4688. 'And behold, your sheaves gathered round it' means those who were governed by faith, that is to say, by faith grounded in some charity. This is clear from the meaning of 'gathering round' here as an approach in order to worship, for the statement follows that 'they bowed down to his sheaf', by which worship is meant; and from the meaning of 'a sheaf' as doctrine, dealt with just above in 4686, in this case every aspect of doctrine, that is, every aspect of faith. The reason 'sheaves' has this meaning here is that all the sons of Jacob represent in the genuine sense every aspect of faith, 3858, 3926, and so also do 'sheaves' because in the dream these stood in place of the sons of Jacob. 'Sheaves' also has that meaning because what was seen took place in the middle of the field, and 'the middle of the field' means that which is more internal, or those within the Church who are more internal ones, dealt with in 4686, and so means those governed by faith grounded in charity. These are the ones who are meant by the sheaves which gathered round and bowed down to Joseph's sheaf. The fact that those who were more external, that is, more remote from the middle, and whom 'Joseph's brothers' stand for here in the proper sense, are not meant is evident from what is stated before and after, namely that they hated him all the more, that is, they held him in contempt and turned away in aversion. For 'hating,' 'not speaking peaceably', and 'being envious' - expressions used in reference to his brothers - mean contempt and aversion.
