THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 8

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation.)

1. AND Jehovah said unto me, Take unto you a large roll, and write on it with a man's pen, MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ; [that is, Hasten to the spoil, take quickly the prey.]

VERSE 1. Maher-shalal-hash-baz. - That by "names", in Scripture, are signified things, and that they involve an infinity of meaning, see above, Chapter 4:1, the Exposition.

2. And I called unto me for a testimony faithful witnesses, Uriah, the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

Verse 2. Uriah, the priest. - That "priests", and the priestly office, signify the Lord as to Good, and His work of salvation; and that "kings" represented the Lord as to Truth, and His divine royalty, see above, Chapter 1:1, the Exposition.

3. And I approached unto the prophetess: and she conceived, and bare a son. And Jehovah said unto me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz: -

4. For before the child shall know to pronounce: My father; and my mother, the riches of Damascus shall be borne away, and the spoil of Samaria, before the king of Assyria.

5. And Jehovah spake also unto me again, saying,

Verse 3. And she conceived, and bare a son. - "Conceptions" and "births", when mentioned in the Word, signify regeneration, or the new birth, without which no man can enter into the kiugdom of God." (John 3:3, 5)

An idea of the necessity of regeneration, and of the process by which it is effected, is involved in the following general propositions:

I. That unless a man be born again, and as it were created anew, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God, True Christian Religion 573-576.

II. That new generation or creation is effected of the Lord alone by charity and faith, as two mediums, while man cooperates, 576-579.

III. That inasmuch as all are redeemed, all may be regenerated, everyone according to his state, 579-583.

IV. That the work of regeneration resembles that of man's conception, of his being carried in the womb, being born, and educated, 583-587.

V. That the first act of new generation is called reformation, which act is of the understanding; and that the second act is called regeneration, which act is of the will, and thence of the understanding, 587-591.

VI. That the internal man is first to be reformed, and by this the external, and that man is thus regenerated, 591-596.

VII. That whilst this is effecting, combat arises between the internal and external man, and in this case he who conquers rules over the other, 596-601.

VIII. That the regenerate man has a new will and a new understanding, 601-607.

IX. That the regenerate man is in communion with the angels of heaven, and the unregenerate man is in communion with the spirits of hell. 607-611.

X. That so far as man is regenerated, so far sins are removed, and that this removal is what is meant, by the remission of sins, 611-615.

XI. That there can be no regeneration without free-will in spiritual things, 615-618.

XII. That there can be no regeneration without truths, by which faith is formed, and with which charity conjoins itself. 518-621. See also The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 173-187.

[To "bear a son" signifies, when predicated of the prophet's wife, to bring forth the genuine doctrine of the church. Thus the "male child" born of the woman, in the Apocalypse (Chapter 12), signifies the doctrine of the New Jerusalem which was given from the Lord out of heaven, by means of His Word. Apocalypse Explained 711. See this demonstrated in n. 710 of the same work.]

6. Because this people refuse the waters of Shiloah which flow softly, and rejoice in Retzin and the son of Remaliah;

Verse 6. By the "waters" of the lake or fish-pool of Siloam, or Shiloah, are signified the truths of the Word, for all things were significative, even to the waters in Jerusalem.

By "washing" in these waters, (John 9:11) is signified to purify the mind from fallacies which in themselves are falsities. Hence it may be manifest what is meant by the Lord commanding the blind man whom He healed to "go and wash in the pool of Siloam." For all the miracles and actions of the Lord, when He was in the world, signified divine, celestial, and spiritual things, that is, such things as are of heaven and the church, and this by reason that they are divine, and the Divine or the Lord always operates in ultimates by first principles, and thus in fulness. Ultimates are such things in the world as appear before the eyes; hence it is that the Lord spake; and that the Word is written by such things in nature as correspond Apocalypse Explained 475.

[Thus to "refuse or reject the waters of Shiloah" is to reject the truths of the Word; hence It was that the calamities described in the following verses came upon the people of Judah.]

"Waters flowing softly" signify things spiritual; and the "waters strong and many, which came up even to the neck", denote falsities destroying the church. Arcana Coelestia 790.

7. Therefore, behold, the Lord [Adonai] bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, the strong and the many; even the king of Assyria and all his glory: and it shall rise over all its channels, and it shall go over all its banks:

8. And shall pass through Judah, and shall overflow and go over, even to the neck shall it reach: and the spreadings of his wings shall be over the full breadth of Your land, O Immanuel !

Verse 7. By "Ashur, and the king thereof", in the Word is signified the rational principle, in the .present case, perverted; hence by his river, which was Euphrates, is understood ratiocination, and by the "waters of the river" are understood falsities confirmed by ratiocinations. These, therefore, are signified by the "waters of the river, strong and many", which are called "strong" from cupidity, and "many" from falsity; the abundance of falsities from evil destroying the truths of good in the church is signified by the "waters of the river coming up over all his channels and over all his banks", also by "going through Judah and overflowing"; by "Judah" is signified the church where the Word is. Apocalypse Explained 518. See also 569.

Verse 8. And shall pass through Judah, and shall overflow, etc. -Here also the "king of Ashur" signifies ratiocination from falsities against truths; "he shall go through Judah, he shall overflow and go over", signifies that he will destroy the good of the church; to "overflow" is predicated of falsities, because they are signified by "waters"; "even to the neck" signifies that so there shall no more be any communication of good and truth; and "the spreadings out or movements of his wings shall be over the full breadth of Your land, O Immanuel", signifies that falsities shall be against all the truths of the church of the Lord. That the "breadth of the land" signifies the truths of the church, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 197; and hence in an opposite sense it signifies falsities, wherefore "the spreadings or movements of his wings" signifies ratiocinations from falsities against truths. "Fulness" signifies all; thus the "fulness of the breadth of the land" signifies all the truths of the church. Apocalypse Explained 304.

"Wings" denote reasonings, whence come falsities; the "fulness of breadth" denotes that it was full of falsities or things contrary to truth. Arcana Coelestia 1613.

9. Associate yourselves, O you peoples, and you shall be broken to pieces; and, give ear, all you of distant lands: gird yourselves, and you shall be broken to pieces; gird yourselves, and we shall be broken to pieces.

10. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us [Immanuel].

Verses 9, 10. That those represented by "Assyria" would unite and take counsel together how they might extinguish the doctrine of a true faith, but still their counsel would be vain, and they themselves would be in the greatest terror, as formerly, so at the present time, for their acts [and counsels] will be vain, because God is with us, that is, Immanuel [or the Lord in His Humanity]. Concerning Whom, see above, Chapter 7:14, the Exposition. (Swedenborg's Notes on Isaiah, p. 17.)

11. For thus said Jehovah unto me, with a strong hand, and instructed me, not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

12. Say you not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy: and fear you not [the object of] their fear; neither shall you dread.

Verses 11, 12. These words signify that the doctrine of Truth is confirmed, because it is the Truth, first, that they (the Lord's people whom the prophet addresses) "should not walk in the way of this people", nor say, "A confederacy" [with Assyria], nor should they consociate themselves with any others than with the Lord Himself, and thus should not conspire with others, as with idolators, against Him, as "this people" have done; who conspired, as Ahaz and others did, because they feared them [the AssyriansJ, believing that their idols, or the gods of the nations, could do all things; but that the God of Israel alone, (verse 13) that is, the Lord, who is Jehovah, "should be their fear", or the Object of their fear. (Swedenborg's Notes on Isaiah, p. 17)

13. Jehovah of Hosts Himself shall you sanctify; and He shall be [the Object of] your fear, and He your dread.

Verse 13. Jehovah of Hosts Himself shall you sanctify, and He shall be [the Object of] your fear, and He your dread. - Where "fear" is mentioned for the spiritual man, and "dread" for the natural man. That the spiritual man may not be in such fear as is that of the natural man, it is sometimes said, "fear not", as in Isaiah, "Fear not, O Jacob and Israel, for I have redeemed you, calling you by name; you art Mine." (Isaiah 43:1)

And in Luke, "Fear not, little flock; for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32) Apocalypse Explained 696.

14. And He shall be [unto you] for a Sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to the two houses of Israel; for a snare and for a trap to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Verse 14. He shall be a stone of stumblinq and a rock of offence, etc. Where the subject treated of is concerning the Lord. A "stone of stumbling and rock of offence" denotes being offended; a "trap and a snare" mean destruction, that is, of those who oppose and attempt to destroy the truths and goods of faith in the Lord, by falsities which favour the loves of self and of the world: for all the proud are not only scandalized or offended, but are also ensnared by this, that the Divine [Being] has appeared in a human form, and on this occasion not in royal majesty, but in a despised appearance. From these considerations it is now evident, that by the expression, "shall be for a snare", is signified the enticement and deception of evils, and the destruction thence derived. Arcana Coelestia 9348.

The Lord's divine or essential Human is what excites enmity; that this would be an "offence" and a "scandal", is declared throughout the Word. Arcana Coelestia 3488. [Hence the Lord says "Blessed is he who is not offended in Me." Luke 7:23.]

A snare and a trap. "Snares "derive their signification from the enticement and deceit of evils; which enticement and deceit proceed from this ground, that all evils originate in self-love and the love of the world, and these loves are connate with man, the consequence of which is, that man derives from them the delight of his life at its earliest birth, yea, derives from them his life; wherefore those loves, like the latent currents of a river, continually draw the thoughts and will of man from the Lord to himself, and from heaven to the world, thus from the truths and goods of faith to falsities and evils. Reasonings grounded in the fallacies of the senses, in this case, have a powerful, influence; and this also is the reason why the literal sense of the Word is perversely explained and applied. Those are the things which, ill the spiritual sense of the Word, are meant by snares, pitfalls, nets, and gins; also, by frauds and deceits. Arcana Coelestia 9348.

15. And many among them shall stumble, and shall fall, and be broken; and shall be ensnared, and taken.

Verse 15. To "stumble'' denotes to be scandalized or offended, and hence from truths to slide into falsities; to "fall and to be broken" denotes to be dissipated. Arcana Coelestia 9163.

16. Bind up the Testimony, seal the Law, for My disciples.

Verse 16. The precepts of the Decalogue were called a "Testimony", because they had relation to a covenant, thus to conjunction between the Lord and man, "which conjunction cannot exist unless man keeps those precepts, not only in the external form, but also in the internal; wherefore it is good confirmed by truth, and truth derived from good, which is signified by "testimony." This being the case, the tables were also called "tables of the covenant", and the ark, the "ark of the covenant." Hence, then, it is evident "what is signified in the Word by "testimony" in a genuine sense, as in Isaiah 8:16. Arcana Coelestia 4197.

Seal the Law, etc. - In the Word there is frequent mention made of the "Law", and it may be expedient to show what is meant by it in its confined sense, what in a more extensive sense, and what in a sense most extensive. In a confined sense, the Decalogue is meant by the "Law"; in a more extensive sense, it is used to mean the statutes given by Moses to the children of Israel; and in a sense most extensive, it means the whole Word. That by the "Law", in a confined sense, the Decalogue is meant, is well known; but that in a more extensive sense, the statutes 'given by Moses to the children of Israel are meant by the "Law"; is evident from the particular statutes in Leviticus being so called; as, for instance "This is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings." (Leviticus 7:11) "This is the law of the trespass-offering." (Leviticus 7:1)

Yea, the whole book of Moses is called the "Law"; (Deuteronomy 31:9, 11, 12, 26) as also in the New Testament. (Luke 2:22; 24:44; John 1:45; 7:23; 8:5; and in other places.)

That these statutes were meant by "the works of the Law", mentioned by Paul, where he says; that "man is justified without the works of the law, (Romans 3:28) is very evident from what follows those words, and also from his words to Peter, whom he blames for Judaizing, "where he says three times in one verse, that "no man is justified by the works of the law"; (Galatians 2:16)

That by the "Law", in its most extensive sense, is meant the whole Word, is plain from these passages:

Jesus said, (John 10:34) "Is it not written in your law, You are gods? This is written in Psalm 82:6.

"The people answered Him, We have heard out of the law; that Christ abideth for ever." (John 12:34)

This is written, Psalm 89:29; 110:4; Daniel 7:14.

"That the "Word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, They hated Me without a Muse." (John 15:25)

This is written, Psalm 35:19.

In these passages the whole Sacred Scripture is meant by the "Law", as may be seen in many places in the Psalms of David. True Christian Religion 288.

17. And I will wait for Jehovah, who hideth His faces from the house of Jacob; and I will look for Him,

Verse 17. The "faces of Jehovah", or the Lord, signify the Divine Love, and all the Good in heaven and the church thence derived; "hiding the faces", where it is predicated of Jehovah or the Lord, signifies to leave man in his proprium or selfhood, and thence in the evils and falsities which flow from his proprium; for man viewed in himself is nothing but evil, and the false thence derived, and is withheld from those principles by the Lord that he may be in good, which is effected by an elevation from his proprium. It is said that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, "hideth His faces" on account of iniquity and sin, and that He is entreated "not to hide His faces", when, nevertheless, He never hides or withdraws His Divine Good and Divine Truth, which are signified by His "faces", for He is Love itself, and Mercy itself, and desires the salvation of all, wherefore He is present with all and with everyone, even with those who are in iniquities and sins, and by his presence upholds them in the liberty of receiving Him, that is, of receiving Truth and Good from Him, whence they also do receive, if from liberty they desire it. Apocalypse Explained 412.

18. Behold, I, and the children whom Jehovah has given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Jehovah of Hosts, who dwells in Mount Zion.

Verse 18. For signs and for wonders in Israel. - By a "sign" is understood that which declares, testifies, and persuades concerning a thing inquired after; but by a "miracle", or wonder, is understood that which excites, strikes, and induces astonishment. Thus a "sign" moves the understanding and faith, and a "miracle" the will and its affection; for the will and its affection is what is excited, is stricken, and amazed, and the understanding and its faith is what is persuaded, what a declaration is made to, and what admits of testification. Apocalypse Explained 706.

Jehovah of Hosts, who dwelleth in Mount Zion. - "Jehovah of Hosts", see Chapter 1:9, . Exposition. "Mount Zion", see Chapter 2:2, the Exposition.

19. And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto wizards, to them that chirp and that mutter: [then say you] Should not a people seek unto their God? should they seek, instead

Verses 19, 20. And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them: that have familiar spirits and unto wizards, etc. - It is believed by many that man may be taught of the Lord by spirits speaking with him; but they who believe this, and are willing to believe it, do not know that it is connected with danger to their souls. Man, so long as he lives in the world, is, as to his spirit, in the midst of spirits, and yet spirits do not know that they are with. man, nor does man know that he is with spirits. The reason is, because they are conjoined as to affections of the will immediately, and as to thoughts of the understanding mediately; for man thinks naturally, but spirits think spiritually; and natural and spiritual thought do not otherwise make one than by correspondences; a union by correspondences causes that one does not know anything concerning the other. But as soon as spirits begin to speak with man, they come out of their spiritual state into the natural state of man, and in this case they know that they are with man, and conjoin themselves with the thoughts of his affection, and from those thoughts speak with him. They cannot enter into anything else, for similar affection and consequent thoughts conjoin all, and dissimilar separate. It is owing to this circumstance that the speaking spirit is in the same principles with the man to whom he speaks, whether they be true or false, and likewise that he excites them, and by his affection conjoined to the man's affection strongly confirms them. Hence it is evident that, none other than similar spirits speak with man, or manifestly operate upon him, for manifest operation coincides with speech; hence it is that no other than enthusiastic spirits speak with enthusiasts; also, that no other than Quaker spirits operate upon Quakers, and Moravian spirits upon Moravians; the case would be the same with Arians, and with Socinians. All spirits speaking with man, are no other than such as have been men in the world, and were then of such a quality: that this is the case, as been given me to know by repeated experience. And what is ridiculous, when man believes that the Holy Spirit speaks with him, or operates upon him, the spirit also believes that he is the Holy Spirit;. this is common with enthusiastic spirits. From these considerations it is evident to what danger man is exposed, who speaks with spirits, or who manifestly feels their operation. Man is ignorant of the quality of his own affection, whether it be good or evil, and with what other beings it is conjoined, and if he is in the conceit of his own intelligence, his attendant spirits favour every thought which is thence derived. In like manner if any one is disposed to favour particular principles, enkindled by a certain fire, which has place with those who are not in truths from genuine affection; when a spirit from similar affection favours man's thoughts or principles, then one leads the other, as the blind lead the blind, until both fall into the pit. The Pythonics, or those had "familiar spirits", formerly were those of this description, and lIkewise the magicians in Egypt and in Babel, who by reason of discourse with spirits, and of the operation of spirits felt manifestly in themselves, were called wise. But by this the worship of God was converted into the worship of demons, and the church perished: wherefore such communications were forbidden the sons of Israel under penalty of death. (See Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Isaiah 8:19, 20)

It is otherwise with those whom the Lord leads, and He leads those who love truths, and will them from HImself; all such are enlightened when they read the Word, for the Lord is in the Word, and speaks with every one according to his comprehension. If these hear speech from spirits, which also they do occasionally, they are not taught, but are led, and this so providently, that the man is still left to himself, since, as was before said, every man is led of the Lord by affections, and thinks from them as from himself In freedom; if this was not the case, man would not be capable of reformation, neither could he be enlightened. But men are enlightened variously, every one according to the quality of his affection and consequent IntellIgence. They who are in the spiritual affection of truth, are elevated into the light of heaven, so as to perceIve the Illustration. Apocalypse Explained 1182, 1183.

Verses 19-22. Should not a people seek unto their God? etc. If they seek not the Lord, "no dawning light will be to any of them", that is, they will not have any light of Truth, which shines forth as the morning light, thus they will not have heaven, for the aurora or morning light is the time in which the kingdom of God Messiah [the Lord) will come. They who do not seek the Lord, and the things which belong to Him, will be destitute of all things spiritual and celestial, because they will have no faith. This destitution and dearth is descrIbed by being "famished" and "thirsty" which will come upon them at the time of death, and in the last time [of the church], The consequence is, that they will be "angry", like those who are deprived of heaven, and they, from their false principle, will "curse their king", that is, the Lord Himself, and at the same time they will "curse their gods", whoever they are. Thus they will "look up towards heaven"; and as they will receive no help from thence, they will "look to the earth", or to inferior things, that they may be consoled thereby, and that they may thereby be taught; but they will only find "distress and darkness." For unless inferior things be regarded from superior things; there is nothing but anxiety, or "affliction and darkness" [in them]; for, affliction and darkness will be together, thus so conjoined as though they were one; wherefore it is said, "darkened by anxiety, and driven or impelled by thick darkness." (Swedenborg's Notes on Isaiah, p.19.)

20. To the Law and to the Testimony [let them seek]; if they will not speak according to this Word, there shall be no dawning light to them.

21. But he shall pass through the land, distressed and famished: and it shall be, when he is famished; and angry with himself, he shall curse his king and his gods, and shall look upward.

Verse 20. No dawning light to them. - The "dawning light", or the aurora, signifies the conjunction of natural Good with celestial-spiritual Good, or with the Divine Good of Truth. This state of conjunction is effected by temptations, hence Jacob "wrestled with the man until the morning dawn" or the aurora, appeared, when the wrestling ceased. (Genesis 32:26)

For when the conjunction between the internal and the external man takes place, then is the "morning dawn" or aurora to man, for he then enters into a spiritual or heavenly state; then also the "light", as of the aurora; appears to him, if he is ill such a state as to be able to perceive it; otherwise his intellectual principle is enlightened as when he awakes out of sleep early in the morning, when the dawn first enlightens and begins the day. Arcana Coelestia 4284.

Verses 21, 22. And it shall be, when he is famished, and angry with himself, he shall curse the king and his gods, and shall look upward; and to the earth shall he look, etc. The subject here treated of is concerning those who are in falsities from a defect of the knowledges of Truth and Good, and concerning their indignation in consequence thereof. That defect or want is described by "their looking upwards, and to the earth, and lo! affliction and thick darkness"; to "look upwards, and to the earth", is to look everywhere for Goods and Truths, "and lo! affliction and thick darkness", , denoting that they are not anywhere to be found, but mere falsities - dense falsity being understood by "thick darkness." Their indignation in consequence thereof is understood by "when he shall be famished and angry, and shall curse his king and his gods"; to be "hungry or famished" denotes a desire to know:

"king" signifies their false principle [Charity 7D]; "gods" the falsities of worship thence derived; and to "curse" means to detest. Apocalypse Explained 386.

22. And to the earth shall he look, and to affliction and darkness; he shall be darkened with distress, and driven by thick darkness.

Verse 22. And lo! affliction and darkness; he shall be darkened with distress, and driven by thick darkness. - In the Word throughout mention is made of "darkness", and also at the same time of "thick darkness; and in such passages "darkness" is predicated of the false, and "thick darkness" of evil together with the false. "Darkness" also signifies ignorance of Truth, such as prevails amongst the nations or Gentiles; and "thick darkness"; the ignorance of Good. Arcana Coelestia 7711.

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Isaiah Chapter 8

1. AND Jehovah said unto me, Take unto you a large roll, and write on it with a man's pen, MAHER-SHALAL-HASH-BAZ; [that is, Hasten to the spoil, take quickly the prey.]

2. And I called unto me for a testimony faithful witnesses, Uriah, the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

3. And I approached unto the prophetess: and she conceived, and bare a son. And Jehovah said unto me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz: -

4. For before the child shall know to pronounce: My father; and my mother, the riches of Damascus shall be borne away, and the spoil of Samaria, before the king of Assyria.

5. And Jehovah spake also unto me again, saying,

6. Because this people refuse the waters of Shiloah which flow softly, and rejoice in Retzin and the son of Remaliah;

7. Therefore, behold, the Lord [Adonai] brings up upon them the waters of the river, the strong and the many; even the king of Assyria and all his glory: and it shall rise over all its channels, and it shall go over all its banks:

8. And shall pass through Judah, and shall overflow and go over, even to the neck shall it reach: and the spreadings of his wings shall be over the full breadth of Your land, O Immanuel !

9. Associate yourselves, 0 you peoples, and you shall be broken to pieces; and, give ear, all you of distant lands: gird yourselves, and you shall be broken to pieces; gird yourselves, and we shall be broken to pieces.

10. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us [Immanuel].

11. For thus said Jehovah unto me, with a strong hand, and instructed me, not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

12. Say you not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy: and fear you not [the object of] their fear; neither shall you dread.

13. Jehovah of Hosts Himself shall you sanctify; and He shall be [the Object of] your fear, and He your dread.

14. And He shall be [unto you] for a Sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to the two houses of Israel; for a snare and for a trap to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

15. And many among them shall stumble, and shall fall, and be broken; and shall be ensnared, and taken.

16. Bind up the Testimony, seal the Law, for My disciples.

17. And I will wait for Jehovah, who hideth His faces from the house of Jacob; and I will look for Him,

18. Behold, I, and the children whom Jehovah has given me, are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Jehovah of Hosts, who dwells in Mount Zion.

19. And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto wizards, to them that chirp and that mutter: [then say you] Should not a people seek unto their God? should they seek, instead

20. To the Law and to the Testimony [let them seek]; if they will· not speak according to this Word, there shall be no dawning light to them.

21. .But he shall pass through the land, distressed and famished: and it shall be, when he is famished; and angry with himself, he shall curse his king and his gods, and shall look upward.

22. And to the earth shall he look, and to affliction and darkness; he shall be darkened with distress, and driven by thick darkness.

386. And with famine, signifies by the deprivation, lack, and ignorance of the knowledges of truth and good. This is evident from the signification of "famine," as being the deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good, also the lack and ignorance of them. These are signified by "famine" in the Word. This is the signification of "famine" because "food and drink" signify all things that nourish and sustain spiritual life, and these in general are the knowledges of truth and good. The spiritual life itself needs nourishment and support just as much as the natural life does; so it is said to be famished when a man is deprived of these knowledges, or when they fail, or when they are unknown and yet are desired. Moreover, natural foods correspond to spiritual foods, as bread to the good of love, wine to the truths therefrom, and other foods and drinks to particular goods and truths, which have been treated of in several places before, and will be treated of in what follows. It is said that "famine" signifies 1. the deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good, 2. lack, and 3. ignorance of them, since there is deprivation with those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom; lack with those who cannot know them, because they are not in the church or in its doctrine; and ignorance with those who know that there are knowledges, and therefore desire them; these three things are signified by "famine" in the Word, as can be seen from the passages there in which "famine," "the hungry," "thirst," and "the thirsty," are mentioned.

[2] 1. That "famine" signifies the deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good which exists with those who are in evils and thence in falsities, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

In the fury of Jehovah of Hosts is the land obscured, and the people are become as the food of the fire; a man shall not pity his brother. And if he shall cut down on the right hand he shall be hungry, and if he shall eat on the left hand they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm; Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; they together against Judah ¹ (Isaiah 9:19-21).

Except from the internal sense no one can understand this, nor can even know what is treated of. This treats of the extinction of good by falsity, and of truth by evil. The perversion of the church through falsity is meant by "in the fury of Jehovah of Hosts is the land obscured;" and the perversion of it through evil is meant by "the people are become as the food of the fire;" "the land obscured" signifies the church where there is no truth, but only falsity; and "the food of the fire" signifies the consumption of the truth by the love of evil, "fire" meaning the love of evil. That falsity destroys good is meant by "a man shall not pity his brother," "man" [vir] and "brother" signifying truth and good, here "man" signifies falsity, and "brother" good, because it is said that "he shall not pity him." The consequent deprivation of all good and of all truth, however much it may be sought, is meant by "if he shall cut down on the right hand he shall be hungry, and if he shall eat on the left hand they shall not be satisfied," "right hand" signifying good from which is truth, and "left hand" truth from good, "to cut down, ² and to eat these" signifies to seek, and "to be hungry and not be satisfied" means to be deprived of; that evil extinguishes all truth and falsity all good is meant by "they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm," "flesh of the arm" meaning the power of good through truth, "man" falsity, and "to eat" to extinguish. That thence all the will of good and the understanding of truth perishes is meant by "Manasseh shall eat Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh." (That "Manasseh" means the will of good, and "Ephraim" the understanding of truth, see Arcana Coelestia 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267, 6296.) That this is with those who are in evils and falsities is meant by "they together against Judah;" for when the will is in good and the understanding in truth these are with Jehovah, since they are both from Him; but when the will is in evil and the understanding in falsity they are against Jehovah.

[3] In the same:

Be not glad, O Philistia, all of thee, because the rod that smiteth thee is broken; for from the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk, and his fruit shall be a fiery-flying serpent. I will cause thy root to die with famine, and it shall slay thy remnant (Isaiah 14:29-30).

Nearly the like is meant by this in the internal sense; but here those are treated of who believe that faith is merely the interior sight of the natural man, and that they are justified and saved by such sight or faith, thus denying that the good of charity has any effect. Such as these are meant by "the Philistines," and a collection of them by "Philistia" (See Arcana Coelestia 3412, 3413, 8093, 8313). That this false principle, which is faith alone or faith separated from charity, destroys every good and truth of the church is meant by "from the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk," the "serpent's root" meaning that false principle, and "basilisk" the destruction of the good and truth of the church thereby. That reasoning from mere falsities springs from this is meant by "his fruit shall be a fiery-flying serpent," "fiery-flying serpent" meaning reasoning from falsities. The deprivation of all truth and thence of all good is meant by "I will cause thy root to die with famine, and famine shall slay thy remnant," meaning all things hatched out of that principle. That such is the meaning has been made evident also by experience itself. Those who in doctrine and in life have confirmed themselves in the principle of faith alone are seen in the spiritual world as basilisks, and their reasonings as fiery-flying serpents.

[4] In the same:

Who formeth a god, and casteth a molten image, and it profiteth not? he fashioneth iron with the tongs, and worketh it in the coal, and formeth it with sharp hammers; so he worketh it by the arm of his power; yea, he is hungry until there is no power, neither doth he drink, until he is weary (Isaiah 44:10, 12).

This describes the formation of doctrine both from one's own understanding and from one's own love. "To form a god" signifies doctrine from one's own understanding; and "to cast a molten image," from one's own love; "he fashioneth the iron with the tongs, and worketh it in the coal" signifies the falsity that he calls truth and the evil that he calls good, "iron" meaning falsity, and "the fire of coal" the evil of one's own love; "he formeth it with sharp hammers" signifies by ingenious reasonings from falsities so that they may seem to hold together; "so he worketh it by the arm of his power" signifies from what is his own; "yea, he is hungry until there is no power, neither doth he drink, until he is weary" signifies that there is nothing whatever of good or of truth, "to be hungry" signifies the deprivation of good, and "not to drink" the deprivation of truth, "until there is no power," and "until he is weary" signify till there is nothing of good and nothing of truth left. Who that looks at the Word from the sense of the letter only, can see in this anything but a description of the formation of a molten image? Yet he must see that there is nothing spiritual involved in such a description of the formation of a molten image; also that there is no need of saying that "he is hungry until there is no power, neither doth he drink until he is weary;" nevertheless not only here but elsewhere in many places in the Word, the formation of a religion and of the doctrine of falsity is described by "idols," "graven images" and "molten images." (That these signify the falsities of religion, and of doctrine originating from one's own understanding, and from one's own love, see Arcana Coelestia 8869, 8932, 8941, 9424, 10406, 10503)

[5] In the same:

These two things have met thee; who shall be sorry for thee? devastation and a breach, and famine and sword (Isaiah 51:19).

Here, too, "famine" means the deprivation of the knowledges of good, even till there is no more good; and "sword" the deprivation of the knowledges of truth, even till there is no more truth; therefore "devastation" and "breach" are mentioned, "devastation" signifying that there is no more good, and "breach" that there is no more truth.

[6] In the same:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold, My servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; My servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, My servants shall be glad, but ye shall be ashamed (Isaiah 65:13).

Here, also, "to be hungry and thirsty" means to be deprived of the good of love and the truths of faith, "to be hungry" to be deprived of the good of love, and "to be thirsty" to be deprived of the truths of faith; "to eat and to drink" signifies communication and appropriation of goods and truths; and "the servants of the Lord Jehovih," those who receive goods and truths from the Lord; this makes clear what is signified by "Behold, My servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; My servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty;" that the Lord's servants shall have eternal happiness, but the others unhappiness is signified by "Behold, My servants shall be glad, but ye shall be ashamed."

[7] In Jeremiah:

By the sword, by famine, and by pestilence I consume them; Yet I said, Ah Lord Jehovih! behold the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine. Therefore thus said Jehovah against the prophets prophesying in My name, although I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land. By sword and by famine shall these prophets come to an end; the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, and there shall be no one to bury them (Jeremiah 14:12-13, 15-16).

"Sword, famine, and pestilence," signifies the deprivation of truth and of good, and thus of spiritual life through falsities and evils; "sword" signifying the deprivation of truth through falsities, "famine" the deprivation of good through evils, and "pestilence" the deprivation of spiritual life. "Prophets" mean those who teach the truths of doctrine, and in an abstract sense, the doctrinals of truth. This makes clear what is signified by all this, namely, that those who teach the doctrine of falsity and evil shall perish through these things that are signified by "sword and famine;" and that those who receive the doctrine from them are separated from every truth of the church, and are damned, is signified by "they shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, there shall be no one to bury them," "the streets of Jerusalem" meaning the truths of the church, "to be cast out in them" meaning to be separated from those truths, and "not to be buried" meaning to be damned.

[8] "Sword, famine, and pestilence," have a like signification in the following passages, "sword" signifying the deprivation of truth through falsities, "famine" the deprivation of good through evils, and "pestilence" the consequent deprivation of spiritual life. In Jeremiah:

They shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, that their carcass may be for food to the fowl of the heavens and to the beast of the earth (Jeremiah 16:4);

"their carcass may be for food to the fowl of the heavens" signifying damnation by falsities, and "for food to the beast of the earth" damnation by evils. In the same:

They have denied Jehovah when they said, It is not He; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword and famine (Jeremiah 5:12).

In the same:

Behold I will visit upon them; the young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine (Jeremiah 11:22).

In the same:

Give their ³ sons to the famine, and make them flow down upon the hands of the sword, that their wives may become bereaved and widows, and their men be slain by death, their young men smitten by the sword in war (Jeremiah 18:21).

In the same:

I will send upon them sword, famine, and pestilence, and will make them like the horrible figs, that cannot be eaten for badness. And I will pursue after them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence (Jeremiah 29:17-18).

In the same:

I will send against them the sword, famine, and pestilence, until they come to an end from upon the ground that I gave to them and to their fathers (Jeremiah 24:10).

In the same:

I proclaim to you a liberty, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will give you up for commotion by all the kingdoms of the earth (Jeremiah 34:17).

In the Gospels:

Nation shall be roused against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be pestilences, and famines, and earthquakes, in diverse places (Matthew 24:17; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11).

In Ezekiel:

Because thou hast defiled My sanctuary, a third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee; and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and a third part I will disperse to every wind. When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, that shall be for destruction, when I shall send them to destroy you; but yet I will increase the famine upon you, until I have broken for you the staff of bread. And I will send upon you famine and the evil wild beast, and I will make thee bereaved; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee (Ezekiel 5:11-12, 5:16-17).

In the same:

The sword without, and pestilence and famine within; he that is in the field shall die by the sword, but he that is in the city famine and pestilence shall devour him (Ezekiel 7:15).

In the same:

Because of all the evil abominations, they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. He that is far off shall die by pestilence; he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is preserved shall die by famine (Ezekiel 6:11-12).

In Jeremiah:

But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, that ye may not obey the voice of Jehovah your God; saying No, but we will come into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, and shall not hear the sound of the trumpet, and shall not hunger for bread, and there will we dwell: hear ye the word of Jehovah, If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and come to sojourn there, it shall come to pass that the sword that ye fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine about which ye were solicitous shall cleave to you there in Egypt, and there ye shall die. And they shall die there by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; neither shall one of them remain, because of the evil that I will bring upon you. ⁴ And ye shall be for an execration and an astonishment, and for a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more. Now therefore know certainly, that ye shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place whither ye have desired to come to sojourn there (Jeremiah 42:13-18, 42:22; 44:12-13, 44:27).

"Egypt" here signifies the natural, and "to come into Egypt and to sojourn there" signifies to become natural. (That "Egypt" means the knowing faculty [scientificum] that belongs to the natural man, and thus the natural, and "the land of Egypt" means the natural mind, see Arcana Coelestia 4967, 5079-5080, 5095, 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301, 5160, 5799, 6015, 6147, 6252, 7353, 7648, 9340, 9391 and that "to sojourn" means to be instructed, and to live, n. 1463, 2025, 3672.) From this it can be seen what is signified in the spiritual sense by "their not going into Egypt, and their dying then by the sword, the famine, and the pestilence," namely, that if they became merely natural, they would be deprived of all truth and good and spiritual life; for the natural man separate from the spiritual is in falsities and evils, and thus in infernal life. (That the natural man separate from the spiritual is such, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 47-48.) Therefore it is said that if they went into Egypt "they should be for an execration and an astonishment and a reproach, neither would they see this place;" "the place they would not see" meaning the state of the spiritual man, the same as "the land of Canaan." Like things are signified by the murmurings of the sons of Israel in the wilderness, because they so often desired to return into Egypt; therefore manna was also given to them, which signifies spiritual nourishment (Exodus 16:2-3, 16:7-9, 16:22).

[9] In Ezekiel:

When I shall stretch out Mine hand against the house of Israel to break for it the staff of bread, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast; then I will cause the evil wild beast to pass through the land, and will bereave it, that it may become a desolation; then I will send my four evil judgments upon Jerusalem, sword and famine, and the evil wild beast, and pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast (Ezekiel 14:13, 15, 21).

This describes the vastation of the church; "the house of Israel" and "Jerusalem" meaning the church; "to break the staff of bread" signifies to destroy everything celestial and spiritual by which the church should be nourished, for "bread" involves everything belonging to heaven and the church, or all spiritual nourishment; "to cut off man and beast" signifies every spiritual and natural affection; therefore "the sword, the famine, the evil wild beast, and the pestilence," signify the destruction of truth by falsity, of good by evil, of the affection of truth and good by the lusts arising from evil loves, and the consequent extinction of spiritual life. These are called "the four evil judgments," and are also meant by "the sword, famine, death, and the evil wild beast," in this verse of Revelation. Evidently it is the vastation of the church that is thus described.

[10] The three evils that are signified by "famine, sword, and pestilence" the prophet Gad also announced to David when he had numbered the people (2 Samuel 24:13). No one can know why David was threatened with these because of his numbering the people unless he knows that the people of Israel represented and thence signified the church in respect to all its truths and goods, and that "to number" signifies to know the quality thereof, and afterwards to arrange and dispose them according to it. Because no one but the Lord knows and does this, and because the man who does it deprives himself of all good and truth and of spiritual life, and because David did this representatively, therefore these three evils were offered him, one of which he might choose. Who cannot see that there was nothing wrong in numbering the people, and that the evil on account of which David and the people were punished was hidden interiorly, that is, in the representatives in which the church then was? In the passages that have been cited, "famine" signifies the deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good, and the consequent loss of all truth and good.

[11] 2. That "famine" signifies also the lack of knowledges with those who cannot know them because they are not in the church or in the doctrine thereof, is evident from the following passages. In Amos:

Behold, the days shall come in which I will send a famine into the land, not a famine for bread, nor a thirst for waters, but for hearing the words of Jehovah; that they may wander from sea to sea, from the north to the sunrise, they may run to and fro seeking the word of Jehovah, and shall not find it. In that day shall the beautiful virgins and the youths faint for thirst (Amos 8:11-13).

This explains what is meant by "famine" and "thirst," namely, that a famine for bread is not meant, nor a thirst for waters, but for hearing the word of Jehovah, thus that it is a lack of the knowledges of good and truth that is meant; and that these are not in the church or in its doctrine is described by the words, "they shall go from sea to sea, and from the north to the sunrise, seeking the word of Jehovah, and shall not find it," "from sea to sea" signifying on every side, for the outmost boundaries in the spiritual world, where truths and goods begin and terminate appear like seas; consequently "seas" in the Word signify the cognitions of truth and good, also knowledges [scientifica] in general; "from the north to the sunrise" signifies also on every side where truth and good are, "the north" meaning where truth is in obscurity, and "the sunrise" where good is. Because "famine and thirst" signify a lack of the knowledges of good and truth, therefore it is also said "in that day shall the beautiful virgins and the youths faint for thirst," "the beautiful virgins" meaning the affections of truth from good, and "youths" the truths themselves that are from good, "the thirst for which they shall faint" meaning the lack of these. (That "virgins" signify the affections of good and truth, see Arcana Coelestia 2362, 3963, 6729, 6775, 6788; and "youths" the truths themselves, and intelligence, Arcana Coelestia 7668[1-4])

[12] In Isaiah:

Therefore My people shall be carried away for the lack of knowledge; and the glory thereof shall be men of famine, and the multitude thereof shall be parched with thirst (Isaiah 5:13).

The desolation or destruction of the church from lack of the knowledges of good and truth is signified by, "My people shall be carried away for lack of knowledge." The Divine truth that constitutes the church is signified by "glory;" that this is not, and consequently good is not, is signified by "the glory thereof shall be men of famine," "men of famine" meaning those who are in no perception of good, and in no knowledges of truth; and that consequently there is no truth is signified by "the multitude thereof shall be parched with thirst," "to be parched with thirst" meaning the lack of truth, "multitude" in the Word being predicated of truths.

[13] In the same:

The people shall seek after their God, the law, and the testimony; for they shall pass through it perplexed and famished; and it shall come to pass that when they shall hunger they shall rage, and shall curse their king and their gods, and shall look upwards; they shall look also to the earth, but behold distress and thick darkness (Isaiah 8:19-22).

This treats of those who are in falsities from lack of the knowledges of truth and good, and their indignation on that account; the lack is described by "they shall look upwards, and they shall look also to the earth, but behold distress and thick darkness," "to look upwards and to look to the earth" means to look everywhere for goods and truths; "but behold distress and thick darkness" means that these are nowhere to be found, but mere falsities only, "thick darkness" meaning dense falsity. Their indignation on this account is meant by "it shall come to pass that when they shall hunger they shall rage, and shall curse their king and their gods," "to hunger" meaning to desire to know, "king" falsity, "the gods" the falsities of worship therefrom, and "to curse" to detest.

[14] In Lamentations:

Lift up thy hands to the Lord respecting the soul of thy babes, who have fainted for famine at the head of all the streets (Lamentations 2:19).

Lamentation over those who ought to be instructed in the knowledges of good and truth, by which they may have spiritual life, is described by "Lift up thy hands to the Lord respecting the soul of thy babes;" and the lack of these knowledges is described by "who have fainted for famine at the head of all the streets," "famine" meaning lack, "streets" the truths of doctrine, "to faint at the head of them" meaning that there are no truths.

[15] In the same:

Servants have ruled over us, there is no one to free us out of their hand. We bring in our bread with the peril of our souls because of the sword of the wilderness. Our skins are black like an oven because of the tempests of famine (Lamentations 5:8-10).

"Servants that have ruled with no one to free us out of their hand" signify the evils of life and the falsities of doctrine, in general, evil loves and false principles; "we bring in our bread with the peril of our souls because of the sword of the wilderness" signifies that there is no good from which there may be spiritual life itself, because of the falsity everywhere reigning; "bread" means the good from which there may be spiritual life; "sword" falsity destroying; and "the wilderness" where there is no good because no truth; for all good with man is formed by truths, therefore where there are no truths but only falsities there is no good; "our skins are black like an oven because of the tempests of famine" signifies that because of the lack of the knowledges of good and truth the natural man is in its own evil love; "the skin," from correspondence with the Greatest Man or heaven, signifies the natural man; "to be black like an oven" signifies to be in one's own evil from falsities; and "tempests of famine" signify a complete lack of the knowledges of good and truth.

[16] In Luke:

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger (Luke 6:25).

"The full" in the Word mean those who have the Word, in which are all the knowledges of good and truth; and "to hunger" means to lack these, and also to be deprived of them. In Job:

Blessed is the man whom God hath chastened; therefore reject not the discipline of Schaddai. In famine He shall redeem thee from death; and in war from the hands of the sword (Job 5:17, 20).

This treats of those who are in temptations; temptations are signified by "whom God hath chastened," and by "the discipline of Schaddai." "The Almighty (Schaddai)" signifies temptations, deliverance from them, and consolation after them (See Arcana Coelestia 1992, 3667, 4572, 5628, 6229). "The famine in which he shall be redeemed" signifies temptation in respect to the perception of good, in which he shall be delivered from evil; "to redeem" meaning to deliver; and "the hand of the sword in war" signifies temptations in respect to the understanding of truth, "war" also meaning temptation or combat against falsities.

[17] 3. That "famine" in the Word also signifies ignorance of the knowledges of truth and good, such as are with those who know that there are knowledges and therefore desire them, is evident from the following passages. In Matthew:

Blessed are they that hunger after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied (Matthew 5:6).

"To hunger after righteousness" signifies to desire good, for in the Word "righteousness" is predicated of good. In Luke:

God hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away (Luke 1:53).

"The hungry" are those who are ignorant of the knowledges of truth and good, and yet desire them; and "the rich" are those who have an abundance of them, but no desire for them. That the former are enriched is signified by "God hath filled them with good things;" and that the latter are deprived of them is signified by "The rich He hath sent away empty."

[18] In David:

Behold, the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear Him, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine (Psalms 33:18-19).

"Those that fear Jehovah" mean those who love to do His commandments; "to deliver the soul from death" signifies from evils and falsities, and thus from damnation; and "to keep them alive in famine" signifies to give spiritual life according to desire. A desire for the knowledges of truth and good is a spiritual affection of truth, which is given only to those who are in the good of life, that is, who do the Lord's commandments; and these, as has been said, are meant by "those that fear Jehovah."

[19] In the same:

Let them confess to Jehovah His mercy, for He satisfieth the longing soul, and the hungry soul He filleth with good (Psalms 107:8-9).

"To satisfy the longing soul, and to fill with good the hungry soul," applies to those who long for truths and goods, "the longing soul" signifying those who long for truths, and "the hungry soul" those who long for goods. In the same:

There is no want to them that fear Jehovah. The young lions shall lack, and suffer hunger; but they that seek Jehovah shall not want any good (Psalms 34:9-10).

Here, too, "those that fear Jehovah to whom there is no want," signify those who love to do the Lord's commandments; and "they that seek Jehovah who shall not want any good," signify those who in consequence are loved by the Lord, and receive truths and goods from Him. "The young lions that lack and suffer hunger", signify those who have knowledge and wisdom from themselves, "to lack and suffer hunger" meaning that they have neither truth nor good. (What "lions" in both senses signify, see n. 278)

[20] In the same:

Jehovah who executeth judgment for the oppressed; who giveth bread to the hungry; Jehovah, who looseth the bound (Psalms 146:7).

The "oppressed" here mean those who are in falsities from ignorance; such are oppressed by spirits who are in falsities; therefore it is said that "Jehovah executeth judgment for them," by rescuing them from those that oppress. "The hungry" mean those who desire goods; and as such are nourished by the Lord, it is said "Jehovah giveth bread to the hungry," "to give bread" meaning to nourish, and spiritual nourishment is knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom. "The bound" mean those who desire truths but are withheld from them by the falsities of doctrine or by ignorance, because they have not the Word; therefore "to loose the bound" means to free from falsities. (That such are called "bound," see Arcana Coeles (Arcana Coelestia 5037[1-6], 5086, 5096) tia, n. 5037, 5086, 5096.)

[21] In the same:

Jehovah turneth the wilderness into a pool of waters, and a land of drought into a springing forth of waters. And there He maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city of habitation, and sow fields, and plant vineyards, and make fruit of increase (Psalms 107:35-37).

The meaning of these words is wholly different from the sense of the letter, namely, that those who are ignorant of the knowledges of truth and yet desire to know them shall be enriched and abundantly supplied with them; for "Jehovah turneth the wilderness into a pool of water" signifies that in place of ignorance of truth there shall be abundance of truth, "wilderness" meaning when there is ignorance of truth, and "a pool of waters" abundance of it; "to turn a land of drought into a springing forth of waters" signifies the like in the natural man, for "a land of drought" means where there is ignorance of truth, "the springing forth of waters" is abundance, the natural man is "the springing forth," and "waters" are truths; "there He maketh the hungry to dwell" signifies those who desire truth, "to dwell" meaning to live, and "the hungry" those who desire; "that they may prepare a city of habitation" signifies that they form for themselves a doctrine of life, "city" meaning doctrine, and "habitation" life; "that they may sow fields and plant vineyards, and make fruit of increase," signifies to receive truths, to understand them, and to do them; "to sow fields" meaning to be instructed and to receive truths; "to plant vineyards" meaning to receive truths in the understanding, that is, in the spirit, for "vineyards" mean spiritual truths; therefore "to plant" them means to receive them spiritually, that is, to understand them; "to make fruit of increase" means to do them and to receive goods, for "fruits" are the deeds and goods of charity.

[22] In the same:

Jehovah knoweth the days of the perfect, and He shall be their inheritance forever. They shall not be ashamed in the time of evil; and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied (Psalms 37:18-19).

"The days of the perfect" signify the states of those who are in good and in truths therefrom, or those who are in charity and in faith therefrom. "Jehovah shall be their inheritance forever" signifies that they are His own and are in heaven; "they shall not be ashamed in the time of evil" signifies that they shall conquer when they are tempted by evils; and "in the days of famine they shall be satisfied" signifies that they shall be upheld by truths when they are tempted and infested by falsities, "time of evil" and "days of famine" signifying the states of temptations, and temptations are from evils and falsities.

[23] In the first book of Samuel:

The bows of the mighty are broken, but they who had stumbled have girded strength about them; they that are full have hired themselves for bread; and they that are hungry have ceased; even until the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many sons hath failed (1 Samuel 2:4-5).

"They that are full have hired themselves for bread, and they that are hungry have ceased," signify those who wish for and long for goods and truths. The rest may be seen explained above (n. 257, 357).

[24] In Isaiah:

For the fool speaketh foolishness, and his heart doeth iniquity, to practice hypocrisy, and to speak error against Jehovah, to make empty the hungry soul, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail (Isaiah 32:6).

He is here called "a fool" who is in falsities and evils from the love of self, consequently from self-intelligence. Falsities are meant by the "foolishness" that he speaks; and evils by the "iniquity" that his heart does. The evils that he speaks against goods are meant by "the hypocrisy" that he practices; and the falsities that he speaks against truths, by the "error" that he speaks against Jehovah; "to make empty the hungry soul, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail" means to persuade and destroy those who desire goods and truths, "the hungry soul" meaning those who desire goods, and "he that thirsteth for drink" meaning those who desire truths.

[25] In the same:

If thou shalt draw out thy soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, thy light shall arise in darkness and thy thick darkness be as the noonday (Isaiah 58:10).

This describes charity towards the neighbor, here towards those who are in ignorance, but at the same time in a desire to know truths, and in grief on account of the falsities that possess them, and signifies that with those who are in such charity falsities are dispersed and truths shine and become radiant. Charity towards those that are in ignorance and at the same time in a desire to know truths is meant by "If thou shalt draw out thy soul to the hungry," "the hungry" meaning those who desire, and "the soul" is the understanding of truth instructing. This being done to those who are in grief because of the falsities that possess them is meant by "if thou shalt satisfy the afflicted soul;" that ignorance is dispelled and truths shine and become radiant with those who are in such charity is meant by "thy light shall arise in darkness, and thy thick darkness be as the noon day;" "darkness" signifying the ignorance of the spiritual mind, and "thick darkness" the ignorance of the natural mind, "light" truth in light, "noonday" the like. Such illustration those have who from charity or spiritual affection instruct such as are in falsities from ignorance; for such charity is a receptacle of the influx of light or of truth from the Lord.

[26] In the same:

Is not this the fast that I choose, to break thy bread to the hungry, and to bring the afflicted outcasts into thy house, when thou shalt see the naked and shalt cover him? (Isaiah 58:6-7).

These words have a like meaning, for "to break bread to the hungry" signifies from charity to communicate to and instruct those who are in ignorance and at the same time in a desire to know truths; "to bring the afflicted outcasts into the house" signifies to correct and reform those who are in falsities, and thence in grief, "afflicted outcasts" meaning those who are in grief from falsities; for those who are in falsities stand without, while those who are in truths are in the house, "house" meaning the intellectual mind, into which truths only are admitted, since that mind is opened by means of truths from good. Because this is what is signified it is added, "when thou shalt see the naked and shalt cover him," the "naked" signifying those that are without truths, and "to cover" signifying to instruct; for "garments" in the Word signify truths investing (See above, n. 195).

[27] In the same:

They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for He that hath compassion on them leadeth them forth, even unto the springs of waters shall He guide them (Isaiah 49:10).

That "they shall not hunger nor thirst" does not mean that they are not to hunger nor thirst for natural food and drink; and "neither shall the heat nor sun smite them" does not mean that they will not become heated by these; the same is true of their being led unto the springs of waters. Who that thinks about it does not see that something else is here meant? "To hunger and thirst" therefore signifies to hunger and thirst for such things as pertain to eternal life or give that life, and these, in general, have reference to the good of love and the truth of faith, "hunger" to the good of love, and "thirst" to the truth of faith; "heat" and "sun" signify the heat from the principles of falsity and the love of evil, for these take away all spiritual hunger and thirst; "the springs of waters, unto which the Lord will guide them" signify illustration in all truth, "spring" or "fountain" meaning the Word, and also the doctrine from the Word, "waters" truths, and "to guide" in reference to the Lord, meaning to illustrate. From this the significance can be seen of the Lord's words in John:

I am the bread of life; he that cometh to Me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst (John 6:35).

Here evidently "to hunger" is to come to the Lord, and "to thirst" is to believe on Him; to come to the Lord is to do His commandments.

[28] This signification of "hungering and thirsting" makes evident also the signification of the Lord's words in Matthew:

The king said to them on the right hand, I was an hungered, and ye gave me to eat, I was thirsty and ye gave me to drink, I was a sojourner and ye took me in. And He said to them on the left hand, that He was an hungered and they gave Him not to eat, and He was thirsty and they gave Him not to drink; that He was a sojourner and they took Him not in (Matthew 25:34-35, 37, 41-44).

"To hunger and to thirst" signifies to be in ignorance and in spiritual want, and "to give to eat and drink" signifies to instruct and to illustrate from spiritual affection or charity; it is therefore also said, "I was a sojourner and ye took me not in," "sojourner" signifying those who are out of the church, but who wish to be instructed and to receive the doctrinals of the church and to live according to them (See Arcana Coelestia 1463[1-3], 4444, 7908, 8007, 8013, 9196).

Furthermore, we read in the Word that the Lord hungered and thirsted, which means that from His Divine love He willed and desired the salvation of the human race.

[29] That He hungered we read in Mark:

When they were come from Bethany, Jesus hungered; and seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves, He came, if haply He might find anything thereon; but when He had come to it He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. Therefore He said unto it, No one eat any fruit of thee forever. And the disciples in the morning as they passed by, saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots (Mark 11:12-14, 20; Matthew 21:19-20).

One who does not know that all things of the Word contain a spiritual sense, may believe that the Lord did this to the fig-tree from indignation because He was hungry; but "fig-tree" means here not a fig-tree, but the church in relation to natural good, in particular, the Jewish Church. That there was no natural good in that church, because nothing spiritual, but only some truths from the sense of the letter of the Word, is signified by "Jesus seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves, came, if haply He might find anything thereon; but when He had come to it He found nothing but leaves," "leaves" signifying the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word. That with that nation, because they were in dense falsities and in evil loves, nothing whatever of the natural good of the church would ever exist is signified by "Jesus said, No one eat any fruit of thee forever, and the fig-tree was dried up from the roots." It is also said that "it was not the season for figs," and this means that the church was not yet begun; that the beginning of a new church is meant by "a fig-tree," is clear from the Lord's words (Matthew 24:32, 33; Mark 13:28, 29, and in Luke 21:28-31). From this it can be seen what "hungering" here signifies. (That "a fig-tree" signifies the natural good of the church, see Arcana Coelestia 217, 4231, 5113; and that "leaves" signify the truths of the natural man, see above, n. 109.)

[30] That the Lord thirsted we read in John:

Jesus, knowing that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled said, I thirst. And there had been placed a vessel full of vinegar; and they filled a sponge and placed it upon hyssop, and put it to His mouth. And when Jesus had received the vinegar He said, It is finished (John 19:28-30).

Those who think of these things only naturally and not spiritually may believe that they involve nothing more than that the Lord thirsted, and that vinegar was then given Him; but it was because all things that the Scriptures said of Him were then finished, and because He came into the world to save mankind that He said, "I thirst," which means that from Divine love He willed and desired the salvation of the human race; and that "vinegar was given Him" signifies that in the coming church there would be no genuine truth, but truth mixed with falsities, such as there is with those who separate faith from charity or truth from good; this is what "vinegar" signifies; "they placed it upon hyssop" signifies some kind of purification by it, for "hyssop" signifies an external means of purification (See Arcana Coelestia 7918). That every particular related in the Word respecting the Lord's passion involves and signifies Divine celestial and Divine spiritual things, may be seen above n. 83. From the passages cited above it can be seen what "famine" signifies in the Word. Let them be examined and considered, and it will be seen by those who are in any interior thought that natural famine, hunger, and thirst, can by no means be meant, but spiritual famine, hunger, and thirst.

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