4151. And Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them. That this signified that they were of the affection of interior truth, is evident from the representation of Rachel, as being the affection of interior truth (see n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819); and from the signification of “stealing,” as being to take away that which is dear and holy (see n. 4112, 4113, 4133). By Rachel stealing the teraphim, or Laban’s gods, as narrated above, was signified the change of state represented by Laban as to truth (see n. 4111); and here and in what follows, this change of state is further described, as resulting from the fact that after the good represented by Laban had been separated from the good which is “Jacob,” it came through this separation into another state; for those truths which when the goods had been conjoined had appeared to the good represented by Laban as its own, were now perceived as if they had been taken away. This is the reason why Laban made complaint concerning them, and why he searched in the tents and did not find anything. For the truths signified by the teraphim in a good sense (n. 4111), were not his, but belonged to the affection of truth which is “Rachel.”

[2] How the case herein is cannot be seen except from what happens in the other life; for the things which there happen near a man appear to him as if they were in him; and the case is nearly the same with the spirits in the other life. When societies of spirits which are in mediate good are in company with angels, it then appears to them exactly as if the truths and goods which belong to the angels are theirs, and indeed they know no otherwise. But when they are separated, they then perceive that this is not the case; and they therefore complain, as believing them to be taken away by those in whose company they have been. This is what is here signified in the internal sense by what is narrated concerning the teraphim.

[3] Speaking generally, the case is that no one ever has good and truth which is his own, but all good and truth flow in from the Lord, both immediately, and also mediately through angelic societies; and yet it appears as if the good and truth were the man’s, to the intent that they may be appropriated to him, until he comes into a state to know, and then to acknowledge, and at last to believe, that they are not his, but the Lord’s. Moreover it is known from the Word, and thereby in the Christian world, that all good and truth are from the Lord, and that nothing of good is from man; nay, the doctrinals of the church which are from the Word declare that man cannot even strive after good of himself, and thus cannot will it, and therefore cannot do it-for doing good is from willing good-and that all faith also is from the Lord; so that a man can have no faith at all unless it flows in from the Lord.

[4] These things are declared by the doctrinals of the church, and are taught by preachings. But that few, nay, very few, believe it to be so, may be seen from the fact that they suppose all life to be in themselves, and scarcely any think that life flows in. All man’s life consists in the faculty of being able to think and of being able to will; for if the faculty of thinking and willing is taken away, nothing of life remains. And the veriest life consists in thinking good and willing good, and also in thinking truth, and in willing that which we think to be true. As it is in accordance with the doctrinals of the church which are from the Word that these things are not of man, but of the Lord, and that they flow in from the Lord through heaven, those who possess any judgment and are able to reflect, might conclude therefrom that all life flows in.

[5] The same is the case with evil and falsity. According to the doctrinals from the Word, the devil is continually endeavoring to seduce man, and is continually inspiring evil; and therefore when anyone commits a great crime; it is said that he has suffered himself to be led astray by the devil. And this is the real fact, although few if any believe it; for as all good and truth are from the Lord, so all evil and falsity are from hell, that is, from the devil, for hell is the devil. From this we can also see that as all good and truth flow in, so also do all evil and falsity, and consequently also all the thinking and willing of evil. As these also flow in, all who have any judgment and are able to reflect, can infer that all life flows in, although it appears as if it were in man.

[6] That this is the case has frequently been shown to spirits who had come recently from the world into the other life. But some of them have said that if all evil and falsity also flow in, nothing of evil and falsity can be attributed to them, and they are not in fault, because these come from another source. But they received for answer that they had appropriated evil and falsity by believing that they think and will of themselves; whereas if they had believed as the case really is, they would not then have appropriated the evil and falsity, for they would have believed all good and truth to be from the Lord; and if they had believed this, they would have suffered themselves to be led by the Lord, and therefore would have been in a different state; and then the evil which entered into their thought and will would not have affected them, because not evil but good would have gone out of them; for it is not the things that enter in, but those which go out that affect us; according to the Lord’s words in Mark 7:15.

[7] Many can know this, but few believe it. Even those who are evil can know, but still not believe it, for they desire to be in what is their own, and they love this to such a degree that when they are shown that everything flows in, they come into anxiety and urgently entreat that they may be permitted to live in what is their own, insisting that if this should be taken away from them, they could live no longer. Such is the belief even of those who know. These things have been said in order that it may be known how the case is with societies of spirits which are in mediate good, when they are conjoined with others and when they are separated from them; namely, that when they are conjoined, they know no otherwise than that the goods and truths are their own, although they are not theirs.

3758. GENESIS 29

1. And Jacob lifted up his feet, and went to the land of the sons of the east.

2. And he saw, and behold a well in the field, and behold there three droves of the flock lying by it; for out of that well they watered the droves; and a great stone was upon the well’s mouth.

3. And all the droves were gathered together thither; and they rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock, and they put the stone in its place again upon the well’s mouth.

4. And Jacob said unto them, My brethren whence are ye? And they said, We are from Haran.

5. And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.

6. And he said unto them, Hath he peace? And they said, Peace; and behold Rachel his daughter cometh with the flock.

7. And he said, Behold as yet the day is great, it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together: water ye the flock, and go and feed them.

8. And they said, We cannot until all the droves are gathered together, and they roll the stone from the well’s mouth; then shall we water the flock.

9. While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with the flock which was her father’s, for she was a shepherdess.

10. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother’s brother, and the flock of Laban his mother’s brother, that Jacob came near, and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother’s brother.

11. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.

12. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s brother, and that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.

13. And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister’s son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house; and he told Laban all these things.

14. And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he dwelt with him a month of days.

15. And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? Tell me, what shall be thy reward?

16. And Laban had two daughters, the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17. And Leah’s eyes were weak, and Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in look.

18. And Jacob loved Rachel, and he said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

19. And Laban said, It is better that I should give her to thee than give her to another man; abide with me.

20. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they were in his eyes as a few days, for the love he had to her.

21. And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my woman, for my days are fulfilled, and I will come to her.

22. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.

23. And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him, and he came to her.

24. And Laban gave her Zilpah his handmaid, unto his daughter Leah for a handmaid.

25. And it came to pass in the morning that behold it was Leah; and he said unto Laban, What is this that thou hast done unto me? Did not I serve with thee for Rachel? And why hast thou defrauded me?

26. And Laban said, It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.

27. Fulfill this week, and we will give thee her also, for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

28. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled this week, and he gave him Rachel his daughter for a woman.

29. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be to her for a handmaid.

30. And he came also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

31. And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and He opened her womb, and Rachel was barren.

32. And Leah conceived and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, Because Jehovah hath seen my affliction, for now my man will love me.

33. And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said, Because Jehovah hath heard that I was hated, and hath given me this one also; and she called his name Simeon.

34. And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said, Now this time will my man cleave to me, because I have borne him three sons; therefore she called his name Levi.

35. And she conceived again, and bare a son, and she said, This time I will confess Jehovah; therefore she called his name Judah; and she stood still from bearing.

THE CONTENTS.

In the internal sense of this chapter by “Jacob” is described the Lord’s natural-how the good of truth therein was conjoined with kindred good from a Divine origin, which good is “Laban;” at first through the affection of external truth, which is “Leah;” and then through the affection of internal truth, which is “Rachel.”