Arcana Coelestia (Potts) n. 4105

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4105. And he carried away all his acquisition, and all his substance which he had gathered. That this signifies the separation of the truth and good derived from what was Laban's, is evident from the signification of "carrying away," as being to separate; from the signification of "acquisition," as being truth; and from the signification of "substance," as being good. "Which he had gathered," has regard to Laban and his flock, by means of which they had been procured. The reason why "acquisition" denotes truth, and "substance" good, is that in the original language "acquisition" is a word which also signifies cattle in general, and by "cattle" specifically are signified truths, when by "flocks" are signified goods; and by "substance" is signified the resources from which all these are procured. For when two things of nearly similar signification are mentioned in the Word, the one is predicated of truth, and the other of good, on account of the heavenly marriage of truth and good in every particular of the Word (see n. 683, 793, 801, 2173, 2516, 2712).


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