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.

3690. And Jacob went out from Beersheba. That this signifies life more remote from Divine doctrinal things, is evident from the signification of “going,” as being to live (see n. 3335, 3685); thus “going out” signifies living more remotely; and from the signification of “Beersheba” as being Divine doctrine (see n. 2723, 2858, 2859, 3466); hence it is evident that by “Jacob went out from Beersheba” is signified life more remote from Divine doctrinal things. Life is said to be more remote when it is in external truths, and is lived according to them, as is the life of the infancy and childhood of those who are being regenerated (concerning whom see above, n. 3688).

[2] In order to show further what this life is, and what its quality, it may be expedient to add a few words. All the histories of the Word are truths more remote from essential Divine doctrinal things, but still are of service to little children and older children, in order that thereby they may be by degrees introduced into the interior doctrinal matters of truth and good; and at last to Divine things themselves; for within them, in their inmost, is the Divine. While children are reading them and are affected by them from innocence, the angels who are with them are in a happy celestial state, being affected from the Lord with the internal sense, consequently with those things which the historical facts represent and signify; and it is the celestial happiness of the angels that flows in and causes the delight with the children. In order that this first state may exist, that is, the first state of infancy and childhood of those to be regenerated, the histories of the Word were given, and were so written that all things therein both in general and in particular contain within them things Divine.

[3] How far removed these historical matters are from Divine doctrinal things can be seen from the following example from them. When anyone first knows only that God descended on Mount Sinai, and gave tables to Moses, on which were written the Ten Commandments, and that Moses broke those tables, and that God wrote like commandments on other tables; while delighted solely with this history, he is in the life of external truth remote from Divine doctrinal things; but afterwards when he begins to be delighted and affected with the commandments or precepts themselves therein contained, and lives according to them, he is then in the life of truth, yet still remote from the Divine doctrinal things themselves. For a life according to the commandments is only a moral life, the precepts whereof are known to all who live in human society, from civil life itself and the laws thereof-as that the Deity is to be worshiped, and parents honored; and that murder, adultery, and theft must not be committed.

[4] But he who is being regenerated is led by degrees from this more remote life (that is, moral life), into a life nearer to Divine doctrinal things; that is, into spiritual life. When this comes to pass the man begins to wonder why such commandments or precepts were sent down from heaven in so miraculous a manner, and written on tables by the finger of God, when yet they are known to every people, and are also written in the laws of those who have never heard anything from the Word. If when he comes into this state of thought he is among those who are capable of being regenerated, he is brought by the Lord into a still more interior state, namely, into a state of thinking that deeper things lie concealed therein, with which as yet he is unacquainted; and when he reads the Word in this state, he finds everywhere in the Prophets, and especially in the Evangelists, that each one of these precepts contains within it things still more heavenly.

[5] For example, in respect to the honoring of parents, he now sees that when men are born anew, that is, when being regenerated, they receive another Father, and then become His sons, and that it is He who is to be honored; thus that this is the sense that lies hidden within this precept. And by degrees he learns that this new Father is the Lord; and at last that He is to be honored by being worshiped, and that He is worshiped when He is loved. When one who is being regenerated is in this truth, and in a life according to it, he is in Divine doctrine, and is then in an angelic state, and from this state looks at the things he before knew as following on in order, and as flowing from the Divine as it were according to the steps of a ladder, above which is Jehovah or the Lord; and on the steps whereof are His angels ascending and descending; thus he sees the things with which he had previously been delighted as more remote from him according to degrees. The case is the same with the other precepts of the Decalogue (see n. 2609). From this it is now evident what is meant by a life more remote from Divine doctrinal things, which is here signified by “Jacob went out from Beersheba.”