4345.“并且叫两个使女和她们的孩子在前头，利亚和她的孩子在后头，拉结和约瑟在尽后头”表从囊括其它一切事物在其中的更总体事物开始的次序。这从刚才关于“使女”、“利亚”和“拉结”，以及她们的“孩子”含义的说明清楚可知，大意是：“使女”表示对记忆知识和认知的情感；“利亚”表示对外层真理的情感；“拉结”表示对内层真理的情感。对记忆知识和认知的情感更为外在，因为记忆知识和认知是真理所出自并立于其上的根基。对外在真理的情感随它们而来，并且更为内在，对内层真理的情感也更为内在。它们越外在，也就越是总体，越内在，就越不是总体，相对总体来说被称为细节和具体细节。
关于总体真理，它们之所以被称为总体，是因为它们是由细节真理构成的，因而包含细节真理在里面。没有细节真理的总体真理不是总体真理，相反却凭细节真理而被如此称呼。
其中的情形就像一个总的整体与其各部分。若没有各个部分，一个整体无法被称为一个整体，因为整体由各部分构成。事实上，事物的本质中没有一物不凭其它事物存在和持续存在。凭其它事物而非本身存在并持续存在之物被称为一个总体，构成它并使它保持存在的事物被称为细节。外在事物因由内在事物构成，故相对于内在事物，是总体上的；因为它们由更内在的事物构成，而这些更内在的事物又由至内在的事物构成。
相对于人的其它事物，身体本身和属于身体的事物，如所谓的外在感官及其行为，是最为总体的。属世心智和属于属世心智的事物并不怎么是总体的，因为它们更内在，相对于身体和身体事物，可被称为细节。但理性心智和属于理性心智的事物还要内在，相对于身体、属世心智和属于这些的事物，可被称为具体细节。当人脱去肉体，成为一个灵时，这些区别就会活生生地呈现出来；因为到那时，他就能清楚发现，其身体事物比其灵的事物所取的最总体形式更算不上什么，并且身体事物凭其灵的事物存在并持续存在；因而他会发现，其灵的事物相对于其身体事物，就是细节。当这灵成为一位天使，也就是被提到天上去时，他就能发现，他以前在总体，因而在模糊的光中所看见并感觉到的事物，现在却在细节和清晰的光中看见并感觉到了。因为他现在看见并感觉到之前所看见并感觉为一体的无数事物。
这也可从人活在世上的情形明显看出来。他在童年早期所看见并感觉到的事物是最为总体的，而他在童年晚期所看见并感觉到的事物就是这些细节的具体细节。因为随着年龄增大，人会把细节引入童年早期所获取的总体，之后把具体细节引入细节。事实上，他朝着更为内在的事物逐渐发展，并以细节充满总体，以具体细节充满细节。由此可见何谓“从囊括其它一切事物在其中的总体事物开始的次序”，也就是他“叫两个使女和她们的孩子在前头，利亚和她的孩子在后头，拉结和约瑟在尽后头”的意思。
当人正在重生，或也可说，他里面的真理正与良善结合时，情形也一样，并且这种情形就是此处所论述的主题。在此期间，总体情感及其真理（在此由“使女及其孩子”来表示）首先被引入良善；之后不怎么总体的，也就是相对总体来说为细节的（在此由“利亚及其孩子”来表示）被引入，最后更不怎么总体的，也就是相对于细节来说为具体细节的（在此由“拉结”和“约瑟”来表示）被引入。
Potts(1905-1910) 4345
4345. And he put the handmaids and their children first, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph after. That this signifies order from more general things in which were all the rest, may be seen from what has been said just above respecting the signification of the "handmaids," of "Leah," of "Rachel," and of their "children"-namely, that the "handmaids" denote the affections of memory-knowledges and of knowledges; "Leah," the affection of exterior truth; and "Rachel," the affection of interior truth. The affections of memory-knowledges and of knowledges are the most external, for memory-knowledges and knowledges themselves are things from which and in which are truths. The affection of external truth follows from this, and is more interior, and the affection of interior truth is still more interior. The more exterior they are, the more general also they are; and the more interior, the less general, and relatively are called particulars and singulars. [2] With regard to generals, these are called generals because they consist of particulars, consequently because they contain particulars within them. Generals without particulars are not generals, but are so called from particulars. The case herein is like that of a whole and its parts. A whole cannot be called a whole unless there are parts, for the whole consists of parts. For in the nature of things there is nothing which does not come forth and subsist from other things, and because it comes forth and subsists from other things it is called a general, and the things of which it consists and from which it subsists are said to be particulars. External things are what consist of internal things, and therefore external things are relatively general. It is so with man and his faculties; the more exterior these are, the more general they are; for they consist of things more interior, and these of inmost things in order. [3] The body itself, and the things of the body, such as those called the external senses and the actions, are relatively the most general. The natural mind and the things of this mind are less general, because more interior, and relatively are called particulars. But the rational mind and the things of this mind are still more interior, and relatively are singulars. All this is manifest to the life when man puts off the body and becomes a spirit; for it is then manifest to him that his bodily things had been no other than the most general of the things of his spirit, and that the bodily things had come forth and subsisted from those of his spirit; thus that the things of the spirit had been relatively particulars. And when the same spirit becomes an angel (that is, when he is uplifted into heaven), it is manifest to him that the same things which he had previously seen and felt in general, and thus in obscurity, he now sees and feels in particular and in clearness; for he now sees and feels innumerable things which he had previously seen and felt as one. [4] This is also evident from man himself during his life in the world-the things which he sees and feels in infancy are most general; but those which he sees and feels in childhood and youth are the particulars of these generals; and those which he sees and feels in adult age are the singulars of these particulars. For as a man advances in age, he instills particulars into the generals of infancy, and afterwards singulars into the particulars. For he advances successively toward things more interior, and infills the generals with particulars, and the particulars with singulars. From this it may now be seen what is meant by "order from the generals in which were all the rest," which is signified by his placing the handmaids and their children first, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and her children after. [5] When a man is being regenerated, or what is the same, when the truths in him are being conjoined with good, the case is similar, and this is the subject here treated of. Then general affections with their truths (which here are the "handmaids" and their "children"), are first instilled into good; then those less general (that is, those which are relatively particulars), which here are "Leah" and her "children;" and finally those still less general (that is, those which are relatively singulars), which here are "Rachel" and "Joseph." For man then passes in like manner as it were through ages, first being in his infancy, and then in childhood and youth, and finally in adult age.
Elliott(1983-1999) 4345
4345. 'And he put the servant-girls and their sons first, and Leah and her sons further back, and Rachel and Joseph even further back' means an ordering beginning with quite general things in which all else is included. This becomes clear from what has been stated directly above about the meaning of 'the servant-girls, Leah, Rachel, and their sons' to the effect that 'the servant-girls' means the affections for knowledge and for cognitions, 'Leah' the affection for exterior truth, and 'Rachel' the affection for interior truth. The affections for knowledge and for cognitions are the most external ones since knowledge and cognitions are the foundations out of which truths arise and on which they are based. The affection for external truth follows them and is more interior, while the affection for interior truth is more interior still. The more external they are the more general they are too, and the more internal they are the less general they are and in relation to the general are called particular and specific
[2] With regard to general truths, they are called general because they are made up of the particular truths and so include the particular ones within them. General truths without particular ones are not general truths, but are called such from the particular. They are like a general whole and its parts. No general whole can be called a whole if there are no parts, for the parts make up the whole. Indeed nothing exists in the nature of things which does not first exist from and then continue to exist from things other than itself. That which exists and continues to exist from things other than itself is called general, and the things which compose it and keep it in existence are called particular. Being composed of internal things, external ones in relation to internal are therefore general. The same applies to the human being and his mental faculties: the more external these are the more general they are since they are composed of things that are more interior, while these in turn are composed of those that are inmost.
[3] In relation to the rest of the human being the actual body and the things belonging to the body, as its external senses and its actions are called, are most general. The natural mind and the things belonging to the natural mind are less general because they are more internal, and in relation to the body and bodily things are called particulars. The rational mind however and the things belonging to the rational mind are more internal still, and are - in relation to the body, the natural mind and the things belonging to these - called specifics. These differences are clearly observable by a person when he casts aside his body and becomes a spirit, for then he is able to observe clearly that the things of the body had been nothing more than the most general forms taken by the things of his spirit, and that bodily things received their existence and were kept in existence by those of his spirit. Thus he sees that the things of his spirit in relation to those of his body were particulars. And when the same spirit becomes an angel, that is, when he is raised up into heaven, he is able to observe that the same things which previously he has seen and experienced in an obscure light he now sees and experiences in their particular form and in bright light. For he now observes countless details which previously he had seen and experienced as a single entity.
[4] The same is also evident from what is the case while that person is living in the world. The things which he sees and experiences in early childhood are most general, whereas those which he sees and experiences in later childhood and youth are the particular aspects of those general ones; and those that he sees and experiences in adult years are the specific details of those particular aspects. For as a person advances in years he introduces the particular ideas into general ones acquired in early childhood, and after that specific notions into the particular ideas; for he advances gradually towards more interior things, filling what is the general with the particular, and the particular with the specific. From this one may now see the implications of an ordering beginning with general things in which all else is included, which is the meaning of 'he put the servant-girls and their sons first, Leah and her sons further back, and Rachel and Joseph even further back'.
[5] A similar situation exists when a person is being regenerated, or what amounts to the same, when in him truths are being joined to good; and this situation is the subject here. During that time general affections together with their truths, meant here by 'the servant-girls and their sons', are the first to be introduced into good; after that the less general are introduced, that is, those which in relation to the general are particular, meant here by 'Leah and her sons'; and finally the less general still, that is, those which in relation to the same are specific, meant here by 'Rachel and Joseph'. For when being regenerated a person passes so to speak through comparable phases of life - he experiences early childhood first; after that later childhood and youth; and finally adult years.
Latin(1748-1756) 4345
4345. `Et posuit ancillas et natos illarum primo, et Leam et natos ejus posteriores, et Rachelem et Josephum posteriores': quod significet ordinem a communioribus in quibus reliqua, constare potest ex illis quae nunc supra de significatione `ancillarum, Leae, Rachelis, et natorum illarum' dicta sunt, quod nempe `ancillae' sint affectiones scientiarum et cognitionum, `Leah' sit affectio veri exterioris et `Rachel' affectio veri interioris;affectiones scientiarum et cognitionum sunt maxime externae, ipsae enim scientiae et cognitiones sunt ex quibus et in quibus vera;
affectio veri externi inde sequitur et est interior, et affectio veri interioris est adhuc interior; quo exteriora sunt, eo quoque sunt communiora, et quo interiora, eo sunt minus communia, et respective dicuntur particularia et singularia: [2] se habet ita cum communibus, quod communia dicantur ex eo quod consistant ex particularibus, proinde quod in se contineant particularia;
communia absque particularibus non sunt communia, sed ex particularibus ita dicuntur; (m)se habet hoc sicut totum et partes;
totum non dici potest totum nisi sint partes, ex partibus enim consistit totum (n): non enim datur aliquid in rerum natura quod non existit et subsistit ex aliis; quod existit et subsistit ex aliis, vocatur commune, et illa ex quibus consistit et subsistit dicitur particularia; externa sunt quae consistunt ab internis, quapropter externa sunt communia respective; ita se habet cum homine et ejus facultatibus, quod quo exteriores sunt, eo communiores sint, consistunt enim ab interioribus, et haec ab intimis ordine. [3] Ipsum corpus et quae sunt corporis, ut quae vocantur sensus externi et actiones, sunt communissima respective;
mens naturalis et quae sunt illius mentis, sunt (o)minus communia, quia interiora, et vocantur {1} respective particularia; mens autem rationalis et quae illius mentis, sunt adhuc interiora, et sunt respective singularia: haec {2} ad vivum patent {3} cum homo exuitur corpore et fit spiritus; tunc enim ei patet quod corporea ejus non fuerint alia quam communissima illorum quae spiritus (o)ejus sunt, et quod corporea exstiterint et substiterint ex illis quae ejus spiritus, ita quod quae spiritus, fuerint respective particularia; et cum idem spiritus fit angelus, hoc est, cum elevatur in caelum, quod illa quae in communi ac ita in obscuro vidit et {4} sensit prius, tunc eadem in particulari {5} et in claro videat et sentiat; nam innumerabilia tunc, quae prius viderat et senserat sicut unum. [4] Hoc quoque patet ab ipso homine cum vivit in mundo; quae is videt et sentit in infantia, sunt communissima, quae autem in pueritia et juventute, sunt communium illorum particularia, quae autem in adulta aetate, sunt particularium singularia; nam sicut homo aetate progreditur, ita in communia infantiae insinuat particularia et dein in particularia insinuat singularia, nam progreditur successive versus interiora, et implet communia particularibus, et particulari singularibus {6}:
inde nunc constare potest quid intelligitur per ordinem a communibus {7} in quibus reliqua, quae significantur per quod `posuerit ancillas et natos illarum primo, et Leam et natos ejus posteriores, et Rachelem et {8} Josephum posteriores.' [5] Cum homine quando regeneratur, seu quod idem, quando apud illum vera conjunguntur bono, similiter se habet, de qua re hic agitur; tunc communes affectiones cum illarum veris, quae hic sunt `ancillae et earum nati,' primum insinuantur bono, dein minus communia, hoc est, particularia respective, quae hic sunt `Leah et ejus nati,' demum adhuc minus communia, hoc est, singularia respective, quae hic sunt `Rachel et Josephus'; (m)nam transit (o)homo similiter tunc quasi per aetates, est ei {9} infantia primum, dein pueritia {10} et juventus, demum adulta aetas.(n) @1 sunt$ @2 hoc$ @3 patet$ @4 aut$ @5 particularibus$ @6 singularibus particularia et particularibus communia$ @7 corporibus$ @8 natos ejus I$ @9 ejus$ @10 i ejus$