8661. 'I your father-in-law Jethro [come to you], and your wife, and her two sons with her' means levels of God's good in their order. This is clear from the representation of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, as Divine Good, dealt with in 8643, 8644; from the representation of Zipporah, the wife of Moses, as good originating in that Divine Good and joined to God's truth, dealt with in 8647; and from the representation of 'her sons' as forms of the good of truth, dealt with in 8649 8651. Thus they are levels of good in their order. Levels of good in their order are interior and exterior forms of good that come in order one after another - in degrees, about which see 3691, 4154, 5114, 5145, 5146, 8603.

8651. 'And the name of the other was Eliezer' means the essential nature of the good of truth of those within the Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'name' and 'calling the name' as the essential nature, as above in 8650. The reason why the essential nature of the good of truth is meant is that the two sons mean forms of the good of truth, 8649. The meaning here - that the essential nature of this form of the good of truth is that of those within the Church - is evident from the words spoken by Moses regarding this son when he was born, which were, Because the God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh. It is also evident from the fact that the essential nature of the good of truth meant by the name of the first son - Gershom - is that of those outside the Church, 8650.