syn
Vision is the innermost revelation, which is of perception. Visions are according to the state of humankind. The visions of people whose interiors are closed,...
sier
As with many common verbs, the meaning of “to say” in the Bible is highly dependent on context. Who is speaking? Who is hearing? What...
herren
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...
Edom
'Edom' or 'Idumea,' as in Isaiah 34:5, signifies those who are in evil and in falsities thence derived.
hørt
Thanks to modern science, we now understand that hearing actually happens in the brain, not the ears. The ears collect vibrations in the air and...
sendt
'To send' signifies revealing.
oss
Angels do give us guidance, but they are mere helpers; the Lord alone governs us, through angels and spirits. Since angels have their assisting role,...
se
The symbolic meaning of "seeing" is "understanding," which is obvious enough that it has become part of common language (think about it; you might see...
foraktet
We tend to think of "despising" something or someone as just a strong way of expressing dislike, but there is a further shade of meaning...
hjerte
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...
bolig
Many people were nomadic in Biblical times, especially the times of the Old Testament, and lived in tents that could be struck, moved and re-raised...
ned
"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,"...
ørnen
Eagle wings, referred to in Daniel 7:3, signify rational principles grounded in man's proprium.
rede
To make a nest,' as in Jeremiah 48:28, when related to a bird, signifies the same thing as 'to dwell,' which is fulfilling the duties...
stjerner
'Stars' signify the knowledge of truth and good. 'Stars' are frequently mentioned in the Word, and always signify goods and truths, but in an opposite...
kom
As with common verbs in general, the meaning of “come” in the Bible is highly dependent on context – its meaning is determined largely by...
natten
'Midnight,' as in Exodus 11:4, signifies total devastation from a state of mere falsities.
stjele
In a natural sense, the commandment 'Thou shalt not steal,' in Exodus 20:15, means, according to the letter, not stealing, robbing, or committing piracy in...
esau
Esau (Gen. 28:5, etc.) signifies the truth of good in the natural principle. Esau (Gen. 32:3) signifies celestial good in the natural principle.
brød
Just as natural food feeds the natural body, so spiritual food feeds the spiritual body. And since our spiritual body is the expression of what...
dag
"Day" describes a state in which we are turned toward the Lord, and are receiving light (which is truth) and heat (which is a desire...
esaus
Esau (Gen. 28:5, etc.) signifies the truth of good in the natural principle. Esau (Gen. 32:3) signifies celestial good in the natural principle.
mann
In general, men are driven by intellect and women by affections, and because of this men in the Bible generally represent knowledge and truth and...
vold
'Violence' signifies the outrage done to charity and the destruction of charity and faith. 'Violence,' as in Jeremiah 15:21, signifies falsities which assault the good...
bror
There are two ways "brother" is used in the Bible, ways that are still reflected in modern language. One denotes an actual blood relationship; the...
jakob
Jacob is told twice that his name will now be Israel. The first time is when he wrestles with an angel on his journey to...
skam
On a natural level, there are a variety of things that can cause shame. We might be ashamed of physical weakness or ugliness; we might...
dekke
The "high mountains being covered " (Gen. 7:19) signifies that all the good things of charity were extinguished.
evig
'Perpetual' in the literal sense, means to the end of one’s life, after death, and eternity.
en
A company might have executives setting policy and strategy, engineers designing products, line workers building them, managers handling personnel and others handling various functions. They...
fremmede
In Ezekiel 28:7, 'strangers' signify falsities which destroy truths, and 'the terrible of the nations,' evils which destroy good.
porter
"Gates" in ancient times had a significance that does not hold in the modern world. Cities then were enclosed by walls for protection; gates in...
jerusalem
Jerusalem, on Mount Zion, signifies the doctrine of love to the Lord, and how it governs your life. Jerusalem first comes to our attention in...
barn
A child is a young boy or girl in the care of parents, older than a suckling or an infant, but not yet an adolescent....
munn
In most cases, "mouth" in the Bible represents thought and logic, especially the kind of active, concrete thought that is connected with speech. The reason...
Port
"Gates" in ancient times had a significance that does not hold in the modern world. Cities then were enclosed by walls for protection; gates in...
stå
'To stay with,' as in Genesis 32:4, relates to the life of truth when accompanied by good, and in this instance, it means to take...
tilbake
Everyone knows the phrase "the natural order of things." It means that everything is in its proper place, occupying the niche it is meant to...
hode
The head is the part of us that is highest, which means in a representative sense that it is what is closest to the Lord....
drikke
To be drunken without wine (Isa. 29:9), are they who are unconcerned about the Word, and the truths of faith, and thus have no inclination...
hellig
The Bible describes many things as being holy, or sacred. The Ark of the Covenant is one very holy object. The inmost chamber of the...
jakobs
Jacob is told twice that his name will now be Israel. The first time is when he wrestles with an angel on his journey to...
hus
A "house" is essentially a container - for a person, for a family, for several families or even for a large group with shared interests...
josefs
Joseph, Jacob’s eleventh son, is one of the favorite characters in the Bible, with his troubles, his triumphs over them, and his constant trust in...
halm
'To be consumed as stubble' denotes total vastation.
samarias
'Samaria,' as in Amos 4:1. 6:1, signifies the spiritual church perverted.
benjamin
Also, Benjamin signifies the Word in its ultimate sense (Deut. 33:12)
Israels
'Israel,' in Jeremiah 23:8, signifies the spiritual natural church. The children of Israel dispersed all the literal sense of the Word by falsities. 'The children...
Sarepta
The Widow of Sarepta signifies obedience and the desire of good to truth.
byer
In the ancient world cities were very nearly nations unto themselves – they existed within walls, with their own laws and customs, generally centered on...
frelsere
The Lord from the essential divine, through the divine human, is the savior. The Lord became the savior by His spiritual temptations, or combats.
dømme
It’s easy to see the connection between judging and truth. In a court of law, the judge’s whole purpose is to find the truth. In...