3166. He gave also precious things to her brother. That this signifies spiritual things thence for natural good, is evident from the signification of “precious things,” as being spiritual things, whereof we shall speak presently; and from the signification of her “brother,” as being natural good (see n. 3160); Laban also, who is here the brother, is the affection of good in the natural man (see n. 3129, 3130). That “precious things” signify spiritual things, is evident from other passages in the Word, as where Joseph is treated of, in Moses:

Blessed of Jehovah be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep lying beneath; and for the precious things of the produce of the sun, and for the precious things of the growth of the months, and for the precious things of the hills of eternity, and for the precious things of the earth, and of the fullness thereof (Deuteronomy 33:13-16); where by the “precious things of heaven, the precious things of the produce of the sun, the precious things of the growth of the months, the precious things of the hills of eternity, and the precious things of the earth,” are signified various kinds of spiritual things. Moreover the things called precious were precious stones, pearls, balsams, spices, and the like, all which signify spiritual things.

[2] What spiritual things are, has been frequently stated above, namely, that in the Lord’s kingdom there are celestial things and spiritual things, and that celestial things are of good, and spiritual things are of the derivative truth. There is nothing in the universe that does not refer to good and truth; whatever is of use, and of life, refers to good; but whatever is of doctrine and memory-knowledge, especially concerning use and life, refers to truth; or what is the same, whatever is of the will, is called good or evil; but whatever is of the understanding is called truth or falsity; and therefore good, which is solely of love and charity, and which flows in from the Lord, is celestial; whereas truth, which is therefrom, is spiritual. The reason why precious things were given to the brother, when vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and garments were given to the sister, on her becoming a bride, is that the “brother” signified good in the natural man, and this good is enlightened when truth is being initiated into good in the rational; for all the enlightenment of good and of truth in the natural man is thence.