5038. The place where the king’s bound ones were bound. That this signifies the state in which those are who are in falsities, is evident from the signification of “place,” as being state (n. 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387, 4321, 4882); and from the signification of the “king’s bound ones,” as being those who are in falsities, and because they are in falsities they are in vastation, and who are being regenerated in the world in temptation; for temptation is the vastation of what is false, and at the same time the confirmation of what is true. They are called the “king’s bound ones,” because a “king” in the internal sense is truth (n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4789, 4966), and his “bound ones” are therefore those who are in falsity. Moreover the places where the king’s bound ones were kept, were called “pits;” wherefore Joseph says, “I was taken away out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the pit” (Genesis 40:15). That a “pit” denotes a place of vastation may be seen above (n. 4728, 4744).

3439. I am the God of Abraham thy father; fear not, for I am with thee. That this signifies that the Divine also was therein, namely, in the literal sense of the Word, is evident from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord’s Divine (n. 2833, 2836, 3251, 3305); hence Jehovah the “God of Abraham” signifies the Lord’s Divine which is represented by Abraham; and because the subject treated of is the Word, which also is the Lord, because all the Word is from Him and everything of the Word is concerning Him, therefore by “I am the God of Abraham thy father; fear not, for I am with thee” is signified that the Divine also is therein. As regards the Divine in the Word, the case is this:

The Divine Itself is in the supreme sense of the Word, because therein is the Lord; the Divine is also in the internal sense, because therein is the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens, and hence this sense is called celestial and spiritual; the Divine is also in the literal sense of the Word, because therein is the Lord’s kingdom in the earths; hence this sense is called the external, and also the natural, sense, for in it are gross appearances more remote from the Divine; and yet the things therein are each and all Divine. With these three senses the case is as with the tabernacle: its inmost, or what was within the veil, where was the ark containing the testimony, was most holy, or the holy of holies; its internal, or what was immediately without the veil, where were the golden table and candlestick, was holy; and the external, where the court was, was also holy; in it the congregation assembled, and hence it was called the tent of the assembly.