3795. For she was a shepherdess (or, “she was one who feeds.”) That this signifies that the affection of interior truth teaches what is in the Word, is evident from the signification of a “shepherd,” or one that feeds the flock, as being one who leads and teaches (n. 343); and from the representation of Rachel, who in the present case is “she,” as being the affection of interior truth (concerning which just above, n. 3793). The reason this teaching is said to be from the Word is that she came to the well with the flock; and that the “well” signifies the Word may be seen above (n. 3765). Moreover it is the affection of interior truth which teaches; for from this affection the church is a church, and a shepherd or pastor is a pastor. The reason why in the Word a “shepherd,” and “one that feeds” signifies those who lead and teach, is that a “flock” signifies those who are led and taught, consequently churches, and also doctrines of the church (n. 3767, 3768, 3783). That a “shepherd” and a “flock” have such a signification is well known in the Christian world, for so they who teach and they who learn are called, and therefore it is needless to confirm this from the Word.

343. That a “shepherd of the flock” is one who exercises the good of charity, must be obvious to everyone, for this is a familiar figure in the Word of both Old and New Testaments. He who leads and teaches is called a “shepherd” and those who are led and taught are called the “flock.” He who does not lead to the good of charity and teach it, is not a true shepherd; and he who is not led to good, and does not learn what is good, is not of the flock. It is scarcely necessary to confirm this signification of “shepherd” and “flock” by quotations from the Word; but the following passages may be cited.

In Isaiah:

The Lord shall give the rain of thy seed, wherewith thou sowest the ground, and bread of the increase of the ground; in that day shall He feed thy cattle in a broad meadow (Isaiah 30:23),

where “bread of the increase of the ground” denotes charity. Again:

The Lord Jehovih shall feed His flock like a shepherd; He shall gather the lambs into His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young (Isaiah 40:11).

In David:

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that sittest on the cherubim, shine forth (Psalms 80:1).

In Jeremiah:

I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman; the shepherds and their flocks shall come unto her, they shall pitch tents near her round about, they shall feed everyone his own space (Jeremiah 6:2-3).

In Ezekiel:

Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, I will multiply them as a flock of man, as a hallowed flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed times; so shall the waste cities be filled with the flock of man (Ezekiel 36:37-38).

In Isaiah:

All the flocks of Arabia shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee (Isaiah 60:7).

They who lead the flock to the good of charity are they who “gather the flock;” but they who do not lead them to the good of charity “scatter the flock;” for all gathering together and union are of charity, and all dispersion and disunion are from want of charity.