6458. 'Which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite' means redemption. This is clear from the meaning of 'buying' as making one's own, dealt with in 5374, 5397, 5410, 5426, thus also redeeming, since what one redeems one makes one's own; from the representation of 'Abraham' in the highest sense as the Lord, dealt with in 1965, 1989, 2011, 3245, 3251, 3305, 3703, 4615, 6098, 6185, 6276; from the meaning of 'the field' as the Church, dealt with in 2971, 3766; and from the representation of 'Ephron the Hittite' as those with whom the ability exists to receive what is good and true, dealt with in 2933, 2940, 2969. From all this one may see what the meaning of these words is - the redemption by the Lord of those in the Church with whom the ability exists to receive what is good and true.

5409. 'Joseph's ten brothers' means such truths known to the Church as were in agreement with one another. This is clear from the meaning of 'brothers' as truths known to the Church. These truths are called 'Joseph's brothers' ('Joseph' representing truth received from the Divine) by virtue of their agreement with one another; for that agreement causes them to exist joined together like one brother to another. 'The sons of Jacob' means all the truths of faith or the truths as a general whole that are known by the Church, 5403; and the expression 'Joseph's brothers' has a similar meaning, though this is because of their agreement with one another. Jacob's ten sons by Leah mean the truths known to the external Church, but Jacob's two sons by Rachel mean the truths known to the internal Church, as is evident from what has been shown regarding Leah and Rachel. That is to say, it has been shown that 'Leah' is the affection for exterior truth and 'Rachel' the affection for interior truth, both dealt with in 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819. Also, the internal Church and the external Church are 'brothers', see 1221. The Lord Himself therefore uses the word 'brothers' to describe truths and resulting forms of good which exist in agreement with one another by virtue of charity and faith, that is, to describe people who know truths and from these desire what is good: In Matthew,

The king will say to them, Truly I say to you, Insofar as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers you did it to Me. Matthew 25:40.

And elsewhere,

Jesus answered them, saying, Who is My mother, or My brothers? And looking round about He said, Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother, and My sister, and My mother. Mark 3:33-35; Matthew 12:49; Luke 8:21.