3861. And she called his name Reuben. That this signifies the quality thereof, which is described, is evident from the signification of “name” and of “calling a name,” as being quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3321). The quality itself is described by the words, “Jehovah hath seen my affliction, for now my man will love me,” which are “Reuben.” (That all the names in the Word signify actual things has been often shown above, n. 1224, 1264, 1876, 1888; and that the ancients gave names significative of states, see n. 340, 1946, 2643, 3422.) That here the names of all the sons of Jacob signify the universals of the church, will be shown. A real universal has also been put into the name of each; but what universal it is impossible for anyone to know, unless he knows what is involved in the internal sense of the expressions from which each one was called-as for instance in the expression, “hath seen,” from which Reuben was named; in the expression, “hath heard,” from which Simeon was named; in the expression, “will adhere,” from which Leviticus was named; and in the expression, “will confess,” from which Judah was named; and so with regard to all the others.

3636. This is a most universal truth: That the Lord is the Sun of heaven, and that from this Sun is all the light in the other life; and that to angels and spirits, or those who are in the other life, nothing at all of the light of the world appears; and also that the light of the world, which is from its sun, is only thick darkness to angels. From the Sun of heaven, or from the Lord, there is not only light, but also heat; but it is spiritual light and spiritual heat. To the angels’ eyes this light appears as light, but has within it intelligence and wisdom, because this is its source; and by their senses this heat is perceived as heat, but there is within it love, because this is its source. For this reason love is also called spiritual heat, and likewise constitutes the heat of man’s life; and intelligence is called spiritual light, and likewise constitutes the light of man’s life. From this universal correspondence all other correspondences are derived; for all things both in general and in particular have relation to the good which is of love, and to the truth which is of intelligence.