Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 37:12-17
previous  -  next  -  text  -  summary  -  Genesis  -  BM Home  -  Full Page

AC 4704. Verses 12-17. And his brethren went to feed the flock of their father in Shechem. And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem." come, and I will send thee into them. And he said to him, Behold me! And he said to him, Go I pray see the peace of thy brethren, and the peace of the flock, and bring me word again. And he sent him out of the valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. And a man found him, and behold he was wandering in the field; and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? And he said, I seek my brethren, tell me I pray where they are feeding the flock. And the man said, They are departed hence, for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. "And his brethren went to feed the flock," signifies those who teach from faith; "of their father," signifies of the Ancient and of the Primitive Church; "in Shechem," signifies the first rudiments; "and Israel said unto Joseph," signifies perception from the Divine spiritual; "Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem?" signifies that they are teaching; "come, and I will send thee unto them," signifies that it should teach Divine spiritual goods; "and he said to him, Behold me," signifies affirmation; "and he said to him, Go I pray see the peace of thy brethren," signifies every coming of the Lord, and perception how it was with those who taught; "and the peace of the flock," signifies how it was with those who were learning, or the church; "and bring me word again," signifies knowledge; "and he sent him out of the valley of Hebron," signifies from the natural and sensuous Divine; "and he came to Shechem," signifies the knowledge of general doctrinals; "and a man found him, and behold he was wandering in the field," signifies that they were fallen away from the general truth of the church; "and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?" signifies foresight; "and he said, I seek my brethren, tell me I pray where they are feeding the flock," signifies the knowledge of how the case was, and in what state they were; "and the man said, They are departed hence, for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan," signifies that they betook themselves from generals to special things of doctrine; "and Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan," signifies that they were in the special things of false principles.

AC 4705. And his brethren went to feed the flock. That this signifies those who teach from faith, is evident from the signification of Joseph‘s "brethren," as being those in the church who are of faith (n. 4665, 4671, 4679, 4690); and from the signification of "feeding the flock," as being to teach (n. 343, 3767, 3768, 3772, 3783).

AC 4706. Of their father. That this signifies of the Ancient and of the Primitive Church, is evident from the signification here of "father," or Jacob, as being the Ancient Church (n. 4680); that the Primitive Christian Church is likewise signified; may also be seen above (n. 4690). By the Primitive Church is meant the Christian Church in its beginning. In general four churches distinct from one another are treated of in the Word. There is the church which existed after the flood and was named Man; this is called the Most Ancient Church. Next is the one that existed after the flood, which is called the Ancient Church. Then followed that with the posterity of Jacob, which was not a church, but the representative of a church; which representative is also called a religiosity. And there is the one that was set up after the Lord’s coming, which is called the Christian Church. It is this in its beginning that is called the Primitive Church.

AC 4707. In Shechem. That this signifies the first rudiments, is evident from the signification of "Shechem," as being truth derived from the ancient Divine stock (n. 4399, 4454), and as being doctrine (n. 4472, 4473), here the first rudiments of doctrine concerning faith; for the predication of a name is according to the subject in its series. The first rudiments are also the generals of doctrinals; the generals being what are received first, and the specific things then following.

AC 4708. And Israel said unto Joseph. That this signifies perception from the Divine spiritual, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word as being perception (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3395, 3509); and from the representation of Joseph as being the Divine spiritual (n. 4669).

AC 4709. Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? That this signifies that they are teaching, is evident from the signification of "feeding the flock" as being to teach (n. 4705); and from the signification of "Shechem" as being the first rudiments of doctrine concerning faith (n. 4707).

AC 4710. Come, and I will send thee unto them. That this signifies that it should teach Divine spiritual goods, is evident from the representation of Joseph as being the Lord‘s Divine spiritual (n. 4669, 4708). When this is said to be "sent," it denotes to teach Divine spiritual goods; for in the internal sense "to be sent" is to go forth and to proceed In. 2397), and also at the same time to teach; here therefore it is to teach the Divine spiritual goods which proceed from the Lord’s Divine spiritual. Divine spiritual goods are those which are of love and charity; but Divine spiritual truths are those which are of the faith thence. One who teaches the former, teaches also the latter; for the latter are from the former and concerning them. That in the internal sense "to be sent" is to proceed and to teach, is evident from many passages in the Word, as where it is often said of the Lord that He was "sent" by the Father, whereby is signified that He proceeded from Him, that is, from the Divine good; and also that the Lord "sends" the Comforter, or the Spirit of Truth, whereby is signified that holy truth proceeds from Him. The prophets also were "sent," by which is signified that they taught what proceeds from the Lord. Everyone may confirm these things from the Word, where they Often occur.

AC 4711. And he said to him, Behold me! That this signifies affirmation, is evident without explication.

AC 4712. And he said to him, Go I pray see the peace of thy brethren. That this signifies every coming of the Lord, and perception how it was with those who taught, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being perception (n. 4708); and from the signification of "peace," as being safety (n. 4681), thus how it was with them; and from the representation of brethren, as here being those who teach from faith (n. 4705). From this it is plain that by these words is signified perception how it was with those who taught. That every coming of the Lord is also signified, is because by Joseph is represented the Lord as to the Divine spiritual (n. 4669, 4708, 4710); and therefore when it is said that Joseph should go and see the peace of his brethren, the coming of the Lord is signified. By every coming is meant whenever truth from the Word flows into the thought.

AC 4713. And the peace of the flock. That this signifies how it was with those who were learning, or the church, is evident from the signification of "peace" as being how it was with them (n. 4712); and from the signification of a "flock" as being those who are learning. For a "shepherd," or one who feeds the flock, denotes one who teaches the good of charity and leads to it; and the "flock" denotes one who learns and is led (n. 343); thus also the church.

AC 4714. And bring me word again. That this signifies knowledge, is evident from the signification of "bringing word again," as being to report how matters were, thus knowledge.

AC 4715. And he sent him out of the valley of Hebron. That this signifies from the natural and sensuous Divine, is evident from the signification of "to be sent," as being to proceed and to teach (n. 4710); and from the signification of a "valley" as being those things which are below (n. 1723, 3417); and from the signification of "Hebron" as being the Lord‘s church as to good (n. 2909). Thus by these words is signified that it taught the lower things of the church, and this because they did not comprehend higher things. For he who teaches faith, and not charity, is unable to notice the higher or interior things of the church; because he has nothing to guide him, and to dictate whether this or that is of faith, or is true. But if he teaches charity, he then has good, and this is to him a dictate and guides him; for all truth is from good and treats of good, or what is the same, everything of faith is from charity and treats of charity. Everyone, from mere natural light, can know that everything of doctrine has regard to life.

[2] That by these words is signified from the natural and sensuous Divine, is the higher sense; for the lower things of the church are said to be from the Lord’s natural and sensuous Divine; not that in the Lord these things are lower, because in the Lord and in His Divine Human all is infinite, inasmuch as He is Jehovah as to each essence (n. 2156, 2329, 2921, 3023), but because it is so in man. For those who are sensuous men apprehend sensuously the things which are in the Lord and from Him, and those who are natural apprehend them naturally. It is so said because of the quality of those who receive. But those who are celestial men, and thence truly rational, perceive interior things, and it is said of them that they are taught from the Lord‘s rational Divine. This as before said is the higher sense signified by the words.

[3] That a "valley" is the lower things of the church, is evident from other passages in the Word, as in Isaiah;

the "valley of vision" denotes phantasies concerning spiritual things from sensuous, thus from lower things. Again:

the "choice of the valleys" denotes good and true things in the natural or external man. Again:

a "valley" denotes low things.

[4] In Jeremiah:

where "valley" denotes things of the memory and of the senses, which are lower things by which they perverted truths. Again:

the "inhabitress of the valley and rock of the plain" denote faith in which there is no charity. Again:

with a similar meaning. Again:

"valley" denotes external things in worship, which are also the lowest.

[5] In Ezekiel:

"Gog" denotes those who are in external worship without internal (n. 1151), whence his burial place is called "the valley of them that pass through," and "the valley of the multitude of Gog." In David:

where the "valley of shadow" denotes lower things, which are relatively in shade.

[6] As valleys were between mountains and hills, and below them, therefore by "valleys" are signified the lower or exterior things of the church, because by hills and mountains are signified its higher or interior things, by "hq" things which are of charity, and by "mountains" those which are of love to the Lord (n. 795, 1430, 2722, 4210); and as by the land of Canaan is signified the Lord’s kingdom and His church, therefore it is called "a land of mountains and valleys, that drinketh water of the rain of heaven" (Deut. 11:11). That Joseph is here said to have been sent out of the valley of Hebron is because the mission was to those who taught concerning faith (n. 4705); for those who are in faith, and not in‘ charity, are in lower things; because with them faith is only in the memory and thence in the mouth, but not in the heart and thence in the work.

AC 4716. And he came to Shechem. That this signifies knowledge of general doctrinals, is evident from the signification of "Shechem," as being the first rudiments, or what is the same thing, the generals of doctrinals (n. 4707).

AC 4717. And a man found him, and behold he was wandering in the field. That this signifies that they were fallen away from the general truth of the church, is evident from the signification of "wandering in the field," as being to fall away from the general truth of the church; for a "field" is the church as to good (n. 2971, 3196, 3766), and a "man of the field" is the good of life from doctrinals (n. 3310). It is said a "man," because by a "man (vir)" is signified the truth of the church (n. 3134). Those are said to fall away from the general truth of the church who acknowledge the Lord, but not His Human as Divine; and also those who acknowledge faith as essential, but not charity. Each is a general truth of the church, and when a man recedes from it he falls away from general truth; and whoever does this, soon falls away from specific truths; just as when anyone starts with a false principle and from it deduces consequences, these also become false, because the principle rules in the consequents, and by these the false principle is also strengthened.

AC 4718. And the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? That this signifies foresight, may be seen from the series, for the series involves foresight.

AC 4719. And he said, I seek my brethren; tell me I pray where they are feeding the flock? That this signifies knowledge of how the case was, and what state they were in; proximately, according to the words, how it was with those who taught from faith, and to learn their state, is evident; for by the "brethren" are signified those who teach from faith (n. 4712); how it was with them is signified by "seeking them," or "seeing their peace" (n. 4712, 4713); by "where" is signified state, for in the internal sense everything relating to place denotes state (n. 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387, 4321); and by "those who feed" are signified those who teach (n. 343, 3767, 3768, 3772, 3783).

AC 4720. And the man said, They are departed hence, for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. That this signifies that they betook themselves from generals to special things of doctrine, is evident from the signification of "departing," as being to betake themselves; and from the signification of "from Shechem," which is the place they departed from, as being from the generals of doctrine (n. 4707, 4716); and from the signification of "Dothan," as being the special things of doctrine. That "Dothan" is the special things of doctrine cannot so well be confirmed from other passages in the Word, because it is mentioned in the second book of Kings only (2 Kings 6:13), where it is related that the king of Syria sent chariots and horsemen and a great army to Dothan to take Elisha, and that they were smitten with blindness and led by Elisha to Samaria.

[2] As all the historicals of the Word are representative of the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord’s kingdom, so also is this, and by the king of Syria are represented those who are in the knowledges of truth (n. 1232, 1234, 3249, 3664, 3680, 4112); here in the opposite sense those who are in the knowledges of what is not true; by Elisha is represented the Word of the Lord (n. 2762); by Dothan, doctrinals from the Word; by the chariots and horsemen and the great army which the king of Syria sent, are signified falsities of doctrine; by the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha, which his young man saw, are signified the good and true things of doctrine from the Word (n. 2762); by the blindness with which those were smitten who were sent thither by the king of Syria, are signified the falsities themselves (n. 2383); and by their being led by Elisha to Samaria, where their eyes were opened, is signified instruction by means of the Word. Such things are involved in this history, in which by Dothan, where Elisha was, are signified doctrinal things of good and truth from the Word. Its signification in the present verse is similar, the special things of doctrine being nothing else; but here the special things of false principles are signified, because the subject treated of is the church that begins from faith, which it thus separates from charity from the very beginning. All the doctrinals which are then formed savor of the general principle, thus of faith without charity; whence come the falsities which are the special things of the false principles.

[3] Every church in its beginning knows only the generals of doctrine, for it is then in its simplicity, and as it were in its childhood; but in the course of time it adds particulars, which in part are confirmations of the generals, and in part additions (which however are not contrary to the generals), and also explanations to reconcile plain contradictions and to avoid violence to the dictates of common sense. All these things are nevertheless the special things of false principles; for all things of every doctrine which recognize the general principle as father, have relation to one another as in a kind of fellowship, and are conjoined as if by relationships of blood and of marriage. It is plain from this that when the general principle is false, all things savor of falsity.

AC 4721. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. That this signifies that they were in the special things of false principles, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the Lord as to Divine truth (n. 4669); from the representation of his brethren, as being the church that turns away from charity to faith, and at last to faith separate (n. 4665, 4671, 4679, 4680, 4690); and from the signification of "Dothan," as being the special things of false principles (n. 4720). From this it is plain that by these words is signified that it found them in the special things of false principles.

[2] That it may be known what is meant by the special things of false principles, let us take for illustration some of the doctrinals of a church which acknowledges faith alone as a principle, as that man is justified by faith alone, that then all sins are wiped away from him, that he may be saved by faith alone even in the last hour of his life, that salvation is merely admission into heaven through grace, that children also are saved by faith, that the Gentiles because they have no faith are not saved; besides many others. These and the like are the special things belonging to the principle of faith alone. But if the church would acknowledge as its principle the life of faith, it would acknowledge charity toward the neighbor and love to the Lord, consequently the works of charity and of love, and then all these special things would fall to pieces; and instead of justification it would acknowledge regeneration, in regard to which the Lord says in John,

and it would acknowledge that regeneration is effected by a life of faith, but not by faith separate. Neither would it profess that all sins are then wiped away from man, but that it is of the Lord‘s mercy that he is withheld from them, and kept in good and thence in truth; thus that all good is from the Lord, and all evil from himself. Nor would the church profess that man may be saved by faith in the last hour of his life, but by the life of faith which abides with him. Neither would it profess that salvation is mere admission into heaven through grace, for heaven is denied by the Lord to no one; but it would acknowledge that if one’s life is not such that he can be with angels, he flees from heaven of his own will (n. 4674). Nor would it profess that children are saved by faith, but that in the other life they are instructed in the goods of charity and the truths of faith by the Lord, and so are received into heaven (n. 2289-2308). Nor would it profess that because the Gentiles have no faith they are not saved; but that their life remains with them as with others, and that those who have lived in mutual charity are instructed in the goods of faith, and are alike received into heaven, as is both wished and believed by those who are in the good of life (n. 2589-2604); and so in many other particulars.

[3] The church which acknowledges faith alone as a principle cannot know what charity is, nor even what the neighbor is, thus not what heaven is; and it will wonder that anyone should ever say that the happiness of the life after death and the joy in heaven is the Divine which flows into willing well and doing well to others, and that the happiness and the blessedness therefrom transcend all perception, and that the reception of this influx can never be given to anyone who has not lived a life of faith, that is, who has not been in the good of charity. That a life of faith saves, the Lord teaches plainly in (Matthew 25:31-46), and in many other places; and hence also the creed which is called the creed of Athanasius teaches at the end, "Everyone shall render an account of his works; he who has done well shall enter into life eternal, but he who has done ill into eternal fire."

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

www.BibleMeanings.info