5845. Peradventure I shall see the evil that shall come upon my father. That this signifies a perception that it will perish, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” as being to understand (as above, n. 2807, 3863, 4403-4421), and thence to perceive (n. 3764, 4567, 5400). That it will perish is signified by the “evil which shall come upon him,” the same as by “making his gray hairs go down in evil to the grave” (n. 5832), also that if his father did not see him with his brethren, he “would die” (n. 5836). This is the evil that is signified. (That spiritual good, which is “Israel,” would perish if the truth which is “Benjamin” should depart, may be seen above, n. 5832)

4567. And God was seen by Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. That this signifies interior natural perception, is evident from the signification of “God was seen,” as being interior perception. (That “to see” denotes to understand and perceive, see n. 2150, 2807, 3764, 3863, 4403-4421.) Hence “God was seen,” when predicated of the Lord, denotes perception from the Divine, which is the same as interior perception. That the natural had this perception, is signified by God’s being seen by Jacob, for Jacob represents the Lord’s natural, as has been frequently shown. “Again when he came from Paddan-aram” signifies after he had acquired the knowledges of good and truth which are signified by “Paddan-aram” (see n. 3664, 3680, 4112). “And blessed him,” signifies progression to the more interior things of the natural, and the conjunction of good and truth there; for “to bless” is predicated of all the good with which anyone is gifted by the the Lord, (n. 1420, 1422, 2846, 3017, 3406), especially of the conjunction of good and truth (n. 3504, 3514, 3530, 3565, 3584).