5698. 'And said, Set on bread' means a perception of a joining, through the intermediary, to the truths in the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' as perceiving, often dealt with already; and from the meaning of 'setting on bread' as a joining, through the intermediary, to the truths in the natural. 'Setting on bread' is used to mean an actual meal; and meals and feasts mean a joining together, in particular the introductory stage to a joining together, 3596, 3832, 5161. A joining, through the intermediary, to the truths in the natural follows from the train of thought - 'Benjamin' being the intermediary, and 'the ten sons of Jacob' the truths in the natural, as shown already. And since the intermediary is the one through whom the joining together is effected, Joseph gave the command, on seeing Benjamin, that they should eat with him,

And Joseph saw Benjamin with them, and he said to the one who was over his house, Bring the men to the house, and slaughter and prepare [an animal]; for the men will eat with me at midday. Verse 16.

3832. 'And made a feast' means the introduction. This is clear from the meaning of 'a feast' as making one's own and being joined to, dealt with in 3596. Here it is the introduction, for this precedes the joining together, and is a pledge and witness to it. The feasts which were held in early times by people among whom meaningful signs and representatives existed meant nothing else than the introduction into the mutual love which is the essence of charity. Wedding feasts meant the introduction into conjugial love, and sacred feasts the introduction into spiritual and celestial love, the reason being that 'feasting' or eating and drinking meant making one's own and becoming joined to, as shown in 3596.

[2] This being the meaning of 'feasts' the Lord also spoke in the same vein,

Many will come from the east and from the west and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 8:11.

And elsewhere He said to the disciples,

That you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom. Luke 22:30.

And when He instituted the Holy Supper He said,

I tell you that I shall not drink from now on of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom. Matthew 26:29.

Anyone may see that 'reclining', 'eating', and 'drinking' in the Lord's kingdom do not mean reclining, eating, and drinking, but the kind of thing that exists in that kingdom; that is to say, these experiences are used to mean making the good of love and the truth of faith one's own, and so to mean that which is called spiritual food and celestial food. The quotations given above also show plainly that there is an internal sense within words spoken by the Lord, and that without an understanding of that sense one cannot know what is meant by reclining with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, by eating and drinking at the Lord's table in His kingdom, and by drinking of the fruit of the vine with them in the Father's kingdom. Nor indeed can one know what is meant by eating bread and drinking wine in the Holy Supper.