3367. And Jehovah appeared unto him, and said. That this signifies thought from the Divine, is evident from the signification of “appearing,” when said of the Lord, who is Jehovah, as being the Divine Itself that was in Him. That Jehovah was in the Lord, and that the Lord Himself is Jehovah, has been shown above in many places (see n. 1343, 1725, 1729, 1733, 1736, 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1902, 1921, 1999, 2004-2005, 2018, 2025, 2156, 2329, 2447, 2921, 3023, 3035, 3061); and that insofar as the Lord had united the Human essence to the Divine, so far He spoke with Jehovah as with Himself (n. 1745, 1999); thus “Jehovah appearing to him,” in the internal sense signifies from the Divine; that thought is signified is evident from the signification of “saying,” as being to perceive and also to think; as has been frequently shown.

1822. He said unto him. That this signifies perception, is evident from what was said above at verses 2 and 7. Perception itself is nothing else than a kind of internal speech, which internal speech manifests itself by being perceived. All interior dictate, and even conscience, is nothing else; but perception is a higher or more interior degree of it.