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Genesis 29:10

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10 Ogga Yaqub Raxil ɣas ta n elles ən Laban wa n aŋŋatṃas, təlkam y aharay nnet, ikk'aṇu intag təhunt ta təharat imi nnet, iššəšwa eharay n aŋŋatṃas Laban.

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Arcana Coelestia # 3798

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3798. That Jacob came near and rolled the stone from over the mouth of the well' means that the Lord, by virtue of natural good, disclosed the interior contents of the Word. This is clear from the representation of 'Jacob' as the Lord's Divine Natural, dealt with already, here as regards the good in it, and from the meaning of 'rolling the stone from over the mouth of the well' as disclosing the interior contents of the Word, dealt with in 3769, 3771, 3773, 3789. The reason why the highest sense here means that the Lord by virtue of natural good disclosed the interior contents of the Word is that 'Jacob' here represents good within the Natural. For Jacob takes on the representation of good because truth had now to be allied to it through the affection which 'Rachel' represents, see just above in 3775, 3793; and it is by virtue of good that the interior contents of the Word are disclosed, 3773.

[2] It is plainly evident that the Word is disclosed by virtue of good. Everyone looks from the love present in him at the things that belong to that love; and what he sees he calls truths because these are in harmony with it. Everyone's love holds the light of his life within it, for love is like a flame which radiates light. The nature of a person's love or flame therefore determines that of the light of truth with him. Those who are stirred by a love of good are able to see the things belonging to that love, and so to see the truths that are in the Word. They do so according to the amount and the quality of their love of good, for light or intelligence flows in from heaven, that is, from the Lord by way of heaven. This is why, as already stated, no one is able to see and acknowledge the interior contents of the Word except one whose life is governed by good.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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Arcana Coelestia # 7231

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7231. Since these verses consist of mere names detailed explanation can be dispensed with, especially as it has been shown already what Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Aaron, and Moses represent, and their sons and grandsons who are named here are simply further generations descending from those things they represent.

'Reuben' represents faith present in the understanding, see 3861, 3866, 4731, 4734, 4761.

'Simeon' represents faith present in the will and expressed in action, 3869-3872, 4497, 4502, 4503, 5482, 5626, 5630.

'Levi' represents charity, 3875, 3877, 4497, 4503.

'Aaron' represents the teachings of the Church, 6998, 7009, 7089.

'Moses' represents the law from God, 6771, 6827.

The reason why Reuben, Simeon, Levi and their sons are mentioned here, and not the remaining fathers of the tribes together with their sons in their proper order, cannot be known except from the internal sense. One can see that the list of names has been provided in this chapter to make known the matter of Aaron and Moses' parentage and birth. Yet the genealogy of Levi would have been sufficient to do this, for nothing whatever about Reuben and Simeon, or about their sons, helps to make that matter known. But the reason why these are mentioned, which is evident only from the internal sense, is that the spiritual Church, which is represented by 'the children of Israel', is the subject.

[2] That Church is brought into being with a person through faith present within what he knows and then within his understanding, the kind of faith that is represented by 'Reuben and his sons'. After this, when the Church with the person grows, that faith passes into his will, and from will into action. At this point the person has the truth of faith in his will and puts it into practice because it is what has been commanded in the Word. This phase of faith is represented by 'Simeon'. Finally within his will, that is, his new will, an affection characteristic of charity is perceptible, so that his wish to do what is good is motivated not by faith, as it was previously, but by charity towards the neighbour. For when a person's regeneration has come that far he is a member of the spiritual Church, since he now has that Church within him. This charity and the affection belonging to it is what' Levi' represents.

This then explains why the families of Reuben and also of Simeon are listed, and finally the family of Levi, who, as has been stated, represents charity, which is what gives the Church its spiritual character. 'Aaron' represents the external dimension of that Church, and 'Moses' the internal dimension. The internal dimension of the Church is referred to as the law from God, the external dimension as teachings derived from it. The law from God - the internal dimension of the Church - is also the Word in its internal sense, and the teachings derived from it are the Word in its external sense. For Moses and Aaron's representation of these, see 7089.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.