573. Verse 16. And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two myriads of myriads, signifies that the falsities of evil from which and in favor of which they reason and which conspire against the truths of good, are innumerable. This is evident from the signification of "armies," as meaning the falsities of evil (of which presently); and from the signification of "horsemen," as being the reasonings therefrom, for "horses" signify the understanding of truth, and in the contrary sense the understanding perverted and destroyed (See above, n. 355, 364, 372, 373, 381, 382); so "horsemen" in this sense signify the reasonings from falsities, since reasonings from falsities are from the understanding perverted and destroyed, for truths constitute the understanding, but falsities destroy it. The above is evident also from the signification of "two myriads of myriads," as being innumerable falsities conspiring against truths of good (that "myriads" signify things innumerable, and are predicated of truths, see above, n. 336, and it is said "two myriads of myriads" because this signifies things innumerable that are conjoined and conspire; for the number "two" signifies conjunction, concord, and conspiracy (See above, n. 283, 384). It means against the truths of good, because what follows treats of the destruction of truths by the armies of such horsemen. From this it can be seen that "the number of the armies of the horsemen was two myriads of myriads" signifies that the falsities of evil from which and in favor of which they reason, and which conspire against the truths of good, are innumerable.

[2] "Armies" (or hosts) are frequently mentioned in the Word, and the Lord is called "Jehovah of Hosts or Zebaoth," and "armies" there signify truths from good fighting against the falsities from evil, and in the contrary sense falsities from evil fighting against truths from good. Such is the signification of "armies" in the Word, because "wars" in the Word, both in the histories and prophecies, signify, in the internal sense spiritual wars, which are waged against hell and against the diabolical crew there, and such wars have relation to truths and goods opposing falsities and evils; this is why "armies" signify all truths from good, and in the contrary sense all falsities from evil. That "armies" signify all truths from good is evident from the sun, moon, stars, and also the angels, being called "the armies of Jehovah," because they signify all truths from good in the complex; also from the sons of Israel being called "armies," because they signified the truths and goods of the church. And as all truths and goods are from the Lord, and the Lord alone fights for all in heaven and for all in the church against the falsities and evils which are from hell, so He is called "Jehovah Zebaoth," that is, "Jehovah of Hosts."

[3] That the sun, the moon, and the stars, are called "hosts" is evident from the following passages. In Moses:

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them (Genesis 2:1).

In David:

By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth (Psalms 33:6).

In the same:

Praise ye Jehovah, all His angels; praise ye Him, all His hosts; praise ye Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all ye stars of light (Psalms 148:2, 3).

In Isaiah:

And all the host of the heavens shall waste away, and the heavens shall be rolled up as a scroll; and all their hosts shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as that which falleth from the fig-tree (Isaiah 34:4).

I have made the earth, and created man upon it; My hands have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded (Isaiah 45:12).

In the same:

Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these, who leadeth out their host in number, who calleth them all by name (Isaiah 40:26).

In Jeremiah:

As the host of the heavens is not numbered, and the sand of the sea is not measured (Jeremiah 33:22).

In these passages, the sun, moon, and stars, are called a "host" because the "sun" signifies the good of love, the "moon," truth from good, and the "stars" the knowledges of truth and good, consequently they signify goods and truths in the whole complex, and these are called a "host" because they resist evils and falsities, and perpetually conquer them as enemies.

[4] In Daniel:

One horn of the he-goat waxed great even to the host of the heavens; and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the earth, and trampled upon them. Yea, it magnified itself even to the Prince of the Host; and the continual offering was taken away from him, and the dwelling place of his sanctuary was cast down. And the host was given to the continual offering for transgression, because it cast down the truth to the earth. Then one holy one said, How long shall be the vision, the continual offering, and the wasting transgression, that the holy place and the host be given to be trodden down? And he said, Even to the evening, the morning (Daniel 8:10-14).

What is here signified by the "he-goat," "his horns," and this "horn that waxed great even to the host of the heavens," may be seen above (n. 316, 336, 535). "The host of the heavens, some of which it cast down to the earth," means the truths and goods of heaven; for the last state of the church, when the truths and goods of heaven are esteemed as of no account, and rejected, is here treated of, and this is signified by "treading them down;" therefore it is added, "it cast down truth to the earth." "The Prince of the Host" means the Lord, who is also called "Jehovah God Zebaoth" (or of Hosts). That all worship from the good of love and from the truths of faith would perish is signified by "the continual offering was taken away from him, and the dwelling place of his sanctuary was cast down." That this would come to pass in the end of the church, when the Lord would come into the world, is signified by "even to the evening, the morning," "evening" signifying the last time of the old church, and "morning" the first time of the new church.

[5] That the angels are called "hosts" is evident from the following passages. In Joel:

Jehovah uttered His voice before His host; for His camp was very great (Joel 2:11).

In Zechariah:

I will set a camp for my house from my host, because of him that passeth away and of him that returneth, that no exactor may again pass through over them (Zechariah 9:8).

In David:

Bless ye Jehovah, all ye His hosts, ye ministers of His that do His will (Psalms 103:21).

In the first book of Kings:

Micaiah the prophet said to the king, I saw Jehovah sitting on His throne, and the whole host of the heavens standing beside Him on His right hand and on His left. And one said in this manner, and another said in that manner (1 Kings 22:19, 20).

In Revelation:

His hosts in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:14).

And again:

I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their hosts gathered together to make war with Him that sat on the white horse, and with His hosts (Revelation 19:19).

The angels gathered together, or a company of them, is called "a host," because "the angels," the same as "hosts" signify Divine truths and goods, because they are recipients of these from the Lord (about which see above, n. 130, 200, 302).

[6] For the same reason the sons of Israel, because they signify the truths and goods of the church, are called "hosts," as in the following passages. In Moses:

Jehovah said, Bring out the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their hosts (Exodus 6:26).

In the same:

I will bring forth My host, My people, the sons of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments (Exodus 7:4; 12:17).

In the same:

It came to pass on that very day that all the hosts of Jehovah went forth from the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:41).

In the same:

Thou shalt number all that go forth into the host (Numbers 1:3, et seq .).

They were to pitch about the Tent of meeting, and were also to go forth according to their hosts (Numbers 2:3, 9, 16, 24).

The Levites were to be taken to perform the warfare, to do the work in the Tent of meeting (Numbers 4:3, 23, 30, 39).

The sons of Israel were called the "hosts of Jehovah" because they represented the church, and signified all its truths and goods (as can be seen in Arcana Coelestia 5414, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833, 5879, 5951, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 7957, 8234, 8805, 9340). They were called "hosts," in the plural, because each tribe was called a "host," as can be seen in Moses, when it was commanded him to number them all according to their hosts, and they were numbered according to their tribes (Numbers 1, Numbers 3, et seq.); likewise when the camp was pitched about the Tent of meeting according to the tribes, it is said "according to their hosts" (Numbers 2:3, 9, et seq.). The tribes were called "hosts" because the twelve tribes taken together represented all the truths and goods of the church, and each tribe some universal essential of the church (See above, n. 431).

[7] From this it can be seen that the truths and goods of heaven and the church are meant in the Word by "hosts;" which makes clear why it is that Jehovah is called in the Word "Jehovah Zebaoth," and "Jehovah God Zebaoth," that is, "of hosts" (as in Isaiah 1:9, 24; 2:12; 3:1, 15; 5:7, 9, 16, 24; 6:3, 5; 8:13, 18; 14:22, 23, 24, 27; 17:3; 25:6; 28:5, 22, 29; 29:6; 31:4, 5; 37:16; Jeremiah 5:14; 38:17; 44:7; Amos 5:16; Haggai 1:9, 14; 2:4, 8, 23; Zechariah 1:3; Malachi 2:12, and various other places).

[8] From this it is now evident that "hosts" signify the truths and goods of heaven and the church in the whole complex; and as most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so do "hosts," and in that sense they signify falsities and evils in their whole complex, as in the following passages in Jeremiah:

Upon the roofs of the houses they have burned incense unto all the host of the heavens, and have poured out drink-offerings unto other gods (Jeremiah 19:13).

In Zephaniah:

They worship upon the roofs the host of the heavens (Zephaniah 1:5).

In Moses:

Lest thou bow thyself down to and serve the sun and the moon and the stars, and all the host of the heavens (Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:3).

In Jeremiah:

They shall spread out the bones taken from the graves before the sun and the moon and all the host of the heavens, whom they have loved and whom they have served (Jeremiah 8:2).

Here "the host of the heavens" means the sun, moon, and stars, because these signify all goods and truths in the complex, but here all evils and falsities in the complex; for the "sun" in the contrary sense, as here, signifies all the evil flowing from the love of self, the "moon" the falsity of faith, and the "stars" falsities in general (that the "sun, moon, and stars," in the natural world, when they are worshiped instead of the sun and moon of the angelic heaven, signify direful evils and falsities, may be seen in the work Heaven and Hell 122, 123; as also above, n. 401, 402, 525); and because truths from good fight against the falsities from evil, and reversely the falsities from evil fight against the truths from good, they are called "hosts;" for there is continual combat; evils and falsities continually exhale from the hells, and endeavor to destroy the truths from good that are in heaven and from heaven, and these continually resist. For everywhere in the spiritual world there is an equilibrium between heaven and hell; and where there is an equilibrium, there two forces continually act against each other; one acts and the other reacts, and continual action and reaction is continual combat; but equilibrium is provided by the Lord (on this see the work on Heaven and Hell 589-596, 597-603). And as there is such continual combat between heaven and hell, therefore as all things of heaven are called "hosts," so are all things of hell; all things of heaven have reference to goods and truths, and all things of hell to evils and falsities.

[9] This then is why "hosts" in the following passages signify the falsities of evil. In Isaiah:

The anger of Jehovah is against all nations, and His wrath against all their host; He hath devoted them, He hath given them to the slaughter (Isaiah 34:2).

"Nations" signify evils, and "host" the falsities from evil; their total destruction is signified by "He hath devoted and hath given to the slaughter."

[10] In the same:

The voice of the multitude in the mountains like as of a great people; the voice of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together; Jehovah of Hosts leadeth the host (Isaiah 13:4).

"The voice of a multitude in the mountains" signifies falsities from evils, "the multitude" meaning falsities, and "the mountains" evils; "like as of a great people" signifies appearing to be truth from good, "like as" meaning appearance, "people" those who are in truths, thus truths, and "great" is predicated of good; "the voice of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together" signifies discord in the church arising from evils and falsities therefrom, "the voice of a tumult" signifying discord, "kingdoms" the churches in respect to truths and as to falsities, and "nations gathered together" in respect to evils and falsities therefrom conspiring against the truths and goods of the church; "Jehovah of Hosts leadeth the host" signifies that the Lord does this, for this is attributed to the Lord, as is evident from the next verse, the fifth, where it is said, "Jehovah cometh with the weapons of His anger to destroy the whole land." This is attributed to the Lord just as evil, the punishment of evil, and the destruction of the church are attributed to Him elsewhere, because such is the appearance, and the sense of the letter of the Word is in accordance with appearances; but in the spiritual sense this means that the man of the church himself does this.

[11] In Jeremiah:

Spare ye not her young men; give to the curse all her host (Jeremiah 51:3).

This is said of Babylon; and "Spare not her young men" signifies the destruction of confirmed falsities; "give to the curse all her host" signifies the total destruction of falsities from the evils that are in her, thus the destruction of Babylon. The falsities from evil are signified also by:

The army of the Chaldeans, and the army of Pharaoh (Jeremiah 37:7, 10, 11, et seq.);

and in Moses:

The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, with the whole army of Pharaoh (Exodus 14:28; 15:4).

(This may be seen explained above, n. 355; and in Arcana Coelestia 8230, 8275.)

[12] In Daniel:

The king of the north shall return and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and at the end of the times of the years he shall come with a great army and with great riches. And he shall stir up his powers and his heart against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall engage in battle with an exceeding great and mighty army, but he shall not stand (Daniel 11:13, 25).

This chapter treats of the war between the king of the north and the king of the south, and "the king of the north" means those within the church who are in the falsities of evil, and "the king of the south" those who are in the truths of good; collision and combat at the end of the church are described in the spiritual sense by their war; therefore "the army of the king of the north" means falsities of every kind, and "the army of the king of the south" truths of every kind.

[13] In Luke:

When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her devastation is nigh (Luke 21:20).

In this chapter the Lord speaks of the consummation of the age, which means the last time of the church; "Jerusalem" means the church in respect to doctrine; and "compassed with armies" means the church taken possession of by falsities; that then comes its destruction, and presently the Last Judgment, is signified by "then her devastation is nigh." It is believed that this was said of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, but from the particulars of the chapter it is clear that it treats of the destruction of the church at its end; as also does Matthew, chap. 24 from the first verse to the last (all things of which are explained in the Arcana Coelestia). But this does not preclude the application of the sense of the letter of these words to the destruction of Jerusalem, that destruction representing and thence signifying the destruction of the church at its end; this is confirmed by all the particulars in the chapter regarded in the spiritual sense.

[14] In David:

God hath cast us off and confounded us; He hath not gone forth in our armies. He hath made us to turn back from the adversary (Psalms 44:9, 10).

"God hath not gone forth in our armies" signifies that He did not defend them, because they were in the falsities of evil, for "armies" mean the falsities of evil; therefore it is also said "He hath cast us off and confounded us, and hath made us to turn back from the adversary," "the adversary" meaning evil which is from hell.

[15] In Joel:

I will recompense to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker-worm and the caterpillar and the palmer-worm, My great army which I sent among you (Joel 2:25).

That an "army" signifies falsities and evils of every kind is plainly evident, since these noxious little animals, "the locust, the cankerworm, the caterpillar, and the palmerworm," signify falsities and evils that devastate or consume the truths and goods of the church (See above, n. 543), where this passage is explained, and it is shown that the "locust and caterpillar" signify the falsities [and evils] of the sensual man. ) This makes clear what "army" signifies in the Word in both senses. "Army" has the same signification in the histories of the Word, for these contain a spiritual sense as well as the prophecies, but it shines forth from them less clearly, because the mind, when intent on the historical meaning, cannot easily be raised above the worldly things in the history and see the spiritual things that are stored up in them.

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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