3073. 'And in this I shall know that You have dealt mercifully with my master' means that the beginning of the marriage lies in Divine love. This is clear from the meaning of 'mercy' here in the internal sense as Divine love, dealt with in 3063. And since the subject is the betrothal of Rebekah to Isaac, that is, the joining of Divine truth to the Divine Good of the Rational, 'dealing mercifully with my master' means nothing else than a marriage, and so a marriage beginning in Divine love. For this statement is also the conclusion of his plea, and the purpose for which he made it.

3063. 'And deal mercifully' means an influx of love. This is clear from the consideration that the essence of mercy is love. Love itself is converted into mercy and becomes mercy when anyone in need of help is regarded with love or charity. Consequently mercy is the expression of love towards those who are needy and wretched. But here in the internal sense 'mercy' is used to mean love and 'dealing mercifully' an influx of love, since it was an influx from the Lord's Divine itself into His Divine Human. In fact it was by means of Divine love that is the Lord's that He made His Human Divine, for love is the very being (esse) of life, while Divine love exists in none but the Lord. See what has been stated already about the Lord's love in the following places:

The Lord's life was a love towards the whole human race, 2253, and from that love He did battle, 1690, 1789, 1812, 1813, 1820.

It surpasses all understanding, 1799, 2077.

The Lord is Divine love itself, 2077, 2500, 2572.

Jehovah is love, 1735.

Nothing apart from love has life, 1589.

Anyone who possesses mutual love possesses the Lord's life, 1799, 1802, 1803.

Love and charity are the celestial itself, 1419, 1824.