3326. And Esau said, Behold I am going to die. That this signifies that he should afterwards rise again, is evident from the representation of Esau, as being the good of the natural (n. 3302, 3322); and from the signification of “dying,” as being the last of a state when anything ceases to be (n. 2908, 2912, 2917, 2923); and because the end of a former state is the beginning of a subsequent one, by “going to die” is here signified to rise again afterwards, in like manner as is signified by being “buried” (that to be “buried” denotes to rise again, see above, n. 2916, 2917, 3256). That he should rise again afterwards, denotes that good would obtain the priority or dominion over truth, after truth as to time had apparently held the priority (concerning which subject see above).

1728. And he was priest. That this signifies the holy of love, is evident from the signification of “priest” in the Word. There are two things which are predicated of the Lord, namely, that He is King, and that He is Priest. A king, or the royalty, signifies the holy which is true; and a priest, or the priesthood, signifies the holy which is good; the former is the Divine spiritual, the latter the Divine celestial. The Lord as King governs each and all things in the universe from Divine truth; and as Priest, from Divine good. Divine truth is the very order of His universal kingdom, all the laws of which are truths, or eternal verities; Divine good is the very essential of order, all things of which are of mercy. Both of these are predicated of the Lord. If Divine truth alone were His, no mortal could be saved, for truths condemn everyone to hell; but Divine good, which is of mercy, uplifts from hell to heaven. These are what the kings and priests in the Jewish Church represented and these likewise Melchizedek represented, as king of Salem, and priest to God Most High.