4645. Verses 6-8 And Esau took his wives (femina), and his sons, and his daughters, and all the souls of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his purchase which he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to a land away from Jacob his brother. For their acquirements were too many for them to dwell together, and the land of their sojournings could not bear them because of their cattle. And Esau dwelt on Mount Seir, Esau being Edom.

'Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the souls of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his purchase which he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to a land away from Jacob his brother' means all forms of Divine Good, and of Truth rooted in that Good, which were nevertheless His, with which there was correspondence in heaven and from which heaven existed. Esau's departure from Jacob took place for the sake of what was represented by his departure. 'For their acquirements were too many' means on account of the infinity of them. 'For them to dwell together' means the representatives. 'And the land of their sojournings could not bear them because of their cattle' means that it is impossible to describe them all. 'And Esau dwelt on Mount Seir' means the truth of Natural Good. 'Esau being Edom' means the Lord's Divine Human.

3773. 'And they would put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well' means that it was closed up for the time being. This is clear from what has been stated about the stone over the mouth of the well, in 3769, 3771. With regard to these considerations, namely that the Word was uncovered for the Churches and after that closed up, the position is that in the beginning, when any Church is established, the Word is in that initial period closed up to them but later on, through the Lord's provision, is opened up. And from there people learn that all doctrine is based on these two commandments, that the Lord is to be loved above everything else, and the neighbour as themselves. When these two commandments are the end in view the Word is in that case opened up, for all the Law and all the Prophets, that is, the whole of the Word, hangs on them, as does everything from them, and so everything has reference to them. And being in that case governed by the primary teachings concerning truth and good people receive light in each particular thing they see in the Word. For the Lord is present with them at that time by means of angels and is teaching them even though they are not directly aware of it, and is also guiding them into the life of truth and good.

[2] This may also be seen from the consideration that in their infancy all Churches have been such, and have from love worshipped the Lord, and have from the heart loved the neighbour. But in course of time Churches have moved away from these two commandments, and have turned away from good flowing from love and charity towards those things called matters of faith, and so have turned away from life towards doctrine. And to the extent this happens the Word is closed up. These are the factors meant in the internal sense by the words, 'Behold, a well in the field, and behold, three droves of a flock there, lying nearby it; for out of that well they watered the droves; and there was a large stone over the mouth of the well. And all the droves would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from over the mouth of the well and water the flock; and they would put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well'.