491. The same things are signified by “sons” and “daughters” in this chapter (verses 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 26, 30), but such as is the church, such are the “sons and daughters” that is, such are the goods and truths; the truths and goods here spoken of are such as were distinctly perceived, because they are predicated of the Most Ancient Church, the principal and parent of all the other and succeeding churches.

4185. 'The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the flock is my flock' means that all affections for truth, all truths and goods were its own. This is clear from the meaning of 'daughters', who in this case are Rachel and Leah, as affections for truth, dealt with in 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819; from the meaning of 'sons' as truths, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 1147, 3373; and from the meaning of 'flock' as goods, dealt with in 343, 1565, 2566. The fact that intermediate good laid claim to these as its own is self-evident, for Laban said 'the daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the flock is my flock'.