Arcana Coelestia # 4768
4768. 'They took Joseph's tunic' means appearances. This is clear from the meaning of 'tunic', in this case a tunic of various colours, as appearances of truth, dealt with in 4677, 4741, 4742. The subject in what follows next is the removal of blame for the crime they had committed, and in the internal sense the corroboration of falsity opposed to the Divine Truths that are dealt with just above in 4766, a corroboration which was effected by means of appearances presented by means of reasonings from the sense of the letter of the Word. Corroborations of falsity involving the use of interpretations made from the sense of the letter of the Word are in every case appearances, by which the simple are normally led astray, falsity being presented as truth, and truth as falsity .These are the matters that constitute the subject in the internal sense of what follows next.
Genesis 37:31-35
31
They took Joseph's coat, and killed a male goat, and dipped the coat in the blood.
32
They took the coat of many colors, and they brought it to their father, and said, "We have found this. Examine it, now, whether it is your son's coat or not."
33
He recognized it, and said, "It is my son's coat. An evil animal has devoured him. Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces."
34
Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
35
All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, "For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning." His father wept for him.
