721. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth.- That this signifies the hatred of those meant by the dragon, against the church in those who will be in the doctrine, and thus in the life of love and charity from the Lord, is evident from the signification of the dragon, as denoting those who have a knowledge of the cognitions (scientia cognitionum) of truth from the sense of the letter of the Word, and do not live according to it (concerning which see above n. 714), from the signification of the woman, as denoting the church which is in doctrine, and thence in the life, of love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour (concerning which see above n. 707) - the hatred of those signified by the dragon, against that church and its doctrine, is meant by standing before the woman about to bring forth, and by wishing to devour the child; and from the signification of bringing forth, as denoting to bring forth such things as pertain to the church, which are doctrinals, here those concerning love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour, for the male child which the woman brought forth signifies the doctrine of that church.

Such things are signified by bringing forth, because generations, births, and nativities in the Word mean spiritual generations, births, and nativities, which are effected by means of truths and by a life according to them.

[2] For this reason spiritual generation, which is called regeneration, when treated of in the Word, is described by natural generation and birth. As in John:

Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, unless a man be born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the spirit is spirit" (3:3-6).

Since Nicodemus did not understand the spiritual meaning of the Lord's words that a man must be born anew, the Lord explained that to be born again signified to be born of water and the spirit, thus to be regenerated, that is by means of truths from the Word, and by a life according to them, for water signifies truths, and spirit a life according to them. But in other places in the Word, where to travail, to bring forth, to beget, and to be born are mentioned, there is no explanation, and yet spiritual travailing, birth, nativity, and bringing forth are meant, since the Word in the letter is natural, but in its bosom, spiritual. To bring forth signifies to bring forth spiritually, because the man who is being regenerated is similarly conceived as it were, carried in the womb, born, and educated, as a man is conceived of his father, carried in the womb of his mother, born and afterwards educated.

[3] In order to substantiate the spiritual signification of births and nativities in the Word, some passages shall be here cited from it.

In Isaiah:

"Blush, O Zidon, the sea hath said, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not travailed neither brought forth, I have not trained up young men, nor brought up virgins; when the report comes from Egypt, they shall be seized with grief as at the report of Tyre" (23:4, 5).

Zidon and Tyre signify the knowledges of good and truth from the Word. That the church has neither acquired anything of intelligence and wisdom through these, nor performed any uses, is signified by not travailing, not bringing forth, not training up young men, not bringing up virgins - young men denoting the truths of the church, and virgins its goods; but these things may be seen explained above (n. 275).

[4] In the same:

"Thy chastening is upon them, as a woman with child that draweth near to her delivery she crieth out in her pangs; so have we done before thee, Jehovah; we have conceived, we have travailed, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought salvation in the earth, neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen; thy dead shall live" (26:16-19).

These things are said of the last times of the church, when falsities and evils increase to such a degree, that men cannot be reformed and regenerated; this state is meant by the chastening of Jehovah upon them. That then it will be difficult to perceive and acquire any truth is signified by a woman with child, who draws near to her delivery, crying out in her pangs. That in the place of truths they imbibe vanities, in which there are no truths, is signified by "we have conceived, we have travailed, we have as it were brought forth wind," wind signifying such vanities; that no uses of life come from these is signified by "we have not wrought salvation" to Jehovah. That still when the Lord should come into the world they must be taught and regenerated by means of truths from Him is signified by "thy dead shall live," and by the words that follow.

[5] In the same:

"Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear, break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail, for more are the sons of the desolate than the sons of the married wife" (54:1).

This treats of the Lord's coming and of a new church to be established by Him among the nations, meant by the barren who did not bear, and by the desolate who shall have many sons; they are called barren because they knew not the Lord, neither had the Word in which are truths, and therefore they could not be regenerated; sons denote truths from the Lord through the Word. A church which possesses the Word, from which the Lord is known, is meant by the married wife who has no sons; the joy of those who are of a new church, and who had not truths before, is signified by "break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail," to travail denoting to bear in the womb.

[6] In the First Book of Samuel:

"They who were driven have girt themselves with strength, they that are full have hired themselves out for bread, and they that are hungry have ceased, even till the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children hath failed" (2:5).

This is the prophetic song of Hannah, the mother of Samuel. Those driven that must be girded with strength mean the nations with whom the church was to be, who are therefore called driven from a want of the knowledges of truth, and who are therefore cast out by those of the church, at that time the Jewish church; to be girded with strength signifies that they have truths from good, and thus power. They that are full have hired themselves for bread, and they that are hungry have ceased, mean those who were of the Jewish church, who are said to be full because they had truths in abundance, and to be hired for bread because they could be led to learn and to do them only as hirelings. That they did not desire to know them is signified by they that are hungry have ceased. The same church is also meant by she that hath many children hath failed. But the nations that would acknowledge the Lord, and receive the Word, and thus suffer themselves to be born anew into the church, are meant by the barren that shall bear seven; seven signifies all and many, and is used in reference to the holy things of the church.

[7] In Jeremiah:

"She that bare seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul, her sun shall set while it is yet day" (15:9).

This signifies that a church which possesses all truths because it possesses the Word, shall perish, even until nothing of truth and good will remain. To bear seven, signifies to be gifted with all truths from the Word; to languish, and for the sun to set, signify to perish gradually and at length completely; to breathe out the soul, signifies to perish as to all truths, and for the sun to set, signifies as to all the goods of love; while it is yet day, signifies while the Word is still acknowledged.

[8] In Isaiah:

"Before she travailed she brought forth; before pain came upon her she was delivered of a male child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such a thing? Hath the earth travailed for one day? Shall a nation be born at once? As soon as Zion travailed she brought forth her sons. Shall I break and not bring forth, saith Jehovah, shall I that cause to bring forth shut the womb? Rejoice with Jerusalem, exult in her, all ye that love her, that ye may suck and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations" (66:7-11).

This also treats of the Lord's coming, and of the establishment of the church with the nations. Their reformation and regeneration is described by travailing, bringing forth, being delivered of a male child, and by breaking the matrix and bringing forth; for, as stated above, a man who is born anew is similarly conceived as it were, carried in the womb, born, educated, and grows up, as from a father and mother. Zion and Jerusalem mean the church and its doctrine; and to suck and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations, signifies to be fully instructed in truths from good from the delight of love according to desire; the one day in which these things shall take place signifies the Lord's coming.

[9] In David:

"From before the Lord thou art in travail, O earth, from before the God of Jacob" (Psalm 114:7).

Thou art in travail, O earth, signifies the establishment of the church, or the reformation of those who will be of the church; to travail denoting to receive truths and to be reformed, and the earth denoting the church. It is said from before the Lord, and from before the God of Jacob, because reformation as to good and as to truth is meant; for the Lord is called Lord from good and God from truth.

[10] Again in Jeremiah:

"Behold, I bring them from the land of the north, and I will gather them from the sides of the earth; among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and she that is bringing forth together, a great company they shall return hither" (31:8).

This also treats of the restoration of the church among the nations by the Lord. The nations that are in falsities, and in appearances of truth, such as the truths of the Word are in the sense of the letter, are meant by the land of the north, and by the sides of the earth, the north signifying falsities, and the sides of the earth such ultimate truths; it is thus also said, "Among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and she that brings forth together," the blind denoting those who are not in truths, and the lame those who are not in goods, the woman with child those who receive truths, and she who brings forth those who do them. That the church will be formed of these is signified by Behold, I bring them, I will gather them together, and a great company they shall return hither.

[11] In Isaiah:

"Look unto the rock out of which ye were hewn, and to the digging of the pit out of which ye were digged; look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah who bare you; for I have called him only, and I will bless him, and multiply him; for Jehovah will comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places, and will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah" (51:1-3).

This also is said of the Lord, and a new church from Him. The Lord as to Divine Truth, and as to the doctrine of truth, is meant by the rock out of which they were hewn, and by the pit out of which they were digged, as may be seen above (n. 411). But the Lord as to the Divine, from which reformation comes, is meant by Abraham to whom they shall look, and to Sarah who bare them; for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Word, do not mean those persons, but the Lord as to the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, as may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 1893, 2833, 2836, 3245, 3251, 3305, 3439, 3703, 4615, 6098, 6185, 6276, 6804, 6847). But the heavenly marriage, which is that of Divine Good and Divine Truth, from which all reformation comes, and thus the church, is signified by Abraham, and Sarah, who bare them. Since the Lord is meant by Abraham, it is said, I have called him only, and I will bless him, and I will multiply him," and "Jehovah will comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places," Zion denoting a new church, waste places, truths destroyed, and to comfort, the restoration of the church. That those who will be of that church will acknowledge the Lord, and receive love to Him, and thence wisdom, is signified by His making her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah, Eden signifying love to the Lord, and garden of Jehovah wisdom therefrom.

[12] In Micah:

"O hill of the daughter of Zion, unto thee the kingdom shall come and shall return, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. Now wherefore dost thou shout in shouting? Is there no king in thee? hath thy counsellor perished, that pain seizeth thee as a woman in travail? Be in travail, and bring forth, O daughter of Zion; now thou shalt go out from the city, and shalt dwell in the field" (4:8-10).

The subject here treated of is the spiritual captivity in which the faithful are, when they remain in the church where there is no more truth and good. Their lamentation because they are in that church is signified by "wherefore dost thou shout in shouting," also by pain seizeth thee as a woman in travail when notwithstanding they have the truths of doctrine and also the understanding of them is signified by "Is there no king in thee? hath thy counsellor perished," king signifying truth of doctrine from the Word, and counsellor the understanding of it. That with those who are in the good of charity, and thus in truths of doctrine there will be a church, is signified by the daughter of Zion to whom the kingdom shall come, and by the daughter of Jerusalem, kingdom also signifying the church. The establishment of the church and the reformation of those who are of the church is meant by "Be in travail, and bring forth, O daughter of Zion." "Now thou shalt go out from the city, and shalt dwell in the field," signifies that they will depart from doctrine in which there are no longer any truth and good, and will abide where these abound, city denoting the doctrine from which they will depart, field denoting where truths and goods abound, while to go out denotes to depart, namely, from that doctrine, and to be thus delivered from spiritual captivity.

[13] In David:

Jehovah "raiseth the exhausted out of the dust, he lifteth up the needy from the dunghill, to place him with princes, with the princes of his people he maketh the barren woman to dwell in a house, to be a glad mother of sons" (Psalm 113:7-9).

That those who are in falsities from ignorance, and thus not in goods, must be instructed from the Lord in truths, is signified by Jehovah raising the exhausted out of the dust, and lifting up the needy from the dunghill, the exhausted and the needy denoting those who are in falsities from ignorance, and thus not in goods. The primary truths of the church in which they must be instructed are signified by princes, the princes of the people, with whom they are to be placed. That those who previously had not life from the marriage of truth and good shall possess it, is signified by making "the barren woman to dwell in a house, to be a glad mother of sons," to dwell denoting to live, the house of the barren woman, where there was no marriage of truth and good, and the glad mother of sons, the church, where there are nascent truths from good.

[14] In Hosea:

"As to Ephraim, as a bird shall his glory fly away, from the birth and from the belly and from conception" (9:11).

That this signifies that all understanding of truth will perish from ultimates to primaries, may be seen above, (n. 710:4), where it is explained.

In Luke:

"Woe to them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days; for there shall be great distress, and in this people anger" (21:23).

And in the same:

"Behold, the days shall come, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the bellies that have not borne, and the paps which have not suckled" (23:29; also Matthew 24:19; Mark 13:17).

That this is said of those who live at the end of the church, when no genuine truths can be received without being falsified, may also be seen above (n. 710:8).

[15] In Jeremiah:

"The partridge gathereth but bringeth not forth, acquiring riches, but not with judgment; in the midst of his days he forsaketh them, and in his latter end becometh foolish" (17:11.).

The partridge means those who learn many things from the Word, and from the doctrines of the church, but not for the sake of the uses of life, to bring forth denoting to perform uses, thus to live, and thus to be reformed; the riches which he acquireth not with judgment signify spiritual riches, which are the knowledges of truth and good, - to acquire these not for the sake of uses is to acquire riches not with judgment; that those knowledges which do not enter into the life perish is signified by "in the midst of his days he forsaketh them"; that at length they will have no knowledges of truth that are not falsified, is signified by, in his latter end he shall become foolish.

[16] Since a mother signifies the church, and sons and daughters its truths and goods, and since in the ancient churches, and afterwards in the Jewish church, all things were representative, and thus significative, therefore it was a reproach and dishonour to women to be barren; for this reason Rachel was angry with Jacob that she bare no children, and said, when she brought forth Joseph, "God hath gathered up my reproach" (Genesis 30:1, 23). For the same cause, after Elizabeth had conceived she said, "Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days in which he looked upon me to take away my reproach among men" (Luke 1:24, 25). Thus also it is evident that to travail, to bring forth, and to be born, signify the procreation of such things as pertain to the church.

[17] In Isaiah:

"Woe to him that saith to a father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, with what travailest thou?" (45:10).

This also is said of man's reformation, that it is from the Lord and not from man.

In the same:

King Hezekiah said, when he heard the words of Rabshakeh, "This day is a day of straitness, and of chiding and contumely, and the sons are come to the mouth of the matrix, and there is not strength to bring forth" (37:3).

That truths from the Word may be heard and known, and yet reformation not be affected by them; is signified by "the sons are come to the matrix, and there is no strength to bring forth", to bring forth signifies to render truths fruitful by doing them, from which comes reformation; that this was a grief of heart and mind, and a reproach to the church, is signified by "a day of straitness, of chiding and contumely."

[18] In Ezekiel:

"I will pour out my fury upon Sin, the strength of Egypt, and will cut off the multitude of No; I will give fire in Egypt; Sin shall travail, and there shall not be power to break through" (30:15, 16).

Egypt, Sin, and No, signify the scientifics (scientifica) and fallacies pertaining to the natural man, which hinder man's reformation by truths from the Word; that they will know truths, yet not receive them in the life, and thus be incapable of reformation, is signified by Sin shall travail in labour, but there shall not be power to break through, that is, the matrix. Since to travail signifies to receive the truths of the Word by hearing or reading, and to bring forth signifies to make them fruitful and produce them in act, which is to live according to them, and so to be reformed, therefore when these things take place with straitness and difficulty, because of the falsities and evils which rule in the church, and which hinder and pervert its truths and goods, it is then said that they are seized with pain as of a woman in travail. And as this is the case at the end of the church, it is therefore said, in the Word, of those living at that time, as in this chapter of the Apocalypse: "That the woman being with child, cried out, travailing, and in pain to bring forth" (verse 2), which signifies that spiritual truths and goods, which are from the Word, can be received only with the greatest difficulty and with straitness, because of the opposing evils and falsities then in the church, and which occupy the minds of those who attend to religious things.

[19] This also is signified by the pains as of one in travail, in Jeremiah:

"I heard a voice as of one sick, as of one in travail with her first-born, the voice of the daughter of Zion; she sigheth, she stretcheth out her hands. Woe to me now, for my soul is made desolate by the slayers" (4:31).

The daughter of Zion means a church which is in truths of doctrine from the good of love; this is said to sigh and to stretch out the hands, because her soul is made desolate by the slayers, slayers denoting those who destroy man's spiritual life by falsities and evils. And as on this account spiritual truths and goods cannot be received except with straitness and difficulty, therefore there is said to be lamentation as of one sick and in travail with her first-born, the first-born signifying the first thing of the church, from which all other things follow as from their beginning.

[20] In the same:

"We have heard the fame" of a people coming from the land of the north; "our hands are slackened, straitness hath seized us, pain as of a woman in travail; go not out into the field, and go not into the way, because of the sword of the enemy, terror on every side" (6:24, 25).

The people coming from the land of the north mean those who are in falsities of evil, and, in an abstract sense, the falsities of evil which are in the church, at that time vastated. That then truths will be received in faith and love with the greatest difficulty, because of the opposing falsities of evil, and that there will be pain and grief of mind and heart as a consequence, is signified by the hands are slackened, straitness hath seized on them, and pain as of a woman in travail. That at such a time the things of the church and its doctrine are not to be consulted is signified by "go not out into the field, go not into the way," the field denoting the church, and the way, doctrine. The reason of this is that falsity from hell rushes in, which falsifies and extinguishes the truth, and which is signified by the sword of the enemy and terror on every side, sword denoting falsity destroying truth, enemy denoting hell, and terror, spiritual death.

[21] From this it is evident what is meant by the words of the Lord in Matthew:

"Then let him who is on the house not come down to take anything out of the house, and let him who is in the field not return back. Woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days; then shall be great affliction, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now" (24:17-19, 21).

This also is said of the state of the church near its end, when falsities of evil and evils of falsity have rule, and the truths of the Word are not received except when falsified and adulterated; this is meant by "woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days," and also by "great affliction." But this with the rest of that chapter may be seen consecutively explained in the Arcana Coelestia.

[22] In Jeremiah:

"Ask and see whether a male doth bring forth? Wherefore do I see every man, his hands upon his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces turned into paleness? because that day is great so that none is like it" (30:6, 7).

This again refers to the last state of the church, when a last judgment takes place; the great day is the Lord's coming and judgment at that time from Him. To ask and see whether a male doth bring forth, signifies whether the truth of the Word without good of life can produce anything of the church, since everything of the church is the result of the marriage of good and truth, male (mas) signifying the truth of the church, and wife the good of the church. Wherefore do I see every man, his hands upon his loins, as a woman in travail? signifies why is it thought that truth without good produces those things that pertain to the church; the loins signify marriage, in the spiritual sense - the marriage of truth and good, but the loins of a man as of a woman in travail signify, as if there could be a marriage of truth alone without good. All faces are turned into paleness, signifies that there is nothing of good, because nothing of love and charity, the face denoting the affections which pertain to the love of good, therefore paleness signifies those affections extinguished.

[23] In Isaiah:

"My loins are filled with great pain, pains take hold upon me, as the pains of a woman in travail" (21:3).

This also is said of the last state of the church, when its truths and goods can be received only with much painful effort, because of the evils and falsities which then hinder. The loins, that are said to be filled with pain, signify the marriage of good and truth, from which are heaven and the church, and these are said to be filled with pain, when truth cannot be conjoined with good; this therefore is the signification of pains as of a woman in travail, that take hold upon them.

[24] Pain as of a woman in travail is also said of those who, on account of falsities conjoined with evils of life, are unable any longer to receive truths, which they still desire to receive although destruction threatens, especially in the spiritual world, when a last judgment is at hand, but with fruitless effort and endeavour. This is signified by the pains of a woman in travail in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Howl ye, for the day of Jehovah is nigh; therefore, all hands are slackened, and every heart of man melteth, and they are sore afraid; pangs and pains take hold of them, they are in travail like a woman, a man is amazed at his companion, their faces are faces of flames" (13:6-8).

The day of Jehovah that is near, signifies the last judgment accomplished by the Lord when He was in the world; their terror at that time on account of the impending destruction is signified by "all hands are slackened, and every heart of man melteth, and they are sore afraid." That their efforts to receive the truths and goods of heaven and of the church are then fruitless, because of the falsities of evil in which they were and still are, is signified by Pangs and pains take hold of them; they are in travail like a woman. That they are in the evils of hatred and anger is signified by their faces being faces of flames.

[25] In Jeremiah:

"O inhabitant in Lebanon, having thy nest in the cedars, what favour wilt thou find when pains shall come upon thee, pain as of a woman in travail? I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy soul" (22:23, 25).

This is said of those that have the Word, and thus truths and the understanding of them; these are said to dwell in Lebanon, and to have a nest in the cedars; the destruction of such at the last judgment, and their endeavour then to receive truths, but in vain, because of the hindrances arising from the falsities of evil, is signified by What favour wilt thou find when pains come upon thee, pain as of a woman in travail? That the falsities of evil from hell will then carry them away is signified by I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy soul.

In the same:

"Damascus is become feeble; she hath turned herself to flee, and horror hath taken hold upon her, straitness and pains have seized upon her as a woman in travail" (49:24).

[26] In the same:

"The king of Babel heard the fame" of the people coming from the north, "thus his hands are become feeble, straitness hath taken hold of him, pain as of a woman in travail" (50:43).

In Moses:

"The peoples heard; the pain of travailing women hath seized the inhabitants of Philistia" (Exodus 15:14).

The pains of a woman in travail have a signification in these passages similar to that in those above.

In Hosea:

"The pains of a woman in travail shall come upon" Ephraim; "he is a son not wise, for he doth not stay his time in the womb of sons" (13:13).

These words may be seen explained above (n. 710:18).

In Moses:

Jehovah God said unto the woman, "In multiplying I will multiply thy pain, and thy conception; in pain shalt thou bring forth sons; and thy obedience shall be to thy husband (vir), and he shall rule over thee" (Genesis 3:16).

These words do not mean that women shall bring forth sons in pain, but by the woman is meant the church, which from celestial had become natural, this being signified by eating of the tree of knowledge (scientia). That the man of the church can with difficulty be regenerated by means of truths, and by a life according to them, and that he must undergo temptations in order that truths may be implanted, and conjoined to good, is signified by pain and conception being multiplied, and by bringing forth sons in pain, conception signifying the reception of truth which is from good, and to bring forth sons, signifying to produce truths from the marriage of truth and good. Since in the natural man there are lusts (concupiscentiae) from the love of self and of the world, and since these cannot be removed except by means of truths, therefore it is said that her obedience shall be to her husband, and he shall rule over her; husband (vir), here as well as in other parts of the Word, denoting the truth of the church. That a man is reformed and regenerated by means of truths, and by means of a life according to them, has been shown above. From these things it is now evident that conceptions, births, nativities, and generations in the Word, signify spiritual conceptions, births, nativities, and generations.

710. And she being with child.- That this signifies nascent doctrine from the good of celestial love, is evident from the signification of being with child (or bearing in the womb), when stated of the church, which is signified by the woman, as denoting nascent doctrine of truth from the good of celestial love. For the womb signifies inmost conjugial love, and thus celestial love in its whole extent, and the embryo in the womb, truth of doctrine from the good of celestial love, for it has the same signification as the male child which the woman brought forth, which is described in the fifth verse and which signifies doctrine of truth from the good of love, with this difference, that the embryo, being yet in the womb, derives more from the good of innocence than after birth, therefore by embryo is signified the doctrine of truth equally as by son; but the latter signifies the doctrine itself, while the former signifies nascent doctrine. From these things it is evident that to be with child (or to bear in the womb) signifies nascent doctrine of truth from the good of celestial love.

[2] The womb signifies the inmost good of love, because all the organs whose function is generation, both with males and females, signify conjugial love, and the womb, the inmost thereof, because there the foetus is conceived, and developed until birth; it is also the inmost of the genital organs, and from it also the maternal love called storge is derived. Since a man who is being regenerated is also conceived, and carried as it were in the womb and born, and since regeneration is effected by means of truths from the good of love, therefore to bear in the womb, in the spiritual sense, signifies the doctrine of truth from the good of love. There is also a correspondence of the womb with the inmost good of love; for the whole heaven corresponds to all things with man, concerning which correspondence see Heaven and Hell 87-102); this is also the case with the organs whose function is generation, these correspond there to celestial love. There is also all influx of this love out of heaven into mothers during the time of gestation, and also into embryos; and from this springs the love of their infants with mothers, and innocence with infants. From these things it is evident why the womb signifies the inmost good of love, and to bear in the womb signifies nascent doctrine of truth from the good of love.

[3] That this is the signification of the womb, and of bearing in the womb, is evident from the following passages in the Word.

In Isaiah:

"Attend unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remains of the house of Israel carried from the womb, borne from the matrix, even unto old age I am the same, and even to hoariness I will carry; I have made, I will carry, and I will bear and deliver" (46:3, 4).

This is said of the reformation of the church, and of the regeneration of the men of the church by the Lord. The church is signified by the house of Jacob and by the house of Israel, the external church by the house of Jacob, and the internal by the house of Israel. Those carried from the womb signify those who are being regenerated by the Lord, and those borne from the matrix (vulva) signify those who are regenerated. Because the man who is being regenerated is first conceived by the Lord, and is afterwards born, and lastly educated and perfected, and because regeneration is similar in this respect to the natural generation of man, therefore to be carried from the womb signifies the state of the man who is to be regenerated from conception to birth. Birth itself, and afterwards education and perfection, are signified by to be borne from the matrix; even unto old age I am the same, and even, to hoariness I will carry. I have made, I will carry, and I will bear and deliver, has a similar signification, the former meaning regeneration by means of the goods of love and of charity, and the latter regeneration by means of truths from those goods. To deliver means to take away and remove evils and falsities which are from hell.

[4] In Hosea:

"Ephraim, his glory shall fly away as a bird, and from the birth, and from the belly, and from conception; yea, though they have brought up their sons, yet will I make them bereaved of man. Give to them, O Jehovah, a miscarrying matrix and dry breasts. Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall not bear fruit; even when they have begotten I will slay the desires of their belly" (9:11, 12, 14, 16).

Ephraim means the church as to the understanding of truth and good. That there would be no longer any understanding of Divine Truth in the church is signified by "Ephraim, his glory shall fly away as a bird," glory signifying Divine Truth, and to fly away signifying to be scattered. The expression to fly away is used because it is said of a bird, and mention is made of a bird because a bird signifies such things as belong to the understanding and to thought therefrom. From the birth, and from the belly, and from conception, signifies the dispersion of all truth from its ultimates to primaries, birth signifying its ultimates, because it signifies what has been born; from the belly and from conception signifies what is before birth, thus all things from ultimates to primaries, for when ultimates perish, things prior also successively fall away. Though they have brought up their sons, yet I will make them bereaved of man, signifies although they have procured for themselves truths, nevertheless they will be without intelligence, sons denoting the truths of the church, and man intelligence; therefore to make them bereaved of man signifies that still they have no intelligence.

[5] Give them, O Jehovah, a miscarrying matrix and dry breasts, signifies that they have no longer truths from any good, but falsities from evil, a miscarrying matrix signifying falsities from evil in the place of truth from good, dry breasts have a similar signification, but matrix signifies truths from the good of love, and breasts truths from the good of charity, here falsities from evil contrary to truths. Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, signifies that there was no more any understanding of truth even from primaries, Ephraim here, as above, meaning the understanding of the truth of the church, and root its primary. They shall not bear fruit, signifies not any good, for where there are no truths good does not exist. Even when they have begotten, I will slay the desires of their belly, signifies though they have procured for themselves truths that yet they will perish, the desires of the belly signifying truths procured. It is said the belly instead of the womb, because the belly has the appearance of distention in those who are with child, but yet the term belly is used where truths are treated of, and the womb where good is treated of.

[6] In David:

"For thou art he who took me out of the womb, giving me trust from my mother's breasts; upon thee I was cast from my mother's belly, thou art my God" (Psalm 22:9, 10).

Here also the spiritual regeneration of man is described by such things as belong to natural generation from the mother; therefore Thou art He who took me out of the womb signifies to be regenerated by the Lord, and made a man of the church. Thou givest me trust from my mother's breasts, signifies to be afterwards led and spiritually educated, the mother's breasts signifying spiritual nourishment in such things as belong to the church, mother meaning the church. I was cast upon thee from the womb, signifies that the Lord has done all things from the good of love; and from my mother's belly Thou art my God, signifies that He has done all things by means of truths. For, as said above, where the subject treated of is the good of love, the term womb (uterus) is used, and where truths from that good are treated of, the term belly is used; it is therefore said, "Thou art my God," for where the good of love is treated of, the Lord is called Jehovah, and where truths are treated of, He is called God.

[7] In the Evangelists:

"Woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days" (Matthew 24:19; Mark 13:17; Luke 21:23).

The subject treated of in those chapters is the consummation of the age, which means the end of the church when a last judgment takes place, therefore by those that are with child (or bear in the womb), and those that give suck in those days, over whom lamentation is made, are meant those who then receive the goods of love and the truths of that good. Those that bear in the womb denote those who receive the good of love, and those that give suck denote those who receive the truths of that good, for milk, the means of suckling, signifies truth from the good of love. It is said, Woe unto them - because they are not able to keep the goods and truths which they receive, for then hell prevails, and takes them away, and thus profanation arises. Hell then prevails, because at the end of the church the falsities of evil reign, and take away the truths of good; for man is held in the midst between heaven and hell, and, before a last judgment, that which arises out of hell prevails over that which descends from heaven. Upon this subject see Heaven and Hell 538, 540, 541, 546, 589-596); and the small work concerning The Last Judgment (73, 74).

[8] In Luke:

"Behold, the days shall come, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the bellies which have not borne, and the breasts which have not given suck" (23:29).

These words have a similar signification, they are also spoken of the last time of the church; the barren, and the bellies that have not borne, signify those who have not received genuine truths, that is, truths from the good of love, and the breasts that have not given suck signify those who have not received genuine truths from the good of charity. For all truths are from good; and goods are of a twofold kind, celestial good, which is the good of love to the Lord, and spiritual good, which is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and breasts have a similar signification to that of milk, namely, truth from good.

[9] In the same:

"A woman lifting up her voice from the people said" concerning Jesus, "Blessed is the belly which bare thee, and the breasts which thou hast sucked; but 'Jesus' said, Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it" (11:27, 28).

Since to bear in the belly, and to give suck with the breast, signify the regeneration of man, as said above, therefore the Lord answered, Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it, which describes the regeneration effected by means of truths from the Word, and by a life according to them; to hear the Word of God signifies to learn truths from the Word, and to keep it signifies to live according to them.

[10] In John:

"Nicodemus said, How can a man be born when he is old? he cannot enter into his mother's womb a second time? Jesus answered, Verily, I say unto you, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of the heavens. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the spirit is spirit" (3:4-6).

That Nicodemus was thinking of natural instead of spiritual generation, concerning which the Lord spoke, is evident, therefore the Lord teaches him concerning regeneration, that it is effected by means of truths from the Word, and by a life according to them, and this is signified by being born of water and of the spirit; for water, in the spiritual sense, is truth from the Word, and the spirit is life according to it. That man is born natural, and becomes spiritual by a life according to truths from the Word, is signified by "that which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is born of the spirit is spirit"; that the natural man, unless he becomes spiritual, cannot be saved, is meant by the words, "except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of the heavens."

[11] Since the Lord alone reforms and regenerates man, therefore in the Word He is called the Former from the womb; as in Isaiah:

"Jehovah, thy Maker and Former from the womb, helpeth thee" (44:2, 24).

In the same:

"Jehovah hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother he hath remembered my name. Thus saith Jehovah, my Former from the womb, to be his servant, to bring back Jacob unto him," and Israel shall be gathered to Him (49:1, 5).

In many passages of the Word the Lord is called Creator, Maker, and Former from the womb, and also Redeemer, for the reason that He creates man anew, reforms, regenerates, and redeems. It may be supposed that the Lord is so called because He created man and forms him in the womb, but still it is a spiritual creation and formation which is there meant. For the Word is not only natural, but also spiritual; it is natural for men, who are natural, and spiritual for angels, who are spiritual, as also is evident from this, that the things here said are said of Israel, and, in the highest sense, of the Lord. Israel means the church, thus every man of the church; and because the Lord knows what every one is as to the good of love and truth of faith, therefore it is said, "Jehovah hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother he hath remembered my name"; to call and to know the name of any one signifies to know what he is; from the womb denotes as to the good of love, and from the bowels of my mother, as to truths from that good. Jacob who shall be brought back unto Him, and Israel who shall be gathered to Him, signify the church; Jacob signifies the external church, and Israel the internal church, the latter being in the spiritual, the former in the natural man.

[12] In Jeremiah:

"Before I formed thee in the womb I knew thee, and before thou camest forth from the womb I sanctified thee; I will give thee as a prophet unto the nations" (1:5).

This is said of the prophet Jeremiah, but a prophet, in the spiritual sense, means one that teaches truth, and, in the abstract sense, doctrine of truth; therefore to form in the womb, and to know him before he came forth from the womb, signify the foreseeing that one may be in truths from good by regeneration, thus that one may be able to receive and teach the Word. To sanctify and to give as a prophet to the nations have the same meaning, the nations denoting those who are in good, and who from good receive truths.

[13] In David:

"I have been laid upon thee from the womb; thou art he that brought me forth from my mother's bowels" (Psalm 71:6).

This has a similar meaning.

In the same:

"Lo, sons are the heritage of Jehovah, the fruit of the belly a reward" (Psalm 127:3).

Here sons mean those who are in truths from good, as also elsewhere in the Word; and the fruit of the belly means those who are in good by means of truths, and these have heaven, which is a heritage and also a reward.

[14] In Isaiah:

"Can a woman forget her sucking child and not have compassion on the son of her belly? yea, though these forget, yet will not I forget thee" (49:15).

This is said, because in the spiritual sense regeneration is meant, therefore a comparison is made with a woman, and her love towards her sucking child; the case is similar with one who is regenerated by the Lord.

[15] In David:

"Jehovah hath sworn unto David in truth, Of the fruit of thy belly will I set upon thy throne" (Psalm 132:11).

David here, as also elsewhere, means the Lord as to the spiritual kingdom, which is His royalty, therefore to set the fruit of His belly upon the throne means one who is being regenerated by Him; such a man is called the fruit of His belly, because he is in truths and in a life according to them; the throne which he shall have means heaven. This is the signification of the above words in their spiritual sense, but in the highest sense the Lord and His glorification are meant.

In the same:

"Thou possessest my reins, thou hast covered me in my mother's belly" (Psalm 139:13).

[16] To possess the reins signifies to purify truths from falsities, as may be seen above (n. 167), and to cover in the mother's belly signifies to defend from the falsities of evil which are from hell, and this from the beginning of regeneration and continually afterwards.

[17] In the same:

"The wicked are estranged from the womb, they go astray from the belly, speaking a lie" (Psalm 58:3).

This does not mean that the wicked are estranged from the womb, and that they go astray from the belly, that is, from birth, for no one from birth is estranged from God and goes astray; but to be estranged from the womb signifies that they go back from good to evil from the first day when one could be reformed, and to go astray from the belly signifies to go back in a similar manner from truths to falsities; to speak a lie also signifies to believe falsities. Such are said to go back from the first day when they could be reformed, because the Lord strives to reform all, whoever they may be, beginning from childhood and continuing through boyhood to youth; but those who do not suffer themselves to be reformed, at once turn back.

[18] In Hosea:

"The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up, his sin is hidden, the pains of a travailing woman shall come upon him; he is a son not wise, because he doth not continue his time in the womb of sons" (13:12, 13).

Ephraim signifies the understanding of truth, here the understanding perverted, which is that of falsity instead of truth; its falsity is signified by iniquity, and the evil of falsity by his sin; he is therefore called a son not wise; his not accepting reformation is signified by "the pains of a travailing woman shall come upon him"; "he doth not continue his time in the womb of sons," signifies that he doth not remain in a state of reformation.

[19] In Isaiah:

"I knew that, in dealing treacherously, thou wouldest deal treacherously, and thou wast called by the name of a transgressor from the womb" (48:8).

This is said of the house of Jacob, which signifies the church perverted; to deal treacherously, signifies to act contrary to revealed truths; and to be called by the name of a transgressor from the womb, signifies to turn back from truths from the first time when reformation might be effected; to be called by a name, signifies one's quality as to truths.

[20] In Hosea:

Jacob "supplanted his brother in the womb, and in his strength he fought powerfully with God" (12:3).

No one can know what these words mean, in the internal sense, unless it be known that Jacob and his posterity, even from their fathers downwards, were merely natural, and consequently opposed to the good of heaven and of the church. For he who is natural, and not at the same time spiritual, is opposed to that good, this being procured solely by the conjunction of truth and good, first in the spiritual, and afterwards in the natural man; but Esau signifies natural good in the spiritual man. Now, because Jacob and his posterity were of such a nature, and because they rejected all such good, and this from the very first, it is therefore said of Jacob that he supplanted his brother in the womb. Moreover, the combat of Jacob with the angel, described in Genesis (32:24-31), depicts the tenacity with which they insisted upon possessing the land of Canaan, which means that a church should be instituted among them; this tenacity is depicted by that combat, and also by what is said in the following verse in Hosea:

"And he fought powerfully with the angel; he wept and entreated him" (12:4).

But that they would nevertheless be destitute of any good of celestial and spiritual love is meant by the angel touching the hollow of Jacob's thigh, and by its being put out of joint in wrestling with the angel (Genesis 32:24-31). For the thigh signifies the conjunction of good and truth, and its being put out of joint signifies that with Jacob and his posterity there was no conjunction of truth with good; this is meant by the words "Jacob fought powerfully with God." But see on this subject Arcana Coelestia 4281). That the Israelitish and Jewish nation was not chosen, but was accepted in order to represent a church, because of the stubbornness with which their fathers and Moses persisted, may be seen in the same work (n. 4290, 4293, 7051, 7439, 10430, 10535, 10632).

[21] In Moses:

The sons strove with each other in the belly of Rebecca; and "Jehovah said, Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels, and people shall prevail over people, and the elder shall serve the younger. And the days were fulfilled to bring forth, and, lo, twins were in her womb; and the first came forth red all over, like a hairy garment, and they called his name Esau; and afterwards his brother came forth, and his hand had hold of the heel of Esau, and he called his name Jacob" (Genesis 25:20-26).

These historical statements involve what has just been said above concerning Jacob and his posterity, - that they were merely natural, and thus not in any natural good from what is spiritual, which is signified by Esau. That Jacob's posterity had not that good is signified by Jacob, as he came forth out of his mother's womb taking hold of the heel of Esau, the heel signifying the ultimate Natural. But these things are also explained in the Arcana Coelestia.

[22] In the same:

"From the God of thy father, and he will help thee, and with the Almighty (Schaddai), and he will bless thee, with the blessings of heaven from above, with the blessings of the abyss lying beneath, with the blessings of the breasts and of the womb" (Genesis 49:25).

This is the blessing of Joseph by his father Israel, which is also explained in the Arcana Coelestia, (n. 6428-6434), where it is shown that the blessings of the breasts signify the affections for good and truth, and the blessings of the womb the conjunction of good and truth, thus regeneration.

[23] In the same:

"That" Jehovah "may love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee, that he may bless the fruit of thy belly, and the fruit of thy ground, thy corn, and thy new wine, thy oil, the young of thine oxen, and the rams of thy flock" (Deuteronomy 7:13).

And in another place:

"Blessed be the fruit of thy belly, and the fruit of thy ground, the young of thine oxen, and of the sheep of thy flock" (Deuteronomy 28:4).

These words were spoken to the sons of Jacob, who understood them only naturally, that is, according to the sense of the letter, because they were completely natural, and not in the least degree spiritual. But those blessings signify spiritual blessings, which pertain to heaven, and thus to eternal life - the fruit of the belly signifying the good of love and the truth of that good; the fruit of the ground, everything pertaining to the church; the corn and new wine (mustum), all good and truth in the natural man; the young of oxen, and of the sheep of the flock, their affections, exterior and interior. In general all those things signify the fructification and multiplication of truth and good.

[24] In Isaiah:

"Behold, I stir up against them the Medes, who will not esteem silver, and in gold they will not take delight, whose bows shall dash in pieces the young men, and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the belly; their eye shall not spare the sons" (13:17, 18).

The Medes mean those who make no account of the truth and good of the church, and who destroy those things of the understanding and love that are therefrom - the silver, which they will not esteem, and the gold, in which they will not take delight, signifying the truth and good of heaven and of the church, silver their truth, and gold their good. Their bows shall dash in pieces the young men, and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the belly, signifies that falsities of doctrine will destroy all the understanding of truth and all the good of love; bow signifying falsity of doctrine, young men the understanding of truth, and the fruit of the belly the good of love. Their eye shall not spare the sons, signifies that their perverted understanding and their insanity will lay waste all the truth of the church, sons denoting truths, and the eye the understanding perverted, which is insanity. It must be observed that the Medes do not mean the Medes, but those persons and things in the church that lay it waste.

[25] In Matthew:

The Pharisees said, "Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? Jesus answering, said, Have ye not read, that he who made them from the beginning made them male, and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh? Therefore they are no more two but one flesh; what therefore God hath joined together, no man shall put asunder. Moses, for the hardness of your heart, suffered you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery, and whosoever marrieth her that is put away, committeth adultery. The disciples said, If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry. But Jesus said, All do not receive this word, but those to whom it is given; for there are eunuchs who are so born from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of God. He who is able to receive, let him receive" (19:3-12).

That there are interior arcana contained in these words is evident from the Lord's saying, that all do not receive these words, but those to whom it is given. Men have scarcely any understanding of the interior arcanum contained in the above words spoken by the Lord, but all the angels in heaven understand it, because they perceive the words of the Lord spiritually, and the arcana contained therein are spiritual, namely, that there are marriages in the heavens equally as on earth, but in the heavens marriages are of like with like. For man is born to act from the understanding, but woman from affection, and the understanding with men is the understanding of truth and good, and affection with women is the affection for truth and good; and as all understanding derives its life from affection, therefore the two there are conjoined just as affection which is of the will is conjoined with a correspondent thought belonging to the understanding. For the understanding is different with every one just as the truths from which the understanding is formed are different.

In general there are celestial truths, spiritual truths, moral truths, civil truths, and in fact natural truths, and of every kind of truth there are species and varieties innumerable. And in consequence of this the understanding of one person is never like the understanding of another, or the affection of one like that of another; still, in order that understanding and affection may act unitedly, they are so conjoined in heaven that the correspondent affection of the woman is conjoined with the correspondent understanding of the man. This is the reason why the life of each, from correspondence, is full of love. Now, because two different affections cannot correspond to one understanding, a man never has and never can have more than one wife in heaven.

[26] From these things what is spiritually meant by the above words of the Lord can be seen and inferred; for example by "a man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be one flesh," is meant that a man will leave the evil and falsity which he has from his religion and which defile his understanding, thus that which he has from father and mother, and that his understanding, being separated from these, will be conjoined with the correspondent affection of the wife; by this means the two become one affection for truth and good. This is meant by the one flesh, in which the two will be; for flesh, in the spiritual sense, signifies the good which belongs to love or affection. Therefore, they are no more two but one flesh, signifies that thus the understanding of truth and good, and the affection for good and truth, are not two, but one, just as the understanding and the will, being indeed two, are nevertheless one; and as truth and good, and faith and charity, being two are nevertheless one; that is to say, when truth is of good, and good is of truth, also when faith is of charity, and charity is of faith; this also is the source of love conjugial.

[27] Moses for the hardness of their hearts suffered them to put away a wife for every cause, because the Israelites and Jews were natural and not spiritual, and those who are completely natural are also hard in heart, because they are not in conjugial love, but in lascivious love, such as is that of adultery. It is said that whosoever shall put away a wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery, because fornication signifies falsity, and with a woman the affection for evil and falsity, thus all affection which does not at all agree with the understanding of truth and good; and on account of that discordance, conjugial love, which is of truth and good, and thus is heaven and the church with man, entirely perishes; for when there is no interior conjunction, which is that of minds and dispositions, the marriage is dissolved. He who marries her that is put away also commits adultery, because she that is put away on account of fornication means an affection for evil and falsity, as said above, which must not be conjoined with any understanding of truth and good, for by such means the understanding is perverted, and also becomes an understanding of falsity and evil; and the conjunction of falsity and evil is spiritual adultery, as the conjunction of truth and good is spiritual marriage.

[28] The reason why the Lord afterwards spoke concerning eunuchs, was that the disciples said, "If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry;" and since marriages among the Jewish nation, which was a nation hard in heart because in falsities from evil, were not marriages, but, understood in a spiritual sense, were adulteries, therefore also that nation was called by the Lord an adulterous generation. This is why the Lord spoke concerning eunuchs, who mean those who do not desire to enter into marriage, that is, to be conjoined with affection for evil, because by that means the understanding of truth and good would be perverted and dissipated. Thus eunuchs mean both the married and the unmarried, in whom the understanding of truth and good is conjoined with affection for truth and good. They are called eunuchs, because they have no lasciviousness such as those have, who, from hardness of heart, in which the Jews were, have married more than one wife, and divorced them for every cause.

[29] It must be first observed that the marriage of the understanding of truth and good with affection for truth and good has, in general, a threefold origin, and thus is in a threefold degree. In the highest degree there is the marriage of those who are called celestial, in a lower degree, of those who are spiritual, and in the lowest degree, of those who are natural; for there are three degrees of man's interiors, and thus there are three heavens; those who are in the highest heaven are called celestial, those in the lower, spiritual, and those in the lowest, natural.

The marriage of the understanding of truth and good with the affection for truth and good in the Celestial is meant by the eunuchs who are born eunuchs from their mother's womb, because, when such are being regenerated, they receive truths immediately in the life, through the love of truths; for this reason they know truths from truths themselves; and their regeneration from the Lord through love to Him is signified by being made eunuchs in the womb, thus being free from the lasciviousness of adultery.

[30] But the marriage of the understanding of truth and good with the affection for truth and good with the spiritual, is meant by eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, for these are not regenerated in the womb, that is, through love, but by means of truths first received in the memory, afterwards intelligently in the thought, and so finally in the life through a certain spiritual affection. These are said to be made eunuchs by men, because they are reformed from the memory through the understanding; and man signifies that understanding, as also above, where man and wife are mentioned. But the marriage of the understanding of truth and good with the affection for truth and good with the natural, is meant by the eunuchs who make themselves eunuchs; for the natural, by means of cognitions and knowledges (scientiae), get to themselves a natural light (lumen), and by means of the good of life according to these they acquire affection, and thus conscience. And as these know no otherwise than that they themselves do this - for the natural man does not enjoy the intelligence of the spiritual man, or the perception of the celestial man - therefore they are meant by those who make themselves eunuchs, but this is so said from appearance, and from their obscure faith. This, therefore, is the meaning of becoming eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of God. And because few apprehend these things, the Lord says, He who is able to receive, let him receive. But for the illustration of this subject see what is said in Heaven and Hell concerning the two kingdoms into which the heavens are distinguished, and concerning the three heavens according to the three degrees of the interiors of man (n. 20-40), and concerning marriages in heaven (n. 366-386).

[31] It is said of John the Baptist, that he was filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother's womb; and that [the babe] leaped in the womb at the salutation of Mary (Luke 1:15, 41, 44). This signified that he was about to represent the Lord as to the Word, as Elijah represented Him; for in the Word, which is Divine Truth, there is everywhere the marriage of Divine Good and Divine Truth, and Divine Good united with Divine Truth is the Divine proceeding from the Lord, which is called the Holy Spirit. The leaping in the womb at the salutation of Mary represented the joy arising from the love of the conjunction of good and truth, thus the joy of heavenly conjugial love, which is in every particular of the Word. That John the Baptist, like Elijah, represented the Lord as to the Word may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 7643, 9372).

[32] The signification of the male that first opened the womb shall also be stated. Of this it is said in Moses:

"When Jehovah hath brought thee into the land of Canaan, thou shalt cause to pass over to Jehovah every one that shall open the womb, and every firstling that cometh of a beast, as many males as thou hast shall be Jehovah's. But every first born among thy sons thou shalt redeem. And it shall come to pass that if thy son shall ask thee in time to come, saying, What is this? thou shalt say unto him, By might of hand Jehovah brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of servants, when he slew all the first-born in the land, from the first-born of man even to the first-born of beast; therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah every one that shall open the womb, males; and all the first-born of my sons I redeem" (Exodus 13:11, 15; 34:19, 20).

That the Levites were accepted in the place of these, also in the same:

"Behold, I have accepted the Levites out of the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of all the first-born that openeth the womb among the sons of Israel, that the Levites may be mine; because every first-born is mine, in the day when I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to me all the first-born in Israel; from man even to beast they shall be mine" (Numbers 3:12, 13; 8:16, 17).

The spiritual meaning that lies concealed in this statute does not appear, until it is known that natural generations and nativities signify spiritual generations and nativities; also, that all the organs of generation correspond to celestial love and its productions, which are uses, and are called the truths of that love. Because this is the case, and because marriage in the spiritual sense signifies the marriage of good and truth, as stated above, therefore the signification, in the same sense, of him that openeth the womb, or the first-born male is evident. By him that openeth the womb, or the first-born male is signified that which is first born from celestial love, and from the perception of good and truth; and this is evidently truth from good, which serves as a beginning to what follows; this in its essence is spiritual good, for such good, in its form, is truth from good, or, what is the same, truth from good, in its essence, is spiritual good. This is signified by him that openeth the womb, the first-born male, because the womb corresponds to inmost conjugial love, which in its essence is celestial love; and from this love spiritual good is produced, which in its form is truth from good, and specifically, that truth from good which serves as a beginning to what follows. That which serves as a beginning is everything, as regards their essential, in the things which succeed, because it is that which rules in them. As this is the signification of him that openeth the womb, or the first-born male, therefore it was sanctified to Jehovah, and by it all the subsequent offspring were also sanctified.

[33] It must be understood that the goods of heaven and of the church are of three degrees; the good of the inmost degree, thus also of the inmost heaven, is called the good of celestial love; the good of the lower degree, which is also the good of the middle heaven, is called the good of spiritual love; and the good of the lowest degree, which is also the good of the ultimate heaven, is called natural good. These goods, as they follow in order, so are also born in order. The good of natural love is born from the good of spiritual love, and the good of spiritual love is born from the good of celestial love. This is the reason that by him that openeth the womb, the first-born male, is signified the good of spiritual love born from the good of celestial love.

[34] Since beasts signify affections, beasts of the herd exterior affections, and beasts of the flock interior affections, therefore also the first-born of these were sanctified. That this is the case is also evident from this, that the Levites were received in the place of all the first-born. For Levi - and thus the Levite - signifies spiritual good from celestial good; consequently the priesthood, which signifies celestial good, was given to Aaron and his sons, and the ministry of that good, which signifies truth from good, was given to the Levites. That this was the signification of the tribe of Levi, may be seen above (n. 444). The reason the statute concerning the first-born was given to the sons of Israel because all the first-born in Egypt were slain, was that the first-born in Egypt there signify falsities from evil contrary to or opposed to truths from good, thus infernal evil contrary to or opposed to spiritual good; and that when those falsities from evil in man are slain, that is, removed, truths from good, that is, spiritual good, then begin to flow in from the Lord, and to be received by man. From these things it is evident what was represented and signified by that statute in the spiritual sense. What was signified by God's closing up every womb of the house of Abimelech on account of Sarah, Abraham's wife, and by God's healing Abimelech, his wife, and their maid-servants, so that they brought forth after Abraham had prayed for them (Genesis 20:17, 18), may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia, where the passage is explained.