Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 25:34
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AC 3331. Verse 34. And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up and went away; and Esau despised the birthright. "And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils," signifies the good of life gifted with the good of truth and the good of doctrinal things; "and he did eat and drink," signifies appropriation; "and rose up," signifies elevation thence; "and went away," signifies life; "and Esau despised the birthright," signifies that in the meantime the good of life made no account of priority.

AC 3332. And Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils. That this signifies the good of life gifted with the good of truth and the good of doctrinal things, is evident from the representation of Esau, as being the good of life (n. 3300, 3322); and from the signification of "bread," as being the good of love in general, both celestial and spiritual (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177), thus also the good of truth, for this is spiritual good; and from the signification of "pottage of lentils," as being the good of doctrinal things; for "pottage" signifies a chaotic mass of doctrinal things (n. 3316), and "lentils" the good thereof. That Jacob gave them to Esau, in the internal sense signifies that these goods come through the doctrine of truth, which is represented by Jacob (n. 3305).

[2] In this last verse, by these words and those which follow there is described the progress as to truth and good of the spiritual man when being regenerated, namely, that he first learns the doctrinal things of truth, next is affected by them (which is the good of the doctrinal things), then that by taking a mental view of these doctrinal things he is affected with the truths in them (which is the good of truth), and lastly that he wills to live according to them, which is the good of life. In this way the spiritual man when being regenerated advances from the doctrine of truth to the good of life. But when he is in the good of life the order is inverted, and from this good he looks to the good of truth, from this to the good of doctrinal things, and from this to the doctrinal things of truth. From this it may be known how man from being a sensuous man becomes spiritual, and of what quality he is when he becomes spiritual.

[3] That these goods, namely, the good of life, the good of truth, and the good of doctrinal things, are distinct from each other can be seen by those who carefully consider the matter. The good of life is that which flows from the will; the good of truth is that which flows from the understanding; and the good of doctrinal things is that which flows from memory-knowledge. The good which is doctrinal has these other goods within it.

[4] That "lentils" signify the good of doctrinal things, is evident from the fact that wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, spelt, are such things as mean bread, but with a difference according to the species that "bread" in general denotes good is manifest from what has been stated and shown above (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177) thus different species of good are signified by the cereals in question, the more noble species of good by "wheat and barley," but the less noble by "beans and lentils;" as is also manifest from Ezekiel:--

AC 3333. And he did eat and drink. That this signifies appropriation, is evident from the signification of "eating," as being the appropriation of good (n. 2187, 2343, 3168); and from the signification of "drinking," as being the appropriation of truth (n. 3069, 3089, 3168).

AC 3334. And rose up. That this signifies elevation thence, is evident from the signification of "rising up," as involving elevation wherever mentioned (n. 2401, 2785, 2912, 2927); and also from the fact that man is said to be "uplifted" when being perfected as to spiritual and celestial things; that is, as to the truth which is of faith, and the good which is of love and charity (n. 3171).

AC 3335. And went away. That this signifies life, is evident from the signification of "going," as being to advance into the things of good, that is, into those of the life, for all good is of life; nearly as is signified by "departing," "sojourning," and "advancing" (n. 1293, 1457).

AC 3336. And Esau despised the birthright. That this signifies that in the meantime the good of life made no account of the priority, is evident from the signification of "despising," as being to make no account of; from the representation of Esau, as being the good of life (n. 3300, 3322); and from the signification of "birthright," as being priority (n. 3325). That it is in the meantime, or for a time, may be seen above (n. 3324, 3325, 3330). Hence it is manifest that by " Esau despising the birthright" is signified that in the meantime the good of life made no account of the priority. In order that what is related in this chapter concerning Esau and Jacob may be apprehended in regard to its signification in the internal sense, the thought must be removed entirely from the historicals, thus from the persons of Esau and Jacob; and instead of them must be substituted the things they represent, namely, the good of the natural and its truth; or what is the same, the spiritual man who is being regenerated by means of truth and good; for in the internal sense of the Word names signify nothing else than actual things. When the good of the natural and its truths are thought of instead of Esau and Jacob, it is then evident how the case is with man’s regeneration by means of truth and good, namely, that in the beginning truth apparently has the priority with him, and also the superiority, although in itself good is prior and superior.

[2] In order that it may be still more clearly evident how the case is with this priority and superiority, something further shall be said. It is easy to see that nothing can possibly enter into man‘s memory and remain there, unless there is a certain affection of love which introduces it. If there is no affection, or what is the same, no love, there will be no observation. It is this affection, or love, with which the thing that enters connects itself, and being connected remains; as is evident from the fact that when a similar affection or love returns, the thing itself recurs, and is presented to view along with other things that had before entered by virtue of a similar affection or love; and this in a series. From this comes man’s thought; and from this thought his speech. In like manner also when the thing itself returns, if this is effected by objects of the senses, or by objects of the thought, or by the discourse of another, the affection also with which the thing had entered is reproduced. This is the teaching of experience, and on reflection every one may be confirmed in it.

[3] The doctrinal things of truth enter in like manner into the memory; and the things that at first introduce them are affections of various loves, as before said (n. 3330). Genuine affection, which is of the good of charity, is not then observed; but still it is present; and so far as it can be present, it is adjoined by the Lord to the doctrinal things of truth; and so far also they remain adjoined. When therefore the time comes that the man can be regenerated, the Lord inspires the affection of good, and through this excites the things which have been adjoined by Him to this affection, which things are called in the Word "remains;" and then by means of this affection (that is, of the affection of good), by successive steps the Lord removes the affections of other loves, consequently also the things that have been connected with them. And thus the affection of good, or what is the same, the good of life, begins to have the dominion. It indeed had the dominion before, but this could not appear to the man; for in so far as a man is in the love of self and of the world, the good which is of genuine love does not appear. From this it may now be seen what is signified in the internal sense by the things historically related concerning Esau and Jacob.