Arcana Coelestia # 3905
3905. And Rachel saw that she did not bear to Jacob. That this signifies that interior truth was not yet acknowledged, is evident from the representation of Rachel, as being the affection of interior truth, or interior truth itself (n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819); from the signification of “bearing,” as being to acknowledge in faith and also in act (concerning which below); and from the representation of Jacob, as being the good of natural truth (of which n. 3669, 3677, 3829, and in the whole of the preceding chapter). The reason why “to bear” is to acknowledge in faith and also in act, is that by “births” in the Word are signified spiritual births (n. 1145, 1255, 3860, 3868). Spiritual birth is the acknowledgment of and faith in truth and good; here, the acknowledgment in faith and also in act, namely, of the interior truth represented by Rachel. As nothing is acknowledged in faith until the man lives according to it, it is for this reason said, “the acknowledgment in faith and also in act.” Truths of faith which are not learned for the sake of doing, but only for the sake of knowing them, join themselves to the affections of evil and falsity; for which reason they are not of faith with the man who has learned them, but are interiorly contrary to faith.
Arcana Coelestia # 3829
3829. And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my woman. 1 That this signifies that from general good there was now conjunction with the affection of interior truth, is evident from the representation of Jacob, as being the good of the natural (concerning which see above); in the present case general good, because the things of the natural are relatively general, there being innumerable things which flow from the internal man into the natural or external man which appear in this latter as one general thing, and still more so before the particulars of the generals have been received, as in the present case. For this reason the good which is represented by Jacob is now called general good. That conjunction with the affection of interior truth is signified, is manifest, for Rachel, who is here called “my woman,” represents the affection of interior truth, as before shown.
Фусноте:
1. Although the term “woman” in this connection is offensive to the ears of English speaking people, it is necessary to keep to the word that is used in the original, which is mulier and not uxor. Moreover Rachel and Leah were not the wives of Jacob, but merely his “women,” because there is no marriage possible except that of “one man with one wife” (n. 1907), and Jacob was a polygamist. [Reviser.]
