3110. 'He said, Whose daughter are you?' means further investigation concerning innocence. This is clear from the question 'whose daughter?' as an investigation, a further investigation in this case, as is evident from what has been stated already in 3088, 3101. Its being an investigation concerning innocence that is meant is clear from the meaning of 'a girl' as affection that has innocence within it, dealt with in 3067. Here, it is true, the word 'girl' is not used, but because Rebekah is called 'a girl' in verses 14 and 16 above and she is the one to whom the question is addressed here, nothing else is meant here by 'you' than the girl. As for the subject itself - namely that truth was investigated to see what innocence it held within it, and shortly after that what charity, before it was introduced into good and then joined to it - this must inevitably seem extraordinary to those who have no knowledge of the matter. However let such persons recognize that an absolutely thorough investigation occurs in everyone when truth is to be introduced into and joined to good, an investigation which is such that it goes far beyond the full extent of his belief.

[2] None but perfect truth is ever allowed to be with perfect good. When anything less than perfect truth approaches, this does not join itself to perfect good but to some variety of good that is not in itself good yet seems as if it were good. If falsity approaches, the good retires to an inward position and the falsity joins itself outwardly to some evil which it believes to be good. This Divine ordering is effected by the Lord by means of spirits and angels, and is completely hidden in this world, but fully known in the next. Anyone also of sound reason is able to know this and at least to comprehend it. For evil and falsity constitute hell and flow in from hell, whereas good and truth constitute heaven, and also flow in by way of heaven from the Lord. This being so, evil and truth can no more be joined together than hell to heaven. For this reason a more delicate balance is preserved in these matters than anyone can possibly believe. This then is what is meant by investigation.

2048. That 'he who is born in the houses means celestial people, and 'he who is the purchase of silver' spiritual people, and so those who are inside the Church, is clear from the meaning of 'him born in the house' as those inside the house. In the Word 'a house' means that which is celestial because this is inmost. Consequently 'the house of God' means in the universal sense the Lord's kingdom, in a less universal sense the Church, and in a particular sense the individual himself in whom the Lord's kingdom or Church exists. When a person is called 'a house' it means the celestial side of faith with him, but when he is called 'a temple' it means the truth of faith with him. So 'he who is born in the house' here means celestial people. That 'the purchase of silver' or one bought with silver means spiritual people however is clear from the meaning of 'silver' as truth, and so the spiritual side of faith, dealt with in Volume One, in 1551.

[2] The expression celestial is used of those who are governed by love to the Lord, and because the Most Ancient Church which existed before the Flood was governed by that love it was a celestial Church. The expression spiritual is used of those who are governed by love towards the neighbour and so by the truth of faith. This was the character of the Ancient Church that existed after the Flood. The difference between celestial people and spiritual has been dealt with many times in Volume One. Anyone may see that there are heavenly arcana here, that is to say, in the requirement to circumcise those born in the house and those bought with silver, also sons who were foreigners, and in the fact that those persons are mentioned repeatedly, for example, in verses 13, 23, 27, that follow. These arcana are not apparent however except from the internal sense, that is to say, that those born in the house and those bought with silver mean celestial people and spiritual, and so those inside the Church - while 'the son who is a foreigner and not of your seed' means those outside the Church.