3993. Removing from thence every small cattle that is speckled and spotted. That this signifies that all the good and truth that is His will be separated wherewith there is mingled evil (signified by the “speckled”), and falsity (signified by the “spotted”), is evident from the signification of “removing,” as being to separate; and from the signification of a “flock” (here one of goats and lambs), as being goods and truths (see n. 1824, 3519). That there are arcana in these and the following verses of this chapter, may be seen from many of the things being such as would not be worthy of mention in the Divine Word, unless there were within them things more arcane than appear in the letter; as that Jacob asked for his reward or hire the speckled and spotted among the goats, and the black among the lambs; that he then placed in the gutters rods of hazel and plane-tree with the bark peeled off to the white before the flocks of Laban when they grew warm, and that as regards the lambs, he set the face of the flock toward the variegated and the black in Laban’s flock; and that he thus became rich, not by a good but by an evil art. In these things there does not appear anything Divine, whereas all things of the Word both in general and in particular, down to the smallest jot, are Divine. Moreover to know all this is not of the slightest avail for salvation; and yet the Word, being Divine, contains within it nothing that is not conducive to salvation and eternal life.

[2] From all this, and the like things elsewhere, everyone may conclude that some arcanum is contained within, and that each one of the particulars, notwithstanding its being of such a character in the letter, yields things more Divine within. But what they yield within cannot possibly appear to anyone, except from the internal sense; that is, unless he knows how these things are perceived by the angels, who are in the spiritual sense while man is in the historic natural sense. And how remote these two senses appear from each other, although most closely conjoined, may be clearly seen from the particulars already explained and from all the rest. The arcanum itself contained in this and the following verses of this chapter, can indeed be known in some degree from what has been already said concerning Laban and Jacob, namely, that “Laban” is such good as can serve to introduce genuine goods and truths, and that “Jacob” is the good of truth. But as few persons know what the natural is that corresponds to spiritual good, and still fewer what spiritual good is, and that there must be a correspondence between them; and as still fewer know that a kind of good which only appears to be good is the means of introducing genuine goods and truths, the arcana that treat of these things cannot be easily explained to the apprehension, for they fall into the shade of the understanding, and it is as if one were speaking in a foreign language, so that however clearly the matter may be set forth, the hearer does not understand. Nevertheless it is to be set forth, because that which the Word stores up in its internal sense is now to be opened.

[3] In the supreme sense the subject here treated of is the Lord, how He made His natural Divine; and in the representative sense the natural in man, how the Lord regenerates it, and reduces it to correspondence with the man that is within; that is, with him who will live after the death of the body, and is then called the spirit of the man, which when released from the body takes with it all that belongs to the outward man, except the bones and the flesh. Unless the correspondence of the internal man with the external has been effected in time, or in the life of the body, it is not effected afterwards. The conjunction of the two by the Lord by means of regeneration is here treated of in the internal sense.

[4] The general truths that man must receive and acknowledge before he can be regenerated have been treated of heretofore-being signified by the ten sons of Jacob and Leah and the handmaids-and, after the man has received and acknowledged these truths, the conjunction of the external man with the interior, or of the natural with the spiritual signified by “Joseph” is treated of. And now in accordance with the order the subject treated of is the fructification of good and the multiplication of truth, which come forth for the first time when this conjunction has been effected, and precisely so far as it is effected. This is what is signified by the “flock” that Jacob acquired by means of the flock of Laban. By “flock” here is signified good and truth, as elsewhere frequently in the Word; and by the “flock of Laban,” the good represented by Laban, the nature of which has been already stated. The “flock of Jacob” signifies the genuine good and truth procured by means of the good represented by Laban, and there is here described the manner in which these genuine goods and truths are acquired.

[5] But this cannot by any means be comprehended unless it is known what is signified in the internal sense by “speckled,” by “spotted,” by “black,” and by “white,” which therefore must now be explained in the first instance. That which is speckled and spotted is that which is composed of black and white; and in general “black” signifies evil, and specifically what is man’s own, because this is nothing but evil. But “dark” signifies falsity, and specifically the principles of falsity. “White” in the internal sense signifies truth, properly the Lord’s righteousness and merit, and derivatively the Lord’s righteousness and merit in man. This white is called “bright white,” because it shines from the light that is from the Lord. But in the opposite sense “white” signifies man’s own righteousness, or his own merit; for truth without good is attended with such self-merit, because when anyone does good, not from the good of truth, he always desires to be recompensed, because he does it for the sake of himself; whereas when anyone does truth from good, this good is then enlightened by the light that is from the Lord. This shows what is signified by “spotted,” namely, the truth with which falsity is mingled; and what by “speckled,” namely, the good with which evil is mingled.

[6] Actual colors are seen in the other life, so beautiful and resplendent that they cannot be described (see n. 1053, 1624); and they are from the variegation of light and shade in white and black. But although the light there appears as light before the eyes, it is not like the light in this world. The light in heaven has within it intelligence and wisdom; for Divine intelligence and wisdom from the Lord are there presented as light, and also illumine the universal heaven (n. 2776, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3225, 3339-3341, 3485, 3636, 3643, 3862). And in like manner although the shade in the other life appears as shade, it is yet not like the shade in this world; for the shade there is absence of the light, and accordingly is lack of intelligence and wisdom. As therefore the white and black there come forth from a light that has intelligence and wisdom within it, and from a shade that is lack of intelligence and wisdom, it is evident that by “white” and “black” are signified such things as have been stated above. Consequently as colors are modifications of light and shade in whites and blacks, as in planes, it is the variegations thus produced that are called colors (n. 1042, 1043, 1053).

[7] From all this we can now see that that which is “speckled,” that is, that which is marked and dotted all over with black and white points, signifies the good with which evil is mingled; and also that that which is “spotted” signifies the truth with which falsity is mingled. These are the things that were taken from the good of Laban in order to serve for introducing genuine goods and truths. But how these can serve this purpose is an arcanum which can indeed be presented clearly before those who are in the light of heaven, because as before said within this light there is intelligence; but it cannot be clearly presented before those who are in the light of the world, unless their light of the world has been enlightened by the light of heaven, as is the case with those who have been regenerated; for every regenerate person sees goods and truths in his natural light from the light of heaven, because the light of heaven produces his intellectual sight, and the light of the world his natural sight.

[8] A few words shall be added to further explain how the case herein is. In man there is no pure good, that is, good with which evil is not mingled; nor pure truth, with which falsity is not mingled. For man’s will is nothing but evil, from which there continually flows falsity into his understanding; because, as is well known, man receives by inheritance the evil successively accumulated by his progenitors, and from this he produces evil in an actual form, and makes it his own, and adds thereto more evil of himself. But the evils with man are of various kinds; there are evils with which goods cannot be mingled, and there are evils with which they can be mingled; and it is the same with the falsities. Unless this were so, no man could possibly be regenerated. The evils and falsities with which goods and truths cannot be mingled are such as are contrary to love to God and love toward the neighbor; namely, hatreds, revenges, cruelties, and a consequent contempt for others in comparison with one’s self; and also the consequent persuasions of falsity. But the evils and falsities with which goods and truths can be mingled are those which are not contrary to love to God and love toward the neighbor.

[9] For example: If anyone loves himself more than others, and from this love studies to excel others in moral and civic life, in memory-knowledges and doctrinal things, and to be exalted to dignities and wealth in pre-eminence to others, and yet acknowledges and adores God, performs kind offices to his neighbor from the heart, and does what is just and fair from conscience; the evil of this love of self is one with which good and truth can be mingled; for it is an evil that is man’s own, and that is born hereditarily; and to take it away from him suddenly would be to extinguish the fire of his first life. But the man who loves himself above others, and from this love despises others in comparison with himself, and hates those who do not honor and as it were adore him, and therefore feels a consequent delight of hatred in revenge and cruelty-the evil of such a love as this is one with which good and truth cannot be mingled, for they are contraries.

[10] To take another example: If anyone believes himself to be pure from sins, and thus washed clean, as one who is washed from filth by much water; when such a man has once performed repentance and has done the imposed penance, or after confession has heard such a declaration from his confessor, or after he has partaken of the Holy Supper-if he then lives a new life, in the affection of good and truth, this falsity is one with which good can be mingled. But if he lives a carnal and worldly life, as before, the falsity is then one with which good cannot be mingled.

[11] Again: The man who believes that a man is saved by believing well, and not by willing well; and yet wills well and in consequence does well-this falsity is one to which good and truth can be adjoined; but not so if he does not will well and therefore do well. In like manner if anyone is ignorant that man rises again after death, and consequently does not believe in the resurrection; or if he is aware of it, but still doubts, and almost denies it, and yet lives in truth and good-with this falsity also good and truth can be mingled; but if he lives in falsity and evil, truth and good cannot be mingled with this falsity, because they are contraries; and the falsity destroys the truth, and the evil destroys the good.

[12] Again: The simulation and cunning that have what is good as their end, whether it is that of the neighbor, or that of our country, or of the church, are prudence; and the evils that are mixed up with them can be mingled with good, from and for the sake of the end. But the simulation and cunning that have evil as their end, are not prudence, but are craft and deceit, with which good can by no means be conjoined; for deceit, which is an end of evil, induces what is infernal upon all things in man both in general and in particular, places evil in the middle, and rejects good to the circumference; which order is infernal order itself. And it is the same in numberless other cases.

[13] That there are evils and falsities to which goods and truths can be adjoined, may be seen from the mere fact that there are so many diverse dogmas and doctrines, many of which are altogether heretical, and yet in each there are those who are saved; and also that the Lord’s church exists even among the Gentiles who are out of the church; and although they are in falsities, nevertheless those are saved who live a life of charity (n. 2589-2604); which could by no means be the case unless there were evils with which goods, and falsities with which truths, can be mingled. For the evils with which goods and the falsities with which truths can be mingled, are wonderfully disposed into order by the Lord; for they are not conjoined together, still less united into a one; but are adjoined and applied to one another, and this in such manner that the goods together with the truths are in the middle and as it were in the center, and by degrees toward the circumferences or circuits are such evils and falsities.

Thus the latter are lighted up by the former, and are variegated like things white and black by light from the middle or center. This is heavenly order. These are the things that are signified in the internal sense by the “speckled” and the “spotted.”

3863. For she said, Because Jehovah hath seen. That in the supreme sense this signifies foresight, in the internal sense faith, in the interior sense understanding, and in the external sense sight, in the present case faith from the Lord, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” concerning which in what follows. From what has been said above, it may be seen that the twelve tribes, named from the twelve sons of Jacob, signified all things of truth and good, or of faith and love, thus all things of the church, and that each tribe signified some universal; thus the twelve tribes signified the twelve universals which comprehend and include within them all things whatsoever that belong to the church; and in the universal sense, all things that belong to the Lord’s kingdom. The universal which “Reuben” signifies, is faith. The reason why faith is the first universal, is that when man is being regenerated or becoming a church, he must first learn and become imbued with the things of faith, that is, of spiritual truth; for he is introduced by means of the doctrine of faith, or of truth. For man is of such a nature that of himself he does not know what heavenly good is, but must learn it from doctrine, which is called the doctrine of faith. Every doctrine of faith regards life as the end, and therefore good, for good is life.

[2] It was a controverted point among the ancients, which was the firstborn of the church, the truth which is of faith, or the good which is of love. They who maintained that the truth which is of faith is the firstborn, argued from the external appearance, and determined this to be the first, because truth is and ought to be first learned, and because by means of it man is introduced to good. But they knew not that good is essentially the firstborn, and that it is insinuated by the Lord through the internal man, in order that it may adopt and receive the truth which is introduced through the external man; nor were they aware that in good there is life from the Lord, and that in truth there is no life but that which it has through good; thus that good is the soul of truth, and appropriates to itself and puts on truth as the soul does its body. From this we can see that according to the external appearance truth is in the first place, and is as it were the firstborn while man is being regenerated; although good is essentially in the first place, and is the firstborn, and is placed first when man has been regenerated. (That this is the case may be seen above, n. 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701.)

[3] As the subject treated of in this chapter, and in those which precede, is the regeneration of the natural, and here its first state, which is that of introduction by means of truth to good, therefore the first son of Jacob, or Reuben, was named from “Jehovah seeing,” which in the internal sense signifies faith from the Lord. Regarded in itself, faith is a faith in the understanding and a faith in the will; to know and understand the truth which is of faith is called faith in the understanding; but to will the truth which is of faith is called faith in the will. Faith in the understanding is that which is signified by “Reuben;” but faith in the will is what is signified by “Simeon.” That faith in the understanding, or the understanding of truth, precedes faith in the will, or the willing of truth, must be evident to everyone; for when anything is unknown to man (such as heavenly good), he must first know that it exists, and understand what it is, before he can will it.

[4] That in the external sense “to see” signifies sight, is evident without explication; and that in the interior sense “to see” signifies understanding, may also be evident, for the sight of the internal man is nothing else than understanding, and therefore in common discourse understanding is called internal sight, and light is predicated of it, as of external sight, and is called intellectual light. That in the internal sense “to see” denotes faith from the Lord, is evident from the fact that the interior understanding has no other objects than those which are of truth and good, for these are the objects of faith. This interior understanding, or internal sight, which has for its objects the truths which are of faith, does not manifest itself so much as does the understanding which has for its objects the truths of civic and moral life, for the reason that it is within the latter, and is in the light of heaven, which light is in obscurity so long as man is in the light of the world. Nevertheless with those who have been regenerated, it reveals itself, especially by conscience. That in the supreme sense “to see” is foresight, must be evident, for the intelligence which is predicated of the Lord is infinite intelligence, which is nothing else than foresight.

[5] That “seeing,” from which Reuben was named, in the internal sense signifies faith from the Lord, is manifest from very many passages in the Word, of which the following may be adduced:

Jehovah said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a standard; and it shall come to pass that everyone that is bitten, and shall see it, shall live. Moses made a serpent of brass, and set it upon a standard; and it came to pass that if a serpent had bitten any man, and he looked unto the serpent of brass, he lived again (Numbers 21:8-9).

That the brazen serpent represented the Lord as to the external sensuous or natural, may be seen above (n. 197; and that “brass” signifies the natural (n. 425, 1551). That faith in Him was represented by the living again of those who saw, or looked upon it, the Lord Himself teaches in John:

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but should have eternal life (John 3:14-15).

[6] In Isaiah:

The Lord said, Go and say unto this people, Hearing hear ye, but do not understand; and seeing see ye, and do not know; make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and their heart should understand (Isaiah 6:9-10).

That “seeing and not knowing” here signifies understanding what is true and yet not acknowledging it, is manifest; and that “blinding the eyes, lest they should see with their eyes” signifies depriving them of the understanding of truth; and that “seeing” here signifies faith in the Lord, is evident from the Lord’s words in Matthew 13:13-14; and in John 12:36-37, 39-40.

[7] In Ezekiel:

Son of man thou dwellest in the midst of the house of rebellion, who have eyes to see, but see not; who have ears to hear, and hear not (Ezekiel 12:2);

“having eyes to see but not seeing” signifies that they were able to understand the truths of faith, but were not willing, and this because of evils (which are the “house of rebellion”) inducing a deceptive light on falsities, and darkness on truths, according to these words in Isaiah:

This is a people of rebellion, lying sons, sons that would not hear the law of Jehovah; who have said to the seers, See not; and to them that have vision, See not for us right things, speak to us smooth things, see illusions (Isaiah 30:9-10).

Again:

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined (Isaiah 9:2); where “seeing a great light” signifies receiving and believing the truths which are of faith. On those who are in faith heavenly light is said to “shine,” for the light which is in heaven is Divine truth from Divine good.

[8] Again:

Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets and your heads, the seers hath He covered (Isaiah 29:10);

“to close the eyes” denotes to close the understanding of truth (that “the eye” denotes the understanding, see above, n. 2701); “covering the seers” denotes to cover those who know and teach the truths of faith. Seers were formerly called “prophets,” and that “prophets” denote those who teach, and also the truths of doctrine, may be seen above (n. 2534). Again:

The priest and the prophet err through strong drink; they err among the seers; they stumble in judgment (Isaiah 28:7); where the sense is the same; that the “judgment” wherein they “stumble” is the truth of faith may be seen above (n. 2235). Again:

The eyes of them that see shall not be closed, and the ears of them that hear shall hearken (Isaiah 32:3.

[9] Again:

Thine eyes shall behold the king in his beauty, they shall see the land of far distances (Isaiah 33:17);

“to behold the king in beauty” denotes the truths of faith which are from the Lord, which are called “beautiful” from good; “to see the land of far distances” denotes the good of love. (That a “king” is the truth of faith may be seen above, n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670; that “beautiful” is predicated from good, n. 553, 3080, 3821; and that “land” is the good of love, n. 620, 636, 3368, 3379.) In Matthew:

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8); where it is manifest that “to see God” is to believe in Him, thus to see Him by faith; for they who are in faith, from faith see God, because God is in faith, and is that in faith which constitutes true faith.

[10] Again:

If thine eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out; for it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the gehenna of fire (Matthew 18:9).

That in this passage the “eye” does not mean the eye, and that it is not to be plucked out, is manifest, for this does not cause to stumble; but the understanding of truth, which is here meant by the “eye” (n. 2701). That it is better not to know and apprehend the truths of faith, than to know and apprehend them and yet live a life of evil, is signified by its “being better to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the gehenna of fire.”

[11] In the same:

Blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. Verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see, but did not see them (Matthew 13:16-17; John 12:40);

“seeing” here denotes knowing and understanding the things which are of faith in the Lord, thus faith; for they were not blessed because they saw the Lord, and saw His miracles, but because they believed; as may be seen from these words in John:

I said unto you, that ye also have seen Me, and believe not. This is the will of Him that sent Me, that everyone who seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, should have eternal life. Not that anyone hath seen the Father, save He that is with the Father, He hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me hath eternal life (John 6:36, 40, 46-47);

“seeing and not believing” denotes knowing the truths of faith and not receiving them; “seeing and believing” denotes knowing and receiving them; “no one having seen the Father save He that is with the Father” denotes that Divine good cannot be acknowledged except by means of Divine truth (That the “Father” is Divine good, and the “Son” Divine truth, may be se en above, n. 3704.) Hence the internal sense is that no one can have celestial good unless He acknowledges the Lord.

[12] In like manner in the same Evangelist:

No one hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him (John 1:18).

And again:

Jesus said, He that seeth Me, seeth Him that sent Me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in Me should not abide in darkness (John 12:45-46); where it is said plainly that “to see” is to believe, or to have faith. Again:

Jesus said, If ye had known Me, ye would have known My Father also; and from henceforth ye know Him and have seen Him. He that hath seen Me, hath seen the Father (John 14:7, 9).

Again:

The Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; I will not leave you orphans; I come unto you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me; because I live ye shall live also (John 14:17-19); where “seeing” signifies having faith, for the Lord is seen only by faith, because faith is the eye of love, the Lord being seen by love through faith, and love being the life of faith; wherefore it is said, “Ye see Me; because I live, ye shall live also.”

[13] Again:

Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they who see not may see; and that they who see may be made blind. The Pharisees said, Are we also blind? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye would not have sin; but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth (John 9:39-41);

here “they who see” denote those who imagine themselves to be more intelligent than others, concerning whom it is said that they “should be made blind,” that is, should not receive faith. (That “not to see,” or “to be blind,” is predicated of those who are in falsities, and also of those who are in ignorance, may be seen above, n. 2383) In Luke:

Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God; but to the rest in parables; that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not hear (Luke 8:10).

Again:

I say unto you, There be some standing here who shall not taste of death, until they see the kingdom of God (Luke 9:27; Mark 9:1);

“to see the kingdom of God” denotes to believe. Again:

Jesus said unto His disciples, The days shall come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, but ye shall not see (Luke 17:22); where the consummation of the age, or last time of the church, is treated of, when there is no longer any faith.

[14] Again:

It came to pass when Jesus sat down with them, that He took the bread, and blessed, and breaking, gave to them; and their eyes were opened, and they knew Him (Luke 24:30-31);

by which was signified that the Lord appears by good, but not by truth without good, for “bread” is the good of love (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3478, 3735, 3813). From these and other passages it is evident that “seeing,” in the internal sense, signifies faith from the Lord, for there is no other faith which is faith than that which comes from the Lord. This also enables man to “see,” that is, to believe; but faith from self, or from what is man’s own, is not faith, for it causes him to see falsities as truths, and truths as falsities; and if he sees truths as truths, still he does not see, because he does not believe, for he sees himself in them, and not the Lord.

[15] That “to see” is to have faith in the Lord, is very plain from what has been frequently said above concerning the light of heaven, namely, that being from the Lord, it is attended with intelligence and wisdom, consequently with faith in Him; for faith in the Lord is inwardly within intelligence and wisdom; wherefore “to see” from that light, as angels do, can signify nothing else than faith in the Lord. The Lord Himself also is in that light, because it proceeds from Him. It is that light also which shines within the conscience of those who have faith in the Lord, although while he lives in the body the man is unaware of the fact, for it is then obscured by the light of the world.