4112. And Jacob stole the heart of Laban the Aramean. That this signifies a change of the state signified by “Laban” in respect to good, is evident from the signification of “stealing,” as being to take away what is dear and holy, and thus to change the state (as just above, n. 4111); from the signification of the “heart,” as being that which proceeds from the will; and when the will is a will of good, the “heart” denotes good (see n. 2930, 3313, 3888, 3889); and from the representation of Laban, as being mediate good, which is now being separated; and because it is being separated, Laban is now called “the Aramean,” as also in the following verse, n. 24; for “Laban the Aramean” denotes such good, in which there is not Divine good and truth as before. The reason why this is signified, is that Aram, or Syria, was separated from the land of Canaan by the river Euphrates, and was therefore outside the land of Canaan, by which in the internal sense is signified the Lord’s kingdom, and in the supreme sense the Lord’s Divine Human (see n. 4108). “Aram” and “Syria” specifically signify the knowledges of truth and good (n. 1232, 1234, 3051, 3249, 3664, 3680), and this because the Ancient Church was there also, and the remains of it continued there a long time, as is evident from Balaam, who was from that country, and who had knowledge of Jehovah and also prophesied concerning the Lord. But after idolatry had grown there, and Abram had been called away, and the representative church had been instituted in the land of Canaan, Aram or Syria put on the representation of a region out of the church, or separate from the church, and therefore remote from the things of the Lord’s kingdom; although still retaining its signification of the knowledges of good and truth. The reason why Jacob is said to have “stolen the heart of Laban” by not telling him that he would flee, is that a change of state as to truth was spoken of just above, and here therefore a change of state as to good; for where truth is treated of in the Word, good is also treated of, because of the heavenly marriage of good and truth in every particular of the Word (n. 683, 793, 801, 2516, 2712).

3888. These two kingdoms are presented to view in man by means of the two kingdoms that are in him, namely, the kingdom of the will, and the kingdom of the understanding, which two kingdoms constitute the mind of man, nay, the man himself. The will is that to which corresponds the pulsation of the heart; and the understanding is that to which corresponds the respiration of the lungs. For this reason there are likewise in the body of man two kingdoms, namely, those of the heart and the lungs. He who knows this mystery may also know how the case is with the influx of the will into the understanding, and of the understanding into the will; consequently with the influx of the good of love into the truth of faith, and vice versa; thus how the case is with the regeneration of man. But they who are only in corporeal ideas, that is, who are in the will of what is evil and the understanding of what is false, cannot apprehend these things; for they cannot think of spiritual and celestial things otherwise than sensuously and corporeally, consequently not otherwise than from darkness of the things of heavenly light (or of the truth of faith), and from cold of the things of heavenly flame (or of the good of love). This darkness and cold so extinguish celestial and spiritual things that these appear to such persons to have no existence.