4433. And he took her, and lay with her, and forced her. That this signifies that in no other way could this truth be conjoined with the affection of the truth signified by the sons of Jacob her brothers, is evident from the signification of “taking her, lying with her, and forcing her,” as being to be conjoined, but not in a lawful way, as is done by betrothal. That by these words is signified that in no other way could it be conjoined, cannot be seen unless it is known how the case is. The interior truth from the ancients which is signified by “Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite” is that truth which had been the internal of the church among the ancients, thus which was the internal in their statutes, judgments, and laws: in a word, in their rituals and the like. These truths were their doctrinal things according to which they lived, and indeed doctrinal things of charity; for in the ancient time those who were of the genuine church had no other doctrinal things. Relatively to doctrine the same may be called interior truths of faith, but goods relatively to life. If any church were to be instituted with the nation sprung from Jacob, it was necessary that they should be initiated into these truths and goods; for unless there are internal things within external ones, that is, unless men think of internal things when they are in external ones, and unless they are at the same time affected by the internal things, or at least unless they are affected by external things for the sake of internal things, there is not anything of the church. For internal things make the church, because in these is the Lord; for in these are the spiritual and celestial things which are from Him.

[2] But the nation sprung from Jacob, that is, the Israelitish and Jewish nation, could not be initiated into these internal things in the lawful way which is effected by betrothal, for the reason that their external worship did not correspond. For from their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they received the worship instituted by Eber, which was different in its externals from the worship of the Ancient Church, as may be seen above (n. 1238, 1241, 1343, 2180). And because their worship was different, the interior truths that existed among the ancients could not be conjoined with it in the lawful manner, by betrothal, but in the way here described. From this it may be understood what is meant by saying that “in no other way could this truth be conjoined with the affection of the truth signified by the sons of Jacob, Dinah’s brothers.”

[3] But although the conjunction could be effected in this manner, according to a law also known to the ancients (see Exodus 22:15; Deuteronomy 22:28-29), still that nation was of such a character that they would by no means suffer any conjunction of the interior truth that was from the ancients with the externals of worship that existed among the descendants of Jacob (see n. 4281, 4290, 4293, 4307, 4314, 4316, 4317). For this reason there could not be any church instituted with that nation, but instead of it only the representative of a church (see n. 4281, 4288, 4307). That this nation was of such a character that not only was it impossible for them to receive interior truths, but that they also completely extinguished them in themselves, is here represented by the sons of Jacob answering Shechem and Hamor in fraud (verse 13); and then by Simeon and Leviticus smiting the city with the edge of the sword, and killing Shechem and Hamor (verses 25-26); and by the rest of the sons coming upon those who were pierced, and pillaging the city, and carrying away the flocks, the herds, and whatever was in the city, in the field, and in the house (verses 27-29). From this it is evident what is signified by the prophecy of Jacob, then Israel:

Simeon and Leviticus are brethren, instruments of violence are their swords; let not my soul come into their secret, let not my glory be united in their congregation; because in their anger they slew a man, and in their pleasure they unstrung an ox; cursed be their anger because it was vehement, and their fury because it was grievous; I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel (Genesis 49:5-7).

1343. That “Eber” was a nation called, from Eber as its father, the Hebrew nation, and that thereby is signified the worship in general of the Second Ancient Church, is evident from those historical parts of the Word wherein it is spoken of. From that nation, because the new worship commenced there, all were called Hebrews who had a similar worship. Their worship was of the kind that was afterwards restored among the descendants of Jacob; and its chief characteristic consisted in their calling their God “Jehovah,” and in their having sacrifices. The Most Ancient Church with unanimity acknowledged the Lord, and called Him Jehovah, as is evident from the first chapters of Genesis, and elsewhere in the Word. The Ancient Church, that is, the church after the flood, also acknowledged the Lord, and called Him Jehovah, especially those who had internal worship, and were called “sons of Shem.” The others, who were in external worship, also acknowledged Jehovah, and worshiped Him. But when internal worship became external, and still more when it became idolatrous, and when each nation began to have its own god whom it worshiped, the Hebrew nation retained the name Jehovah, and called their God Jehovah; and hereby were distinguished from the other nations.

[2] Together with their external worship, the descendants of Jacob in Egypt lost this also-that they called their God Jehovah; nay, Moses himself did so; and therefore they were instructed first of all that Jehovah was the God of the Hebrews, and the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob; as may be seen from these words in Moses:

Jehovah said unto Moses, Thou shalt come in, thou and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, Jehovah the God of the Hebrews hath met with us; and now let us go, we pray thee, a three days’ journey into the wilderness, and we will sacrifice to Jehovah our God (Exodus 3:18). Again:

Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, and moreover I will not let Israel go. And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us; let us go, we pray thee, a three days’ journey into the wilderness, and we will sacrifice to Jehovah our God (Exodus 5:2-3).

[3] That together with the worship the descendants of Jacob in Egypt lost also the name of Jehovah, may be seen from these words in Moses:

Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the sons of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you, and they shall say to me, What is His name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM WHO I AM. And He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel, Jehovah the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you; this is My name to eternity (Exodus 3:13-15).

[4] From these words it is evident that even Moses did not know Jehovah; and that they were distinguished from others by the name of Jehovah the God of the Hebrews. Hence in other places also Jehovah is called the God of the Hebrews:

Thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Jehovah the God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee (Exodus 7:16).

Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith Jehovah the God of the Hebrews (Exodus 9:1, 13).

And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah the God of the Hebrews (Exodus 10:3).

And in Jonah:

I am a Hebrew; and I fear Jehovah the God of the heavens (Jonah 1:9).

And also in Samuel:

The Philistines heard the voice of the shouting, and said, What meaneth the voice of this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews? And they knew that the ark of Jehovah was come into the camp. And the Philistines said, Woe unto us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these august gods? These are the gods that smote the Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness. Be like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews (1 Samuel 4:6, 8-9).

Here also it is evident that the nations were distinguished by the gods on whose name they called, and the Hebrew nation by Jehovah.

[5] That the second essential of the worship of the Hebrew nation consisted in sacrifices, is also evident from passages cited above (Exodus 3:18; 5:2-3); as well as from the fact that the Egyptians abominated the Hebrew nation on account of this worship, as is evident from these words in Moses:

Moses said, It is not right so to do, for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God; lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? (Exodus 8:26).

For this reason the Egyptians so abominated the Hebrew nation that they would not eat bread with them (Genesis 43:32). It is also evident from all this that the posterity of Jacob was not the only Hebrew nation, but all who had such worship; and therefore in Joseph’s time the land of Canaan was called the land of the Hebrews:

Joseph said, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews (Genesis 40:15).

[6] That there were sacrifices among the idolaters in the land of Canaan, may be seen from many passages, for they sacrificed to their gods-to the Baals and others; and moreover Balaam, who was from Syria where Eber dwelt and whence the Hebrew nation came, not only offered sacrifices before the descendants of Jacob came into the land of Canaan, but also called Jehovah his God. That Balaam was from Syria, whence came the Hebrew nation, see Numbers 23:7; that he offered sacrifices, Numbers 22:39-40; 23:1-3, 14, 29; that he called Jehovah his God, Numbers 22:18, and throughout the chapter. What is said of Noah (Genesis 8:20), that he offered burnt-offerings to Jehovah, is not true history, but is history so made up, because by burnt-offerings there is signified the holy of worship, as may there be seen. From all this it is now evident what is signified by “Ber,” or by the Hebrew nation.