4550. 'And they gave to Jacob all the gods of the foreigner which were in their hand' means that [natural good] did, as far as possible, cast aside all falsities. This is clear from the meaning of 'the gods of the foreigner' as falsities, dealt with in 4544, and from the meaning of 'which were in their hand' as, as far as possible. For 'the hand' means power, 878, 3387, and therefore 'that which is in one's hand' means within one's power, or as far as possible. 'They gave them to Jacob' means that good cast aside those falsities, for in this chapter 'Jacob' represents the good of the natural, 4538.
1 Samuel 10:2
2
Αφου αναχωρησης απ' εμου σημερον, θελεις ευρει δυο ανθρωπους πλησιον του ταφου της Ραχηλ, κατα το οριον του Βενιαμιν εν Σελσα· και θελουσιν ειπει προς σε, Ευρεθησαν αι ονοι, τας οποιας υπηγες να ζητησης· και ιδου, ο πατηρ σου, αφησας την φροντιδα των ονων, υπερλυπειται δια σας, λεγων, Τι να καμω περι του υιου μου;
