8407. Oh that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt. That this signifies that it would have been better for them to have been left by the Lord when they were in a state of infestations, is evident from the signification of “oh that,” as being that it would have been better, or would have been preferable; from the signification of “to have died by the hand of Jehovah,” as being for them to have been left by the Lord (in the spiritual sense “to have died” signifies to be in evils and the derivative falsities, consequently to be in damnation, see n. 5407, 6119, 7494; and when it is said “to have died by the hand of Jehovah,” it denotes to be left by the Lord, for they who are left by Him, that is, who leave Him, rush into evils and the derivative falsities, and thus into damnation; that “Jehovah” in the Word denotes the Lord has often been shown above); and from the signification of “the land of Egypt,” as being a state of infestations (see above, n. 8401). (That those who were of the spiritual church, who are represented by the sons of Israel, before they were liberated by the Lord, were infested by those who were in falsities from evil, who are represented by Pharaoh and the Egyptians, see n. 6854, 6914, 7474, 7828, 7932, 8018, 8099, 8159, 8321)

6119. For why should we die beside thee because the silver faileth? That this signifies that otherwise by reason of the lack of truth there would be spiritual death, is evident from the signification of “dying,” as being spiritual death (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “silver failing,” as being a lack of truth (that “silver” denotes true and adaptable memory-knowledge may be seen above, n. 6112). In regard to the fact that there is spiritual death when there is a lack of truth, the case is this. Spiritual life consists in activities according to truths, consequently in uses; for they who are in spiritual life have an appetite and a longing for truths with a view to life, that is, that they may live according to them, thus with a view to uses. So far therefore as they are able to receive truths in accordance with which uses may be done, so far they are in spiritual life, because so far they are in the light of intelligence and of wisdom. When therefore truths fail, as is the case when a state of shade comes, which is signified in the Word by “evening” (n. 6110), the spiritual life labors; for such things present themselves as belong to shade, that is, to spiritual death; for in this case they are not as before kept in the light, but are in part let back into their own; and hence there arises from the shade an image of spiritual death, that is, of damnation.

[2] That by “death” is signified spiritual death, or damnation, is evident from very many passages in the Word, of which it will suffice to adduce the following.

In Isaiah:

In righteousness He shall judge the poor, and reprove with rectitude the wretched of the earth. But He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He cause the wicked to die (Isaiah 11:4);

speaking of the Lord. The “rod of His mouth,” and the “breath of His lips,” denote the Divine truth from which is judgment; “to die” denotes to be damned. Again:

He will swallow up death eternally; and the Lord Jehovih will wipe away the tear from upon all faces (Isaiah 25:8).

Again:

The dead shall not live; the Rephaim shall not rise; because Thou hast visited, Thou hast extinguished them (Isaiah 26:14).

Again:

Thy dead shall live, my carcass, they shall arise (Isaiah 26:19).

Again:

Ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell have we made a vision; your covenant with death shall be abolished, and your vision with hell shall not stand (Isaiah 28:15, 18).

[3] In Jeremiah:

Ye wait for the light, but He turns it into the shadow of death, He makes it thick darkness (Jeremiah 13:16).

In Ezekiel:

Ye have profaned Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to make the souls live that should not live (Ezekiel 13:19).

In Hosea:

I will redeem them from the hand of hell; from death I will deliver them; O death, I will be thy pests; O hell, I will be thy destruction (Hos. 13:14).

In David:

Thou liftest me up from the gates of death (Psalms 9:13).

Again:

Enlighten mine eyes, lest perchance I sleep death (Psalms 13:3).

Again:

The cords of death compassed me, and the cords of hell (Psalms 18:4-5).

Again:

They shall be set as a flock in hell; death shall pasture them (Psalms 49:14).

In John:

I have the keys of hell and of death (Revelation 1:18).

Again:

He that overcometh shall not be hurt in the second death (Revelation 2:11).

[4] Again:

I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, but thou art dead. Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which are ready to die (Revelation 3:1-2).

In Matthew:

The people that sitteth in darkness saw a great light; and to them that sit in the region and shadow of death, to them light hath arisen (Matthew 4:16).

In John:

He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, shall have eternal life, and shall not come into judgment, but hath passed from death unto life (John 5:24).

Again:

I go away, and ye shall seek Me, but ye shall die in your sin. I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins; for unless ye believe that I am, ye shall die in your sins. If anyone shall keep My word, he shall never see death (John 8:21, 24, 51-52).

As “death” signified damnation, the people of the representative church were forbidden to touch the dead, and if they touched they were unclean, and were to be cleansed (Ezekiel 44:25; Leviticus 15:31; 2 1:1, 2; 22:8; Numbers 6:6-12; 19:11).