4400. 'A hundred kesitahs' means that which is complete. This is clear from the meaning of 'a hundred' as a complete state, dealt with in 2636, and therefore that which is complete. But strictly speaking 'a hundred' in the present instance means much, for the subject is making its own the good from interior truths, which are meant by 'the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem', 4399. 'Kesitahs', which were coins, in the internal sense means truths of this kind, for this word is also derived from another which means truth, Psalms 60:4. The joining of good to those truths will be discussed below in 4402.

'Shechem,' as in Genesis 37:12, signifies earliest basics of the doctrine concerning faith. The earliest basics are also the common, or general, principles of doctrinal things. These common, or general, principles are what are received first. Special, or particular, principles follow afterwards.

In Genesis 12:6, 'Abram's passing through the land unto the place Shechem' signifies a new state of the Lord when the celestial aspects of love first appeared to Him which is what Shechem signifies. This is the first stop in the land of Canaan, when coming from Syria, or Haran.

'Shechem' the son of Hamor in Genesis 34:2 signifies the truth of the church from ancient times.

In Genesis 33:17-20, Psalms 60:6-8 and 108:7-9, Shechem signifies the first dawn of light.

(Referenties: Arcana Coelestia 1441, Genesis 6; Joshua 1, 7, 20, 20:7, 21, 21:21, 24:1, 24, 24:25)