3971. And it came to pass when Rachel had borne Joseph. That this signifies the acknowledgment of the spiritual represented by Joseph, is evident from the signification of “bearing,” as being to acknowledge (see n. 3905, 3911, 3915, 3919); from the representation of Rachel, as being the affection of interior truth (n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the spiritual kingdom, thus the spiritual man (n. 3969), and consequently the Spiritual; for the Spiritual, being from the Lord, is that which makes the spiritual man, and also the spiritual kingdom. In what is related of Jacob’s sons by the handmaids and Leah, the reception and acknowledgment of general truths has been treated of, and at last their conjunction with the interior man, and thus man’s regeneration even till he is made spiritual; “Joseph” being this spiritual man. In what now immediately follows, the fructification and multiplication of truth and good are treated of, which are signified by the “flock” that Jacob procured for himself by means of the flock of Laban; for after there has been effected the conjunction of the interior man with the external, or of the spiritual man with the natural, there takes place a fructification of good and a multiplication of truth; for this conjunction is the heavenly marriage in man, and these are born from it. From this also it is that fructification and multiplication are signified by “Joseph” in the external sense (n. 3965, 3969). (“Fructification” is said of good; and “multiplication” of truth, n. 43, 55, 913, 983, 2846, 2847.)

55. Verse 28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the heavens, and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth. As the most ancient people called the conjunction of the understanding and the will, or of faith and love, a marriage, everything of good produced from that marriage they called “fructifications” and everything of truth, “multiplications.” Hence they are so called in the Prophets, as for instance in Ezekiel:

I will multiply upon you man and beast, and they shall multiply and be fruitful, and I will cause you to dwell as in your ancient times, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings, and ye shall know that I am Jehovah, yea, I will cause man to walk upon you, even My people Israel (Ezekiel 36:11-12).

By “man” is here meant the spiritual man who is called Israel; by “ancient times” the Most Ancient Church; by “beginnings” the Ancient Church after the flood. The reason why “multiplication” which is of truth, is first mentioned, and “fructification” which is of good, afterwards, is that the passage treats of one who is to become regenerated, and not of one who is already regenerated.

[2] When the understanding is united with the will, or faith with love, the man is called by the Lord “a married land” as in Isaiah:

Thy land shall be no more termed waste, but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah [my delight is in her], and thy land Beulah [married], for Jehovah delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married (Isaiah 62:4).

The fruits thence issuing, which are of truth, are called “sons” and those which are of good are called “daughters” and this very frequently in the Word.

[3] The earth is “replenished” or filled, when there are many truths and goods; for when the Lord blesses and speaks to man, that is, works upon him, there is an immense increase of good and truth, as the Lord says in Matthew:

The kingdom of the heavens is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all seeds, but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heavens come and build their nests in the branches thereof (Matthew 13:31-32).

A “grain of mustard seed” is man’s good before he becomes spiritual, which is “the least of all seeds” because he thinks that he does good of himself, and what is of himself is nothing but evil. But as he is in a state of regeneration, there is something of good in him, but it is the least of all.

[4] At length as faith is joined with love it grows larger, and becomes an “herb;” and lastly, when the conjunction is completed, it becomes a “tree” and then the “birds of the heavens” (in this passage also denoting truths, or things intellectual) “build their nests in its branches” which are memory-knowledges. When man is spiritual, as well as during the time of his becoming spiritual, he is in a state of combat, and therefore it is said, “subdue the earth and have dominion.”