8423. And there shall be double over what they gather day by day. That this signifies that the goods are to be conjoined, is evident from the signification of “there being double,” as being to be conjoined (that to be conjoined is signified by “double,” is because “two” denotes conjunction, see n. 1686, 3519, 5194); from the signification of “gathering,” as being to receive (n. 8418); and from the signification of “day by day,” that is, on each day, as being continually (also n. 8418). That “two” denotes conjunction, is because there are two things to which all things in the universe bear relation, namely, good and truth, or what is the same, love and faith; for good is of love, and truth is of faith. Hence also there are two things with man which make his life, namely the will and understanding. The will with man has been formed to receive good or love, and the understanding to receive truth or faith. The conjunction of these two is called a “marriage,” for these two when conjoined are circumstanced in like manner as are a married pair: they love each other; they conceive and bring forth; and the consequent offspring is called “fruit.” From this it is now plain why “two” or “double” signifies conjunction, for without the conjunction of these two nothing is ever born or produced. It may be added that from all this it can be plainly seen that without love or charity faith can produce no fruit; but that fruit must be from the two conjoined.

1823. Take a heifer of three years, and a she-goat of three years, and a ram of three years. That this signifies the representatives of the celestial things of the church, is evident from the signification of the same animals in the sacrifices. No one who thinks sanely can believe that the various animals which were sacrificed signified nothing but sacrifices; or that an ox and a bullock or a calf signified the same as a sheep, a kid, and a she-goat, and these the same as a lamb; and that a turtledove signified the same as young pigeons; the fact being that every animal had its own special signification. This may be sufficiently evident from the fact that in no case was one offered instead of another; and that those are expressly named which were to be used in the daily burnt-offerings and sacrifices, those on the Sabbaths and festivals, those used in free-will offerings, vows, and peace-offerings, those in expiation of guilt and sin, and those in purifications; which would never have been so unless something special had been represented and signified by each animal.

[2] But what was signified by each particular kind would be too tedious to explain here; it is sufficient to know now that celestial things were signified by the animals, and spiritual things by the birds; and by each kind, some special celestial or spiritual thing. The Jewish Church itself, and all things relating to it, were representative of such things as are of the Lord’s kingdom, where there is nothing but what is celestial and spiritual, that is, nothing but what is of love and of faith; as may also be sufficiently evident from the signification of the clean and useful beasts, explained above (n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 776). As in the Most Ancient Churches these were significative of heavenly goods, they afterwards became representative in the church, when worship merely external, which was also representative, was valued and acknowledged.

[3] As the state of the church is here treated of, and it is foretold what that state is to be, this was shown to Abram by similar representatives, exactly as is here related; but still such things are signified in the internal sense, as indeed everyone may know and think; for what would be the need of taking a heifer three years old, a she-goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon, of dividing them into two parts, and placing them so, unless everything had been significative? But what these things signified may be seen from what follows.