10133. Continually. That this signifies in all Divine worship, is evident from the signification of “continually,” when said of such things as belong to Divine worship, as being all, and in all; for the subject treated of is purification from evils and falsities through the good of innocence, this good being signified by “lambs;” and purification from evils and the derivative falsities, by a “burnt-offering from them.” This is said to be “continually,” because it was to be in all Divine worship; therefore also it was offered twice every day; in the morning, and in the evening; and what was offered morning and evening represented in general all worship and in all worship. For the good of innocence must be in all good, and from this in all truth, in order that it maybe good and truth in which there is life from the Divine; thus it must be in all worship, for all worship must be from the good of love and from the truths of faith, in order that it may be worship. (That all the good of the church and of heaven has innocence in it, and that without innocence good is not good, and thus worship is not worship, see n. 2736, 2780, 6013, 7840, 7887, 9262; also what innocence is, n. 3994, 4001, 4797, 5236, 6107, 6765, 7902, 9262, 9936, and the places cited at the end of n. 10021.)

[2] That “continually” denotes all, and in all, that is, all of worship and in all worship, is because it involves time. And in the heavens, where the Word is not understood in the natural sense, but in the spiritual sense, there is not any notion of time, but instead of times are perceived such things as belong to state. Here therefore by “continually” is perceived a perpetual state in worship, thus all worship, and in all worship. So it is with all the other expressions in the Word which involve anything of time, as by “yesterday,” “today,” “tomorrow,” “two days,” “three days,” by a “day,” a “week,” a “month,” and a “year;” and also by the times of the day and of the year, as by “morning,” “noon,” “evening,” “night;” “spring,” “summer,” “autumn,” and “winter.” Therefore in order that the spiritual sense of the Word may be understood, everything from its natural sense that relates to time and place, and likewise everything that relates to person, must be rejected, and instead thereof states must be thought of; from all which it can be seen how pure is the Word in the internal sense, thus how purely it is perceived by the angels in the heavens, consequently how superior are the wisdom and intelligence of the angels to the intelligence and wisdom of men, who think only from the natural fixed upon things most finite in the world and the earth. (That times in the heavens are states, see n. 1274, 1382, 2625, 2788, 2837, 3254, 3356, 3404, 3827, 4814, 4882, 4901, 4916, 6110, 7218, 7381, 8070; as also what is meant by states, see n. 4850)

[3] From all this it is evident what is signified by the “continual burnt-offering from lambs;” thus what by “continual” and “continually” in other places; as that the fire should burn continually upon the altar (Leviticus 6:13); and that continual bread should be upon the table (Numbers 4:7). By “fire,” and by “bread,” is here signified the good of love from the Lord to the Lord (that “fire” denotes this, see n. 4906, 5215, 6314, 6832, 6834, 6849, 7324, 7852, 10055; and also “bread,” n. 2165, 2177, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976, 9323, 9545). By “continual” is here also signified that this good must be in all worship. And that from this good as from its fire must shine the truth of faith, is signified by “making the lamp to go up continually” (Exodus 27:20). (That a “lamp” denotes the truth and good of faith, see n. 9548, 9783)

3490. GENESIS 27

1. And it came to pass that Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim that he could not see, and he called Esau his elder son, and said unto him, My son; and he said unto him, Behold me.

2. And he said, Behold I pray I am old, I know not the day of my death.

3. And now take I pray thy weapons, thy quiver, and thy bow, and go out to the field, and hunt me a hunting.

4. And make me dainties, such as I have loved, and bring to me, and I will eat, that my soul may bless thee before I die.

5. And Rebekah heard when Isaac spoke to Esau his son; and Esau went to the field to hunt for a hunting, to bring it.

6. And Rebekah said unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying,

7. Bring me a hunting, and make me dainties, and I will eat, and will bless thee before Jehovah before my death.

8. And now my son hearken unto my voice, according to that which I command thee.

9. Go now to the flock, and take me from thence two good kids of the she-goats, and I will make them dainties for thy father, such as he loveth.

10. And thou shalt bring to thy father, and he shall eat, that he may bless thee before his death.

11. And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.

12. Peradventure my father will feel me, and I shall be in his eyes as a misleader; and I shall bring upon myself a curse and not a blessing.

13. And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse my son; only hearken to my voice, and go, take for me.

14. And he went, and took, and brought to his mother; and his mother made dainties, such as his father loved.

15. And Rebekah took garments of desires of Esau her elder son that were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son.

16. And the skins of the kids of the she-goats she caused to be put upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck.

17. And she gave the dainties, and the bread, which she had made, into the hand of Jacob her son.

18. And he came unto his father and said, My father; and he said, Behold me, who art thou my son?

19. And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou spokest unto me; arise I pray thee, sit, and eat of my hunting, that thy soul may bless me.

20. And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast hastened to find it, my son? And he said, Because Jehovah thy God made it come to meet my face.

21. And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near I pray, and I will feel thee my son, whether thou be my very son Esau, or not.

22. And Jacob came near to Isaac his father, and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

23. And he recognized him not, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; and he blessed him.

24. And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.

25. And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s hunting, that my soul may bless thee; and he brought it near to him, and he did eat, and he brought him wine, and he drank.

26. And Isaac his father said unto him, Come near I pray, and kiss me, my son.

27. And he came near, and kissed him, and he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which Jehovah hath blessed.

28. And God shall give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fat things of the earth, and a multitude of corn and new wine.

29. Peoples shall serve thee, and peoples shall bow down themselves to thee. Be thou a master to thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down themselves to thee; cursed are they that curse thee, and blessed are they that bless thee.

30. And it came to pass as Isaac made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was scarcely yet gone out from the faces of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came from his hunting.

31. And he also made dainties, and brought unto his father, and he said unto his father, Let my father arise and eat of his son’s hunting, that thy soul may bless me.

32. And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn, Esau.

33. And Isaac shuddered with exceeding great shuddering, and said, Who then is he that hath hunted hunting, and brought it to me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and blessed him? Yea, and he shall be blessed.

34. When Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, me also, O my father.

35. And he said, Thy brother came with fraud, and hath taken away thy blessing.

36. And he said, Is it not that his name is called Jacob? And he hath supplanted me these two times; he hath taken away my birthright, and behold now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

37. And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold I have made him thy master, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and new vine have I sustained him; and what then shall I do for thee, my son?

38. And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but this one blessing, my father? Bless me, me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

39. And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold of the fat things of the earth shall be thy dwelling, and of the dew of heaven from above.

40. And upon thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother, and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion that thou shalt break his yoke from upon thy neck.

41. And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him; and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father draw near, and I will kill Jacob my brother.

42. And the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah; and she sent and called unto Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold Esau thy brother comforteth himself concerning thee to kill thee.

43. And now, my son, hearken unto my voice, and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran.

44. And tarry with him some days until thy brother’s wrath turn away;

45. Until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him, and I will send and take thee from thence; why should I be bereaved even of you both in one day?

46. And Rebekah said to Isaac, I loathe my life because of the daughters of Heth; if Jacob should take a woman of the daughters of Heth, such as these, of the daughters of the land, wherefore have I lives?

THE CONTENTS.

In the preceding chapters, where Isaac and Rebekah are treated of, the subject in the internal sense is the rational, and how the Lord made it Divine in Himself. In the present chapter, in the internal sense, the subject is the natural, and how the Lord made it Divine in Himself. “Esau” is the good thereof, and “Jacob” the truth. For when the Lord was in the world He made His whole Human Divine in Himself, both the interior Human which is the rational, and the exterior Human which is the natural, and also the very corporeal, and this according to Divine order, according to which the Lord also makes new or regenerates man. And therefore in the representative sense the regeneration of man as to his natural is also here treated of, in which sense “Esau” is the good of the natural, and “Jacob” the truth thereof, and yet both Divine, because all the good and truth in one who is regenerate are from the Lord.