4124. 'And he caught up with him on mount Gilead means a kind of joining together was thereby effected. This is clear from the meaning of 'catching up with' as a joining together, and from the meaning of 'mount Gilead' as good involved at the first stage of the joining together, dealt with above in 4117; so that 'he caught up with him on mount Gilead' means a kind of joining together.

4118. Verses 22-25 And it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled. And he took his brothers with him and pursued him for seven days; ¹ and he caught up with him on mount Gilead. And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night, and said to him, Take care not to speak to Jacob either good or evil. And Laban overtook Jacob, and Jacob pitched his tent in the mountain, and Laban pitched with his brothers in mount Gilead.

'It was told to Laban on the third day' means an ending. 'That Jacob had fled' means a separation. 'And he took his brothers with him' means forms of good replacing those which it had lost. 'And pursued him' means a continuing intense desire to be joined. 'For seven days' means the holiness of truth. 'And he caught up with him on mount Gilead' means a kind of joining together was thereby effected. 'And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night' means the obscure perception of that good when left to itself. 'And said to him, Take care not to speak to Jacob either good or evil' means that no communication existed any longer. 'And Laban overtook Jacob' means a kind of joining together. 'And Jacob pitched his tent in the mountain' means a state of love, the state in which the good now meant by 'Jacob' dwelt. 'And Laban pitched with his brothers in mount Gilead' means the state of the good existing to some extent in that joining together.

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