66. (Verse 14) And his head and his hairs were white. That this signifies the Divine in primaries and in ultimates, is evident from the signification of the head when mentioned in reference to the Lord, of whom these things are said, as denoting the Divine in primaries, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of hairs, as denoting the Divine in ultimates, of which also we shall speak presently; and from the signification of white, as denoting what is pure. (That white (album) and white (candidum) denote what is pure, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319.) The reason why the head, when mentioned in reference to the Lord, denotes the Divine in primaries, is, that the head is the highest part of man, and therein are those primary things which give rise to all things that take place in the body. For in the head are the understanding and the will, from which, as from their beginnings, all the other things flow that relate to man's remoter things, as speech, and all actions. But the reason why hairs, when mentioned in reference to the Lord, denote the Divine in ultimates is, that hairs are ultimates, for they grow from the ultimate parts of man, and the primaries terminate in them; therefore, when the head and hairs are mentioned, primaries and ultimates are meant.

[2] He who knows that the head signifies primaries, and the hairs ultimates, even in spiritual things, and that primaries and ultimates signify all things (as was shown above, n. 41), may know many arcana of the internal sense, where those things are mentioned. As, for instance, a Nazarite was not allowed to shave the hair of his head, because, as is said, it was the Nazariteship of God upon his head, and when the days were accomplished, he had to shave it off, and consecrate it (Numbers 6:1-21); also the strength of Samson was in his hairs, and when they were shaved off he became weak, and when they grew again his strength returned (Judges 16:13 to the end). Again, forty-two boys were torn in pieces by bears, because they mocked Elisha, calling him bald-head (2 Kings 2:23, 24). So too Elias was clothed with a garment of hair (2 Kings 1:8) and John the Baptist with camel's hair (Mark 1:6). Moreover what is signified by the head, hairs, beard and baldness, may be seen where they are mentioned in the Word.

[3] The reason why a Nazarite was not allowed to shave his hair, because, as is stated, it was the Nazariteship of God upon his head, and that when the days were accomplished, he had to shave it off, and consecrate it, was, that a Nazarite represented the Lord in primaries and in ultimates, and His Divine in ultimates was His Human, which He made Divine even to the flesh and bones, which are the ultimates. That He made the Human Divine even to the flesh and bones, is clear from the fact that He left nothing in the sepulchre, and that He said to His disciples that He had flesh and bones, which a spirit has not (Luke 24:39, 40). And when the Divine itself is also Divine in ultimates, then it rules all things from primaries by ultimates. (As is evident from what was said and shown above, n. 41; especially from the things which are adduced in Arcana Coelestia, to the effect that interiors successively flow into exteriors, even to the outermost or ultimate, and that therein also they exist and subsist, n. Arcana Coelestia 634, 6239, 6465, 9215, 9216; that they not only flow in successively, but also form what is simultaneous in the ultimate; concerning which order see n. 5897, 6451, 8603, 10099; that therefore all interior things are held together in connection, from the primary by means of the ultimate, n. 9828; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 297; that hence the ultimate is more holy than the interiors, n. Arcana Coelestia 9824; that hence in the ultimates there is strength and power, n. 9836.) It was for these reasons that the Nazariteship was instituted. The reason why the Nazarite should ultimately consecrate his hair by putting it into the fire of the altar, was, because the Holy Divine was thereby represented, and the fire of the altar signified that Holy (n. 934, 6314, 6832).

[4] From these considerations it is also evident why the strength of Samson was in his hair (Judges 16[13] to the end), for it is said that he was a Nazarite from his mother's womb (Judges 13:7; 16:17); so also it was not lawful for the chief priest and his sons, nor for the Levites, to shave the head and make themselves bald (Leviticus 10:6; 21:5, 10; Ezekiel 44:20). So, too, to cut off the beard, which also had a similar signification, was ignominious with the people of Israel (2 Sam. 10:4, 5). The reason why the forty-two boys were torn in pieces by bears, because they mocked Elisha, calling him bald-head, was, that Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord as to the Word, which is Divine truth, the sanctity and strength of which are in the ultimates from primaries, as said above; and because baldness signified the deprivation of them, therefore this circumstance took place; bears also signify truth in ultimates. (That Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord as to the Word, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2762, 5247.)

[5] From these considerations it is also clear why the garment of Elias was hairy, and that of John was made of camel's hair; for John the Baptist, as well as Elias, represented the Lord as to the Word, therefore he was also called Elias (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 7643, 9372). When these things are understood it can be known what is signified by the head, hairs, beard, and baldness in the Word. As in Isaiah:

"In that time shall the Lord, by the king of Assyria, shave the head, and the hairs of the feet; he shall also consume the beard" (7:20).

In the same:

"Upon all heads shall be baldness, every beard shaven" (15:2).

In Jeremiah:

"Truth hath perished, and is cut off from their mouth; cut off thine hair and cast it away" (7:28, 29).

And in Ezekiel:

"Take a razor, and pass it upon the head and beard" (5:1).

Again:

"On every face shall be shame, and upon all heads baldness" (7:18).

Again:

"Every head was made bald" (29:18).

In Amos:

"I will bring baldness upon every head" (8:10).

And in David:

"God shall bruise the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of him that goeth on in his guilt" (Psalm 68:21).

In these passages, and in others, by cutting off the hair of the head, shaving the beard, and inducing baldness, is signified to deprive of all good and truth, because he who is deprived of the ultimates is also deprived of things prior, for prior things exist and subsist in ultimates, as said above. In the world of spirits also, there are seen those who are bald; and I have been informed that they are those who were abusers of the Word and had applied the sense of the letter, which is Divine truth in the ultimates, to wicked purposes, and consequently were deprived of all truth; they are also the most wicked, and many of them are from the Babylonish nation; but, on the contrary, the angels are seen with becoming hair.

6239. 'And your offspring that you beget after them' means interior truths and forms of good which are begotten later on. This is clear from the meaning of 'offspring' or 'generation' as matters of faith and charity, dealt with in 613, 2020, 2584, thus truths and forms of good; and from the meaning of 'after them' as interior ones which are begotten later on. The reason interior ones are meant is that what is begotten from the internal at a later time is more interior. For in every consecutive stage all that has already been begotten serves the internal as the means by which what is begotten subsequently can be introduced into a more interior position, for the internal raises the natural by degrees up to itself. This is evident from the birth of all that constitutes the understanding in a person. At first he is on the level of his senses; later on he rises to more and more internal levels until he arrives at full use of his understanding. Similar to this is the new generation or birth which is effected by means of faith and charity. Thus it is that a person is perfected by degrees; see what has been stated in 6183 about the gradual raising up to more interior levels when a person is being regenerated.

[2] In the Word 'generation' means things which have to do with faith and charity, for the reason that no generation other than that of a spiritual kind is meant in the internal sense. That kind of generation is also meant in David,

They will fear greatly, for God is in the generation of the righteous. Psalms 14:5.

'The generation of the righteous' stands for truths that flow from good, for righteousness is an attribute of good. In Isaiah, 41:4.

They will not labour in vain, and they will not produce offspring ¹ in terror; they will be the seed of the blessed of Jehovah. Isaiah 65:23.

In the same prophet,

Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Jehovah, am the first, and with the last I am the same. Isaiah 41:4.

In Ezekiel,

Your tradings and your births' are of the land of the Canaanite. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. As for your births, ² on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, and you were not washed with water for Me to see. Ezekiel 16:3-4.

In these verses, which refer to the abominations of Jerusalem, it is quite evident that 'generations' or 'births' means generations in a spiritual sense.

[3] In Isaiah,

Awake as in the days of eternity, in the generations of eternity. ³ Isaiah 51:9.

'The days of eternity' stands for the state and time of the Most Ancient Church. The expression 'eternity' is used in reference to that Church because the good of love to the Lord reigned in it, and that good, since it flows directly from the Lord, is called eternal. 'The generations of eternity' stands for the forms of good that spring from that good.

[4] Something similar to this appears in Moses,

Remember the days of eternity, understand the years of generation after generation. Deuteronomy 32:7.

'The days of eternity' stands for the state and time of the Most Ancient Church which existed before the Flood and was a celestial Church. 'The years of generation after generation' stands for the state and time of the Ancient Church which existed after the Flood and was a spiritual Church. Those Churches are the subject at that point in Moses.

[5] In Joel,

Judah will abide into eternity, and Jerusalem into generation after generation. Joel 3:20.

'Eternity' is used in reference to Judah because 'Judah' represents the celestial Church, 3881, and 'generation after generation' is used in reference to Jerusalem because by 'Jerusalem' is meant the spiritual Church, 402.

[6] In Isaiah,

My righteousness will exist into eternity, and My salvation into each generation. ⁴ Isaiah 51:8.

Here 'eternity' has reference to the good of love, for the word 'righteousness' is used in connection with that good, 612, 2235, and 'generation' has reference to the good of faith.

[7] In David,

Your kingdom is a kingdom to all eternity, ⁵ and Your dominion to every generation after generation. Psalms 145:13.

Here the meaning is similar, for unless 'eternity' had had reference to what was celestial, and 'generation' to what was spiritual, one expression alone would have been used. The use of two would be pointless repetition.

[8] Things that have to do with a state of faith are also meant in the laws which forbade one who was illegitimate, down to the tenth generation of his descendants, to come into the assembly of Jehovah, Deuteronomy 23:2, or an Ammonite or Moabite, down to the tenth generation of his descendants, Deuteronomy 23:3; and in the law which allowed the third generation of an Edomite or Egyptian to come into the assembly of Jehovah, Deuteronomy 23:8. Things that have to do with a state of faith are meant similarly in the Ten Commandments, where it says that Jehovah God will visit the iniquity of the fathers on the sons, on the third and the fourth generation, inasmuch as they hate Him, Exodus 20:5.

[9] The reason why forms of faith and charity are meant by 'generations' is that in the spiritual sense no other kinds of offspring are meant than those associated with regeneration or one who has been regenerated. Similarly with references in the Word to birth, bearing. and conception; forms of faith and charity are meant, see 1145, 1255, 3860, 3863, 4668, 5160, 5598.

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