4641. And these are the births of Esau. That this signifies derivations in the Lord’s Divine good natural, is evident from the signification of “births,” as being derivations of good and truth (see n. 1330, 3263, 3279, 3860, 3868, 4070); and from the representation of Esau, as being the Lord’s Divine good natural (n. 3302, 3322, 3494, 3504, 3576, 3599). This good is the subject now treated of in this chapter; but as it is of such a nature as not to fall into the understanding of any man, and scarcely of any angel, this good is therefore described by mere names. For the Lord’s Divine good natural, which is represented by Esau, is what He had Divine from birth, since He was conceived of Jehovah, and hence from birth he had the Divine being, which He had as His soul, and consequently as the inmost of His life.

[2] This was clothed outwardly by what He took on from the mother; and as this was not good, but in itself evil, He therefore expelled it by His own power, especially by the combat of temptations; and this human, which He made new in Himself, He then conjoined with the Divine good which He had from birth. Jacob represented the good which He procured to Himself by His own power, and which has been treated of in the preceding chapters. This is the good which He conjoined with the Divine good, and He thus made the human in Himself all Divine. The good which Esau represents flowed in by an internal way, and through rational good into natural immediately; but the good which Jacob and Israel represent, flowed in by an external way, and the Divine went to meet it through rational good, but mediately through the truth of the rational into the natural. Isaac represents this rational good, and Rebekah this rational truth. (See what has already been said of these n. 3314, 3573, 4563)

3575. And he smelled the smell of his garments. That this signifies that which was grateful from the truth of good which he perceived, is evident from the signification of the “smell,” as being that which is grateful (n. 925), and of “smelling,” as being to perceive that which is grateful; and from the signification of “garments,” as being truth (n. 297, 1073, 2576); and because they were Esau’s, who is here meant by “his,” and by Esau is represented the good of the natural, therefore it is the truth of good which is signified. The truth of good is that which is produced in the natural by means of the immediate and mediate influx of the rational (see above n. 3573); this truth was that which was desired; but because it could not be produced by immediate influx from the good of the rational, unless at the same time by mediate influx (that is, through the truth of the rational), and as this could not be produced except by means of a number of means, which are what are here described by “Esau” and “Jacob” in the internal sense, therefore by “smelling the smell of his garments” is signified the truth of good which was perceived.