6341. Verses 3-4. Reuben, my firstborn, thou art my strength, and the beginning of my forces, excellent in eminence, and excellent in power (valore). Light as water, thou shalt not excel, because thou wentest up on thy father’s bed, then profanedst thou it; he went up on my couch. “Reuben, my firstborn,” signifies faith which is apparently in the prior place; “thou art my strength,” signifies power in good by means of faith; “and the beginning of my forces,” signifies that through it is the first power in truth; “excellent in eminence, and excellent in power,” signifies the glory and sovereignty thence derived; “light as water,” signifies that faith alone has not such things; “thou shalt not excel,” signifies that it has no glory or sovereignty; “because thou wentest up on thy father’s bed,” signifies because when separated from the good of charity it has a foul conjunction; “then profanedst thou it,” signifies that if conjoined with evil it is profane; “he went up on my couch,” signifies because it has contaminated spiritual good in the natural.