Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3323

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3323. Verses 31-33 And Jacob said, Sell me - as if today - your birthright. And Esau said, Behold, I am going to die; so what is this birthright to me? And Jacob said, Swear to me, as if today; and he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob.

'Jacob said' means the doctrine of truth. 'Sell me - as if today - your birthright' means that in the short term the doctrine of truth was apparently prior. 'And Esau said, Behold, I am going to die' means that [the good of the natural] would after that rise again 'So what is this birthright to me?' means that at this time there is no need for that good to be prior. 'And Jacob said' means the doctrine of truth. 'Swear to me, as if today; and he swore to him' means confirmation. 'And he sold his birthright to Jacob' means that in the meantime priority was conceded [to the doctrine of truth].


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