3582. 'Be lord over your brothers' means the apparent dominion at first of the affection for natural truth over affections for natural good. This is clear from the meaning of 'being lord over' as having dominion, and from the meaning of 'brothers' as affections for good, in this case natural good, dealt with in 367, 2360, 3303. Regarding the apparent dominion at first of truth over good, see 3324, 3325, 3330, 3332, 3336, 3470, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570.

3303. 'And after this his brother came out' means truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'brother' as good, and also as truth, for the two are called brothers. Charity is the brother of faith, or good the brother of truth, see 367, so that conversely faith is the brother of charity, or truth the brother of good. Also within the natural, the affection for good is called a brother and the affection for truth a sister, 3160, as well as husband and wife (mulier), and man and wife (mulier). But these are always used with respect to the states that are being described.