3279. 'These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son' means the Lord's Divine Rational, from which the Divine Natural sprang. This is clear from the meaning of 'generations' as derivatives, dealt with in 1145, 1255, 1330, that is to say, derivatives of faith when faith is the subject, and derivatives of the Church when the Church is the subject, as above where derivatives of the spiritual Church are meant by the generations of Ishmael, 3263. Here however since 'generations' has reference to the Lord, Divine generations are meant. That is to say, the Divine Rational came into being from the Divine itself, which is meant by Isaac who was begotten by Abraham; and the Divine Natural came into being from the Divine Rational, which is meant by Esau and Jacob who were begotten by Isaac. For Esau and Jacob represent the Lord's Divine Natural, Esau as regards good, and Jacob as regards truth, both being dealt with in what follows next. These are the things meant here by 'generations'.

1145. That 'these are the generations of the sons of Noah' means derivative matters of doctrine and derivative forms of worship in the Ancient Church, which in general is Noah, is clear from the meaning of 'generations', dealt with already. In the external or literal sense, generations involve one being begotten from another, as is well known; but in the internal sense everything has regard to things that are celestial and spiritual, that is, to what are matters of charity and of faith. Thus 'generations' here means things of the Church, and therefore matters of doctrine, as will be better evident from what follows.