3861. And she called his name Reuben. That this signifies the quality thereof, which is described, is evident from the signification of “name” and of “calling a name,” as being quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3321). The quality itself is described by the words, “Jehovah hath seen my affliction, for now my man will love me,” which are “Reuben.” (That all the names in the Word signify actual things has been often shown above, n. 1224, 1264, 1876, 1888; and that the ancients gave names significative of states, see n. 340, 1946, 2643, 3422.) That here the names of all the sons of Jacob signify the universals of the church, will be shown. A real universal has also been put into the name of each; but what universal it is impossible for anyone to know, unless he knows what is involved in the internal sense of the expressions from which each one was called-as for instance in the expression, “hath seen,” from which Reuben was named; in the expression, “hath heard,” from which Simeon was named; in the expression, “will adhere,” from which Leviticus was named; and in the expression, “will confess,” from which Judah was named; and so with regard to all the others.

2643. Who would have said unto Abraham, Sarah shall suckle sons? That this signifies that the Lord implanted the Human in the Divine by His own power, is evident from the representation of Abraham, and also of Sarah, and from the signification of “suckling” and of “sons.” That Abraham represents Divine good, and Sarah Divine truth, has been shown before. That “milk” denotes what is spiritual from a celestial origin, or truth from good, may be seen above (n. 2184); and thus to “suckle” is to implant it. That “sons” are truths, here those that are in the rational, is evident from the signification of “sons” (n. 489, 490, 491, 533). That these things signify in the internal sense that the Lord implanted the Human in the Divine by His own power, is because the Divine truth is the same as the Divine Human; and when it is said of this that it “suckles sons to Abraham,” the signification is that it has implanted the Human in the Divine; and as it was the Human, He did it from His own power. But these things can with difficulty be explained more clearly to the understanding. If many words be used, the sense will become still more obscure; for these are Divine things, which can only be presented before angels by things celestial and spiritual; and if they were presented before man in any more elevated style, they would fall into the material and corporeal ideas which man has.

[2] It is further to be known that the Lord’s Divine rational is described as to its quality when it was first born in the words, “God hath made laughter for me; everyone that heareth will laugh with me; and she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, Sarah shall suckle sons?” For it was according to ancient custom, that when a child was born, a name was given significative of the state; and that the state also was then described; as when Cain was born to Eve and Adam (Genesis 4:1); when Sheth was born to them (Genesis 4:25); when Noah was born to Lamech (Genesis 5:29); when Esau and Jacob were born to Isaac (Genesis 25:25-26); when the twelve sons were born to Jacob (Genesis 29:32-35; 30:6, 8, 13, 18, 20, 24; 35:18); when Perez and Zerah were born to Tamar (Genesis 38:29-30); when Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph (Genesis 41:51-52); when Gershom and Eliezer were born to Moses (Exodus 2:22; 18:4). What all these represent, and what they signify in the internal sense, was involved in the descriptions added to the names which were given; thus here what Isaac represents. What is involved is manifest in some degree from this brief explication, but deeper arcana yet are hidden within; for they are Divine things, which can be expressed by no forms or formulas of expression.