Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 38:12-14
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AC 4849. Verses 12-14. And the days were multiplied, and Shua‘s daughter died, the wife of Judah; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto the shearers of his flock, he and his companion Hirah the Adullamite, to Timnah. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnah to shear his flock. And she put off from upon her the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself in a veil, and wrapped herself and sat in the gate of the fountains which is noon the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given to him for a woman. "And the days were multiplied," signifies a change of state; "and Shua’s daughter died," signifies as to evil from falsity; "the wife of Judah," signifies the religiosity with the nation descended from Jacob, specifically that from Judah; "and Judah was comforted," signifies rest; "and went up unto the shearers of his flock," signifies some elevation to take counsel for the church; "he and his companion Hirah the Adullamite," signifies that it was still in falsity; "to Timnah," signifies the state; "and it was told Tamar, saying," signifies some communication with a church representative of spiritual and celestial things; "Behold thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnah to shear his flock," signifies that the Jewish Church wished to take counsel for itself; "and she put off from upon her the garments of her widowhood," signifies a simulation of the truth that is from good; "and covered herself in a veil," signifies truth obscured; "and wrapped herself," signifies thus not acknowledged; "and sat in the gate of the fountains which is upon the way to Timnah," signifies what is intermediate to the truths of the church and to falsities; "for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given to him for a woman," signifies discernment that it could not otherwise be conjoined with the religiosity in which was the posterity of Jacob, specifically that from Judah.

AC 4850. And the days were multiplied. That this signifies a change of state, is evident from the signification of "days being multiplied," as being the changing of the states; for "day" or "time" in the internal sense is state (n. 23, 487, 488, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785), and "being multiplied," when predicated of days or times, is being changed. That it is a change of state which is signified, is evident also from what follows. It is said "were multiplied," because a change of state is involved as to truths, for "multiplying" is predicated of truths (n. 43, 55, 913, 983, 2846, 2847). As state and change of state are so often mentioned, and as few know what is meant, it will be well to explain. Time and the succession of time, or space and the extension of space, cannot be predicated of man‘s interiors, that is, of his affections and the thoughts therefrom; because these interiors are not in time nor in place although to the senses in the world it appears as if they were but are in interior things which correspond to time and place. These interior things which correspond we have to call states, because there is no other word by which these corresponding things can be expressed. The state of the interiors is said to be changed when the mind or heart is changed as to affections and consequent thoughts as from sadness to joy, or from joy to sadness again; from impiety to piety or devotion; and so on. These changes are called changes of state, and are predicated of the affections, and of the thoughts also in so far as they are governed by the affections; but changes of state of the thoughts are in those of the affections like particulars in generals, and are relatively variations.

AC 4851. And Shua’s daughter died. That this signifies as to evil from falsity, is evident from the signification of "dying," as being to cease to be of such quality (n. 494); and from the signification of " Shua‘s daughter," as being evil from falsity, of which above (n. 4818, 4819). Here therefore by Shua’s daughter dying after multiplied or many days, is signified a change of state as to evil from falsity, so that it was not such as before.

AC 4852. The wife of Judah. That this signifies the religiosity with the nation descended from Jacob, specifically that from Judah, is evident from the signification of a "wife," as being the church (n. 252, 253, 409, 749, 770), but here a religiosity, because it is said of the Jewish nation, with which there was no church, but only the external of a church separate from the internal (n. 4281, 4288, 4289, 4311, 4433, 4500, 4680, 4825, 4844, 4847), which cannot be called anything else than a religiosity, for they could be in a holy external, yet entirely without a holy internal (n. 4293); and from the representation of Judah, as being the nation descended from Jacob, and specifically from Judah, of which above (n. 4815, 4842).

AC 4853. And he went up unto the shearers of his flocks. That this signifies some elevation to take counsel for the church, is evident from the signification of "going up," as being to be elevated, namely, from what is exterior to what is interior (n. 3084, 4539); and from the signification of a "shearer," as being use (n. 4110), thus to will use, or to take counsel for it; and from the signification of a "flock," as being the church (n. 343, 3767, 3768, 3772).

AC 4854. He and his companion Hirah the Adullamite. That this signifies that it was still in falsity, is evident from the representation of Hirah the Adullamite, as being falsity, of which above (n. 4816, 4817). When therefore he is said to be "his companion," it is signified that falsity was adjoined to it, or that it was still in falsity.

AC 4855. To Timnah. This signifies the state, namely, the state in which it was of taking counsel for the church. That "Timnah" signifies this state is evident also from the book of Judges, in which Samson is spoken of as going down to Timnah and taking there a wife of the daughters of the Philistines (Judges 14:1-4, 7), where by "Timnah" in like manner is signified the state of taking counsel for the church. The wife whom he took of the daughters of the Philistines, in the representative sense is truth from what is not good, thus truth obscured, which is represented here also by Tamar; for the "Philistines" are those who are in the doctrinals of faith, and not in a life according to them (n. 1197, 1198, 3412, 3413). Moreover Timnah is mentioned among the places of inheritance for the tribe of Dan (Josh. 19:43). That all names of places in the Word signify things and states, may be seen above (n. 1224, 1264, 1888, 3422, 4298, 4442).

AC 4856. And it was told Tamar, saying. That this signifies some communication with a church representative of spiritual and celestial things, is evident from the signification of "being told," as being perception, (n. 3608), thus communication, here something of communication; and from the representation of Tamar, as being a church representative of spiritual and celestial things (n. 4829, 4831). There is said to be communication with this church when the state was changed and there was some elevation to take counsel for the church, as above (n. 4850, 4853).

AC 4857. Behold thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnah to shear his flock. That this signifies that the Jewish Church wished to take counsel for itself, is evident from the representation of Judah, as being the church that was with the nation descended from Jacob, specifically with Judah (n. 4815, 4842, 4852), who is here called "father-in-law," because there was something of communication with a church representative of spiritual and celestial things, which is here the "daughter-in-law;" and from the signification of "going up," as being some elevation, of which just above (n. 4853); and from the signification of "shearing the flock," as being to consult for the church, of which above (n. 4853) the state of taking counsel for it being "Timnah" (n. 4855).

[2] That this internal sense is contained in these words can by no means appear from the letter, for when they are read the mind thinks of Judah, Timnah, and the shearing of a flock, and not of spiritual things, which are separate from person, place, and worldly use. And yet angels, because they are in spiritual things, perceive nothing else by these words than such things as have been told; for when the literal sense passes into the spiritual, such things perish as relate to person, place, and the world; and those take their place that relate to the church, its state, and use therein.

[3] It indeed appears incredible that it should be so, but this is because so long as man lives in the world he thinks from the natural and worldly things which are there, and not from spiritual and celestial things; and they who are immersed in bodily and earthly things do not know that there is anything spiritual and celestial, and still less that spiritual and celestial things are distinct from worldly and natural things, when yet they are distinct as the spirit of man is distinct from his body. Neither do they know that the spiritual sense lives in the literal sense as the spirit of man in his body, and also that the spiritual sense in like manner survives when the literal sense perishes; whence the internal sense may be called the soul of the Word.

AC 4858. And she put off from upon her the garments of her widowhood. That this signifies a simulation of the truth that is from good, is evident from the signification of a "widow," as being those who are in truth without good and yet desire to be led by good (n. 4844). The garments with which widows were clothed represented such truth, and this because "garments" signify truths (n. 2576, 4545, 4763). Hence "to put off these garments" is to put off the representation of a widow, that is, of truth without good; and because she covered herself with her veil, to simulate the truth that is from good.

AC 4859. And covered herself in a veil. That this signifies truth obscured, is evident from the signification of "covering herself " or her face "with her veil," as being to conceal, and thus to obscure the truth which pretended to be from good, as just above (n. 4858); and this for the purpose of conjunction with Judah. For when a bride first approached the bridegroom she covered herself with a veil as we read of Rebekah when she came to Isaac (Gen. 24:65); and by this were signified appearances of truth (n. 3207). For a wife signifies truth, and a husband good; and as truth does not appear in its quality until it is being conjoined with its good, therefore for the sake of representing this the bride covered herself with a veil on first seeing her husband. The case is similar here with Tamar, for she regarded Shelah Judah‘s son as her husband, but because she was not given to him, she regarded his father in his stead as one to perform the duty of a husband’s brother. Therefore she covered herself with a veil as a bride, and not as a harlot, though Judah believed the latter because harlots also were wont at that time to cover their faces, as is evident from (verse 15). The reason why Judah so regarded her was that the Jewish nation, which is there signified by "Judah," regarded the internal truths of the representative church no otherwise than as a harlot; and therefore Judah was conjoined with her as with a harlot, but not so Tamar with him. Because internal truths could not appear otherwise to that nation, therefore truth obscured is here signified by Tamar‘s covering herself in a veil. That the truth of the church is obscured to them, is represented also at this day by their covering themselves with veils in their synagogues.

[2] There was a similar representation with Moses when the skin of his face shone as he came down from Mount Sinai, so that he covered himself with a veil whenever he spoke to the people (Exod. 34:28-35). Moses represented the Word which is called the Law (n. 2135a); for which reason it is sometimes said the "Law and the Prophets" (Matt. 5:17; 11:13; 22:36, 40); and sometimes "Moses and the Prophets" (Luke 16:29, 31; 24:27, 44). By the shining of the skin of his face was represented the internal of the Word, for the "face" is the internal (n. 358, 1999, 2434, 3527, 4066, 4796, 4797), which being spiritual is in the light of heaven. His veiling his face whenever he spoke to the people represented that internal truth was covered to them, and thus obscured so that they should not have to endure any light from it

AC 4860. And wrapped herself. That this signifies thus not acknowledged, is evident from the signification of "wrapping," as being to conceal, thus not to be acknowledged, see what was said just above (n. 4859).

AC 4861. And sat in the gate of the fountains which is upon the way to Timnah. That this signifies what is intermediate to the truths of the church and to falsities, is evident from the signification of "fountains," as being the truths of the church which are from the Word; for "fountain" in the universal sense is the Word (n. 2702, 3096, 3424). "In the gate of the fountains" is in the entrance to these truths; and because the external truths of the sense of the letter of the Word furnish an entrance, they are the "gate." But unless these truths are enlightened by internal truths, that is, by those of the internal sense, they present falsities with those who are in evil; wherefore what is intermediate to the truths of the church and to falsities is here signified by the "gate of the fountains." "Upon the way to Timnah" is to the use of the church, for "Timnah" is the state of taking counsel for the church (n. 4855, 4857).

AC 4862. For she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given to him for a woman. That this signifies discernment that it [the truth of the representative church] could not otherwise be conjoined with the religiosity in which was the posterity of Jacob, specifically that from Judah, is evident from the signification of "seeing," as being discernment (n. 2150, 2325, 3764, 3863, 4403-4421). That the discernment here is that it could not otherwise be conjoined with the religiosity in which was the posterity of Jacob, specifically that from Judah, is because by "Judah" is signified that posterity (n. 4815, 4842, 4852), consequently their religiosity, to which it was conjoined, because it could not be conjoined with Shelah. By Shelah also is represented what is idolatrous (n. 4825, 4826, 4845), with which the truth of a representative church, which is Tamar, could not be conjoined.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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