9249. Put not thy hand with the wicked. That this signifies no obedience to malignities, is evident from the signification of “putting the hand,” as being obedience, for by “the hand” is signified power (see n. 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 6292, 7188, 7189, 7518, 7673, 8153, 8281), and also what belongs to anyone, thus oneself insofar as one has the power, (n. 9133), consequently “to put the hand with” anyone denotes to make common cause with him, and when this is done from malignity, which is signified by “the wicked,” it denotes to obey, because the malignity persuades and leads; and from the signification of “the wicked,” as being one who is malignant, and in the abstract sense, malignity. It is said “in the abstract sense,” because the angels, who are in the internal sense of the Word, that is, who perceive the Word spiritually, think and speak abstractedly from person (n. 4380, 8343, 8985, 9007). (That the idea of person with them is turned into the idea of the thing, see n. 5225, 5287, 5434)

4380. Let my lord I pray pass over before his servant. That this signifies a more general presence, is evident from the signification of “passing on before” anyone, as here (where the conjunction of good with truths is treated of) being a more general presence. For in regeneration (which is effected by means of the conjunction of good with truths) it is good which acts, and truth which suffers itself to be acted upon; and when good has applied itself to truths and has conjoined itself with them a little, then truth appears to react. Yet it is not truth, but the good that is conjoined or adjoined to it, which reacts through the truth. This adjunction is what is meant by a more general presence. It is said “the conjunction of good with truths,” but there is meant the man in whom are good and truth; for these cannot be predicated without a subject, which is man. In heaven they think and speak in this way by means of abstract things, for the reason that they do not attribute good and truth to themselves, but to the Lord; and because good and truth from the Lord fill the whole heaven. To speak in this way was also familiar to the ancients.