4504. Because they had defiled their sister. That this signifies that they had befouled the truth of faith, is evident from the signification of “defiling,” as being to befoul; and from the signification of a “sister,” as being truth (see n. 1495, 2508, 2524, 2556, 3386), here the truth of faith, because by Dinah, who is here the sister, is signified the affection of all things of faith (n. 4427). The reason why Shechem’s defiling of their sister signifies that they befouled the truth of faith, is that the affection of all truth, thus the church itself, is represented by her (n. 3963, 3964); and as she was not given by her brothers to Shechem for a woman, but remained with them defiled, therefore the opposite was afterwards represented by her as by her brothers, namely, the affection of all falsities, thus the church corrupted; so that the words “they had defiled their sister” signify that they had befouled the truth of faith.

3964. And called her name Dinah. That this signifies its quality, is evident from the signification of a “name” and of “calling a name,” as being the quality (concerning which above). The quality which Dinah represents and signifies is all that which is of the church of faith in which there is good, as described just above. The same is also evident from the derivation of her name, for in the original language “Dinah” means “judgment.” (That “judgment” in the Word is predicated of the truth of faith, may be seen above, n. 2235; and that “judging” in the internal sense is the holy of faith, and in the external sense the good of life, n. 3921.) These things belong to the church.