6440. 'Benjamin' means the truth of good present in the spiritual Church, which is 'Joseph'. This is clear from the representation of 'Benjamin' as the spiritual of the celestial, dealt with in 4592. Which - the spiritual of the celestial - is the truth of good. In this instance the truth of the good present in the spiritual Church, which is represented by 'Joseph' in this prophetic utterance made by Israel, is meant; for since 'Joseph' represents the spiritual Church, 6417, he also represents the good present in that Church (a Church is a Church by virtue of good). And the truth of that good is 'Benjamin'.

6418. 'The son of a fertile one beside a spring' means the fruitfulness of truth from the Word. This is clear from the meaning of 'the son' as truth, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3773, 3704; from the meaning of 'a fertile one' as the fruitfulness of truth, for fertility, like bearing and birth, applies in the spiritual sense to truth and good, 1145, 1255, 3860, 3868, 4070, 4668, 5598; and from the meaning of 'a spring' as the Word, dealt with in 2702, 3424, 4861. From this it is evident that 'the son of a fertile one beside a spring' means the fruitfulness of truth from the Word. Those who belong to the Lord's spiritual Church, the Church represented here by 'Joseph', come to know what good is from truth received from the Word, and so are introduced into good by means of truth. Then follows the fruitfulness meant by 'a fertile one'.