4238. Verses 3-5. And Jacob sent messengers before him, to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the field of Edom. And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: Thus saith thy servant Jacob, I have sojourned with Laban, and have tarried until now. And I had ox and ass, flock, and manservant and handmaid; and I send to tell my lord, to find grace in thine eyes. "And Jacob sent messengers before him, to Esau his brother," signifies the first communication with celestial good; "unto the land of Seir," signifies celestial natural good; "the field of Edom," signifies the derivative truth; "and he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau," signifies the first acknowledgment of good as being in the higher place; "I have sojourned with Laban, and have tarried until now," signifies that He had imbued Himself with the good signified by "Laban;" "and I had ox and ass, and flock, and manservant and handmaid," signifies acquisitions therein in their order; "and I send to tell my lord, to find grace in thine eyes," signifies instruction concerning His state, and also the condescension and humiliation of truth in the presence of good.