4073. And Jacob sent, and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock. That this signifies the adjunction of the affections of truth by the good now meant by “Jacob,” and application at the time when it departed, is evident from the representation of Jacob, as being the good of the natural, often spoken of above; and from the representation of Rachel and Leah, as being the affections of truth that are adjoined to that good; “Rachel” the affection of interior truth; and “Leah” the affection of external truth (see n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819). That “sending to these and calling them to the field unto his flock,” denotes to adjoin them to itself is manifest. “Field” signifies what is of good, and where there is good (n. 2971, 3196, 3310, 3317); and “flock” the goods and truths themselves which were now acquired, and to which the affections of truth meant by Rachel and Leah were applied when the good departed. Jacob in this chapter represents the good of the natural, in that it drew nearer to conjunction with the Divine (n. 4069), because it was in readiness to separate itself, and was in the act of separation, from the good signified by “Laban” (see what is said concerning Jacob above, n. 3775). For representations are according to the changes of state as to good and truth; and changes of state are according to the changes of spirits and angels who are in such good and truth, as was shown above (n. 4067).

[2] When the societies of spirits and angels which are in mediate good recede, then new societies which are in a more perfect good draw near. Man’s state is altogether according to the societies of spirits and angels in the midst of whom he is; such is his will, and such his thought. But his changes of state are quite different when he adjoins the societies to himself, or himself to them, from what they are when the societies are adjoined to him by the Lord. When he adjoins himself to them, he is in evil; but when they are adjoined to him by the Lord, he is in good. When he is in good, such good as serves for the reformation of his life flows in through the societies. What is here said in the internal sense respecting the good represented by Jacob, the affections of truth, which are “Rachel and Leah,” and the application of these when he departed from the good signified by “Laban,” is in exact accordance with the societies and their changes. From the societies the angels perceive the states the man has, thus the quality of his goods and truths, and consequently innumerable things which scarcely appear to the man as one general thing. Thus the angels are in the very causes, for they see and perceive the societies with the man, while the man is in the effects and does not see them, but has only an obscure perception of them, through some changes of state thence resulting; and sees nothing in regard to what is good and true, unless he is enlightened through angels by the Lord.

3317. And Esau came from the field. That this signifies the pursuit of the good of life, is evident from the representation of Esau, as being the good of life of natural truth (concerning which see n. 3300); and from the signification of “coming from the field,” as being the pursuit of good; for meditating in the field denotes cogitating in good (n. 3196), because a “field” denotes the good of the church (n. 2971).