5682. And they bent themselves and bowed themselves down. That this signifies outward and inward humiliation, is evident from the signification of “bending themselves,” as being outward humiliation; and from the signification of “bowing themselves down,” as being inward humiliation; for bending is a less degree of bowing down, and therefore it denotes outward humiliation; and bowing down is a greater degree, and therefore it denotes inward humiliation. Moreover, “bending” denotes the humiliation of truth, that is, of those who are in truth, thus of the spiritual; and “bowing down” denotes the humiliation of good, that is, of those who are in good, thus of the celestial. In this case also “bending” is outward humiliation, and “bowing down” inward; for they who are in good are more interior men than those who are in truth. These things are what are contained in the internal sense of this period. Most of them have been unfolded simply as to the significations of the words, for the reason that they are such as have been previously unfolded.