5969. 'And his heart failed, for he did not believe them' means a lack of natural life and consequent lack of understanding. This is clear from the meaning of 'his heart failed' as a lack of life, and because these words have reference to 'Jacob', who represents natural good, 5965, it is a lack of natural life; and from the meaning of 'not believing' as a lack of understanding. The word consequent is used because the life that belongs to the will always precedes and that of the understanding follows; and the reason for this is that life resides solely in the will, not in the understanding except as life received from the will. This is clear from good which exists in the will and truth which exists in the understanding, in that good has life within it but not truth except as it receives it from that good. It is quite plain that what has life is always prior and what receives life from it is posterior. This explains the use of the expression 'a lack of natural life and consequent lack of understanding', meant by 'his heart failed, for he did not believe them'.