3974. Give me my females. That this signifies that the affections of truth belonged to the natural; and that “and my children” signifies that so did the truths thence derived, is evident from the signification of “females,” or “women,” as being the affections of truth; his “woman Leah,” the affection of external truth; and “Rachel,” the affection of interior truth (concerning which frequently above); and from the signification of “children,” as being the derivative truths; for by “sons” are signified truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); and by the “children” that were born from the females, the derivative truths. It was a statute among the ancients that the females given to servants should be the masters with whom they served, and also the children born of them; as is evident in Moses:

If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If his master give him a woman and she shall bear him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out with his body (Exodus 21:2, 4).

As this was a statute in the Ancient Church also, and was thus known to Laban, he therefore claimed for himself both the females and the children of Jacob, as is plain in the following chapter:

Laban said unto Jacob, The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the flock is my flock, and all that thou seest, it is mine (Exodus 31:43 [NCBSW: Genesis 31:43]);

and because Jacob knew this, he said to Laban, “Give me my females and my children.” But that statute, as stated by Moses in the place cited, represented the right of the internal or rational man that it has acquired over the goods and truths of the external or natural man; for by a manservant was represented the truth of the natural such as it is in the beginning, before genuine truths are being insinuated. The truth acquired in the beginning is not truth, but appears as truth, and yet as before shown it serves as a means for introducing genuine truths and goods; and therefore when goods and truths have been insinuated by it, or by its service, it is dismissed, and the genuine goods and truths thus procured are retained. It was for the sake of this representation that this law concerning the servants was delivered.

[2] But as regards Jacob, he was not a bought servant, but was from a more distinguished family than Laban. He bought for himself by his own service the daughters of Laban, and thus also the children born of them; for these were his wages. Laban’s thought in regard to them therefore was not in accordance with the truth. Moreover, by a “Hebrew servant” was signified truth that serves for introducing genuine goods and truths, and by his “woman” the affection of natural good. With Jacob it was otherwise. By him is represented the good of natural truth; and by his “females” the affection of truth. Neither is that represented by Laban which is represented by the “master” in the law cited respecting a Hebrew servant, namely, the rational; but collateral good (see n. 3612, 3665, 3778); which is such that it is not genuine good, but appears to be genuine, and is of service for introducing truths (n. 3665, 3690), which therefore were Jacob’s.

[3] These things here advanced are indeed such as to fall into the comprehension of extremely few; because very few know what the truth and good of the natural are, and that they are distinct from the truth and good of the rational. Still less is it known that goods and truths not genuine, and which yet appear to be genuine, may serve for introducing genuine goods and truths, especially in the beginning of regeneration. Nevertheless as these are the things contained in the internal sense of these words, and in the internal sense also of those which follow respecting Laban’s flock, from which Jacob procured a flock for himself, they are not to be passed over in silence. There may be some who will comprehend them. They who are in the desire of knowing such things, that is, who are in the affection of spiritual good and truth, are enlightened in regard to such matters.

3688. The sister of Nebaioth, over his women to himself for a woman. That this signifies the affection of celestial truth more interiorly, is evident from the signification of “sister,” as being intellectual or rational truth (see n. 1495, 2508, 2524, 2556, 3386); from the representation of Nebaioth, as being the good which is of the spiritual church (n. 3268); from which the “sister of Nebaioth” signifies the affection of celestial truth; or what is the same thing, the affection of spiritual good; from the signification of “women,” or the “daughters of Heth,” as being the affections of truth from a ground not genuine (n. 3470, 3620-3622, 3686); and from the signification of “taking a woman,” as being to be associated and conjoined. From this it is evident that by these words, together with those immediately preceding, there is signified the conjunction of the good represented by Esau with truth from a Divine origin, thus with the affection of celestial truth more interiorly.

[2] How these things are circumstanced has indeed been already stated, but they are such as are understood with difficulty so long as the most general things of the subject are unknown. Moreover at the present day the world cares not for such things, because earthly things and not heavenly ones are the objects of its care, for the reason as they allege, that they see and know the former things, while the latter they neither see nor know. But inasmuch as the things contained in the internal sense of the Word are not merely to be disclosed, but are also to be explained, we may illustrate by an example how the case is with the truth of good that Esau represents and the good of truth that Jacob represents; and at the same time how the case is with the fact that before the man has been regenerated the good of truth is the inverse of the truth of good; but that they are afterwards conjoined; thus how the case is with all that has been said before.

[3] Let the following serve as the example: A man who is such as to be capable of being regenerated-for the Lord foresees, and since He foresees, He also provides for this-at first, like an infant child, does not yet know what works of charity toward his neighbor are, because he does not as yet know what charity is, nor what his neighbor is, and therefore as he knows from the Word that he ought to give to the poor, and that whoever gives to the poor has a reward in heaven, he does good to beggars more than to others, because he believes that they are the poor who are meant in the Word, not considering that such as beg in the streets for the most part live an impious and wicked life, despise whatever belongs to Divine worship, and surrender themselves to mere sloth and idleness. Nevertheless he who is in the first state of regeneration does good to such persons from his heart; and these good deeds are the goods of external truth from which regeneration begins; the truth of good, which is interior, flows thus into these acts, and does the work according to the knowledges in which the child is.

[4] But afterwards, when he is more enlightened, he is desirous to do good to all whom he believes to be in want and distress; but as yet hardly makes a distinction between the pious and the impious who are in this state, believing everyone to be his neighbor in the same respect and degree. But when he is further enlightened in these matters, he then makes the distinction, and renders aid only to the upright and good, knowing that to aid the wicked is to do harm to many, inasmuch as by his benefits and services he supplies the wicked with the means of injuring others. At last, when he is regenerate, he does good only to the good and pious, because he is then affected not with the person of him to whom he does good, but with the good that is in him; and inasmuch as the Lord is present in what is good and pious, he thereby through his affection for what is good testifies his love to the Lord. When the man is in this charity from the heart, he is regenerate.

[5] From this it is evident that his former state was inverse in respect to this state, inasmuch as he had believed that to be good which was not good; but still at the beginning of regeneration he must needs do that good, because his knowledge of the matter then goes no further; and because the interior good of charity could not flow into any other truth than that which was of the knowledge thereof; and it is also evident that interior good had always been present and had wrought this, but was not able to manifest itself until by knowledges the man had been successively enlightened concerning the true nature of goods and truths. From this it is in some measure evident what the good of truth is which Jacob here represents; and what the truth of good which Esau represents; and that at first these are inverse, but afterwards are conjoined.