3905. And Rachel saw that she did not bear to Jacob. That this signifies that interior truth was not yet acknowledged, is evident from the representation of Rachel, as being the affection of interior truth, or interior truth itself (n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819); from the signification of “bearing,” as being to acknowledge in faith and also in act (concerning which below); and from the representation of Jacob, as being the good of natural truth (of which n. 3669, 3677, 3829, and in the whole of the preceding chapter). The reason why “to bear” is to acknowledge in faith and also in act, is that by “births” in the Word are signified spiritual births (n. 1145, 1255, 3860, 3868). Spiritual birth is the acknowledgment of and faith in truth and good; here, the acknowledgment in faith and also in act, namely, of the interior truth represented by Rachel. As nothing is acknowledged in faith until the man lives according to it, it is for this reason said, “the acknowledgment in faith and also in act.” Truths of faith which are not learned for the sake of doing, but only for the sake of knowing them, join themselves to the affections of evil and falsity; for which reason they are not of faith with the man who has learned them, but are interiorly contrary to faith.

3793. Rachel came with the flock. That this signifies the affection of the interior truth which is of the church and of doctrine, is evident from the representation of Rachel, as being the affection of interior truth; and from the signification of a “flock,” as being the church and also doctrine (n. 3767, 3768, 3783.) That it may be known how the case is with the representation of Rachel as being the affection of interior truth, and of Leah as being the affection of exterior truth, it shall be briefly stated that the natural which is represented by Jacob consists of good and truth, and that in this natural, as in all things of man and of universal nature in general and particular there must be the marriage of good and truth. Without this marriage nothing is produced-all production and all effect being therefrom. This marriage of good and truth, however, does not exist in man’s natural when he is born, because man alone is not born into Divine order; he does indeed possess the good of innocence and of charity, which in his earliest infancy flows in from the Lord, but there is no truth with which this good may be coupled. As he advances in years, this good which in infancy had been insinuated into him by the Lord is drawn in toward the interiors, and is there kept by the Lord, in order that it may temper the states of life which he afterwards puts on. This is the reason why without the good of his infancy and first childhood man would be worse and more fierce than any wild beast. When this good of infancy is being drawn in, evil comes in its place and enters into man’s natural, and with this evil falsity couples itself, and there takes place in the man the conjunction, and as it were the marriage, of evil and falsity. In order therefore that man may be saved, he must be regenerated, and evil must be removed, and good from the Lord insinuated, and according to the good which he receives, truth is insinuated into him, for the purpose of effecting the coupling, or as it were the marriage, of good and truth.

[2] These are the things represented by Jacob, and by his two wives, Rachel and Leah. Jacob therefore now puts on the representation of the good of the natural, and Rachel the representation of truth; but as all the conjunction of truth with good is wrought by means of affection, it is the affection of truth to be coupled with good that is represented by Rachel. Moreover in the natural, as in the rational, there is an interior and an exterior; Rachel representing the affection of interior truth, and Leah the affection of exterior truth. Laban, who is their father, represents the good of a common stock, but the collateral good, as before stated; which good is that which in a collateral line corresponds to the truth of the rational, which is signified by “Rebekah” (see n. 3012, 3013, 3077). Hence the daughters from this good represent the affections in the natural, for these are as daughters from this good as from a father. And as these affections are to be coupled with natural good, they represent the affections of truth; the one the affection of interior truth, and the other the affection of exterior truth.

[3] As regards the regeneration of man in respect to his natural, the case is altogether the same as it is with Jacob and the two daughters of Laban, Rachel and Leah; and therefore whoever is able to see and apprehend the Word here according to its internal sense, sees this arcanum disclosed to him. But no one can see this except the man who is in good and truth. Whatever perception others may have of things therein relating to moral and civic life, and however intelligent they may thereby appear, still they can see nothing of this nature so as to acknowledge it; for they do not know what good and truth are, but suppose evil to be good and falsity to be truth; and therefore the moment that good is mentioned, the idea of evil is presented; and when truth is mentioned, the idea of falsity; consequently they perceive nothing of these contents of the internal sense, but as soon as they hear them darkness appears and extinguishes the light.