3859. Verse 32 And Leah conceived and bore a son; and she called his name Reuben, for she said, Because Jehovah has seen my affliction; for now my husband (vir) will love me.

'Leah conceived and bore a son' means spiritual conception and birth from what is external to what is internal. 'And she called his name Reuben' means the essential nature of it, which is described. 'For she said, Because Jehovah has seen' in the highest sense means foresight, in the internal sense faith, in the interior sense understanding, and in the external sense sight - faith received from the Lord being meant here. 'My affliction' means a state of arriving at good. 'For now my husband will love me' means that from this state would come the good of truth.

Food and drink in the Bible represent the desire to be loving and the understanding of how to be loving, gifts that flow from the Lord and sustain life. Since a table is where we receive these gifts and make them a part of us, it follows that tables in the Bible represent receptacles of good things from the Lord, the places He can fill in our hearts and minds. In the contrary sense, tables can also represent receptacle of evil from hell; we can allow ourselves to be filled with those as well.