3277. 'And they resided from Havilah as far as Shur, which is opposite Egypt as you come towards Asshur' means the whole range of intelligence, and '[his lot] fell opposite all his brothers' means disputes concerning the truth, but that he was the superior. This is clear from what has been stated in 115, 1951, where these matters have been explained.

115. When the most ancient people mentioned parts of the earth they understood the things these meant, just as people nowadays who have the idea that the Land of Canaan and Mount Zion mean heaven do not even think of a land or of a mountain when these locations are mentioned, but only of the things they mean. The same applies hereto the land of Havillah. That land is also mentioned in Genesis 25:18, where it is said, in reference to the sons of Ishmael, that 'they dwelt from Havillah to Shur which is opposite Egypt as you come towards Asshur'. People who have heavenly ideas perceive from these words nothing else but intelligence and what flows from intelligence. And in the same way by encompassing in the statement 'the river Pishon encompasses the whole land of Havillah' they perceive flowing in. And by the shoham stones on the shoulder-pieces of Aaron's ephod being encompassed with settings of gold, Exodus 28:11, they perceive that the good of love was flowing into the truth of faith. The same is found many times in other places.