3440. 'And I will bless you, and will cause your seed to multiply' means the increase of good and truth from there. This is clear from the meaning of 'blessing you' as an increase of good, dealt with in 3406, and from the meaning of 'your seed multiplying' as an increase of truth, dealt with in 43, 55, 913, 983, 2846, 2847 - 'seed' meaning truth, in reference to which 'multiplying' is used, see 1025, 1447, 1610, 2848, 3038, 3373, 3380. One reason why even from the literal sense of the Word an increase of good and truth takes place with man is that within that sense also every single thing is Divine, as stated just above in 3439. And another reason is that in many places in the literal sense the internal sense is openly revealed, for example in the Old Testament, in the Prophets, where the Lord's future coming to be the salvation of the human race is stated; where it is stated that to love God and to love the neighbour constitute all the Law and all the Prophets; or where it is stated that hatred is murder, for anyone who harbours hatred is committing murder moment by moment, insofar as his hatred is willful and is the delight of his life. These are examples of where the internal sense can be seen within the literal sense; and there are many others besides these.

983. 'being fruitful' means goods stemming from charity, and 'multiplying' means truths of faith which they were now to receive as increases. This is clear from the meaning of both expressions in the Word where 'being fruitful', or bearing fruit, always has reference to charity, while 'multiplying' has reference to faith. See what has been stated already about the meaning of these two expressions in 43, 55. And by way of further confirmation let the following places from the Word be brought forward: In Jeremiah,

Return, O estranged children; I will give you shepherds after My own heart, and they will feed you with knowledge and intelligence, and it will be that you will be multiplied and you will be fruitful in the land. Jeremiah 3:14-16.

Here 'being multiplied' manifestly stands for the growth of knowledge and intelligence, that is, of faith, while 'being fruitful' stands for goods stemming from charity. Indeed these words describe the establishment of the Church, in which faith or 'multiplying' comes first.

[2] In the same prophet,

I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their folds, and they will be fruitful and be multiplied. Jeremiah 23:3.

This refers to the Church which has been established, and so is 'to be fruitful' as regards the goods of charity and 'to be multiplied' as regards the truths of faith. In Moses,

Furthermore I will have regard for you and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will establish My covenant with you. Leviticus 26:9.

The subject at this point in the internal is the celestial Church, and sense therefore 'being fruitful' has reference to goods of love and charity, 'being multiplied' to goods and truths of faith. In Zechariah,

I will redeem them, and they will be multiplied as they have been multiplied. Zechariah 10:8.

It is evident from the promise that they are to be redeemed that 'being multiplied' here has reference to truths of faith.

[3] In Jeremiah,

The city will be built upon its mound, and out of them will come confession and the voice of those who are playing, and I will multiply them and they will not grow fewer; and its sons will be as they were of old. Jeremiah 30:18-20.

This refers to the affections for truth and to the truths of faith. Affections for truth are expressed by 'confession and the voice of those who are playing', while increases in truths of faith are expressed by 'being multiplied'. Here 'sons' also stands for truths.