4563. And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died. That this signifies that hereditary evil was expelled, is evident from the signification of “dying,” as being the end, or that a thing ceases to be such (see n. 494, 3253, 3259, 3276), here therefore expelled, because the subject treated of is hereditary evil; and from the representation of Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, as being hereditary evil. In nourishing and suckling an infant a nurse properly signifies the insinuation of innocence by means of what is celestial spiritual, for milk denotes the celestial spiritual (n. 2184), and the infant she suckles denotes innocence (n. 430, 1616, 2126, 2305, 2306) But here by “Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse,” is signified that which was received from the mother and nourished from infancy. That this was the hereditary evil from the mother against which the Lord fought, may be seen from what has been shown regarding this hereditary (n. 1414, 1444, 1573), and from His expelling it, so that at last He was not the son of Mary (see n. 2159, 2574, 2649, 3036).

[2] It is known that man derives evil from both his parents, and that this evil is called hereditary evil. He is therefore born into it, but still it does not manifest itself until the man becomes an adult and acts from his understanding and the derivative will, and meanwhile it lies hidden, especially during infancy. And as of the Lord’s mercy no one is blamed for what is hereditary, but for what is actual (n. 966, 2308), and what is hereditary cannot become actual until the man acts from his own understanding and his own will, therefore infants are led by the Lord by means of infants and angels from Him, and hence they appear in a state of innocence while hereditary evil still lurks in everything they do (n. 2300, 2307, 2308). This hereditary evil yields them nourishment, or is as a nurse, until the time when they judge for themselves (n. 4063); and then if they are being regenerated they are brought by the Lord into a state of new infancy, and at last into heavenly wisdom; thus into genuine infancy, that is, into innocence; for genuine infancy or innocence dwells in wisdom (n. 2305, 3183). The difference is, that the innocence of infancy is without, and hereditary evil within; whereas the innocence of wisdom is within, and evil both actual and hereditary is without. From these and other things that have been already stated, it is evident that hereditary evil acts as a nurse from the earliest infancy to the age of new infancy; and hence it is that by a “nurse” is signified hereditary evil, and also that by a “nurse” is signified the insinuation of innocence by means of the celestial spiritual.

[3] As in the internal sense of this chapter the disposition and arrangement of truths by good in the Lord’s natural is treated of (n. 4536), and the consequent progression to interior things, therefore hereditary evil is also treated of, in that it was expelled. This is the reason why mention is made in this verse of Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, that she died and was buried under an oak, which is not a thing of sufficient moment to interrupt the series unless it involved such things.

[4] The very mystery that is specifically signified by “Rebekah’s nurse” cannot as yet be disclosed, for before this is done it is necessary to know the nature of the influx of the rational into the natural, namely, that it is from the good of the rational immediately into the good of the natural, and from the good of the rational mediately, through the truth there into the good of natural truth. “Rebekah” is the truth of the rational (n. 3012, 3013, 3077); and “Isaac” is the good of the rational (n. 3012, 3194, 3210); “Esau” is the good of the natural by immediate influx from the good of the rational, or “Isaac;” and “Jacob” is the good or good of truth of the natural by mediate influx through the truth of the rational, or “Rebekah.” (In regard to this influx, mediate and immediate, see above, n. 3314, 3573.) This must be known before it is possible to have any specific knowledge of the mystery why by “Rebekah’s nurse” is here signified and described hereditary evil; for it is from this that the nature of this evil can be seen.

2159. That the “servant” denotes the human that appertained to the Lord, before it was made Divine, may be seen from many passages in the Prophets. The reason is-as already shown several times-that until He had put it off and made it Divine the human that appertained to the Lord was merely a servant. The human that appertained to Him was from the mother, thus was infirm, having with it from the mother an hereditary which by means of the combats of temptations He overcame and utterly expelled, insomuch that nothing was left of that which was infirm and hereditary from the mother, nay, at last there remained not anything whatever from the mother. Thus He entirely put off all that was from the mother, and therefore was no longer her son, as also He himself says in Mark:

They said unto Him, Behold Thy mother and Thy brethren without seek for Thee: and He answered them, saying, Who is My mother, or My brethren? And looking round on them that sat about Him, He said, Behold My mother and My brethren; for whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and My mother (Mark 3:32-35; Matthew 12:46-49; Luke 8:20-21).

[2] And when He had put off this human, He put on the Divine Human, from which He called Himself the “Son of man,” as we find many times in the Word of the New Testament; and also the “Son of God;” and by the “Son of man” He meant the truth itself, and by the “Son of God” the good itself, which belonged to His Human Essence when this was made Divine. The former state was that of the Lord’s humiliation, but the latter that of His glorification (treated of before, n. 1999).

[3] In the former state, namely, that of humiliation, when as yet He had appertaining to Him an infirm human, He adored Jehovah as one other than Himself, and indeed like a servant; for relatively to the Divine the human is nothing else, on which account in the Word the term “servant” is predicated of that human, as in Isaiah:

I will defend this city to save it, for Mine own sake, and for My servant David’s sake (Isaiah 37:35),

where the Assyrians are treated of, in whose camp a hundred and eighty-five thousand were smitten by an angel. “David” denotes the Lord, who, as He was to come, in respect to the human is called a “servant.” (That in the Word “David” denotes the Lord, may be seen above, n. 1888.)

[4] In the same Prophet:

Behold My servant upon whom I will lean; My chosen, My soul is well pleased. I have put My spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment unto the nations (Isaiah 42:1),

manifestly concerning the Lord, of whom, when He was in the human, the terms “servant” and “chosen” are predicated.

Again:

Who is blind but My servant? and deaf, as the angel I will send? who is blind as the perfect one, and blind as the servant of Jehovah? (Isaiah 42:19),

where also the Lord is spoken of; and of whom in like manner the terms “servant” and “angel” are predicated when He was in the human.

[5] Again:

Ye are My witnesses, saith Jehovah, and My servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He (Isaiah 43:10).

Again:

Said Jehovah, My Former from the womb to be His servant; to bring Jacob again unto Him, and that Israel be gathered unto Him; and He said, Thou art a slight thing that thou shouldest be My servant, to set up the tribes of Jacob; I have given thee for a light of the nations to be My salvation unto the extremity of the earth (Isaiah 49:5-6),

where also the Lord and His human are manifestly treated of before He was made the “light of the nations,” and “salvation unto the extremity of the earth.” Again:

Who is among you that feareth Jehovah, that heareth the voice of His servant, who walketh in darkness, and hath no brightness? let him trust in the name of Jehovah, and lean upon His God (Isaiah 50:10).

“Servant” here also denotes the human that appertained to the Lord; and that He was in this human and taught the way of truth, is the “voice of the servant of Jehovah.”

[6] Again:

Jehovah goeth before you, and the God of Israel gathereth you. Behold, My servant shall act prudently, he shall be lifted up, and shall be exalted, and shall be raised up exceedingly (Isaiah 52:12-13).

It is evident that “servant” is here predicated of the Lord when He was in the human; for it is said of Him that He “shall be lifted up, exalted, and raised up.” Again:

He hath no form and no honor; we saw him, but there was no appearance; He was despised, a man of sorrows, acquainted with disease. Jehovah willed to bruise him; He made him infirm; if he shall make his soul guilt, he shall see seed, he shall prolong days, and the will of Jehovah shall prosper by his hand; he shall see of the labor of his soul, he shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; and he himself hath carried their iniquities (Isa;. 53:2-3, 10-11).

Here, as in the whole of this chapter, the Lord’s state of humiliation is openly treated of; and it is also said that He was then in an infirm human, namely, that He was a “man of sorrows, acquainted with disease, infirm, was in the labor of His soul,” besides a number of other statements, in which state He is called “servant.”