10262. A hin. That this signifies the amount sufficient for conjunction, is evident from the signification of a “hin,” which was a measure of liquids, here of oil, as being the amount sufficient for conjunction; for by “oil” is signified the Lord’s Divine celestial good, which is the very conjunctive of all in the heavens; hence by its measure is signified the amount sufficient for conjunction, and everything of conjunction. The Lord’s Divine celestial good is the very conjunctive of all, because it is the very being of the life of all; for it vivifies all things by means of the Divine truth that proceeds from this Divine good, and it vivifies them according to the quality of the reception. Angels are receptions, and so also are men; the truths and goods with them afford the quality according to which is effected the reception, thus the conjunction.

[2] Two measures are mentioned in the Word, which were in holy use, one for liquids, which was called the “hin,” the other for dry things, which was called the “ephah;” by the hin were measured oil and wine, and by the ephah, meal and fine flour; the measure hin, which was for oil and wine, was divided into four parts, but the measure ephah was divided into ten. The reason why the measure hin was divided into four, was that it might signify what is conjunctive, for “four” denotes conjunction; but that the measure ephah was divided into ten was that it might signify what is receptive, the quality whereof was marked by the numbers, for “ten” signifies much, all, and what is full. (That “four” denotes conjunction, see n. 8877, 9601, 9674, 10136, 10137; and that “ten” denotes much, all, and what is full, the same as a “hundred,” n. 1988, 3107, 4400, 4638, 8468, 8540, 9745, 10253)

[3] (That the measure “hin” was for oil and wine in the sacrifices, and that it was divided into four; but that the measure “ephah” was for meal and fine meal, which were for the meat-offering in the sacrifices, and that this was divided into ten, can be seen in Exodus 29:40; Leviticus 5:11; 23:13; Numbers 15:3-10; 28:5, 7, 14.) From all this it is evident that by a “hin” is signified the amount sufficient for conjunction, and by an “ephah” the amount sufficient for reception. Moreover, the oil conjoined the fine flour, and the flour received it, for in the meat-offering there were oil and fine flour.

[4] There were other measures besides, which were in common use both for dry things and for liquids; the dry measures were called the “homer” and the “omer,” and the liquid measures the “cor” and the “bath.” The homer contained ten ephahs, and the ephah ten omers; but the cor contained ten baths, and the bath ten lesser parts (concerning which see Exodus 16:36; Ezekiel 45:11, 13, 24).

[5] But in Ezekiel, where the new temple is treated of, there appears a different division of the ephah and the bath; the ephah and the bath not being there divided into ten, but into six; and the hin there corresponds to the ephah, as is plain in this prophet (Ezekiel 45:13-14, 24; 46:5, 7, 11, 14). The reason is that the subject there treated of is not celestial good and its conjunction, but spiritual good and its conjunction; and in the spiritual kingdom the corresponding numbers are twelve, six, and three, because by these numbers are signified all things, and when they are predicated of truths and goods, all things of truth and of good in the complex. (That these things are signified by “twelve,” see n. 3272, 3858, 3913, 7973; also by “six,” n. 3960, 7973, 8148, 10217; in like manner by “three,” by which is signified from beginning to end, thus what is full, and in respect to things, everything, n. 2788, 4495, 5159, 7715, 9825, 10127) That these numbers involve similar things is because the greater numbers have a like signification with the simple ones from which they arise by multiplication (see n. 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973).

[6] As by the “hin” is signified the amount sufficient for conjunction with spiritual truth also, therefore likewise for the meat-offering in the sacrifices from the ram, there was taken a third part of a hin of oil, and for the drink-offering a third part of wine (Numbers 15:6-7); for by the “ram” is signified spiritual good (n. 2830, 9991). From all this it is now again clearly evident that by the numbers mentioned in the Word are signified real things; otherwise to what purpose would have been so frequent a designation of quantity and measure by means of numbers in Moses, in Ezekiel, and elsewhere?

4638. Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be likened unto ten virgins.

This signifies the last period of the old church and the first of the new. The church is the Lord’s kingdom on earth. The “ten virgins” are all who are in the church, namely, both those who are in good and truth, and those who are in evil and falsity. “Ten” in the internal sense denotes remains, and also fullness, thus all; and “virgins” denote those who are in the church, as also elsewhere in the Word.

[2] Who took their lamps;

signifies spiritual things in which is the celestial, or truths in which there is good, or what is the same, faith in which there is charity toward the neighbor, and charity in which there is love to the Lord; for “oil” is the good of love, as shown hereafter. But lamps in which there is no oil denote the same in which there is no good.

[3] And went forth to meet the bridegroom;

signifies their reception.

And five of them were prudent, but five were foolish;

signifies a part of them in truths in which there is good, and a part of them in truths in which is no good. The former are the “prudent,” and the latter the “foolish.” In the internal sense “five” denotes some, here therefore a part of them.

They that were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them;

signifies not having the good of charity in their truths; for in the internal sense “oil” denotes the good of charity and of love.

But the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps;

signifies that they had the good of charity and of love in their truths; their “vessels” are the doctrinal things of faith.

[4] And while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept;

signifies delay, and hence doubt. To “slumber” in the internal sense is to grow sluggish from the delay in the things of the church, and to “sleep” is to cherish doubt—the prudent, a doubt in which there is affirmation; the foolish, a doubt in which there is negation.

But at midnight a cry was made;

signifies the time which is the last of the old church and the first of the new. This time is what is called “night” in the Word, when the state of the church is treated of. The “cry” denotes a change.

Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him;

signifies the same as the judgment, namely, acceptance and rejection.

[5] Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps;

signifies preparation of all; for those who are in truths in which there is no good are equally in the belief of being accepted as are those who are in truths in which there is good, for they suppose that faith alone saves, not knowing that there is no faith where there is no charity.

But the foolish said unto the prudent, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out;

signifies that they desire good to be communicated by others to their empty truths, or to their destitute faith. For in the other life all spiritual and celestial things are mutually communicated, but only through good.

[6] But the prudent answered, saying, Perchance there will not be enough for us and you;

signifies that it cannot be communicated, because the little of truth that they had would be taken away from them. For as to the communication of good in the other life to those who are in truths without good, these as it were take away good from those who have it, and appropriate it to themselves, and do not communicate it to others, but defile it; for which reason no communication of good to them is possible. These spirits will be described from experience at the end of the next chapter [Genesis 37].

[7] But go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves;

signifies the good of merit. They who boast of this are “they that sell.” Moreover, in the other life they who are in truth in which there is no good, above all others make a merit of all they have done which appeared good in the outward form, although in the inward form it was evil, according to what the Lord says in Matthew:

“Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied by Thy name, and by Thy name have cast out demons, and in Thy name done many mighty works? But then will I confess unto them, I know you not; depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23).

And in Luke:

“When the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, then shall ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, lord, open to us. But he shall answer and say to you, I know you not whence ye are; then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets; but he shall say, I tell you I know you not whence ye are, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:26-27).

Such are those who are here meant by the foolish virgins, and the like is therefore said of them in these words: “they also came, saying, Lord, lord, open to us; but he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”

[8] And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came.

This signifies their too late application.

And they that were ready went in with him to the wedding;

signifies that they who were in good and thence in truth were received into heaven. Heaven is likened to a wedding from the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and truth; and the Lord is likened to the bridegroom, because they are then conjoined with Him; and hence the church is called the bride.

And the door was shut;

signifies that others cannot enter.

[9] Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, lord, open to us;

signifies that they desire to enter from faith alone without charity, and from works in which there is not the Lord’s life, but the life of self.

But be answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not;

signifies rejection. His not knowing them means in the internal sense that they were not in any charity toward the neighbor and thereby in conjunction with the Lord. They who are not in conjunction are said not to be known.

[10] Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh;

signifies an assiduous application of life in accordance with the precepts of faith, which is “to watch.” The time of acceptance, which is unknown to man, and the state, are signified by their not knowing the day nor the hour in which the Son of man is to come. Elsewhere also in Matthew he who is in good, that is, he who acts according to the precepts, is called “prudent;” and he who is in knowledges of truth and does them not is called “foolish:”

Everyone that heareth My words and doeth them, I will liken him unto a prudent man; and everyone that heareth My words and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man (Matthew 7:24, 26).