4605. Reuben Jacob’s firstborn. That this signifies the good of faith, is evident from the signification of the “firstborn,” as being faith (see n. 352, 367, 2435, 3325); and from the representation of Jacob as being the good of natural truth (see n. 4538); and from that of Reuben, as being the quality of faith. For “Reuben” in the genuine sense signifies the truth of faith (n. 3861, 3866); but after the truth of faith has been made good, he signifies the good of faith. Moreover, regarded in itself faith is charity, and thus regarded in itself the truth of faith is the good of faith, because faith is impossible except from charity, that is, truth is impossible except from good; and therefore when a man has been regenerated, good is in the first place, or is the firstborn (n. 3325, 3494). Hence it is that by “Reuben Jacob’s firstborn” is here signified the good of faith. The like is signified also in Moses:

Let Reuben live and not die, and it shall be that his numbers are mortal (Deuteronomy 33:6).

The reason why in this passage “Reuben” denotes the good of faith, is that he is put in the first place, and Judah in the second, thus in a different order in this prophecy of Moses respecting the sons of Israel from that in the prophecy of Jacob (Genesis 49), for as before said (n. 4603), the order in which they are named is determined in accordance with the state of the subject that is being treated of.

[2] In like manner in John:

I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand sealed out of every tribe. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand (Revelation 7:4-5);

here Judah is named in the first place, Reuben in the second, and Gad in the third. These three here constitute the first class, and as the Lord’s kingdom is the subject treated of, “Judah” signifies celestial good such as is in the inmost or third heaven, “Reuben” spiritual good which is the same as the good of faith such as is in the second or middle heaven, and “Gad” the good of the natural such as is in the first heaven. But it is otherwise in the prophecy of Deborah and Barak:

The princes in Issachar were with Deborah, and as was Issachar so was Barak; into the valley he was sent at his feet, in the classes of Reuben were great decrees of heart; why dwellest thou between two burdens to hear the hissings of the droves? To the classes of Reuben were great searchings of heart (Judg. 5:15-16);

It is impossible to know the meaning of these words unless it is known what Issachar, Deborah, Barak, and Reuben represent; and what the “princes,” the “valley,” the “classes,” the “decrees of heart,” the “two burdens,” and the “hissings of the droves,” signify; but it is evident that “Reuben” here denotes faith.

3494. And he called Esau his elder son. That this signifies the affection of good of the natural, or the good of life, is evident from the representation of Esau, as being the Divine good of the natural (concerning which see n. 3300, 3302, 3322); and because the good of the natural is that which appears in the affection and life, therefore it is the affection of good of the natural, or the good of life, that is here represented by Esau. The affection of good in the natural, and the derivative good of life, is what is called the “elder son;” but the affection of truth, and the derivative doctrine of truth, is what is called the “younger son.” That the affection of good, and the derivative good of life, is the “elder son,” that is, the firstborn, is evident from the fact that infants are first of all in good, for they are in a state of innocence, and in a state of love toward their parents and nurse, and in a state of mutual charity toward their infant companions; so that good is the firstborn with every man. This good, into which man is thus initiated when an infant, remains; for whatever is imbibed from infancy enters into the life; and because it remains, it becomes the good of life; for if man should be without such good as that which he has derived from infancy, he would not be a man, but would be more of a wild beast than any in the forest. This good does not indeed appear to be present, because all that is imbibed in the infantile age does not appear otherwise than as something natural-as is sufficiently manifest from walking, and from the other motions of the body; from the manners and decorums of civil life; also from speech, and various other things. From this it may be seen that good is the “elder son,” that is, the firstborn, and consequently that truth is the “younger son,” or is born afterwards; for truth is not learned till the infant becomes a child, a youth, and an adult.

[2] Good as well as truth in the natural or external man is a “son,” that is to say, a son of the rational or internal man; for whatever comes forth in the natural or external man flows in from the rational or internal man, and from this also comes forth and is born; that which does not come forth and is not born therefrom is not a living human thing; it would be as you might say something sensuous corporeal without a soul. From this it is that both good and truth are called “sons,” and indeed sons of the rational. And yet it is not the rational which produces and brings forth the natural, but it is an influx through the rational into the natural, which influx is from the Lord. Therefore all infants who are born are His sons, and afterwards when they become wise, insofar as they are still infants, that is, in the innocence of infancy, in the love of infancy toward their parent, now the Lord, and in the mutual charity of infancy toward their infant companions, now their neighbor, so far they are adopted by the Lord as sons.