3921. And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and also hath heard my voice. That this signifies in the supreme sense justice and mercy; in the internal sense, the holy of faith; and in the external sense, the good of life, is evident from the signification of “God judging me,” and from that of “hearing my voice.” That “God judging me” signifies the Lord’s justice, is evident without explication, as also that His “hearing my voice” is mercy; for the Lord judges all from justice, and hears all from mercy. He judges from justice because from Divine truth, and He hears from mercy because from Divine good; from justice He judges those who do not receive the Divine good; and from mercy He hears those who do. But still when He judges from justice, it is also at the same time from mercy; for in all Divine justice there is mercy, as in Divine truth there is Divine good. But as these are arcana too deep to be told in a few words, they will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be more fully explained elsewhere.

[2] That by “God hath judged me, and also hath heard my voice” is meant in the internal sense the holy of faith, is because faith, which is predicated of truth, corresponds to the Divine justice; and the holy, which is good, to the Divine mercy of the Lord; and further, “to judge” or “judgment” is predicated of the truth of faith (n. 2235); and because it is said of God that He “judged,” it denotes what is good or holy. Thus it is evident that the holy of faith is what is signified by both these expressions together; and as this one whole is signified by both of them together, the two expressions are joined together by “and also.” That in the external sense the good of life is signified, is also from correspondence, for the good of life corresponds to the holy of faith. That without the internal sense it cannot be known what is signified by “God hath judged me and also hath heard,” is evident from the fact that the expressions do not so cohere in the sense of the letter as to present one idea to the understanding.

[3] The reason why in this verse, and in the following down to “Joseph,” “God” is named, and in the preceding verses, “Jehovah,” is that in these verses the regeneration of the spiritual man is treated of, but in the preceding ones the regeneration of the celestial man; for “God” is named when the subject is the good of faith, which is of the spiritual man; but “Jehovah” when the subject is the good of love, which is of the celestial man (see n. 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822). For by Judah, to whom the narrative was brought down in the preceding chapter, there was represented the celestial man (see n. 3881); but by Joseph, to whom it is continued in this chapter, the spiritual man, who is treated of in the verses that follow (23-24). That “Jehovah” was named when the narrative was brought down to Judah, may be seen in verses 32-33, 35 in the preceding chapter; that “God” is named where it is continued to Joseph, may be seen in verses 6, 8, 17-18, 20, 22-23 of the present chapter; and “Jehovah” is again named afterwards, because the subject proceeds from the spiritual man to the celestial. This is the secret which lies hidden in these words, and which no one can know except from the internal sense, and unless also he knows what the celestial man is, and what the spiritual.

2235. That “righteousness” has regard to good, and “judgment” to truth, is evident from the signification of “righteousness,” and from the signification of “judgment.” In the Word, “righteousness and judgment” are many times named together, but what they signify in the internal sense has not yet been known. In the proximate sense “righteousness” is predicated of what is righteous or just [justus], and “judgment” of what is right [rectus]. There is what is righteous when anything is judged from good, and this according to conscience; but what is right when anything is judged from the law, and thus from the righteousness of the law, thus also according to conscience, because it has the law for its rule. But in the internal sense “righteousness” denotes that which is from good, and “judgment” that which is from truth. Good is all that which belongs to love and charity; truth is all that which belongs to the derivative faith. Truth derives its essence from good, and is called truth from good, just as faith derives its essence from love, and in the same way judgment from righteousness.

[2] That such is the signification of “righteousness and judgment” is evident from the following passages in the Word.

In Jeremiah:

Thus saith Jehovah, Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and rescue the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor. Woe to him that buildeth his house in that which is not righteousness and his chambers in that which is not judgment. Did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and righteousness? Then he had that which is good (Jeremiah 22:3, 13, 15),

where “judgment” denotes the things that are of truth, and “righteousness” the things that are of good.

In Ezekiel:

If the wicked shall return from his sin, and do judgment and righteousness, all his sins that he hath sinned shall not be mentioned unto him; he hath done judgment and righteousness: he shall surely live. When the wicked turns himself from his wickedness, and does judgment and righteousness, for these he shall live (Ezekiel 33:14, 16, 19),

where in like manner “judgment” denotes truth, which is of faith; and “righteousness” good, which is of charity.

[3] So in Amos:

Let judgment flow like waters, and righteousness like a mighty river (Amos 5:24).

In Isaiah:

Thus saith Jehovah, Keep ye judgment, and do righteousness, for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to reveal itself (Isaiah 56:1).

In the same:

To peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it, with judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth and even to eternity (Isaiah 9:7),

denoting that they are in the truths of faith and in the goods of charity.

In the same:

Jehovah is exalted, for He dwelleth on high; He hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness (Isaiah 33:5),

where “judgment” denotes faith, “righteousness” love, and “Zion” the church. “Judgment” stands first because love comes through faith; but when “righteousness” stands first, it is because the faith is from love, as in Hosea:

I will betroth thee unto Me to eternity, and I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness and judgment, and in mercy and in compassions; and I will betroth thee unto Me in faith, and thou shalt know Jehovah (Hos. 2:19-20),

where “righteousness” stands first, as also “mercy,” which are of love; and “judgment” follows, as also “compassions,” which are of faith from love; both are called “faith” or “faithfulness.”

[4] In David:

Thy mercy, O Jehovah, is in the heavens, thy truth reacheth unto the skies [aetheres]; Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God, Thy judgments are a great deep (Psalms 36:5-6),

where both “mercy” and “righteousness” are in like manner of love, and “truth” and “judgments” are of faith. In the same:

Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look forth from heaven. Yea, Jehovah shall give good, and our land shall yield its increase (Psalms 85:11-12),

where “truth,” which is of faith, denotes “judgment,” and “righteousness” love or mercy.

In Zechariah:

I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and in righteousness (Zech. 8:8),

from which also it is evident that “judgment” denotes truth, and “righteousness” good; because “truth” is here used in place of “judgment.” In like manner in David:

He that walketh perfect, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh truth (Psalms 15:2).

[5] As faith is of charity, or as truth is of good, the truths of good are occasionally called the “judgments of righteousness;” and thus “judgments” signify almost the same as “precepts;” as in Isaiah:

They will seek Me day by day, and desire to know My ways, as a nation that doeth righteousness and forsaketh not the judgment of their God; they will ask of Me judgments of righteousness, they will desire to draw near to God (Isaiah 58:2).

That “precepts” signify the same may be seen in David:

Seven times a day have I praised Thee because of the judgments of Thy righteousness; all Thy precepts are righteousness (Psalms 119:164, 172).

It is especially said of the Lord that He “does judgment and righteousness,” when He creates man anew; as in Jeremiah:

Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am Jehovah that doeth mercy, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I am well pleased (Jeremiah 9:24),

where mercy, which is of love, is described by “judgment and righteousness.” In the same:

I will raise up unto David a righteous offshoot, and He shall reign as King, and shall act intelligently, and shall do judgement and righteousness in the earth (Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15).

[6] Hence it is said in John:

If I go away, I will send the Comforter unto you; and when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they believe not on Me; of righteousness, because I go unto My Father, and ye shall see Me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged (John 16:7-11).

“Sin” here denotes all unfaithfulness. His “reproving in regard to righteousness” means in regard to all that is against good, when yet the Lord united the Human to the Divine to save the world-which is the meaning of “I go unto My Father and ye shall see Me no more.” His “reproving in regard to judgment” means in regard to all that is against truth, when yet evils were cast down into their hells so as no longer to be able to inflict injury-which is meant by the prince of the world being judged. In general, His “reproving in regard to sin, righteousness, and judgment,” means that it was in regard to all unfaithfulness against good and truth; and thus that there was no charity and faith; for in ancient times by righteousness and judgment were understood, as regards the Lord, all mercy and grace; and as regards man, all charity and faith.