5403. 'And Jacob said to his sons' means perception regarding truths as a general whole. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' in the historical narratives of the Word as perception, dealt with in 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3395, 3509; and from the meaning of 'sons' as the truths of faith, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373, 4257. Also, because they were Jacob's sons, truths as a general whole are meant; for 'the twelve sons of Jacob', like the twelve tribes, meant all aspects of faith, and so truths as a general whole, see 2129, 2130, 3858, 3862, 3926, 3939, 4060.

3395. 'And Isaac said to him, Because I said, Perhaps I may die because of her' means that it would not be received. This is clear from what has been stated above in 3387, at the words 'for he was afraid to say, My wife, [thinking,] The men of the place may perhaps kill me on account of Rebekah'. More plainly than anywhere else 'saying' here means perceiving and thinking.