4785. 'For I will go down to my son, to the grave mourning' means that the Ancient Church was perishing. This is clear from the representation of Jacob - who says this about himself - as the Ancient Church, dealt with above in 4680, 4700, 4772; from the representation of Joseph, to whom 'my son' refers here, as the Divine Spiritual or Divine Truth, dealt with above; and from the meaning of 'going down to the grave mourning' as dying, and in reference to the Church, and also to Divine Truth, as perishing.

2046. 'Every male' means those who possess the truth of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'a male' as truth, dealt with in 672, 749. The reason why the word 'male', meaning the truth of faith, is used is that nobody can be purified from those filthy loves except the person who is governed by truth. From truth he recognizes what is pure or impure, and what is holy or unholy. Until he possesses such knowledge there are no channels into which and through which heavenly love flowing in constantly from the Lord is able to operate, for it cannot be received except within truths. It is by means of cognitions of truth therefore that a person is reformed and regenerated, but this does not take place before he has been endowed with them. Conscience itself is formed by means of the truths of faith, for the conscience with which a regenerate person is endowed is a conscience for what is true and right. On this matter see 977, 986 (end), 1033, 1076, 1077. This also is the reason why flint knives, or 'swords of flint', as they are called, were used for circumcision. 'Swords of flint' means truths, see above 2039 (end).