10458. And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp. That this signifies hell, in which that nation then was, is evident from the signification of “the camp of the sons of Israel,” as being heaven and the church (see n. 4236, 10038); consequently when they were in idolatrous worship, adoring a calf instead of Jehovah, by their “camp” is signified hell; for what is representative of heaven and of the church is turned into what is representative of hell when the people turn themselves from Divine worship to diabolical worship, such as was the worship of the calf. The like is signified by “camp” in Amos:

I have sent among you the pestilence in the way of Egypt; your young men have I slain with the sword, with the captivity of your horses; so that I have made the stink of your camp to come up even into your nose (Amos 4:10).

The vastation of truth is here treated of, and when this is vastated, the “camp” signifies hell. That the vastation of truth is treated of is evident from the details of the passage as viewed in the internal sense; for “pestilence” denotes vastation (n. 7102, 7505); “way” denotes truth, and in the opposite sense falsity (n. 10422); “Egypt” denotes what is external, and also hell (see the places cited in n. 10437); “a sword” denotes falsity fighting against truth (see n. 2799, 4499, 6353, 7102, 8294); “young men” denote the truths of the church (n. 7668); “to be slain” denotes to perish spiritually (see n. 6767, 8902); “captivity” denotes the privation of truth (see n. 7990); “horses” denote an understanding which is enlightened (n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6534); and “a stink” denotes what is abominable exhaling from hell (n. 7161). From this it is evident that in this sense a “camp” denotes hell. Hell is also signified by the “camp” of the enemies who were against Jerusalem, and in general against the sons of Israel, in the historicals of the Word.

10422. They have gone back suddenly from the way which I commanded them. That this signifies that they have removed themselves from Divine truth, is evident from the signification of “going back from the way,” as being to remove themselves from truths; for “to go back” denotes to remove, because those who are in external things separate from what is internal remove themselves; and “way” denotes truth (of which in what follows). That it is Divine truth from which they remove themselves, is because it is said, “from the way which Jehovah commanded them.”

[2] That “way” denotes truth is from the appearance in the spiritual world, where also there are ways and paths; and in the cities, there appear streets and avenues, and spirits go nowhere else than to those with whom they are consociated by love. From this it is that the quality of the spirits there in regard to truth is known from the way in which they go; for all truth leads to its own love, because that is called truth which confirms what is loved. From this it is that in common human speech “way” denotes truth; for the speech of man has derived this, like many other things, from the spiritual world.

[3] From this then it is that in the Word by “way,” “path” [semita], “path” [trames], “track” [orbitam], “street” [plateam], and “lane” [vicum] are signified truths, and in the opposite sense falsities, as is plain from the following passages, in Jeremiah:

Stand ye beside the ways and see, ask ye for the ways of an age, which way is the best (Jeremiah 6:16).

Make your ways good, and your works; trust ye not upon the words of a lie (Jeremiah 7:3-5).

Learn ye not the way of the nations (Jeremiah 10:2).

I will give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his works (Jeremiah 17:10).

They have caused them to stumble in their ways, in the paths of an age, that they might go away in the paths, in a way not paved (Jeremiah 18:15).

I will give them one heart and one way (Jeremiah 32:39).

Make known to me Thy ways, O Jehovah; teach me Thy paths; lead me in Thy truth (Psalms 25:4-5).

In the days of Jael the ways ceased, and those going in the paths went through crooked ways (Judges 5:6).

Go ye back from the way, cause ye to turn aside from the path. Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, This is the way, go ye in it (Isaiah 30:11, 21).

The ways have been laid waste; he that passeth through the way hath ceased (Isaiah 33:8).

A path shall be there, and a way, which shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass through it, but it shall be for those; he that walketh in the way, and fools, shall not err (Isaiah 35:8).

[4] The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of Jehovah, make plain in the solitude a path for our God. With whom took He counsel, that he might teach Him the way of judgment, and show Him the way of intelligence? (Isaiah 40:3, 14).

To say to them that are in darkness, Be ye revealed; they shall feed on the ways. I will make all My mountains a way; and My paths shall be exalted (Isaiah 49:9, 11).

The way of peace they have not known; and there is no judgment in their tracks; they have perverted their paths for themselves; whosoever treadeth on it shall not know peace (Isaiah 59:8).

Prepare ye the way for the people; pave ye, pave ye, the path; say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold thy salvation cometh (Isaiah 62:10-11).

I put a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters; I will put a way in the wilderness (Isaiah 43:16, 19).

Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander in the way (Deuteronomy 27:18).

Go ye unto the outlets of the ways, and whomsoever ye shall find, call ye to the wedding (Matthew 22:9).

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

In these passages, and in many others, by “way” is signified truth, and in the opposite sense falsity.