6584. 'Also the sons of Machir, Manasseh's son' means and so far as its will and the derivatives from that were concerned. This is clear from the representation of 'Manasseh' as the area of will in the Church, dealt with in 5351, 5357, 5754, 6222, 6238, 6267, 6296; and from the meaning of his sons and his sons' sons, to whom 'the sons of Machir' refers here, as derivatives, as above in 6583. The derivatives of the Church's will, which are meant by 'the sons of Machir', are aspects of good joined to truths, thus truths from good, for truths that have been derived from good are forms of good. As regards 'the sons of Machir', that they are aspects of good joined to truths, this is meant by their being born on Joseph's knees, as stated in what immediately follows; and as regards their being truths from good, this may be seen in the Book of Judges,

Out of Machir lawgivers will come down. Judges 5:14.

'Lawgivers' stands for truths from good, 6372.

6267. 'And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand to Israel's left' means truth belonging to the understanding, to occupy the second place, 'and Manasseh in his left to Israel's right' means good belonging to the will, to occupy the first place. This is clear from the representation of 'Ephraim' as truth belonging to the understanding, and from the representation of 'Manasseh' as good belonging to the will, dealt with in 5354, 6222; and from the meaning of 'the right' as occupying the first place, and of 'the left' as occupying the second place, as is evident from what is the normal practice in life. The implications of all this will be discussed in what follows below.