4454. And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brothers. That this signifies a consultation of the truth from the ancient Divine stock with the good and truth of this religiosity, is evident from the signification of “saying,” as here being to consult; from the representation of Shechem, as being truth from the ancient Divine stock (see above, n. 4447); from the signification of “father,” who here is Jacob, as being the good of truth (n. 4273, 4337); and from the signification of “brothers,” who here are the sons of Jacob, as being truths, of which above. That “Shechem” is truth from the ancient Divine stock is evident from what was adduced above (see n. 4447); for Hamor the Hivite, together with his nation and family, were remains in the land of Canaan of the Most Ancient Church, which was celestial. More than all the churches in the whole world was this church from the Divine, for it was in the good of love to the Lord. Their voluntary and their intellectual made a one, thus one mind, for which reason they had from good a perception of truth, for the Lord flowed in by an internal way into the good of their will, and through this into the good of their understanding, or into their truth; and this is the reason why this church was preeminently called “Man” (n. 477-479), and also a “likeness of God” (n. 51, 473, 1013). Hence it is evident why Hamor and Shechem are said to be from the ancient Divine stock (see also n. 4399). That the Most Ancient Church which was called “Man,” or by the Hebrew word “Adam,” was in the land of Canaan (as stated above, n. 4447), is very evident from their descendants called “Nephilim” (Genesis 6:4), who were said in Numbers 13:33 to have been in the land of Canaan (see n. 581). But at that time all that land was called the “land of Canaan” which extended from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates (Genesis 15:18).

4273. And Jacob remained alone. That this signifies the good of truth procured, which was in this case the last or ultimate, is evident from the representation here of Jacob, as being the good of truth. What Jacob had represented has been shown in the preceding pages, and also that he represented various things in the natural, because the state of truth and good is of one kind in the beginning, of another in its progress, and still another in the end (n. 3775, 4234); here, he represents the good of truth. The reason of this representation is that his wrestling is presently treated of, by which in the internal sense is signified temptation; and because he was named “Israel,” by whom is represented the celestial spiritual man; and also because in what next follows his conjunction with Esau is treated of, by which conjunction is signified the initiation of truth into good. These are the reasons why Jacob now represents the last or ultimate good of truth in the natural.