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.

3775. 'Jacob said to them' means the truth of good. This is clear from the representation of 'Jacob' as the Lord's Divine Natural; dealt with already. Since every single thing, wherever it may be, has reference to good and truth, 3166, 3513, 3519, so also does everything in the natural; and since during a person's regeneration good and truth in the natural exist in a different state at the beginning from the state in which they exist during the process of regeneration and at the end of it, 'Jacob' therefore represents truth and good present in the natural, in a relationship to each other determined by the particular state; here he represents the truth of good. But to explain their varying relationship to each other every time they occur would cast the subject into obscurity, especially with people who have no distinct concept of truth and good, let alone of truth through which good comes, and of truth which stems from good.