4688. And behold your sheaves came round about. That this signifies those who were in faith, namely, in the faith of some charity, is evident from the signification of “coming round about,” as here being an approaching to adore, for it follows that “they bowed down themselves to his sheaf,” by which is signified adoration; and from the signification of a “sheaf,” as being doctrine (of whic h just above, n. 4686), here all things of doctrine, or all things of faith. That “sheaves” here have such a signification is because in the genuine sense all things of faith are represented by all the sons of Jacob (n. 3858, 3926), thus also by the sheaves, because these in the dream took the place of the sons of Jacob; and also because the scene lay in the midst of the field, and by the midst of the field is signified what is interior, or those who are interior in the church (of whic h above, n. 4686), thus those who are in the faith of some charity. These therefore are the “sheaves which came round about, and bowed down themselves to the sheaf of Joseph.” That those are not meant who are exterior or more remote from the midst, and who in the proper sense are here the “brethren” of Joseph, is plain from what precedes and what follows-that they hated him more and more, that is, despised him and felt aversion; for “hating,” “not speaking for peace,” and “envying,” which are said of his brethren, signify contempt and aversion.

4686. For behold we were binding sheaves in the midst of the field. That this signifies that they were teaching from doctrine, is evident from the signification of a “sheaf,” as being doctrine, and hence of “binding sheaves,” as being to teach from doctrine (of which hereafter); and from the signification of a “field,” as being the, church (n. 2971, 3766, 4440, 4443). The “midst of the field” is what is interior in the church, thus it is those who are in the faith of some charity; for the “midst” in the internal sense is what is interior and what is inmost (n. 1074, 2940, 2973). For there are some in every church who are in the midst of it, or who are inmost, being those who are in charity, here those who are in the faith of some charity. With these the Lord is present, because the Lord is in charity, and through charity in faith (n. 4672). That these are signified is evident also from what follows-that Joseph’s sheaf arose, and the other sheaves came round about it; for by Joseph’s sheaf is signified doctrine from the Lord’s Divine truth.

[2] That a “sheaf” signifies doctrine is because as just said a field is the church, and the standing corn in a field is the truth in the church; therefore a sheaf in which there is corn signifies doctrine in which there is truth. “Sheaves” have a similar signification in David:

Those who sow in tears will reap with singing; he who indeed goes forth weeping, carrying a cast of seed, will indeed come with singing, carrying his sheaves (Psalms 126:5-6);

said of those who have been in spiritual captivity and are liberated. To “bear the cast of seed” denotes instruction in truths, to “come with singing” denotes the gladness of the affection of truth, and to “bear the sheaves,” the doctrinal things of this truth.