10429. And behold it is a stiff-necked people. That this signifies that they do not receive influx from the Lord, is evident from the signification of “stiff-necked,” as being not to receive influx; for by the “neck” [cervix and collum] is signified the conjunction and communication of things higher and lower, thus influx (see n. 3542, 3603, 3695, 3725, 5320, 5328, 5926, 6033, 8079, 9913, 9914), and by “stiff” is signified that which resists and refuses, thus that which does not receive. This people is so called because they were in external things without what is internal; and they who are such, refuse all influx out of heaven or from the Lord, for influx comes through what is internal into what is external. Therefore when the internal is closed, there is not any reception of the Divine in the external, for only that is received which flows in from the world, thus only what is worldly, bodily, and earthly. Moreover, in the other life, when such persons are seen in the light of heaven, there appear as it were grates of teeth, or as it were something hairy, or as it were a bony substance without life, instead of a head and face; for the face corresponds to those things which are of the internal man, and the body to those things which are of the external man, and the neck to the conjunction of these.

[2] It shall here be briefly explained what is meant by being in external things without what is internal, as is said of that nation. Every man has an internal and an external, for the internal is his thought and his will, and the external is his speech and his action; but the internal with the good differs very much from the internal with the evil. Each has an internal which is called the internal man, and an external which is called the external man; the internal man being formed according to the image of heaven; but the external man according to the image of the world (n. 9279). With those who are in the good of love and in the truths of faith, the internal man is open, and by means of it they are in heaven; but with those who are in evils and in the consequent falsities, the internal man is closed, and by means of the external they are in the world only. These are they of whom it is said that they are in external things without what is internal.

[3] These indeed also have interiors, but the interiors with them are the interiors of their external man which is in the world, and not the interiors of the internal man which is in heaven. These interiors (namely, those of the external man when the internal is closed), are evil, nay, filthy, for such persons think solely of the world and of themselves, and wish for those things only which are of the world and of self; and think nothing at all about heaven and the Lord, nor do they wish for them. From this it can be seen what is meant by being in external things without what is internal.

[4] As such was the nature of the Israelitish nation, therefore when they were in a holy external their interiors were closed, because these were loathsome and unclean, that is, were full of the love of self and of the world; thus of contempt for others in comparison with themselves, of hatred against all who offended them, of ferociousness against them, and of cruelty, avarice, rapine, and other like things. That this nation was of such a character is very evident from the song of Moses in Deuteronomy (32:15-43); where it is described by the command of Jehovah; and also from Jeremiah throughout; and lastly from the Lord Himself in the Gospels.

3542. And upon the smooth of his neck. That this signifies that disjoining truth should not appear is evident from the predication of “smooth,” or of “smoothness” as being concerning truth (n. 3527); and from the signification of the “neck” as being that which conjoins (concerning which below); here, therefore, because the appearance was upon the smooth of his neck, the signification is that disjoining truth should not appear. How the case herein is can be seen from what was said and shown above (n. 3539), namely, that that good and those truths which flow forth from the understanding, and not at the same time from the will, are not good and not truths, however much they may so appear in the outward form; and if the will is of evil, the good and the truths disjoin instead of conjoining; but if anything of the will is of good, then they do not disjoin, but conjoin, although they are disposed in an inverted order, for by their means the man is being regenerated; and because when thus disposed they serve at first for the regeneration of man, it is said that thus disjoining truth should not appear; but more concerning these things below.

[2] The reason why the “neck” signifies that which conjoins, is that the higher things in man, which are of the head, communicate through the intervening neck with the lower things which are of his body; hence it is that both influx and communication, and consequently conjunction, are signified by this intermediate part; as may be seen still more conclusively from the correspondences of the grand man with the things of the human body, treated of at the ends of the chapters. From this comes a like signification of the “neck” in the Word, as in Isaiah:

His breath as an overflowing stream will divide even unto the neck (Isaiah 30:28); where an “overflowing stream” denotes falsity thus overflowing; “dividing even unto the neck” denotes falsity closing up and thus intercepting the communication and thus the conjunction of higher things with lower ones; which conjunction is precluded and intercepted when spiritual good and truth are not received.

[3] In Habakkuk:

Thou hast smitten the head out of the house of the wicked, laying bare the foundation even unto the neck (Hab. 3:13); where “smiting the head out of the house of the wicked” denotes destroying the principles of falsity; “laying bare the foundation even unto the neck” denotes intercepting the conjunction thereby.

In Jeremiah:

Transgressions knit together are come up upon my neck; he hath overthrown my forces; God hath given me into their hands, I am not able to rise up (Lam. 1:14);

“transgressions knit together ascending upon my neck” denote falsities ascending toward interior or rational things.

[4] Inasmuch as by the “neck” was signified this communication and conjunction, therefore by the bonds of the neck was signified interception, consequently the desolation of truth which comes forth when the spiritual things that continually flow in from the Lord are no longer admitted into the rational of man, and consequently not into his natural. This interception, or desolation, is what is represented in Jeremiah by the command that he should make unto himself bonds and yokes, and should put them upon his neck, and send them to the peoples, and should say that they were to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and that they who did not yield their necks under his yoke should be visited by the sword, the famine, and the pestilence; but that those who bowed down their necks should be left upon the land (Jeremiah 27:2-3, 8, 11). To “put the neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him,” signifies to be desolated as to truth, and to be vastated as to good (that it is “Babel” which vastates, may be seen above, n. 1327; and that they are vastated lest holy things should be profaned, n. 301-303vvv2, 1327, 1328, 2426, 3398, 3399, 3402); and because when the influx of good and truth is intercepted, what is evil and false is served, therefore also to “put the neck under the yoke” signifies to serve.

[5] Again in the same Prophet:

Thus saith Jehovah, Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon within two years of days from off the neck of all the nations (Jeremiah 28:11);

signifying that they should be delivered from vastation.

In Isaiah:

Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit thee down, O Jerusalem; open the bonds of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion (Isaiah 52:2); where “to open the bonds of the neck” signifies to admit and receive good and truth.

In Micah:

Behold against this family do I devise an evil from which ye shall not draw forth your necks, and ye shall not walk erect, for it is an evil time (Micah 2:3).

“Not to draw forth the neck from evil” is not to admit truth; “not to walk erect” is thereby not to look to higher things, that is, to those which are of heaven (n. 248).