'A handmaid', as mentioned in Genesis 33:2, signifies the affection of sciences and knowledges and means serviceable to the conjunction of the external and internal self.

In Genesis 33:7, this signifies knowledge of external things derived from the world, which are the most common or general of all. This also signifies the affection of rational and scientific things.

In Genesis 30:3, this signifies the affirming medium of conjoining inner truths with natural or external truths.

(Odkazy: Arcana Coelestia 2567, 2657, Genesis 2)

1147. 'And sons were born to them' means matters of doctrine deriving from those three. This is clear from the meaning of 'sons' in the internal sense as truths of faith, and also as falsities. Consequently matters of doctrine, both true and false, are meant, for such are the doctrines of Churches. That 'sons' has such a meaning, see above in 264, 489, 491, 533.