6012. And the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father. That this signifies that truths which are spiritual caused natural truth to advance, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being spiritual truths (see n. 5414, 5879); and from the representation of Jacob, as being natural truth (n. 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3599, 3775, 4009, 4234, 4520, 4538). The reason why “they carried” denotes that they caused to advance, is that it is predicated of spiritual truths relatively to natural truth, and natural truth cannot be advanced from any other source than spiritual truth, for its life and force of acting are thence derived. It is for this reason that the sons of Jacob are here called the “sons of Israel,” and that Jacob is called “Jacob.”

5879. Doth my father yet live? That this signifies the presence of spiritual good from the natural, is evident from the representation of Israel, who here is the “father,” as being spiritual good from the natural (see n. 5801, 5803, 5807, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833); that it is from the natural see n. 4286; and from the signification of “doth he yet live,” as being the presence thereof. For Joseph’s first thought when he manifested himself was about his father, whom he knew to be living. Wherefore Israel was first present in thought, and also continuously afterward while Joseph spoke to his brethren. The reason is that the conjunction of the internal celestial, which is “Joseph,” cannot be effected with the truths in the natural, which are the “sons of Jacob,” except through spiritual good from the natural, which is “Israel.” And when conjunction is effected, then they are no longer the sons of Jacob, but the sons of Israel, for the “sons of Israel” are spiritual truths in the natural.