402. Verse 13. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, signifies that the knowledges of good and truth perished. This is evident from the signification of "stars" as being the knowledges of good and truth (See above, n. 72); also from the signification of "falling unto the earth," as being to perish; for when stars fall to the earth they perish. The same is signified by:

The stars shall fall from heaven (Matthew 24:29; and Mark 13:25).

Anyone can see that "stars" here do not mean stars, for these cannot fall from heaven, for they are fixed or established in their place, and cannot fall to the earth, because they are larger than the earth; consequently by them are signified such things as belong to heavenly light, and give light, which are the knowledges of good and truth. Moreover, stars appear in the angelic heaven, but they are appearances from the knowledges of good and truth, therefore they appear about those who are in such knowledges, especially when they turn them over in the mind, and are desirous of knowing them.

6775. 'And the priest of Midian had seven daughters' means holy things belonging to that Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'a priest's daughters' as things that belong to the Church, for 'a daughter' means a Church, see 2362, 3963, 6729, and 'a priest' the good of love, 1728, 3670, 6148, so that 'a priest's daughters' means a Church so far as its good is concerned; from the meaning of 'Midian' as people who are guided by the truths that go with simple good, dealt with just above in 6773; and from the meaning of 'seven' as that which is holy, dealt with in 395, 433, 716, 881, 5265, 5268. Thus 'the priest of Midian had seven daughters' means holy things belonging to the Church among those who are guided by the truths that go with simple good. The people said to be governed by simple good are those who keep up the external practices of the Church and who in simplicity take the Word literally, each one believing it according to his own understanding. They also lead lives that accord with what they believe, and so are governed by good, depending on the nature of that good, which is determined by the truths that guide them. That good brings an internal dimension of the Church to these people, but because they are not guided by truths of a more internal kind, the good entering in becomes something general and accordingly vague, since spiritual light is unable to fall on particular aspects and thereby illuminate things distinctly. The kind of people spoken of here have heaven granted to them in the next life as determined by the nature of their good, which depends on their truths. People such as these are meant here by 'Midian'; but properly speaking they are those outside the Church who lead a good life in keeping with their type of religion.