3872. 'And she called his name Simeon' means the essential nature of it. This is clear from the meaning of 'name' or 'calling the name' as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421. That nature is contained in the internal sense of the words spoken by Leah, 'Jehovah has heard that I was hated, and has given me this one also', and is that which is meant by 'Simeon' and also by the tribe named after him. It is the second universal attribute of the Church, or the second with the person who is being regenerated and becoming the Church. That is to say, it is an obedience or a will to put into practice truth that is the truth of faith; and into that obedience and within that will charity - which follows next and is meant by 'Levi' - is implanted.

146. These considerations make plain the connection between the things that are meant. Verse 18 said that 'it is not good that the man should be alone, I will make for him a help suitable for him', and directly after that beasts and birds are mentioned even though they have been dealt with already. Immediately after this the statement is repeated that 'for man there was not found a help suitable for him', meaning that when he had been made aware of what he was in character as regards affections for good and cognitions of truth he still had his heart set on the proprium. In fact, people such as desire the proprium begin to despise those things that are the Lord's, no matter how well they are represented and shown to them.