6225. 'And Israel strengthened himself' means new powers received through spiritual good. This is clear from the meaning of 'strengthening oneself' as receiving new powers; and from the representation of 'Israel' as spiritual good from the natural, dealt with in 4286, 4598, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833. The reason the new powers come through spiritual good is that in what has just been said Jacob is called Jacob but now he is called Israel; for this is what is said,

[Someone] told Jacob and said, Behold, your son Joseph has come to you; and Israel strengthened himself.

For 'Israel' is spiritual good from the natural, whereas 'Jacob' is the truth of the natural, and the truth of the natural, which is the truth of faith there, receives its strength through spiritual good, which is the good of charity. Also, 'Israel' is the internal aspect of the Church and 'Jacob' its external aspect, 4286, 4292, 4570. The external aspect of the Church derives its strength and receives its powers from nowhere else than its internal. The internal aspect of the Church exists among those governed by the good of charity, which is the good of faith, also the good of truth, and spiritual good as well, which are 'Israel'. But the external aspect of the Church exists among those governed by the truth of faith. They are not yet plainly governed by good; yet the truth they are governed by holds good within it, and this is 'Jacob'.

5812. 'The boy cannot leave his father' means that that truth cannot be separated from spiritual good. This is clear from the meaning of 'leaving' as being separated; from the representation of 'Israel' as spiritual good from the natural, dealt with in 4286, 4598, 5807; and from the representation of 'Benjamin' as new truth, dealt with in 5804, 5806. This truth is called 'the boy' because it is born last; for this truth is not born until a person has become regenerate. At this point he receives newness of life through this new truth joined to good, which also is why this truth is meant by 'a child of his old age, the youngest one', 5804.