4610. 'These are the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan Aram' means the origin and state of these at this point. This is clear from what has now been stated generally and specifically about the sons of Jacob, namely that in general they mean all things which were now present in the Lord's Divine Natural, 4603, so much so that all those things taken together are now meant by 'Jacob'. Where they originate is meant by the words 'born to him in Paddan Aram', that is, in cognitions of truth and good, these being meant by Paddan Aram, 3664, 3680. And because all taken together are now meant by 'Jacob', the singular 'who was born to him' is therefore used in the original language. In what follows next the subject is the joining of the Divine Natural to the Divine Rational, that joining together being represented by Jacob's coming to his father Isaac.

1234. That 'Aram' means cognitions of good has been shown just above, from which it follows that 'the sons of Aram' are derivative cognitions and the products of cognitions. Derivative cognitions are natural truths, while the products of cognitions are deeds done in accordance with them. The fact that these things are meant cannot be confirmed so easily from the Word, for they are not among the names that are mentioned frequently. Uz alone is mentioned, in Jeremiah 25:20 and Lamentations 4:21. From this then it follows that 'Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash' mean just so many types of these cognitions, and of deeds done in accordance with them.