9781. 'Pure, beaten' means what is [therefore] authentic and perceptible. This is clear from the meaning of 'pure' - when it refers to the good meant by 'oil' - as what is authentic, for the more heavenly and so more authentic the good is, the purer it is; and from the meaning of 'beaten' - when it refers to the good meant by 'oil' - as what is perceptible. Good is said to be perceptible when it is converted into truth, for good reveals itself through truth. Indeed truth is the outward form of good, and the good cannot be seen in light except within that form. The more perfect the form in which good presents itself therefore, the more clearly perceptible it becomes. For the good itself shines so plainly from that form that it moves both the understanding part of another person's mind and at the same time the will part. For what applies to goodness and truth applies also to a person's will and understanding, since the will has been dedicated to the reception of good and the understanding to the reception of truth. The will cannot manifest itself in light except through the understanding, for the understanding serves the will as its outward form and renders it perceptible. When a thing receives outward form it can be divided into its parts, and the various relationships and connections among the parts can be established when analysis shows how they are tied together. This is how good is presented in the understanding and made perceptible. Good made perceptible in the understanding is the truth of that good. This now explains why the oil had to be beaten, and the frankincense likewise, regarding which it says that it must be pure and that some of it shall be beaten very small and in this condition burned as incense, Exodus 30:34-36. Something similar to what is meant by that which has been 'beaten' is also meant by that which has been 'ground', as becomes clear from the meaning of 'wheat' and 'fine flour'; 'wheat' means good, and 'fine flour' the truth of that good. Even as that which has been 'beaten' or 'ground' means in the genuine sense good that is perceptible, so in the contrary sense that which has been 'beaten' or 'ground' means evil that is perceptible. This is meant by Moses' action, when he crushed the golden calf by grinding it right down, and having turned it into fine dust threw it into the brook descending from the mountain, Deuteronomy 9:21, regarding which, see 9391.

1868. That these things are meant by these nations would take too long to confirm from the Word; nor is there any need to do so here as no more than their names are mentioned. Some of them have been dealt with already, for example that 'the Rephaim' means false persuasions, 567, 581, 1673; 'the Amorites' evils, 1680; 'the Canaanites' evils, above at verse 16; 'the Perizzites' falsities, 1574. What the rest of the nations mean individually will in the Lord's Divine mercy be explained as they occur later on.

[2] As regards the nations that were to be cast out of the Lord's kingdom, in the next life evil and devilish spirits like nothing more than to surface in the world of spirits and to infest good spirits. But as often as they do so they are cast out, in much the same way as the falsities and evils that have taken possession of one who is being regenerated are overpowered and dispersed, and in their place truths and goods are implanted that belong to the Lord's kingdom.

[3] These falsities and evils were represented by the nations that were driven out of the land of Canaan by the descendants of Jacob. They were represented as well by the Jews themselves who at a later period were driven out from there. The same occurred with many other nations of old by whom similar things had been represented, such as the Horites who were driven from Mount Seir by the descendants of Esau, mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:12, 22; then the Avim who were driven out by the Kaphtorim, mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:23; also the Emim or Rephaim who were driven out by the Moabites, mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:9-11; as well as the Zamzummim who were driven out by the Ammonites, mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:19-21; besides many others referred to in the Prophets.