8579. And thy rod wherewith thou smotest the river. That this signifies the Divine power by which falsities had been dissipated, is evident from the signification of “a rod,” as being power (see n. 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026), here Divine power, because by Moses, whose rod it was, is represented the Lord as to Divine truth; and from the signification of “the river,” here the river of Egypt, as being falsity (n. 6693). It is said “wherewith thou smotest the river,” in order that the dissipation of falsity may be signified, for by the Divine power whereby truth is given, falsities also are dissipated; the truth which is given is signified by “the water out of the rock in Horeb.”

4012. Verses 37-40. And Jacob took him a fresh rod of poplar, and hazel, and plane-tree, and peeled white peelings on them, laying bare the white that was upon the rods. And he set the rods which he had peeled in the gutters, in the watering troughs, whither the flocks came to drink, over against the flocks; and they grew warm when they came to drink. And the flocks grew warm at the rods, and the flocks brought forth party-colored, speckled, and spotted. And Jacob separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flock toward the party-colored, and all the black in the flock of Laban; and he put for himself droves for himself alone, and put them not unto Laban’s flock. “And Jacob took him a fresh rod of poplar,” signifies the power proper to natural good; “and hazel, and plane-tree,” signifies the derivative power of natural truths; “and peeled white peelings on them, laying bare the white that was upon the rods,” signifies a disposition into order by the interior power of truth; “and he set the rods which he had peeled in the gutters,” signifies further preparation; “in the watering troughs, whither the flocks came to drink,” signifies the affections of truth; “over against the flocks; and they grew warm when they came to drink,” signifies even to ardor of affection, that they might be conjoined; “and the flocks grew warm at the rods,” signifies the effect from His own power; “and the flocks brought forth party-colored, speckled, and spotted,” signifies that thereby natural good itself had such things from the mediate good signified by “Laban;” “and Jacob separated the lambs,” signifies as to innocence; “and set the faces of the flock toward the party-colored,” signifies to truths scattered over with evils and falsities; “and all the black,” signifies to such a state; “in the flock of Laban,” signifies in the good signified by “Laban;” “and he put for himself droves for himself alone,” signifies the separation of the goods and truths by His own power; “and put them not unto Laban’s flock,” signifies absolute separation from the good signified by “Laban.”