4185. The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the flock is my flock. That this signifies that all the affections of truth, and all the truths and goods, were its own, is evident from the signification of “daughters,” here Rachel and Leah, as being the affections of truth (see n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819); from the signification of “sons,” as being truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 3373); and from the signification of “flock,” as being goods (n. 343, 1565, 2566). That it claimed them for itself as if they were its own, is manifest, for Laban said, “The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the flock is my flock.”

3819. The name of the elder was Leah. That this signifies the affection of external truth with its quality; and that the name of the younger was Rachel signifies the affection of internal truth with its quality, is evident from the representation of Leah, as being the affection of external truth; and of Rachel, as being the affection of internal truth (see n. 3793); and from the signification of “name,” as being quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006). Leah is called the “elder” because external truth is first learned, and Rachel is called the “younger” because internal truth is learned afterwards, or what is the same, man is first affected with external truths, and afterwards with internal ones; for external truths are the planes of internal ones, being generals into which singulars ¹ are insinuated; for without a general idea of a thing man comprehends nothing that is singular. This is the reason why in the literal sense of the Word there are general, but in the internal sense singular, truths. The former are those called external truths; but the latter internal ones; and as truths without affection are not truths, because of no life, therefore when mention is made of external and internal truths, the affections of them are understood.

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