5955. 'And to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver' means that to the intermediary a complete amount of truth from good was imparted. This is clear from the representation of 'Benjamin' as the intermediary, dealt with in 5600, 5631, 5639, 5688, 5822; from the representation of Joseph, the one who 'gave', as internal good, dealt with in 5826, 5827, 5869, 5877; from the meaning of 'three hundred' as a complete amount, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'silver' as truth, dealt with in 1551, 2954, 5658. From all this it is evident that 'to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver' means that he imparted to the intermediary a complete amount of truth from good; for the intermediary, represented by 'Benjamin', is interior truth, through an influx into it from the internal celestial, 5600, 5631. The reason why 'three hundred' means a complete amount is that this number is the product of three multiplied by a hundred - 'three' meaning what is complete, 2788, 4495, and 'a hundred' meaning much, 4400. For the meaning held by compound numbers is clear from the simple numbers that are their factors.

[2] 'Three hundred' holds a similar meaning when mentioned elsewhere in the Word, as in Genesis 6:15, where it says that Noah's ark was three hundred cubits long, also in the reference to the three hundred men whom Gideon used to strike a blow at Midian, spoken of in Judges as follows,

The number of those who lapped in their hand to their mouth was three hundred men. Jehovah said to Gideon, By the three hundred men who were lapping I will give Midian into your hand. Gideon divided the three hundred men into three lines of battle, and he put a trumpet into the hand of each one of them, and empty water-pots, and torches in the middle of the water-pots. When they sounded the blast on the three hundred trumpets, Jehovah set the sword of [each] man against his companion and against the whole camp. Judges 7:6-8, 16, 22.

By 'the three hundred men' in this description too a complete amount is meant, and the same is meant by 'three lines of battle' into which the three hundred were divided. And by 'a hundred', the number in each line of battle, is meant much or enough, consequently that there were enough men to stand against Midian. Besides, every detail in this description was representative - the selection of those who lapped the water in their hand; the trumpet given to each man; and the water-pots with the torches inside them. This was so because 'Midian', whom they were opposing, represented truth that was not truth because there was no goodness of life in it. But such details will in the Lord's Divine mercy be explained elsewhere. The fact that numbers too were representative is evident from many other places, for example the number seven in Joshua, when they were going to capture Jericho. The command was given for seven priests to carry seven trumpets of rejoicing in front of the Ark; and on the seventh day they were to go round the city seven times, Joshua 6:4.

3758. Genesis 29

1. And Jacob lifted up his feet and went to the land of the sons of the east.

2. And he saw, and behold, a well in the field, and behold, three droves of a flock there, lying nearby it; for out of that well they watered the droves; and there was a large stone over the mouth of the well.

3. And all the droves would be gathered there; and they would roll the stone from over the mouth of the well and water the flock; and they would put the stone back in its place over the mouth of the well.

4. And Jacob said to them, My brothers, where are you from? And they said, We are from Haran.

5. And he said to them, Do you know Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We do.

6. And he said to them, Does he have peace? ¹ And they said, [He has] peace; and behold, Rachel his daughter is coming with the flock.

7. And he said, Behold, it is still high day; it is not time for the cattle to be gathered together; water the flock, and go and pasture them.

8. And they said, We cannot until all the droves are gathered together, and they have rolled the stone from over the mouth of the well, and we water the flock.

9. While he was still speaking to them Rachel came with the flock which was her father's, for she was a shepherdess.

10. And so it was, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the flock of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob came near and rolled the stone from over the mouth of the well, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

11. And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept.

12. And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son; and she ran and told her father.

13. And so it was, when Laban heard the news about Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.

14. And Laban said to him, Surely you are my bone and my flesh. And he dwelt with him for a full month.

15. And Laban said to Jacob, Because you are my brother should you serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your reward be?

16. And Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger Rachel.

17. And Leah's eyes were weak; and Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance.

18. And Jacob loved Rachel and said, I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.

19. And Laban said, It is better for me to give her to you than to give her to another man; remain with me.

20. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they were in his eyes like a few days, because of his love for her.

21. And Jacob said to Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are completed, and I will go [in] to her.

22. And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.

23. And so it was in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to him; and he came [in] to her.

24. And Laban gave to her Zilpah his servant-girl - to Leah his daughter to be her servant-girl.

25. And so it was in the morning, that behold it was Leah. And he said to Laban, What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served with you? And why have you cheated me?

26. And Laban said, It is not done that way in our place, to give the younger before the firstborn.

27. Complete this week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you render with me for another seven years.

28. And Jacob did so and completed this week, and he gave him Rachel his daughter for his wife.

29. And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his servant-girl, to her to be a servant-girl.

30. And he came [in] also to Rachel, and he loved Rachel also, more than Leah; and he served with him yet another seven years.

31. And Jehovah saw that Leah was hated, and He opened her womb; and Rachel was barren.

32. And Leah conceived and bore a son; and she called his name Reuben, for she said, Because Jehovah has seen my affliction; for now my husband (vir) will love me.

33. And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, For Jehovah has heard that I was hated and has given me this one also; and she called his name Simeon.

34. And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, Now this time my husband (vir) will cling to me, because I have borne him three sons; therefore she called his name Levi.

35. And she conceived again and bore a son, and she said, This time I will confess Jehovah; therefore she called his name Judah. And she left off bearing.

CONTENTS

In this chapter 'Jacob' refers, in the internal sense, to the Lord's Natural, the subject being how the Good of Truth in His Natural was joined to a kindred good from a Divine source, meant by 'Laban'. First these were so joined through the affection for external truth, meant by 'Leah', and then through the affection for internal truth, meant by 'Rachel'.

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