3021. Put I pray thy hand under my thigh. That this signifies pledging it according to its power to the good of conjugial love, is evident from the signification of “hand,” as being power (see n. 878); and from the signification of “thigh,” as being the good of conjugial love, concerning which in what follows. That it is pledging to the extent of its power, is evident from the fact that they who were pledged to anything that related to conjugial love, by an ancient rite placed the hand under the thigh of him to whom they were being pledged, and in this manner they were put under oath by him; and this for the reason that the “thigh” signified conjugial love, and the “hand” power, or so far as was possible; for all the parts of the human body correspond to spiritual and celestial things in the Grand Man which is heaven, as was shown above (n. 2996, 2998); and as will be shown more fully, of the Lord’s Divine mercy hereafter. The thighs themselves together with the loins, correspond to conjugial love.

These things were well known to the men of the most ancient times; and therefore they had a number of rites based on this correspondence, of which one was that they placed the hands under the thigh when they were pledged to any good of conjugial love. The knowledge of such things, which was in highest esteem among the ancients, and was one of the chief things of their knowledge and intelligence, is at this day wholly lost; so completely that it is not even known that there is any correspondence; and some may therefore wonder that such things are signified by the rite here described. The rite is mentioned in the present case because the betrothing of Isaac to some one of the family of Abraham is treated of, and the discharge of the duty was intrusted to the elder servant.

[2] That as before said the “thigh” from correspondence signifies conjugial love, may also be seen from other passages in the Word; as from the process enjoined when a woman was accused by her husband of adultery.

In Moses:

The priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing; and the priest shall say unto the woman, Jehovah make thee a curse and an oath in the midst of thy people, when Jehovah doth make thy thigh to fall away, and thy belly to swell. And when he hath given her the water to drink, then it shall come to pass, if she be defiled, and hath trespassed a trespass against her husband, that the waters that are accursed shall enter into her and become bitterness, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away, and the woman shall be a curse among her people (Numbers 5:21, 27).

That the “thigh should fall away,” signified evil relating to conjugial love, that is, it signified adultery. The other particulars mentioned in the same process signify each of them some special thing belonging to the subject, so that there is not the least thing that does not involve something, however surprising this may seem to a man who reads the Word without any idea of its sanctity. Because of the signification of the “thigh” as being the good of conjugial love, mention is sometimes made of “coming forth from the thigh”—as is said of Jacob:

Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come forth from thy thighs (Genesis 35:11).

And in another place:

Every soul that came with Jacob into Egypt, that came forth from his thigh (Genesis 46:26; Exodus 1:5).

And of Gideon:

Gideon had seventy sons that came forth from his thigh (Judges 8:30).

[3] And as the “thighs” and the “loins” signify the things belonging to conjugial love, they also signify the things of love and charity, for the reason that conjugial love is the fundamental love of all loves (see n. 686, 2733, 2737-2739); for all loves are from the same origin, that is, from the heavenly marriage, which is that of good and truth (see n. 2727-2759). That the “thigh” signifies the good of celestial love and the good of spiritual love, is evident from the following passages.

In John:

He that sat on the white horse had upon His vesture and upon His thigh a name written: King of kings, and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).

That He who sat on the white horse is the Word, thus the Lord who is the Word, may be seen above (n. 2760-2762); also that “vesture” is the Divine truth (n. 2576); therefore He is called “King of kings” (n. 3009). Hence it is plain what the “thigh” is, namely, the Divine good which is of His love; from which He is also called “Lord of lords” (n. 3004-3011). And because this is the Lord’s quality, it is said that He “had thereon a name written;” for “name” signifies quality (n. 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006).

[4] In David:

Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O Mighty One, in Thy glory and honor (Psalms 45:3);

speaking of the Lord; where “sword” denotes truth combating (n. 2799); and “thigh” the good of love; to “gird the sword upon the thigh” signifies that the truth from which He would fight would be from the good of love.

In Isaiah:

Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and truth the girdle of His thighs (Isaiah 11:5);

speaking here too of the Lord; and because “righteousness” is predicated of the good of love (n. 2235), it is called the girdle of the loins;” and because truth is from good, it is called the “girdle of the thighs;” thus “loins” are predicated of the love of good, and “thighs” of the love of truth.

[5] In the same:

None shall be weary nor stumble in Him, He shall not slumber nor sleep, neither is the girdle of His thighs loosed, nor the latchet of His shoes broken off (Isaiah 5:27).

This again is said of the Lord, and the “girdle of His thighs” denotes the love of truth, as before.

In Jeremiah:

Jehovah said unto Jeremiah that he should buy a linen girdle and put it on his loins, but should not pass it through water; and that he should go to the Euphrates and hide it in a hole of the rock; and having done this, when he went and took it from the place, it was marred (Jeremiah 13:1-6).

The “linen girdle” denotes truth, and “putting it on the loins” was a representative that truth was from good. Everyone can see that these are representatives, and their signification cannot be known except from correspondences, concerning which of the Lord’s Divine mercy something will be said at the end of certain chapters.

[6] So too with the signification of the things seen by Ezekiel, by Daniel, and by Nebuchadnezzar. As in Ezekiel:

Above the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as the appearance of a burning coal, as the appearance of fire within it round about; from the appearance of his loins and upward, and from the appearance of his loins and downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness round about Him; as the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about, so was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah (Ezekiel 1:26-28).

That this was representative of the Lord and of His kingdom is evident; and that the appearance of the loins upward and the appearance of the loins downward has reference to His love, is evident from the signification of “fire,” as being love (n. 934); and from the signification of “brightness” and a “rainbow” as being the derivative wisdom and intelligence (n. 1042, 1043, 1053).

[7] Concerning Daniel it is said:

A man appeared to him clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with pure gold of Uphaz; his body also was like the tharshish stone, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and feet like the shining of burnished brass (Daniel 10:5-6).

What is signified by these particulars—by “loins,” “body,” “face,” “eyes,” “arms,” and “feet”—can appear to no one except from representations and their correspondences. From these it is evident that the Lord’s celestial kingdom is thus represented, in which the “loins” are Divine love; and the “gold of Uphaz” with which these were girded, is the good of wisdom which is from love (n. 113, 1551, 1552).

[8] Concerning what was seen by Nebuchadnezzar we read in Daniel:

The head of the statue was good gold; its breast and its arms were silver; its belly and thighs were brass; the feet were part iron and part clay (Daniel 2:32-33).

By that statue were represented the successive states of the church; by the “head which was gold,” the first state, which was celestial, because it was a state of love to the Lord; by the “breast and arms which were silver,” the second state, which was spiritual, as it was a state of charity toward the neighbor; by the “belly and thighs which were brass,” the third state, which was a state of natural good (for this is “brass,” n. 425, 1551). Natural good is of love or charity toward the neighbor in a degree below spiritual good. By the “feet which were iron and clay” is meant the fourth state, which was one of natural truth (which is “iron,” n. 425, 426); and also of no coherence with good (which is “clay”). From all these things it may be seen what is signified by the “thighs” and the “loins,” namely, in the chief place conjugial love, and from this all genuine love, as is evident from the passages quoted, and likewise from others (Genesis 32:25, 32; Isaiah 20:2-4; Nahum 2:1; Psalms 69:23; Exodus 12:11; Luke 12:35-36). In the opposite sense also are signified the opposite loves, which are the loves of self and of the world (see 1 Kings 2:5; Isaiah 32:10-11; Jeremiah 30:6; 48:37; Ezekiel 29:7; Amos 8:10).

878. And he put forth his hand and took her, and brought her in unto him into the ark. That this signifies his own power, and that he did what was good and thought what was true from himself, is evident from the signification of “hand” as being power, and thus here his own power from which he did these things. For to “put forth his hand and take the dove and bring her in to himself” is to apply and attribute to himself the truth meant by the “dove.” That by “hand” is signified power, also authority [potestas], and the derivative self-confidence, is evident from many passages in the Word, as in Isaiah:

I will visit upon the fruit of the greatness of heart of the king of Assyria, because he hath said, By the strength of my hand I have done it and by my wisdom, for I am intelligent (Isaiah 10:12-13),where “hand” manifestly denotes his own strength to which he attributed what he did, and this was the cause of the visitation upon him. Again:

Moab shall spread forth his hands in the midst of him, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim, and he shall lay low his pride together with the cataracts of his hands (Isaiah 25:11); where “hands” denote man’s own power, from regarding himself as above others, thus from pride.

[2] Again:

Their inhabitants were short of hand, they were dismayed and put to shame (Isaiah 37:27);

“short of hand” meaning of no power. Again:

Shall the clay say to the potter, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? (Isaiah 45:9).

Here “he hath no hands” means that he has no power.

In Ezekiel:

The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with stupefaction, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled (Ezekiel 7:27),

where “hands” denote power.

In Micah:

Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds; when the morning is light they practice it, because their hand is their god (Micah 2:1),

where “hand” denotes their own power in which they trust as their god.

In Zechariah:

Woe to the worthless shepherd that leaveth the flock; the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye; his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened (Zechariah 11:17).

[3] Because “hands” signify powers, man’s evils and falsities are continually called in the Word “the works of his hands.” Evils are from the Own of man’s will, falsities are from the Own of his understanding. That this is the source of evils and falsities is evident enough from the nature of man’s Own, which is nothing but evil and falsity (as may be seen above, n. 39, 41, 141, 150, 154, 210, 215). As “hands” in general signify power, “hands” are many times in the Word attributed to Jehovah, or the Lord, and then by “hands” is understood in the internal sense Omnipotence, as in Isaiah:

Jehovah, Thy hand is lifted up (Isaiah 26:11),

denoting the Divine power. Again:

Jehovah stretched out His hand, all are consumed (Isaiah 31:3),

Concerning the work of My hands command ye Me; My hands have stretched out the heavens and all their army have I commanded (Isaiah 45:11-12),

denoting the Divine power. The regenerate are often called in the Word “the work of the hands of Jehovah.” In the same

Mine hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand hath measured the heavens with the palm (Isaiah 48:13), where “hand” and “right hand” denote omnipotence.

[4] Again:

Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? (Isaiah 1:2),

denoting the Divine power.

In Jeremiah:

Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power and by Thy stretched out arm; and didst bring forth Thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched-out arm (Jeremiah 32:17, 21),

denoting the Divine power; “power” being named in the seventeenth verse [Genesis 8:17], and “hand” in the twenty-first. That Israel was brought out of Egypt with “a strong hand and with a “stretched-out arm” is often said.

In Ezekiel:

Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up Mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made My self known unto them in the land of Egypt; I lifted up Mine hand unto them, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt (Ezekiel 20:5-6, 23).

In Moses: Israel saw the great hand which Jehovah executed upon the Egyptians (Exodus 14:31).

[5] That by “hand” is signified power is now plainly manifest from these passages. Indeed “hand” was so significant of power that it became also its representative, as is evident from the miracles that were done in Egypt, when Moses was commanded to stretch forth his rod, or hand, and so they were done; as in Exodus:

Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven, and Jehovah rained hail upon the land of Egypt (Exodus 9:22-23);

Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven, and there was a thick darkness (Exodus 10:21-22);

Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Jehovah made the sea dry land; and Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned (Exodus 14:21, 27).

No one with mental capacity for right thinking can believe that there was any such power in the hand or rod of Moses, but because the lifting up and stretching forth of the hand signified the Divine power, it became a representative in the Jewish Church.

[6] It was similar when Joshua stretched out his javelin, as in Joshua:

And Jehovah said unto Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand; and Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city, and they entered into the city and took it for Joshua drew not back his hand, wherewith he stretched out the javelin, until he had devoted all the inhabitants of Ai (Joshua 8:18, 26).From this it is also evident how the case is with the representatives that were the externals of the Jewish Church; and also how it is with the Word: that the things in its external sense do not appear to be representative of the Lord and His kingdom, as here the stretching forth of the hand, and likewise all the other things, which bear no appearance of being representative while the mind is fixed only on the historic details of the letter. It is evident also how far the Jews had fallen away from a true understanding of the Word and of the rites of the church, while making all worship consist in externals only, even to the extent of attributing power to the rod of Moses and the javelin of Joshua, when yet there was no more power in them than in wood. But because the omnipotence of the Lord was signified, and this was understood in heaven when they stretched forth their hand or rod, the signs and miracles followed.

[7] So too it was when Moses on the top of the hill held up his hands, and Joshua prevailed; and when he let down his hands, and Joshua was overcome; and therefore they stayed up his hands (Exodus 17:9-13). Thus it was that hands were laid upon those who were being consecrated, as on the Levites by the people (Numbers 8:9-10, 12), and on Joshua by Moses, when he was substituted in his place (Numbers 27:18, 23), in order that power might so be given. Hence also come the rites still observed of inauguration and benediction by the laying on of hands. To what extent the hand signified and represented power, is evident from what is said in the Word concerning Uzzah and Jeroboam. Concerning Uzzah it is said that he put forth (his hand) to the ark of God, and took hold of it, and therefore he died (2 Samuel 6:6-7). The “ark” represented the Lord, thus all that is holy and celestial. Uzzah’s putting forth (his hand) to the ark, represented man’s own power, or what is his own; and as this is profane, the word “hand” is understood, but is not expressed in the original, lest it should be perceived by the angels that such a profane thing had touched what is holy.

[8] And because Uzzah put it forth, he died. Concerning Jeroboam it is said: And it came to pass, when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar, that Jeroboam put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him; and his hand which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to him; and he said unto the man of God, Intreat now the faces of Jehovah thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again; and the man of God intreated the faces of Jehovah, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before (1 Kings 13:4-6).

Here in like manner by “putting forth the hand” is signified man’s own power, or his Own, which is profane, and that it wished to violate what is holy by putting forth the hand against the man of God; wherefore the hand was dried up; but as Jeroboam was an idolater and therefore could not commit profanation, his hand was restored. That the “hand” signifies and represents power, is evident from the representatives in the world of spirits, where a naked arm sometimes comes into view, in which there is strength enough to crush one’s bones and squeeze their inmost marrow to nothing, causing such terror as to melt the heart; and in fact this strength is actually in it.