耶和華
The Lord, in the simplest terms, is love itself expressed as wisdom itself. In philosophic terms, love is the Lord's substance and wisdom is His...
坐
If you think about sitting, it seems fair to say that where you're sitting is more important than that you're sitting. Sitting in a movie...
門
In a general sense, doors in the Bible represent the initial desires for good and concepts of truth that introduce people to new levels of...
看
To look,' as in Genesis 18:22, signifies thinking, because seeing denotes understanding. Look not back behind thee,' as in Genesis 19:17, means that Lot, who...
三
The Writings talk about many aspects of life using the philosophical terms "end," "cause" and "effect." The "end" is someone’s goal or purpose, the ultimate...
主
In most cases, a "master" in the Bible refers to truth: knowledge, an understanding of the situation at hand, an understanding of the Lord's wishes,...
僕人
“Servant” literally means “a person who serves another,"" and its meaning is similar in reference to the spiritual meaninngs of the Bible. Our lives in...
水
'Waters' signify truths in the natural self, and in the opposite sense, falsities. 'Waters' signify particularly the spiritual parts of a person, or the intellectual...
洗
It does not take a great leap of imagination to see that “washing” in the Bible represents purification. Washing dirt from the skin is symbolic...
腳
The foot, as in Deuteronomy 33:3, signifies an inferior principle. To set the right foot on the sea and the left on the earth, as...
樹
'Trees,' in general, signify the perceptions when discussing the celestial self, but when related to the spiritual church, they signify knowledges. A person in the...
心
The heart means love. A good heart means love to the Lord and to the neighbor while a hard or stony heart means the love...
後
'A hind,' as mentioned in Genesis 49:21, signifies the affection of natural truth.
亞伯拉罕
Abraham (or Abram, as he is named in the beginning of his story) is one of the major characters in the story of the sacred...
群
'A herd,' as mentioned in Genesis 32:7, denotes exterior or natural good, and also not good things.
好
It seems rather circular to say that “good” in the Bible represents good, but in a general sense it’s true! The case is this: The...
給
Like other common verbs, the meaning of "give" in the Bible is affected by context: who is giving what to whom? In general, though, giving...
奶油
Butter (Isa. 7:14, 16) signifies the Lord's celestial principle, and honey that is derived from thence. Butter of the herd (Deut. 32:13) signifies the celestial...
吃了
When we eat, our bodies break down the food and get from it both energy and materials for building and repairing the body. The process...
妻子
The Hebrew of the Old Testament has six different common words which are generally translated as "wife," which largely overlap but have different nuances. Swedenborg...
兒子
'A son,' as in Genesis 5:28, signifies the rise of a new church. 'Son,' as in Genesis 24:3, signifies the Lord’s rationality regarding good. 'A...
聽
'To hearken to father and mother,' as mentioned in Genesis 28:7, signifies obedience from affection. 'To hearken,' as mentioned in Genesis 30:22, signifies providence. See...
害怕
The fearful signify people who have no faith.
所多瑪
"Sodom" in the Bible represents the love of self and the love of ruling or dominating others springing from the love of self. This is...
大
The word "great" is used in the Bible to represent a state with a strong degree of love and affection, of the desire for good;...
義
'Justice' signifies both good and truth.
罪
In the Word three terms are used to mean bad things that are done. These three are transgression, iniquity, and sin, and they are here...
下
"Down" is used many different ways in natural language, and its spiritual meaning in the Bible is highly dependent on context. Phrases like "bowing down,"...
知道
Like so many common verbs, the meaning of "know" in the Bible is varied and dependent on context. And in some cases – when it...
轉身
Swedenborg says that the Lord is the sun of heaven, and like the natural sun of our world shines on everyone, good or evil. What...
近
'Nigh' denotes truth in affinity with good.
五十
God rested on the seventh day of creation. That represents a state of holiness and tranquility that was preserved in the form of the sabbath....
地方
'A dry place,' as in Luke 11:24, signifies states of evil and falsity which are in the life of someone who does the work of...
灰塵
Dust, in Ezekiel 26:12, signifies the lowest things which are of the sensual principle of man. In Isaiah 40:12, the dust signifies exterior or natural...
說話
Like "say," the word "speak" refers to thoughts and feelings moving from our more internal spiritual levels to our more external ones – and ultimately...
五
Five also signifies all things of one part.
四十
'Forty' means completeness because 'four' means what is complete, as does 'ten.' Forty is the product of four and ten. Compound numbers have a meaning...
十五
Fifteen, as in Genesis 7:20, signifies so few as to be scarce anything.
三十
'Thirty' has a twofold significance because it is is the product of five and six, and also three and ten. From five multiplied by six,...
二十
'Twenty,' when referring to a quantity, signifies everything or fullness, because it is ten twice. 'Twenty,' as in Genesis 18:31, like all numbers occurring in...
十
Most places in Swedenborg identify “ten” as representing “all,” or in some cases “many” or “much.” The Ten Commandments represent all the guidance we get...
