4499. 'Each took his sword' means falsity and evil. This is clear from the meaning of 'a sword' as truth engaged in conflict and consequently the defence of truth, and in the contrary sense falsity engaged in conflict, and consequently the vastation of truth, dealt with in 2799. The reason why 'a sword' at this point also means evil is that Levi was implicated, who represented charity, and so good. When good is turned into evil it uses falsity from evil to fight with, in which case anything it does is evil.

4443. 'And Jacob's sons came from the field' means that the counsel they took was based in their semblance of religion. This is clear from the meaning of 'the sons of Jacob' as the nation descended from them, among whom a representative of the Church was established, and from the meaning of 'the field' as their semblance of religion, dealt with above in 4440. The fact that 'coming' from there means consultation based on this follows from the sequence of thought, and also from the fact that it is their semblance of religion to which the verb 'coming' has reference.