THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter Isaiah 32

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

1. BEHOLD, a King shall reign in justice, and Princes shall rule in judgment.

VERSE 1. That the Lord, as to Divine Truth, is represented in the Word by a " King", and as to Good by a " Priest", see above, Chapter 1:1, the Exposition.

2. And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, as a covert from the inundation; as rivers of waters in a dry place; as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land:

Verse 2. [lt does not appear that Swedenborg has quoted this verse, but its spiritual meaning is clear from the correspondences. That Divine Truth from the Lord, in His Word, signified by "man", is the cause of all protection in temptations, and against all assaults from hell, is declared in these words, see above, Chapter 4:6, the Exposition.]

3. And the eyes of those that see shall not be dim; and the ears of those that hear shall hearken.

Verse 3. The eyes, the ears, etc. - See Chap, Isaiah 29:18; 35:4-6, the Exposition.

4. And the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge; and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak elegant things.

5. The fool shall no longer be called liberal; and the covetous shall no more be called noble:

Verse 4. By the "rash" or "precipitate" are understood those who easily catch at, and believe the things that are said, and consequently falsities also; concerning such it is said that "they shall understand knowledge", which means to receive truths. By the "stammerers" are understood those who with difficulty can apprehend the Truths of the church; that they shall confess them from affection is understood by "their tongue shall be ready or swift to speak"; "swiftness" being predicated of affection. Apocalypse Explained 455.

6. For the fool will speak folly; and his heart will work iniquity: to practise hypocrisy, and to speak error against Jehovah; to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

7. As for the covetous, his instruments are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks judgment.

8. But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he be established.

Verse 6. He is called a " fool" who is in falsities and evils from the love of self thus from his own intelligence; thefalses are understood by "the folly which he speaks", and evils by "the iniquity which his heart worketh." The evils which he speaks against Goods are understood by "the hypocrisy which he practises", and the falsities which he speaks against Truths by "the error which he speaks against Jehovah." That it is for the purpose of persuading and thus of destroying those who desire Goods and Truths, is understood by "making empty the soul of the hungry", and by "causing the drink of the thirsty to fail"; the "hungry soul" are such as desire Goods, and the "thirsty desiring drink" are such as desire Truths. A" Apocalypse Explained 386.

Here by the "soul" is signified man as to the understanding of Good and Truth; by "the soul of the hungry" the understanding of Good, and by "the drink of the thirsty" the understanding of Truth. That the man who is in falsities of evil will endeavour to deprive thereof him who is in Truth from Good, is signified by "the fool speaking folly", by "making empty the soul of the hungry", and by "causing the drink of the thirsty to fail." Apocalypse Explained 750.

Verses 6, 7. In this passage by the "poor" and "needy" are understood those who are destitute of the knowledges of Truth and Good, wherefore it is said that "the covetous deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks judgment"; the "lying words" denote falsities, and to "speak judgment" denotes what is right. Inasmuch as such are treated of it is also said that "they practise hypocrisy, and speak error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail"; to "practise hypocrisy" and to "speak error" denotes to commit evil from the false, and to speak what is false from evil; to "make empty the soul of the hungry" denotes to deprive those of the knowledges of Good who desire them and to "cause the drink of the thirsty to fail" is to deprive of the knowledges of Truth those who desire them. Apocalypse Explained 238.

9. O you women that are at ease, stand up, hear My voice! O you confident daughters, give ear unto My speeeh!

10. Year upon year shall you be disquieted, O you confident ones: for the vintage has failed, the gathering shall not come in.

11. Tremble, O you women that are at ease; be you troubled, O you confident ones! strip you, make yourselves bare; and gird [sackcloth] upon your loins.

12. They shall smite upon the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

Verses 9, 10. By "the women who are at ease" are signified the cupidities of those who have no concern for the devastation of the church; by "confident daughters" are signified the cupidities of those who have confidence in self-derived intelligence; by "women " and "daughters" are signified all who are such in the church, whether they be men or women. By "the vintage which shall fail", and by "the gathering which shall not come", is signified that the Truth of the church shall be no more; for the same is denoted by "vintage" as by "vine"; namely, the Truth of the church, whence it is evident what is signified by the "gathering" thereof. Apocalypse Explained 555.

By "confident daughters" are signified those in the church who love falsities more than Truths. That with such persons Truths ate successively and in every state diminished, is signified by "their being disquieted year upon year." The entire devastation of Truth, even until nothing remains, is understood by "the vintage failing", or being consumed; and by "the gathering not coming in." Apocalypse Explained 919.

Verses 9, 11, 12. "Daughters" are affections, as shown in Arcana Coelestia 2362, 3024. To "make bare or naked", is to be deprived of Truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1073, 4958. To "gird themselves upon the loins", is to be in grief on account of Good which is lost. To "smite upon the breast"; is to be in grief on account of the Good of Truth being destroyed; and because these things are understood, it is further said, "for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine"; for a " field." is the church as to Good, thus the Good of the church, as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2971; 3196; and the "vine" is the spiritual church, thus the Good of Truth, see Arcana Coelestia 5113, 6375. Arcana Coelestia 6432.

13. Over the land of My people the thorn and the brier shall come up; yea, over all houses of joy, over the exulting city.

14. For the palace is deserted, the multitude of the city is forsaken; the cliff and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture for flocks:

Verses 13, 14. "The thorn and the brier which shall come up over the land" signify the false and the evil. "The palace 'which shall be deserted" signifies where Good dwells; and "the multitude of the city which shall be forsaken" signifies where there are Truths, for a "city" signifies the doctrine of Truth. Apocalypse Explained 804.

Verse 14. By these words is described the total devastation of the church, where there is no more any Good of life or Truth of doctrine; no one, however, can know what is involved therein except from the internal sense, and from the state of things in the spiritual world. The devastation of the whole church is understood by "The palace is deserted, the multitude of the city is forsaken"; a " palace" signifies the whole church as to Truths from Good; and a "desert" signifies where there is no Good in consequence of there being no Truth; whence the "palace" being deserted or a "desert", signifies the church devastated. The "multitude of the city" signifies all the Truths of doctrine; for a "city" denotes doctrine, and "multitude" is predicated of Truths, which are said to be "forsaken" when they are not. That "the cliff and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever", signifies that the church shall no more exist with them, because there is nothing but evil of life and the false of doctrine, which are signified by "dens", because such persons dwell in dens, as was said above; (see Chap Isaiah 2:10, the Exposition.) and inasmuch as such persons dwell in deep places in the spiritual world, and they are covered above by eminences or cliffs and beacons, so as to be hid from those who dwell upon the earths there, therefore it is, not only said that "the cliff and the watch-tower shall be for dens", but also that they should be "a joy of wild asses, and a pasture for flocks." In that world also there are many hells in deep places, altogether hid by earths, rocks, and hills above, or by eminences and beacons, where there is grass, as it were "a pasture for flocks"; whence it is that the hells are unknown to those who dwell there upon the earth. "A joy of wild asses" also signifies the affection or love of falsities; and "the pasture for flocks", in this place, the nourishment of evils from falsities; and by both is signified the devastation of Truth by falsities. From these considerations it may be seen what is the nature of the arcana contained in this and similar passages. Apocalypse Explained 410.

15. Till the spirit from on high be poured out upon us; and the wilderness, become a fruitful field; and the fruitful field be esteemed a forest.

16. And judgment shall dwell in the wilderness; and justice shall reside in the fruitful field.

Verses 15, 16. Treating of those who are in natural Good, and are being reformed, The influx out of heaven into them, is signified by "The spirit from on high shall be poured out upon you." That then Truth from a spiritual origin shall be implanted in them, is signified by "the wilderness shall become a fruitful field"; a "wilderness" denoting the natural man destitute of Truths, and the "fruitful field", or "land of corn", denoting the natural man fructified with Truths. That he has thence the science of the knowledges of Truth and Good, is signified by, "the fruitful field shall be esteemed a forest" "forest" being predicated of the natural man, as a "garden" is of the spiritual; wherefore by a "forest" is signified science, and by a "garden" intelligence. That what is right and just is thence in him, is signified by "Judgment shall dwell, in the wilderness, and justice shall reside in the fruitful field"; "judment" and "justice", in the spiritual sense, signify Truth and Good, but, in the natural sense, what is right and just. Apocalypse Explained 730.

17. And the work of justice shall be peace; and the labour of justice quietness and security for ever:

18. And My people shall dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tents of securities, and in quiet resting places.

Verses 17, 18. Peace is said to be "the work of Jehovah", because it is from the Lord only, and everything which exists by virtue of peace from the Lord, with those who are in conjunction with Him, is called "the Work of Jehovah"; whence it is said- "The work of Jehovah is peace." "The labour of justice" signifies Good conjoined with Truth, wherein peace consists; for "labour", in the Word, is predicated of Truth, "justice" of Good, and "rest" of the peace derived from their conjunction; "security for ever" signifies that thus there will be no infestation or fear from evils and falsities. Hence it is evident what is signified by its being said that "My people shall dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tents of securities, and in quiet resting places", namely, that they may be in heaven where the Lord is, and thence in the Good of love and of worship, without infestation from the hells, and thus in the delights of Good and pleasantnesses of Truth. The "habitation of peace" denotes heaven where the Lord is; "tents of securities", the Goods of love and of worship, not infested by evils and falsities, which are from hell; and "quiet resting places", the delights of Good and pleasantnesses of Truths. That "tents" signify the Goods of love and of worship, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia n. 414, 1102, 2145. "Peace" is the happiness of the heart and the soul, arising from the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church, and this from the conjunction of what is Good and True with those who are there; hence there is no longer any combat of what is evil and false against what is Good and True, or no dissension or war in a spiritual sense. Hence it is peace in which all fructification of Good and all multiplication of Truth takes place, consequently all wisdom and intelligence. And because that peace is from the Lord alone, and from Him with the angels in heaven and with men in the church, therefore by "Peace", in the supreme sense, is understood the Lord, and, in a respective sense, Heaven and the Church, consequently Good conjoined with Truth in those who are there. Apocalypse Explained 365.

In respect to "Peace" and the Lord as being "the Prince of Peace", see Chapter 9:6, the Exposition.

19. But the hail shall fall, and the forest be brought down; and the city shall be laid utterly low.

20. Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send forth [thither] the foot of the ox and of the ass.

Verse 19. The hail shall fall. - See Chapter 28:2, 22, the Exposition.

Verse 20. Here by those "who sow beside all waters" are meant they who allow themselves to be instructed in spiritual things. That "waters" are spiritual things, thus the Intellectual things of Truth, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 680. "Who send forth the foot of the ox and of the ass", signifies natural things which are serviceable thereto. That the "ox" is the natural principle as to Good, see Arcana Coelestia 2180, 2566; the "ass", is the natural principle as to Truth. Arcana Coelestia 2781.

To "sow beside all waters", is to be instructed in whatsoever truths may be of use [to the spiritual life]. To "send forth the foot of the ox and of the ass", is to be instructed in external goods and truths. Arcana Coelestia 9272.

That "waters" signify Truths, see above, Chapter 11:9, the Exposition.

The signification of the "horse", as denoting the understanding, is derived from no other source than from the representatives which exist in the spiritual world. In that world are frequently seen horses, and persons sitting upon horses, and also chariots: and there every one knows that they signify things intellectual and doctrinal. I myself have often observed, when any were thinking from their understanding, that at such times they appeared as if riding on horses; their meditation represented itself in this manner before others, although they themselves were ignorant of it. There is also a place in the spiritual world where many assemble who think and speak from understanding concerning the truths of doctrine; and when others approach, they see the whole plain covered with chariots and horses. Novitiate spirits who are astonished at the sight, and wonder whence it proceeds, are Instructed that it is an appearance resulting Irorn their intellectual thought. That place is called the assembly of the intelligent and the wise. I have likewise seen bright horses and chariots of fire when certain spirits were taken up into heaven, which was a sign that they were then Instructed in the truths of heavenly doctrine; and become intelligent, and thus were taken up. On seeing which, it occurred to mymind what is signified by the "chariots of fire" and the "horses of fire" which carried Elijah up into heaven, and what is signified by the "horses and chariots of fire" that were seen by the lad of Elisha when his eyes were opened.

That such is the signification of "chariots" and "horses" was perfectly well known in the ancient churches; for those churches were representative churches, and tbe science of correspondences and representations was esteemed, among the members of those churches the chief of all sciences. From those churcbes the signification of the "horse" as expressive of understanding, was derived to the wise men round about, even into Greece. Hence it was, when they would describe the sun, in which they placed their God of wisdom and intelligence, that they attributed to it a chariot and four horses of fire; and when they would describe the God of the sea, since by the "sea" were signified sciences derived from understanding; that they also attributed horses to him; and when they would describe the rise of the sciences from understanding, that they also feigned a winged horse, which, with its hoof, broke open a fountain, at which sat nine virgins called the sciences. For from the ancient churches they received this knowledge, that by tbe "horse" is signified understanding, by "wings" spiritual truth, by the "hoof" what is scientific derived from understanding, and by a "fountain" doctrine from which sciences are derived. Nor is anything else signified by the "Trojan horse" than an artificial contrivance devised by their understanding for the purpose of destroying the walls, Even at this day, when the understanding is described after the manner received from those ancients, it is usual to figure it by a "flying horse" or Pegasus; so, likewise, doctrine is described by a "fountain", and the sciences by "virgins"; but scarcely anyone knows that by the "horse", in the mystic sense, is signified understanding, still less that those signiflcatives were derived to the Gentiles from the ancient representative churches. Wliite Horse, 2-4.

Verses 1-3. Man's own intelligence is thus described. "Egypt" denotes science; a "horse", understanding thence derived; a "chariot" denotes doctrine thence derived; a "horseman", intelligence from the same origin; of all which it is said "Woe unto them who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, and do not seek Jehovah." Their destruction by evils is meant by "His arising against the house of the wicked, and against the help of those that work iniquity." That the above things originate in man's proprium, and consequently have no life in them, is meant by "Egypt being man, and not God", and' by "the horses thereof being flesh, and not spirit"; "man" and "flesh" denote man's proprium; "God" and "spirit" are life from the Lord; the "horses of Egypt" are man's own intelligence. There are several other passages in the Word, which thus describe intelligence derived from rnan's self, and derived from the Lord, which passages are to be understood only by menus of the spiritual sense. Doct. of Life, 30.

By "Egypt", in the Word, is signified the scientific [principle] which is in the natural man, and hence it also signifies the natural man; And because the natural man, with the scientific [principle] which is therein, has not any understanding, but only thought from the memory, which is a species of imagination from the objects of the sight and of hearing, and inasmuch as it is below the spiritual man, in which reside all the Good and the Truths of heaven and the church, hence by "Egypt" in most passages is signified the false scientific [principle]; for when the spiritual man does not flow in, the scientifics of the natural man are turned into mere falsities, and the thoughts of the natural man into confirmations of the false, and into ratiocinations from them against Truths. Hence it may appear what is signified by "the horses of Egypt, and by the chariots thereof", namely, by the "horses" false scientifics, and by the "chariots" doctrinals from which are ratiocinations against Truths. They, therefore, who are of such a quality do not seek Truth from any other source than from themselves, for the proprium of everyone resides in the natural man, and not in the spiritual man: wherefore instead of truths they seize falsities, and instead of goods, evils; and the latter they call Goods, and the former Truths, and trust in themselvee, because in their own proprium. These things are signified by these words "Woe unto them that go down to Egypt for help, who stay on horses; who trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong." The "horses" here denote false scientifics, the "chariots" doctrinals thence derived, and the "horsemen" ratiocinations thence against Truths; wherefore also it is said, "The Egyptians are man, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit"; whereby is signified that only what is merely natural is in them, and not anything spiritual, nor consequently anything of life, - "man" signifying the natural man, and "flesh" the proprium thereof, and "God" and "spirit" signifying the divine-spiritual man, and life thence derived; and inasmuch as they confide in themselves, and not in the Lord, it is said, "They look not unto the Holy One of Israel, and seek not Jehovah! " Apocalypse Explained 355.

3. For the Egyptians are man, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit: and Jehovah shall stretch forth His hand, and the helper shall stumble, and the helped shall fall; and together shall all of them be consumed.

Verse 3. And in John:

"It is the spirit which vivifieth; the flesh profits nothing." (John 63)

Again,

"that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is generated of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6)

And in David:

"God remembered that they were flesh; a breath that passes away, and returns not again." (Psalm 78:39)

The evil of man's will, which is his proprium from nativity, is signified in these passages by "flesh"; likewise by "the flesh which the sons of Israel lusted after in the wilderness", and on account of which "they were smitten with a great plague", and from which the place was called "a sepulchre of coucupiscences." (Numbers 11:4-34). Apocalypse Explained 1082.

4. For thus has Jehovah said unto me, Like as the lion roars, even the young lion, over his prey, though a multitude of shepherds be called together against him, at their voice he will not be terrified, nor at their tumult will he be humbled so shall Jehovah of Hosts descend to fight for the mountain of Zion, and for the hill thereof.

Verse 4: In this passage Jehovah is compared to a "roaring lion", because by a "lion" is signified the power of leading out from hell or from evils, and by "roaring" is signified the defending against evils and falsities; wherefore it is said, "So shall Jehovah of Hosts descend to fight for the mountain of Zion, and for the hill thereof." The "mountain of Zion" and the "hill" thereof denoting the celestial church and the spiritual church.

The "prey" upon which the lion and the young lion roar, signifies deliverance from evils which are from hell. Apocalypse Explained 278.

5. As birds hovering [over their young], so shall Jehovah of Hosts protect Jerusalem; protecting, He will deliver; and passing over, He will rescue her.

6. Return unto Him, from whom you have deeply revolted, O you sons of Israel!

Verse 5. Jehovah is said to "protect Jerusalem, as birds flying [or hovering]", for by "protecting" is signified the Divine Providence as to defence; by "Jerusalem" is signified the church; and by "birds hovering", with which the comparison is made, is signified circumspection and presence, in this case as being predicated of the Lord's Omnipresence. Apocalypse Explained 282.

Verse 6. Return unto Him, etc. - See Chapter 30:15, note.

7. For in that day shall they reject every man the idols of his silver, and the idols of his gold, which their own hands have made for sin.

Verses 7, 8. By "the idols of silver and the idols of gold which they shall on that day reject", are signified the falsities and evils of religion and of worship, which they call Truths and Goods; and inasmuch as the falsities and evils of religion and of worship are from self-derived intelligence, therefore it is said, "Which their own hands have made for sin."

That there shall then be no reasonings from such things, is signified by "The Assyrian shall fall", etc. Apocalypse Explained 582.

Verses 7-9. For in that day shall they reject every man the idols of his silver, etc. - Treating concerning judgment upon those who, from self-derived intelligence, fancy themselves wise in things divine, such as are those who are in the love of self and of the world, and seek after the fame of erudition for the sake of themselves; such persons, inasmuch as they cannot see truths, seize upon falsities, and vaunt them for truths. The falsities favouring their principles and loves are signified by the "idols of silver" and the "idols of gold."

That they are from self-derived intelligence, is signified by "Their own hands have made them for sin."

That they should perish by their own falsities, is signified by "The Assyrian shall fall by a sword, not of man [vir]; yea, a sword, not of man [hominis], shall devour him"; the "Assyrian" denoting the rational principle perverted, and, consequently, those who are in falsities from self-derived intelligence; and to "fall" and to be "devoured by the sword" denoting to perish.

This was also represented by "the king of Assyria being slain by his sons"; (Isaiah 37:38). His "sons" there signify his own falsities by which he perished. "His rock shall pass away for fear", signifies all the falsities, in general, in which such persons confide; and "his princes shall be terrified at the standard", signifies primary falsities.

It is said, "at the standard", because it is not by any combat with Truths that they are dissipated, but solely by the sign of combat, which is a "standard." Such also have been seen by mle cast down from the rocks [in the world of spirits], upon which they were, by the waving of a standard. Apocalypse Explained 411.

8. And the Assyrian shall fall by a sword, not of man; yea, a sword, not of man, shall devour him: and he shall betake himself to flight from the face of the sword; and his young men shall be tributary.

Verse 8. His young men shall be trributary.

- "Young men", in a good sense, denote those who are intelligent; thus intelligence, and thence Truth confirmed; but by the "young men of Assyria", in a bad sense, as in this verse, is signified false intelligence, confirmed by fallacious and negative reasonings, which, at the time of judgment, are made tributary, or entirely subjugated. See Arcana Coelestia 7668.

9. His rock shall pass away for fear; and his princes shall be terrified at the standard, says Jehovah, whose fire is in Zion, and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Verse 9. Thus says Jehovah, whose fire is in Zion, and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

- Where by "fire" is signified the Good of Love; and by "furnace", Truth from that Good, thus the Truth of Doctrine. Similar things are also signified by "Zion" and "Jerusalem"; by "Zion" the church as to the Good of Love, and by "Jerusalem" the church as to the Truth of Doctrine. Apocalypse Explained 540.

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Isaiah Chapter 32

1. BEHOLD, a King shall reign in justice, and Princes shall rule in judgment.

2. And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, as a covert from the inundation; as rivers of waters in a dry place; as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land:

3. And the eyes of those that see shall not be dim; and the ears of those that hear shall hearken.

4. And the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge; and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak elegant things.

5. The fool shall no longer be called liberal; and the covetous shall no more be called noble:

6. For the fool will speak folly; and his heart will work iniquity: to practise hypocrisy, and to speak error against Jehovah; to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

7. As for the covetous, his instruments are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks judgment.

8. But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he be established.

9. O you women that are at ease, stand up, hear My voice! O you confident daughters, give ear unto My speeeh!

10. Year upon year shall you be disquieted, O you confident ones: for the vintage has failed, the gathering shall not come in.

11. Tremble, O you women that are at ease; be you troubled, O you confident ones! strip you, make yourselves bare; and gird [sackcloth] upon your loins.

12. They shall smite upon the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

13. Over the land of My people the thorn and the brier shall come up; yea, over all houses of joy, over the exulting city.

14. For the palace is deserted, the multitude of the city is forsaken; the cliff and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture for flocks:

15. Till the spirit from on high be poured out upon us; and the wilderness, become a fruitful field; and the fruitful field be esteemed a forest.

16. And judgment shall dwell in the wilderness; and justice shall reside in the fruitful field.

17. And the work of justice shall be peace; and the labour of justice quietness and security for ever:

18. And My people shall dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tents of securities, and in quiet resting places.

19. But the hail shall fall, and the forest be brought down; and the city shall be laid utterly low.

20. Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send forth [thither] the foot of the ox and of the ass.

410. Hid themselves in caves and in the rocks of the mountains, signifies truths and goods destroyed by evils of life and falsities therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "hiding themselves," as meaning that they were lost, namely, internal and external goods and truths, or those in the natural and in the spiritual man, which are signified by "the kings of the earth," "the great ones," "the rich," "the commanders of thousands," "the mighty," and by "every servant and every freeman," as has been shown above. From this it follows that "they hid themselves" signifies that these were lost, the things lost being also in a hidden place. It is evident also from the signification of "caves," as meaning evils of life (of which presently); and from the signification of "the rocks of the mountains," as meaning the falsities therefrom; for "rocks" signify the truths of faith, and in the contrary sense the falsities of faith, here the falsities from evils, for "mountains" signify evils springing from the loves of self and of the world (as was shown just above, n. 405). But on the signification of "rocks" see in the article immediately following; here the signification of "caves" will be treated of.

[2] It was said above that in the spiritual world there are mountains, hills, rocks, valleys, and lands, as on our globe, and that angels and spirits dwell on them; but yet in the spiritual world they have a different appearance; upon the mountains those dwell who are in the greatest light, below these on the same mountain those dwell who are in less light, and beneath these those who are in still less, and in the lowest parts those dwell who are in darkness and thick darkness as compared to the light the higher ones have; accordingly the heavens are in the higher part of the mountains, and the hells are in the lowest parts, thus the expanses of the mountains succeed each other as strata. This is so in order that the lower may be governed by the Lord through the higher; for the Lord flows in immediately from Himself into all things of the spiritual world, and mediately through the higher heavens into the lower, and through these into the hells. The reason for this arrangement is that all may be held in connection by influx; such a coordinate and subordinate arrangement exists through the whole spiritual world. Into the hells, which are under the mountains and in the rocks, entrances lie open either in the lowest parts of their sides or through caverns from the valleys; and the entrances in the lower parts of the sides appear like entrances into caves where there are wild beasts, altogether dark; these are opened when infernal spirits are let in, but are shut when they have been let in. These entrances are called in the Word "the gates of hell." But among the rocks these entrances appear like clefts in a cliff, and in some places like holes with various openings. The darkness in these gates or doors appears densely dark to good spirits and angels, but as if luminous to evil spirits; the reason is that there is no light of heaven there, but a fatuous lumen, which is natural lumen apart from the spiritual. The light of those there is not like the light [luminosum] of the world in the daytime, but like the nocturnal light that is suitable for owls, moles, birds of night, and bats, which see nothing in the light of day, and therefore the light of day is thick darkness to them, while the darkness of the night is their light. Their sight is such because it is formed of falsities and evils, which in themselves are darkness and thick darkness; for this reason "darkness" in the Word signifies falsities of every kind, and "thick darkness" the falsities of evil. From this it can be seen what is signified by "they hid themselves in caves," that is, in evils of life, the goods in them having been destroyed. Evils of life are signified by "caves" for the same reason that "mountains" signify the goods of life, namely, because those who are in them are such; for the spiritual sense is concerned solely with evils or with goods regarded apart from places and persons, that is, with the kinds of evils or goods in the places and in the persons, as has also been several times said above.

[3] From this it can be seen what is signified in the Word by "caves," "caverns," "hollows," "holes," "clefts," and "chinks of rocks and mountains," in the following passages. In Isaiah:

Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for the dread of Jehovah and for the glory of His magnificence. For there shall be a day of Jehovah of Hosts upon everyone that is proud and exalted, and upon everyone that is lifted up, and that is brought low; and upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are exalted and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, and upon all the exalted mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fenced wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all images of desire; that the haughtiness of man [hominis] may be bowed down, and the loftiness of men [virorum] be brought low, and Jehovah alone be exalted in that day. And the idols shall go away into smoke. And they shall enter into the caves of the rocks, and into the clefts of the dust, for dread of Jehovah and for the glory of His magnificence when He shall arise to terrify the earth. In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold which they made for themselves to bow down to the moles and to the bats, to go into the rents of the rocks and into the clefts of the cliffs (Isaiah 2:10-21).

No one can understand all these things except from the internal sense, and unless he knows what the appearance of things is in the spiritual world; for without the internal sense who can know what is meant by "there shall be a day of Jehovah upon the cedars of Lebanon and the oaks of Bashan, upon mountains and hills, upon the tower and the wall, upon the ships of Tarshish and the images of desire;" and what is meant by "bowing down to moles and bats?" And unless the appearance of things in the spiritual world is known, who can know what is meant by "their entering into the rock and hiding themselves in the dust," "entering into the caves of the rocks and into the clefts of the dust," also "into the rents of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs?" But from the internal sense it is known that all these things describe the state of those who are in the love of self and of the world, and thus in evils and falsities at the time of the Last Judgment.

It is therefore said "there shall be a day of Jehovah upon everyone that is proud and exalted, and upon everyone that is lifted up and that is brought low;" "day of Jehovah" meaning the Last Judgment; "everyone that is proud and exalted" meaning those who are in the love of self and the world, and "everyone that is lifted up and that is brought low" meaning those who are in the love of self-intelligence. This is further described by "there shall be a day of Jehovah upon all the cedars that are exalted and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, and upon all the exalted mountains and hills that are lifted up, upon every lofty tower and fenced wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish and the images of desire;" "the cedars of Lebanon" and "the oaks of Bashan" signify the pride of self-intelligence, "the cedars of Lebanon," interior pride, and "the oaks of Bashan" exterior pride; "mountains and hills" signify the loves of self and of the world, and the evils and falsities springing from them (as was shown above, n. 405); "tower" and "wall" signify the falsities of doctrine confirmed, "the ships of Tarshish" and "the images of desire" signify the knowledges and perceptions of falsity from evil; their worship from evils and falsities is signified by "the idols which they made for themselves, to bow down to the moles and the bats;" worship from such things as are from self-intelligence is signified by "the idols which they made for themselves to bow down unto;" the evils and falsities of doctrine from which such worship springs are signified by "moles and bats," because these have sight in the dark and shun the light; judgment upon such is described by "they shall enter into the caves of the rocks and into the clefts of the dust," also "into the rents of the rocks and into the clefts of the cliffs;" "to enter into the caves of the rocks and into the clefts of the dust" signifies the damnation of those who are in evils and falsities from the loves of self and of the world, and from the pride of self-intelligence; for the hells of such appear as caves in rocks, and the entrances into them as rents in rocks and clefts in cliffs; "rocks" and "cliffs" signifying the falsities of faith and doctrine, and "dust" signifying what is damned.

[4] In Jeremiah:

Thy horror hath deceived thee, the presumption of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the holes of the cliff, that holdest the height of the hill; if thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the eagle, thence would I cast thee down (Jeremiah 49:16).

This is said of Esau and Edom; and "Esau" here signifies the love of self and the evil therefrom destroying the church, and "Edom" the pride of self-intelligence and the falsity therefrom destroying the church. That the love of self and such pride are meant is evident from its being said "the presumption of thine heart hath deceived thee; if thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the eagle, thence would I cast thee down." Those who are in falsities from self-intelligence dwell in rocks below, and the ways of approach to them appear like holes therein. These have also been seen by me. Within, however, there are rooms hollowed out and arched chambers where they sit in their fantasies. But before they are cast into these they are seen on mountains and hills, for they raise themselves into high places by fantasies, and as they are not in truths they think they are there bodily, and yet bodily they are in the caves of the rocks; this, therefore, is what is meant by "dwelling in the holes of the rocks, and holding the height of the hill." This makes clear the nature of the Word, namely, that in many places it conforms to the aspects and appearances in the spiritual world, which are unknown to man but known to spirits and angels; from which it is evident that the Word is written for them also.

[5] In Obadiah:

The presumption of thy heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the cliff, in the height of thy seat; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the earth? Though thou shalt mount on high like the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, I will bring thee down from thence (Obadiah 1:3-4).

This, too, is said of Edom, who signifies here the pride of learning which is from self-intelligence, and falsity therefrom destroying the church. As almost similar things are said here as above, so the signification is similar; "the clefts of the rock" signify the falsities of faith and of doctrine, because those dwell there who are in such falsities; these are compared to an eagle because the eagle from its lofty flights signifies the pride of self-intelligence; so, too, "a nest for habitation" is mentioned, and "to set it among the stars" signifies in the heights where those dwell who are in the knowledges of truth, for the knowledges of truth are signified by "stars."

In Job:

To dwell in the clefts of the valleys, in the holes of the earth, and in the rocks (Job 30:6).

Here, too, "clefts of the valleys," "holes of the earth," and "rocks" signify the falsities of evil, for the falsities of evil are here treated of.

[6] In Isaiah:

It shall come to pass in that day, Jehovah shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria, which shall come and shall rest, all of them, in the brooks of desolations, and in the clefts of the cliffs, and in all thickets, and in all courses (Isaiah 7:18-19).

This describes the church laid waste by knowledges [scientifica] falsely applied, and by reasonings therefrom, by which the very knowledges of truth from the Word are perverted; "the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt" signifies the falsity in the outermost parts of the natural man; the outermost parts of the natural man are what are called sensual things, for the natural man is interior, middle, and exterior; the interior communicates with the spiritual man through the rational, the exterior with the world through the bodily senses, and the middle conjoins the two; the exterior is what is called the sensual, because it depends upon the bodily senses, and draws therefrom what belongs to it. The falsities that are in this and from it are signified by "the flies in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt;" but "the bee in the land of Assyria" signifies false reasonings therefrom, for "Assyria" signifies the rational, and "Egypt" the knowing faculty of the natural man; and because the rational derives all it has from the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man, its reasonings are signified by "bees," for as bees suck out and derive their store from flowers, so the rational does from the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man. Here, however, "bees" signify false reasonings, because the rational gathers what belongs to it from knowledges [scientifica] falsely applied. It is from correspondences that these are likened to flies and bees; for in the spiritual world flying things of various kinds appear, but they are appearances from the ideas of the thoughts of spirits, and the noxious flying things among them are flies and bees of such a kind; "the flies in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt" have their correspondence from their springing out of the filth of rivers. It is said "which shall come and shall rest in the brooks of desolations and in the clefts of the cliffs," which signifies that the falsities of knowledges [scientifica] and of reasonings therefrom have their seats where there are no truths and where there is the faith of falsity, "the brooks of desolations" meaning where there are no truths, and "the clefts of the cliffs" where there is the faith of falsity; "in all thickets and in all courses" signifies that the knowledges and perceptions of truth are falsified by such things; "thickets" meaning the knowledges of truth, and "courses" the perceptions, and these are falsified by the above-mentioned falsities when they flow in. No one can see and know that these arcana are contained in these words except from the internal sense, and at the same time from the spiritual world.

[7] In the same:

The palace shall be abandoned, the multitude of the city forsaken, the height and the watch-tower shall be over the caves even forever, a joy of wild asses and a pasture for droves (Isaiah 32:14).

This describes the total vastation of the church, where there is no longer any good of life or truth of doctrine; yet no one can know what is involved in it unless he knows the state of things in the spiritual world, and at the same time the internal sense. The devastation of the whole church is meant by "the palace shall be abandoned, and the multitude of the city forsaken;" "palace" signifying the whole church in respect to truths from good, and "abandoned" where there is no good because there is no truth; therefore "the palace shall be abandoned" signifies the church devastated; "the multitude of the city" signifies all truths of doctrine, for "city" means doctrine, and "multitude" is predicated of truths, which are said to be "forsaken" when they cease to be; "the height and the watch-tower shall be over the caves even forever" signifies that a church shall no longer exist with them, because there is nothing but the evil of life and the falsity of doctrine; "caves" signifying such things because such persons dwell in caves, as was said above; and because such persons dwell in deep places in the spiritual world, and are covered over by heights and watch-towers, thus hidden from those who abide on the lands there, therefore it is said not only that "the height and the watch-tower shall be over the caves," but also that they shall be "a joy of wild asses and a pasture for droves." Moreover, in that world there are many hells in deep places wholly hidden by the lands, rocks, and hills above, or by the heights and watch-towers, where there is grass like a pasture for flocks; for which reason these hells are unknown to those who dwell there upon the land. "A joy of wild asses" signifies also the affection or love of falsities; and "a pasture for droves" the nourishing of evils from falsities; and both of these signify the devastation of truth by falsities. From this it can be seen what an arcanum lies hidden in these words.

[8] In Jeremiah:

Is this house, upon which My name is named, become a den of robbers? (Jer. 7:11).

"A den of robbers" signifies the evil of life from the falsities of doctrine; and "the house upon which My name is named" signifies the church where there is worship from the goods of life by truths of doctrine; "house" meaning the church, and "the name of Jehovah" everything by which He is worshiped, thus good and truth, truth of doctrine and good of life. The church where there is evil of life from falsities of doctrine is called "a den of robbers" because "den" signifies that evil, and those are called "robbers" who steal truths from the Word and pervert them, and apply them to falsities and evils, and thus extinguish them. All this makes clear what is meant by the Lord's words in the Gospels:

It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayers; but ye have made it a den of robbers (Matt. 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46).

"House" here, in the universal sense, signifies the church; and because worship was performed in the temple at Jerusalem, it is called "a house of prayers." (That the temple signifies the church, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 3720; that "prayers" signify worship, see above, n. 325; that "to be called" has a similar signification as "to name My name upon them," see above, Arcana Coelestia, n. 3421.)

[9] In Isaiah:

The suckling shall play on the hole of the adder, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk's den (Isaiah 11:8).

Neither can this be understood unless, from the things that appear in the spiritual world, it is known what is meant by "the hole of the adder" and by "the basilisk's den." It was said above that the entrances to the hells appear like holes in the rocks and like gaps opening into caves, such as wild beasts in the forests have; those who dwell in these, when they are looked at in the light of heaven appear like monsters of various kinds and like wild beasts. Those who are in the hells where those dwell who act craftily against innocence appear like adders, and those who act craftily against the good of love appear like basilisks; and as "suckling" or "sucking infant" signifies the good of innocence it is said "the suckling shall play on the hole of the adder;" and as "a weaned child," or an infant that has stopped sucking, signifies the good of love, it, is said, "and the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk's den," and this signifies that those who are in the good of innocence and in the good of love to the Lord have no fear whatever of evils and falsities which are from hell, because they are protected by the Lord. (That "infants," in the Word, and also "sucklings," signify the good of innocence, see Arcana Coelestia 430, 3183; and what "adders" and other poisonous serpents signify, n. 9013)

[10] In Jeremiah:

Take the girdle that thou hast bought for thyself, which is upon thy loins, and arise and go to Euphrates, and hide it in a cleft of the cliff. This he also did; and afterwards at the end of many days he went there and took it again, and behold the girdle was marred and was not profitable for anything (Jeremiah 13:4-7).

This represented the quality of the Jewish Church, namely, that it was destitute of all the good of life and the truth of doctrine. For "the girdle" upon the loins of the prophet signified the conjunction of the Lord with the church by means of the Word; "Euphrates" signifies everything of the church in respect to good, here in respect to evil; and "the cliff" everything of the church in respect to truth, here in respect to falsity, for it is said "a cleft of the cliff;" that "the girdle was marred so as not to be profitable for anything" signified that there was no conjunction whatever of the church with the Lord, consequently that there was no church.

[11] "Cave" has a like significance in the histories of the Word as in the prophesies of the Word; for the histories of the Word, the same as the prophesies of the Word, contain an internal sense. Thus it is related of Lot, that after the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah:

He dwelt in a cave of the mountain with his two daughters, who made him drunk and lay with him; whence were born Moab and Ammon (Genesis 19:30-33).

The representation and signification of this occurrence is similar to that of Moab and Ammon in the Word, for "Moab" signifies the adulteration of the good of the church, and "Ammon" the falsification of the truth of the church (See Arcana Coelestia 2468, 8315); and "adulteries" and "whoredoms" signify in general the adulterations of good and the falsifications of truth (See above, n. 141, 161); and the various kinds of adulteries and whoredoms (such as are enumerated in Leviticus 18:6-30), signify the various kinds of adulterations and falsifications of good and truth; and this is why Lot is here said to have "dwelt in a cave;" such an abomination being signified here by "the cave of the mountain." In the book of Judges it is said:

That the sons of Israel did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and therefore were given into the hand of Midian; and because of Midian they made for themselves caves in the mountains and dens and strongholds (Judges 6:1-2).

The "evil" which the sons of Israel did means the perversion of good and truth, as can be seen from what follows there, and also from the signification of "Midian" (See Arcana Coelestia 3242), on account of whom they made for themselves caves in the mountains and dens; for the sons of Israel were possessed by the evil signified by "Midian;" "because of Midian" signifying on account of that evil. It was similar when the sons of Israel fled on account of the Philistines (1 Samuel 13:6).