3600. Behold of the fat things of the earth shall be thy dwelling. That this signifies that life is from Divine good; and that “of the dew of heaven from above” signifies that it is from Divine truth, is evident from the signification of “fatness,” as being good (n. 353), here, Divine good, because it is spoken of the Lord; and from the signification of “dwelling,” as being life (see above, n. 1293, 3384), and that “dwelling” is predicated of good (n. 2268, 2451, 2712); and from the signification of the “dew of heaven,” as being truth derived from the good of a state of peace and innocence (n. 3579), here, Divine truth, because it is spoken of the Lord. Similar words were spoken to Jacob, namely, “God shall give thee of the dew of heaven and of the fat things of the earth” (verse 28) but there “dew” (thus truth) is spoken of in the first place; and the “fat things of the earth” (thus good) in the second; and also that “God should give” of them; whereas here in relation to Esau, the “fat things of the earth” (thus good) are spoken of in the first place; and in the second place the “dew of heaven” (thus truth); and it is not said that “God would give,” but that “his dwelling should be of them;” which also shows that Jacob represents truth, and Esau good; also that truth as apparently in the former place is first; but that this is the inverse of order, according to what has already been frequently shown.

1293. And they dwelt there. That this signifies the derivative life, may be seen from the signification in the Word of “dwelling,” which is living. The word “dwell” frequently occurs in both the prophetic and the historic parts of the Word, and in the internal sense it usually signifies to live. The reason is that the most ancient people dwelt in tents, and held their most holy worship there; and therefore in the Word “tents” signify what is holy in worship, as before shown n. 414). And as tents signified the holy in worship, “to dwell,” also, in a good sense, signifies to live, or life. In like manner, because the most ancient people journeyed with their tents, in the internal sense of the Word “to journey” signifies the modes and order of life.