5912. 'You and your sons, and the sons of your sons' means spiritual good, and all derivatives from it, and further derivatives from these. This is clear from the representation of Israel, to whom 'you' refers here, as spiritual good, dealt with above in 5906; from the meaning of 'his sons' as derivatives from that good, that is, the truths in the natural which are represented by 'his sons'; and from the meaning of 'the sons of his sons' as derivatives from these, that is to say, further truths so born and derived. For when good occupies the first place and has dominion, it is constantly bringing forth truths. It then multiplies these around itself and also around each truth, making each truth like a star, the middle of which is shining brightly. But that good does not merely multiply the truths around itself; it also brings forth from those truths further truths by means of successive derivations, which are 'the sons of sons' or grandsons, and so on after them. Joseph did not invite his brothers to join him except through their father; for he said that his father was to come with his sons and sons' sons. The reason for this is that the joining of the internal celestial to the truths in the natural has no existence except through the intermediary.

7663. 'With our flocks and with our herds we shall go' means those governed by good, interior and exterior. This is clear from the meaning of 'flocks' as interior good, and of 'herds' as exterior good, dealt with in 5913, 6048. The words in this verse, saying that they would go with their children and old people, sons and daughters, and flocks and herds, are used to mean in the internal sense everything that belongs to the Church, both the external Church and the internal. What belongs to the external Church is meant by 'children', 'sons', and 'herds', and what belongs to the internal Church by 'old people', 'daughters', and 'flocks'; for 'old people' are aspects of wisdom, 'daughters' affections for good, and 'flocks' genuine good. These are what belong to the internal Church; but 'children' are aspects of simplicity, 'sons' affections for truth, and 'herds' external good, these being what belongs to the external Church.