Arcana Coelestia # 1436
1436. 'And [every] soul which they had gained in Haran' means every essential with life in it that was possible in that obscure state. This is clear from the meaning of 'soul' as an essential that has life in it, and from the meaning of 'Haran' as an obscure state, dealt with in the previous verse. 'Soul' in the proper sense means that with man which possesses life, and so his life itself. That in man which has life in it is not the body but the soul, and it is through the soul that the body receives life. The life itself in man, that is, that which has life, is derived from heavenly love; nothing with life in it is possible if that love is not the source of it. This explains why 'soul' here means the good which derives its life from heavenly love, this good being the fundamental essential that has life in it. In the literal sense 'soul' is used here to mean every human being, and also all the livestock, and which they had acquired to themselves; but in the internal sense nothing else is meant than [every] essential with life in it.
Exodus 3:13-15
13
Moses said to God, "Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and tell them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you;' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' What should I tell them?"
14
God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM," and he said, "You shall tell the children of Israel this: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
15
God said moreover to Moses, "You shall tell the children of Israel this, 'Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations.
