Die Bibel

 

Genesis 33:16

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16 And Esau returned that day on his way to Seir.

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Arcana Coelestia #4339

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4339. 'Jacob lifted up his eyes and saw' means the perception and the attention of the good of truth, meant by 'Jacob'. This is clear from the meaning of 'lifting up the eyes and seeing' as perception and attention. For 'lifting up the eyes' is an external action which corresponds to a raising of the mind, an internal activity, and so corresponds to perception, while 'seeing' corresponds to consequent attention. Also, 'Jacob' at this point represents the good of truth, see just above in 4337.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

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Brother

  
Abel and Cain offer their sacrifice to God. Byzantine mosaic in the Cathedral of Monreale.

There are two ways "brother" is used in the Bible, ways that are still reflected in modern language. One denotes an actual blood relationship; the other is a more sweeping term of commonality, in such as in the phrase the "brotherhood of man." In general 'brother' in terms of the blood relationship refers to the unity that can exist between the desire to do good and the understanding of how to do good. This is true of Cain and Abel and several pairs of twins: Jacob and Esau, Judah's sons Zarah and Pharez, and Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh; in each case one represents the desire for good and the other the understanding of truth.