Arcana Coelestia #3386
3386. And he said, She is my sister. That this signifies rational truth, is evident from the signification of “sister,” as being rational truth (n. 1495, 2508, 2524, 2556). By rational truth is meant that which appears as true according to the apprehension, or before the rational, as just said. The arcanum that Isaac said that Rebekah was his sister; as Abraham had before said that Sarah was his sister, first in Egypt (Genesis 12:11-13, 19), and afterwards in Gerar (Genesis 20:2, 5, 12), involves what is much the same, as may be seen from the explication of the former passages; and as the same thing occurred three times, and is three times related in the Word, it is evident that there is in it an arcanum of the greatest moment, which can never be known to anyone except from the internal sense; but what the arcanum is, appears from what follows.
Genesis 12:11-13
11
It happened, when he had come near to enter Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at.
12
It will happen, when the Egyptians will see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife.' They will kill me, but they will save you alive.
13
Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you."
