3852. 'And he served with him yet another seven years' means holy diligent effort. This is clear from the meaning of 'serving' as diligent effort, dealt with in 3824, 3846, and from the meaning of 'seven' as that which is holy, dealt with in 395, 433, 716, 881, 3824. The expression 'holy diligent effort' is used for that effort by means of which internal truths are joined to good, for internal truths in every case regard the Lord and are joined to a person by means of love to Him. This love is holiness itself.

3846. 'And we will give you this one also for the service which you render with me for another seven years' means that in that case it would be a complete state of diligent effort. This is clear from the meaning of 'service' and of 'serving' as diligent effort, dealt with in 3824, and from the meaning of 'seven years', which has the same meaning as 'a week', namely a state and a whole period - as immediately above in 3845 - and so a complete state which is also holy, as in 3824. 'We will give you this one also' means that in that case there would be a joining to the affection for internal truth. The reason why 'serving' in the internal sense means diligent effort is that the exertions of the external man exist as diligent effort in the internal man, which is why a diligent effort is called mental toil.