9806. And thou shalt cause to draw near unto thee Aaron thy brother. That this signifies the conjunction of Divine truth with Divine good in the Lord’s Divine Human, is evident from the representation of Moses, who here causes Aaron to draw near to himself, as being the Lord in respect to Divine truth (see n. 6752, 6771, 7014, 9372); from the signification of “drawing near,” as being conjunction and presence (n. 9378); from the representation of Aaron, as being the Lord in respect to Divine good (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “brother,” as being good (n. 3303, 3803, 3815, 4121, 4191, 5686, 5692, 6756). From all this it is plain that by “Moses causing Aaron his brother to draw near unto him” is signified the conjunction of Divine truth with Divine good in the Lord. That it signifies in His Divine Human, is because this was the very thing in which this conjunction was effected; for the Lord first made His Human Divine truth, and afterward Divine good (see the places cited in n. 9199, 9315). That Aaron was chosen to minister in the priesthood, was because he was the brother of Moses; for in this way there was at the same time represented the brotherhood of Divine truth and Divine good in heaven, because as before said, Moses represented Divine truth, and Aaron Divine good.

[2] All things in the universe, both in heaven and in the world, bear relation to good and to truth in order to be anything; for good is the being of truth, and truth is the coming-forth of good; and therefore good without truth does not come-forth, and truth without good has no being; from which it is evident that they must be conjoined. Their conjunction is represented in the Word by two married partners, and also by two brothers; by two married partners, when the subject treated of is the heavenly marriage, which is that of good and truth, and successive derivation from it; and by two brothers, when the subject treated of is the double ministry of judgment and of worship.

Those who ministered in judgment were called “judges,” and afterward “kings;” and those who ministered in worship were called “priests.” And because all judgment is effected by means of truth, and all worship is effected from good, therefore by “judges” in the Word, in a sense abstracted from person, is signified truth from good; but by “kings,” truth from which is good; and by “priests” is signified good itself. It is from this that in the Word the Lord is called a “Judge,” also a “Prophet,” and likewise a “King,” when truth is treated of; but a “Priest” when good is treated of. In like manner He is called “the Christ,” “the Anointed,” or “the Messiah,” when truth is treated of; but “Jesus,” or “Savior,” when good is treated of.

[3] On account of this brotherhood, which is that of the truth which is of judgment and the good which is of worship, Aaron the brother of Moses was chosen to minister in the priesthood. That by “Aaron and his house” is therefore signified good, is evident in David:

O Israel, trust thou in Jehovah; He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust ye in Jehovah; He is their help and their shield. Jehovah hath remembered us, He will bless the house of Israel, He will bless the house of Aaron (Psalms 115:9-10, 12).

Let Israel now say, that His mercy is forever. Let the house of Aaron now say, that His mercy is forever (Psalms 118:2-3).

O house of Israel, bless ye Jehovah; O house of Aaron, bless ye Jehovah (Psalms 135:19).

“The house of Israel” denotes those who are in truths; “the house of Aaron,” those who are in goods; for in the Word, where truth is treated of, good is also treated of, because of the heavenly marriage (n. 9263, 9314); (that “the house of Israel” denotes those who are in truths, see n. 5414, 5879, 5951, 7956, 8234).

[4] Again;

Jehovah sent Moses His servant, Aaron whom He had chosen (Psalms 105:26); where Moses is called a “servant” because a “servant” is predicated of truths (n. 3409); and a “chosen one” is predicated of good (n. 3755). Again:

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the good oil upon the head, that went down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard; that went down upon the mouth of his garments (Psalms 133:1-2).

He who does not know what is signified by a “brother,” what by “oil,” what by “the head,” what by “the beard,” what by “garments,” and likewise what Aaron represents, cannot apprehend why these things are compared to the dwelling together of brethren, for how can the oil that went down from the head upon Aaron’s beard, and from thence upon his garments, be like the concord of brethren? But the likeness in the comparison is plain from the internal sense, in which the subject treated of is the influx of good into truths, and the brotherhood of these is described in this way. For “oil” denotes good; “the head of Aaron,” the inmost of good; “the beard,” the most external of it; “garments” denote truths; and “to go down” denotes influx. From this it is clear that by these words is signified the influx of good from interiors to exteriors into truths, and conjunction there. Without the internal sense, who can see that these heavenly things are contained in these words? (That “oil” denotes the good of love, see n. 886, 4582, 4638, 9780; that “the head” denotes what is inmost, n. 5328, 6436, 7859, 9656; that “the beard” denotes what is most external, is evident in Isaiah 7:20; 15:2; in Jeremiah 48:37; and in Ezekiel 5:1; that “garments” denote truths, n. 2576, 4545, 4763, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6917, 9093, 9212, 9216; and that “Aaron” denotes celestial good, may be seen above.)

[5] From the fact that Aaron was chosen to minister in the priest’s office, thus to administer the most holy things, it may be comprehended how the case was with the representations in the Jewish Church, namely, that they did not regard the person who represented, but the thing that was represented; thus that a holy thing, nay, a most holy one, could be represented by persons whose interiors were unclean, and even idolatrous, provided that while they were in worship their externals were disposed to holiness. The quality of Aaron can be seen from the following words in Moses:

Aaron took the gold from the hand of the sons of Israel, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf. And Aaron built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, Tomorrow shall be a feast to Jehovah (Exodus 32:4-5, 25).

Jehovah was moved with anger exceedingly against Aaron, to destroy him; but I prayed for Aaron also in that time (Deuteronomy 9:20).

(That the representatives of the church with the Israelitish and Jewish nation did not regard persons, but the things themselves, see the places cited in n. 9229)

4592. And his father called him Benjamin. That this signifies the quality of the spiritual of the celestial, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, as being the spiritual of the celestial. What this is was explained above (see n. 4585), namely, that it is the intermediate which exists between the spiritual and the celestial, or between the spiritual man and the celestial man. In the original language “Benjamin” means “the son of the right hand;” and by a “son of the right hand” is signified spiritual truth which is from celestial good and the consequent power, for good has power by means of truth (n. 3563). A “son” is truth (see n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373), and the “hand” is power (n. 878, 3091, 3563); hence the “right hand” is the highest power. Hence it is evident what is signified by “sitting at the right hand of God,” namely, a state of power by virtue of the truth which is from good (n. 3387), which when predicated of the Lord is omnipotence, and also the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord’s Divine good (as in Psalms 110:1; Matthew 22:44; 26:63-64; Mark 14:61-62; 16:19; Luke 22:69); and whereas it denotes Divine power - that is, omnipotence - it is therefore said, “at the right hand of the power” (or virtue) “of God.”

[2] It is manifest from this what in the genuine sense is signified by “Benjamin,” namely, the spiritual truth which is from the celestial good which is “Joseph.” Both together therefore are that intermediate which as before said is between the spiritual man and the celestial man (n. 4585). But this good and this truth are distinct from the celestial which is represented by “Judah,” and the spiritual which is represented by “Israel,” of which the former is higher or more interior, and the latter is lower or more external, for as before said they are an intermediate. But no one can have an idea of the good which is represented by Joseph, and of the truth which is represented by Benjamin, except the man who is enlightened by the light of heaven. The angels have a clear idea of them, because all the ideas of their thought are from the light of heaven which is from the Lord, in which they see and perceive illimitable things which man cannot possibly comprehend, still less utter. As an illustration take the following.

[3] All men whatever are born natural, with the power of becoming either celestial or spiritual; but the Lord alone was born spiritual celestial, and for this reason He was born at Bethlehem, where is the boundary of the land of Benjamin, for by “Bethlehem” is signified the spiritual of the celestial, and by Benjamin is represented the spiritual of the celestial. The reason why the Lord alone was born spiritual celestial is that the Divine was in Him. These things cannot possibly be comprehended by anyone who is not in the light of heaven; for he who is in the light of the world, and has his perception therefrom, scarcely knows what truth is and what good is, still less what it is to ascend through degrees to the interior things of truth and good; thus he is in complete ignorance of those innumerable things of truth and good in every degree which are manifest before the angels as in noonday light. Hence it is evident of what nature is the wisdom of angels relatively to that of men.

[4] There are six names which frequently occur in the prophets where the church is treated of, namely, “Judah,” “Joseph,” “Benjamin,” “Ephraim,” “Israel,” and “Jacob.” He who does not know what of the good and truth of the church is meant by each one of these in the internal sense cannot possibly know anything of the Divine arcana of the Word there. Nor can he know what of the church is meant, unless he knows what the celestial is which is “Judah,” what the celestial of the spiritual is which is “Joseph,” what the spiritual of the celestial is which is “Benjamin,” what the intellectual of the church is which is “Ephraim,” what the internal spiritual is which is “Israel,” and what the external spiritual is which is “Jacob.”

[5] As regards Benjamin specifically, as he represents the spiritual of the celestial, and Joseph the celestial of the spiritual, and thus both together the intermediate between the celestial and the spiritual man, and as they are consequently most closely conjoined, therefore also their conjunction is described in the history of Joseph as follows:

Joseph told his brethren that they must bring their youngest brother, lest they should die (Genesis 42:20).

When they returned with Benjamin, and Joseph saw Benjamin his brother, he said, Is this your youngest brother? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son. And Joseph made haste, for his bowels did yearn toward his brother; and he sought where to weep, and he therefore entered into his chamber, and wept there (Genesis 43:29-30).

He multiplied Benjamin’s portion fivefold above the portions of them all (Genesis 43:34).

After he had made himself known to his brethren, he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s necks and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his necks (Genesis 45:14).

He gave changes of garments to them all, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of garments (Genesis 45:22).

[6] From all this it is evident that Joseph and Benjamin were most closely conjoined, not because they were of one mother, but because by them is represented the spiritual conjunction which exists between the good which is “Joseph” and the truth which is “Benjamin,” and because both are intermediate between the celestial and the spiritual man. For this reason Joseph could not be conjoined with his brethren, nor with his father, except by means of Benjamin, for without an intermediate no conjunction is possible, and this was the reason why Joseph did not reveal himself sooner.

[7] Moreover, by “Benjamin” in other parts of the Word, especially the prophetic, is signified the spiritual truth which is of the church, as in the prophecy of Moses concerning the sons of Israel:

To Benjamin he said, The beloved of Jehovah, He shall dwell confidently upon him, covering upon him all the day, and He shall dwell between his shoulders (Deuteronomy 33:12);

“the beloved of Jehovah” is spiritual truth which is from celestial good; it is said of this good that it “dwells confidently” with that truth, “covers it the whole day,” and also “dwells between its shoulders,” for in the internal sense the “shoulders” denote all power (n. 1085), and good has all its power by means of truth (n. 3563).

[8] In Jeremiah:

Flee ye sons of Benjamin out of the midst of Jerusalem, and sounding sound with the trumpet, and take up a prophecy upon the house of the vineyard; for evil looks forth from the north, and a great shattering (Jeremiah 6:1);

“the sons of Benjamin” denote spiritual truth from the celestial; “Jerusalem” denotes the spiritual church; the “house of the vineyard,” or “Bethhaccherem,” the same; the “evil out of the north,” man’s sensuous and the derivative memory-knowledge. Again:

It shall come to pass if ye hallow the sabbath day they shall enter in from the cities of Judah, and from the circuits of Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountain, and from the south, offering burnt-offering and sacrifice, and meat-offering, and frankincense, and offering thanksgiving, unto the house of Jehovah (Jeremiah 17:24, 26).

[9] And again elsewhere:

In the cities of the mountain, in the cities of the plain, in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the circuits of Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks yet pass over beside the hands of him that numbereth them (Jeremiah 33:13);

here also the “land of Benjamin” denotes the spiritual truth of the church; for all the things of the church, from the first degree to the last, are signified by the “cities of Judah,” the “circuits of Jerusalem,” the “land of Benjamin,” the “plain,” the “mountain,” and the “south.”

[10] In Hosea:

Sound ye with the horn in Gibeah, with the trumpet in Ramah, shout ye Bethaven, after thee Benjamin, Ephraim shall become solitudes in the day of rebuke (Hos. 5:8-9);

“Gibeah,” “Ramah,” and “Bethaven” denote the things of that spiritual truth from the celestial which is “Benjamin,” for Gibeah was in Benjamin (Judges 19:14), and Ramah also (Josh. 18:25), and likewise Bethaven (Josh. 18:12); “to sound with the horn and with the trumpet,” and “to shout,” denote to announce that the intellectual of the church, which is “Ephraim,” is made desolate.

[11] In Obadiah:

The house of Jacob shall become a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, the house of Esau for stubble; and they of the south shall inherit the mountain of Esau, and those who are in the plain the Philistines; and they shall inherit the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria; and Benjamin, Gilead (Obad. 1:18-19).

That names signify things is very evident here, as in other places, for unless it is known what is signified by the “house of Jacob,” the “house of Joseph,” the “house of Esau,” the “mountain of Esau,” the “Philistines,” the “field of Ephraim,” the “field of Samaria,” “Benjamin,” and “Gilead,” and moreover what by “them of the south,” by a “house,” a “plain,” a “mountain,” and a “field,” nothing here can possibly be comprehended; nor were the things done that are here historically related. But the man who knows what each expression involves, will find heavenly arcana therein. Here also “Benjamin” is the spiritual from the celestial.

[12] In like manner these words in Zechariah:

Jehovah shall be king upon the whole earth; in that day there shall be one Jehovah, and His name one; the whole earth shall encompass as a plain from Gibeah even to Rimmon, and she shall dwell under herself thence from Benjamin’s gate even unto the place of the first gate, even unto the gate of the corners, and from the tower of Hananeel even unto the king’s wine presses (Zech. 14:9-10).

So in David:

Give ear, O Shepherd, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock, Thou that sittest upon the cherubim; before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up Thy power, and come to save us (Psalms 80:1-2).

So in the prophecy of Deborah and Barak:

Jehovah shall rule for me among the mighty; out of Ephraim whose root is in Amalek, after thee Benjamin in thy peoples, out of Machir shall come down lawgivers, and out of Zebulun they that draw the scepter of the scribe (Judges 5:13-14).

[13] In John:

I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand sealed out of every tribe of Israel; of the tribe of Zebulun were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand (Revelation 7:4, 8); where by the “tribes of Israel” are signified those who are in goods and truths, and therefore in the Lord’s kingdom; for “tribes” and “twelve,” or what is the same, “twelve thousand,” are all things of love and faith, or all things of good and truth (n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913, 3926, 3939, 4060). These things are here distributed into four classes, the last of which is the twelve thousand sealed of Zebulun, and of Joseph, and of Benjamin, because by the tribe of Zebulun is signified the heavenly marriage (n. 3960, 3961), in which is heaven, thus in which are all things; “Joseph” here is the celestial of the spiritual, or the good of truth; and “Benjamin” is the truth of this good, or the spiritual of the celestial. This is the conjugial in heaven, and therefore these are named last.

[14] As Benjamin represented the spiritual of the celestial in the church, or the truth of good, which is the intermediate between celestial good and spiritual truth, therefore Jerusalem fell as an inheritance to the sons of Benjamin; for before Zion was built there, “Jerusalem” signified the church in general. (That Jerusalem fell to Benjamin may be seen in Joshua 18:28; and also in Judges 1:21)

3926. A second son to Jacob. That this signifies a second general truth, is evident from the signification of a “son,” as being truth (see n. 489, 491, 533, 1147). That the signification here is a general truth, is evident from what has been said above concerning the twelve sons of Jacob, and the twelve tribes named from them, as being the general things of the church, and accordingly the general things of faith and love, or of truth and good, which are signified and represented by them; and that in the opposite sense are also meant general things not of faith and love, but all things of falsity and evil, will appear hereafter.