6342. Reuben, my firstborn. That this signifies faith which is apparently in the prior place, is evident from the representation of Reuben, as being faith in the understanding (see n. 3861, 3866), and confession of the faith of the church in general (n. 4731, 4734, 4761); and from the signification of "firstborn," as being to be in the prior place (see n. 3325); (but that faith is in the prior place only apparently, may be seen above, n. 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 4977, 6256, 6269, 6272, 6273).
