218. Of Bread.

"Bread," when mentioned in relation to the Lord, signifies the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love, and the reciprocal of the man who eats it (n. 2165, 2177, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976, 9323, 9545). "Bread" involves and signifies all food in general (n. 2165, 6118). "Food" signifies everything that nourishes the spiritual life of man (n. 4976, 5147, 5915, 6277, 8418). Thus "bread" signifies all celestial and spiritual food (n. 276[1-2], 680[1-5], 2165, 2177, 3478, 6118, 8410). Consequently, "everything which proceeds out of the mouth of God," according to the Lord's words (Matt. 4:4; n . 681). "Bread" in general signifies the good of love (n. 2165, 2177, 10686). The same is signified by "wheat," of which bread is made (n. 3941, 7605). "Bread and water," when mentioned in the Word, signify the good of love and the truth of faith (n. 9323). Breaking of bread was a representative of mutual love in the ancient churches (n. 5405). Spiritual food is science, intelligence, and wisdom, thus good and truth, because the former are derived from the latter (n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5410, 5426, 5576, 5582, 5588, 5655, 8562, 9003). And because they nourish the mind (n. 4459, 5293, 5576, 6277, 8418). Sustenance by food signifies spiritual nourishment, and the influx of good and truth from the Lord (n. 4976, 5915, 6277).

The "bread" on the table in the tabernacle, signified the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love (n. 3478, 9545). The "meal-offerings" of cakes and wafers in the sacrifices, signified worship from the good of love (n. 4581, 10079, 10137). What the various meal-offerings signified in particular (n. 7978, 9992-9994, 10079).

The ancients, when they mentioned bread, meant all food in general (see Gen. 43: 16, 31; Exod. 18:12; Judges 13:15, 16; 1 Sam. 1_Samuel 14:28-29; 20: 24, 27; 2 Sam. 9: 7, 10; 1_Kings 4:22-23; 2 Kings 25:29).

4458. Verses 13-17 And Jacob's sons answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and [so] spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their sister. And they said to them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to a man who has a foreskin; for that would be a reproach to us. Only on this [condition] will we consent to you: If you will be as we are, by circumcising every male among you, then we will give our daughters to you, and your daughters we will take to ourselves, and we will dwell with you, and we will be one people. And if you do not listen to us to be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and go.

Jacob's sons answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully' means evil thought and intention regarding the truth and the good of the Church among the Ancients. 'And [so] spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their sister' means that the first stage in the joining together which could not be anything different was effected through acceptance. 'And they said to them, We cannot do this thing' means their disapproval. 'To give our sister to a man who has a foreskin' means unless they could identify the truth and the good of the Church with representatives and disregard the spiritual entities meant by these. 'For that would be a reproach to us' means that it would be contrary to them. 'Only on this [condition] will we consent to you: If you will be as we are' means acceptance of their semblance of religion. 'By circumcising every male among you' means a merely external representative, and then to them they would be pure. 'Then we will give our daughters to you, and your daughters we will take to ourselves' means a joining together in this manner. 'And we will dwell with you' means in life. 'And we will be one people' means in doctrine. 'And if you do not listen to us to be circumcised' means unless they forsook their own truths and accepted external representatives. 'Then we will take our daughter and go' means that there would be no joining together.