572. That they should slay the third part of men.- That this signifies of depriving themselves of all understanding of truth, and thence of spiritual life, is evident from the signification of slaying as denoting to deprive of spiritual life, concerning which, see above (n. 547); and from the signification of men, as denoting the understanding of truth (see also above, n. 546, 547). That the third part, when used in reference to truths, denotes all, may be seen above (n. 506). Here, therefore, by slaying the third part of men, is signified deprivation of all understanding of truth. It is said that they deprive themselves, because those who have become sensual through evils of life and falsities of doctrine by reasonings from fallacies, deprive themselves of the understanding of truth, but not others, except those who are also sensual. The reason why they thence deprive themselves of spiritual life, is, that man acquires spiritual life through the understanding, for in the measure that the understanding is opened by truths, and suffers itself to be enlightened, in the same measure, man becomes spiritual. But the understanding is opened by means of truths from good, but not by means of truths without good; for so far as man lives in the good of love and of charity, so far he thinks truths; for truth is the form of good, and all good with man pertains to his will, and all truth pertains to his understanding, therefore the good of the will manifests its form in the understanding; the form itself is thought from the understanding originating in the will.

5951. 'And the sons of Israel did so' means a putting into effect by the spiritual truths within the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'they did' as a putting into effect; and from the representation of 'the sons of Israel' as the spiritual truths within the natural, dealt with in 5414, 5879. What spiritual truths within the natural are must be stated: The truths of faith if separate from man, spirit, or angel are not in fact the truths of faith, for they are not attached to a recipient in whom they become such truths. But when they are attached to man, spirit, or angel as their recipient they then become the truths of faith, yet varyingly so according to each individual's state of life. With those who are just beginning to learn them they are no more than factual knowledge. If after that those people truly revere them they go on from being factual knowledge to become the truths of the Church. When however they have an affection for those truths and lead lives in keeping with them, they become spiritual truths; for the good of love and charity, which has its origin solely in the spiritual world, then enters in and brings life to them. For having an affection for them and leading a life in keeping with them stem from that good.

[2] What truths, called the truths of faith, are like with those who lead lives in keeping with them, and with those who do not, has been shown to me. With people who do not lead lives in keeping with them those truths have manifested themselves as white threads; and with people who knew those truths yet did nothing good at all they were fragile ones. But with people who do lead lives in keeping with them those truths have manifested themselves as fibres extending from the brain, which were filled with spirituous fluid and were soft. Thus these latter truths had life in them, the former did not. From all this one may recognize that the nature of the truths present with people depends on the individual's state of life. The truths which 'the sons of Jacob' represent are not as yet spiritual truths because they have not as yet been made matters of life. But the truths represented by those men as 'the sons of Israel' are spiritual ones because, having been made matters of life, the good of love and charity has entered them. Such truths are meant here because now the subject is the initial stage in the joining of the truths within the natural, which are 'the sons of Jacob', to internal good, which is 'Joseph', through the intermediary, which is 'Benjamin', and also through spiritual good, which is 'Israel'.