3854. 'Jehovah saw' means the Lord's foresight and providence. This is clear from the meaning of 'seeing' in reference to the Lord as foresight and providence, dealt with in the next verse where Reuben is the subject, who was so named from the expression 'to see' - 'Jehovah' being the Lord, see 1343, 1736, 1793, 2156, 2329, 2921, 3023, 3035.

[2] As regards foresight and providence in general, foresight has reference more to man, providence more to the Lord. The Lord foresaw from eternity what the human race was going to be like in the future and what every member of it was going to be like, and that evil was going to increase all the time, so that at length man, of himself, would rush headlong into hell. That being so, the Lord has provided not only the means by which He makes it possible for him to be diverted from hell and led towards heaven, but also does in His providence divert and lead him all the time. The Lord also foresaw that it would be impossible for any good to take root in man except in his freedom, for that which does not take root in freedom is dispelled at the first sign of evil and of temptation. This the Lord foresaw, as well as the fact that of himself, that is, from his own freedom, man would be inclined towards the deepest hell. That being so, the Lord provided that if he would not allow himself to be led in freedom towards heaven he could still be diverted towards a milder hell; but if he would allow himself to be led in freedom towards good then he could be diverted towards heaven. From these considerations one may see what foresight is and what providence is, and that appropriate provisions are made for things that are foreseen.

[3] From this it may be seen how far someone errs who believes that the Lord has not foreseen and does not see the smallest individual thing with man, or that within the smallest individual thing He does not foresee and lead, when in fact the Lord's foresight and providence are present within the tiniest details of all the smallest individual things with him, and in details so tiny that it is impossible to comprehend in any manner of thought one in many millions of them. For every smallest fraction of a moment of a person's life entails a chain of consequences extending into eternity. Indeed every one is like a new beginning to those that follow, and so every single moment of the life both of his understanding and of his will is a new beginning. And since the Lord foresaw from eternity what man was going to be like in the future and even into eternity it is clear that providence is present in the smallest individual things, and, as has been stated, is governing him and diverting him so that he may be such, this being achieved by constant re-shaping of his freedom. But this subject will in the Lord's Divine mercy be discussed further later on.

3111. 'Tell me now, is there at your father's house a place for us to spend the night?' means investigation concerning the good of charity. This is clear from the meaning of 'tell me now, is there?' as investigation; from the meaning of 'house' as good, dealt with in 2048, 2233, 22331; from the meaning of 'father' here, that is to say, of Bethuel, as the good of charity, such as exists with the more upright gentiles, dealt with in 2863 - the origin itself also of the affection for truth, which Rebekah represents, existing in such good; and from the meaning of 'a place to spend the night' as a state of abiding, dealt with below in 3115.

[2] The reason why investigation concerning the origin of the affection for truth as regards innocence and as regards the good of charity is described in the internal sense is that truth which is to be introduced into and joined to good does not have its first origin in any other source, as becomes clear from all with whom truth is received and wedded to good. Inside the Church, no matter how much those who do not possess any innocence or charity towards the neighbour know the truth and confess it with their lips, they in no way acknowledge it in their hearts. And outside the Church, in the case of gentiles who are called to the truth of faith or who receive instruction in it in the next life, only those receive it who possess innocence and lead charitable lives one with another. In fact innocence and charity constitute the ground in which the seeds of truth are able to take root and spring up.