3972. 'That Jacob said to Laban' means the good of natural truth turned to the parallel good from a Divine origin, by means of which good interior things are joined together. This is clear from the representation of 'Jacob' as the good of natural truth, dealt with in 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 3829, and from the representation of 'Laban' as a parallel good from a Divine origin, dealt with in 3612, 3665, 3778. As regards the joining together of interior things being effected by means of that good, this has been explained several times already, see 3665, 3690, and elsewhere. This good is also that which is meant by 'Laban's flock', by means of which Jacob obtained for himself his own flock - matters dealt with in what follows.

3659. 'Isaac called to Jacob' means perception by the Lord regarding the nature of the good of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'calling to someone' as perception of the nature of a thing, dealt with in 3609, from the representation of 'Isaac' as the Lord as regards the Divine Good of the Divine Rational, dealt with in 1893, 2066, 2072, 2083, 2630, 3012, 3194, 3210, and from the representation of 'Jacob' as the Lord as regards natural truth, dealt with in 1893, 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3576, 3599. Here however and in the rest of this chapter 'Jacob' represents the good of that truth. From this it is evident that these words 'Isaac called to Jacob' mean perception by the Lord of the nature of the good of truth.

[2] The reason why 'Jacob' here represents the good of that truth is that by now he had taken Esau's birthright, and also his blessing, and in so doing had assumed Esau's identity; yet it was still no more than the good of that truth, which truth he had represented previously. For every kind of truth that exists holds good within it, because truth is not truth unless it arises out of good and for this reason is called truth. By means of the birthright which he took, and by means of the blessing, Jacob acquired for his descendants, in precedence over Esau, a succession to the promise made to Abraham and Isaac concerning the land of Canaan. In so doing he represented the Lord's Divine Natural, even as 'Isaac' represented the Divine Rational, and 'Abraham' His Divine itself. In order therefore that the representative might rest on one person he was thus allowed to take away the birthright from Esau, and after that the blessing. This is why Jacob now represents the good of the natural, though at first in this chapter he represents the good of that truth, which truth he represented immediately before. Esau is also dealt with further still, as in verses 6-9 below, to the end that the good of truth and the interior truth of good of the Lord's Natural - which cannot as yet be represented by 'Jacob' - may nevertheless be represented. What the good of truth, represented here by 'Jacob' is, and the nature of it, will be clear from what follows.