3665.“到你外祖彼土利家里，从那里你母舅拉班的女儿中娶一个妻子”表旁系的外在良善，和源于这良善并被联结（于属世层的良善）的真理。这从“彼土利”和“拉班”的代表，以及“从他的女儿中娶一个妻子”的含义清楚可知：“彼土利”是指第一类外邦人的良善（参看2865节）；“拉班”是指属世人中对良善的情感，也就是对外在良善的情感，严格来说，是指源于共同家族的旁系良善（3129，3130，3160，3612节）；“从他的女儿中娶一个妻子”是指与来自此源头的真理情感产生联系或联结。“娶一个妻子”表示联结或结合，这是显而易见的，“女儿”表示情感（参看568，2362，3024节）。由此清楚可知这些话是什么意思，即：在此由雅各来代表的属世层良善要与出自旁系外在良善的真理结合。
此中情形是这样：人在经历重生，被主引领时，一开始像婴儿，然后像儿童，后来像青少年，最后像成年人。他像小孩子那样所学到的真理完全是外在和肉体的，因为他还理解不了内层事物。这些真理不过是对诸如至内在包含神性之物的那类事物的认知。因为既有对至内在不包含神性之物的事物的认知，也有对包含神性之物的事物的认知。至内在包含神性的认知能允许越来越多的内层真理按照适当次序一个接一个地进入到自己里面；而不包含神性的认知则不允许，而是拒绝它们。因为对外在和肉体良善的认知就像土地，这土地照着自己的具体性质而接受这类种子，却不接受那类种子，使这类种子多产，却使那类种子窒息。至内在包含神性的认知允许属灵和属天的真理和良善进入到自己里面，它们凭在里面并带给它们次序的神性而具有这种性能。而不包含神性的认知则只允许虚假与邪恶进入，因为这就是它们的性质。那些允许属灵和属天的真理和良善进入的对外在和肉体真理的认知在此由“彼土利家拉班的女儿”来表示，而那些不允许它们进入的认知则由“迦南的女子”来表示。
从幼年期到童年期所学到的认知就像要充满良善的最一般的器皿。随着它们被充满，此人便得到启示。如果这些器皿是能容纳纯正良善在里面的那一类，那么在这种情况下，此人就通过它们里面的神性而得到启示，并且所得到的启示逐渐越来越多。但是，如果它们是不能容纳纯正良善在里面的那一类，那么在这种情况下，他就得不到启示。诚然，他会给人受到启示的表象，但这种表象是由伴随虚假和邪恶的幻光产生的。事实上，这些认知使他在良善和真理上越来越处于模糊状态。
这类认知多种多样，并且多样到就连它们的属，人们也难以数算出来，更不用说区分它们的种了。因为它们以多种方式来源于神性，然后经由理性层进入属世层。也就是说，其中一些认知直接经由理性层的良善流入进来，并由此流入属世层的良善，以及伴随这良善的真理，再由此流入外在或肉体的属世层；它们还在那里分流到各个渠道。而有些则间接经由理性层的真理流入属世层的真理，也流入伴随这真理的良善，再由此流入外在或肉体的属世层（参看3573，3616节）。所有这一切就像民族、宗族和家庭，其中既有血亲关系，也有姻亲关系；也就是说，它们中有些是从主要祖先那里直系传下来的，有些以越来越间接的世系或旁系传下来的。在天堂，这些事物区别最为显着，因为天上的一切社群、因而亲密性都是照着良善和真理的属和种来划分的（685，2508，2524，2556，2739，3612节）。上古之人就代表这些社群和亲密性，他们是属天之人，因住在一起而以这种方式被划分为民族、宗族和家庭（470，471，483，1159，1246节）。这也是为何代表性教会的成员被命令在组成他们自己民族的宗族内通婚的原因；因为他们这样做就能代表天堂，以及天堂社群在良善和真理上的相互关联。这种代表在此通过雅各来体现，因为他到外祖彼土利家里，从他母舅拉班的女儿中娶一个妻子。
就对出自旁系良善，并且如前所述，包含神性，从而能接受它们里面的纯正良善的外在或肉体真理的认知本身而言，它们就像以后会经历重生的小孩子所具有的认知。一般来说，它们就是诸如包含在圣言历史叙述中的那类认知，如关于伊甸园的内容，关于伊甸园中第一个人、园子当中的生命树，以及欺骗的蛇所盘的善恶知识树等的内容。这些就是包含神性，并允许属灵和属天的良善和真理进入到自己里面的认知，因为它们代表并表示这些良善和真理。这类认知还由圣言历史叙述中的所有其它描述组成，如圣言中关于会幕、圣殿和这些建筑的描述；同样关于亚伦和他儿子的圣衣的描述；还有关于住棚节、初熟节、无酵节和其它类似性质事务的描述。当小孩子认识并思想这些和类似细节时，那时与他同在的天使就会思想它们所代表并表示的神性事物。由于天使被一种对这些事物的情感所打动，所以他们的情感得以交流，产生那个孩子从中所体验到的欢喜、快乐，并预备他的心智接受纯正的真理和良善。这些和许多其它事物就是对出自旁系良善的外在和肉体真理的认知。
Potts(1905-1910) 3665
3665. To the house of Bethuel, thy mother's father, and take thee from thence a woman of the daughters of Laban, thy mother's brother. That this signifies collateral external good, and the derivative truth that was to be conjoined, is evident from the representation of Bethuel, as being the good of the Gentiles of the first class (see n. 2865); from the representation of Laban, as being the affection of good in the natural man, that is the affection of external good, and properly the collateral good of a common stock (n. 3129, 3130, 3160, 3612); and from the signification of "taking a woman of his daughters," as being to be associated to or conjoined with the derivative affections of truth. That "taking a woman" denotes to be conjoined, is manifest, and that "daughters" are affections, may be seen above (n. 568, 2362, 3024). Hence it is evident what these words signify, namely, that the good of the natural, here represented by Jacob, was to be conjoined with the truths derived from collateral external good. [2] The case herein is this: When man is being regenerated, he is at first led by the Lord as an infant, then as a child, afterwards as a youth, and at last as an adult. The truths he learns as an infant child are altogether external and corporeal, for as yet he is unable to apprehend interior truths. These truths are no other than knowledges of such things as contain, in their inmost, things Divine; for there are knowledges of things that do not contain anything Divine in their inmost; and there are knowledges that do contain it. The knowledges that do contain what is Divine are such that they can admit interior truths more and more, successively, and in order; whereas the knowledges which do not contain what is Divine are such that they do not admit, but reject these interior truths; for the knowledges of external and corporeal good and truth are like ground, which according to its quality admits seeds of one nature and not of another, bringing to maturity one kind of seeds, and suffocating another. Knowledges which contain in their inmost what is Divine, admit into them spiritual and celestial truth and good, possessing this capacity from the Divine which is within, and which disposes; but the knowledges which do not contain in them what is Divine, admit only what is false and evil, such being their nature. Those knowledges of external and corporeal truth which admit spiritual and celestial truth and good, are here signified by the "daughters of Laban of the house of Bethuel;" but those which do not thus admit them, are signified by the "daughters of Canaan." [3] The knowledges which are learned from infancy to childhood are like most general vessels, which are to be filled with goods, and in proportion as they are filled the man is enlightened. If the vessels are such as to admit into them genuine goods, then the man is enlightened from the Divine that is within them, and this successively more and more; but if they are such that genuine goods cannot be in them, then the man is not enlightened. It does appear that he is enlightened, but this is from a fatuous light, which is that of falsity and evil, whereby he is more and more darkened in respect to good and truth. [4] Such knowledges are manifold, and so manifold that their genera can scarcely be counted; still less can their species be discriminated; for they are derived in many ways from the Divine through the rational into the natural. For some flow in immediately through the good of the rational, and thence into the good of the natural; and also into the truth of this good, and thence further into the external or corporeal natural, where also they divide into various streams. And some flow in mediately through the truth of the rational into the truth of the natural, and also into the good of this truth, and thence further into the external or corporeal natural (see n. 3573, 3616). They are like nations, families, and houses, and like the blood-relationships and the connections therein, there being in them some which descend in a direct line from the first father, and some which descend in a line more and more indirect or collateral. In the heavens these things are most distinct, for all the societies therein, and thus the proximities, are distinguished according to the genera and species of good and truth (n. 685, 2508, 2524, 2556, 2739, 3612). These societies and proximities were represented by the most ancient people, who were celestial men, by their dwelling together classified in this manner into nations, families, and houses (n. 470, 471, 483, 1159, 1246); and for this reason it was enjoined that they who were of the representative church should contract marriages within the families of their own nation; for in this way they could represent heaven, and the conjunction of its societies as to good and truth-as was the case here with Jacob, in that he was to go to the house of Bethuel, his mother's father, and take him a woman of the daughters of Laban, his mother's brother. [5] With regard to these very knowledges of external or corporeal truth which are from collateral good, and which as before said contain in them what is Divine, and thus are capable of admitting genuine goods-such as are the knowledges with young children who are afterwards regenerated-they are in general such as are contained in the historicals of the Word, such as what is said therein concerning paradise, concerning the first man in it, concerning the tree of life in its midst, and concerning the tree of knowledge, where was the serpent that practiced the deception. These are the knowledges that contain within them what is Divine, and admit into them spiritual and celestial goods and truths, because they represent and signify these goods and truths. Such knowledges also are all other things in the historicals of the Word, as what is said concerning the tabernacle and the temple and concerning the construction of these; in like manner what is said concerning the garments of Aaron and of his sons; also concerning the feasts of tabernacles, of the firstfruits of harvest, of unleavened bread, and concerning other like things. When such knowledges as these are known and thought of by a young child, the angels who are with him think of the Divine things which they represent and signify; and because the angels are affected therewith, their affection is communicated, and causes the delight and pleasure which the child experiences therein; and prepares his mind to receive genuine truths and goods. Such and very many others are the knowledges of external and corporeal truth that are derived from collateral good.
Elliott(1983-1999) 3665
3665. 'To the home of Bethuel your mother's father, and take for yourself from there a wife from the daughters of Laban your mother's brother' means a parallel external good, and the truth which sprang from this good and was to be joined [to the good of the natural]. This is clear from the representation of 'Bethuel' as good existing with those who make up a first group of gentiles, dealt with in 2865; from the representation of 'Laban' as the affection for good in the natural man, that is, the affection for external good, strictly speaking a parallel good that springs from a common stock, dealt with in 3129, 3130, 3160, 3612; and from the meaning of 'taking a wife from his daughters' as being brought into association with or joined to affections for truth from that source. For 'taking a wife', as is self-evident, means being joined to, and 'daughters' means affections, see 568, 2362, 3024. From this it is clear what those words mean, namely that the good of the natural represented here by 'Jacob' was to be joined to truths which came from a parallel external good.
[2] The implications of this are that when a person is being regenerated the Lord leads him first of all as an infant, then as a child, after that as a young person, and at length as an adult. The truths which he learns as a small child are totally external and bodily, for he is not yet capable of grasping more interior things. Those truths are no more than cognitions of such things as inmostly contain Divine things within them. For there are some cognitions of things which do not inmostly contain anything Divine and there are other cognitions which do. Cognitions that do contain the Divine inmostly are such that they can receive interior truths into themselves, increasingly so, one after another in their proper order, whereas cognitions that do not contain the Divine are such that they do not so receive them but spurn them. For the cognitions of external and bodily good and truth are like the soil which, depending on its own particular nature, receives into itself one kind of seed but not another, and is productive of one variety of seed but is destructive of another. Cognitions which inmostly contain the Divine receive spiritual and celestial truth and good into themselves, for it is by virtue of the Divine within, bringing order to them, that makes them what they are. But cognitions that do not contain the Divine receive only falsity and evil, such being their nature. Those cognitions of external and bodily truth which do receive spiritual and celestial truth and good are meant here by 'the daughters of Laban from the home of Bethuel', while those that do not receive them are meant by 'the daughters of Canaan'.
[3] The cognitions which people learn from infancy onwards into childhood are like very general vessels, which exist to be filled with goods. And as they are filled a person is enlightened. If the vessels are such that they can contain genuine goods within them, the person is in that case enlightened, step by step and increasingly so from the Divine that is within them. But if they are such that they cannot contain genuine goods within them he is not in that case enlightened. He may indeed give the appearance of being enlightened, but this comes about from the illusory light that goes with falsity and evil. Indeed those cognitions place him all the more in obscurity as regards good and truth.
[4] Such cognitions are manifold, so manifold that one can hardly count even the genera of them, let alone identify their species. For they derive in their multiplicity from the Divine and then pass by way of the rational into the natural. That is to say, certain of them flow in directly by way of the good of the rational, and from there into the good of the natural, and also into the truth that goes with that good, and again from there into the external or bodily natural, where also they depart into various channels; but others flow in indirectly by way of the truth of the rational into the truth of the natural, and also into the good that goes with this truth, and again from there into the external or bodily natural, see 3573, 3616. All this is like nations, families, and houses, in which there are blood relatives and relatives by marriage; that is to say, there are those in the direct line of descent from the chief ancestor and there are those belonging to an increasingly indirect or parallel line. In the heavens these things are quite distinct and separate, for all the communities there are distinguished according to genera and species of good and truth, and so according to how near they are in relation to one another, 685, 2508, 2524, 2556, 2739, 3612. The most ancient people, being celestial, also represented those communities by their dwelling as distinct and separate nations, families, and houses, 470, 471, 483, 1159, 1246. This was also the reason why members of the representative Church were commanded to contract marriages within the families which made up their own nation; for by so doing they could represent heaven and the interconnection of its communities as regards good and truth. That representation is exemplified here by Jacob's going to the home of Bethuel his mother's father and his taking a wife for himself from there from the daughters of Laban his mother's brother.
[5] As regards cognitions themselves of external or bodily truth which come from a parallel good and, as has been stated, contain the Divine and so are able to receive genuine truths within them, they are like cognitions present with small children who at a later time undergo regeneration. They are in general such as those that are found in the historical narratives of the Word, for example, in what is said there about Paradise, about the first human being in Paradise, about the tree of life in the middle of it, and about the tree of knowledge where the deceiving serpent was. These are cognitions which contain the Divine and which receive spiritual and celestial goods and truths into themselves because they represent and mean these. Such cognitions also constitute all the other descriptions in historical narratives of the Word, for example, those in the Word concerning the Tabernacle, concerning the Temple, and concerning the construction of these; likewise what is said about Aaron's vestments and those of his sons; also about the feasts of tabernacles, of first fruits, and of unleavened bread, and about other matters of a similar nature. When these and similar details are known and thought about by a small child, the thoughts of the angels residing with him at that time are concerned with the Divine things which they represent and mean. And because the angels are stirred by an affection for these things, that affection is communicated. This produces the joy and delight that the child gets out of them, and it prepares his mind for the reception of genuine truths and goods. These and very many others are the cognitions of external and bodily truth that come from a parallel good.
Latin(1748-1756) 3665
3665. `Domum Bethuelis patris matris tuae, et accipe tibi exinde mulierem a filiabus Labanis fratris matris tuae': quod significet bonum collaterale externum, et inde verum quod conjungendum, constat ex repraesentatione `Bethuelis' quod sit bonum gentium primae classis, de qua n. 2865; ex repraesentatione `Labanis' quod sit affectio boni in naturali homine, seu affectio boni externi, et proprie bonum communis stirpis collaterale, de qua n. 3129, 3130, 3160, 3612; et ex significatione `accipere mulierem e filiabus ejus' quod sit associari seu conjungi affectionibus veri quae inde; quod `accipere mulierem' sit conjungi, patet, et quod `filiae' sint affectiones, videatur n. 568, 2362, 3024; inde constat quid illa verba significant, nempe quod bonum naturalis repraesentatum hic per `Jacobum' conjungeretur veris quae ex bono collaterali externo. [2] Haec se ita habent: cum regeneratur homo, tunc ducitur is a Domino primum sicut infans, dein sicut puer, postea sicut adolescens, et tandem sicut adultus; {1}vera quae sicut infans puer discit, sunt prorsus externa et corporea, nam interiora nondum potest capere; vera illa sunt non aliud quam cognitiones talium in quibus intime sunt Divina: sunt enim cognitiones rerum in quibus non intime aliquod Divinum, et sunt in quibus est; cognitiones in quibus intime est Divinum, sunt tales ut admittere possint vera interiora magis et magis successive et ordine, at cognitiones in quibus non est Divinum, sunt tales ut non admittant, sed respuant; sunt enim cognitiones boni et veri externi et corporei, sicut humus quae secundum suam indolem admittit semina hujus non alterius naturae, et unum genus seminum producit et alterum suffocat; cognitiones in quibus intime Divinum, admittunt in se verum et bonum spirituale et caeleste, ex Divino enim quod intus est et disponit, tales sunt; at cognitiones in quibus non Divinum, admittunt modo falsum et malum, nam sunt talis naturae; illae cognitiones veri externi et corporei quae admittunt verum et bonum spirituale et caeleste, significantur hic per `filias Labanis ex domo Bethuelis,' at quae non admittunt, significantur per `filias {2}Canaan.' [3] Cognitiones quae ab infantia ad pueritiam addiscuntur, sunt sicut vasa communissima, quae adimplenda sunt {3}bonis, ac sicut adimplentur, illustratur homo; si talia vasa sunt ut in illis possint esse bona genuina, tunc a Divino quod intus in illis, {4}illustratur homo, et hoc successive magis et magis; at si {5}talia sunt ut in illis non possint esse bona genuina, tunc non illuminatur; apparet quidem sicut illustretur, sed est ex lumine fatuo quod est falsi et mali, at usque obscuratur magis et magis per illa quoad bonum et verum. [4] Cognitiones tales sunt multiplices, et tam multiplices ut vix possint quoad genera recenseri, minus quoad species distingui; derivantur enim a Divino multipliciter per rationale in naturale; quaedam {6}enim immediate influunt per bonum rationalis, et inde in bonum naturalis: etiam in verum hujus boni, ac iterum inde in naturale externum seu corporeum, ac ibi quoque abeunt in varios rivos; et quaedam influunt mediate per verum rationalis {7}in verum naturalis, etiam in bonum hujus veri, ac iterum inde in naturale externum seu corporeum videatur n. 3573, 3616. Se habent illa sicut gentes, familiae, et domus ac in illis consanguinitates et affinitates, quod nempe sint qui in linea recta sunt a primo patre, et qui in linea obliqua seu collaterali magis et magis; in caelis haec distinctissima sunt, nam societates ibi omnes secundum genera et species boni et veri, ac inde proximitates, distinctae sunt, n. 685, 2508, 2524, 2556, 2739, 3612; quas etiam repraesentabant antiquissimi qui caelestes homines fuerunt, per id quod ita distincti in gentes, familias, et domos habitarent, n. 470, 471, 483, 1159, 1246; inde quoque erat quod mandatum ut illi qui ab Ecclesia repraesentativa erant, conjugia contraherent intra suae gentis familias, ita enim repraesentari potuit per illos caelum, et ejus societatum conjunctio quoad bonum et verum; sicut hic nunc per Jacobum quod `iret ad domum Bethuelis patris matris suae, et acciperet sibi exinde mulierem a filiabus Labanis fratris matris suae.' [5] {8}Quod attinet ipsas cognitiones veri externi seu corporei, quae ex bono collaterali sunt, et, ut dictum, intus in se habent Divinum, et sic admittere possunt genuina bona, quales sunt apud infantes pueros qui dein regenerantur, sunt in genere tales, quales sunt historicorum Verbi, ut quae ibi dicuntur de Paradiso, de primo homine ibi, de arbore vitae in medio ejus, et de arbore scientiae, {9}ubi serpens qui decepit; haec sunt cognitiones quae in se habent Divinum, et in se admittunt (t)bona et vera spiritualia et caelestia, quia repraesentant et significant illa; tales cognitiones etiam sunt reliqua quae in historicis Verbi, sicut quae ibi de tabernaculo sunt, deque templo, et (c)eorum constructionibus; {10}pariter quae de vestibus Aharonis et filiorum ejus; tum quoque de festis tabernaculorum, primitiarum messis et azymorum, et de similibus aliis; haec et talia, cum ab infante puero sciuntur et cogitantur, tunc ab angelis qui apud illum, cogitatur de Divinis quae repraesentant et significant; et quia angeli his afficiuntur, affectio eorum communicatur, et facit jucundum et volupe quod puero ex illis, et praeparat {11}illius mentem ad recipiendum vera et bona genuina: talia et perplurima alia sunt cognitiones veri externi et corporei ex bono collaterali. @1 A had vera quae sicut infans discit, sunt prorsus externa seu corporea; but d infans...corporea; then continues puer discit sunt prorsus externa et corporea; finally ip infans before puer.$ @2 Cannanis$ @3 i veris et$ @4 illuminatur $ @5 i vasa$ @6 nempe$ @7 i et inde$ @8 Quod ipsas cognitiones veri externi seu corporei, quae ex bono collaterali sunt, attinet, sunt, sicut dictum quales sunt apud infantes seu pueros primae aetatis, et intus in se habent Divinum et sic admittere possunt genuina vera et bona, tales cognitiones sunt historica Verbi (quales...aetatis is deleted, but similar words are in I)$ @9 e qua serpens decepit Evam$ @10 i quae quia in se Divinum recondunt, et sunt caelestium et spiritualium repraesentativa, etiam admittunt talia.$ @11 illorum$