4148. And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid, for I said, Perchance thou wilt take away thy daughters from me by force. That this signifies the state if the separation were made in the freedom of that good, in that it would be injured in respect to the affections of truth, is evident from what precedes, where the separation in freedom on the part of the good signified by "Laban" has been treated of, to which an answer is here given. In the internal sense each word involves heavenly arcana, which cannot be expounded for the reason stated just above (n. 4136). It is evident that there is here signified the state that would exist if the separation had been effected in the freedom of that good; and that the affections of truth would in that case be injured is signified by the words, "Perchance thou wilt take away thy daughters from me by force;" for by "daughters" (here Rachel and Leah) are signified the affections of truth, as has already been frequently shown. How the case herein is can be better seen from what now follows.