4189. 'Now come, let us make a covenant, I and you, [and let it be a witness between me and you]' means a joining of the Divine Natural to works inherently good that are done by people on the sidelines, that is, by the gentiles. This is clear from the meaning of 'a covenant' as a joining together, dealt with in 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021; from the representation of Laban here, to whom 'I' refers, as works that are inherently good, dealt with below; and from the representation of Jacob, to whom 'you' refers here, as the Divine Natural.

[2] The reason why 'Laban' here means works inherently good that are done by people on the sidelines, that is, by the gentiles, is that now Laban has been separated from Jacob, that is, intermediate good from the Divine good of the Natural, he is no longer able to represent intermediate good. But since he has served as a means he therefore represents some good - to be exact, good on the sidelines, or a parallel good. For prior to his becoming joined thus to Jacob 'Laban' represented that parallel good, see 3612, 3665, 3778. He therefore means good that is on the sidelines, the nature of which good however is to be discussed below. The situation with Laban is similar to that with Lot and that with Ishmael. As long as Lot was with Abraham he represented the Lord as regards the external sensory man, 1428, 1434, 1547, 1597, 1598, 1698. But once he was separated from Abraham he represented those whose worship was external but who nevertheless had charity, 2317, 2324, 2371, 2399, as well as representing many consecutive states of the Church, 2422, 2459.

[3] As long as Ishmael likewise was with Abraham he represented the Lord's first rational, 1893, 1949-1951; but after that, once he was separated from him, he represented those who were spiritual, 2078, 2691, 2699, 3263, 3268. And the situation involving Laban is similar, for the reason that although separation had taken place, intermediate good was still joined to the Divine Natural, yet not in the way it had been previously. This is why in this verse and in those immediately following 'Laban' represents works that are inherently good, such as are performed by people on the sidelines, that is, by gentiles. Gentiles are said to be on the sidelines, or to be governed by a parallel good, because they are outside the Church. Those within the Church who are governed by good and truth do not belong to a parallel line but to the direct line of descent since they possess the Word, and by means of the Word they have a direct communication with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord. This is not so with gentiles since they do not have the Word and do not know the Lord. That is why they are said to be on the sidelines. But those particular gentiles are meant here who do works that are inherently good, that is, who perform deeds of an external nature which have the good of charity within them. Their deeds are not called good works but works that are inherently so. For though it cannot be so in the case of works that are inherently good, good works can be devoid of any good within them.

3268. 'Nebaioth, Ishmael's firstborn, and Kedar, and Abdeel, and Mibsam; and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa; Hadad, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah' means everything that constitutes the spiritual Church, in particular among the gentiles. This is clear from the representation of these individuals whose names are given. Some of them are mentioned again in the Word, in particular in the prophetical part, such as Nebaioth, Kedar, Dumah, and Tema. There they mean such things as constitute the spiritual Church, in particular among gentiles. This is in addition evident from the fact that there are twelve of them, and 'twelve' means all things that make up faith, and so the Church, to be dealt with below. In verse 16 below it is therefore said that they were 'twelve princes of their peoples'.

[2] That 'Nebaioth and Kedar' represent those things that constitute the spiritual Church, in particular among gentiles, that is to say, its goods and its truths derived from these, is clear in Isaiah,

A drove of camels will cover you, dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba will come. They will bring gold and frankincense, and will proclaim the praises of Jehovah. The whole flock of Kedar will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will minister to you; they will come up with acceptance on My altar. Isaiah 60:6-7.

This refers in the highest sense to the Lord, and in the relative sense to His kingdom. 'The flock of Kedar' stands for spiritual good - 'a flock' being spiritual good, see 343, 415, 2566. 'The rams of Nebaioth' stands for spiritual truth - 'a ram' being spiritual truth, 2833.

[3] Kedar is Arabia, as is evident from the places quoted below; and Arabia was named Kedar after Ishmael's son, as becomes clear from the fact that the names mentioned in these two verses are those of countries or nations which were all named after the sons and grandsons of Abraham, as Midian, Ephah, and Sheba above in verses 2-4, and so Kedar and Nebaioth here. In Ezekiel,

Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, these were the merchants of your hand in lambs, and in rams, and in he-goats. In these they were your merchants. Ezekiel 27:21.

This refers to Tyre, that is, to people who possess cognitions of good and truth - 'Tyre' being such persons, see 1201. 'Arabia' stands for spiritual good, 'the princes of Kedar' for spiritual truths. 'Lambs, rams, and he-goats' are spiritual goods and truths.

[4] In Jeremiah,

Arise, go up to Kedar, and lay waste the sons of the east. They will take their tents and their flocks, their curtains and all their vessels, and bear their camels away from them. Jeremiah 49:28-29.

This refers to the vastation of the spiritual Church meant by 'Kedar' and 'the sons of the east'. 'Tents and flocks' stands for the goods of that Church, 'curtains and vessels' for its truths. The sacred things of worship are meant by 'tents and flocks', and by 'curtains and vessels'; but the sacred things of worship are all related to good and truth.

[5] Those however who have no truth because no good resides with them are represented by Arabs and Kedarites in the wilderness, as in Isaiah,

Babel will not be dwelt in for ever, the Arab will not remain there. Isaiah 13:20.

In the same prophet,

Let the wilderness and its cities lift up [their voice], the villages which Kedar inhabits. Isaiah 42:10-11.

In Jeremiah,

By the wayside you have sat waiting for them, like an Arab in the wilderness. Jeremiah 3:2.

In David,

Woe is me, for I sojourn in Meshech; I delay among the tents of Kedar. Psalms 120:5.

In Isaiah,

In the forest in Arabia you will spend the night, O bands of Dedanites. To the thirsty bring water; O inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet with his bread the fugitive, for they will flee before the swords, before the drawn sword, before the bent bow, and before the grievousness of war. For thus said the Lord to me, Within a year, according to the year of a hireling, and all the glory of Kedar will come to an end; and the remainder of the number of the bows of the mighty men of the sons of Kedar [will be few]. Isaiah 21:13-17.

'Spending the night in the forest of Arabia' stands for being vastated as regards truth, and 'the bands of Dedanites' stands for those who possess cognitions, 3240, 3241 (end). 'The inhabitants of the land of Tema' stands for those in whom simple good is present, such as exists with upright gentiles - people, it is clear, who were descended from Ishmael's son called Tema. 'Kedar' stands for those who possess simple truth, of whom it is said that 'they are going to flee before the swords, and before the grievousness of war', which means that they will not experience the conflicts that are brought about by temptations because good does not exist with them any longer.

[6] In Jeremiah,

Pass over to the islands of the Kittians and see, and send to Kedar and examine closely, and see whether there has been such a thing, whether a nation has changed its gods, which are no gods. Jeremiah 2:10-11.

'The islands of the Kittians' stands for those who are more remote from worship, that is, for gentiles in whom simple good and consequently natural truth are present, 1156, 1158 - 'Kedar' also meaning, it is evident, such people. In the same prophet,

I took the cup from Jehovah's hand and made all the nations to whom Jehovah sent me drink it - Dedan and Tema, and Buz, and all who have cut the corners [of their hair]; and all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the west, dwelling in the wilderness. Jeremiah 25:17, 23-24.

This too refers to the vastation of the spiritual Church which among other names is called Tema and Arabia. From this it is evident that Tema, like Arabia, means those who belong to the spiritual Church. To Arabia however kings and also cities are attributed, but to Kedar princes and villages.

[7] In addition to these Dumah is also mentioned, in Isaiah 21:11-12. The reason why those nations mean the things that constitute the spiritual Church is that the Ancient Church, which was a spiritual Church, existed among them also, 1238, 2385, though their doctrinal teachings and religious observances varied. Nevertheless there was only one Church because those people made charity, not faith, the essential thing. In course of time however, as charity came to an end, that special feature of the Church which existed with them died out. Nevertheless a representative of the Church through them was maintained which differed according to that form of the Church that had once existed among them. Consequently when these nations are mentioned in the Word it is not these nations that are meant but only that form of the Church in general which had once existed there.