Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 24:52-54
When it was the time of loves, I clothed thee with broidered work, I girded thee about with fine linen, and covered thee with silk, I decked thee also with ornament, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a necklace upon thy throat, and I put a jewel upon thy nose, and earrings in thine ears, and a crown of adornment upon thy head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy raiment was of fine linen and silk and broidered work (Ezek. 16:8-13).
And when the same church fell away from truth and good, it is thus described in the same chapter:--
Thou didst take of thy garments, and madest for thee high places with divers colors thou didst take the vessels of thine adornment, of My gold and of My silver, which I had given thee, and madest for thee images of a male; and thou tookest thy broidered garments, and coveredst them (Ezekiel 16:16-18).
From these passages it plainly appears that " silver, gold, and garments" denote nothing else than the things which are of the church, namely, truth and good, and the things which are of truth and good.
. And gave to Rebekah. That this signifies which then were of the affection of truth, is evident from the representation of Rebekah, as being the affection of truth (n. 2865, 3077). By the things mentioned just above - the vessels of silver, the vessels of gold, and the garments - is described the affection of truth, as a bride; wherefore by these words is signified that such then was the affection of truth; or what is the same, that those things then were of the affection of truth. . He gave also precious things to her brother. That this signifies spiritual things thence for natural good, is evident from the signification of "precious things," as being spiritual things, whereof we shall speak presently; and from the signification of her "brother," as being natural good (n. 3160) Laban also, who is here the brother, is the affection of good in the natural man (n. 3129, 3130). That "precious things" signify spiritual things, is evident from other passages in the Word, as where Joseph is treated of, in Moses:--Blessed of Jehovah be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep lying beneath and for the precious things of the produce of the sun, and for the precious things of the growth of the months, and for the precious things of the hills of eternity, and for the precious things of the earth, and of the fullness thereof (Deut. 33:13-16).
where by the "precious things of heaven, the precious things of the produce of the sun, the precious things of the growth of the months, the precious things of the hills of eternity, and the precious things of the earth," are signified various kinds of spiritual things. Moreover the things called precious were precious stones, pearls, balsams, spices, and the like, all which signify spiritual things.
[2] What spiritual things are, has been frequently stated above, namely, that in the Lord‘s kingdom there are celestial things and spiritual things, and that celestial things are of good, and spiritual things are of the derivative truth. There is nothing in the universe that does not refer to good and truth; whatever is of use, and of life, refers to good; but whatever is of doctrine and memory-knowledge, especially concerning use and life, refers to truth; or what is the same, whatever is of the will, is called good or evil; but whatever is of the understanding is called truth or falsity; and therefore good, which is solely of love and charity, and which flows in from the Lord, is celestial; whereas truth, which is therefrom, is spiritual. The reason why precious things were given to the brother, when vessels of silver, vessels of gold, and garments were given to the sister, on her becoming a bride, is that the "brother" signified good in the natural man, and this good is enlightened when truth is being initiated into good in the rational; for all the enlightenment of good and of truth in the natural man is thence.
. And to her mother. That this signifies for natural truth also (namely, that it thence has spiritual things, as is the case with natural good, concerning which see just above) is evident from the signification of "mother," as being the church, which is called "mother" from truth (n. 289, 2717). In order that it may be known how it is that natural good and natural truth have spiritual things from the fact that truth is initiated into good in the rational, this may be briefly explained. Every man has an internal and an external; his internal is called the internal man, and his external the external man; but what the internal man is, and what the external, is known to few. The internal man is the same as the spiritual man, and the external is the same as the natural man; the spiritual man is that which understands and is wise from those things which are of the light of heaven, but the natural man from those things which are of the light of the world. Concerning which two lights see (n. 3138). For in heaven there are nothing but spiritual things, whereas in the world there are nothing but natural kings. Man has been so created that in him spiritual things and natural things, that is, his spiritual and natural man, should agree or make a one; but in this case the spiritual man ought to dispose all things in the natural, and the natural ought to obey, as a servant his lord.[2] But by the fall the natural man began to exalt itself above the spiritual man, and thus inverted Divine order itself; hence the natural man separated itself from the spiritual, and no longer possessed any spiritual things, except such as could enter as through chinks, and confer the capacity of thinking and speaking. But in order that spiritual things might again flow into the natural man, this had to be regenerated by the Lord; that is, truth out of the natural man must be initiated and conjoined with good in the rational; and when this is effected, spiritual things come to the natural man, for then the light of heaven flows in and enlightens the things in the natural man, and causes them to receive light; the goods therein the heat of light, that is, love and charity; and the truth the rays of light, that is, faith; and in this way natural good and natural truth receive spiritual things. In this case natural good is all the delight and pleasure that come from having as an end the being of service to what is spiritual, thus to the neighbor, still more to the public weal, and still more to the Lord’s kingdom, and above all to the Lord; and natural truth is all the doctrine and memory-knowledge that has as an end to be wise, that is, the doing of these things.
. And they did eat and drink. That this signifies the appropriation of the good and of the truth thus initiated, appears from the signification of "eating," as being to be communicated and conjoined, thus to be appropriated (n. 2187, 2343); and as this is predicated of bread, and by "bread" is signified good (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 2187), it is the appropriation of good which is signified by "eating "-and also from the signification of "drinking," as also being to be communicated and conjoined, thus to be appropriated (n. 3089); but as this is predicated of wine, and by "wine" is signified truth (n. 1071, 1798), it is the appropriation of truth which is signified by "drinking." The real case herein is as before said (n. 3167), that when truth is being initiated into good, and still more when it is being conjoined with it, in the rational, the good and truth of the spiritual man, that is, spiritual things, are appropriated to the natural man. . He and the men that were with him. That these words signify the things in the natural man, appears from the representation of the servant, who here is "he," as being the natural man (n. 3019, 3020); and from the signification of "the men that were with him," as being all things in the natural man (n. 3148). . And they passed the night. That this signifies the peace thereof, appears from the signification of "passing the night," as being to rest, and in the internal sense to have peace The case herein is this: When spiritual things are being appropriated to the natural man, those things recede which belong to cupidity of evil and persuasion of falsity, thus which induce unrest; and those approach which belong to the affection of good and of truth, consequently those things which cause peace; for all unrest is from evil and falsity, and all peace is from good and truth. What peace is, and what is the quality of its state, (n. 92, 93, 1726, 2780). . And they rose up in the morning. That this signifies a degree of elevation, appears from the signification of "rising up," as involving elevation (n. 2401, 2785, 2912, 2927); and from the signification of "morning," as being the Lord, also His kingdom, and likewise a state of peace thence derived (n. 2405, 2780). The natural is said to be "elevated" when spiritual things are appropriated to it; for all elevation is from things spiritual and celestial, as by these man is elevated toward heaven, thus nearer to the Lord. . And he said, Send me away unto my lord. That this signifies the affection of conjunction, is evident from the general sense which results from the internal sense of the words; for his desiring to be sent to his lord was of affection, in order that the affection of truth, which is " Rebekah," might be conjoined; for the betrothal, that is the initiation, was already accomplished; the affection of conjunction being that which is here signified. GENESIS 24:52-54 previous - next - text - summary - Genesis - Full Page
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |