700. And there was seen in his temple the ark of His Covenant, signifies Divine truth, by which there is conjunction with the Lord. This is evident from the signification of "the ark of the Covenant," as being Divine truth proceeding from the Lord (of which presently). "The ark of the Covenant" was seen, because "the temple" appeared, and the ark was in the midst of the temple at Jerusalem, and in it were placed the two tables of the law, which signify in a universal sense Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the Lord Himself, who is Divine truth in the heavens; for which reason the Lord is called the Word, in John 1:1, 2, 14. This is the signification of "the ark," because the Tent of meeting represented the three heavens, its court the lowest or first heaven; the tent itself as far as the veil, wherein were the tables for the loaves, the altar of incense, and the lampstand, represented the middle or second heaven; and the ark, which was within the veil, upon which was the mercy-seat with the cherubim, represented the inmost or third heaven; and the law itself which was in the ark, represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth or the Word; and because there is conjunction with the Lord by means of the Word, that ark was called "the ark of the Covenant," "covenant" signifying conjunction. (That the tent or tabernacle represented the form of heaven, and, together with the court, represented the three heavens, and that the holy of holies, which was the inmost, where the ark was, within which were the tables of the law, represented the third or inmost heaven, and that the law or testimony represented the Lord Himself, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 3478, 9457, 9481, 9485. And that in the highest sense "the tabernacle," the same as "the temple," signifies the Lord, and in a relative sense heaven and the church, and thence the holiness of worship, n. 9457, 9481, 10242, 10245, 10304, 10545. That in the Word "covenant" signifies conjunction, and that all things of the church, both internal and external, are signs of the covenant, and that they are called covenant because conjunction is effected by means of them, n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 2037, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 9416, 10632. Consequently that the law promulgated on Mount Sinai was called a "covenant," and the ark containing the law "the ark of the Covenant," n. 6804, 9416.)

[2] That the ark with the covenant or testimony inclosed, signifies the Lord in respect to the celestial Divine which is Divine truth in the inmost or third heaven, can be seen from what is said of the ark in the Word. As in Moses:

They shall make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in the midst of them, according to all that I have shown thee, the form of the habitation. First, they shall make an ark of shittim wood; and thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it; and thou shalt make for it a border of gold; four rings of gold for the staves. And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony that I will give thee. And thou shalt make a mercy-seat of pure gold; and thou shalt make two cherubim of gold, solid shalt thou make them out of the mercy-seat that the cherubim may spread out their wings, and cover the mercy-seat with their wings; and their faces shall be towards the mercy-seat. And thou shalt put the testimony into the ark; and there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the Testimony, of all things which I shall command thee unto the sons of Israel (Exodus 25:8-22).

Thou shalt make a veil of hyacinthine and purple, and scarlet double dyed, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. Thou shalt put it upon four pillars of shittim overlaid with gold; and thou shalt place the veil under the clasps; and thou shalt bring in thither within the veil the ark of the Testimony; so that the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the holy of holies; and thou shalt put the veil before the ark in the holy of holies (Exodus 26:31-34).

It was said above that the tent where there were the ark, the lampstand, the table for the loaves, and the altar for incense, together with the court, represented the three heavens, and that the place within the veil where the ark was that contained the law or testimony, represented the third heaven. That place represented that heaven, because the law was there, and the "law" means the Lord in relation to Divine truth or the Word, for this in a broad sense is what that "law" signifies, and it is Divine truth proceeding from the Lord that forms the heavens. This is received in the greatest purity by the angels of the third heaven, because they are in conjunction with the Lord through love to Him, since all angels in that heaven are in love to the Lord; consequently they see Divine truth in themselves, like something implanted, although it flows in continually from the Lord. For this reason that heaven more than the other heavens which are below it, is said to be in the Lord, because it is in the Divine that proceeds from Him.

[3] It was that heaven that was represented by the ark that contained the law, that is, the Lord. This is why the ark was overlaid with gold within and without, and the mercy-seat was over the ark, and over the mercy-seat and out of it were the two cherubim which were of pure gold; for gold signifies from correspondence the good of love, in which are the angels of the third heaven. The "mercy-seat" signified the hearing and reception of all things of the worship that is from the good of love from the Lord; and the "cherubim" signified the Lord's providence and guard that He be not approached except through the good of love. That heaven with its angels is a guard against anything being elevated to the Lord Himself except what proceeds from the good of love to Him and from Him. For all worship of God passes through the heavens even to the Lord, and is purified in the way, until it is elevated to the third heaven, and there it reaches ¹ the Lord and is received by Him; everything else, being impure, is removed on the way. This is why cherubim of gold were placed over the mercy-seat, which was over the ark; also why that place was called a sanctuary, and also the holy of holies, and was divided from the outer part of the tabernacle by the veil.

[4] That the tent with the court represented the three heavens is evident also from this, that all things instituted among the sons of Israel were representatives of heavenly things; for the church itself was a representative church; thus especially the tabernacle with the altar was the most holy thing of worship; for worship was celebrated upon the altar by burnt-offerings and sacrifices, and in the tabernacle by incense offerings, and by the lamps that were lighted every day, and by the loaves that were placed in order daily upon the table. All these represented all worship in heaven and in the church, and the tent itself with the ark represented the heavens themselves. For this reason that tabernacle was called "the dwelling place of Jehovah God," as heaven itself is called. That the heavens were represented by the tabernacle is evident also from this, that the form of it was shown to Moses by the Lord upon Mount Sinai, and what is shown in form by the Lord must represent either heaven or the things belonging to heaven. That the form of the tabernacle was shown to Moses upon Mount Sinai, can be seen from what was said to Moses:

Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell In the midst of them, according to all that I have shown thee, the form of the habitation; [and afterwards,] See and make them in their form which thou wast made to see in the mount (Exodus 25:8, 9, 40).

That is why it is called "a sanctuary," and it is said "that I may dwell in the midst of them." In respect to the ark in particular, that is, what it signifies, also "the mercy-seat over it," and "the cherubim over the mercy-seat," as also "the border of gold round about the ark," and also "the four rings for the staves," also "the veil," "the clasps," and the other things, all this may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 9484-9577, 9670-9680).

[5] The holiness itself of the whole tabernacle was from the testimony, that is, from the two tables of stone on which the law was written, because "the law" signified the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and thus in relation to the Word, for that is Divine truth. That the Lord is the Word is evident from what is said in John:

The Word was with God, and God was the Word, and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:1, 2, 14).

That the law, which is called both "the testimony" and "the covenant," was placed in the ark, likewise the book written by Moses, can be seen from these words in Moses:

Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony that I shall give thee (Exodus 25:16; 40:20).

I put the tables of the law in the ark that I had made, that they might be there, even as Jehovah commanded me (Deuteronomy 10:5).

And of the book of the law written by Moses:

When Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law upon the book, even when he had finished them, Moses commanded the Levites that bare the ark to take the book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the Covenant, that it might be there for a witness (Deuteronomy 31:24-26).

This shows that there was nothing inside of the ark except the two tables of stone on which the law was written, and that the book of Moses was by the side of it. That there was nothing in the ark except the two tables of the covenant is evident from the first book of Kings:

There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, the covenant which Jehovah made with the sons of Israel (1 Kings 8:9).

That the book of Moses which was laid by the side of the ark was afterwards taken out and preserved in the temple is shown by the fact:

That Hilkiah the high priest found the book of the law in the house of Jehovah and gave it to Shaphan, who told it unto the king, and read it before the king (2 Kings 22:8-11).

[6] That the ark represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and consequently signified Divine truth from the Lord, thus the Word, is shown by the fact that from it the Lord spoke with Moses, for it is said:

Thou shalt put the testimony into the ark; and there I will meet thee, and I will speak with thee from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the Testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the sons of Israel (Exodus 25:21, 22);

and elsewhere:

When Moses went into the Tent of meeting to speak with Him he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from above the mercy-seat that was upon the ark of the Testimony, from between the two cherubim; thus He spake unto him (Numbers 7:89).

The Lord spoke to Moses therefrom because the law was there, and that law signifies in a broad sense the Lord in relation to the Word, and from the Word the Lord speaks with man; it was "from above the mercy-seat between the two cherubim," because "the mercy-seat" signifies the removal of falsities that are from evil loves, and at the same time reception and hearing, and "the cherubim" signify a guard that there be no approach except through the good of love.

[7] Because the Lord in heaven and in the church is Divine truth or the Word, which is meant by the law inclosed in the ark, and because the Lord is present in the law or the Word, so where the ark was, there was Jehovah or the Lord, as can be seen from these words in Moses:

Moses said to Jehovah, ² Leave us not, I pray; forasmuch as thou knowest how we must encamp in the wilderness, therefore thou wilt be to us instead of eyes; and it shall be when thou shalt go with us, yea, it shall be that the good that Jehovah shall do unto us, the same good we will do unto thee. And they journeyed from the mount of Jehovah a way of three days, and the ark of the Covenant of Jehovah journeyed before them a way of three days to search out a resting place for them; and the cloud of Jehovah was over them by day, when they journeyed from the camp. When the ark journeyed Moses said, Arise, O Jehovah, let Thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy faces; and when it rested he said, Return, O Jehovah, to the myriads of the thousands of Israel (Numbers 10:31-36).

It is clear from these particulars that Jehovah or the Lord is here meant by "the ark" because of His presence in the law that was in the ark, thus because of His presence in the Word. Since the Lord is here meant by the law, and thus by the ark, "Moses said, Arise, O Jehovah, that Thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy faces; and when it rested he said, Return, O Jehovah, to the myriads of the thousands of Israel." But still more interior things are involved in these words, namely, that the Lord by His Divine truth leads men and defends them against falsities and evils, which are from hell, especially in temptations, which are signified in particular by the journeyings of the sons of Israel in the wilderness forty years. That the Lord leads men continually by His Divine truth is signified by "the ark of the Covenant of Jehovah journeyed before them a way of three days to search out a resting place for them," "the ark of Jehovah" meaning the Lord in relation to Divine truth, "journeying a way of three days" meaning His auspices and leading from beginning to end, and "searching out" signifying salvation, which is the end.

[8] Moreover, protection from falsities and evils which are from hell is signified by "the cloud of Jehovah over them by day," as well as by the words of Moses when the ark journeyed, "Arise, O Jehovah, let Thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy faces;" "the cloud of Jehovah by day" signifies also protection by Divine truth in ultimates, such as the Word is in the sense of the letter, for by such truth the Lord can be approached even by the evil, and by it He defends the interior things of the Word, which are celestial and spiritual. (That this sense of the Word is signified by a "cloud" may be seen above, n. 594.) "Enemies" and "them that hate" signify falsities and evils that are from hell, "enemies" falsities, and "them that hate" evils, thus they signify the hells in respect to falsities and evils. Truths from good, which are implanted in man after temptations, are signified by "when the ark rested Moses said, Return, O Jehovah, to the myriads of the thousands of Israel;" "the resting of the ark" signifies the state after temptations, when evils and falsities have been removed; "to return" signifies the Lord's presence at that time, for in temptations the Lord appears to be absent; "the myriads of the thousands of Israel" signify the truths from good implanted, which constitute the church. (That "myriads" are predicated of truths, and "thousands" of goods, see above, n. 336.)

[9] There is a like significance in these words in David:

Lo, we have heard of Him in Ephrathah, we have found Him in the fields of the forest; we will come into His habitations, we will bow ourselves down at His footstool. Arise, O Jehovah, to Thy resting place, Thou and the ark of Thy strength. Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness and let Thy saints shout for joy (Psalms 132:6-9).

Evidently this Psalm treats of the Lord, who is here meant by "David," as can be seen from its being said, "We have found Him in Ephrathah and in the fields of the forest," also that "they bowed themselves down at His footstool;" "Ephrathah" meaning Bethlehem where the Lord was born, and signifying the Word in respect to its natural sense, while "Bethlehem" signifies the Word in respect to its spiritual sense; and there He chose to be born because the Lord is the Word; "the fields of the forest" signify the things of the natural sense of the Word, thus of the sense of the letter; while "His habitations" signify the spiritual sense of the Word, also heaven, since heaven is in that sense. The "footstool" to which they shall bow themselves down signifies the natural sense of the Word, and thence also the church on earth, since the church is in that sense. (That the "footstool" of the Lord means the church on earth, see above, n. 606.)

[10] The "resting place" to which Jehovah should arise signifies the union of the Divine and the Human in the Lord, and His conjunction with heaven and the church; and because the Lord, and also those who are in heaven and in the church, have rest and peace when He has subjugated the hells and has brought all things there and in the heavens into order, it is said, "Arise, Thou and the ark of Thy strength," "Thou" meaning the Lord Himself, and "the ark of Thy strength" Divine truth proceeding from Him, for through this the Lord has Divine power. The "priests who shall be clothed with righteousness" and the "saints who shall shout for joy," have a similar signification as "the thousands and myriads of Israel," "priests" meaning those who are in good, and "saints" those who are in truths, thus in an abstract sense the goods and truths of heaven and the church. (That "priests" in an abstract sense signify the goods of the church may be seen above, n. 31 at the end, and that "saints" in that sense signify the truths of the church, n. 204, 325.) More about this Psalm may be seen above n. 684.

[11] Because the ark, from the law that was in it, signified the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and the Lord has omnipotence from Divine good through Divine truth, therefore by means of the ark miracles were wrought. Thus by means of it the waters of Jordan were divided, so that the sons of Israel passed over on dry ground; the wall of the city of Jericho was overthrown; Dagon, the god of the Ashdodites, fell down before it; the Ashdodites, the Gittites, the Ekronites, and the Bethshemites, were smitten with plagues on account of it; Uzzah died because he touched it; Obed-edom, into whose house it was brought, was blessed. As these historical facts involve arcana that can be opened only by the spiritual sense I also will explain them, that it may be known what the ark signifies in a strict sense and in a broad sense. First, respecting the division of the waters of Jordan that the sons of Israel might pass through on dry ground, in Joshua:

Joshua and all the sons of Israel came to Jordan; and at the end of three days Joshua commanded, saying, When ye shall see the ark of the Covenant of Jehovah, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, ye shall journey from your place and shall go after it; yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits; ye shall not draw near unto it. And the priests lifted up the ark of the Covenant and went before the people. And Joshua said, When ye shall come to the brink of the waters of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. And he said unto the people, Behold, the ark of the Covenant of the Lord of the whole earth passing over before you into Jordan; and take ye twelve men of the tribes of Israel; and when the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of Jehovah the Lord of the whole earth shall rest in the waters of Jordan, the waters of Jordan shall be cut off, even the waters that come down from above shall stand in one heap. And it came to pass when the priests came unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bear the ark were dipped in the brink of the waters, and Jordan was full, as it was wont to be all the days of harvest, the waters that came down from above stood in one heap, stretching out very far from the city Adam; and those that came down upon the sea of the plain, the sea of salt, were completely cut off, so that the people could pass over towards Jericho. And the priests stood on the dry ground in the midst of Jordan; and all the people passed over on dry ground. Afterwards Jehovah said unto Joshua, Take to you twelve men, one of a tribe; and lift up out of the midst of Jordan, from where the priests' feet stood, twelve stones, which ye shall bring over with you, and leave in the place where ye pass the night. And the sons of Israel did so; and they lifted up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, according to the numbers of the tribes of Israel, and they carried them over unto the place where they passed the night. Then after that all the people had finished passing over, the ark of Jehovah passed over, and the priests. And it came to pass when the priests were come up and the soles of their feet were plucked out, the waters of Jordan returned into their place. And the twelve stones which they took out of Jordan did Joshua set up in Gilgal (Joshua 3:1-17; 4:1-20).

All the historicals of the Word, as well as its prophetical parts, contain a spiritual sense that treats, not of the sons of Israel and of nations and peoples, but of the church and its establishment and progress, for this is the spiritual of the Word, while the history is the natural that contains the spiritual. Therefore also all the miracles described in the Word, as the miracles done in Egypt and afterwards in the land of Canaan, involve such things as belong to heaven and the church, and for this reason also these miracles are Divine.

[12] The miracle described above signifies the introduction of the faithful into the church, and through the church into heaven. "The sons of Israel" mean here in the spiritual sense the faithful, who after enduring temptations, which are signified by their wanderings in the wilderness, are brought into the church; for "the land of Canaan," into which the sons of Israel were brought, signifies the church, and "Jordan" signifies the first entrance into it; and "the waters of Jordan" signify truths that introduce into it, which are such as those of the literal sense of the Word, for those are what first introduce. But here "Jordan" and its waters signify the falsities of evil which conduct towards hell, since the land of Canaan was then filled with idolatrous nations, which signify evils and falsities of every kind, which constitute hell; for this reason these were to be driven out, that there might be a place for establishing the church. Because "the waters of Jordan" then signified the falsities of evil, they were parted and removed, to give a passage to the sons of Israel, who were to represent the church.

[13] Now as the Lord alone removes and scatters the falsities of evil that are from hell, and by His Divine truths introduces the faithful into the church and into heaven, and as the ark and the law inclosed in it represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, it was commanded that the ark should go before the people and thus lead them. This is why it came to pass that as soon as the priests bearing the ark dipped their feet in the waters of Jordan those waters were divided and went down, and the people passed over on dry land, and after this was done the waters returned. Then these same waters signified truths that introduce; for Jordan was the first boundary of the land of Canaan, and that land, when the sons of Israel had entered into it, represented the church, and that river introduction into it.

[14] As the waters of Jordan signified truths that introduce they were commanded to take up out of the midst of it twelve stones, and carry them over to the first place where they passed the night, and this because "stones" signify truths, and "twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of Israel" signified the truths of the church. Joshua set up those stones in Gilgal to the east of Jericho, because "Gilgal" signified the doctrine of natural truth, which is serviceable for introduction into the church. From these few things it is clear what things of heaven and the church were represented by this miracle, also that the "ark," because of the law in it, signified the Lord in relation to Divine truth, therefore it is called "the ark of the Covenant of the Lord of the whole earth," as meaning conjunction with the Lord through Divine truth, since conjunction, which is signified by "covenant," is effected through Divine truth, and that is what constitutes heaven and the church, which are signified in particular by "the whole earth;" in fact, through Divine truth all things were made and created, according to the Lord's words (in John 1:1-3, 10; and in David, Psalms 33:6), "the Word" there meaning Divine truth.

[15] The second miracle done by means of the ark was the overthrow of the wall of Jericho, which is thus described in Joshua:

The city of Jericho was shut up; and Jehovah said unto Joshua, I have given into thy hand Jericho and the king thereof, and the mighty in valor. Ye shall compass the city, all the men of war, once a day for six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of jubilee before the ark; but the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall sound with the trumpets, and then the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city shall fall down from beneath itself; and the people shall go up. Then Joshua made them go round the city once the first day, as it had been said; after which circuit they returned into the camp, and passed the night in the camp; in like manner the day after. And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of jubilee before the ark of Jehovah went on, going, and sounded the trumpets, before whom went the men of war, and the rear marching after the ark, going and sounding the trumpets. And so they did six days; and the seventh day they compassed the city seven times; and the seventh time the people shouted. And when the people heard this, then the wall of the city fell down beneath itself, and the people went up into the city, and gave to the curse all things which were in the city, from man even to woman, and from the boy to the old man. And they burned up the city with fire, and all things that were in it; only the silver and gold, and the vessels of brass and iron they put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah. And Joshua adjured them, saying, Cursed be the man before Jehovah that shall rise up and build this city; with his firstborn he shall lay the foundations of it, and with the youngest he shall set up its folding doors (Joshua 6:1-26).

No one can know the Divine meaning contained in this miracle, unless he knows what is signified by "the city of Jericho" in the land of Canaan, which was burned up, by "its wall" which fell, by the "inhabitants" who were given to the curse, by "the gold and silver, and the vessels of brass and iron," that were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah, also by "sounding the trumpets and shouting," and by "compassing it six days, and seven times on the seventh day." The "city of Jericho" signifies instruction in the knowledges of good and truth, by which man is introduced into the church; for Jericho was a city not far from the Jordan, and that river signified introduction into the church (as has been said above). For all places in the land of Canaan were significative of things celestial and spiritual belonging to the church, and this from the most ancient times; and as the sons of Israel were to represent the church, and among them the Word was written, in which those places were to be mentioned signifying such things as are of heaven and the church, therefore the sons of Israel were introduced into it, and their introduction was signified by "the river Jordan," and their instruction by "Jericho." And as "Jericho" signified instruction it signified also the good of life, because unless one is in the good of life he cannot be instructed in the truths of doctrine. But when the land of Canaan was held by idolatrous nations the signification of the places and cities in that land was changed into the opposite, Jericho then signifying the profanation of truth and good. From this it follows that the "city" itself signified the doctrine of falsity and evil, which perverted and profaned the truths and goods of the church, its "wall" signifying falsities of evil defending that doctrine, and the "inhabitants" those who are profane; and as all profaneness is from infernal love after the acknowledgment of truth and good, therefore the city was burned with fire, the inhabitants given to the curse, and its wall fell down, "fire" signifying infernal love, "curse" a total blotting out, and "the falling down of the wall" exposure to every evil and falsity.

[16] The sounding of the trumpets by the priests signified the proclamation of Divine truth from Divine good; the shouting and acclamation of the people signified consent and confirmation; compassing the city signified a survey of falsity and evil and their dispersion by the influx of Divine truth from the Lord; this influx was signified by carrying the ark about it. The priests were seven in number, and the city was compassed seven days, and seven times on the seventh day, to signify what is holy, and the holy proclamation of Divine truth, "seven" signifying holiness, and in the contrary sense profaneness, and as there was holiness on the one part and profaneness on the other, there were seven priests with seven trumpets, and the city was compassed seven times.

[17] The gold, the silver, and the vessels of brass and iron, were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah, because these signified the knowledges of spiritual and natural truth and good, "gold and silver" the knowledges of spiritual truth and good, and "the vessels of brass and iron" knowledges of natural truth and good, which with those who profane are changed into direful falsities and evils; but as they continue to be knowledges, although applied to evils, they are serviceable to use with the good by application to what is good, and therefore these things were put into the treasury of the house of Jehovah. This also is what is meant by the "pounds" [minae] that were taken away from the evil and given to the good; likewise by the "unrighteous mammon;" also by "the gold, silver, and raiment," that the sons of Israel took away from the Egyptians and afterwards devoted to the tabernacle; and also by "the gold and silver" that David gathered from the spoils of enemies, and left to Solomon for building the temple.

[18] That he who rebuilt Jericho would be cursed, and that "he would lay the foundation of it with his firstborn, and set up its folding-doors with his youngest," signified the profanation of Divine truth from its first to its last, if instruction in it should be represented elsewhere than in Jerusalem, by which the church was signified in respect to the doctrine of truth and good, and in respect to instruction from the Word. That this profanation took place under King Ahab by Hiel the Bethelite is recorded in 1 Kings 16:34; and Ahab is said to have done evil in the eyes of Jehovah above all the kings of Israel (verses 1 Kings 16:30, 33). From this miracle done by means of the ark it can be seen that the ark, because of the law in it, represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and thence signified the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord.

[19] The third miracle, that Dagon, the god of the Ashdodites, fell down before the ark, and the Ashdodites, Gittites, Ekronites, and Bethshemites were smitten with plagues because of it, is thus described in the first book of Samuel:

Israel went out against the Philistines to war. And Israel was beaten before the Philistines about four thousand men. Therefore the elders said, Let us take unto us out of Shiloh the ark of the Covenant of Jehovah, and let it come into the midst of us, and deliver us out of the hand of the enemy. And they brought from thence the ark of the Covenant of Jehovah of Hosts sitting above the cherubim, and with the ark the two sons of Eli. And it came to pass when the ark came to the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout; the Philistines heard, and knew that the ark of Jehovah was come to the camp, and they feared for themselves, saying, God is come to the camp; woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hands of these mighty gods? These are the gods that smote the Egyptians with every plague. But be strong and be men, O ye Philistines, that ye may not serve the Hebrews. And the Philistines fought, and Israel was beaten with a great slaughter, about thirty thousand footmen; and the ark of God was taken, and both the sons of Eli died. And the Philistines took the ark, and brought it down to Ashdod, into the house of Dagon, and they set it beside Dagon. When they of Ashdod rose in the morning, behold, Dagon lay upon his faces on the earth before the ark of Jehovah; and they put back Dagon again. But when they arose in the morning, Dagon lay upon his faces on the earth before the ark, and both the head of Dagon and the two palms of his hands lay cut off upon the threshold. And the hand of Jehovah was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and He smote them with emerods, Ashdod and the borders thereof. Then the men of Ashdod said, The ark of Israel shall not abide with us. Therefore the lords of the Philistines said, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried over unto Gath. And they carried it over unto Gath. But the hand of Jehovah was against the city, and smote the men of the city from the least to the greatest, and emerods brake out upon them. So they sent the ark of God to Ekron. But the Ekronites cried out that they should be slain. And the men that died not were smitten with emerods. Therefore the lords said that they would send back the ark into its place. When the ark had remained in the field of the Philistines seven months, the Philistines called the priests and diviners, saying, What shall we do with the ark of Jehovah; how shall we send it back to its place? And they said, Send it not empty, but send it back with a guilt-offering, then shall ye be healed, namely, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines, five emerods of gold and five mice of gold, for one plague is upon you all and upon your lords; ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice, that have laid waste the land; and make a new cart, and two milch kine upon which there hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring back their calves from them to the house, and put the ark of Jehovah upon the cart, and the vessels of gold put into a coffer at the side thereof; and see if it goeth up the way of the border to Bethshemesh. And they did so. Then the kine went straightway upon the way to Bethshemesh in the one highway, and they lowed; and the lords of the Philistines went after them. And the cart came into the field of Joshua the Bethshemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone. Then they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine for a burnt-offering to Jehovah. And the Levites set down the ark of Jehovah, and the coffer in which were the vessels of gold, upon that great stone; and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed sacrifices to Jehovah. But the Bethshemites were smitten because they saw the ark of Jehovah, about fifty thousand and seventy men. But the men of Kiriath-jearim caused the ark of Jehovah to come up, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in Gibeah, and it remained there twenty years. Then Samuel said, If with the whole heart ye will return to Jehovah, put ye away the gods of the alien and Ashtaroth, and prepare your heart towards Jehovah, and serve Him only, then will He deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:1-11; 5:1-12; 6:1-21; 7:1-3).

What is signified by all this-that the ark was taken by the Philistines, and the Philistines were smitten with emerods on account of the ark in Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron, also that mice laid waste their land, and that so many died there and in Bethshemesh-cannot be known unless it is known what the Philistines, and in particular the Ashdodites, Gittites, Ekronites, and Bethshemites, represented and thence signified; also what is signified by "emerods" and by "mice," and by "the golden images" of these, and besides by the "new cart" and "the milch kine." Evidently these are representatives of such things as belong to the church, for otherwise why should the Philistines have been smitten with such plagues, and the ark have been so brought back?

[20] The Philistines represented, and thence signified, those who make no account of the good of love and charity, and thus no account of the good of life; placing everything of religion in knowledge and cognition; therefore they were like those at the present day who make faith alone, that is, faith separated from charity, the essential of the church and the essential of salvation. This is why they were called "the uncircumcised," for to be uncircumcised signifies to be destitute of spiritual love, thus of good; and because they had reference to those within the church they were not spiritual, but merely natural, since he who makes no account of the good of charity and of life becomes merely natural, and even sensual, loving only worldly things, and is unable to understand any truths spiritually, and the truths he apprehends naturally he either falsifies or defiles. Such are they who are meant in the Word by the "Philistines." Thence it is evident why the Philistines so frequently fought with the sons of Israel, and that sometimes the Philistines conquered, and sometimes the sons of Israel. The Philistines conquered when the sons of Israel departed from the statutes and precepts in not doing them; but when the sons of Israel lived according to these they conquered. To live according to the precepts and statutes was their good of love and good of life. At this time the sons of Israel were conquered by the Philistines because they had departed from the worship of Jehovah to the worship of other gods, especially to the worship of Ashtaroth, as can be seen from what Samuel said to them (1 Samuel 7:3). For the same reason also the ark had been taken by the Philistines.

[21] When it is known that the Philistines represented and thence signified those who make no account of the good of love, charity, and life, it can be known why because of the ark they were smitten with emerods and died in consequence; also why mice laid waste the land; for "emerods" signify truth defiled by such evil of life as is with those who are destitute of good; since "blood" signifies truth, and the corrupted blood from emerods truth defiled; and the hinder part, where the emerods were, signifies natural love, which with those not spiritual is the love of the world, while "mice" signify the falsities of the sensual man, which eat up and consume all things of the church, as mice lay waste fields and crops, and also the vegetables underground. Such were their plagues, because they were such, since those who are without good defile truths and also lay waste all things of the church. This was done on account of the ark, because the "ark" signified the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord, and this cannot be genuine truth but with those who are in the good of love, and thence in the good of life; and when Divine truth flows in with those who are not in good it produces effects that correspond to their falsities of doctrine and evils of life, just as in the spiritual world, when Divine truth flows into such, the defilement of truth and devastation of good are manifested in a likeness of emerods and mice.

[22] Dagon the god of the Ashdodites, because of the nearness and presence of the ark, was cast down to the earth, and afterwards his head and the palms of his hands were cast upon the threshold of his temple, because "Dagon" signified their religion, which was wholly without intelligence and without power, because it was without spiritual good, "head" signifying intelligence, and "palms of the hands" power. It is similar in the spiritual world, when Divine truth inflows out of heaven with such persons, for they then appear as if they were without a head and without palms of the hands because they are without intelligence or power.

[23] By the advice of their priests and diviners they made golden images of the emerods and mice, and set them at the side of the ark upon a new cart, to which they tied two milch kine on which no yoke had come, because "gold" signifies the good of love, which heals and purifies from falsities and evils, which are signified by the "emerods and mice," also because a "cart" signifies the doctrine of natural truth, and a "new cart" that doctrine untouched and unpolluted by the falsities of their evil, and the "milch kine" on which no yoke had come signify natural good not yet defiled by falsities, for to bear a yoke signifies to serve, here to serve falsities which defile good; and as such good agrees with the Divine truth, which was signified by the "ark," therefore these representatives were adapted and applied; and afterwards the Levites offered the kine as a burnt-offering, which they burned with the wood of the cart.

[24] The ark with the gifts was put on a great stone, near which the kine stood still, because a "stone" signifies Divine truth in the ultimate of order. The priests and diviners of the Philistines recommended this to be done because a knowledge of correspondences and representations was a common knowledge at that time, since it was their theology, known to the priests and diviners, who were their wise men. But because men at that time had become for the most part merely natural, they regarded these things in an idolatrous way, worshiping the externals, and giving no thought to the internals that the externals represented. From this it can be seen what the particulars here cited from the book of Samuel signify in series, also that the "ark," because of the law in it, signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord.

[25] Fourth, the two miracles wrought by means of the ark, the death of Uzzah and the blessing of Obed-edom, are thus described in the second book of Samuel:

David arose and went, and all the people that were with him, from Baal-Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called upon, the name of Jehovah of Hosts that sitteth upon the cherubim. And they caused the ark of God to be carried upon a new cart, and they brought it up out of the house of Abinadab, which was in Gibeah; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were leading the cart. And David and all the house of Israel were playing before Jehovah, upon instruments of fir-wood of every kind, and upon harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with sistra, and with cymbals. And when they came to the threshing floor of Nachon, Uzzah put forth unto the ark and seized upon it, because the oxen stumbled; and the anger of Jehovah glowed against Uzzah, and God smote him for his error, so that he died there by the ark of God. And David was grieved at it, and David feared Jehovah that day, and he said, How shall the ark of Jehovah come unto me? And David would not remove the ark of Jehovah unto him in the city of David, but he turned it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. And the ark of Jehovah remained in his house three months, and Jehovah blessed Obed-edom and all his house; and it was told to King David; and David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with joy; and when they that bare the ark of Jehovah had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling; and David danced with all his strength before Jehovah, girt with a linen ephod. And David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of Jehovah with a shout and with the sound of a trumpet; and they brought the ark of Jehovah into the city of David, which is Zion, and set it up in its place within the tent that David had stretched out for it (2 Samuel 6:1-17).

These historical facts in the internal or spiritual sense involve many things that cannot come into view in the sense of the letter, which is the historical sense; as what is involved in the fact that the ark was brought from the house of Abinadab into the house of Obed-edom, and at length into the city of David, which is Zion; in the fact that when it was brought they played and sounded all kinds of musical instruments, and David himself danced; that the ark was brought upon a new cart, to which oxen were tied; also that Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, died, and Obed-edom with his house was blessed. All these things, although historical, have concealed in their bosom such things as pertain to heaven and the church, in like manner as the ark itself, which, on account of the law in it, represented the Lord as to the Divine truth; therefore it is called "the ark of God whose name is called upon, the name of Jehovah of hosts that sitteth upon the cherubim." That the ark was now brought out of the house of Abinadab, first into the house of Obed-edom and at length into the city of David, which is Zion, involves arcana that no one can know unless he knows what was signified by "Gibeah" and by "Baal-Judah" there, where Abinadab was, and by "Gath" where Obed-edom was, and finally by "Zion" where David was. All the regions and the cities in them in the land of Canaan were representative, as it is in the spiritual world with the regions there and their cities. In the spiritual world in every region and also in every city those who are in the good of love dwell toward the east and the west, those who are in a bright good of love toward the east, and those who are in an obscure good of love toward the west; while toward the south and the north there those dwell who are in the light of truth; those who are in a bright light of truth toward the south and those who are in an obscure light of truth toward the north. The like is true of the land of Canaan and its regions and the cities of those regions; in reference to their quarters these corresponded to the regions of the spiritual world and to the cities of those regions; but with this difference, that on earth it is impossible so to arrange men in their quarters in respect to the good of love and the light of truth, as the spirits and angels are arranged in the spiritual world; consequently in the land of Canaan and its cities the places themselves represented, and not the persons. That this was so can be seen from the partition of the land of Canaan into inheritances, which fell by lot to the tribes according to their representation of the church; also from the representation of the church itself by Jerusalem and Zion, Jerusalem representing the church in respect to the truth of doctrine and Zion the church in respect to the good of love. When, therefore, it is known what pertaining to heaven and the church is signified by "Gibeah," and by "Baal-Judah" there, where Abinadab was, and what by "Gath" where Obed-edom was, it can be known what is signified by bringing the ark from Abinadab to Obed-edom, and at length into Zion.

[26] From the signification of these cities it can be seen that the transference of the ark represented the progress of the church with man, from its ultimate to its inmost, as from one heaven into another, even to the highest, which is the third heaven. "Baal-Judah," where Abinadab was, signified the ultimate of the church, which is called its natural, for this was represented by "Gibeah," where "Baal-Judah" was. But "Gath," where Obed-edom was, who was therefore called a Gittite, signified the spiritual of the church; and this signification it took on after the sons of Israel had taken from the Philistines the cities from Ekron even to Gath (1 Samuel 7:13-15); while "Zion," where David was, signified the inmost of the church, which is called its celestial.

[27] From this it is evident that the transference of the ark signified the progress of the church with man from its ultimate to its inmost; and this because such progressions are effected by means of Divine truth, which was signified by the ark; for the man of the church progresses from the natural to the spiritual, and through that to the celestial, and this continually from the Lord by means of His Divine truth; the natural is the good of life, the spiritual is the good of charity toward the neighbor, and the celestial is the good of love to the Lord. As the goods of the three heavens have a like progression, so the ascent through them in their order is also represented.

[28] Their playing and sounding all kinds of musical instruments, and David's dancing when the ark was brought up, represented the gladness and joy that result from the affection of truth and good from the Lord through the influx of Divine truth, which was signified by the "ark;" the instruments mentioned, on which they played in the first journey from the house of Abinadab to the house of Obed-edom, represented gladness of mind from a natural and spiritual affection of truth; and the dancing of David, also the shouting and sound of the trumpet represented joy of heart from the affection of spiritual and celestial good. Harmonies of musical sound are from the spiritual world, and signify the affections with their gladnesses and joys (as may be seen above, n. 323, 326). "Zion" signifies the third heaven, and thence the inmost of the church (See also above, n. 405.

[29] "The ark" brought on a new cart to which oxen were tied represented and thence signified the doctrine of truth from the good of love, "cart" signifying the doctrine of truth, and "oxen" the good of love, both in the natural man; for Divine truth, which is signified by the "ark," rests and is founded upon the doctrine of natural truth which is from good; this is why the ark was set upon a cart before which were oxen. (That a "chariot" [or cart] signifies the doctrine of truth, see above, n. 355); that an "ox" signifies the natural good, see Arcana Coelestia 2180, 2566.)

[30] Uzzah the son of Abinadab died because he seized upon the ark with his hand, because "to touch with the hand" signifies communication, and communication with the Lord is effected through the good of love, and yet Uzzah was not anointed, as the priests and Levites were, to whom the representation of the good of love was given by anointing (that this was given by anointing, see n. 375. Moreover, the cherubim that were over the mercy-seat which was upon the ark, signified the guard that the Lord be not approached except through the good of love. That this was also done that David might not bring the ark into Zion before the progression which was being represented was finished (of which above) can be seen from this, that David grieved at the death of Uzzah, and feared to bring the ark into his city, which was Zion (verses 8-10).

[31] Obed-edom was blessed, and his house, on account of the ark, because a blessing from the good things of the world signifies blessing from the good things of heaven, which proceed solely from the Lord by the reception of the Divine truth represented by the ark, and these good things those have who are in spiritual good, which Obed-edom in Gath represented, as has been said above.

[32] Finally, bringing the ark into Zion and into the tent that David had stretched out for it, signified the ascent into the third heaven, and the conjunction of the Divine truth with the good of love, for "Zion" represented the inmost of the church, and thence the inmost of the heavens, which is the highest or third heaven, in which the angels are in the good of love to the Lord, and where there is a guard that the Lord be not approached except through the good of love, which guard was represented by the cherubim over the ark.

[33] Bringing the ark into the inmost part of the temple built by Solomon has a like signification; this is thus described in the first book of Kings:

Solomon prepared an adytum in the midst of the house, to set there the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; and in the adytum he made two cherubim of wood of oil, and he set the cherubim in the midst of the inner house, so that their wings were spread forth to the wall on each side, and their wings touched one another in the midst of the house; and he overlaid the cherubim with gold. And Solomon brought up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the city of David, which is Zion. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests lifted up the ark, and brought up the ark of Jehovah, and the tent of meeting, and all the vessels of holiness that were in the tent; and Solomon and all the congregation with him before the ark. And the priests brought the ark of the covenant of Jehovah into its place, into the adytum of the house, into the holy of holies, even under the wings of the cherubim; for the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof from above, and the heads of the staves were seen from the holy place, toward the faces of the adytum, but they were not seen without. And Solomon said, There have I set a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of Jehovah, which He made with our fathers when He brought them forth out of the land of Egypt (1 Kings 6:19, 23, 27, 28; 8:1-8, 21).

As the ark in the tent of meeting represented the third heaven where the Lord is, and the tent itself without the veil the second heaven, and the court the first heaven, so was it with the temple; for the temple with its courts represented the three heavens, therefore there was nothing in the temple or outside of the temple within the courts, that did not represent something of heaven, and this for the reason that the Lord at that time was present in representatives; for the churches before the Lord's coming were representative churches, and finally such as the church was that was instituted with the sons of Israel. But when the Lord came into the world, the externals that represented were abolished, for it was the Lord Himself that the representatives of the church shadowed forth and signified; and as these were external things, and as it were veilings, within which was the Lord, so when He came these veilings were taken away, and He was manifested, with heaven and the church, in which the Lord is the all in all. The primary representatives of the Lord, and thence of heaven and the church, were the tent of meeting with the table, the lamp stand, the altar of incense, and the ark there, also the altar with the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and afterwards the temple; the temple having a similar representation as the tent of meeting, with the difference that the tent of meeting was a more holy representative of the Lord, of heaven, and of the church, than the temple.

[34] From this it can be seen that the adytum in the temple, where, like as in the tent of meeting, the ark was, represented the Lord in relation to the Divine truth, and thence the third heaven, where angels are conjoined to the Lord by love to Him, and consequently have Divine truth inscribed on their hearts. But what was signified by "the cherubim" in the temple, and their "wings," and the "staves" which are also mentioned, shall be told in a few words. "The cherubim" signified a guard that the Lord be not approached except through the good of love, consequently they were made of the "wood of oil," which wood signified the good of love (See above, n. 375; "the wings of the cherubim" signify the spiritual Divine, which descends from the celestial Divine, in which is the third heaven, into the second heaven, and is there received; this is why the wings "touched one another in the midst of the house," and were thence "stretched forth to the wall on each side." But the "staves" by which the ark was carried, signified Divine power, the same as "arms." From this and what precedes the signification of "the ark of the Covenant" in the Word can be seen.

[35] By the "ark," moreover, the same as by "the continual sacrifice" in Daniel, which was to cease at the Lord's coming into the world, a representative of the church in general is meant, in Jeremiah:

I will give you shepherds according to My heart, that they may feed you with knowledge and intelligence; and it shall come to pass when ye shall be multiplied and bear fruit in the land, in those days they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of Jehovah, neither shall it come up upon the heart, neither shall they make mention of it, neither shall they miss it, neither shall it be renewed anymore (Jeremiah 3:15, 16).

This is said of the Lord's coming, and of the abolition of the representative rites of the Jewish Church at that time. That the interior things of the church that had been veiled over by external representative rites would then be manifested and there would then be interior or spiritual men, is signified by "shepherds would be given according to the heart of the Lord, and they shall feed them with knowledge and intelligence," "shepherds" meaning those who teach good and lead to it by means of truths; the multiplication of truth and fructification of good are signified by "Then it shall come to pass when ye shall be multiplied and bear fruit in the land in those days;" that there will then be conjunction with the Lord through the interiors of the Word and not through its exteriors, which merely represented and signified things interior, is signified by, "they shall say no more, The ark of the Covenant of Jehovah;" "the ark of the Covenant of Jehovah" here signifying the externals of worship that were then to be abolished, the same as "the continual sacrifice" that was to cease (See Daniel 8:13; 11:31; 12:11). That worship was to be no longer external but internal is signified by, "it shall not come up upon the heart, neither shall they make mention of it, neither shall they miss it, neither shall it be renewed anymore." From this, too, it can be seen that "the ark of the Covenant" seen by John in the temple of God, which is the vision here treated of, was an appearing of the Divine truth, by which there is a conjunction of the new heaven and the New Church with the Lord, and that this was so seen that the Word in the letter might be similar throughout, consisting of things that were externals of worship and represented internals; the like as above (Daniel 8:3, 4), where "the altar" and "incense offerings" were seen "before the throne;" for the Word in the letter consists of pure correspondences, such as existed in the representative churches, and were taken therefrom for use in the Word, and in these the interior things of heaven and the church, which are spiritual and celestial, are contained.

Poznámky pod čarou:

355. Verse 2. And I saw, and behold a white horse, signifies the understanding of truth from the Word. This is evident from the signification of "horse," as being the intellect; and from the signification of "white," which is predicated of truth. (That the "horse" signifies the intellect can be seen from what is quoted and shown in the small work on The White Horse; and that "white" is predicated of truth, see above, n. 196.) It is said that "a white horse" was seen when the Lamb opened the first seal, "a red horse" when He opened the second, "a black horse" when He opened the third, and "a pale horse" when He opened the fourth; and as "horse" signifies the intellect, particularly in relation to the Word, it can be seen thence that the understanding of truth from the Word, and its quality with the men of the church, are here described by "horses." It is the same whether you say that the understanding of truth is described, or those who are in it are described; for men, spirits, and angels are the subjects in which it resides. From this it can be known what is described in the internal or spiritual sense in this chapter and in those that follow next, namely, the Word in relation to the understanding. This is evident also from the ninth verse of this chapter, where, after these four horses had appeared, and the fifth seal had been opened, it is said, "I saw the souls of them that had been slain for the Word of God;" also from the nineteenth chapter of this book, where it is said that:

The name of Him that sat upon the white horse is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:13).

That "a horse" signifies the intellect, and "a white horse" the understanding of truth from the Word, can be seen shown in the small work cited above, on The White Horse; but as only a few passages were there quoted from the Word, in proof that "horse" signifies the intellect, I will here quote more, that there may be full confirmation; these now follow.

[2] In Ezekiel:

Gather yourselves from the circuit to My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you. Ye shall be satisfied at My table with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man, and with every man of war. So will I give My glory among the nations (Ezekiel 39:17, 20-21).

This treats of the calling together of all to the Lord's kingdom, and especially of the establishment of the church with the Gentiles; for it describes the spiritual captivity in which the Gentiles were, and their liberation from it. "The sacrifice to be sacrificed" signifies all the worship by which the Lord is worshiped; "to be satiated at My table" signifies with all spiritual food; and as this food is the understanding of truth from the Word and from doctrine from the Word, it is said, "with horse and with chariot," "horse" signifying the understanding of truth from the Word, and "chariot" signifying the doctrine therefrom. It is also said, "with the mighty man, and with every man of war," "mighty man" signifying the truth from good that destroys evil, and "man of war" the truth from good that destroys falsity. Unless such things were signified, how could it be said that they should be satiated "with horse and with chariot, with the mighty man, and with every man of war?"

[3] Likewise in Revelation:

Gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of commanders of thousands, and the flesh of the strong ones, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them (Revelation 19:17-18).

What precedes this treats of the Word and its spiritual sense; this now is an invitation to learn truths, and to perceive goods; and "the supper of the great God" signifies instruction in truths, and the consequent perception of good from the Lord; and "the flesh of kings," "of commanders of thousands," "of the strong ones," "of horses," and "of them that sit on them," signifies truths of every kind which are from good; "flesh" signifying good, "kings" Divine truths in general, "commanders of thousands" the same in particular, "strong ones" natural truths, "horses" intellectual truths, and "those that sit on them" spiritual truths. It must be clear to everyone that this does not mean the flesh of kings, of commanders of thousands, of strong ones, of horses, and of them that sit on them.

[4] In Habakkuk:

Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? was Thine anger against the rivers? was Thy fury against the sea? because Thou ridest upon Thy horses, Thy chariots are salvation, Thou hast trodden down the sea with Thy horses, the mire [or clay] of many waters (Habakkuk 3:8, 15).

Who does not see that "horses" here do not mean horses? For it is said of Jehovah that "He rideth upon His horses," and that "He treadeth down the sea with His horses," and that "His chariots are salvation?" But this is said because "His riding upon horses" signifies that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is in the understanding of His Word in its spiritual sense; and since the doctrine of truth, which teaches the way of salvation, is from the Word, it is added, "Thy chariots are salvation," "chariots" signifying doctrine; also "to tread down the sea with horses" signifies that Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is in the understanding of His Word in its natural sense; for "sea" here signifies that sense, and in general all things of the natural man and that are for the natural man; and because Divine truths there are in their ultimate, it is added, "the mire [or clay] of many waters," "mire" [or "clay"] signifying the ultimate from which and in which are truths, and "waters" signifying truths.

[5] In Zechariah:

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the bow of war shall be cut off; but He shall speak peace to the nations (Zechariah 9:10).

This treats of the Lord's coming, and of the establishment of the church among the Gentiles. That there would then be nothing of the church remaining with the Jews is described by, "I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war shall be cut off," which signifies that there would no longer be any truth in doctrine nor any understanding of truth; and thence no combat and resistance against falsity; "Ephraim" signifies the church in relation to the understanding of truth, and "Jerusalem" the church in relation to the doctrine of truth, "the chariot" doctrine itself, and "the horse" the understanding itself, and "the bow of war" combat and resistance against falsity. The establishment of the church among the nations is signified by, "He shall speak peace to the nations," "nations" signifying all who are in the good of love to the Lord (See above, n. 331), "peace" signifying that good, and thence all things of the church. (That "Ephraim" signifies the church in relation to the understanding of truth, see Arcana Coelestia 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6237, 6267, 6296; and that "Jerusalem" signifies the church in relation to doctrine, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 6, and above, n. 223.)

[6] In the same:

In that day I will smite every horse with astonishment, and the horseman with madness; and I will open mine eye upon the house of Judah, but every horse of the peoples will I smite with blindness (Zechariah 12:4).

This treats of the devastation of the former church, and the establishment of the new church. The devastation of the former church is described by "In that day I will smite every horse with astonishment, and the horseman with madness; and every horse of the peoples will I smite with blindness." It is plain that "horse" here signifies the understanding of truth with the men of the church, and "horseman" the affection of spiritual truth, from which is understanding; else why should it be said that "the horse should be smitten with astonishment, and the horse of the peoples with blindness?" "Astonishment" is predicated of the understanding when it has no perception of good, and "blindness" when it has no perception of truth; "the house of Judah" signifies the church with those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and thence in the doctrine of truth from the Word (See above, n. 119, 211); therefore it is said, "upon it I will open mine eye," which signifies to illustrate them that they may see truths.

[7] In the same:

In that day there shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness to Jehovah (Zechariah 14:20).

This also treats of the Lord's coming, and the invitation of all to the church; and "the bells of the horses" signify knowledges and cognitions [scientifica et cognitiones] and preachings therefrom which are from the understanding of truth; and as all understanding of truth is from the Lord, and thus the knowledges and preachings themselves, therefore it is said, "there shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness to Jehovah." Because "bells" have this signification:

There were bells of gold upon the skirts of Aaron's robe round about (Exodus 28:34-35).

[8] In Moses:

Dan shall be a serpent upon the way, an asp upon the path, biting the horse's heels, and its rider shall fall backwards: I wait for Thy salvation, O Jehovah (Genesis 49:17-18).

This is a prophecy of Israel the father, respecting the tribe of Dan, which tribe signifies the ultimates of the church, thus those who are in the ultimates of truth and good, who are called sensual; for there are in the church those who are spiritual and those who are natural, and the natural are interior, middle, and outmost; the outmost are the sensual, who do not elevate their thoughts above the sense of the letter of the Word. These are meant by "Dan;" of what quality they are is described in this prophecy, namely, that "Dan is a serpent upon the way, an asp upon the path, biting the horse's heels, and its rider shall fall backwards;" "serpent upon the way," and "asp upon the path" signify the sensual in relation to truth and good; "the horse's heels" signify the ultimates of the understanding of truth and good; and "the rider," reasoning from these; and because the sensual viewed in itself does not see truths, since it does not comprehend things spiritual, and therefore slides easily into falsities unless continually withheld from them by the Lord, it is said, "and its rider shall fall backwards: I wait for Thy salvation, O Jehovah." (That "Dan" signifies the ultimates of the church, see Arcana Coelestia 1710, 6396, 10335; that "serpent" signifies the sensual, which is the ultimate of the understanding, n. 6398, 6949, 8624 end, 10313, and above, n. 70; that "way" signifies truths, n. Arcana Coelestia 627, 2333, 10422, and above, n. 97 [1-2]; and that "the heel" signifies the ultimate natural, or the corporeal natural, n. 259, 4938, seq. What the sensual is, and what sensual men are in both senses, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50.)

[9] In Zechariah:

I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, when behold, four chariots coming out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of copper. To the first chariot were red horses; to the second chariot black horses; to the third chariot white horses; and to the fourth chariot grisled horses, stout. The angel said, These are the four winds of heaven, going forth from standing by the Lord of the whole earth. The black horses which are therein go forth to the land of the north; and the white went forth after them; and the grisled went forth into the land of the south; and the stout ones went forth and sought to go that they might wander through the earth. And he said, See these that go forth to the land of the north, they have caused my spirit to rest in the land of the north. And they that are afar shall come and shall build in the temple of Jehovah (Zechariah 6:1-8, 15).

This prophecy is not understood by anyone unless he knows what "chariots" and "horses" signify, and what "red," "black," "white," "grisled," and "stout" signify; also what "the land of the north" and "the land of the south" signify. It treats of the church that was to be propagated among those who as yet were not in any light of truth, because they had not the Word; "the north" means the obscurity of the truth they possessed; "the south" the clearness of truth; "horses" mean their understanding; "red," "black," "white," and "grisled" mean its quality in the beginning, and its quality afterwards; "red," the quality of their understanding in the beginning in relation to good; "black," the quality of their understanding in the beginning in relation to truth; "white," the quality of their understanding afterwards in relation to truth; "grisled," its quality finally in relation to truth and good; and "stout" means its quality in relation to its power to resist evils and falsities. From this it can now be seen what is signified by "the black horses went forth to the land of the north, and the white went forth after them," and "they have caused my spirit to rest in the land of the north," namely, that those who from good of life are in the affection of knowing the truths of the church receive and understand, nor are any others illustrated; that such are illustrated and receive is meant by "they have caused my spirit to rest in the land of the north;" "the grisled went forth into land of the south, and the stout to wander through the earth" signifies that those who from the good of life are in the affection of knowing the truths of the church come into the light, and that they resist evils and falsities, and constitute the church. These four kinds of horses, therefore, are called "the four winds of the heavens, going forth from standing by the Lord of the whole earth;" "winds" signifying all Divine truths, and "going forth from standing by the Lord of the whole earth" signifying that all truths proceed from Him. (That "winds" signify all Divine truths, see Arcana Coelestia 9642, and Heaven and Hell 141-153; and that "to go forth" signifies to proceed, Arcana Coelestia 5337, 7124, 9303.) "They that are afar, that shall build in the temple of Jehovah" signify those who were previously far away from the truths and goods of the church, who shall draw near to the church. (That such are signified by "those that are afar," see Arcana Coelestia 4723, 8918; and that the "temple of Jehovah" signifies the church, n. 3720; moreover, that "the north" signifies the obscurity of truth, and "the south" [auster sive meridies] the clearness of truth, thus also those that are in obscurity and in clearness of truth, see Heaven and Hell 148-151.) What is signified by "red" and by "black," in both senses, will be seen in the explanations at verses 4 and 5 of this chapter, and what by "white," see above n. 196. "The mountains of copper, from between which the chariots and horses went forth," signify the good of love in the natural man; this is said because the nations here treated of, before they were illustrated, were not in spiritual good but in natural good. (That "mountain" signifies the good of love, see Arcana Coelestia, n. 795, 4210, 6435, 8327, 8758, 10438; and "copper" natural good, see above, n. 70)

[10] In Job:

God hath made her forget wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her intelligence. What time she lifteth up herself on high she laugheth at the horse and its rider (Job 39:17-18).

These things are said of a "bird," which signifies intelligence from self [proprium], which in itself is no intelligence; for man from self [proprium] sees nothing but falsities and not truths, and intelligence is from truths, and not from falsities; therefore it is said of her, "God hath made her to forget wisdom, neither hath He imparted to her intelligence," and "when she lifteth up herself on high she laugheth at the horse and its rider," that is, at the understanding of truth, and at him who is intelligent.

[11] In David:

The stout of heart have become a spoil, they have slumbered their sleep. At Thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both chariot and horse have fallen into a deep sleep (Psalms 76:5-6).

The "stout of heart" signify those who are in truths from good; "have become a spoil," and "have slumbered their sleep," signify their having fallen from evils into falsities; "the rebuke of the God of Jacob" signifies their state inverted by themselves; and "both chariot and horse have fallen into a deep sleep" signifies that their intellect was lulled to sleep, because it had become merely natural. That "to be awake" signifies to acquire for oneself spiritual life, and "to be asleep" to have natural life without spiritual, see above n. 187.

[12] In Ezekiel:

Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they gave to thy traffic the soul of man and vessels of brass. They of Bethogarma gave for thy wares horses, horsemen, and mules (Ezekiel 27:13-14).

This treats of Tyre, which signifies the knowledges of truth and good pertaining to the external and the internal church. "Javan, Tubal, and Meshech," signify those who are in external worship; and "they of Bethogarma," those who are in internal worship; it is said therefore that these "gave for the wares of Tyre, horses, horsemen, and mules;" and "the others gave the soul of man and vessels of brass;" the "soul of man" signifies the truth of faith in respect to knowledge; "vessels of brass" signify the truths of natural good; and "horses, horsemen, and mules," signify the understanding of truth and good, "horses" the understanding of truth, "horsemen" intelligence, and "mules" the rational. (That "mule" signifies the rational, see Arcana Coelestia 2781, 5741, 9212.) Everyone can see that "the tradings of Tyre," which are enumerated in this chapter and elsewhere, do not mean tradings with these things, such as vessels of brass, horses, and mules, and many others; but that spiritual tradings are meant, which are effected by means of the knowledges of truth and good; for the Word is Divine, and treats of Divine things, and not of earthly things; therefore it contains spiritual things which pertain to heaven and the church, expressed in the ultimate sense, which is the sense of the letter, by natural things which correspond to them. (That "to trade" and "to be a merchant" signifies in the Word to acquire and to communicate the knowledges of truth and good, see Arcana Coelestia 2967[1-9], 4453; and that "to buy" and "to sell" signify something similar, n. 2967, 4397, 4453, 5371, 5374, 5406, 5410, 5426, 5886, 6143, 7999, 9039.)

[13] In Isaiah:

Who led them through the deeps, as a horse in the wilderness they stumbled not; as a beast goeth down into the valley the Spirit of Jehovah led him (Isaiah 63:13-14).

This chapter treats of the Lord, and His combat with the hells, and His subjugation of them, but here of the salvation of those who are in love and faith towards Him. These are compared to "a horse in the wilderness," and to "a beast in the valley," because "horse" signifies the understanding of truth, and "beast" the affection of good; for all comparisons in the Word are from correspondences.

[14] In Revelation:

I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called the Word of God. And the armies that are in heaven followed Him upon white horses (Revelation 19:11-16).

"A white horse" evidently signifies the understanding of the Word, likewise "the white horses" upon which those sat who followed; for "He that sat upon" the white horse was the Lord in relation to the Word; for it is said, "and He that sat upon him was called the Word of God;" and in verse 19:16, "He had upon His vesture and upon His thigh a name written, Lord of lords and King of kings." The Lord is called the Word, because the Word means Divine truth proceeding from Him. (But these things in Revelation may be seen more fully explained in the small work on The White Horse 1, also why the Lord is called "the Word," n. 14 .) As "chariots" and "horses" signify doctrine from the Word and the understanding of it, and as all doctrine of truth and the understanding of it are out of heaven from the Lord, therefore it is said of Him that "He rides upon the Word," "upon the clouds," "upon heaven," "upon a cherub," also that "He makes to ride," as in the following passages. In David:

Gird thy sword upon the thigh, O mighty One, in Thy majesty, and in Thine honor mount, and ride upon the Word of truth and the meekness of righteousness (Psalms 45:3-4).

These things are said of the Lord. In the same:

Sing unto God, sing psalms to His name; extol Him that rideth upon the clouds (Psalms 68:4).

In Isaiah:

Behold, Jehovah rideth upon a cloud, and cometh into Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved before Him (Isaiah 19:1).

In David:

Sing psalms unto the Lord, to Him who rideth upon the heaven of the heaven of old (Psalms 68:32-33).

God rode upon a cherub, He did fly, and was borne upon the wings of the wind (Psalms 18:10).

In Habakkuk:

O Jehovah, Thou dost ride upon Thine horses, Thy chariots are salvation. Thou hast trodden the sea with Thy horses (Habakkuk 3:8, 3:15).

In Isaiah:

Then shalt thou delight in Jehovah; and I will make thee ride in the high places of the earth (Isaiah 58:14).

In Moses:

Jehovah alone did lead him, and made him ride upon the high places of the earth (Deuteronomy 32:12-13).

And in Hosea:

I will make Ephraim to ride (Hosea 10:11).

In these passages, "to ride" signifies to give intelligence and wisdom, because "chariot" signifies the doctrine of truth, and "horses" the understanding of it.

[15] In Isaiah:

Then shall they bring all your ¹ brethren out of all nations an offering unto Jehovah upon horses and upon the chariot, and upon covered wagons, upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to the mountain of My holiness, Jerusalem (Isaiah 66:20).

This treats of the establishment of a new church by the Lord; it is not meant therefore that they will bring their brethren upon horses, upon the chariot, upon covered wagons, upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to Jerusalem; but it is meant that all who are in good are to be instructed in Divine truths, and having been made intelligent and wise thereby are to be introduced into the church; for "brethren" signify all who are in good; "horses" signify the understanding of truth; "chariot" the doctrine of truth; "covered wagons" the knowledges of truth; "mules" the internal rational, which is spiritual; and "swift beasts" the external rational, which is natural; and "Jerusalem" signifies the church, in which is the doctrine of Divine truth, which is called "the mountain of holiness" from the love of truth. From the signification of "chariots" and "horses" it can be seen why:

Elijah and Elisha were called the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof, and the mountain was seen by the lad of Elisha to be full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha (2 Kings 2:11, 12; 6:17; 13:14);

namely, that both Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in relation to the Word, and "chariots" signify doctrine from the Word, and "horsemen" intelligence. (That Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord in relation to the Word, see Arcana Coelestia 7643, 8029, 9372.)

[16] That "chariots" and "horses" signify doctrine and the understanding of it, can be seen, moreover, from their contrary sense, in which "chariots" and "horses" signify the doctrines of falsity, and false knowledges [scientifica] from a perverted intellect; for most things in the Word have a contrary sense, from which it can be seen what the same signify in the genuine sense. That "chariots" and "horses" in that sense have such a signification can be seen from the following passages. In Ezekiel:

Behold, I will bring against Tyre the king of Babylon from the north, with horse and with chariot, and with horsemen. He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field. By reason of the abundance of His horses their dust shall cover thee; by reason of the voice of the horseman and of the wheel and of the chariot, thy walls shall quake. With the hoofs of his horses shall he trample all thy streets; he shall slay the people with the sword (Ezekiel 26:7-8, 10-11).

"Tyre" signifies the church in relation to the knowledges of truth; and "the king of Babylon" the destruction of truth by falsities and profanation; "the north from which he was to come" signifies the source of all falsity, in particular, hell, out of which falsity arises; "chariot," "horses," and "horsemen" signify the doctrine of falsity and reasonings therefrom; "the daughters whom they shall slay in the field with the sword" signify the affections of truth which falsities will destroy, for "daughters" are the affections of truth, "the field is the church where those affections are, "the sword" is the combat of falsity against truth, and "to slay" is to extinguish. This makes clear the signification of "by reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee," "dust" meaning the evil of falsity; the "walls that shall quake by reason of the voice of the horseman, of the wheel, and of the chariot," signify protecting truths, which in general are, that there is a God, and that the Word is Divine, and that there is eternal life. These "walls," or these truths, are said "to quake by reason of the voice of the horseman, of the wheel, and of the chariot," when they come to be doubted through the falsities of doctrines and reasonings from them; "the hoofs of the horses with which he shall trample all the streets," signify the outermost things of the natural man, which are called sensual impressions [sensualia], from which are all falsities; the "streets that shall be trampled by them" are the truths of the doctrine of the church, which are wholly destroyed; the "people who shall fall by the sword" signify all who are in truths, and in an abstract sense all truths.

[17] In Jeremiah:

O sword, against the liars, that they may become foolish; O sword, against the mighty, that they may be dismayed; O sword, against her horses and against her chariots; O sword, against her treasures, that they may be despoiled; let there be drought upon her waters that they may be dried up: because it is a land of graven images (Jeremiah 50:36-38).

"Sword" signifies the combat of truth against falsity, and of falsity against truth and consequent vastation; here it signifies vastation; "liars" and "mighty men" signify falsities and reasonings therefrom; the same is signified by "horses" and "chariots;" the "treasures that shall be despoiled" signify all things of doctrine; "the drought upon the waters, that they may be dried up," signifies the deprivation of truth, "drought" meaning deprivation, and "waters" truths; and as all falsities are from self-intelligence, it is said, "because it is a land of graven images," "land" here signifying heresy, and "graven images" what is from self-intelligence. (That such is the signification of "graven images," "molten images," and "idols," see Arcana Coelestia 8869, 8941, 10406, 10503)

[18] In the same:

Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots as the storm; his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are devastated. Wash thine heart from evil, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thoughts of iniquity lodge in the midst of thee? The whole land shall be a waste. The whole city fleeth for the voice of the horseman and the shooters of the bow; they have entered the thick clouds, and have gone up into the rocks; the whole city is forsaken (Jeremiah 4:13-Jeremiah 4:13-14, 27, 29).

This describes the vastation of the church by the falsities of evil; falsities are signified by "clouds;" and the lust of reasoning from falsities against truths by "the horses that are swifter than eagles;" and the doctrinals of falsity by "the chariots that are as the storm;" that consequently everything of the church and everything of its doctrine shall perish, is signified by "the whole land shall be a waste, and the whole city fleeth for the voice of the horseman and the shooters of the bow;" "land" means the church, and "city" its doctrine; "the voice of the horseman and the shooters of the bow" means reasoning from falsities and assault, and "to flee" means to perish. That then mere falsity and the faith of falsity would reign is signified by "they have entered the thick clouds, and have gone up into the rocks," "clouds" meaning falsities, and "rocks" the faith of falsities. The devastation of the church and of its doctrine is evidently here described, for it is said, "Woe unto us! for we are devastated. How long shall the thoughts of iniquity lodge in the midst of thee? The whole land shall be a waste. The whole city is forsaken. "

[19] In the same:

Behold, a people cometh from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. Their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses (Jeremiah 6:22-23; 50:41-42).

Here, too, the devastation of the church by the falsities of evil is described; "the land of the north," and "the sides of the earth," are the source of these, "the land of the north" the source of falsities, and "the sides of the earth" the source of evils; for "the north" signifies what is remote from truths, and "the sides of the earth" what is remote from goods; therefore "nation" is predicated of the latter, and "people" of the former, "nation" meaning those who are in evils, and "people" those who are in falsities (See above, n. 331). Their reasoning is signified by "their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses."

[20] In Ezekiel:

Thou shalt come from thy place out of the sides of the north; thou and many peoples with thee, all of them riding upon horses. And thou shalt go up against My people Israel, as clouds to cover the land (Ezekiel 38:15-16).

These things are said of Gog, by whom external worship without any internal is signified; "the sides of the north" signify here, as above, what is remote from goods and truths, thus the source of the falsities of evil; and because they reason therefrom and attack the truths of the church and extinguish them it is said, "all of them riding upon horses; and thou shalt go up against My people Israel, as clouds to cover the land;" "to ride upon horses" meaning reasonings, "to go up against the people of Israel," and "to cover the land," signifying to attack the truths of the church and to extinguish them; "clouds" are the falsities of evil.

[21] In Daniel:

At the time of the end, the king of the south shall come into collision with the king of the north. So the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariot, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the lands and shall overflow and pass through (Daniel 11:40).

This chapter treats of the combat of the king of the north with the king of the south; and "the king of the north" means falsity from evil, and "the king of the south" truth from good; so evidently the things mentioned in this chapter are not spoken of any future war between two kings, but of the combats of falsity from evil against truth from good. "The chariot and horsemen with which the king of the north shall rush upon him" are the assaults upon truth by the falsities of evil; the "many ships," with which also they shall rush upon him, are the knowledges [scientifica] and doctrinals of falsity; the destruction of the church thereby is signified by "he shall come into the lands and shall overflow and pass through." (That "ships" signify knowledges [scientifica] and doctrinals, in both senses, see Arcana Coelestia 1977, 6385; and that "to overflow" signifies immersion in falsities and evils, n. 660, 705, 739, 756, 790, 5725, 6853)

[22] In Jeremiah:

By thee will I scatter the nations, and by thee will I destroy kingdoms, and by thee will I scatter the horse and its rider, and by thee will I scatter the chariot and him that rideth in it (Jeremiah 51:20-21).

And in Haggai:

I will overturn the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overturn the chariot and those who ride in it; and the horses and their riders shall come down, a man by the sword of his brother (Haggai 2:22).

This is said of the destruction of falsity and evil, and not of the destruction of any nation or kingdom; for "nations" signify evils, and "kingdoms" (like "peoples") falsities. For this is prophetical, not historical. This makes clear what "horse" and "rider," and "chariot and him that rideth in it" signify, namely, that "horse and rider" signify a perverted intellect and reasoning therefrom and "the chariot and him that rideth in it" the doctrine of falsity or heresy, and those who are in it.

[23] In Nahum:

Woe to the city of bloods! the whole is filled with lying and rapine; the voice of the whip, and the voice of the rattling of the wheel, and the horse neighing and the chariot leaping, the horseman making to ascend, and the flame of the sword, and the flash of the spear, and a multitude of the slain, and a heap of carcasses, because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the harlot, selling nations by her whoredoms, and families by her sorceries (Nahum 3:1-4).

This treats of the violence offered to Divine truth, and its destruction by the falsities of evil; for this is signified by "the city of bloods," respecting which what follows is said (See above, n. 329); therefore it is also said, "the whole is filled with lying and rapine," "lie" meaning falsity, and "rapine" violence offered by falsity; and as "wars" signify spiritual combats, which are the combats of truth against falsity and of falsity against truth, all things pertaining to war, as "whip," "horse," "chariot," "sword," and "spear," signify various things pertaining to spiritual warfare; but what each of these in particular signifies need not be explained here, only what "horse," "horseman," and "chariot" signify. "The voice of the rattling of the wheel" signifies reasonings from falsities and evils; "the horse neighing and the chariot leaping" signifies the lust of destroying truths, "horse" meaning the intellect perverted, and "chariot" the doctrine of falsity, which destroy; "to neigh" and "to leap" meaning to be moved to destroy by lust and delight, and "horseman making to ascend" meaning assault. It is therefore said, "a multitude of the slain, and a heap of carcasses;" those are called "slain" who perish from falsities, and "carcasses" who perish from evils; therefore it is also said, "because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the harlot, selling the nations by her whoredoms, and families by her sorceries;" "whoredoms" signify the falsifications of truth, "harlot" heresy, "to sell nations" signifies to become estranged from goods, and "to sell families by sorcery" to become estranged from truths, "nations" meaning goods, "families" truths therefrom, and "sorceries" the falsities of evil which estrange.

[24] In Habakkuk:

I rouse up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, that marcheth into the breadths of the land; her horses are lighter than leopards, and more fierce than the wolves of the evening, so that her horsemen spread themselves; yea, her horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as an eagle that hasteth to eat. She shall come wholly for violence; she shall mock at kings, and rulers shall be a derision unto her (Habakkuk 1:6, 8-10).

"The Chaldeans" mean those who profane truths and thus vastate the church, therefore they are called "a bitter and hasty nation, that marcheth into the breadths of the land," "breadths of the land" meaning the truths of the church (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 197). Their lust for and dexterity in perverting truths and destroying them by reasonings from falsities altogether remote from truths are signified by, "her horses are lighter than leopards, and more fierce than the wolves of the evening, so that her horsemen spread themselves; yea, her horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as an eagle that hasteth to eat." Lust is signified by "her horses are lighter than leopards," and dexterity by "her horses are more fierce than the wolves of the evening," and both by "they fly as an eagle." Because the lust and dexterity are for destroying truths therefore it is said, "she shall come wholly for violence;" their scoffing at truths and goods is signified by "she shall mock at kings, and rulers shall be a derision unto her," "kings" signifying truths, and "lords" and "rulers" goods.

[25] In David:

Some in the chariot, and some in horses; but we will glory in the name of our God (Psalms 20:7).

In the same:

A king is not saved by the multitude of an army; a horse is a lying thing for safety (Psalms 33:16-17).

In the same:

Jehovah delighteth not in the might of a horse; His pleasure is not in the thighs of a man (Psalms 147:10).

"To glory in the chariot and in horses," and "Jehovah delighteth not in the might of a horse," signify all things from self-intelligence, from which are nothing but falsities; and "the thighs of a man" signify those things that are from his own will, from which are nothing but evils.

[26] In Amos:

He that holdeth the bow shall not stand, nor shall the swift of foot escape, nor shall he that rideth upon the horse cause his soul to escape, but he that is stout of heart shall flee naked in that day (Amos 2:15-16).

This, too, describes self-intelligence and confidence arising from an ability to speak and reason from falsities. "He that holdeth the bow shall not stand," and "the swift of foot shall not cause himself to escape," signify that one who knows how to reason readily from the doctrine of falsity and from the knowledge [scientia] and memory of the natural man, shall not on that account be saved; the like is signified by "he that rideth upon the horse shall not cause his soul to escape;" "he that is stout of heart, who shall flee naked in that day," signifies that he who trusts in his falsities shall be without any truth, "stout of heart" meaning one who trusts in his falsities, and "naked" one who is without any understanding of truth (See above, n. 240).

[27] In Isaiah:

The Lord Jehovih, the Holy One of Israel, saith, In quietness and in confidence shall be your might; but ye would not, and said, No, but upon a horse we will flee; therefore ye shall flee; and we will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be made swift (Isaiah 30:15-16).

This treats of confidence in the Lord and of confidence in self; confidence in the Lord in these words, "the Lord Jehovih, the Holy One of Israel, said, In quietness and in confidence shall be your might;" and confidence in self in these words, "and ye said, No, but upon a horse we will flee," and "we will ride upon the swift;" "to flee upon a horse," and "to ride upon the swift," signifying to covet and love those things that are of one's own understanding, and thought and reasoning therefrom. That falsities will then break in and take possession is signified by, "therefore ye shall flee," and "therefore shall they that pursue you be made swift," "swiftness" and "haste" signifying what is done from lust, or from love.

[28] In Zechariah:

Jehovah shall set Judah as the horse of His majesty in war; out of him shall be the corner, out of him the nail, and out of him the bow of war. And they shall be as mighty men treading down the mire of the streets; and they shall fight because Jehovah is with them, and they shall make ashamed them that ride upon horses (Zechariah 10:3-5).

"The house of Judah" signifies the Lord's celestial kingdom, that is, the heaven and church that are in love to the Lord; of this it is said that it shall be "as the horse of majesty in war," which signifies the understanding of Divine truth combating against evils and falsities, which it will destroy, "horse" signifying the understanding, "majesty" Divine truth, and "war" combat against falsities and evils and their destruction. "The corner," "the nail," and "the bow of war," that are "out of Judah," signify truths, "the corner" truth protecting, "the nail" truth strengthening, and the "bow of war" truth combating from doctrine; "they shall be as mighty men treading down the mire of the streets" signifies the power to disperse and destroy falsities, "mire of the streets" signifying falsities. "They shall make ashamed them that ride upon horses" signifies the annihilation of the reasonings, argumentations, and confirmations that are from man's own understanding; that this shall be accomplished by the Lord and not by them is meant by, "they shall fight because Jehovah is with them."

[29] In Hosea:

Asshur will not save us; we will not ride upon the horse; we will say no more to the work of our hands, Thou art our God (Hosea 14:3).

This also treats of intelligence from self [ex proprio], that it will not save. "Asshur" signifies the rational, here as being from self [ex proprio]; "to ride upon the horse" signifies reasoning of the understanding from self [ex proprio]; and "work of the hands" signifies the selfhood [proprium] itself.

[30] In Ezekiel:

Oholah committed whoredom, and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbors, clothed in blue, horsemen riding upon horses (Ezekiel 23:5-6, 12, 23).

"Oholah," which here is Samaria, signifies a church in which truths are falsified; "her whoredoms," which are treated of in this chapter, signify falsifications; "the Assyrians" signify reasonings by which truths are falsified; and because "to ride upon horses" signifies to reason from falsities that are from self-intelligence, it is said, "she doted on the Assyrians, horsemen riding upon horses;" the "blue, in which they were clothed," signifies falsity appearing as truth, which appearance comes chiefly from applying the sense of the letter of the Word to principles of falsity.

[31] In Jeremiah:

The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan; at the sound of the neighings of his stout ones the whole land quaked; and they came and devoured the land and its fullness; [the city] and those that dwell therein (Jeremiah 8:16).

What is meant by "Dan" has been told above in this article, namely, truth in its ultimate; this is the truth in the church that is contained in the sense of the letter of the Word. Those who abide in this alone, and do not read the Word from the doctrine of genuine truth, which should guide and illustrate, may be carried away into all kinds of errors; those who are carried away into errors or falsities are meant here by "Dan;" the consequent confirmation of falsities is meant by "the snorting of his horses;" and the falsifications of truth are meant by "the sound of the neighings of his stout ones;" these are called "stout" from their confidence, because it is from the sense of the letter of the Word, that falsity is truth. That the church in respect to its truths and goods is thereby vastated, is signified by "the whole land quaked;" and "they came and devoured the land and its fullness, and those that dwell therein," "the land" meaning the church, "its fullness" truths, and "those that dwell therein" goods.

[32] In Isaiah:

He hath lifted up an ensign to the nations from far, and hath hissed to him from the end of the earth, and behold the swift one shall come in haste, whose arrows are sharp, and all his bows are bent; the hoofs of his horses are reckoned as rock, and his wheels as a storm (Isa. 5:26, 5:28).

This, too, treats of those who are in ultimates in regard to the understanding of truth and as to the perception of good. These ultimates are what are called sensual impressions [sensualia], which are the ultimates of the natural man (of which see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50); from these, when separated from the spiritual man, stream forth all the evils and falsities that are in the church and in its doctrine: evils from this source are signified by "the nations that shall come from far;" and falsities by "him that cometh from the end of the earth;" "far," and "the end of the earth" signifying those things that are remote from the truths and goods of the church. "The arrows that are sharp," and "the bows that are bent" signify the falsities of doctrine prepared to destroy truths, and "the hoofs of the horses that are reckoned as rock," and "his wheels that are as a storm" signify the ultimates of truth, like those in the sense of the letter of the Word, and arguments and confirmations of falsity by means of these; "the hoofs of the horses" mean the ultimates of the understanding, here of the perverted understanding, because separated from the understanding of the spiritual man; and because these ultimates are from the sense of the letter of the Word, it is said, "are reckoned as rock;" while "wheels" mean argumentations and confirmations by means of these, and because these appear strong they are said to be "as a storm."

[33] In the book of Judges:

My heart is toward the lawgivers of Israel. Ye that ride on white asses, and sit on middin, and that walk by the way, meditate. The stars from their courses fought with Sisera. Then were the hoofs of the horses bruised; the prancing of his stout ones struck together (Judges 5:9-10, 20, 22).

These words are contained in the song of Deborah and Barak, which treats of the combat of truth against falsity and its victory; "the lawgivers of Israel" signify the truths of the church; "to ride on white asses" and "to sit on middin" signify the perception of good and the understanding of truth, "white asses" signifying the rational in respect to good, and "middin" the rational in respect to truth; and "to walk by the way and to meditate" signify a life of truth; "the stars from their courses fought with Sisera" signifies the knowledges of truth, and combat from them against falsities of evil; "the feet of the horses that were bruised," and "the prancing of the horses that struck together" signify the falsities that are from the outmost natural, or the sensual [sensuali], and arguments therefrom that they were destroyed.

[34] In Amos:

Shall horses run upon the rock? shall one plough with oxen? for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of justice into wormwood (Amos 6:12).

"Shall horses run upon the rock?" signifies, is there any understanding of truth? "Shall anyone plough with oxen?" signifies, is there any perception of good? This is plainly the meaning, for it follows, "for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of justice into wormwood;" "to turn judgment into gall," signifies to turn truth into falsity, and "to turn the fruit of justice into wormwood," signifies to turn good into evil.

[35] In David:

Thou hast laid oppression upon our loins. Thou hast caused a man to ride over our head; We entered into the fire and the waters: but Thou hast brought us out into a broad place (Psalms 66:11-12).

This is a description of spiritual captivity and deliverance therefrom. There is spiritual captivity when the mind is so shut up as not to perceive good nor understand truth; there is deliverance from it when the mind is opened; "the oppression upon the loins" signifies that there is no perception of good of love, for "loins" and "thighs" signify the good of love; "to cause a man to ride over our head" signifies that there is no understanding of truth; "man" here signifying intelligence from self [ex proprio], which is no intelligence; and "head" the like. Because this is the signification therefore it is said, "we entered into the fire and the waters," "into the fire" meaning into the evils that are from the love of self, and "into the waters" meaning into falsities; deliverance therefrom is meant by "but Thou hast brought us out into a broad place," "broad place" signifying truth (as above).

[36] In Isaiah:

Woe to them that go down into Egypt for help, and stay on horses, and trust in the chariot, but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek Jehovah. For Egypt is man and not God, and its horses flesh and not spirit (Isaiah 31:1, 3).

"Egypt" in the Word signifies the knowing [faculty] [scientificum] which is in the natural man, and thence also the natural man; and because the natural man, with the knowing [faculty] that is in it, has no understanding, but only thought from the memory, which is a kind of imagination from objects of sight and hearing; and because this is beneath the spiritual, in which nevertheless all the goods and truths of heaven and the church reside, therefore "Egypt" signifies in most passages a falsified knowing [faculty] [scientificum falsum]; for when the spiritual man does not flow in, knowledges in the natural man are turned into mere falsities, and its thoughts into confirmations of falsity and into reasonings from them against truths. From this it can be seen what is signified by "horses of Egypt and its chariots," namely, that "the horses" signify false knowledges, and "chariots" doctrinals from which there are reasonings against truth. Such, therefore, seek truths from no other source than themselves, for each one's own [proprium] has its seat in the natural man, and what is not his own has its seat in the spiritual; such persons therefore seize upon falsities instead of truths, and upon evils instead of goods, calling evils goods and falsities truths, and trusting in themselves, because they trust in what is their own. These things are signified by "Woe to them that go down into Egypt, and stay on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong;" "horses" here mean false knowledges; and "chariots" doctrinals therefrom; and "horsemen" reasonings from them against truths; therefore it is also said, "Egypt is man and not God, and his horses flesh and not spirit" signifying that what is in them is merely natural and not spiritual, consequently that there is not in them anything of life; "man" signifying the natural man, and "flesh" what is its own; "God" and "spirit" signifying the Divine spiritual man, and life therefrom; and since they trust in themselves and not in the Lord, it is said, "they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek Jehovah."

[37] From this it can now be seen what is signified by the horses, the chariots, and the armies of Pharaoh, in Moses:

I will be rendered glorious in Pharaoh and in his army and in his horsemen. And the Egyptians pursued the sons of Israel, and Pharaoh's horses went after them, his chariots and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea. And Jehovah took off the wheel of their chariots, so that they drove them with difficulty. And when Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, the waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, together with the whole army of Pharaoh (Exodus 14:17-18, 23, 25, 27-28).

And in the same:

Moses and the children of Israel sang this song unto Jehovah. In singing I will sing unto Jehovah, for in exalting He hath exalted Himself; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea, and his chariots and his army (Exodus 15:1, 4, 19, 21).

What the horses and chariots of Pharaoh or Egypt signify has been shown above; his "army" signifies all falsities, in general and in particular; and "sea" signifies damnation and hell, where all are in their own [proprium], because they are in the natural man separated from the spiritual, and thence in all kinds of evils and falsities. The like is signified by "the horses of Egypt," in these words in Moses:

If thou shalt say, ² I will set over me a king, in setting thou shalt set ³ over thee a king whom Jehovah thy God shall choose; only he shall not multiply to himself horses, nor shall he bring back the people into Egypt, that he may multiply horses (Deuteronomy 17:14-16).

These things are said of the king, because the Lord in relation to Divine truth is represented by kings, and thence "kings" signify truths from good from the Lord (See above, n. 31). And as truths from good have their seat in the spiritual man, as was said above, and the knowledges [scientifica] that belong to the natural man serve the spiritual man as servants do their lord, it is said, "only he shall not multiply to himself horses, nor shall he bring back the people into Egypt, that he may multiply horses;" which signifies, only let no one from being a spiritual man become natural, and lead himself, and trust in what is his own [proprium] instead of in the Lord, that is, let not the truths of the spiritual man serve the natural, instead of the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man serving the spiritual; for this latter is according to order, but the former contrary to order. "Horses" of Egypt have a like signification elsewhere in the Word (as Jeremiah 46:4, 9; Ezekiel 17:15; 23:20).

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