4719. And he said, I seek my brethren; tell me I pray where they are feeding the flock? That this signifies knowledge of how the case was, and what state they were in; proximately, according to the words, how it was with those who taught from faith, and to learn their state, is evident; for by the “brethren” are signified those who teach from faith (see n. 4712); how it was with them is signified by “seeking them,” or “seeing their peace” (n. 4712, 4713); by “where” is signified state, for in the internal sense everything relating to place denotes state (n. 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387, 4321); and by “those who feed” are signified those who teach (n. 343, 3767, 3768, 3772, 3783).

4707.

In Shechem. That this signifies the first rudiments, is evident from the signification of “Shechem,” as being truth derived from the ancient Divine stock (n. 4399, 4454), and as being doctrine (n. 4472, 4473), here the first rudiments of doctrine concerning faith; for the predication of a name is according to the subject in its series. The first rudiments are also the generals of doctrinals; the generals being what are received first, and the specific things then following.