7225. 'And I am uncircumcised in the lips' means that to them I am impure. This is clear from the meaning of 'being uncircumcised' as being impure, for circumcision represented purification from filthy kinds of love, that is, from self-love and love of the world, see 2039, 2632, 2799, 4462, 7045, and therefore those who had not been circumcised and were called 'the uncircumcised' represented those who had not been purified from those kinds of love and so were impure, 3412, 3413, 4462, 7045; and from the meaning of 'the lips' as matters of doctrine, dealt with in 1286, 1288, so that 'uncircumcised in the lips' means being impure in those things which are matters of doctrine. For the expression 'uncircumcised' is used in reference to doctrine as well as to life. The ear is therefore spoken of as being uncircumcised in Jeremiah,

On whom shall I speak and testify and they will hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot listen. Behold, the Word of Jehovah has become a reproach; they have no wish for it. Jeremiah 6:10.

And the heart is spoken of as being uncircumcised, in the same prophet, All the house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart. Jeremiah 9:26.

In Ezekiel,

You are bringing in the sons of the foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary. Ezekiel 44:7, 9.

In Moses,

At that time their uncircumcised heart will be humbled. Leviticus 26:41.

[2] From these quotations it is evident that 'uncircumcised' means impure; and since all impurity springs from the impure kinds of love, which are love of the world and self-love, 'uncircumcised' means that which hinders the inflow of goodness and truth. Where those kinds of love are present inflowing goodness and truth are annihilated, for they are contrary to one another, as heaven and hell are. Therefore 'an uncircumcised ear' means disobedience, and 'an uncircumcised heart' a rejection of goodness and truth, which takes place especially when those kinds of love have fortified themselves with falsity like a wall around them.

[3] When Moses, being a stammerer, calls himself 'uncircumcised in the lips' it is on account of the internal sense. The expression is used so as to mean that those steeped in falsities, who are represented by 'Pharaoh', are not going to listen to things that might be told them from the law of God. And the reason why is that those steeped in falsities call truths belonging to the law of God falsities, and falsities that are contrary to the truths belonging to the law of God they call truths; for they are of an utterly contrary frame of mind. This being so, they view the truths taught by doctrine as altogether impure; and heavenly kinds of love are likewise seen by them as impure. And when they approach any community in heaven they emit a dreadful stench, which they imagine, when they become aware of it, to be emanating from that heavenly community, when in fact it is coming from themselves. For they are unaware of a stench until they are alongside that which is the opposite of it.

1288. That 'words were one' means that they held to the same doctrine in its particular details is clear from what has been stated already, for 'lip' means doctrine in general, as has been shown, while 'words' means doctrine in detail, that is, particular details of doctrine. These, as has been stated make no difference provided they have the same end in view, which is to love the Lord above all things and the neighbour as oneself. When they do so they are the details that contribute to the general whole.

[2] That 'the Word' means all doctrine concerning charity and faith derived from it and that 'words' means the details that constitute doctrine is clear in David,

I will confess You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgements I will keep Your statutes. How will a young man make pure his path? By observing Your Word. With my whole heart I have sought You; cause me not to wander from Your commandments I have laid up Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Jehovah; teach me Your statutes! With my lips I have declared all the judgements of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies. I meditate on Your commands and look to Your ways. I delight in Your statutes, I do not forget Your Word. Psalms 119:7-16.

'The Word' stands for doctrine in general. The fact that here commandments, judgements, testimonies, commands, statutes, way, and lips, are distinguished shows plainly that they are all features of the Word, that is, of doctrine. The same applies wherever else in the Word these terms are used with different meanings.

[3] In the same author,

A love song. My heart is pondering ¹ a goodly theme. ² My tongue is the pen of a ready scribe You are the fairest of the sons of man. Grace has poured out from your lips. Ride on the word of truth, and of the meekness of righteousness Your right hand will teach you marvellous things. Psalms 45:1-2, 4.

'Riding on the word of truth, and of the meekness of righteousness' is teaching the doctrine of truth and good. Here, as elsewhere in the Word, word, mouth, lip, and tongue mean differing things. The fact that they all have to do with doctrine concerning charity is clear because it is called 'a love song', and it is to this doctrine that 'the fairest of the sons of man', 'grace on the lips', and 'a right hand that teaches marvellous things' have reference.

[4] In Isaiah,

The Lord ³ has sent a word into Jacob, and it has fallen on Israel. Isaiah 9:8.

'A word' stands for the doctrine of internal and external worship. Here 'Jacob' stands for external worship, 'Israel' for internal. In Matthew,

Jesus said, Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that goes out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4.

In the same gospel,

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not give heed to it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. Matthew 13:19

'The word' is again referred to in verses 20-23 of that chapter. In the same gospel,

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. Matthew 24:35.

Here 'word' stands for the Lord's doctrine and 'words' for the things that constitute His doctrine.

[5] Since the term 'words' stands for everything that constitutes doctrine the Ten Commandments are therefore called 'words' in Moses,

Jehovah. wrote on the tables the words of the covenant, the ten words. Exodus 34:28.

In the same author,

He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, the ten words, and He wrote them on two tables of stone. Deuteronomy 4:13; 10:4.

In the same author,

Take heed, and guard your soul diligently, lest perhaps you forget the things ⁴ which your eyes have seen. Deuteronomy 4:9.

And there are further examples besides these.

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