3859. Verse 32. And Leah conceived and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, Because Jehovah hath seen my affliction, for now my man will love me. “And Leah conceived and bare a son,” signifies spiritual conception and birth from what is external to what is internal; “and she called his name Reuben,” signifies the quality thereof, which is described; “for she said, Because Jehovah hath seen,” signifies in the supreme sense foresight, in the internal sense faith, in the interior sense understanding, in the external sense sight, and in the present case faith from the Lord; “my affliction,” signifies a state of arriving at good; “for now my man will love me,” signifies that hence would come the good of truth.

478. The reason why he is called “Adam” is that the Hebrew word “Adam” signifies “man;” but that he is never properly called “Adam” by name, but “Man” is very evident from this passage and also from former ones, in that [in some cases] he is not spoken of in the singular number, but in the plural, and also from the fact that the term is predicated of both the man and the woman, both together being called “Man.” That it is predicated of both, everyone may see from the words, for it is said, “He called their name Man, in the day that they were created;” and in like manner in the first chapter: “Let us make man in our image, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea” (Genesis 1:27-28). Hence also it may appear that the subject treated of is not the creation of some one man who was the first of mankind, but the Most Ancient Church.