4542. When thou fleddest from before Esau thy brother. That this signifies when truth was set before good, is evident from the representation of Esau, as being the Divine good of the Lord’s Divine natural (see n. 3322, 3494, 3504, 3576, 3599). That the signification is when truth was set before good, may be seen from the explications given about Jacob (Genesis 27), when he fled before Esau, for the cause of his flight was that Jacob had taken away the birthright from Esau, by which is signified that truth had set itself before good; for Jacob there represents the truth of the Lord’s natural, and Esau its good. The reason why truth had set itself before good was that when anyone is being regenerated, truth is apparently in the first place; but after he has been regenerated, good is in the first place and truth is in a secondary place (see n. 3324, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3610, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247, 4337). Hence it is, that “when thou fleddest from before Esau thy brother” signifies when truth was set before good.

3604. Verses 41-45. And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him; and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father draw near, and I will kill Jacob my brother. And the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah; and she sent and called unto Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold Esau thy brother comforteth himself concerning thee to kill thee. And now my son hearken unto my voice, and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran. And tarry with him some days until thy brother’s wrath turn away, until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him, and I will send and take thee from thence; why should I be bereaved even of you both in one day? “And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him,” signifies that natural good was averse to the inverted conjunction of truth; “and Esau said in his heart,” signifies thought; “the days of mourning for my father draw near, and I will kill Jacob my brother,” signifies the inversion and privation of the self-derived life of truth; “and the words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah,” signifies the Lord’s perception from Divine truth concerning the animus or purpose of natural good at that time; “and she sent and called unto Jacob her younger son, and said unto him,” signifies the state of observation of the affection of truth from influx through Divine truth; “behold Esau thy brother comforteth himself concerning thee to kill thee,” signifies the purpose to invert the state and deprive truth of self-derived life; “and now my son hearken unto my voice, and arise,” signifies delay as yet; “flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran,” signifies to the affection of external or corporeal good; “and tarry with him some days,” signifies what is successive; “until thy brother’s wrath turn away,” signifies until the state turns thereto; “until thy brother’s anger turn away from thee,” signifies what is successive of the state with natural good; “and he forget that which thou hast done to him” signifies habit acquired from the delay; “and I will send and take thee from thence,” signifies then the end; “why should I be bereaved even of you both in one day,” signifies that otherwise there would be no conjunction.