1163. 'Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan' were just so many nations who in the internal sense mean cognitions, knowledge, and the forms of ritual which belong to faith separated from charity. This becomes clear from the Word where these nations are mentioned in various places, for these nations mean such things in those places. That is to say, 'Cush' or Ethiopia means interior cognitions of the Word by which people confirm false assumptions. 'Mizraim' or Egypt means knowledge, or the various facts by which they wish to probe into the arcana of faith and in so doing confirm assumptions that are false. 'Put' or Libya means cognitions drawn from the literal sense of the Word by means of which in a similar way they confirm false assumptions. 'Canaan' or the Canaanites means forms of ritual or external worship that are separated from internal. Since all of these have been separated from charity they are called 'the sons of Ham'. The same nations also mean simply cognitions and knowledge, 'Cush' meaning interior cognitions of the Word, 'Egypt' knowledge, 'Put' cognitions obtained from the literal sense of the Word. This is the reason they are used in both senses, bad as well as good, as becomes clear from the places quoted below.

1322. 'So that they do not hear each man the lip of his companion' means that all were at variance with one another, that is, one man was opposed to the next. This becomes clear from the words themselves. 'Not hearing a companion's lip' is not acknowledging what another says, and in the internal sense not acknowledging what another teaches, which is his doctrine - for 'lip' is doctrine, as shown above at verse 1. They do indeed acknowledge it with the lips but not with the heart, and assent with the lips is worthless when there is no assent in the heart. This is similar to the situation that exists with evil spirits in the next life, who are distinguished into separate communities just as good spirits are. But they are joined and held together by their having similar delusions and evil desires, so that they act together in persecuting truths and goods. So they have a common interest to hold them together. But as soon as that common interest ceases to exist one rushes at another, and their joy then consists in torturing one or more of their companions. The same applies in the world where doctrine and worship of this kind exist. People may be quite united in their acceptance of what is a matter of doctrine or religious practice, but the common interest holding them together is worship of self. And their acceptance is proportional to their ability to share in that common interest. But to the extent they cannot share or have any hope of sharing that common purpose they split up, for the reason mentioned just above, that not one of these people possesses any truth but every one has falsity in place of truth, and evil in place of good. This then is what is meant by 'Each man not hearing the lip of his companion'.