4277. And he touched the hollow of his thigh. That this signifies where celestial spiritual good is conjoined with the natural good signified by "Jacob," is evident from the signification of the "thigh," as being conjugial love, and thence all celestial and spiritual love, because these are derived from conjugial love as offspring from their parent (see n. 3021); and from the signification of the "hollow," or "socket," or cavity of the thigh, as being where there is conjunction; here, therefore, where there is the conjunction of celestial spiritual good with the natural good signified by "Jacob." But of this conjunction nothing can be said unless it is first known what celestial spiritual good is, which is "Israel," and what natural good is, which is "Jacob." This will be told presently (at verse 28) in treating of Jacob, then named Israel, and again afterwards in treating of Jacob's posterity.
