2687. 'For she said, Let me not see the death of the boy' means grief that [spiritual truth] would thus perish. This is clear from the meaning of 'seeing the death' as perishing, and from the meaning of 'the boy' as spiritual truth, dealt with above. From this and from the feeling of despair because truth has been made desolate it is evident that it is a more interior grief that these words hold within them.

1231. That 'Lud' means cognitions of truth is clear from the fact that cognitions of truth are obtained in this manner, namely from the Lord through charity and so through faith, by means of reason and knowledge. It is clear also in Ezekiel,

Persia and Lud and Put were in your army, as your men of war; they hung the shield and helmet in you, they gave you your splendour. Ezekiel 27:10.

This refers to Tyre. 'Lud and Put' stands for cognitions, which are spoken of as being 'in its army' and as being 'men of war' because cognitions with the support of reason serve to defend truths, which is also 'hanging the shield and helmet'. That 'Put' means exterior cognitions of the Word, see above at verse 6 of this chapter.