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From the work, Arcana Coelestia 4849

4849. Verses 12-14. And the days were multiplied, and Shua’s daughter died, the wife of Judah; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto the shearers of his flock, he and his companion Hirah the Adullamite, to Timnah. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnah to shear his flock. And she put off from upon her the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself in a veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of the fountains which is upon the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given to him for a woman. “And the days were multiplied,” signifies a change of state; “and Shua’s daughter died,” signifies as to evil from falsity; “the wife of Judah,” signifies the religiosity with the nation descended from Jacob, specifically that from Judah; “and Judah was comforted,” signifies rest; “and went up unto the shearers of his flock,” signifies some elevation to take counsel for the church; “he and his companion Hirah the Adullamite,” signifies that it was still in falsity; “to Timnah,” signifies the state; “and it was told Tamar, saying,” signifies some communication with a church representative of spiritual and celestial things; “Behold thy father-in-law goeth up to Timnah to shear his flock,” signifies that the Jewish Church wished to take counsel for itself; “and she put off from upon her the garments of her widowhood,” signifies a simulation of the truth that is from good; “and covered herself in a veil,” signifies truth obscured; “and wrapped herself,” signifies thus not acknowledged; “and sat in the gate of the fountains which is upon the way to Timnah,” signifies what is intermediate to the truths of the church and to falsities; “for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she was not given to him for a woman,” signifies discernment that it could not otherwise be conjoined with the religiosity in which was the posterity of Jacob, specifically that from Judah.

From the work, Arcana Coelestia 4863

4863. Verses 15-18. And Judah saw her, and thought her to be a harlot, because she had covered her faces. And he turned aside unto her to the way, and said, Grant I pray that I may come to thee; for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law. And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come to me? And he said, I will send thee a kid of the goats from the flock. And she said, If thou wilt give a pledge till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy kerchief, and thy staff that is in thy hand. And he gave them to her, and came to her; and she conceived to him. “And Judah saw her,” signifies how the religiosity of the Jewish nation at that time regarded the internal things of the representative church; “and thought her to be a harlot,” signifies no otherwise than as falsity; “because she had covered her faces,” signifies that interior things were hidden to them; “and he turned aside unto her to the way,” signifies that it adjoined itself because it was such; “and said, Grant I pray that I may come to thee,” signifies lust for conjunction; “for he knew not that she was his daughter-in-law” signifies that it did not perceive it to be the truth of the representative church; “and she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come to me?” signifies the reciprocal of conjunction with a condition; “and he said, I will send thee a kid of the goats from the flock,” signifies a pledge of conjunction; “and she said, If thou wilt give a pledge till thou send it?” signifies the reciprocal if there is certainty; “and he said, What pledge shall I give thee?” signifies that it was certain; “and she said, Thy signet,” signifies a token of consent; “and thy kerchief,” signifies by means of truth; “and thy staff that is in thy hand,” signifies by means of its power; “and he gave them to her,” signifies that thus it was certain; “and came to her,” signifies conjunction; “and she conceived to him,” signifies thus reception.