3084. 'And went up' means a raising up. This is clear from the meaning of 'going up' as being raised up. The expression 'raised up' is used to describe from what is lower to what is higher, and because it is used to describe this it is also used to describe from what is exterior to what is interior, for the two are one and the same. Indeed what is lower and higher in human thought is exterior and interior in angelic thought, as with the idea of heaven. By men heaven is seen as that which is higher, but by angels as that which is interior. It is similarly so with the natural with man. In relation to his spiritual it is exterior, while the spiritual in turn is exterior in relation to the celestial. Or what amounts to the same, factual knowledge which belongs to the natural man is exterior in relation to truth, while truth is exterior in relation to good. Therefore also factual knowledge in relation to truth is called a covering as well as a garment, and so in a similar way is truth in relation to good.

[2] This explains why the expressions 'going up' to Jerusalem, but 'coming down' from Jerusalem are used; also 'going up' from Jerusalem to Zion, and 'coming down' from Zion to Jerusalem; for the parts surrounding Jerusalem mean the exterior features of the Church, Jerusalem meaning the more interior features and Zion the inmost. Since in the internal sense this verse describes the initial stage in the raising up of truth from the natural man to the rational man, therefore it is first of all said here that the affection for truth represented by Rebekah 'went down to the spring' and shortly after that 'went up'. For as stated above in 3074, Divine love flows into the affection for good, and from there into the affection for truth, and in so doing brings life and light to the things that are in the natural man, and at the same time orders them. This is the meaning of 'going down'. In this way truths are raised up from the natural man into the rational man where they are joined to good. This is the meaning of 'going up'.

3075. Verses 15-16 And so it was, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milkah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother; and her pitcher was on her shoulder. And the girl was very good looking, a virgin, and no man had known her. And she went down to the spring, and filled her pitcher, and went up.

'And so it was, before he had finished speaking' means the realization of what he willed. 'That behold, Rebekah came out' means the affection for truth coming from matters of doctrine. 'Who was born to Bethuel, the son of Milkah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother' means the whole origin of that affection. 'And her pitcher was on her shoulder' means vessels that receive truth, and a total effort to uphold that truth. 'And the girl was very good looking' means the beauty of the affection for truth. 'A virgin, and no man had known her' means pure from everything false. 'And she went down to the spring' means Divine truth. 'And filled her pitcher' means vessels for receiving. 'And went up' means a raising up.