THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 30

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation)

1. WOE to the rebellious sons, says Jehovah, who take counsel, but not from Me; who make a molten image, but not by My spirit, that they may add sin to sin:

VERSES 1-3. "Woe to the rebellious sons" signifies lamentation concerning the damnation of those who avert themselves from the Lord; '"taking counsel, but not from Me", signifies thoughts and conclusions concerning the things of heaven from self, and not from the Lord; and "making a molten image, but not by My spirit", signifies worship from the infernal false, and not from Divine Truth. "Who depart to go down into Egypt, but have not inquired at My mouth", signifies from the proprium of the natural man, and not from the Word; and to "trust in the shadow of Egypt", signifies to have faith and confidence in such things as are suggested by the natural man, who is in no light of heaven. "Wherefore the strength of Pharaoh shall be your shame, and your trust in the shadow of Egypt your disgrace", signifies that there will be no faculty of resisting evils from self-derived intelligence, nor from science in the natural man; "shame" and "disgrace" signifying the state of such, when, on account of evils, they are esteemed as evil. Apocalypse Explained 654.

2. Who depart to go down into Egypt, but have not inquired at My mouth; to strengthen themselves with the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!

3. Wherefore the strength of Pharaoh shall be your shame: and your trust in the shadow of Egypt your disgrace.

Verse 2. To "go down." or to descend [into Egypt] involves the going down into evil, for to "go up", or to ascend, involves elevation to good. The reason of this is, because the "land of Canaan" represented the Lord's kingdom, in which land Jerusalem and Zion were the inmost, The things which were beyond the boundaries of that land, represented those things which are out of the Lord's kingdom, which are what is false and evil; wherefore to go from Zion and Jerusalem towards the boundaries, was said to descend or to "go down"; but to go from the boundaries up to Jerusalem and to Zion, was said to ascend or "go up." Hence it is that to ascend involves elevation to what is True and Good; and to descend the going down to what is false and evil. Arcana Coelestia 4815.

4. For his princes wore at Zoan; and his ambassadors arrived at Hanes:

5. They were all ashamed of a people that profited them not; who were of no help, and of no profit; but a shame, yea, a reproach [unto them].

Verse 4. "Princes in Zoan" here stand for falsified Truths, thus for falsities. See above; Chapter 19:11, 12, 13, the Exposition.

6. The burden of the beasts of the south: In a land of straitness and anguish, whence come forth the young lion and the old lion; the viper and the fiery flying serpent: they carry on the shoulder of the young asses their wealth, and on the bunches of camels their treasures, to a people that will not profit them,

7. For Egypt is vain and empty; [in vain] shall they help: wherefore have I called this [land], Rahab the inactive.

Verses 6, 7. By "the beasts of the south" are signified the cupidities, which are from the natural man, extinguishing the light which the man of the church ought to possess from the Word. By "the land of straitness and anguish" is signified the church where there will be no good of charity nor truth of faith; by "the young lion and the old lion, which were before them", is signified the power of the false destroying the Truth and Good of the church; by "the viper and the fiery flying serpent" is meant the crafty and subtle reasoning of the sensual principle. By "they carry on the shoulder of the young asses their wealth, and on the bunches of camels their treasures", are signified the scientifics of the sensual and natural man, from which they draw all their conclusions; "wealth" and "treasures" denote the knowledges of Truth and Good from the Word, but, in this case, false scientifics, because from self-derived intelligence; "asses" denoting such things as appertain to the sensual man, and " camels ' such as appertain to the natural. By "Egypt, which is vanity and emptiness", is signified both, as well the sensual as the natural principle, which, viewed in themselves, are void of either 'Good or Truth. Apocalypse Explained 654.

"The beasts of the south" denote those who are in the light of knowledges, or in knowledges, but in a life of evil. To "carry their wealth on the shoulder of young asses", denotes the knowledges appertaining to their rational principle. [But by an evil life, or by cupidities, reduced to a sensual state, as in the previous extract.] A "young ass", as distinguished from an ass, signifies rational Truth. (See Arcana Coelestia 2781)

By "the Egyptian helping in vain, and to no purpose", is signified that science [or the knowledge of what is Good and True] is of no use to them. That "Egypt" is science, may be seen, Chapter 19, the Exposition. That "camels" here are not camels is evident, for it is said that "the young lion and the old lion carry their treasures on the back or bunches of camels", by which expression everyone nay see that some arcanum of the church is signified. (Arcana Coelestia 3048)

See also Arcana Coelestia 10227, where it is said that "the beasts of the south" are those who are within the church thus in the light of Truth from the Word, but who only read the Word for the sake of knowledge, and not for the sake of the uses of life; for the south is where the light of Truth is, thus where the Word is. See Arcana Coelestia 3195, 3708.

8. Go now, write it before them on a tablet, and engrave it in a book; that it maybe for after time for ever and ever:

9. That this is a rebellious people, lying sons; sons who will not hear the law of Jehovah:

Verse 8. To "'write on a tablet, or in a book", signifies perpetual remembrance; and because remembrance is signified by "writing in a book", hence the faithful are said to be "written in the Book of Life." For by the "Divine remembrance" is signified salvation; and by "non-remembrance", or oblivion, is signified damnation. Arcana Coelestia 8620.

10. Who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things: speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits;

Verses 10, 11, 12, 14. That they have altogether deprived themselves of truths, and immersed themselves in falsities, is described by their "saying to them that see, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things; speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits; turn aside from the way." That they had thus immersed themselves in falsities, so that nothing of Truth remained, is described by "the breaking of a potter's vessel, so that there should not be found a sherd among its fragments to take up fire from the hearth, or to draw up water from the pit", whereby is signified that there did not remain with them so much of Truth, as to enable them to perceive any Good and Truth from the Word; for "fire" signifies Good, and "water" Truth: the "hearth", the Word as to Good; a "pit" and "fountain", the Word as to Truth, Apocalypse Explained 177.

11. Turn aside from the way; decline from the path; cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before our faces.

12. Wherefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, Because you have rejected this word, and have trusted in oppression and perversion, and have leaned upon it:

13. Therefore shall this iniquity be unto you like a breach [in a wall] about to fall, a swelling out in a high wall, whose destruction cometh suddenly in an instant.

14. And He shall break it as the breaking of a potter's vessel: He dasheth it to pieces, and spareth it not; so that there shall it not be found, a sherd among its fragments to take up fire from the hearth, or to draw up water from the pit.

Verse 11. To "cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before our faces", signifies to remove the Lord from the thought and affection, and thereby everything of the church; the "Holy One of Israel" denoting the Lord. To recede from the Truth and Good of the church, which is from the Lord, and in which the Lord is, is signified by "turn aside from the way; decline from the path"; the "way" and "path" denoting the Truth and Good of the church. Apocalypse Explained 412.

15. Verily, thus says the Lord Jehovih, the Holy One of Israel: By returning [to Me] and by quietness you shall be saved; in tranquillity and in confidence shall be your strength: but you would not.

16. And you said, Nay; but upon the horse will we flee; therefore shall you flee: and upon the swift will we ride; therefore shall they be swift that pursue you.

Verses 15, 16. The subject here treated of is concerning confidence in the Lord, and concerning confidence in self. Concerning confidence in the Lord by these words - "Thus says the Lord Jehovih, the Holy One of Israel, By returning [to Me] and by quietness you shall be saved; in tranquillity and in confidence shall be your strength"; and concerning confidence in self by these words "And you said, Nay; but upon the horse will we flee, and upon the swift will we ride."

By "fleeing upon the horse, and riding upon the swift", is signified to covet and to love those things: which are of their own understanding, and of the thought and ratiocination thence derived. That falsities will then break in and take possession of them, is signified by "Therefore shall you flee, and they shall be swift that pursue you"; "swiftness" and "haste" signifying what is done from lust or from love. Apocalypse Explained 356.

Verses 16, 17. Here and elsewhere are described, in the Word, those who are in the false and in evil. It is said that "they flee", and that "they are afraid lest they be killed." They are afraid of everything, because no one protects them. Everyone who is in the evil and the false hates the neighbour; hence everyone of them desires to kill another. Arcana Coelestia 390 .

What is signified by the "horse", in a bad sense, see Chapter 31:1, the Exposition.

17. One thousand before the rebuke of one; before the rebuke of five shall you flee: till you be left as a beacon on the head of a mountain, and as a standard on a hill.

18. And therefore shall Jehovah wait to show favour unto you; and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for Jehovah is a God of judgment; blessed are all they that wait for Him!

19. For you, O [My] people, who dwellest in Zion and Jerusalem, shalt weep no more:

He shall surely show you favour at the voice of your cry; when He shall hear it, He shall answer you.

Verse 17. That "five" signify some or somewhat, may appear from the passages in the Word where hat number occurs; for the numbers "ten", "one hundred", "one thousand", signify much and all, hence "five" signify some and somewhat; for those numbers which signify much arise from the number "five", which signifies some; and the numbers which are compounded and derived, draw their signification from the simple numbers, from which, by multiplication, they are compounded and derived, as may be seen above, n. 429, 430. For as much as this number signifies somewhat and the all of one part, hence it also signifies little and few, when a great quantity, which is also marked by numbers, follows or precedes; for in this case the all of one part is respectively few, as in the above passage. Apocalypse Explained 548.

Till you be left as a beacon on the head of a mountain; and as a standard on a hill. - As to the meaning of a "standard", see above, Chapter 13:2, the Exposition.

Verse 18. "Mercy" and "favour" or "grace" are distinguished in the Word, and the distinction is according to the difference of the recipient subjects. Mercy is applied to those who are celestial, but grace to those who are spiritual; for the celestial acknowledge nothing else but "mercy", , the spiritual scarcely anything but "grace." The celestial know not what grace is; the spiritual scarcely know what mercy is, which they make to be one and, the same thing with grace; and this is in consequence of the difference there is between the humiliation of each. Such as are in humiliation of heart implore the mercy of the Lord; but such as are in humiliation of thought petition for grace, and if they implore mercy, it is only in a state of temptation, or they do it with the lips alone, and not with the heart. That a distinction is made in the Word between "mercy" and "grace", is evident from several passages where Jehovah is called "a merciful and gracious", as in Psalm 103:8; 111:4; 112:4; Joel 2:13. Arcana Coelestia 598.

20. Though the Lord has given you the bread of straitness: and the waters of oppression, yet your teachers shall not flee away any more, and thine eyes shall look to your teachers:

21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is. the way, walk you in it; when you turn to the right, or when you turn to the left.

Verses 20, 21. The subject here treated of is concerning those who are in temptations, and who by means thereof, and after them, admit and receive instruction in the truths of doctrine. The temptations themselves are signified by "the bread of straitness and the waters of oppression"; by the "bread of straitness" are signified temptations as to the Good of love, and by" waters of oppression" temptations as to the Truths of faith; for temptations are of two kinds, that is, as to Good which is of love, and as to Truth which is of faith. "Bread" signifies the Good of love, and " waters" the Truths of faith; and "straitness" and "oppression" signify states of temptations. Instruction in the Truths of doctrine is signified by "Thine eyes shall look to your teachers"; "eyes" denoting understanding and faith, and "teachers" doctrine. The Good of life according to Truths of doctrine, is signified by "Thine ears shall hear the Word"; "ears" denoting obedience; and whereas obedience is of the life, therefore by "'hearing the Word" is signified a life according to Truths of doctrine. Instruction and obedience are further described by saying, "This is the way, walk you in it; when you turn to the right, or when you turn to the left"; by "way" is signified Truth leading. Truth leading to the south in heaven is understood by "going to the right", and Truth leading to the north there is signified by "going to the left." Apocalypse Explained 600.

22. And you shall treat as defiled the covering of the graven images of your silver, and the clothing of the molten images of your gold: you shalt cast them away like a menstruous cloth; you shalt call it dung.

Verse 22. "The covering of the graven images of your silver" is the appearance of falsities, as though they were truths. "'The clothing of the molten images of your gold" is the appearance of evils, as though they were goods. For a "covering" and "clothing" are external appearances which are induced, or by which they are clothed. Arcana Coelestia 10405.

As to the meaning of "idols of silver and of gold", see Chapter 2:20, the Exposition.

You shalt cast them. away like a menstruous cloth. - A "menstruous cloth" signifies things unclean; (Arcana Coelestia 4161), specifically the impure things arising from the love of self and of the world which still adhere to the affections of Truth both in the male and female, signified by "virgins" and "women." It is well known that at the beginning of regeneration, and during its entire process whilst we remain in this life, there is much of selfish and of worldly loves, and of earthly considerations, adhering to our affections of Truth from the Word. These affections have to be constantly purified, and their uncleanness removed, otherwise we can make no progress in the regenerate or spiritual life. This process, amongst the means of purification, is represented by "menstruation", and is described, in Leviticus 15:19-31, by mere correspondences between the purifications of the bodily life and those of the spiritual life. These purifications are effected by the conjunction or marriage of Truth with Good in the internal, and thence in the external man. Hence it is that menstruation is the purification of the blood which circulates in the sexual organs of women, in which, by correspondence, regeneration or the marriage union of Goodness with Truth from the Lord is effected and established; and as all the work of purification is the Lord's, (John 13:8).

He is, in this respect, among other reasons, said to "form from the womb." (Isaiah 44:2, 24).

23. And He shall give rain for your seed, with which you shalt sow the ground; and bread, the produce of the earth: and it shall be fat and plenteous. In that day shall your cattle feed in a broad pasture;

24. And the oxen, and the young asses, that till the ground, shall eat salted provender, winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.

Verse 23. Speaking of the advent of the Lord. The influx of Divine Truth proceeding from Him, is signified by "the rain which the Lord shall then give to the seed"; the "rain" is the divine influx, the "seed" is the Truth of the Word; to "sow the ground", signifies to plant and form the church. By "the bread of the produce, which Jehovah will give", is signified the Good of love and charity, which is produced by the Truths of the Word, vivified by divine influx. By "fat and plenteous" is signified full of the Good of love, and of Truths thence derived; for "fat" is predicated of Good, and "plenteous" of Truth. By "the cattle shall feed in that day in a broad pasture", is signified the extension and multiplication thereof from the divine influx, and spiritual nourishment thence derived; "cattle" denoting the goods and truths with man, "that day" the advent of the Lord, and the "broad pasture" the Word, by which is the divine influx and spiritual nourishment; "breadth", is predicated of the extension and multiplication of Truth. Apocalypse Explained 644.

25. And on every lofty mountain, and on every high hill, shall be rivers and streams of water, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.

Verse 25. The Last Judgment, which is here treated of, is understood by "the day of the great slaughter, when the towers shall fall." The "great slaughter" denotes the destruction of the evil; the "towers which shall fall", are the falsities of doctrine originating in the love of self and of the world. The ground of this signification of "towers" is from appearances in the spiritual world: for they who seek to rule by such things as appertain to the church, there build themselves towers in high places. Concerning which see what is shown in the work concerning the Last Judgment 56, 58. That they who are in love to the Lord, and in charity towards their neighbour, are then elevated into heaven and endued with intelligence and wisdom, is understood by its being said "On every lofty mountain, and on every high hill, shall be rivers and streams of water"; the "lofty mountain" signifying where they are who are in love to the Lord, and the "high hill" where they are who are in the love of the neighbour, or in charity; "rivers" signify wisdom, and "streams of water" intelligence, for "waters" are truths, from which intelligence and wisdom are derived. Apocalypse Explained 405.

Verses 25, 26. These things are said concerning the Last Judgment; which is understood by "the day of the great slaughter, when the towers shall fall." By "the towers which shall fall", are meant those who are in evils, and thence in false's, specifically those who are in the love of ruling by the holy things of the church, as may be seen in the work concerning the Last Judgment 56, 58. That it shall then be given to those who are in love to the Lord, and in charity towards their neighbour, to understand Truths, is signified by "On every lofty mountain, and on every high hill, shall be rivers and streams of water." They who are upon the lofty mountains are those who are principled in the Good of love to the Lord, "lofty mountains" signifying that good; and they who are upon high hills are those who are principled in the Good of charity towards their neighbour, "hills" denoting that good; "rivers" and "streams of water" signify intelligence from Truths. That then there shall be Truth in the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, as was the Truth before in the celestial kingdom, and that then Truth in the celestial kingdom shall be the Good of love, is understood by "The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days"; for by "light" is understood the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord; by the "light of the moon", the Divine Truth in the spiritual kingdom; and by the "light of the sun", the Divine Truth in the celestial kingdom; by "seven-fold" is signified full and perfect, and Truth is then full and perfect when it becomes Good, or is Good in form. It may be evident to every one that the "sun" and the "moon" in the heavens are here understood, and not the sun and moon of the world. It is also to be observed that when the Last Judgment is performed or executed, the Lord appears in the heavens in much greater effulgence and splendour than at other times, and this by reason that the angels there are then to be more powerfully defended, for things inferior, with which the exteriors of the angels have commuuication, are then in a state of perturbation; and hence also it is that, the Last Judgment being treated of in this place, it is said, "The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven-fold, as the light of seven days; and hence also it is said that on every lofty mountain and on every high hill, shall be rivers and streams of water", by which is signified abundant intelligence with those who are upon the superior mountalns and hills, forasmuch as it is the inferior mountains and hills upon which judgment is executed. That the Lord appears to those who are in His celestial kingdom as a Sun, and to those who are in His spiritual kingdom as a Moon, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 116-127; and that the light from them is the Divine Truth, Heaven and Hell 127-140. Apocalypse Explained 401.

26. And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven-fold, as the light of seven days; in the day when Jehovah shall bind up the breach of His people, and shall heal the wound of their stroke.

Verse 26. The "light of the sun" signifies the Divine Truth frorn the Divine Good; that "that light shall be seven-fold, as the light of seven days, signifies that the Divine Truth in heaven shall be without any false principle, thus altogether and fully pure. Apocalypse Explained 257.

The light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, etc. In the spiritual world there is a Sun, and in the midst of it the Lord. From that Sun the Lord, by the medium of hght and heat, enters by influx into the whole spiritual world, and all that dwell there; and from this source are all the light and heat in that world. The Lord, from the same Sun enters also by influx with the same light and heat into the souls and minds of men. That heat in its essence is His Divine Love and that light in its essence is His Divine Wisdom, which light and heat the Lord adalpts to the ability and quality of every recipient angel and man; and this is effected by means of spiritual airs or atmospheres, which convey and transfer such light and heat. The Divine Itself immediately encompassing the Lord is what constitutes that Sun. This Sun is distant from the angels, as the sun of the natural world is from men, in order to prevent its touching them with its naked and consequently immediate rays; for in such a case they would be consumed like a stake cast into the body of the sun. Hence it may appear that the Lord's merit and righteousness, being purely Divine, cannot possibly by imputation be applied to any angel or man; indeed, if even a single spark of it were to touch them without being tempered, according to what was said above, they would instantly be tortured like persons in the agonies of death; their limbs would be convulsed, their eyes wander, and thus they would expire. This truth was made known to the Israelitish church by the declaration "No one can see God and live." The Sun of the spiritual world, such as it is since Jehovah God assumed the Humanity, and added to it redemption and new righteousness, is described in these words in Isaiah :

"The light of the sun shall be seven-fold, as the light of seven days, in the day when Jehovah shall bind up the breach of His people"; (Isaiah 30:26) in the whole of which chapter is described the coming of the Lord. True Christian Religion 641.

Jehovah shall bind up the breach of His people, and shall heal the wound of their stroke. - By "the breach of His people" is signified the false of doctrine, and by "the wound of their stroke" is denoted evil of life. The reformation of doctrine by Truths, is signified by "Jehovah binding up the breach of His people"; and the reformation of life by Truths [Goods?], is denoted by "hearing the wound of their stroke." Apocalypse Explained 962.

27. Lo! the name of Jehovah cometh from afar; His wrath burns, and the burden is heavy: His lips are filled with indignation, and His tongue is as a devouring fire.

28. His breath is like an overflowing torrent; it shall reach to the middle of the neck: to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity; and there shall be a bridle, leading astray, in the jaws of the peoples.

Verses 27, 28. By the "lips", the "tongue"; and the "spirit" of Jehovah, is signified Divine Truth, which is the Word, from its ultimate to its inmost principle. This is "That is said to be "full of indignation, a devouring fire, and as an overflowing torrent", when it is adulterated and falsified, by reason that the adulteration and falsification thereof shut heaven to man and devastates him, From the appearance that heaven does this, or what is the same, the Divine Truth from which heaven is derived, it is said that it has "indignation", that "it is a devouring fire", and that "it is like an overflowing torrent." "It shall reach to the middle of the neck", signifies the devastation thereof by falsities, even till it is not understood: for by the "neck" is signified conjunction, which perishes when that which is beneath is taken away. "To sift the nations with the sieve of vanity", signifies the adulteration of the Word, by means of fictions, by those who are in evils; and "a seducing bridle in the jaws of the people", signifies the falsification of Truth in the Word, by those who are in falsities; "a seducing bridle which leads astray" properly denotes the abstraction or withdrawing from the understanding of Truth; the "jaws denote thoughts from the corporeal sensual [principle], thus from fallacies; "people" are predicated of those who are in falsities, and "nations" of those who are in evils. They who are not acquainted with correspondences, may suppose that it is from comparison that a "horse's bridle" signifies government over the understanding, but it is from correspondence, which may manifestly appear from this consideration, that in the spiritual world there appear horses variously harnessed and caparisoned, and the horses themselves, with everything upon them, are correspondences. Apocalypse Explained 923.

As to "anger" and "indignation", when ascribed to Jehovah, see Chapter 9:12, 17, 21, the Exposition.

Verse 28. Like an overflowing torrent, it shall reach to the middle of the neck. - See Chap, Isaiah 8:6, 7, 8, the Exposition.

29. You shall have a song, as in the night when a festival is proclaimed; and joy of heart, as of one going with the pipe; to go to the mountain of Jehovah, to the Rock of Israel.

Verse 29. the "mountain of Jehovah" is the Lord in respect to the Goods of love; and the "Rock of Israel" is the Lord in respect to the Goods of charity. Arcana Coelestia 795.

30. And Jehovah shall cause the glory of His voice to be heard, and the descent of His arm to be seen; with indignation of anger, and with a flame of devouring fire; with scattering, and inundation, and hail-stones.

Verse 30. "Hail" and "fire" are grounded in appearances in the spiritual world; for when the Divine Truth flows down out of heaven into the sphere where they are who are in falsities from evil and who desire to destroy the goods and truths of the church, then there appears to those who stand afar off, as a raining down of hail and fire; as a raining down of "hail", in consequence of the falsities with them, and as of "fire", in consequence of their evils. The reason of this appearance is, because the Divine Truth, when it flows in into the sphere where evils and falsities are, is changed so as to become like what is in that sphere; for all influx is changed in the recipient subject according to the quality thereof, as is the case with the light of the sun when it flows into dark subjects, and with the heat of the sun when it flows into putrid subjects; so it is with respect to the Divine Truth, which is the light of heaven, and the Divine Good, which is the heat of 'heaven, when they flow in into evil subjects, which are the spirits who are in falsities from evil; hence is that appearance. From this circumstance it is that "hail" and "fire" have such a signification, when they are mentioned in the Word; the literal sense being for the most part derived from appearances in the spiritual world. That "hail" signifies the infernal false destroying the Truth of the church, may appear elsewhere from the Word, where the destruction of Truth is described by "hail", as in Egypt, when Pharaoh would not let the people of Israel go. Apocalypse Explained 503.

31. By the voice of Jehovah shall the Assyrian be beaten down; He shall smite [him] with a rod.

32. And it shall be, that every passage of the staff of foundation, upon which Jehovah shall cause it to rest, shall be with tabrets and harps; and with battles of shaking shall He fight against him.

Verses 31, 32. Treating concerning the Last Judgment, when a New Church shall take place. By "Ashur [or the Assyrian] who shall be beaten down by the voice of Jehovah, and shall be smitten with a rod", is signified ratiocination from falsities, which shall be dissipated by Divine Truth. That then the truths of the literal sense of the Word shall be understood and received with joy, is signified by "the passage of the staff of foundation being then with tabrets and harps"; "passage" signifying opening and free reception, and "tabrets" and "harps" the delights of the affection of Truth. The reason why the truths of the literal sense of the Word are signified by the "staff of foundation", is, because that sense is a foundation to the truths of the spiritual sense; and whereas the latter rests upon the former, it is said, "upon which Jehovah shall cause it to rest." Apocalypse Explained 727.

As to the meaning of "Ashur" or Assyria, see Chapter 8:7, 8; 10:5, 7, 8, 24, 26, the Exposition.

33. For Tophet was long since ready; yea, for the king was it prepared: he shall descend into the deep, and wide [pit]; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; and the blast of Jehovah, like a stream of sulphur, shall kindle it.

Verse 33. By "Tophet" is signified the hell where reigns the direful and cruel love of destroying all the truths and goods of the church, especially where reigns the cruel lust of destroying the goods of innocence. That that direful hell is from the falsities of evil, is signified by "He shall descend into the deep and wide [pit]"; "the king, for whom it was prepared", signifies the infernal false itself; "the pile thereof is fire and much wood", denotes evils of eyery kind originating in that love; and because that hell burns from the concupiscence of destroying, it is said that "the blast of Jehovah, like a stream of sulphur, shall kindle it"; for there, as soon as they hear from anyone the truths of the church and perceive the goods thereof, they are enkindled with a rage of destroying and extinguishing them. Apocalypse Explained 578.

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Isaiah Chapter 30

1. WOE to the rebellious sons, says Jehovah, who take counsel, but not from Me; who make a molten image, but not by My spirit, that they may add sin to sin:

2. Who depart to go down into Egypt, but have not inquired at My mouth; to strengthen themselves with the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!

3. Wherefore the strength of Pharaoh shall be your shame: and your trust in the shadow of Egypt your disgrace.

4. For his princes wore at Zoan; and his ambassadors arrived at Hanes:

5. They were all ashamed of a people that profited them not; who were of no help, and of no profit; but a shame, yea, a reproach [unto them].

6. The burden of the beasts of the south: In a land of straitness and anguish, whence come forth the young lion and the old lion; the viper and the fiery flying serpent: they carry on the shoulder of the young asses their wealth, and on the bunches of camels their treasures, to a people that will not profit them,

7. For Egypt is vain and empty; [in vain] shall they help: wherefore have I called this [land], Rahab the inactive.

8. Go now, write it before them on a tablet, and engrave it in a book; that it maybe for after time for ever and ever:

9. That this is a rebellious people, lying sons; sons who will not hear the law of Jehovah:

10. Who say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things: speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits;

11. Turn aside from the way; decline from the path; cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before our faces.

12. Wherefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, Because you have rejected this word, and have trusted in oppression and perversion, and have leaned upon it:

13. Therefore shall this iniquity be unto you like a breach [in a wall] about to fall, a swelling out in a high wall, whose destruction cometh suddenly in an instant.

14. And He shall break it as the breaking of a potter's vessel: He dasheth it to pieces, and spareth it not; so that there shall it not be found, a sherd among its fragments to take up fire from the hearth, or to draw up water from the pit.

15. Verily, thus says the Lord Jehovih, the Holy One of Israel: By returning [to Me] and by quietness you shall be saved; in tranquillity and in confidence shall be your strength: but you would not.

16. And you said, Nay; but upon the horse will we flee; therefore shall you flee: and upon the swift will we ride; therefore shall they be swift that pursue you.

17. One thousand before the rebuke of one; before the rebuke of five shall you flee: till you be left as a beacon on the head of a mountain, and as a standard on a hill.

18. And therefore shall Jehovah wait to show favour unto you; and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have mercy upon you: for Jehovah is a God of judgment; blessed are all they that wait for Him!

19. For you, O [My] people, who dwellest in Zion and Jerusalem, shalt weep no more:

He shall surely show you favour at the voice of your cry; when He shall hear it, He shall answer you.

20. Though the Lord has given you the bread of straitness: and the waters of oppression, yet your teachers shall not flee away any more, and thine eyes shall look to your teachers:

21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is. the way, walk you in it; when you turn to the right, or when you turn to the left.

22. And you shall treat as defiled the covering of the graven images of your silver, and the clothing of the molten images of your gold: you shalt cast them away like a menstruous cloth; you shalt call it dung.

23. And He shall give rain for your seed, with which you shalt sow the ground; and bread, the produce of the earth: and it shall be fat and plenteous. In that day shall your cattle feed in a broad pasture;

24. And the oxen, and the young asses, that till the ground, shall eat salted provender, winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.

25. And on every lofty mountain, and on every high hill, shall be rivers and streams of water, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.

26. And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven-fold, as the light of seven days; in the day when Jehovah shall bind up the breach of His people, and shall heal the wound of their stroke.

27. Lo! the name of Jehovah cometh from afar; His wrath burns, and the burden is heavy: His lips are filled with indignation, and His tongue is as a devouring fire.

28. His breath is like an overflowing torrent; it shall reach to the middle of the neck: to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity; and there shall be a bridle, leading astray, in the jaws of the peoples.

29. You shall have a song, as in the night when a festival is proclaimed; and joy of heart, as of one going with the pipe; to go to the mountain of Jehovah, to the Rock of Israel.

30. And Jehovah shall cause the glory of His voice to be heard, and the descent of His arm to be seen; with indignation of anger, and with a flame of devouring fire; with scattering, and inundation, and hail-stones.

31. By the voice of Jehovah shall the Assyrian be beaten down; He shall smite [him] with a rod.

32. And it shall be, that every passage of the staff of foundation, upon which Jehovah shall cause it to rest, shall be with tabrets and harps; and with battles of shaking shall He fight against him.

33. For Tophet was long since ready; yea, for the king was it prepared: he shall descend into the deep, and wide [pit]; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; and the blast of Jehovah, like a stream of sulphur, shall kindle it.

386. And with famine, signifies by the deprivation, lack, and ignorance of the knowledges of truth and good. This is evident from the signification of "famine," as being the deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good, also the lack and ignorance of them. These are signified by "famine" in the Word. This is the signification of "famine" because "food and drink" signify all things that nourish and sustain spiritual life, and these in general are the knowledges of truth and good. The spiritual life itself needs nourishment and support just as much as the natural life does; so it is said to be famished when a man is deprived of these knowledges, or when they fail, or when they are unknown and yet are desired. Moreover, natural foods correspond to spiritual foods, as bread to the good of love, wine to the truths therefrom, and other foods and drinks to particular goods and truths, which have been treated of in several places before, and will be treated of in what follows. It is said that "famine" signifies 1. the deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good, 2. lack, and 3. ignorance of them, since there is deprivation with those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom; lack with those who cannot know them, because they are not in the church or in its doctrine; and ignorance with those who know that there are knowledges, and therefore desire them; these three things are signified by "famine" in the Word, as can be seen from the passages there in which "famine," "the hungry," "thirst," and "the thirsty," are mentioned.

[2] 1. That "famine" signifies the deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good which exists with those who are in evils and thence in falsities, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

In the fury of Jehovah of Hosts is the land obscured, and the people are become as the food of the fire; a man shall not pity his brother. And if he shall cut down on the right hand he shall be hungry, and if he shall eat on the left hand they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm; Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; they together against Judah ¹ (Isaiah 9:19-21).

Except from the internal sense no one can understand this, nor can even know what is treated of. This treats of the extinction of good by falsity, and of truth by evil. The perversion of the church through falsity is meant by "in the fury of Jehovah of Hosts is the land obscured;" and the perversion of it through evil is meant by "the people are become as the food of the fire;" "the land obscured" signifies the church where there is no truth, but only falsity; and "the food of the fire" signifies the consumption of the truth by the love of evil, "fire" meaning the love of evil. That falsity destroys good is meant by "a man shall not pity his brother," "man" [vir] and "brother" signifying truth and good, here "man" signifies falsity, and "brother" good, because it is said that "he shall not pity him." The consequent deprivation of all good and of all truth, however much it may be sought, is meant by "if he shall cut down on the right hand he shall be hungry, and if he shall eat on the left hand they shall not be satisfied," "right hand" signifying good from which is truth, and "left hand" truth from good, "to cut down, ² and to eat these" signifies to seek, and "to be hungry and not be satisfied" means to be deprived of; that evil extinguishes all truth and falsity all good is meant by "they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm," "flesh of the arm" meaning the power of good through truth, "man" falsity, and "to eat" to extinguish. That thence all the will of good and the understanding of truth perishes is meant by "Manasseh shall eat Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh." (That "Manasseh" means the will of good, and "Ephraim" the understanding of truth, see Arcana Coelestia 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267, 6296.) That this is with those who are in evils and falsities is meant by "they together against Judah;" for when the will is in good and the understanding in truth these are with Jehovah, since they are both from Him; but when the will is in evil and the understanding in falsity they are against Jehovah.

[3] In the same:

Be not glad, O Philistia, all of thee, because the rod that smiteth thee is broken; for from the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk, and his fruit shall be a fiery-flying serpent. I will cause thy root to die with famine, and it shall slay thy remnant (Isaiah 14:29-30).

Nearly the like is meant by this in the internal sense; but here those are treated of who believe that faith is merely the interior sight of the natural man, and that they are justified and saved by such sight or faith, thus denying that the good of charity has any effect. Such as these are meant by "the Philistines," and a collection of them by "Philistia" (See Arcana Coelestia 3412, 3413, 8093, 8313). That this false principle, which is faith alone or faith separated from charity, destroys every good and truth of the church is meant by "from the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk," the "serpent's root" meaning that false principle, and "basilisk" the destruction of the good and truth of the church thereby. That reasoning from mere falsities springs from this is meant by "his fruit shall be a fiery-flying serpent," "fiery-flying serpent" meaning reasoning from falsities. The deprivation of all truth and thence of all good is meant by "I will cause thy root to die with famine, and famine shall slay thy remnant," meaning all things hatched out of that principle. That such is the meaning has been made evident also by experience itself. Those who in doctrine and in life have confirmed themselves in the principle of faith alone are seen in the spiritual world as basilisks, and their reasonings as fiery-flying serpents.

[4] In the same:

Who formeth a god, and casteth a molten image, and it profiteth not? he fashioneth iron with the tongs, and worketh it in the coal, and formeth it with sharp hammers; so he worketh it by the arm of his power; yea, he is hungry until there is no power, neither doth he drink, until he is weary (Isaiah 44:10, 12).

This describes the formation of doctrine both from one's own understanding and from one's own love. "To form a god" signifies doctrine from one's own understanding; and "to cast a molten image," from one's own love; "he fashioneth the iron with the tongs, and worketh it in the coal" signifies the falsity that he calls truth and the evil that he calls good, "iron" meaning falsity, and "the fire of coal" the evil of one's own love; "he formeth it with sharp hammers" signifies by ingenious reasonings from falsities so that they may seem to hold together; "so he worketh it by the arm of his power" signifies from what is his own; "yea, he is hungry until there is no power, neither doth he drink, until he is weary" signifies that there is nothing whatever of good or of truth, "to be hungry" signifies the deprivation of good, and "not to drink" the deprivation of truth, "until there is no power," and "until he is weary" signify till there is nothing of good and nothing of truth left. Who that looks at the Word from the sense of the letter only, can see in this anything but a description of the formation of a molten image? Yet he must see that there is nothing spiritual involved in such a description of the formation of a molten image; also that there is no need of saying that "he is hungry until there is no power, neither doth he drink until he is weary;" nevertheless not only here but elsewhere in many places in the Word, the formation of a religion and of the doctrine of falsity is described by "idols," "graven images" and "molten images." (That these signify the falsities of religion, and of doctrine originating from one's own understanding, and from one's own love, see Arcana Coelestia 8869, 8932, 8941, 9424, 10406, 10503)

[5] In the same:

These two things have met thee; who shall be sorry for thee? devastation and a breach, and famine and sword (Isaiah 51:19).

Here, too, "famine" means the deprivation of the knowledges of good, even till there is no more good; and "sword" the deprivation of the knowledges of truth, even till there is no more truth; therefore "devastation" and "breach" are mentioned, "devastation" signifying that there is no more good, and "breach" that there is no more truth.

[6] In the same:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold, My servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; My servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, My servants shall be glad, but ye shall be ashamed (Isaiah 65:13).

Here, also, "to be hungry and thirsty" means to be deprived of the good of love and the truths of faith, "to be hungry" to be deprived of the good of love, and "to be thirsty" to be deprived of the truths of faith; "to eat and to drink" signifies communication and appropriation of goods and truths; and "the servants of the Lord Jehovih," those who receive goods and truths from the Lord; this makes clear what is signified by "Behold, My servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; My servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty;" that the Lord's servants shall have eternal happiness, but the others unhappiness is signified by "Behold, My servants shall be glad, but ye shall be ashamed."

[7] In Jeremiah:

By the sword, by famine, and by pestilence I consume them; Yet I said, Ah Lord Jehovih! behold the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine. Therefore thus said Jehovah against the prophets prophesying in My name, although I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land. By sword and by famine shall these prophets come to an end; the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, and there shall be no one to bury them (Jeremiah 14:12-13, 15-16).

"Sword, famine, and pestilence," signifies the deprivation of truth and of good, and thus of spiritual life through falsities and evils; "sword" signifying the deprivation of truth through falsities, "famine" the deprivation of good through evils, and "pestilence" the deprivation of spiritual life. "Prophets" mean those who teach the truths of doctrine, and in an abstract sense, the doctrinals of truth. This makes clear what is signified by all this, namely, that those who teach the doctrine of falsity and evil shall perish through these things that are signified by "sword and famine;" and that those who receive the doctrine from them are separated from every truth of the church, and are damned, is signified by "they shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, there shall be no one to bury them," "the streets of Jerusalem" meaning the truths of the church, "to be cast out in them" meaning to be separated from those truths, and "not to be buried" meaning to be damned.

[8] "Sword, famine, and pestilence," have a like signification in the following passages, "sword" signifying the deprivation of truth through falsities, "famine" the deprivation of good through evils, and "pestilence" the consequent deprivation of spiritual life. In Jeremiah:

They shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, that their carcass may be for food to the fowl of the heavens and to the beast of the earth (Jeremiah 16:4);

"their carcass may be for food to the fowl of the heavens" signifying damnation by falsities, and "for food to the beast of the earth" damnation by evils. In the same:

They have denied Jehovah when they said, It is not He; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword and famine (Jeremiah 5:12).

In the same:

Behold I will visit upon them; the young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine (Jeremiah 11:22).

In the same:

Give their ³ sons to the famine, and make them flow down upon the hands of the sword, that their wives may become bereaved and widows, and their men be slain by death, their young men smitten by the sword in war (Jeremiah 18:21).

In the same:

I will send upon them sword, famine, and pestilence, and will make them like the horrible figs, that cannot be eaten for badness. And I will pursue after them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence (Jeremiah 29:17-18).

In the same:

I will send against them the sword, famine, and pestilence, until they come to an end from upon the ground that I gave to them and to their fathers (Jeremiah 24:10).

In the same:

I proclaim to you a liberty, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will give you up for commotion by all the kingdoms of the earth (Jeremiah 34:17).

In the Gospels:

Nation shall be roused against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be pestilences, and famines, and earthquakes, in diverse places (Matthew 24:17; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11).

In Ezekiel:

Because thou hast defiled My sanctuary, a third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee; and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and a third part I will disperse to every wind. When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, that shall be for destruction, when I shall send them to destroy you; but yet I will increase the famine upon you, until I have broken for you the staff of bread. And I will send upon you famine and the evil wild beast, and I will make thee bereaved; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee (Ezekiel 5:11-12, 5:16-17).

In the same:

The sword without, and pestilence and famine within; he that is in the field shall die by the sword, but he that is in the city famine and pestilence shall devour him (Ezekiel 7:15).

In the same:

Because of all the evil abominations, they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. He that is far off shall die by pestilence; he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is preserved shall die by famine (Ezekiel 6:11-12).

In Jeremiah:

But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, that ye may not obey the voice of Jehovah your God; saying No, but we will come into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, and shall not hear the sound of the trumpet, and shall not hunger for bread, and there will we dwell: hear ye the word of Jehovah, If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and come to sojourn there, it shall come to pass that the sword that ye fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine about which ye were solicitous shall cleave to you there in Egypt, and there ye shall die. And they shall die there by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; neither shall one of them remain, because of the evil that I will bring upon you. ⁴ And ye shall be for an execration and an astonishment, and for a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more. Now therefore know certainly, that ye shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place whither ye have desired to come to sojourn there (Jeremiah 42:13-18, 42:22; 44:12-13, 44:27).

"Egypt" here signifies the natural, and "to come into Egypt and to sojourn there" signifies to become natural. (That "Egypt" means the knowing faculty [scientificum] that belongs to the natural man, and thus the natural, and "the land of Egypt" means the natural mind, see Arcana Coelestia 4967, 5079-5080, 5095, 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301, 5160, 5799, 6015, 6147, 6252, 7353, 7648, 9340, 9391 and that "to sojourn" means to be instructed, and to live, n. 1463, 2025, 3672.) From this it can be seen what is signified in the spiritual sense by "their not going into Egypt, and their dying then by the sword, the famine, and the pestilence," namely, that if they became merely natural, they would be deprived of all truth and good and spiritual life; for the natural man separate from the spiritual is in falsities and evils, and thus in infernal life. (That the natural man separate from the spiritual is such, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 47-48.) Therefore it is said that if they went into Egypt "they should be for an execration and an astonishment and a reproach, neither would they see this place;" "the place they would not see" meaning the state of the spiritual man, the same as "the land of Canaan." Like things are signified by the murmurings of the sons of Israel in the wilderness, because they so often desired to return into Egypt; therefore manna was also given to them, which signifies spiritual nourishment (Exodus 16:2-3, 16:7-9, 16:22).

[9] In Ezekiel:

When I shall stretch out Mine hand against the house of Israel to break for it the staff of bread, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast; then I will cause the evil wild beast to pass through the land, and will bereave it, that it may become a desolation; then I will send my four evil judgments upon Jerusalem, sword and famine, and the evil wild beast, and pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast (Ezekiel 14:13, 15, 21).

This describes the vastation of the church; "the house of Israel" and "Jerusalem" meaning the church; "to break the staff of bread" signifies to destroy everything celestial and spiritual by which the church should be nourished, for "bread" involves everything belonging to heaven and the church, or all spiritual nourishment; "to cut off man and beast" signifies every spiritual and natural affection; therefore "the sword, the famine, the evil wild beast, and the pestilence," signify the destruction of truth by falsity, of good by evil, of the affection of truth and good by the lusts arising from evil loves, and the consequent extinction of spiritual life. These are called "the four evil judgments," and are also meant by "the sword, famine, death, and the evil wild beast," in this verse of Revelation. Evidently it is the vastation of the church that is thus described.

[10] The three evils that are signified by "famine, sword, and pestilence" the prophet Gad also announced to David when he had numbered the people (2 Samuel 24:13). No one can know why David was threatened with these because of his numbering the people unless he knows that the people of Israel represented and thence signified the church in respect to all its truths and goods, and that "to number" signifies to know the quality thereof, and afterwards to arrange and dispose them according to it. Because no one but the Lord knows and does this, and because the man who does it deprives himself of all good and truth and of spiritual life, and because David did this representatively, therefore these three evils were offered him, one of which he might choose. Who cannot see that there was nothing wrong in numbering the people, and that the evil on account of which David and the people were punished was hidden interiorly, that is, in the representatives in which the church then was? In the passages that have been cited, "famine" signifies the deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good, and the consequent loss of all truth and good.

[11] 2. That "famine" signifies also the lack of knowledges with those who cannot know them because they are not in the church or in the doctrine thereof, is evident from the following passages. In Amos:

Behold, the days shall come in which I will send a famine into the land, not a famine for bread, nor a thirst for waters, but for hearing the words of Jehovah; that they may wander from sea to sea, from the north to the sunrise, they may run to and fro seeking the word of Jehovah, and shall not find it. In that day shall the beautiful virgins and the youths faint for thirst (Amos 8:11-13).

This explains what is meant by "famine" and "thirst," namely, that a famine for bread is not meant, nor a thirst for waters, but for hearing the word of Jehovah, thus that it is a lack of the knowledges of good and truth that is meant; and that these are not in the church or in its doctrine is described by the words, "they shall go from sea to sea, and from the north to the sunrise, seeking the word of Jehovah, and shall not find it," "from sea to sea" signifying on every side, for the outmost boundaries in the spiritual world, where truths and goods begin and terminate appear like seas; consequently "seas" in the Word signify the cognitions of truth and good, also knowledges [scientifica] in general; "from the north to the sunrise" signifies also on every side where truth and good are, "the north" meaning where truth is in obscurity, and "the sunrise" where good is. Because "famine and thirst" signify a lack of the knowledges of good and truth, therefore it is also said "in that day shall the beautiful virgins and the youths faint for thirst," "the beautiful virgins" meaning the affections of truth from good, and "youths" the truths themselves that are from good, "the thirst for which they shall faint" meaning the lack of these. (That "virgins" signify the affections of good and truth, see Arcana Coelestia 2362, 3963, 6729, 6775, 6788; and "youths" the truths themselves, and intelligence, Arcana Coelestia 7668[1-4])

[12] In Isaiah:

Therefore My people shall be carried away for the lack of knowledge; and the glory thereof shall be men of famine, and the multitude thereof shall be parched with thirst (Isaiah 5:13).

The desolation or destruction of the church from lack of the knowledges of good and truth is signified by, "My people shall be carried away for lack of knowledge." The Divine truth that constitutes the church is signified by "glory;" that this is not, and consequently good is not, is signified by "the glory thereof shall be men of famine," "men of famine" meaning those who are in no perception of good, and in no knowledges of truth; and that consequently there is no truth is signified by "the multitude thereof shall be parched with thirst," "to be parched with thirst" meaning the lack of truth, "multitude" in the Word being predicated of truths.

[13] In the same:

The people shall seek after their God, the law, and the testimony; for they shall pass through it perplexed and famished; and it shall come to pass that when they shall hunger they shall rage, and shall curse their king and their gods, and shall look upwards; they shall look also to the earth, but behold distress and thick darkness (Isaiah 8:19-22).

This treats of those who are in falsities from lack of the knowledges of truth and good, and their indignation on that account; the lack is described by "they shall look upwards, and they shall look also to the earth, but behold distress and thick darkness," "to look upwards and to look to the earth" means to look everywhere for goods and truths; "but behold distress and thick darkness" means that these are nowhere to be found, but mere falsities only, "thick darkness" meaning dense falsity. Their indignation on this account is meant by "it shall come to pass that when they shall hunger they shall rage, and shall curse their king and their gods," "to hunger" meaning to desire to know, "king" falsity, "the gods" the falsities of worship therefrom, and "to curse" to detest.

[14] In Lamentations:

Lift up thy hands to the Lord respecting the soul of thy babes, who have fainted for famine at the head of all the streets (Lamentations 2:19).

Lamentation over those who ought to be instructed in the knowledges of good and truth, by which they may have spiritual life, is described by "Lift up thy hands to the Lord respecting the soul of thy babes;" and the lack of these knowledges is described by "who have fainted for famine at the head of all the streets," "famine" meaning lack, "streets" the truths of doctrine, "to faint at the head of them" meaning that there are no truths.

[15] In the same:

Servants have ruled over us, there is no one to free us out of their hand. We bring in our bread with the peril of our souls because of the sword of the wilderness. Our skins are black like an oven because of the tempests of famine (Lamentations 5:8-10).

"Servants that have ruled with no one to free us out of their hand" signify the evils of life and the falsities of doctrine, in general, evil loves and false principles; "we bring in our bread with the peril of our souls because of the sword of the wilderness" signifies that there is no good from which there may be spiritual life itself, because of the falsity everywhere reigning; "bread" means the good from which there may be spiritual life; "sword" falsity destroying; and "the wilderness" where there is no good because no truth; for all good with man is formed by truths, therefore where there are no truths but only falsities there is no good; "our skins are black like an oven because of the tempests of famine" signifies that because of the lack of the knowledges of good and truth the natural man is in its own evil love; "the skin," from correspondence with the Greatest Man or heaven, signifies the natural man; "to be black like an oven" signifies to be in one's own evil from falsities; and "tempests of famine" signify a complete lack of the knowledges of good and truth.

[16] In Luke:

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger (Luke 6:25).

"The full" in the Word mean those who have the Word, in which are all the knowledges of good and truth; and "to hunger" means to lack these, and also to be deprived of them. In Job:

Blessed is the man whom God hath chastened; therefore reject not the discipline of Schaddai. In famine He shall redeem thee from death; and in war from the hands of the sword (Job 5:17, 20).

This treats of those who are in temptations; temptations are signified by "whom God hath chastened," and by "the discipline of Schaddai." "The Almighty (Schaddai)" signifies temptations, deliverance from them, and consolation after them (See Arcana Coelestia 1992, 3667, 4572, 5628, 6229). "The famine in which he shall be redeemed" signifies temptation in respect to the perception of good, in which he shall be delivered from evil; "to redeem" meaning to deliver; and "the hand of the sword in war" signifies temptations in respect to the understanding of truth, "war" also meaning temptation or combat against falsities.

[17] 3. That "famine" in the Word also signifies ignorance of the knowledges of truth and good, such as are with those who know that there are knowledges and therefore desire them, is evident from the following passages. In Matthew:

Blessed are they that hunger after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied (Matthew 5:6).

"To hunger after righteousness" signifies to desire good, for in the Word "righteousness" is predicated of good. In Luke:

God hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away (Luke 1:53).

"The hungry" are those who are ignorant of the knowledges of truth and good, and yet desire them; and "the rich" are those who have an abundance of them, but no desire for them. That the former are enriched is signified by "God hath filled them with good things;" and that the latter are deprived of them is signified by "The rich He hath sent away empty."

[18] In David:

Behold, the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear Him, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine (Psalms 33:18-19).

"Those that fear Jehovah" mean those who love to do His commandments; "to deliver the soul from death" signifies from evils and falsities, and thus from damnation; and "to keep them alive in famine" signifies to give spiritual life according to desire. A desire for the knowledges of truth and good is a spiritual affection of truth, which is given only to those who are in the good of life, that is, who do the Lord's commandments; and these, as has been said, are meant by "those that fear Jehovah."

[19] In the same:

Let them confess to Jehovah His mercy, for He satisfieth the longing soul, and the hungry soul He filleth with good (Psalms 107:8-9).

"To satisfy the longing soul, and to fill with good the hungry soul," applies to those who long for truths and goods, "the longing soul" signifying those who long for truths, and "the hungry soul" those who long for goods. In the same:

There is no want to them that fear Jehovah. The young lions shall lack, and suffer hunger; but they that seek Jehovah shall not want any good (Psalms 34:9-10).

Here, too, "those that fear Jehovah to whom there is no want," signify those who love to do the Lord's commandments; and "they that seek Jehovah who shall not want any good," signify those who in consequence are loved by the Lord, and receive truths and goods from Him. "The young lions that lack and suffer hunger", signify those who have knowledge and wisdom from themselves, "to lack and suffer hunger" meaning that they have neither truth nor good. (What "lions" in both senses signify, see n. 278)

[20] In the same:

Jehovah who executeth judgment for the oppressed; who giveth bread to the hungry; Jehovah, who looseth the bound (Psalms 146:7).

The "oppressed" here mean those who are in falsities from ignorance; such are oppressed by spirits who are in falsities; therefore it is said that "Jehovah executeth judgment for them," by rescuing them from those that oppress. "The hungry" mean those who desire goods; and as such are nourished by the Lord, it is said "Jehovah giveth bread to the hungry," "to give bread" meaning to nourish, and spiritual nourishment is knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom. "The bound" mean those who desire truths but are withheld from them by the falsities of doctrine or by ignorance, because they have not the Word; therefore "to loose the bound" means to free from falsities. (That such are called "bound," see Arcana Coeles (Arcana Coelestia 5037[1-6], 5086, 5096) tia, n. 5037, 5086, 5096.)

[21] In the same:

Jehovah turneth the wilderness into a pool of waters, and a land of drought into a springing forth of waters. And there He maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city of habitation, and sow fields, and plant vineyards, and make fruit of increase (Psalms 107:35-37).

The meaning of these words is wholly different from the sense of the letter, namely, that those who are ignorant of the knowledges of truth and yet desire to know them shall be enriched and abundantly supplied with them; for "Jehovah turneth the wilderness into a pool of water" signifies that in place of ignorance of truth there shall be abundance of truth, "wilderness" meaning when there is ignorance of truth, and "a pool of waters" abundance of it; "to turn a land of drought into a springing forth of waters" signifies the like in the natural man, for "a land of drought" means where there is ignorance of truth, "the springing forth of waters" is abundance, the natural man is "the springing forth," and "waters" are truths; "there He maketh the hungry to dwell" signifies those who desire truth, "to dwell" meaning to live, and "the hungry" those who desire; "that they may prepare a city of habitation" signifies that they form for themselves a doctrine of life, "city" meaning doctrine, and "habitation" life; "that they may sow fields and plant vineyards, and make fruit of increase," signifies to receive truths, to understand them, and to do them; "to sow fields" meaning to be instructed and to receive truths; "to plant vineyards" meaning to receive truths in the understanding, that is, in the spirit, for "vineyards" mean spiritual truths; therefore "to plant" them means to receive them spiritually, that is, to understand them; "to make fruit of increase" means to do them and to receive goods, for "fruits" are the deeds and goods of charity.

[22] In the same:

Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect, and He shall be their inheritance forever. They shall not be ashamed in the time of evil; and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied (Psalms 37:18-19).

"The days of the perfect" signify the states of those who are in good and in truths therefrom, or those who are in charity and in faith therefrom. "Jehovah shall be their inheritance forever" signifies that they are His own and are in heaven; "they shall not be ashamed in the time of evil" signifies that they shall conquer when they are tempted by evils; and "in the days of famine they shall be satisfied" signifies that they shall be upheld by truths when they are tempted and infested by falsities, "time of evil" and "days of famine" signifying the states of temptations, and temptations are from evils and falsities.

[23] In the first book of Samuel:

The bows of the mighty are broken, but they who had stumbled have girded strength about them; they that are full have hired themselves for bread; and they that are hungry have ceased; even until the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many sons hath failed (1 Samuel 2:4-5).

"They that are full have hired themselves for bread, and they that are hungry have ceased," signify those who wish for and long for goods and truths. The rest may be seen explained above (n. 257, 357).

[24] In Isaiah:

For the fool speaketh foolishness, and his heart doeth iniquity, to practice hypocrisy, and to speak error against Jehovah, to make empty the hungry soul, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail (Isaiah 32:6).

He is here called "a fool" who is in falsities and evils from the love of self, consequently from self-intelligence. Falsities are meant by the "foolishness" that he speaks; and evils by the "iniquity" that his heart does. The evils that he speaks against goods are meant by "the hypocrisy" that he practices; and the falsities that he speaks against truths, by the "error" that he speaks against Jehovah; "to make empty the hungry soul, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail" means to persuade and destroy those who desire goods and truths, "the hungry soul" meaning those who desire goods, and "he that thirsteth for drink" meaning those who desire truths.

[25] In the same:

If thou shalt draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, thy light shall arise in darkness and thy thick darkness be as the noonday (Isaiah 58:10).

This describes charity towards the neighbor, here towards those who are in ignorance, but at the same time in a desire to know truths, and in grief on account of the falsities that possess them, and signifies that with those who are in such charity falsities are dispersed and truths shine and become radiant. Charity towards those that are in ignorance and at the same time in a desire to know truths is meant by "If thou shalt draw out thy soul to the hungry," "the hungry" meaning those who desire, and "the soul" is the understanding of truth instructing. This being done to those who are in grief because of the falsities that possess them is meant by "if thou shalt satisfy the afflicted soul;" that ignorance is dispelled and truths shine and become radiant with those who are in such charity is meant by "thy light shall arise in darkness, and thy thick darkness be as the noon day;" "darkness" signifying the ignorance of the spiritual mind, and "thick darkness" the ignorance of the natural mind, "light" truth in light, "noonday" the like. Such illustration those have who from charity or spiritual affection instruct such as are in falsities from ignorance; for such charity is a receptacle of the influx of light or of truth from the Lord.

[26] In the same:

Is not this the fast that I choose, to break thy bread to the hungry, and to bring the afflicted outcasts into thy house, when thou shalt see the naked and shalt cover him? (Isaiah 58:6-7).

These words have a like meaning, for "to break bread to the hungry" signifies from charity to communicate to and instruct those who are in ignorance and at the same time in a desire to know truths; "to bring the afflicted outcasts into the house" signifies to correct and reform those who are in falsities, and thence in grief, "afflicted outcasts" meaning those who are in grief from falsities; for those who are in falsities stand without, while those who are in truths are in the house, "house" meaning the intellectual mind, into which truths only are admitted, since that mind is opened by means of truths from good. Because this is what is signified it is added, "when thou shalt see the naked and shalt cover him," the "naked" signifying those that are without truths, and "to cover" signifying to instruct; for "garments" in the Word signify truths investing (See above, n. 195).

[27] In the same:

They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for He that hath compassion on them leadeth them forth, even unto the springs of waters shall He guide them (Isaiah 49:10).

That "they shall not hunger nor thirst" does not mean that they are not to hunger nor thirst for natural food and drink; and "neither shall the heat nor sun smite them" does not mean that they will not become heated by these; the same is true of their being led unto the springs of waters. Who that thinks about it does not see that something else is here meant? "To hunger and thirst" therefore signifies to hunger and thirst for such things as pertain to eternal life or give that life, and these, in general, have reference to the good of love and the truth of faith, "hunger" to the good of love, and "thirst" to the truth of faith; "heat" and "sun" signify the heat from the principles of falsity and the love of evil, for these take away all spiritual hunger and thirst; "the springs of waters, unto which the Lord will guide them" signify illustration in all truth, "spring" or "fountain" meaning the Word, and also the doctrine from the Word, "waters" truths, and "to guide" in reference to the Lord, meaning to illustrate. From this the significance can be seen of the Lord's words in John:

I am the bread of life; he that cometh to Me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst (John 6:35).

Here evidently "to hunger" is to come to the Lord, and "to thirst" is to believe on Him; to come to the Lord is to do His commandments.

[28] This signification of "hungering and thirsting" makes evident also the signification of the Lord's words in Matthew:

The king said to them on the right hand, I was an hungered, and ye gave me to eat, I was thirsty and ye gave me to drink, I was a sojourner and ye took me in. And He said to them on the left hand, that He was an hungered and they gave Him not to eat, and He was thirsty and they gave Him not to drink; that He was a sojourner and they took Him not in (Matthew 25:34-35, 37, 41-44).

"To hunger and to thirst" signifies to be in ignorance and in spiritual want, and "to give to eat and drink" signifies to instruct and to illustrate from spiritual affection or charity; it is therefore also said, "I was a sojourner and ye took me not in," "sojourner" signifying those who are out of the church, but who wish to be instructed and to receive the doctrinals of the church and to live according to them (See Arcana Coelestia 1463[1-3], 4444, 7908, 8007, 8013, 9196).

Furthermore, we read in the Word that the Lord hungered and thirsted, which means that from His Divine love He willed and desired the salvation of the human race.

[29] That He hungered we read in Mark:

When they were come from Bethany, Jesus hungered; and seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves, He came, if haply He might find anything thereon; but when He had come to it He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. Therefore He said unto it, No one eat any fruit of thee forever. And the disciples in the morning as they passed by, saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots (Mark 11:12-14, 20; Matthew 21:19-20).

One who does not know that all things of the Word contain a spiritual sense, may believe that the Lord did this to the fig-tree from indignation because He was hungry; but "fig-tree" means here not a fig-tree, but the church in relation to natural good, in particular, the Jewish Church. That there was no natural good in that church, because nothing spiritual, but only some truths from the sense of the letter of the Word, is signified by "Jesus seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves, came, if haply He might find anything thereon; but when He had come to it He found nothing but leaves," "leaves" signifying the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word. That with that nation, because they were in dense falsities and in evil loves, nothing whatever of the natural good of the church would ever exist is signified by "Jesus said, No one eat any fruit of thee forever, and the fig-tree was dried up from the roots." It is also said that "it was not the season for figs," and this means that the church was not yet begun; that the beginning of a new church is meant by "a fig-tree," is clear from the Lord's words (Matthew 24:32, 33; Mark 13:28, 29, and in Luke 21:28-31). From this it can be seen what "hungering" here signifies. (That "a fig-tree" signifies the natural good of the church, see Arcana Coelestia 217, 4231, 5113; and that "leaves" signify the truths of the natural man, see above, n. 109.)

[30] That the Lord thirsted we read in John:

Jesus, knowing that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled said, I thirst. And there had been placed a vessel full of vinegar; and they filled a sponge and placed it upon hyssop, and put it to His mouth. And when Jesus had received the vinegar He said, It is finished (John 19:28-30).

Those who think of these things only naturally and not spiritually may believe that they involve nothing more than that the Lord thirsted, and that vinegar was then given Him; but it was because all things that the Scriptures said of Him were then finished, and because He came into the world to save mankind that He said, "I thirst," which means that from Divine love He willed and desired the salvation of the human race; and that "vinegar was given Him" signifies that in the coming church there would be no genuine truth, but truth mixed with falsities, such as there is with those who separate faith from charity or truth from good; this is what "vinegar" signifies; "they placed it upon hyssop" signifies some kind of purification by it, for "hyssop" signifies an external means of purification (See Arcana Coelestia 7918). That every particular related in the Word respecting the Lord's passion involves and signifies Divine celestial and Divine spiritual things, may be seen above n. 83. From the passages cited above it can be seen what "famine" signifies in the Word. Let them be examined and considered, and it will be seen by those who are in any interior thought that natural famine, hunger, and thirst, can by no means be meant, but spiritual famine, hunger, and thirst.

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