5533. They and their father. That this signifies from truths and the good of truth in the natural, is evident from the representation of the sons of Jacob, who here are “they,” as being truths in the natural (see n. 5403, 5419, 5427, 5458, 5512); and from the representation of Jacob, who is here “their father,” as being the good of truth also in the natural (n. 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 4234, 4273, 4538). What is meant by perception from truths and from the good of truth in the natural, may indeed be unfolded, but not so as to fall into the apprehension, except very obscurely. But in very deed this falls into the understanding of spirits as in clear day, being to them one of the more easy things. Thus it may in some measure be seen what a difference there is between the intelligence of man while he is in the world and its light, and when he is in heaven and the light there.

3659. And Isaac called Jacob. That this signifies perception by the Lord of the quality in respect to the good of truth, is evident from the signification of “calling” anyone as being to perceive the quality (n. 3609); and from the representation of Isaac, as being the Lord as to the Divine good of the Divine rational (n. 1893, 2066, 2072, 2083, 2630, 3012, 3194, 3210); and from the representation of Jacob, as being the Lord as to natural truth (n. 1893, 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3576, 3599). But here, and in what follows in this chapter, Jacob represents the good of this truth; from which it is evident that by the words, “Isaac called Jacob,” is signified perception by the Lord of the quality in respect to the good of truth.

[2] The reason why Jacob here represents the good of this truth, is that he has now carried off the birthright of Esau, and also his blessing, and has thereby put on the person of Esau, but still no further than in respect to the good of the truth which he had before represented; for all truth, whatsoever it be and whatsoever its quality, has good within it, inasmuch as truth is not truth except from good; it is from this that it is called truth. By the birthright which he took, and by the blessing, he obtained over Esau the privilege that his posterity should succeed to the promise made to Abraham and Isaac concerning the land of Canaan, and thus that by him should be represented the Lord’s Divine natural, as by Isaac was represented the Divine rational, and by Abraham His Divine Itself. In order therefore that the representative might fall upon one person, it was permitted that he should thus take from Esau the birth-right, and afterwards the blessing. Hence it is that Jacob now represents the good of the natural, but here at first the good of that truth, namely, of the truth which he had represented just before. Esau is also still further treated of, as in the following verses (6-8) of this chapter, to the intent that there might be represented the good of truth and the interior truth of good of the Lord’s natural, which could not as yet be represented by Jacob. What and of what quality is the good of truth here represented by Jacob, will appear from what follows.