336. And the number of them was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, signifies the innumerable who are in truths, and the innumerable who are in goods. This is evident from the signification of "number" as being quantity and quality, quantity in the natural sense, and quality in the spiritual sense, the number employed determining the quantity and quality. But still all numbers in the Word signify something pertaining to the thing, as "two," "three," "four," "five," "seven," "ten," and "twelve," as has been shown where these are treated of; it is similar with "myriad" and "thousand," which are here mentioned. The number "seven," for example, signifies not seven, but all, what is full and whole (See above, n.257). But what "myriads" and "thousands" signify shall now be said. "Myriads" signify things innumerable, "thousands" the like; but "myriads" are predicated of truths, and "thousands" of goods; this is why "myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands," signify the innumerable who are in truths, and the innumerable who are in goods.

[2] Those in the lower heavens of whom these things are said, in like manner as those in the higher heavens who were treated of above, are from two kingdoms, namely the spiritual kingdom and the celestial kingdom; those who are of the spiritual kingdom are meant by those who are in truths, while those who are of the celestial kingdom are meant by those who are in goods; the innumerableness of the latter is signified by "thousands of thousands," and the innumerableness of the former by "myriads of myriads;" but in an abstract sense, which is the true spiritual sense, innumerable truths and innumerable goods are signified. "Myriads" and "thousands" signify things innumerable, because "ten," and consequently also "a hundred," "a thousand," and "ten thousand" signify many; for numbers that are multiples of a similar number have a like signification as the simple numbers of which they are multiples (See n. 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973). But when innumerable things that are infinitely many are to be expressed, they are called "myriads of myriads," and "thousands of thousands."

[3] Moreover when two numbers related by multiplication, one larger and the other smaller, and having a like signification, are mentioned together, as "ten and a hundred," or "a hundred and a thousand," then the smaller is predicated of goods, and the larger of truths; and for the reason that each good consists of many truths; for good is formed out of truths, and thence good is produced by truths; on which account the larger number is predicated of truths, and the smaller of goods; in like manner here "myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands." That it is so may be illustrated by this, that a single delight of affection may be presented by many ideas of thought, and be expressed by various things in speech; the delight of affection is what is called good, and the ideas of thought and the various things in the speech that proceed from that delight or good are what are called truths. It is similar with one thing of the will in respect to many things of its understanding, and also with one thing of love in respect to many things that express it. From this it is that "many" and "multitude" in the Word are predicated of truths, and "great" and "greatness" of good, for what is great contains in itself many things. But these things are said for those who can be enlightened by examples, that they may know why it is that "thousands," the same as "myriads," signify things innumerable, but that "myriads" are predicated of truths, and "thousands" of goods.

[4] That these numbers have such significations can be seen from the following passages.

In Moses:

In the firstborn of his bullock he hath honor, and his horns are the horns of a unicorn; with them he shall push the peoples together to the uttermost parts of the earth; and these are the myriads of Ephraim, and these are the thousands of Manasseh (Deuteronomy 33:17).

These things are said of Joseph, who in a representative sense signifies the Lord in respect to the spiritual Divine and in respect to His spiritual kingdom (See Arcana Coelestia 3969, 3971, 4669, 6417); his two sons "Ephraim" and "Manasseh" signify the two constituents of that kingdom, namely, intellectual truth and voluntary good, "Ephraim" intellectual truth, and "Manasseh" voluntary good; it is therefore said "the myriads of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh." (That "Ephraim" and "Manasseh" have this signification, see Arcana Coelestia 3969, 5351, 5353, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267, 6296.) What is here signified by the "firstborn of the bullock," and by the "horns of the unicorn," see above n. 316.

[5] In David:

The chariots of God are two myriads, thousands of angels of peace; the Lord is in them, Sinai in the sanctuary (Psalms 68:17).

"The chariots of God" signify the truths of doctrine, and "the angels of peace" the goods of doctrine; therefore "myriads" are predicated of the former, and "thousands" of the latter. (That "chariots" signify the truths of doctrine, see Arcana Coelestia 2762, 5321, 8215; and that "peace" signifies the inmost of good, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 284-290.) And because the Lord is called "Lord" from good, and "Sinai" signifies heaven where and from which is Divine truth, therefore it is said, "the Lord is in them, Sinai in the sanctuary," "sanctuary" meaning heaven and the church where Divine truth is. (That the Lord is called "Lord" from Divine good, and "God" from Divine truth, see Arcana Coelestia 4973, 9167, 9194; and that "Sinai" signifies heaven where the Lord is, from whom is Divine truth, that is, from whom is the law, in a strict sense and in a broad sense, n. 8399, 8753, 8793, 8805, 9420)

[6] In the same:

Thou shalt not fear for the dread of the night; for the arrow that flieth by day; for the pestilence that creepeth in thick darkness; for the death that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and a myriad at thy right hand (Psalms 91:5-7).

This is said of falsities and evils that are not known to be falsities and evils, and of falsities and evils that are known to be such, and yet creep into the thought and into the will, and destroy men. Falsities that are known to be falsities are meant by "the arrow that flieth by day," and evils that are known to be evils and yet gain entrance are meant by "the death that wasteth at noonday;" and falsities that are not known to be falsities are meant by "the dread of the night;" and evils that are not known to be evils by "the pestilence that creepeth in thick darkness;" the destruction of these evils is signified by "the thousand that shall fall at his side;" and the destruction of the falsities by "the myriad that shall fall at his right hand;" "the side at which they shall fall," also signifying good, and "the right hand," the truth of good. "Thousand" is predicated of evils, and "myriad" of falsities, because falsities are the contraries of truths, and evils of goods; and in the Word opposites are expressed by like words and similar numbers.

[7] In the same:

Our garners are full, yielding from food to food; our flocks are thousands, myriads in our streets (Psalms 144:13).

"Garners" and "food" signify the goods and truths of the church; for spiritual foods are the knowledges of truth and good, by which there is intelligence; like things, but interior, are signified by "flocks;" therefore the goods of the church are meant by "thousands," and its truths by myriads;" and because truths are meant by "myriads," it is said, "myriads in our streets," for the "streets" of a city signify the truths of doctrine. (That "food" signifies both good and truth, see Arcana Coelestia 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5410, 5426, 5576, 5582, 5588, 5655, 5915, 6277, 8418, 8562, 9003; consequently also "garners," which are storehouses for food, have a like signification. That "flocks" signify interior goods and truths, which are called spiritual, see n. 1565, 2566, 3767, 3768, 3772, 3783, 3795, 5913, 6044, 6048, 8937, 10609.)

[8] In Micah:

Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriads of rivers of oil? (Micah 6:7).

Because "rams" signify spiritual goods, and "rivers of oil" truths proceeding from good, "myriads" are predicated of the latter, and "thousands" of the former. (That "rams" signify spiritual goods, see Arcana Coelestia 2830, 4170.) And as "oil" signifies the good of love, "rivers" of it signify what proceeds from it, namely, truths.

[9] In Daniel:

I beheld till thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit. A stream of fire issued and went forth from before Him; a thousand of thousands ministered unto Him, and a myriad of myriads stood before Him (Daniel 7:9-10).

This treats of the Lord's coming, and the "thrones that were cast down" signify the falsities of the church which were destroyed; "the Ancient of Days" means the Lord from eternity; "the stream of fire issuing and going forth from before Him" signifies the Divine good of love and Divine truth therefrom; "a stream of fire issuing," the Divine good of love and the same "going forth," Divine truth proceeding; because both of these are signified it is said, "a thousand of thousands ministered unto Him, and a myriad of myriads stood before Him," "thousand" referring to Divine good, and "myriad" to Divine truth; "ministering" also is predicated of good (See above, n. 155), and "standing," as well as "going forth," is predicated of truth.

[10] In Moses:

When the ark rested, Moses said, Return, O Jehovah, to the myriads of the thousands of Israel (Numbers 10:36).

As the "ark" signified the celestial Divine proceeding from the Lord, because of the law or testimony that was in it, and as "Israel" signified the church in respect to the reception of Divine good and Divine truth, therefore it is said, "the myriads of the thousands of Israel," which signify truths from good, which are in "Israel," that is, in the church. But what "a chiliad" or "a thousand" [chilias seu mille] signifies when "ten thousand," that is, a "myriad," is not joined with it, will be seen hereafter in its own article; likewise what is signified by "number."

9806. 'And you, cause Aaron your brother to come near to you' means the joining of Divine Truth to Divine Good within the Lord's Divine Human. This is clear from the representation of Moses, the one here who was to cause Aaron to come near him, as the Lord in respect of Divine Truth, dealt with in 6752, 6771, 7014, 9372; from the meaning of 'drawing near' as a joining to and presence with, dealt with in 9378; from the representation of 'Aaron' as the Lord in respect of Divine Good, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'brother' as good, dealt with in 3303, 3803, 3815, 4121, 4191, 5686, 5692, 6756. From all this it is evident that the words telling Moses that he should cause Aaron his brother to come near to him mean the joining of Divine Truth to Divine Good within the Lord, the reason why within His Divine Human is meant being that this was where that joining together had to take place. For the Lord had first to make His Human Divine Truth, then afterwards Divine Good, see the places referred to in 9199, 9315. The reason why Aaron was chosen to serve in the priestly office was that he was Moses' brother, and in this way the brotherly relationship of Divine Truth and Divine Good in heaven was at the same time represented. For as stated above, Moses represented Divine Truth and Aaron Divine Good.

[2] Everything throughout creation, both in heaven and in the world, has connection with good and with truth, to the end that it may be something. For good is the inner being (Esse) of truth, and truth is the outward manifestation (Existere) of good. Good without truth therefore cannot manifest itself, and truth without good has no real being. From this it is evident that they must be joined together. In the Word the two joined together are represented by a married couple or by two brothers, by a married couple when the heavenly marriage - the marriage of good and truth - and the succeeding generations which spring from that marriage, are the subject, and by two brothers when two kinds of ministry, namely those of judgement and worship, are the subject. Those who served as ministers of judgement were called judges, and at a later time kings, whereas those who served as ministers of worship were called priests. And since all judgement is arrived at through truth and all worship springs from good, truth founded on good is meant in the Word by 'judges', in the abstract sense, in which no actual person is envisaged; but truth from which good results is meant by 'kings', and good itself by 'priests'. So it is that in the Word the Lord is called Judge, also Prophet, as well as King, in places where the subject has reference to truth, but Priest where it has reference to good. He is in like manner called Christ, Anointed, or Messiah in places where the subject has reference to truth, but Jesus or Saviour where it has reference to good.

[3] It was on account of this brotherly relationship of the truth which belongs to judgement and the good which belongs to worship that Aaron, brother of Moses, was chosen to serve in the priestly office. The fact that 'Aaron' and 'his house' because of this mean good is clear in David,

O Israel, trust in Jehovah! He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in Jehovah! He is their help and their shield. Jehovah has remembered us, He blesses [us]. He will bless the house of Israel, He will bless the house of Aaron. Psalms 115:9-10, 12.

In the same author,

Let Israel now say that His mercy [endures] to eternity; let the house of Aaron now say that His mercy [endures] to eternity. Psalms 118:2-3.

In the same author,

O house of Israel, bless Jehovah! O house of Aaron, bless Jehovah! Psalms 135:19.

'The house of Israel' stands for those with whom truths exist, 'the house of Aaron' for those with whom forms of good are present; for in the Word wherever truth is the subject so too is good, on account of the heavenly marriage, 9263, 9314. For the meaning of 'the house of Israel' as those with whom truths exist, see 5414, 5879, 5951, 7956, 8234.

In the same author,

Jehovah sent Moses His servant, Aaron whom He chose. Psalms 105:26.

Moses is called a servant because 'servant' is used in regard to truths, 3409, whereas one chosen or elected has regard to good, 3755 (end).

[4] In the same author,

Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell also together! It is like the good oil upon the head running down onto the beard, the beard of Aaron, which runs down over the collar ¹ of his garments. Psalms 133:1-3.

Anyone who does not know what 'brother' means, nor what 'oil', 'the head', 'the beard', and 'garments' mean, nor also what 'Aaron' represents, can have no understanding of why such things have been compared to brothers who dwell together. For what similarity is there between oil running from Aaron's head down onto his beard, then onto his garments, and the unanimity of brothers? But the similarity in the comparison is evident from the internal sense, in which the flow of good into truths is the subject and is described by their brotherliness. For 'the oil' means good, 'Aaron's head' the inmost level of good, 'the beard' the very outermost level of it, 'garments' truths, and 'running down' a flowing in. From this it is plain that those words mean the flow, from inner to outer levels, of good into truths, and a joining together there. Without the internal sense how can anyone see that those words hold these heavenly matters within them? For the meaning of 'oil' as the good of love, see 886, 4582, 4638, 9780, and for that of 'the head' as what is inmost, 5328, 6436, 7859, 9656. The fact that 'the beard' means what is the very outermost is evident in Isaiah 7:20; 15:2; Jeremiah 48:37; and Ezekiel 5:1. For the meaning of 'garments' as truths, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6917, 9093, 9212, 9216; and for the representation of 'Aaron' as celestial good, see above.

[5] Seeing that Aaron was chosen to serve in the priestly office, thus to administer the most sacred things, people can understand what the situation was with representations in the Jewish Church. No attention was paid to the person who represented, only to the thing represented by that person. Thus something holy, indeed most holy, could be represented by persons who were inwardly unclean, indeed idolatrous, provided that outwardly they had an air of holiness when engaged in worship. The fact that Aaron was one such person becomes clear from the following details in Moses,

Aaron took the gold from the hands of the children of Israel, and fashioned it with a chisel, and made out of it a molded calf. And Aaron built an altar in front of it, and Aaron made a proclamation and said, Tomorrow there will be a feast to Jehovah. Exodus 32:4-5, 25.

And elsewhere in the same author,

Jehovah was greatly moved with anger against Aaron and would have destroyed him; ² but I prayed for Aaron also at that time. Deuteronomy 9:20.

As regards the representatives of the Church among the Israelite and Jewish nation, that no attention was paid to the persons, only to the actual things represented, see the places referred to in 9229.

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