4112. And Jacob stole the heart of Laban the Aramean. That this signifies a change of the state signified by “Laban” in respect to good, is evident from the signification of “stealing,” as being to take away what is dear and holy, and thus to change the state (as just above, n. 4111); from the signification of the “heart,” as being that which proceeds from the will; and when the will is a will of good, the “heart” denotes good (see n. 2930, 3313, 3888, 3889); and from the representation of Laban, as being mediate good, which is now being separated; and because it is being separated, Laban is now called “the Aramean,” as also in the following verse, n. 24; for “Laban the Aramean” denotes such good, in which there is not Divine good and truth as before. The reason why this is signified, is that Aram, or Syria, was separated from the land of Canaan by the river Euphrates, and was therefore outside the land of Canaan, by which in the internal sense is signified the Lord’s kingdom, and in the supreme sense the Lord’s Divine Human (see n. 4108). “Aram” and “Syria” specifically signify the knowledges of truth and good (n. 1232, 1234, 3051, 3249, 3664, 3680), and this because the Ancient Church was there also, and the remains of it continued there a long time, as is evident from Balaam, who was from that country, and who had knowledge of Jehovah and also prophesied concerning the Lord. But after idolatry had grown there, and Abram had been called away, and the representative church had been instituted in the land of Canaan, Aram or Syria put on the representation of a region out of the church, or separate from the church, and therefore remote from the things of the Lord’s kingdom; although still retaining its signification of the knowledges of good and truth. The reason why Jacob is said to have “stolen the heart of Laban” by not telling him that he would flee, is that a change of state as to truth was spoken of just above, and here therefore a change of state as to good; for where truth is treated of in the Word, good is also treated of, because of the heavenly marriage of good and truth in every particular of the Word (n. 683, 793, 801, 2516, 2712).

1232. That by “Aram,” or Syria, are signified the knowledges of good, follows; and is seen also from the Word, as in Ezekiel:

Aram was thy trader, in the multitude of thy works; in chrysoprase, crimson, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and carbuncle; they gave them in thy tradings (Ezekiel 27:16),

where Tyre is treated of, or the possession of knowledges; and “works, chrysoprase, crimson, broidered work, fine linen, coral, and carbuncle,” here signify nothing else than the knowledges of good.

In Hosea:

Jacob fled into the field of Aram, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept guard; and by a prophet Jehovah brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he kept. Ephraim hath provoked to anger with bitternesses (Hosea 12:12-14).

“Jacob” here denotes the external church, and “Israel,” the internal spiritual church; “Aram,” the knowledges of good; “Egypt,” memory-knowledge that perverts; “Ephraim,” intelligence perverted. What these signify in series cannot be seen from the literal sense, but only from the internal sense, where names signify actual things of the church, as has been said.

In Isaiah:

Behold Damascus is rejected from being a city, and is become a ruinous heap. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Aram shall be as the glory of the sons of Israel (Isaiah 17:1, 3).

“The remnant of Aram” here denotes the knowledges of good, which are called “the glory of Israel.” “Aram,” or Syria, in the opposite sense, denotes the knowledges of good perverted; for it is a usual thing in the Word that the expressions are used in both senses (Isaiah 7:4-6; 9:11-12; Deuteronomy 26:5).