection of truth who love to be instructed about truths, that is, to know what the truth is, and to search the Scriptures for this end.  No one is in this affection except the man who is in good, that is, who is in charity toward the neighbor, and still more he who is in love to the Lord.  With these good itself flows into truth, and produces the affection, for the Lord is present in this good.  This may be illustrated by the following examples.

[3] They who are in the good of genuine charity, and read the words which the Lord spake to Peter:  I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in the heavens, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in the heavens (Matt. 16:15-19); these (namely those who are in the affection of truth from the good of genuine charity) love to be taught what is meant by these words; and when they hear that by the rock there upon which the church will be built (and consequently by Peter) is signified the faith of charity, and that it is in this way that the keys for opening and shutting heaven are given to this faith (n. 2760), they then rejoice and are affected by this truth, because in this way the Lord alone, the source of faith, has this power.  But they who are not in the affection of truth from the good of genuine charity, but in the affection of truth from some other good, and especially if from the love of self and of the world, are not affected with this truth, but are made sad, and are also made angry, because they desire to claim this power for the priesthood.  They are made angry because they are thus deprived of dominion; and they are made sad because they are deprived of respect.

[4] Take also as an example those who are in the affection of truth from the good of genuine charity: if these hear that charity makes the church, but not faith separated from charity, they receive this truth with joy; whereas they who are in the affection of truth from the love of self and of the world do not receive it.  Moreover when those who are in the affection of truth from the good of genuine charity hear that love toward the neighbor does not begin from self, but from the Lord, they rejoice; whereas they who are in the affection of truth from the love of self and of the world, do not receive this truth, but sharply maintain that this love begins from themselves. Thus they do not know what it is to love the neighbor as one’s self. They who are in the affection of truth from the good of genuine charity rejoice when they hear that heavenly blessedness consists in doing good to others from good will, and not for the sake of any selfish end; whereas they who are in the affection of truth from the love of self and of the world, do not desire this, nor even apprehend it.

[5] When they who are in the affection of truth from the good of genuine charity are instructed that the works of the external man are nothing unless they proceed from the internal man, and thus from good willing, they receive this with joy; whereas they who are in the affection of truth from the love of self and of the world laud the works of the external man, but care nothing for the good willing of the internal man, and in fact do not know that the good willing of the internal man remains after death, and that the works of the external man separate from it are dead, and perish. And the case is the same with everything else.  From these examples it is evident that the truths of faith can never be conjoined with anyone unless he is in the good of genuine charity; thus with nothing but good; and also that every genuine affection of truth is from this good. Everyone can see this confirmed from his daily experience, namely, that they who are in evil do not believe, but that they believe who are in good.  From this it is plainly evident that the truth of faith is conjoined with good, and never with evil.

AC 4369. For because that I have seen thy faces like seeing the faces of God, and thou hast accepted me.  That this signifies the affection in the perception with which it was reciprocally insinuated, is evident from the signification of ”seeing faces like the faces of God,“ as being affection in perception; for by the ”faces“ are signified the interiors (n. 358, 1999, 2434, 3527, 3573, 4066), and by the ”faces of God,“ all good (n. 222, 223); and when this flows in it gives affection in perception; and from the signification of ”accepting me,“ as being affection insinuated. That the signification is affection insinuated, is evident from what has been said just above about the insinuation of affection; thus from the series.

AC 4370. Take I pray my blessing that is brought to thee. That this signifies the Divine things that were to be adjoined to Divine good natural, is evident from the signification here of the ”blessing,“ as being the things that were mentioned in the foregoing chapter (Gen. 32:14, 15); by which were signified Divine goods and truths With their things of service for effecting initiation (n. 4263, 4264), and that were to be adjoined to Divine good natural (n. 4364).

AC 4371. Because God hath graciously bestowed upon me. That this signifies from Providence, is evident from the signification here of these words, as being Providence (n. 4359).

AC 4372. And because I have all.  That this signifies His spiritual riches, is evident from the signification of ”his having all,“ as being here the Lord‘s spiritual riches; for what he had was flocks and herds, by which as before shown are signified goods and truths, and these are what are called spiritual riches. Spiritual riches are predicated of truth, and their uses of good.

AC 4373. And he urged him, and he took it. This signifies that from the good of truth this affection was insinuated by means of affection inspired by Divine good, (n. 4364). The affection itself of truth inspired in the good by the Divine good is attested by his urging him (n. 4366).  As further regards the affection of truth which is treated of in these verses, be it known that this appears to be from truth, and thus in truth, and yet it is not from truth, but from good; for truth has nothing of life in it except that which is from good.  Its appearing as if it were from truth, is comparatively circumstanced as is the life that is in the body, and yet is not of the body, but of the soul.  Nor is it of the soul, but through the soul from the first of life (that is, from the Lord), although it appears as if it were of the body.  It is also circumstanced as is an image in a mirror, which appears in the mirror, when yet it is of the inflowing form.

[2] To those who keep the mind in the mere historicals, it does not indeed appear that the internal sense of these and the foregoing words is of such a nature, for they think of Esau and Jacob, and of the gift that was sent forward; not knowing that by Esau is represented Divine good in the natural, and by Jacob the truth which is to be conjoined with the Divine good there; and that by their friendly conference is here signified affection inspired into truth by good.  And yet when these things are being read by man the angels understand these historicals in no other way; for the angels have no other idea than a spiritual one, and with them the historical sense is turned into this idea.  In this way do angelic thoughts correspond with human thoughts.  It is such perpetual correspondences that make the Word holy and Divine; for thus by ascent the literal sense becomes spiritual, and this even to the Lord, where it is Divine.  This is inspiration.

AC 4374. Verses 12-16.  And he said, Let us journey, and go, and I will go close by thee.  And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and that the flocks and the herds are suckling with me, and if they drive them on in one day, all the flocks will die.  Let my lord I pray pass over before his servant, and I will proceed slowly to the foot of the work that is before me, and to the foot of the children, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.  And Esau said, Let me set I pray with thee of the people that are with me. And he said, Wherefore is this? let me find grace in the eyes of my lord. And Esau returned in that day unto his way, unto Seir. ”And he said, Let us journey, and go,“ signifies what is successive; ”and I will go close by thee,“ signifies that they are to be conjoined; ”and he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender,“ signifies truths which have not yet acquired Divine life; ”and that the flocks and the herds are suckling with me,“ signifies goods both interior and natural which have not as yet acquired Divine life; ”and if they drive them on in one day, all the flocks will die,“ signifies delay and what is successive, and that otherwise they would not live, thus that they are to be prepared for conjunction; ”Let my lord I pray pass over before his servant,“ signifies a more general presence; ”and I will proceed slowly,“ signifies a successive state of preparation; ”to the foot of the work that is before me,“ signifies according to generals; ”and to the foot of the children,“ signifies according to the truths therein; ”until I come unto my lord unto Seir,“ signifies until they could be conjoined; ”Seir“ denotes the conjunction in the natural of spiritual things with celestial; ”and Esau said, Let me set I pray with thee of the people that are with me,“ signifies that some things from the truth of good should be conjoined; ”and he said, Wherefore is this? let me find grace in the eyes of my lord;“ signifies enlightenment from presence more interiorly; ”and Esau returned in that day unto his way, unto Seir,“ signifies the state then of Divine good natural to which the goods of truth were adjoined; ”way“ denotes the good of truth relatively.

AC 4375. And he said, Let us journey, and go.  That this signifies what is successive (namely, of the conjunction of good with truth), is evident from the signification of ”to journey,“ and ”to go,“ which plainly involve progression to further things; for progression and what is successive are contained in the internal sense of the things which now follow.

AC 4376. And I will go close by thee.  That this signifies that they are to be conjoined, is evident from the signification of ”going close by thee,“ as being adjunction, here therefore that they are to be conjoined (namely, good with truths).

AC 4377. And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender.  That this signifies truths which have not yet acquired Divine life, is evident from the signification of ”children“ or ”sons,“ as being truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); and from the signification of ”tender,“ as being things recent, thus things that have acquired some life, but not yet genuine; here, not yet Divine, because the subject treated of is the Lord’s glorification as to the Divine natural.  These things may be illustrated by the things that take place with a man who is being regenerated, for man‘s regeneration is an image of the Lord’s glorification.  A man who is being regenerated, like the man who is born, passes through the ages-infancy, childhood, youth or early manhood, and adult age; for a man who is being regenerated is born anew.  When he is an infant, the truths in him have indeed life, but not yet spiritual life.  It is only general truths without particulars and singulars with which good is then conjoined; consequently there is only exterior conjunction, not interior. Interior conjunction is effected successively, as the man advances into the following ages.  It is the state of this infancy which is signified by the children being tender, and also by the words which now follow: ”and the flocks and the herds are suckling with me, and if they drive them on in one day, all the flocks will die.“

AC 4378. And that the flocks and the herds are suckling with me.  That this signifies goods both interior and natural, which as yet have not acquired Divine life, is evident from the signification of ”flocks,“ as being interior goods (n. 2566, 3783); and from the signification of ”herds,“ as being exterior or natural goods (n. 2566, 2180, 2781); and from the signification of ”suckling,“ as being also recent goods, here spiritual goods that are being born in the natural. For in the state of infancy (in relation to the regeneration of man) spiritual things are in potency within; for spiritual life develops successively from one age to another, as from an egg. The age of infancy is as an egg to the age of childhood, and the age of childhood is as an egg to the age of youth and early manhood, and this as an egg to adult age; so that man is as it were being born continually.  From this it is evident what is meant by goods both interior and natural which as yet have not acquired Divine life, and which are here signified by the flocks and the herds that are suckling. See also what was said concerning the state of infancy, (n. 4377).

AC 4379. And if they drive them on in one day, all the flocks will die.  That this signifies delay and what is successive, and that otherwise they would not live, thus that they are to be prepared for conjunction, may be seen from the series itself. For in the things that precede, the subject treated of has been the conjunction of good with truths in general, but here it is concerning the same specifically.  The very process of the insinuation of truth into good is here described in the internal sense. What its nature is, may indeed in some measure appear from the explication in general, but not as to its arcana, which are innumerable. These arcana are manifest only to those who are in the light of heaven, and in some rude image to those who are in the light of the world, when into this light is admitted the light of heaven.  This may be sufficiently evident from the fact that when a man is being born again he passes through the ages of life as does one who is born naturally and that the state which precedes is always as an egg relatively to the following one; thus that he is continually being conceived and born; and this not only when living in the world, but also to eternity when he comes into the other life; and yet he can never be perfected further than to be as an egg relatively to the things that still remain, which are without limit.  From all this it is evident how innumerable are the things which take place in connection with man‘s regeneration, yet of which scarcely any are known to man; thus how great are the things here contained in the internal sense, in which the subject treated of is the state and manner of the successive insinuation of good into truths.

AC 4380. Let my lord I pray pass over before his servant. That this signifies a more general presence, is evident from the signification of ”passing on before“ anyone, as here (where the conjunction of good with truths is treated of) being a more general presence.  For in regeneration (which is effected by means of the conjunction of good with truths) it is good which acts, and truth which suffers itself to be acted upon; and when good has applied itself to truths and has conjoined itself with them a little, then truth appears to react. Yet it is not truth, but the good that is conjoined or adjoined to it, which reacts through the truth.  This adjunction is what is meant by a more general presence. It is said ”the conjunction of good with truths,“ but there is meant the man in whom are good and truth; for these cannot be predicated without a subject, which is man.  In heaven they think and speak in this way by means of abstract things, for the reason that they do not attribute good and truth to themselves, but to the Lord; and because good and truth from the Lord fill the whole heaven.  To speak in this way was also familiar to the ancients.

AC 4381. And I will proceed slowly.  That this signifies a successive state of preparation, may be seen from the signification here of ”proceeding slowly“ (where the subject treated of is the insinuation of good into truth, and its reception by truth), as being what is successive of preparation.

AC 4382. To the foot of the work that is before me.  That this signifies according to generals, may be seen from the things that precede.  By the ”foot of the work“ is meant the things said above, namely, that the children are tender, and that the flocks and the herds are suckling with me, and if they drive them on in one day, all the flocks will die. That by these words is signified according to generals, is evident from the things there said.  ”The foot of the work,“ and then ”the foot of the children,“ are spoken of because by ”foot“ is signified the natural (n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280); and the natural is here treated of

AC 4383. And to the foot of the children.  That this signifies according to the truths therein, is evident from the signification of ”children“ or ”sons,“ as being truths.  The truths therein are the truths in the generals, for the generals are those things which above (n. 4378) were compared to an egg; because in generals there are contained particulars, and in these singulars (n. 4325, 4329, 4345). In the first state, namely in that of infancy, there are particulars and in these singulars in potency; but they afterwards become productive, and put themselves forth in act, and so on successively.  They who are being regenerated are led in this way by the Lord, for they are imbued with generals within which are those things which follow, which also come forth successively, and this in an order and series incomprehensible; for all things both in general and in particular are foreseen by the Lord, even what they will be to eternity.  For this reason no other general truths are conjoined with good in the man who is being regenerated, than such as can have particular truths fitted into them, and within these singular ones.

[2] But still these particulars, nay, the singulars of the particulars, are nothing but generals relatively to those which exist beyond them; for there are indefinite things yet in every single entity. The angels (who notwithstanding that relatively to man they are in wisdom so great that there are unutterable things which they know and perceive) also confess that they know only the relatively most general things, and that those which they do not know are indefinite they dare not say infinite, because there is no relation and no ratio between the finite and the infinite! From this we can also infer of what nature is the Word, which being Divine, from its first origin contains within itself infinite things; and consequently unutterable things that belong to angelic wisdom; and finally only such things as are adapted to human comprehension.

AC 4384. Until I come unto my lord unto Seir.  That this signifies until they could be conjoined (namely, the truth which is Jacob with the good which is Esau), may be seen from the signification of ”Seir,“ as being the conjunction in the natural of spiritual things with celestial things, that is, of the truth which is of faith with the good which is of charity.  The good with which truth is conjoined in the natural, and in the supreme sense the Lord’s Divine natural as to good conjoined with the truth therein, is what is properly signified by ”Seir“ in the following passages in the Word.  In the prophecy of Moses regarding the sons of Israel:

Jehovah came from Sinai, and arose from Seir unto them; He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came from the ten thousands of holiness (Deut. 33:2).

In the prophecy of Balaam:

I see Him, but not now I behold Him, but not nigh; there shall arise a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel and Edom shall be an inheritance, and Seir shall be an inheritance, of his enemies, and Israel shall perform strength (Num. 24:17, 18).

In the song of Deborah and Barak:--

O Jehovah, when Thou wentest forth out of Seir, when Thou departedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the mountains flowed down, this Sinai before Jehovah the God of Israel (Judges 5:4, 6),

In Isaiah:--

He crieth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night?  Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night (Isa. 21:11, 12).

Besides these passages in regard to Seir, see also those cited above (n. 4240).

AC 4385. And Esau said, Let me set I pray with thee of the people that are with me. That this signifies that some things from the truth of good should be conjoined, is evident from the signification of ”to set with thee,“ as being to conjoin; and from the signification of ”the people that are with me,“ as being some things from the truth of good. That ”people“ denote truths, see above (n. 1259, 1260, 2928, 3295, 3581) hence ”the people that are with me“ denote the truths of good. What the truths of good are, has already been stated several times. They are those truths which proceed from good, and which the good that flows in through the internal man into the external has with it.  That these truths were signified by the ”four hundred men“ whom Esau had with him, may be seen above (n. 4341); here therefore are meant some of these truths, for it is said, ”of the people that are with me.“

AC 4386. And he said, Wherefore is this? let me find grace in the eyes of my lord. That this signifies enlightenment from presence more interiorly, may be seen from all that this formula of submission involves; for by it nearest presence is refused, but a remote presence is assented to; which