4594. 'That is, Bethlehem' means a new spiritual of the celestial raised up in place of it. This is clear from the meaning of 'Bethlehem' as the spiritual of the celestial within the new state, for 'Ephrath' is the spiritual of the celestial within the initial state, 4585, while her burial there means the raising up of a new state, 4593. The fact that Bethlehem was the place where Rachel gave birth to her second son, Benjamin, and died in giving birth to him, also the place where David was born and where he was anointed king, and finally the place where the Lord was born, involves an arcanum which has not yet been revealed. Nor could it have been revealed to anyone who did not know what was meant by 'Ephrath' and by 'Bethlehem', and what was represented by 'Benjamin' and also by 'David'. Least of all could it have been revealed to anyone who did not know what the spiritual of the celestial was; for this is what was meant spiritually by those places and what was represented by those personages.

[2] The reason the Lord was born there and nowhere else was that He alone has been born a spiritual-celestial man. Everyone else has been born a natural man with the ability or capacity to become, through regeneration by the Lord, either celestial or spiritual. The Lord was born a spiritual-celestial man to the end that He might make His Human Divine, doing so according to order from the lowest degree to the highest, and so would bring order to everything in the heavens and everything in the hells. For the spiritual of the celestial is an intermediate part between the natural or external man and the rational or internal man, see above in 4585, 4592, so that below it there was the natural or external, and above it the rational or internal.

[3] Until he can grasp these things no one will ever come to understand in the light of any revelation at all why the Lord was born in Bethlehem. From most ancient times 'Ephrath' meant the spiritual of the celestial, as therefore did 'Bethlehem' subsequently. This now explains why the following words occur in David,

He swore to Jehovah, he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob, If I enter the tent of my house, if I go up onto the couch of my bed, if I give sleep to my eyes, slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for Jehovah, dwelling-places for the Mighty One of Jacob. Behold, we heard of Him in Ephrath, we found Him in the fields of the forest; we will enter His dwelling-places, and bow down at His footstool. Psalms 132:2-7.

It is quite evident that these words are used to refer to the Lord. In the original language the pronoun 'Him' in 'we have heard of Him' and in 'we have found Him' is expressed by a letter added to the end of the verb - by the letter H, taken from the name Jehovah.

[4] And in Micah,

You, Bethlehem Ephrath, it is little that you are among the thousands of Judah; from you will come forth for Me one who will be ruler in Israel; and His origins are from of old, from the days of eternity Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6.

From these prophecies it was well known to the Jewish people that the Messiah or Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, as is clear in Matthew,

Assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people Herod inquired of them where the Christ (the Messiah) was to be born. They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea. Matthew 2:4-5.

And in John,

The Jews said, Does not the Scripture say that the Christ (the Messiah) is going to come from the seed of David, and from Bethlehem, the city where David was? John 7:42.

His birth did in fact take place there, see Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-7. For this reason also, and because He was descended from David, the Lord is called 'a shoot from the stem of Jesse', and 'the root of Jesse', Isaiah 11:1, 10. For Jesse, David's father, was a Bethlehemite, and David was born there and also anointed king there, 1 Samuel 16:1-14; 17:12, for which reason Bethlehem was called the city of David, Luke 2:4, 11; John 7:42. David in particular represents the Lord's kingship or Divine Truth, 1888.

4592. 'And his father called him Benjamin' means the nature of the spiritual of the celestial. This is clear from the representation of 'Benjamin' as the spiritual of the celestial. What this is has been explained above in 4585, namely the intermediate part between the spiritual and the celestial, or between the spiritual man and the celestial man. In the original language Benjamin means Son of the right hand, and by 'son of the right hand' is meant spiritual truth which springs from celestial good, and consequent power; for good receives power through truth, 3563. 'Son' means truth, 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373, and 'hand' means power, 878, 3091, 3563, 'right hand' therefore meaning supreme power. From this one may see what is meant by 'sitting at God's right hand', namely a state of power received from truth that springs from good, 3387. When used in reference to the Lord this phrase denotes omnipotence, and also Divine Truth which proceeds from the Lord's Divine Good, as in Psalms 110:1; Matthew 22:44; 26:63-64; Mark 14:61-62; 6:19; Luke 22:69. And since it is Divine power, that is, omnipotence, that is meant, the phrase 'at the right hand of God's power (or virtue ¹ )' is used in these places.

[2] From this it is evident what 'Benjamin' means in the genuine sense, namely spiritual truth which springs from celestial good, meant by 'Joseph'. Both together therefore constitute that which lies between the spiritual man and the celestial man, as stated above in 4585. But this good and this truth are distinct and separate from the celestial represented by 'Judah' and from the spiritual represented by 'Israel', the former entity being higher or more interior, the latter one lower or more exterior, for as stated they constitute that which lies between. But no one can have any conception of the good represented by 'Joseph' or of the truth represented by 'Benjamin' except him who has been enlightened by the light of heaven. Angels have a clear conception of them because all the ideas forming their thought are products of the light of heaven which comes from the Lord, a light in which they see and perceive an unending number of things which man cannot possibly understand, let alone speak about.

[3] Take the following as an illustration. All without exception are born natural yet with the capacity to become either celestial or spiritual, whereas the Lord alone was born spiritual-celestial. It was for this reason that He was born in Bethlehem, where the border of the land of Benjamin ran. Indeed 'Bethlehem' means the spiritual of the celestial, and 'Benjamin' represents the same. The reason He alone was born spiritual-celestial is that the Divine dwelt within Him. These are matters which no one can possibly comprehend who does not dwell in the light of heaven; for one who dwells in the light of the world, and relies for his perception on that light, hardly knows what truth is or what good is, still less what it is to rise up by degrees to more interior levels of truth and good, and so hardly knows anything at all about the countless manifestations of truth and good in every degree which are visible to angels in light as clear as that shining at midday. This shows the nature of angels' wisdom in comparison with men's.

[4] There are six names which occur frequently [in the Word] - in the prophetical sections, where the Church is the subject. These are Judah, Joseph, Benjamin, Ephraim, Israel, and Jacob. Anyone who does not know which aspect of good or truth of the Church each of these is used to mean in the internal sense cannot know a single one of the Divine arcana of the Word in those sections. Nor can he know which aspect of the Church is meant unless he knows what the celestial is, meant by 'Judah'; what the celestial of the spiritual is, meant by 'Joseph'; what the spiritual of the celestial is, meant by 'Benjamin'; what the intellectual side of the Church is, meant by 'Ephraim'; what the internal spiritual is, meant by 'Israel'; and what the external spiritual is, meant by 'Jacob'.

[5] As regards 'Benjamin' in particular, he represents the spiritual of the celestial, while 'Joseph represents the celestial of the spiritual; and both together accordingly represent the intermediate part between the celestial man and the spiritual man. This being so they are linked together very closely, and for this reason that close link between them is also described by the following details in the historical narratives about Joseph,

Joseph told his brothers to bring their youngest brother, so as not to die. Genesis 42:20.

When they resumed with Benjamin, and Joseph saw Benjamin his brother, he said, Is this your youngest brother, of whom you told me? And he said, God be kind to you, my son. And Joseph hastened, for his bowels were stirred with emotion for his brother, and he sought to weep, and therefore went into his room and wept there. Genesis 43:29-30.

He multiplied Benjamin's portion five times more than the portion of any of the others. Genesis 43:34.

After disclosing who he was to his brothers he fell on the neck of Benjamin his brother and wept; and Benjamin wept on his neck. Genesis 45:14.

He gave changes of clothing to them all, but to Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of clothing. Genesis 45:22.

[6] From these places it is evident that Joseph and Benjamin were linked very closely together, not because they had the same mother but because the spiritual link that exists between the good meant by 'Joseph' and the truth meant by 'Benjamin' is represented by them. And because these two constitute that which lies between the celestial man and the spiritual man Joseph and his brothers could not be brought together, nor he and his father brought together, except by means of Benjamin; for without that intermediary no such bringing together is possible. This was the reason why Joseph did not reveal his true identity before he did.

[7] Elsewhere in the Word, especially the prophetical part, there are other places where Benjamin means the spiritual truth which is the Church's, as in Moses' prophecy regarding the sons of Israel,

To Benjamin he said, Beloved of Jehovah, he will dwell in confidence upon him, covering him all the day, and he will dwell between his shoulders. Deuteronomy 33:12.

'Beloved of Jehovah' means spiritual truth springing from celestial good. The presence of this good with that truth is referred to as 'dwelling in confidence', 'covering it the whole day', and also 'dwelling between his shoulders', for in the internal sense 'the shoulders' means all power, 1085, and all power which good possesses is expressed by means of truth, 3563.

[8] In Jeremiah,

Flee, sons of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and sound the trumpet, and take up a prophecy over the house of the vine; for evil stares from the north, and great destruction. Jeremiah 6:1.

'Sons of Benjamin' stands for spiritual truth springing from what is celestial. 'Jerusalem' stands for the spiritual Church, as does 'the house of the vine' or Beth Hakkerem. 'Evil from the north' stands for man's sensory perception and his knowledge acquired through this. In the same prophet,

It will happen if you keep the sabbath day holy, that people will come in from the cities of Judah and from places surrounding Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountain, and from the south, bringing burnt offering and sacrifice, and minchah, and frankincense, and bringing thanksgiving, to the house of Jehovah. Jeremiah 17:24, 26.

[9] And elsewhere in the same prophet,

In the mountain cities, in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places surrounding Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hands of him who counts them. Jeremiah 33:13.

Here 'the land of Benjamin' too stands for spiritual truth which is the Church's, for all things that constitute the Church, from the first to the final degree of these, are meant by 'the cities of Judah', 'the places surrounding Jerusalem', 'the land of Benjamin', 'the plain', 'the mountain', and 'the south'.

[10] In Hosea,

Sound the trumpet (buccina) in Gibeah, the trumpet (tuba) in Ramah. Cry out, Beth Aven; after you, Benjamin. Ephraim will become lonely places on the day of reproach. Hosea 5:8-9.

'Gibeah', 'Ramah', and 'Beth Aven' stand for aspects of the spiritual springing from the celestial meant by 'Benjamin', for Gibeah was part of Benjamin, Judges 19:14, as also was Ramah, Joshua 18:25, as well as Beth Aven, Joshua 18:12. 'Sounding the trumpets (buccina et tuba)' and 'crying out' stand for declaring that the intellectual side of the Church, meant by 'Ephraim', has been destroyed.

[11] In Obadiah,

The house of Jacob will become fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, the house of Esau stubble; and those in the south will inherit the mountain of Esau, and those who are in the plain the Philistines; and they will inherit the field of Ephraim and the field of Samaria, and Benjamin [will inherit] Gilead. Obad. verses 18, 19.

Here, as in other places, it is quite evident that the names used mean spiritual realities, for unless one knows what is meant by 'the house of Jacob', 'the house of Joseph', 'the house of Esau', 'the mountain of Esau', 'the Philistines', 'the field of Ephraim', 'the field of Samaria', 'Benjamin', and 'Gilead', and in addition to these what is meant by 'those in the south', 'the house', 'the plain', 'the mountain', and 'the field', one will never understand anything here. Nor did the details described here as historical events actually take place. But anyone who knows what each individual expression implies will discover heavenly arcana within this particular use of them. Here also 'Benjamin' stands for what is spiritual springing from that which is celestial.

[12] Similarly the following in Zechariah,

Jehovah will be King over all the earth; in that day there will be one Jehovah, and His name one. Round about the whole land will be as the plain from Geba even to Rimmon. And [Jerusalem] will dwell in her own place, from the Gate of Benjamin even to the place of the first gate, to the corner gate, ² and the tower of Hananel, even to the king's winepresses. Zechariah 14:9-10.

Similarly in David,

Turn Your ear, O Shepherd, You who lead ³ Joseph like a flock, who are seated on the cherubim; before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your power and come to save us. Psalms 80:1-2.

Similarly in the prophecy of Deborah and Barak,

Jehovah will have dominion for me among the strong. Out of Ephraim whose root is in Amalek, following you, Benjamin, among your peoples, out of Machir lawgivers will come down, and out of Zebulun those who carry the sceptre of the scribe. Judges 5:13-14.

[13] In John,

I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand sealed out of every tribe of Israel - twelve thousand sealed out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand sealed out of the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand sealed out of the tribe of Benjamin. Revelation 7:4, 8.

By 'the tribes of Israel' here are meant those with whom goods and truths exist and who as a consequence are in the Lord's kingdom. For 'the tribes' and 'twelve', or what amounts to the same 'twelve thousand', mean all aspects of love and faith, or all aspects of good and truth, 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913, 3926, 3939, 4060. In that chapter of the Book of Revelation the tribes are divided into four groups, the last group being made up of twelve thousand sealed out of Zebulun, twelve thousand out of Joseph, and twelve thousand out of Benjamin, because 'the tribe of Zebulun' means the heavenly marriage, 3960, 3961, in which marriage heaven and so all things consist. 'Joseph' in this case means the celestial of the spiritual, or the good of truth, while 'Benjamin' means the truth of that good, or the spiritual of the celestial. These form the marriage in which heaven consists, and this is why these three tribes are mentioned last.

[14] Because 'Benjamin' was to represent the spiritual of the celestial of the Church, or the truth of good, which is the intermediate part between celestial good and spiritual truth, Jerusalem was therefore allowed to the children of Benjamin as an inheritance; for before Zion was built there Jerusalem meant the Church in general. For the allotment of Jerusalem to Benjamin, see Joshua 18:28 and Judges 1:21.

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