Like other common verbs, the meaning of "give" in the Bible is affected by context: who is giving what to whom? In general, though, giving relates to the fact that the Lord provides us all with true teachings for our minds and desires for good in our hearts, and for the fact that we need to accept those gifts while acknowledging that they come from the Lord, and not from ourselves. One of the most common and significant uses of "give" in the Bible is the repeated statement that the Lord had given the land of Canaan to the people of Israel. This springs from the fact that Canaan represents heaven, and illustrates that the Lord created us all for heaven and will give us heaven if we will accept the gift.

3330. 'And he sold his birthright to Jacob' means that in the meantime priority was conceded - to the doctrine of truth represented by Jacob. This is clear from the meaning of 'the birthright' as that which has priority of place, dealt with above in 3325, which in the meantime was conceded, as is evident from what has been stated and shown above in 3324, 3325. The chief reason why with the spiritual man truth has dominion first is that in his initial state delights that belong to self-love and love of the world are present. These he believes to be the goods which attach themselves to his truths and constitute the greater part of the affection for truth with him. Indeed at this time he supposes that truths are able to assist him in the acquisition of important positions, or of material gain, or of reputation in the world, or also of merit in the next life. All these arouse that affection for truth with him and also set it ablaze. These are not however good but bad.

[2] Nevertheless the Lord does allow such things in that initial period to carry him along because he could not otherwise be regenerated. The arrival at intelligence and wisdom takes time In the meantime he is led on by means of those truths to good, that is, to charity. And once he has charity he perceives for the first time what good is and acts from good, and at the same time good is the source of his decisions and conclusions concerning truths. And things that do not accord with that good he calls falsities and rejects. In this way he has dominion over truths like a master over his servants