3388. Because she was good to look upon. That this signifies that it might be easily received from its being called Divine, is evident from the signification of “good to look upon,” as being that which pleases by its form, thus what is easily received. Those are here treated of who are in the doctrinal things of faith, and have no perception of truth from good, but only a conscience of truth from having been so taught by parents and masters. These are they who are called the “men of the place,” or of Gerar (n. 3385, 3387). With such persons the first of confirmation of truth is that it is called Divine, for then they at once have an idea of what is holy, which gives a universal confirmation to everything that is stated, even if they do not comprehend it. But still what is stated must be adapted to their apprehension; for it is not sufficient for a man to know that a thing is; he also desires to know what it is, and what is its nature, in order that he may therein find some confirmation for his intellectual part, and from this again in turn. If this be not the case, a thing may indeed be induced on the memory; but it does not remain there otherwise than as a dead thing, or as a mere sound; and unless confirmatory things from some source or other have fixed it in the memory, it is dissipated like the remembrance of some mere thing of sound.

3077. And behold Rebekah came out. That this signifies the affection of truth from doctrinal things, is evident from the representation of Rebekah, as being the truth Divine that was to be conjoined with the Divine good of the rational; but here, before she was betrothed, she puts on the representation of the affection of truth from doctrinal things; for from this comes truth, truth not being truth unless it has life, and its life is affection which is of love. That Rebekah represents the truth Divine that was to be conjoined with the Divine good of the rational, is evident from the several things contained in this chapter in the internal sense, and also from the fact that Isaac represents the Lord’s Divine rational (n. 1893, 2066, 2083, 2630); thus Rebekah, who became wife to Isaac, represents that in the rational which was conjoined as a wife to a husband; and it may be seen that this is Divine truth. For in the same way Abraham represented the Divine good itself, and Sarah his wife the Divine truth itself conjoined with the Divine good (n. 1468, 1901, 2063, 2065, 2904); and it is the same with Isaac and Rebekah, but in the Lord’s Divine Human, namely, in His rational. In general, by a husband in the Word is signified good, and by a wife its truth (n. 1468, 2517). Moreover the essence of all marriage also (that is, conjugial love) is from the Divine marriage of good and truth, and of truth and good, in the the Lord, (n. 2508, 2618, 2728, 2729, 2803). That the affection of truth is from doctrinal things, is because it is said that she “came out,” that is, from the city; and that by a “city” are signified doctrinal things, may be seen above (n. 402, 2451). Moreover truths are from doctrinal things.