4498. Brothers of Dinah. That this signifies the truths and goods of that church, is evident from the signification of “brothers,” as being truths and goods, or faith and charity (see n. 367, 3303, 3803, 3815, 4121, 4191, 4267); and from the representation of Dinah, as being the affection of truth, and consequently the church (n. 3963, 3964, 4427).

4267. And he commanded the first, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee? Then thou shalt say, Thy servant Jacob’s; this is a present sent unto my lord Esau; and behold he also is behind us. That this signifies submission, is evident in like manner from the internal sense of the several words, from which this general sense results. That this is submission, and that things relating to submission are signified is manifest; for he commanded his servants to call his brother “lord,” and himself “servant,” and to say that a present was sent as by a servant to his lord. That good is relatively a lord, and truth relatively a servant, and that they are nevertheless called “brethren,” has been shown many times. They are called “brethren” because when good and truth have been conjoined, good is then presented in truth as in an image, and they afterwards act in conjunction to produce the effect. But good is called “lord” and truth “servant” before they have been conjoined, and still more so when there is a dispute about the priority.