3974.“请你把（我的）女眷给我”表对真理的情感属于属世层，“孩子”表由这些情感所生的真理也是。这从“女眷”或“妻子”或“女人”和“孩子”的含义清楚可知：“女眷”（females或womenfolk）或“妻子”或“女人”是指对真理的情感，他的妻子或女人“利亚”是指对外在真理的情感，“拉结”是指对内在真理的情感，如前面频繁所述；“孩子”（children）是指由这些情感所生的真理；因为“儿子”表示真理（489，491，533，1147，2623，3373节），由这些女眷所生的孩子表示源于这些情感的真理。古人有这样一条规矩：给奴仆的女人属于他们所服侍的主人，他们所生的孩子也是，这一点明显可见于摩西五经：
你若买希伯来人作奴仆，他必服事你六年，第七年他可以自由，白白地出去。他主人若给他妻子，妻子给他生了儿子或女儿，妻子和儿女要归主人，他要独自出去。（出埃及记21:2，4）
由于这也是古教会的一条规矩，因而为拉班所知，所以他索要雅各的女眷和孩子，这一点明显可见于下一章：
拉班对雅各说，这女儿是我的女儿，这儿子是我的儿子，这羊群也是我的羊群；凡你所看见的都是我的。（创世记31:43）；
雅各知道这个规矩，所以他才对拉班说“请你把我的女眷和孩子给我”。如所引用摩西五经的章节所说的这个规矩就代表了内在人或理性人的权利，即它有权得到外在人或属世人的良善与真理。因为奴仆代表属世人的真理，就是诸如纯正真理被注入之前，起初所存在的那种真理。起初所获得的真理并非真理，只是表面上看似真理。尽管如此，它仍作为借以引入纯正真理与良善的方法而服务，如前面所示。因此，一理良善与真理通过起初获得的真理，也就是通过它所提供的服务而被注入，就它就会被抛弃；而以这种方式所获得的纯正良善与真理则保留下来。正是由于这种代表的缘故，关于奴仆的这条律法才会被制定。
不过，至于雅各，他不是被买来的奴仆，乃是比拉班出身还要高贵的人。他本人，也就是说雅各，通过自己所提供的服务买了拉班的女儿，因而也买了她们所生的孩子；这些人是他的工价。所以，拉班对他们的想法是不正确的。另外，“希伯来奴仆”表示服务于引入纯正良善与真理的真理，他的“妻子或女人”表示对属世良善的情感。但雅各的地位不同于奴仆的。雅各代表属世真理的良善，他的“女眷或妻子”则表示对真理的情感。拉班所代表的，也不同于上述关于希伯来奴仆律法中的主人所代表的。也就是说，他不代表理性层，而是代表旁系良善（参看3612，3665，3778节），旁系良善具有这样的性质：它并非纯正的良善，只是表面上看似纯正，是用来服务于引入真理的（3665，3690节），这些真理因此是雅各的。
诚然，极少有人理解此处所陈述的细节，因为很少有人知道何为属世层的真理与良善，而它们不同于理性层的真理与良善。人们更不知道并不纯正、只是表面上看似纯正的良善与真理可服务于引入纯正的良善与真理，尤其在重生之初。尽管如此，由于这些细节就包含在这些话的内义中，也包含在接下来关于拉班羊群的那些话的内义中，而雅各就是从拉班的羊群中为自己获得羊群的，所以它们不应该被默然忽略过去。或许有些人理解它们。凡强烈渴望知道这类事，也就是处于对属灵的良善与真理的情感之人都会在这类问题上得到启示。
Potts(1905-1910) 3974
3974. Give me my females. That this signifies that the affections of truth belonged to the natural; and that "and my children" signifies that so did the truths thence derived, is evident from the signification of "females," or "women," as being the affections of truth; his "woman Leah," the affection of external truth; and "Rachel," the affection of interior truth (concerning which frequently above); and from the signification of "children," as being the derivative truths; for by "sons" are signified truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); and by the "children" that were born from the females, the derivative truths. It was a statute among the ancients that the females given to servants should be the masters with whom they served, and also the children born of them; as is evident in Moses:
If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. If his master give him a woman and she shall bear him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out with his body (Exod. 21:2, 4). As this was a statute in the Ancient Church also, and was thus known to Laban, he therefore claimed for himself both the females and the children of Jacob, as is plain in the following chapter:
Laban said unto Jacob, The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the flock is my flock, and all that thou seest, it is mine (Exod. 31:43);
and because Jacob knew this, he said to Laban, "Give me my females and my children." But that statute, as stated by Moses in the place cited, represented the right of the internal or rational man that it has acquired over the goods and truths of the external or natural man; for by a manservant was represented the truth of the natural such as it is in the beginning, before genuine truths are being insinuated. The truth acquired in the beginning is not truth, but appears as truth, and yet as before shown it serves as a means for introducing genuine truths and goods; and therefore when goods and truths have been insinuated by it, or by its service, it is dismissed, and the genuine goods and truths thus procured are retained. It was for the sake of this representation that this law concerning the servants was delivered. [2] But as regards Jacob, he was not a bought servant, but was from a more distinguished family than Laban. He bought for himself by his own service the daughters of Laban, and thus also the children born of them; for these were his wages. Laban's thought in regard to them therefore was not in accordance with the truth. Moreover, by a "Hebrew servant" was signified truth that serves for introducing genuine goods and truths, and by his "woman" the affection of natural good. With Jacob it was otherwise. By him is represented the good of natural truth; and by his "females" the affection of truth. Neither is that represented by Laban which is represented by the "master" in the law cited respecting a Hebrew servant, namely, the rational; but collateral good (see n. 3612, 3665, 3778); which is such that it is not genuine good, but appears to be genuine, and is of service for introducing truths (n. 3665, 3690), which therefore were Jacob's. [3] These things here advanced are indeed such as to fall into the comprehension of extremely few; because very few know what the truth and good of the natural are, and that they are distinct from the truth and good of the rational. Still less is it known that goods and truths not genuine, and which yet appear to be genuine, may serve for introducing genuine goods and truths, especially in the beginning of regeneration. Nevertheless as these are the things contained in the internal sense of these words, and in the internal sense also of those which follow respecting Laban's flock, from which Jacob procured a flock for himself, they are not to be passed over in silence. There may be some who will comprehend them. They who are in the desire of knowing such things, that is, who are in the affection of spiritual good and truth, are enlightened in regard to such matters.
Elliott(1983-1999) 3974
3974. 'Give me my womenfolk' means that the affections for truth belonged to that natural, 'and my children' means as did the truths born from those affections. This is clear from the meaning of 'womenfolk' or 'wives' as affections for truth - his wife 'Leah' meaning the affection for external truth, and 'Rachel' the affection for internal truth, both dealt with often above; and from the meaning of 'children' as truths born from those affections. For 'sons' means truths, 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373, and the children born of the womenfolk truths that spring from those affections.
It was a regulation among the Ancients that women given to slaves belonged to the master with whom they served, and so did the children born from them, as may be seen in Moses,
If you buy a Hebrew slave he shall serve for six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. If his master has given him a wife and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out by himself.a Exod 21:2, 4.
It was because this was also a regulation in the Ancient Church and was therefore well known to Laban that he laid claim to Jacob's wives and children, as is evident in the next chapter,
Laban said to Jacob, The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons, and the flock is my flock, and all that you see belongs to me. Gen 31:43.
And because Jacob knows this he says to Laban, 'Give me my womenfolk and my children'. But this regulation as stated in Moses in the verses quoted above represented the right of the internal or rational man to the goods and truths of the external or natural man which the latter has obtained for itself. For a slave represented the truth of the natural man as that truth exists at first before genuine truths are instilled. The truth which is present at first is not truth but the outward appearance of it. Nevertheless it serves as the means by which genuine truths and goods are introduced, as has been shown already. For this reason once goods and truths have been instilled through that truth present at first, that is, through the service it renders, it is dispensed with, but the genuine truths obtained in that way are retained. It was for the sake of this representation that this law about slaves was laid down.
[2] But as for Jacob, he was not a slave who had been purchased, but a man from a more distinguished family than Laban. He himself - that is to say, Jacob - purchased Laban's daughters, and so also the children by them, through the service he rendered; for they were his instead of wages. Consequently Laban's assumptions concerning them were not correct. Furthermore 'a Hebrew slave' means the truth which serves to introduce genuine goods and truths, and his wife the affection for natural good. But Jacob's position was different from that of a slave. He represented the good of natural truth, and his wives the affections for truth. Nor does Laban have the same representation as the master in the law that has been quoted relating to a Hebrew slave. That is to say, he does not represent the rational, but a parallel good, 3612, 3665, 3778, which is such that it is not genuine good but the outward appearance of the genuine, serving to introduce truths, 3665, 3690, which were accordingly 'Jacob's'.
[3] These details which have been presented are indeed such as fall within the mental grasp of none but a very few, for most people do not know what the truth and good of the natural are, and that these are different from the truth and good of the rational. Still less do they know that goods and truths which are not genuine but only so to external appearance serve to introduce genuine truths and goods, especially at the outset of regeneration. All the same, as these details are contained in the internal sense of these words, and also in the internal sense of those that follow concerning Laban's flock from which Jacob obtained a flock for himself, they ought not to be passed over in silence. There will perhaps be some who grasp them. Any who have a strong desire to know such things, that is, who are stirred by an affection for spiritual good and truth, receive enlightenment in such matters.
Latin(1748-1756) 3974
3974. `Da feminas meas': quod significet quod affectiones veri ejus essent; `et natos meos' quod significet etiam vera inde, constat a significatione feminarum seu mulierum quod sint affectiones veri, mulier ejus `Leah' affectio veri externi, et `Rachel' affectio veri interioris, de {1}quibus saepius supra; et a significatione `natorum' quod sint vera inde; per `filios' enim significantur vera n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373, per `natos {2}nempe ex feminis' vera inde. Apud antiquos statutum fuit quod feminae quae darentur servis, essent domini apud quem servirent, et quoque nati ex illis, ut constare potest apud Mosen, Si emeris servum Hebraeum, sex annis serviet, et in septimo exibit liber gratis: si dominus ejus dederit ei mulierem, et peperit ei filios aut filias, mulier et nati ejus erunt domini illius, et ille exibit cum corpore suo, Exod. xxi 2, 4;{3}hoc quia statutum fuit etiam in Antiqua Ecclesia, et ind enotum Labani, ideo vindicabat sibi et feminas et natos Jacobi, ut patet in capite seq. xxxi, Laban dixit ad Jacobum, Filiae, filiae meae, et filii, filii mei, et grex, grex meus, et omne quod tu videns, mihi hoc illud, vers. 43;
hoc quia novit Jacob, dicit {4}ad Labanem, `Da feminas meas et natos meos'; sed per statutum illud de quo apud Mosen in loco citato, repraesentabatur jus {5}interni seu rationalis hominis in bona et vera externi seu naturalis, quae sibi comparavit; per `servum' enim repraesentabatur verum naturalis quale est in principio antequam vera genuina insinuantur; verum quod in principio, non est verum sed apparet ut verum, at usque inservit pro medio introducendi genuina vera et bona, ut prius ostensum;
quapropter cum bona et vera per illud seu ejus servitium insinuata sunt, tunc illud dimittitur, et retinentur genuina sic comparata;
repraesentationis hujus causa illa lex de servis lata est. [2] At quod Jacobum attinet, non erat servus emptus, sed ex familia illustriore quam Laban; ipse, nempe Jacob, emit sibi filias Labanis, ita quoque natos ex illis, per servitium suum, erant enim illi pro mercede'; quapropter Laban non congrue de his sentivit; et praeterea per `servum Hebraeum' significabatur verum quod inservit introducendis bonis et veris genuinis', et per {6}mulierem ejus affectio boni naturalis; aliter per Jacobum; per illum repraesentatur bonum veri naturalis, {7}et per `feminas ejus' affectiones veri; per `Labanem' nec repraesentatur id quod per dominum in lege citata de servo Hebraeo, nempe rationale, sed bonum collaterale, n. 3612, 3665, 3778, quod tale est ut non sit bonum genuinum sed apparens ut genuinum, et inservit pro introducendis veris, n. 3665, 3690; quae sic Jacobi fuerunt. [3] Haec quae nunc allata sunt, quidem talia sunt ut non in captum nisi paucissimorum cadant, quia plerique non sciunt quid verum et bonum naturalis, et quod haec distincta sint a vero et bono rationalis; et minus, quod bona et vera non genuina, {8}et usque apparentia ut genuina, inserviant introducendis veris et bonis genuinis, cumprimis in principio regenerationis; sed usque quia haec sunt quae continentur in sensu interno horum verborum, et quoque in sensu interno sequentium de grege Labanis, ex quo Jacob sibi comparavit gregem, non reticenda sunt; forte erunt qui capiunt; qui in desiderio talia sciendi sunt, hoc est, qui in affectione boni et veri spiritualis, illi in talibus illustrantur {9}. @1 qua$ @2 i autem$ @3 quale etiam Laban vindicavit$ @4 i hic$ @5 A d interni and i interioris$ @6 foeminas illorum affectiones$ @7 perque$ @8 sed$ @9 i a Domino$