5403. And Jacob said to his sons. That this signifies perception regarding truths in general, is evident from the signification of “saying,” in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (see n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3395, 3509); and from the signification of “sons,” as being the truths of faith (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373, 4257); and because they were the sons of Jacob, truths in general are signified; for by Jacob’s twelve sons, as by the twelve tribes, were signified all things of faith, thus truths in general (n. 2129, 2130, 3858, 3862, 3926, 3939, 4060).

3926. A second son to Jacob. That this signifies a second general truth, is evident from the signification of a “son,” as being truth (see n. 489, 491, 533, 1147). That the signification here is a general truth, is evident from what has been said above concerning the twelve sons of Jacob, and the twelve tribes named from them, as being the general things of the church, and accordingly the general things of faith and love, or of truth and good, which are signified and represented by them; and that in the opposite sense are also meant general things not of faith and love, but all things of falsity and evil, will appear hereafter.