5541. And Reuben spoke unto his father. That this signifies the things of faith in the understanding perceived from the good of truth, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive (of which often above); and from the representation of Reuben, as being faith in doctrine and in the understanding (see n. 3861, 3866, 5472), consequently the things of this faith; and from the representation of Jacob, who is here the "father" to whom Reuben spoke, as being the good of truth (n. 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 4234, 4273, 4538, 5533). From this it is plain that by "Reuben's speaking to his father" are signified the things of faith in the understanding perceived from the good of truth. The reason why Reuben speaks here, is that the church is treated of, in which faith in doctrine and in the understanding apparently takes the first place, and also teaches, here what must be done lest the things of the church be destroyed.