3969. And said, God hath gathered my reproach. And she called his name Joseph, saying, Let Jehovah add to me another son. That this signifies in the supreme sense the Lord as to the Divine spiritual; in the internal sense, the spiritual kingdom, or the good of faith; and in the external sense, salvation, also fructification and multiplication, is evident from the representation of Joseph in the Word (concerning which below); and from the signification of “God hath gathered my reproach,” and also of “Let Jehovah add to me another son;” for he was named “Joseph” from “gathering” and “adding.” “God hath gathered my reproach,” signifies that Rachel was now no longer barren, and thus was not “dead,” as she said of herself to Jacob (verse 1, n. 3908). For by Rachel is represented the affection of interior truth, or the interior man as to truth (n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819). The interior man is as it were dead as to truth and good, if the exterior or natural man does not correspond to it in respect to goods and truths (see n. 3493, 3620, 3623).

[2] These must be conjoined with each other, so as to be not two, but together one man. This conjunction cannot come forth until the natural or external man has been prepared, that is, until it has received and acknowledged the general truths signified by the ten sons of Jacob by Leah and the handmaids; and until the good of the natural man has been conjoined with the truths therein, which conjunction is signified by the last son of Jacob by Leah, namely, by Zebulun, who was so called from “dwelling together” (n. 3960, 3961). After this conjunction has been effected, the interior man and the exterior enter into the heavenly marriage, spoken of above (n. 3952). The reason why they do not enter into it before, is a great secret; for it is the good of the interior man which then conjoins itself with the good of the exterior, and by means of this with the truth therein; and likewise the good of the interior man by means of the affection of the truth therein, conjoins itself with the good of the exterior man, and also with the truth therein; thus immediately and mediately (concerning which immediate and mediate conjunction see above, n. 3314, 3573, 3616). As the interior man is then first conjoined with the exterior, and as before this conjunction has been effected the interior man is as it were null, and thus is as it were dead (as stated above), it is therefore said, “God hath gathered my reproach.” This then is what is signified by the “reproach” which God is said to have “gathered,” that is, to have taken away, or from which He is said to have delivered her.

[3] But by the words which follow: “Let Jehovah add to me another son,” from which Joseph was named, another arcanum is signified, which is this. By Joseph there is represented the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, thus the spiritual man; for this kingdom is in every spiritual man. There are two things that constitute the spiritual man, namely, charity and faith; or what is the same, good and truth. The charity from which is faith, or the good from which is truth, is that which is represented by Joseph; and the faith in which is charity, or the truth in which is good, is that which is signified by “another son,” and is represented by Benjamin-concerning whom in Genesis 35:16-18. Thus “Joseph” is the celestial spiritual man; and “Benjamin” the spiritual celestial. What is the difference between these two may be seen from what has been very frequently said before concerning the good from which is truth, and the truth in which is good. This then is what is signified by Rachel’s other words: “Let Jehovah add to me another son.” But these arcana cannot be seen except by those who are in the charity of faith; for these are as to their interiors in the light of heaven, in which light there is also intelligence. But they cannot be seen by those who are only in the light of the world, for in this light there is not intelligence, except insofar as the light of heaven is within it. To the angels, who are in the light of heaven, these are among the most common things.

[4] From all this we can now see that by these words, “God hath gathered my reproach,” and “Let Jehovah add to me another son,” in the supreme sense is signified the Lord as to the Divine spiritual; and in the internal sense, the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, or the good of faith; for this is the spiritual in that kingdom. But that in the external sense by these words is signified salvation, also fructification and multiplication, is because this follows (see n. 3971). The Lord’s spiritual kingdom, as already repeatedly stated and shown, consists of those who are in charity and thereby in faith. It is distinct from the Lord’s celestial kingdom, for this contains those who are in love to the Lord, and thereby in charity. These constitute the third or inmost heaven; but those who are spiritual constitute the second or interior heaven.

[5] The reason why “God” is first mentioned—“God hath gathered my reproach,” and then “Jehovah”—“Let Jehovah add to me another son” is that the former name regards the ascent from truth to good, but the latter the descent from good to truth; for the spiritual man is in the good of faith (that is, in good from which there is truth); but before he becomes spiritual he is in the truth of faith (that is, in truth in which there is good); for “God” is used when the subject is truth; but “Jehovah” when it is good (n. 2586, 2807, 2822, 3921).

[6] That by Joseph is represented the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, or the spiritual man, and thus the good of faith, may also be seen from the passages in the Word where he is mentioned; as in the prophecy of Jacob, then Israel:

Joseph is the son of a fruitful one, the son of a fruitful one by a fountain, of a daughter, she marcheth upon the wall; the archers shall sorely grieve him and shall shoot at him, and shall hate him; but he shall abide in the strength of his bow; and the arms of his hands shall be made strong by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob; from thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel; by the God of thy father, and He shall help thee, and with Shaddai, and He shall bless thee with blessings of heaven from above, with blessings of the deep that lieth beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb; the blessings of thy father shall prevail over the blessings of my progenitors even to the desire of the everlasting hills; they shall be upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the head of the Nazarite of his brethren (Genesis 49:22-26).

In these prophetic words there is contained in the supreme sense a description of the Lord’s Divine spiritual; and in the internal sense, of His spiritual kingdom. What each particular involves shall of the Lord’s Divine mercy be stated in the explication of that chapter.

[7] So in the prophecy of Moses:

To Joseph he said, Blessed of Jehovah be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that lieth beneath; and for the precious things of the fruits of the sun, and for the precious things of the increase of the months; and for the firstfruits of the mountains of the east, and for the precious things of the everlasting hills; and for the precious things of the earth and the fullness thereof; and the good will of him that dwelt in the bush; they shall come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the head of the Nazarite of his brethren (Deuteronomy 33:13-17).

[8] As Israel represented the Lord’s spiritual church (see n. 3305, 3654), therefore Jacob, then Israel, before his death said to Joseph:

Thy two sons, who were born unto thee in the land of Egypt, before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon. The angel who hath redeemed me from all evil bless the lads, that my name may be named upon them, and the name of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the land (Genesis 48:5, 16).

For there are two things that constitute the spiritual church-the understanding and the will, of which the understanding is represented by Ephraim, and the will by Manasseh. From this it is evident why Joseph’s two sons were adopted by Jacob, then Israel, and were acknowledged as his own. “Ephraim” is also frequently mentioned in the Word, especially the prophetic Word, and by him is there signified the intellectual of truth and good, which belongs to the spiritual church.

[9] In Ezekiel:

Jehovah said, Son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah and for the sons of Israel his companions; and take another stick and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel his companions; and join them for thee one to another, into one stick, that they both may become one in thy ¹ hand. Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold, ² I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim and the tribes of Israel his companions, and I will put them with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand. And I will make them one nation in the land, in the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king to them all, and they shall be no more two nations, and they shall no more be divided into two kingdoms again (Ezekiel 37:16-17, 19, 22).

The Lord’s celestial and spiritual kingdoms are here treated of. The celestial kingdom is “Judah” (n. 3654, 3881, 3921 the end); the spiritual kingdom is “Joseph;” and it is said that these kingdoms shall not be two, but one. They were also made into one by the coming of the Lord into the world.

[10] (That the spiritual were saved by the Lord’s coming, may be seen above, n. 2661, 2716, 2833, 2834.) It is the spiritual of whom the Lord speaks in John:

And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, and one Shepherd (John 10:16).

This is what is signified by the “two sticks, of Judah and Joseph, which shall be joined together into one, and shall be one in the Lord’s hand.” For the celestial constitute the third heaven, which is the inmost; but the spiritual the second heaven, which is the interior; and they are there one, because the one flows into the other (that is, the celestial into the spiritual), the spiritual kingdom being as a plane to the celestial, and in this way they have been firmly co-established. For the Divine celestial in the third or inmost heaven is love to the Lord; and the celestial spiritual there is charity. This charity is the chief thing in the second or interior heaven, where the spiritual are. This shows what is the nature of the influx, and also of the coestablishment by means of the influx. “Wood” signifies good, both the good of love to the Lord, and the good of charity toward the neighbor (n. 2784, 2812, 3720). For this reason it was commanded that Judah and Joseph should be “written upon sticks of wood,” which should “become one.”

[11] So in Zechariah:

I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will cause them to dwell, for I have mercy upon them; and they shall be as though I had not left them; for I Jehovah am their God, and I will answer them (Zech. 10:6);

here again the subject is the two kingdoms, the celestial and the spiritual (the celestial being “Judah,” and the spiritual “Joseph”), and the salvation of the spiritual.

[12] In Amos:

Thus said Jehovah unto the house of Israel, Seek ye Me, and ye shall live. Seek Jehovah, and ye shall live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, and there be none to quench it. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate; it may be that Jehovah God Zebaoth will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph (Amos 5:4, 6, 15); where also the spiritual are signified by “Joseph;” the “house of Israel” is the spiritual church (n. 3305, 3654); “Joseph” is the good of this church, and it is therefore said, “Jehovah said unto the house of Israel, Seek ye Me, and ye shall live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph.”

[13] In David:

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that sittest upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up Thy might, and come and save us (Psalms 80:1-3);

here also in like manner “Joseph” is the spiritual man; “Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh” are the three constituents of that church.

[14] Again:

Lift up the song and give the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery; blow the trumpet in the new moon, in the festival, on the day of our feast; for this is a statute for Israel, a judgment to the God of Jacob; he appointed it to Joseph for a testimony, when he went out against the land of Egypt; I heard a language that I knew not (Psalms 81:2-5).

That “Joseph” here is the spiritual church, or the spiritual man, is manifest from every word and expression; for in the Word there are terms that express spiritual things, and others that express celestial things, and this with uniformity throughout. In this passage there are words that express spiritual things; as “song,” “timbrel,” the “harp with the psaltery,” “blowing the trumpet in the new moon, in the festival on the day of our feast.” From this also it is manifest that the subject is the spiritual church, which is “Joseph.”

[15] In Ezekiel:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, This shall be the border whereby ye shall inherit the land, according to the twelve tribes of Israel; the lines shall be to Joseph (Ezekiel 47:13); where the subject is the Lord’s spiritual kingdom; and it is therefore said, “the lines shall be to Joseph.” The Lord’s Divine Spiritual is that which is also called His “royalty;” for the Lord’s “royalty” is His Divine truth; and His “priesthood” is His Divine good (n. 2015, 3009, 3670). The Lord’s royalty itself is that which is represented by Joseph, in his being made king in the land of Egypt, which representation shall of the Lord’s Divine mercy be treated of in its place.

[16] As regards the Lord’s Divine Spiritual, or the Divine truth, which in the supreme sense is represented by Joseph, it is not in the Lord, but is from the Lord; for the Lord is nothing but Divine good; but the Divine truth proceeds from the Divine good. To speak comparatively, this is like the sun and its light; the light is not in the sun, but proceeds from it; or it is like a fire, the light of which is not in the fire, but proceeds from the fire. The Divine good itself is also compared in the Word to the “sun,” and to “fire,” and is likewise called the “sun” and “fire.” The Lord’s celestial kingdom lives from the good which proceeds from the Lord; but His spiritual kingdom from the truth thence derived; and therefore in the other life the Lord appears to the celestial as a sun; but to the spiritual as a moon (n. 1053, 1521, 1529-1531, 3636, 3643). Both heat and light proceed from the sun, the heat being-to speak comparatively-the good of love, which is also called celestial and spiritual heat; and the light, the truth thence derived, which is also called spiritual light (n. 3636, 3643). But within the celestial heat and spiritual light that in the other life proceed from the Lord as a sun, there are the good of love and the truth of faith, thus wisdom and intelligence (n. 1521-1523, 1542, 1619-1632, 2776, 3138, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3339, 3485, 3636, 3643, 3862); for all that which proceeds from the Lord is living.

[17] From this we can see what the Divine Spiritual is; and whence comes the spiritual kingdom, and the celestial kingdom; and that the spiritual kingdom is the good of faith, that is, charity, which flows in from the Lord immediately, and also mediately through the celestial kingdom. The Divine Spiritual that proceeds from the Lord is called in the Word the “spirit of truth,” and is holy truth; not being of any spirit, but of the Lord through a spirit sent by Him; as may be seen from the words of the Lord Himself in John:

When He, the Spirit of Truth, shall come, He will guide you into all the truth; for He shall not speak from Himself; but what things soever He shall hear, these shall He speak; and He shall declare unto you the things that are to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall declare it unto you (John 16:13-14).

Footnotes:

3862. It has been shown above (n. 3858) that the “twelve tribes” signified all things of truth and good, or of faith and love; and as the sons of Jacob from whom the tribes were named are now treated of one by one, therefore another arcanum is here to be opened, namely, what is involved in them. That all celestial and spiritual heat, or love and charity, is perceived in external form in heaven as a flaming from the sun; and that all celestial and spiritual light, or faith, in the external form in heaven appears as light from the sun; also, that this celestial and spiritual heat has within it wisdom; and that the light therefrom has within it intelligence, and this because they are from the Lord, who is there the sun, may be seen above (n. 1053, 1521-1533, 1619-1632, 2441, 2495, 2776, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222-3223, 3338-3339, 3341, 3413, 3485, 3636, 3643). From this it is evident that all good is from the heat which is from the Lord as a sun; and that all truth is from the light therefrom; and it is further evident that all affections, which are of love or good, are variations of that celestial and spiritual heat which is from the Lord, and that thence come the changes of state; and that all thoughts, which are of faith or truth, are variegations of that celestial and spiritual light which is from the Lord, and that thence comes intelligence. In this heat and light are all the angels in heaven, and their affections and thoughts are from no other source, and are nothing else. This is manifest from their speech, which in consequence of this origin consists of variegations or modifications of heavenly light, within which there is heavenly heat, and is therefore also unutterable, and so various and full as to be beyond comprehension (n. 3342, 3344, 3345).

[2] In order that these things might be exhibited representatively in the world, such names were given to the several sons of Jacob as would signify the universals of good and truth, or of love and faith, thus universals in respect to the variations of celestial and spiritual heat, and as to the variegations of the derivative light. The very order of these universals is that which determines the flame and its derivative resplendence. When the order begins from love, everything which follows thence in genuine order appears flaming; but when the order begins from faith, everything which follows in genuine order appears lucid; but with every difference according to the things which follow. But if the order in which they follow is not genuine, everything appears obscure, with every difference. Concerning this order and the difference thence resulting, of the Lord’s Divine mercy something shall be said hereafter. This explains how it was that the Lord gave answers by the Urim and Thummim, and that according to the state of the matter in question they received answers by means of lights and their radiance from the precious and pellucid stones, on which were inscribed the names of the twelve tribes; for as before said, on the names were inscribed the universals of love and faith in the Lord’s kingdom, consequently the universals of flame and light whereby the things of love and faith are represented in heaven.

[3] It may therefore be first confirmed from the Word that the order in which the names of the tribes are mentioned is various in the Word, and this in accordance with the state of the subject treated of; and that from this it may be known that the answers from the Lord given by the Urim and Thummim were shinings forth of light according to the state of the matter in question from order; for all the light of heaven varies according to the states of the subject; and the states of the subject vary according to the order of good and truth. But what of truth and good is signified by each son of Jacob, will be seen from the explication; namely, that by “Reuben” is signified faith from the Lord; by “Simeon” faith of the will which is from the Lord; by “Levi” spiritual love or charity; by “Judah” the Divine of love and the Lord’s celestial kingdom. What is signified by the eight remaining sons, will be stated in the following chapter. Their order according to birth is what is here described, which is as follows: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin (see verses 32-35 of this chapter, and verses 6, 8, 11, 13, 18, 20, 24 of chapter 30, and verse 18 of chapter 35). This order is according to the state of the subject here treated of, which is the regeneration of man; for in this case the commencement is from the truth of faith, which is “Reuben;” and progression is thence made to willing what is true, which is “Simeon;” and thence to charity, which is “Levi;” thus to the Lord, who in the supreme sense is represented by Judah. That spiritual conception and birth, or regeneration, proceeds from what is external to what is internal, was stated above (n. 3860); that is, from the truth of faith to the good of love.

[4] Previous to Jacob’s coming to his father Isaac, in Mamre (Kiriath-arba), the twelve sons are named in the following order: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher (Genesis 35:23-26); in which enumeration the sons born of Leah and Rachel are named first, and last those born of the handmaids, and this according to the state of the subject there treated of. They are enumerated in a still different order when they journeyed and came to Egypt (Genesis 46:9-19); and in another order when they were blessed by Jacob, at that time Israel, before his death (Genesis 49:3-27); and in another when they were blessed by Moses (Deuteronomy 33:6-24). They were in the following order when they encamped around the tent of assembly: to the east, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun; to the south, Reuben, Simeon, Gad; to the west, Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin; to the north, Dan, Asher, Naphtali (Numbers 2). In what order they stood for blessing the people on Mount Gerizim and for cursing on Mount Ebal, may be seen in Deuteronomy 27:12-13. When the princes chosen from each tribe were sent to explore the land, they are enumerated in this order: Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Issachar, Ephraim, Benjamin, Zebulun, Joseph or Manasseh, Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Gad (Numbers 13:4-16). But the princes who were to give the land for inheritance are enumerated in another order (Numbers 34:19-29). In what order the lot was cast and came forth when the land was given for inheritance, may be seen in Joshua 13 to 19.

[5] When in Ezekiel the boundaries of the new or holy land which the tribes were to inherit are described, they are mentioned in this order: Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, Reuben, Judah, Benjamin, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, all from the corner eastward to the corner of the sea or west, except Gad, who was at the corner of the south, toward the south (48:2-8, 23-26); and when treating of the gates of the new or holy city, they are mentioned in this order: toward the north three gates, of Reuben, Judah, and Levi; toward the east three gates, of Joseph, Benjamin, and Dan; toward the south three gates, of Simeon, Issachar, and Zebulun; toward the west three gates, of Gad, Asher, and Naphtali (Ezekiel 48:31-34). The order of those who were sealed, twelve thousand out of every tribe, may be seen in Revelation 7:5-8. In all these passages the enumeration of the tribes is altogether according to the state of the specific subject that is being treated of, to which the order corresponds; this state being seen from the things that precede and that follow.

[6] What was the order of the precious stones in the Urim and Thummim is mentioned and described in the Word, but to what tribe each stone corresponded is not mentioned, for the stones represented all things of light from celestial flame, that is, all things of truth from good, or all things of faith from love; and because they had this representation, heavenly light itself shone through in a miraculous manner in accordance with the state of the subject concerning which there was question and answer, being glowing and shining for an affirmative of what was good and true, together with variegations of colors according to the differences of the state of that which was good and true; just as takes place in heaven, where all celestial and spiritual things are expressed by means of lights and their differences, and this in a manner ineffable and altogether incomprehensible by man; for as before shown within heavenly light there is life from the Lord, consequently wisdom and intelligence, and therefore in the differences of the light there is everything that belongs to the life of truth, that is, everything that belongs to wisdom and intelligence; and in the differences of the flame and of its glowing and resplendence, there is everything that belongs to the life of good and to the life of truth from good, or to love to the Lord and the derivative faith.

Such were the Urim and Thummim that were on the breastplate of the ephod and on the heart of Aaron, as is also evident from the fact that the words “Urim and Thummim” mean “Lights and Perfections,” and that the breastplate, on which they were placed, was called the “breastplate of judgment,” because “judgment” is intelligence and wisdom (n. 2235). The reason why this was on Aaron’s heart, was that by the “heart” is signified the Divine love (see above, n. 3635, and at the end of this chapter). Hence those precious stones were in settings of gold, for in the internal sense “gold” is the good of love (n. 113, 1551, 1552); and “precious stone,” the truth that is transparent from good (n. 114).

[7] Concerning the Urim and Thummim we read in Moses:

Thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment, a work of designing, like the work of the ephod thou shalt make it, of gold, of blue, and of crimson, and of scarlet double-dyed, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. Foursquare it shall be doubled, and thou shalt set in it settings of stone, four rows of stone shall there be; sockets of gold shall there be in their settings. And the stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names; the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes (Exodus 28:15-17, 20; 39:8-14).

The stones that were to be in each row are also there designated. And further:

The breastplate shall not depart from off the ephod; and Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastplate upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before Jehovah continually. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart when he goeth in before Jehovah; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the sons of Israel upon his heart before Jehovah continually (Exodus 28:28-30; Leviticus 8:7-8).

That Jehovah or the Lord was inquired of and gave answers by means of the Urim, may be seen in Moses:

Jehovah said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, and thou shalt put of thy glory upon him, that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey. He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, and he shall inquire for him in the judgment of the Urim before Jehovah (Numbers 27:18, 20-21).

And in Samuel:

Saul inquired of Jehovah, and Jehovah answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets (1 Samuel 28:6).