67. As white wool, as snow, signifies in respect to good and truth therein. This is evident from the signification of "white wool" as being good in ultimates (of which presently); and from the signification of "snow," as being truth in ultimates. "Snow" means truth in ultimates by reason of the water of which it is composed, and its whiteness and brightness. (That "water" signifies truth, see below, n. 71; and that "whiteness," and "brightness," signify truth from the transparency of light, see Arcana Coelestia 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319, 8459.)

"White wool," signifies good in ultimates, because wool upon lambs and sheep has a signification like that of hair upon man; and "lambs," and "sheep" signify good, "lambs" celestial good (See Arcana Coelestia 3519, 3994, 10132), and "sheep" spiritual good (n. 4169, 4809). From this it is that the "hairs," by which Divine truth in ultimates is signified, are said to be "white as white wool, and as snow." So also of the Lord, when He was transfigured:

His garments became glistening, exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them (Mark 9:3);

and of the "Ancient of Days" in Daniel:

I beheld till thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit; His raiment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was white wool ¹ (Daniel 7:9).

"Raiment" signifies the Divine in ultimates (See above, n. 64); and "the Ancient of Days," the Lord from eternity.

[2] Because "wool" signifies good in ultimates, good is sometimes described in the Word by "wool," and truth by "linen" and by "snow," as in Hosea:

She said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my waters, my wool and my flax. Therefore will I return and take my corn in the time thereof, and I will pluck away my wool and my flax (Hosea 2:5, 9).

In Ezekiel:

Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool; ye slaughter that which is the best; ye feed not the flock (Ezekiel 34:3).

In David:

Jehovah will send ² out His word upon the earth; He giveth snow like wool (Psalms 147:15-16).

In Isaiah:

Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow; though they be red like purple they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).

"Snow" is predicated of sins that were as scarlet, and "wool" of sins that were red like purple, because "scarlet" signifies truth from good, and in a contrary sense, falsity from evil (See Arcana Coelestia 4922, 9468); and "red" and "purple" signify good, and in a contrary sense, evil of every kind (See Arcana Coelestia 3300, 9467, 9865).

Poznámky pod čarou:

4691. 'Are you indeed going to reign over us? Or are you indeed going to have dominion over us?' means, Were the concepts in their understandings and the desires in their wills to be made subject to it? This is clear from the meaning of 'reigning' as the subjection of concepts in the understanding, and from the meaning of 'having dominion' as the subjection of desires in the will. This meaning of 'reigning over them' and 'having dominion over them' - being made subject to - is self-evident; but the reason both expressions are used here is that one has regard to concepts in the understanding, the other to desires in the will. It is common in the Word, especially in the prophetical part, for one particular matter to be described by a dual expression. Anyone unaware of the arcanum lying behind this inevitably supposes that it is no more than a repetition made for the sake of emphasis. But that is not the case. Within every single part of the Word the heavenly marriage is present, namely the marriage of truth to good and of good to truth, just as there is a marriage of understanding and will in the human being. One part of a dual expression has reference to truth, the other to good, so that one has to do with the understanding since that is where truth belongs, the other with the will since this is where good belongs. Expressions used in the Word consist of words which in every case mean things like these. This is the arcanum lying behind the use of a dual expression to describe one particular matter, see 683, 793, 801, 2173, 2516, 2712, 4138(end). So that is the case here also with 'reigning over them' and 'having dominion over them'. 'Reigning' has regard to truth which belongs in the understanding, while 'dominion' has regard to good which belongs in the will; also, 'a kingdom' is used in reference to truth, 1672, 2547, and 'dominion' to good, as is also the case in Daniel where again the Lord's Divine Human is the subject,

To Him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, so that all peoples, nations and languages might worship Him. His dominion is an eternal dominion which will not pass away, and His kingdom one that will not perish. Daniel 7:14.

And in David,

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