5972. 'And the spirit of Jacob their father revived' means newness of life. This is clear from the meaning of 'the spirit revived' as newness of life; and from the representation of 'Jacob' as natural good, dealt with in 5965. Hence 'the spirit of Jacob revived' means newness of life imparted to natural good. Newness of life occurs when what is spiritual flows in from the internal and acts from within on what is in the natural. Natural good is thereby made spiritual, having been linked to spiritual good, which 'Israel' represents. This also explains why Jacob is now called Israel, for the words used are, 'the spirit of Jacob revived, and Israel said'.

5806. 'And he alone is left to his mother' means that this is the only truth the Church possesses. This is clear from the representation of Benjamin, to whom 'the only one left' refers here, as new truth, dealt with just above in 5804; and from the meaning of 'mother' as the Church, dealt with in 289, 2691, 2717, 5581. With regard to the fact that this truth - represented here by 'Benjamin', and described above in 5804 - is the only truth the Church possesses, the situation is this: Such truth is truth springing from spiritual good, which is 'Israel'; and it is what 'Benjamin' represents when he is with his father, whereas truth even more interior is represented by him when he is with Joseph. The truth which Benjamin represents when he is with his father and which is called new truth is the only truth that enables a person to be a Church, for this new truth or those truths [spoken of in 5804] hold life received from good within them. That is, the person with whom the truths of faith exist rooted in good is a Church, not so the person with whom the truths of faith but no good of charity exist. With the latter person the truths are dead, even though they may have been the same truths. From all this one may see what the situation is with regard to the fact that this truth is the only truth the Church possesses.