9260. Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy needy in his cause. That this signifies no destruction of the scanty truth with those who are in ignorance, is evident from the signification of “wresting,” as being to pervert, and so to destroy; from the signification of “judgment,” as being that which is right and true (see n. 2235, 2335, 5068, 6397, 7206, 8685, 8695, 8972); from the signification of “the needy,” as being one who is in scanty truth from ignorance, and yet longs to be instructed (see n. 9209); and from the signification of “a cause,” as being contention (n. 5963, 9024). In the present case “in his cause” denotes in his dispute concerning the scanty truth for which he is contending.

8972. Verse 1. And these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them, signifies exterior truths, such as there must be in the civil state where there is a representative church, and which flow from the internal truths which are of order in the heavens. That these things are signified by “the judgments which were to be set before the sons of Israel” is evident from the signification of “judgments,” as being truths (see n. 2235, 6397, 7206, 8685, 8695). The reason why “judgments” denote truths is that all judgment is effected by means of truths; consequently by “doing judgment” in the Word is signified doing truth, that is, judging according to truths. But by “judgments,” in the plural, are signified civil laws, thus exterior truths such as are in the civil state. It is said “where there is a representative church,” for the reason that interiorly they contain and involve in them those truths which are of order in the heavens, as can be seen from their internal sense.

[2] The laws which were enacted and commanded the sons of Israel by the Lord were distinguished into “commandments,” “judgments,” and “statutes.” Those were called “commandments” which belonged to life; those “judgments” which belonged to the civil state; and those “statutes” which belonged to worship. As regards “judgments” specifically, they are such things as are contained in this chapter, and also in several chapters that follow. They served for laws in a church wherein the internal things which are of heaven and the church were represented by external things. But they do not serve for laws in a church wherein internal things are no longer represented by external, as in the Christian Church. The reason is that to the man of this Church internal things have been revealed, and therefore communication with heaven is effected by means of internal things, and not by means of external things, as before. This is the reason why the man of the Christian Church is not bound to observe in their external form those things which are called “judgments” and “statutes,” but in their internal form. Nevertheless holiness abides in them, because they contain holy things within them, as do also all and each of the things commanded in the Word about sacrifices. Although these things have been abrogated, they nevertheless are holy things of the Word by reason of the Divine things which are in them, and which they represented. For when they are read by a Christian man, the Divine things that are within them, and that were represented, are perceived in the heavens, and fill the angels with that which is holy, and at the same time by influx from the angels they fill the man who reads, especially if he himself then thinks of the Divine things that are within them. From this it is plain that the Word even of the Old Testament is most holy.

[3] That the laws enacted by the Lord and commanded the sons of Israel were distinguished into “commandments” which relate to life, into “judgments” which relate to the civil state, and into “statutes” which relate to worship, is plain in the following passages:

Jehovah said unto Moses, Go, say to them, return ye into your tents. But as for thee, stand thou here with Me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them (Deuteronomy 5:28, 30-31).

Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which Jehovah your God commanded to teach you (Deuteronomy 6:1).

Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them (Deuteronomy 7:11).

If his sons forsake My law, and walk not in My judgments; if they profane My statutes, and keep not My commandments; I will visit their transgression with the rod (Psalms 89:30-32).

[4] Moreover all the laws, insofar as they belonged to the representative church, were in general called “judgments” and “statutes,” as in Moses:

Now, therefore, O Israel, hear the statutes and the judgments which I will teach you, that ye may do them. What great nation is there that hath statutes and judgments so just as all this law, which I will give before you this day? (Deuteronomy 4:1, 8; 5:1).

Jerusalem hath changed My judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and My statutes more than the lands that are round about her; for they have rejected My judgments, and have not walked in My statutes (Ezekiel 5:6-7).

Let them walk in My statutes, and keep My judgments, to do the truth (Ezekiel 18:9).

Besides many other places (as Leviticus 18:5; 19:37; 20:22; 25:18; 26:15; Deuteronomy 26:17; Ezekiel 11:12, 20; 20:11, 13, 2 20:25; 37:24).