Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4246

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4246. Verses 6-8 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to your brother, to Esau, and he also is coming to meet you, and four hundred men with him. And Jacob was exceedingly afraid, and was distressed; and he split up the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps. And he said, If Esau comes towards one camp and smites it, the camp that is left will escape. 'The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to your brother, to Esau, and he also is coming to meet you' means that good flows in constantly so as to make [truths] its own. 'And four hundred men with him' means its state now, set to take up the first position. 'And Jacob was exceedingly afraid, and was distressed' means the state when it is being changed. 'And he split up the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps' means the preparation and arrangement of truths and goods within the natural so as to receive the good represented by 'Esau'. 'And he said, If Esau comes towards one camp and smites it, the camp that is left will escape' means to meet every eventuality.


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