448. Of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand sealed, signifies the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the second heaven. This is evident from the representation and consequent signification of "Joseph" and his tribe, as being the spiritual of the Lord's kingdom and church; here "Joseph" signifies the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the second heaven, because "Joseph" signifies the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, and this kingdom constitutes the second heaven. For there are two kingdoms of which heaven consists, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom; the celestial kingdom consisting of those who are in the third or inmost heaven, and the spiritual kingdom of those who are in the second or middle heaven. The conjunction with the Lord of those who are in this heaven is signified by "Joseph," because "Joseph" signifies this heaven and because this fourth class of the tribes treats of the conjunction with the Lord of all who are in the heavens and who come into the heavens, and this conjunction is signified by "the tribe of Zebulun," the first tribe of this class; for the first tribe of each class and series indicates the subject treated of in what follows, and the tribes that follow continue the same subject in general; here, therefore, conjunction. This is why "the tribe of Zebulun" signifies the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the third heaven, "the tribe of Joseph" the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the second heaven, and "the tribe of Benjamin" the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the first heaven.

[2] That "Joseph" in the Word represented and thence signifies the Lord in relation to the Divine spiritual, and in a relative sense the spiritual kingdom, can be seen from all that is related and told of him in the Word, both in the histories and prophecies. In the historical Word it is said of Joseph:

That he dreamed a dream that eleven sheaves came round about his sheaf, and bowed themselves down to it; also that the sun and the moon and eleven stars bowed themselves down to him (Genesis 37:4-11).

This means in the nearest sense that his brethren and parents were to come into Egypt and there do homage to him as the lord of the land; but in the spiritual sense it signifies that the church which was represented by Jacob and his sons would submit itself to the Lord; for "Joseph," as was said, represents the Lord in relation to the Divine spiritual, and in a relative sense the Lord's spiritual kingdom in heaven and on earth. The Lord's spiritual kingdom on earth is the spiritual church; this church is what is meant in the internal sense by Jacob and his sons when they were in Egypt.

[3] Afterwards by "Joseph" the establishment of a church that was to be represented by the sons of Israel is described; and this also is why Joseph was carried down into Egypt, and obtained dominion over the whole land, and invited thither his father and brethren, and supported them; and so long as he was lord of the land, the land of Egypt represented the spiritual church in the natural, and Jacob and his sons the spiritual church; but the representation of the spiritual church in the natural by Egypt was ended when Moses was born and he began to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. (These things, as they are many and various, are explained in the Arcana Coelestia.)

[4] The representation of the Lord in relation to the Divine spiritual, and thence the representation of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, is contained in these words in Moses (which may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia, n. 5306-5329):

And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Shall we find one like this man, in whom the spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as, God hath made thee to know all this, there is no one so intelligent and wise as thou; thou shalt be over my house, and upon thy mouth shall all my people kiss; only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from upon his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and put a necklace of gold upon his neck; and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had, and they cried out before him, Bow the knee; and he set him over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, besides thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt (Gen. 41:38-44).

[5] Since it is said that "Joseph" in the highest sense represents the Lord in relation to the Divine spiritual, it shall first be told what is meant by the Lord's Divine spiritual. Heaven is divided into two kingdoms, one of which is called the celestial kingdom, and the other the spiritual kingdom. The Divine Itself proceeding from the Lord makes heaven, and the Divine proceeding from the Lord is Divine good united to Divine truth. All those in heaven who receive more of Divine good than of Divine truth constitute the Lord's celestial kingdom, while all who receive more of Divine truth than of Divine good constitute the Lord's spiritual kingdom; therefore the Divine of the Lord that is received by the angels in the Lord's celestial kingdom is called the Divine celestial, and the Divine of the Lord that is received by the angels in the Lord's spiritual kingdom is called the Divine spiritual. But it is to be known that the Divine proceeding from the Lord is so called from its reception, and that there are not two Divines, a celestial and a spiritual proceeding; for the Divine good, which from reception is called the Divine celestial, and the Divine truth, which from reception is called the Divine spiritual, proceed so united as to be not two but one. (These things may be seen more fully explained in the work on Heaven and Hell 20-28 where The Two Kingdoms into which the Three Heavens are Divided are treated of; also n. 13, 133, 139, which treat of the Divine proceeding, which is the Divine good united to Divine truth, and that they are two only in the recipients.)

[6] That the Lord in relation to the Divine spiritual and thence the spiritual kingdom is signified by "Joseph" can be seen also from the following passages. In the blessing of the sons of Israel by their father:

The son of a fruitful one is Joseph, the son of a fruitful one by a fountain; the daughters (she walketh upon a wall), and they shall embitter him and shall shoot at him, the archers shall hate him; and he shall sit in the strength of his bow, and the arms of his hands shall be strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob; thence is he the shepherd, the stone of Israel; from the God of thy father, and He shall help thee; and with Shaddai, and He shall bless thee with blessings of heaven from above, with the blessings of the deep that lieth below, with blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of thy father shall prevail over the blessings of my progenitors, even to the desire of the hills of an age; they shall be for the head of Joseph, and for the crown of the head of the Nazirite of his brethren (Genesis 49:22-26).

"The son of a fruitful one is Joseph" signifies the Lord's spiritual kingdom and spiritual church, and in the highest sense the Lord in relation to the Divine spiritual; "the son of a fruitful one by a fountain" signifies the fructification by truths from the Word, the "son of a fruitful one" meaning the fructification by truths, and "fountain" the Word; "the daughters (she walketh upon a wall)" signifies to combat by truths that are from good against the falsities that are from evil, a "wall" meaning truth defending; "they shall embitter him" signifies resistance by falsities; "and shall shoot at him" signifies that they will fight from falsities; "and the archers shall hate him" signifies with every hostility from the falsities of doctrine; "darts" and "arrows," and thence "the throwers of darts" and "archers," signifying combat from truths against the falsities of doctrine, but here from the falsities of doctrine against truths; "and he shall sit in the strength of his bow" signifies to be kept safe by the truths of doctrine combating against falsities, "bow" meaning doctrine; "and the arms of his hands shall be strengthened" signifies the potency of the powers of combating; "by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob" signifies by the omnipotence of the Lord's Divine Human; "thence is he the shepherd, the stone of Israel," signifies that all spiritual good and truth in the kingdom is therefrom; "from the God of thy father" signifies that he was the God of the Ancient Church; "and with Shaddai" signifies the Lord as Benefactor after temptations; "and He shall bless thee with the blessings of heaven from above" signifies with goods and truths from within; "with blessings of the deep that lieth below" signifies with the knowledges of truth and good and with corroborating knowledges [scientifica] from without; "with the blessings of the breasts and of the womb" signifies the spiritual affections of these and conjunction; "the blessings of thy father shall prevail above the blessings of my progenitors" signifies that the church that is signified by "Joseph" is from spiritual truth and good; "even to the desire of the hills of an age" signifies from mutual celestial love; "they shall be for the head of Joseph" signifies these things in respect to interiors; "and for the crown of the head of the Nazirite of his brethren" signifies also in respect to exteriors. (For further explanation of this seeArcana Coelestia 6416-6438.)

[7] In the blessing of the sons of Israel by Moses:

Of Joseph he said, Blessed of Jehovah be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that lieth beneath, and for the precious things of the increase of the sun, and for the precious things of the produce of the months, and for the firstfruits of the mountains of the east, and for the precious things of the hills of an age, and for the precious things of the earth and of the fullness thereof; and the good pleasure of him that dwelleth in the bush; they shall come to the head of Joseph, and to the crown of the head of the Nazirite of his brethren (Deuteronomy 33:13-16).

This describes the Lord's spiritual church with those who are in the doctrine of truth from the Word, and in a life in accordance with it, "the land of Joseph" signifying that church; "to be blessed for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that lieth beneath," signifies from Divine truths from the Word in the spiritual man, and from the influx of the spiritual man into the natural; "the precious things of heaven" meaning Divine spiritual truths or truths in the spiritual man; "dew" signifying influx therefrom, and "the deep lying beneath" signifying the natural man in which are the knowledges of truth and good for perception, and confirming knowledges [scientifica]; "for the precious things of the increase of the sun, and for the precious things of the produce of the months," signifies from the truths flowing forth from the Lord's celestial kingdom, and from the truths flowing forth from the Lord's spiritual kingdom; "the precious things of the sun" meaning truths from the celestial kingdom; "the precious things of the months" truths from the spiritual kingdom, and "increase" and "produce" the things that flow forth; "for the firstfruits of the mountains of the east and for the precious things of the hills of an age," signifies genuine truths such as were in the Most Ancient Church, and such as were in the Ancient Church, "the mountains of the east" signify the Most Ancient Church which was in love to the Lord; that church is described by "the mountains of the east" because "mountain" signifies love, and the "east" the Lord; "the hills of an age" signify the Ancient Church, which was in charity towards the neighbor; that church is described by "the hills of an age" because "hills" signify charity towards the neighbor. (That such is the signification of "mountains" and "hills," see above, n.405.) "And for the precious things of the earth and of the fullness thereof" signifies the external spiritual church, which is with those who live according to the knowledges of truth and good; the "earth" meaning that church, and "fullness" the knowledges in the external man; "and the good pleasure of him that dwelleth in the bush," signifies the Lord in respect to the Divine spiritual, that all these things are from Him; "they shall come to the head of Joseph, and to the crown of the head of the Nazirite of his brethren" signifies in respect both to interiors and to exteriors (as above).

[8] In Zechariah:

And I will make the house of Judah mighty, and I will save the house of Joseph; and they shall be as the mighty Ephraim, and their heart shall be glad as if with wine (Zechariah 10:6, 7).

"The house of Judah" here means the church that is in love to the Lord, which is called the celestial church; and "Joseph" means the church that is in the good of charity and in the truths of faith, which is called the spiritual church; because the truths of that church have power from good, it is said, "they shall be as the mighty Ephraim," for "Ephraim" signifies truth from good in the natural man, which truth has power; the joy of such from truths is signified by "their heart shall be glad as if with wine," "wine" signifying truth from good.

[9] In Ezekiel:

Jehovah said, Son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah and for the sons of Israel, his companions; then take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and of all the house of Israel; and then join them for thee one to another into one stick, that the two may be one in thy ¹ hand. I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and of the tribes of Israel his companions, and I will add them upon the stick of Judah, and will make them into one stick, and they shall be one in My hand. And I will make them into one nation in the land, in the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be for a king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all (Ezekiel 37:16-22).

Here, too, "Judah" signifies the celestial church which is in the good of love, and "Joseph" and "Ephraim" signify the spiritual church which is in the good of charity and in the truths of faith. That these two churches will be one church with the Lord, as good and truth are one, is meant by "I will make them into one stick, and they shall be one in My hand. And I will make them into one nation in the land; and one king shall be for a king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore." (But this also may be seen explained above, n. 433.)

[10] In David:

O God, Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed Thy people, the sons of Jacob and of Joseph (Psalms 77:15).

"The sons of Jacob and of Joseph" mean those who are in the good of life according to their religious principles; for "Jacob" means in the Word the external church which is with those who are in the good of life; and "Joseph" here means Manasseh and Ephraim, for it is said "Thou hast redeemed the sons of Joseph," by whom those are meant who are in good and truth in respect to the external man, thus in respect to life. (That Manasseh and Ephraim, the "sons of Joseph," have this signification, see above, n. 440.) "To redeem them with His arm," signifies to save them by omnipotence, for those who had been such were saved by the Lord through His coming into the world, and could not have been saved otherwise.

[11] In Obadiah:

In Mount Zion there shall be escape, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall be heir to their inheritances; and the house of Jacob shall become a fire and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, that they may kindle them and devour them, that there be no residue of the house of Esau (verses 17, 18).

"Esau and his house" mean those who believe themselves to be intelligent and wise not from the Lord but from self; for in the eighth verse of this chapter it is said "I will destroy the wise out of Edom, and the intelligent out of the mount of Esau," [Obadiah 1:8], meaning those who from the letter of the Word have confirmed themselves in such things as favor their own loves. "The house of Jacob and the house of Joseph" mean such as are in the good of life according to the truths of doctrine, "the house of Jacob" meaning those who are in the good of life, and "the house of Joseph" those who are in the truths of doctrine; "Mount Zion," where there will be escape and holiness, signifies love to the Lord, from whom is salvation and from whom is Divine truth; "the house of Jacob shall be heir to the inheritances of the house and mountain of Esau," and "the house of Jacob shall be to him a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame," signifies that in place of those meant by "Esau" those will succeed who are in the good of life according to the truths of doctrine. In the spiritual world this so occurs, that those who have been in pride from self-intelligence, and have confirmed themselves from the Word in such things as favor the loves of self and the world, occupy certain tracts and mountains, and make for themselves a semblance of heaven, believing that heaven belongs to them more than to others; but when the time has been fulfilled they are cast out of their places, and those succeed them who are in the good of life according to the truths of doctrine from the Lord. (See respecting this in the small work on The Last Judgment.) This makes clear what is signified in the internal sense by "the house of Jacob shall be heir to their inheritances, and shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble."

[12] In Amos:

Who play upon the psaltery, and devise for themselves instruments of music like David; who drink out of bowls of wine, and anoint themselves with the firstfruits of the oils, but are not grieved over the breach of Joseph (Amos 6:5, 6).

This treats of those who counterfeit good affections in externals, and bring together for confirmation many things from the Word, and yet are interiorly evil. To counterfeit good affections in externals is signified by "playing upon the psaltery, devising for themselves instruments of music, and anointing themselves with the firstfruits of the oils;" to bring forth many things from the Word for the sake of appearance is signified by "drinking out of bowls of wine;" that they have no regard for the truths of doctrine of the church, even though the church should perish by falsities, is signified by "they are not grieved over the breach of Joseph," "Joseph" meaning the spiritual church, which is with those who are in the truths of doctrine.

[13] In David:

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that sittest upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh stir up Thy might, and come for salvation to us (Psalms 80:1, 2).

Here, too, "Joseph" signifies the spiritual church, which is with those who are in truths from good, that is, in the truths of doctrine also as to life. What "Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh," here mean may be seen above n. 440.

[14] In Amos:

Thus said Jehovah unto the house of Israel, Seek ye Me, and ye shall live; lest He fall like fire upon ² the house of Joseph, and He shall devour and there shall be none to quench. Hate evil, and love good, and place judgment in the gate; it may be that Jehovah the God of Hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph (Amos 5:4, 6, 15).

"The house of Israel" signifies the spiritual church, and "the house of Joseph" that church in respect to the truths of doctrine. That truths of doctrine will perish unless they are in the affection of truth and good and a life according to them, is meant by "lest He fall like fire upon the house of Joseph;" and "Jehovah will be gracious to his remnant" means that He will preserve with them the remaining truths of doctrine, provided they live according to the goods and truths from the Word, which is meant by "hate evil and love good, and place judgment in the gate."

[15] In David:

Lift up a psalm, and strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery. Sound with the trumpet in the new moon, in the fixed time at the day of our feast. For this was a statute of Israel. He appointed a testimony for Joseph, in His going out against the land of Egypt; I heard a lip that I knew not (Psalms 81:2-5).

To "lift up a psalm, to strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery," signifies confession from spiritual and celestial truths and the delights of the affection of truth and good (See above, n. 323, 326); "sound with the trumpet in the new moon, in the fixed time for the day of our feast," signifies worship from the delight of these affections; "for this was a statute for Israel, and He appointed a testimony for Joseph," signifies that these things were for the new church instituted among the sons of Israel which was in the truths of doctrine; "in His going out against the land of Egypt; I heard a lip that I knew not" signifies when the old church was destroyed, which had come to be in falsities of doctrine, "a lip that I knew not" signifying falsities of doctrine; for "Egypt," when Joseph was lord there, represented the church that is in the cognitions of truth and good, and in confirming knowledges (scientiae); but when the sons of Israel began to be hated and ill-treated, "Egypt" represented the church destroyed, in which are mere falsities, for it is said that:

There arose a new king over the Egyptians who knew not Joseph (Exodus 1:8);

and consequently the Egyptians with Pharaoh, who pursued the sons of Israel, were drowned in the Red Sea.

[16] That "Joseph" means in the highest sense the Lord in respect to the Divine spiritual, is evident also in David:

Joseph was sold for a servant; his foot they hurt with a fetter, his soul came into the iron; until the time that his word came, and the saying of Jehovah explored him. Then the king sent and loosed him; the ruler of the nations let him go free. He set him as a lord to his house and ruler over all his possessions, to bind his princes according to his will, and that he might instruct his elders. Then Israel came into Egypt, and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham (Psalms 105:17-23).

How the Lord was received when He came into the world, and how He was tempted and then became Lord of heaven and earth, and subjugated the hells, reduced the heavens to order and established the church is described by the story of Joseph; how He was received and tempted is described by "he was sold for a servant, his foot they hurt with a fetter, and his soul came into iron;" "he was sold for a servant" signifying that the Lord was held in low esteem; "his foot they hurt with a fetter" signifying that He was as it were bound and in prison because there was no longer any natural good; "his soul came into the iron" signifying that it was so because there was no longer any natural truth but only falsity. The Lord's conquering the hells through Divine truth from ³ His Divine is described by "until the time that his word came, and the saying of Jehovah explored him;" "his word" signifying Divine truth, and "the saying of Jehovah" Divine good from which is Divine truth. That the Lord thus acquired power over all things of heaven and earth for His Human from His Divine is described by "the king sent and loosed him, the ruler of the nations let him go free; he set him as a lord to his house, and ruler over all his possession;" the "king who sent," and the "ruler of the nations who let him go free," signifying Divine truth and Divine good which were in Him and from Him, "king" Divine truth, and "ruler" Divine good; for the Lord is called "King" in the Word from Divine truth, and "Lord" and "Ruler" from Divine good.

The "house over which he was set" signifies heaven and the church in respect to good, and "possession" heaven and the church in respect to truth. This has a similar signification as the words of the Lord Himself, that all things of the Father are His and all His are the Father's; and that all power over heaven and earth was given to Him (John 17:10; Matthew 28:18). That the Lord from His Divine withholds the heavens from falsities and keeps them in truths, and thus gives them intelligence and wisdom, is described by "he bound the princes according to his will, and that he might instruct his elders," "princes" signifying those who are in truths, and "elders" those who are in intelligence and wisdom. That the Lord then established the church on the earth is meant by "then Israel came into Egypt;" "Israel" signifying the church, for the establishment of the church by the Lord was represented by the sons of Israel coming into Egypt, as also by the Lord's being carried into Egypt when He was an infant (Matthew 2:14, 15; Hosea 11:1). That all things of the church then perished is meant by "Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham;" "Jacob" signifying the church with all who are in the good of life, and "the land of Ham" signifying the church destroyed.

[17] Here and elsewhere in the Word "Israel and Jacob" do not mean the sons of Israel and the posterity of Jacob, but all those with whom is the church, wherever they were and wherever they are; as "Judah" in the Word does not mean the Jewish nation, but the church consisting of such as are in love to the Lord (of which above, n. 433). For with the sons of Israel or the posterity of Jacob there was no church, but the church was merely represented; therefore they signify all who are of the church, and this not only in the prophecies of the Word but also in its histories, as has been shown in what precedes. So, too, "Joseph" and his tribe do not mean Joseph and his tribe, but in the highest sense the Lord in respect to the Divine spiritual, and thence in a relative sense the Lord's spiritual kingdom in the heavens and on the earths, likewise the things that constitute that kingdom, which are the truths of doctrine.

[18] In Ezekiel there is a description of a new spiritual church to be established by the Lord, and this church with its doctrine is meant by "the new city, the new temple, and the new earth," therefore it is said:

This is the border unto which ye shall inherit the land, according to the twelve tribes of Israel, to Joseph cords [portions] (Ezekiel 47:13).

"Joseph" signifies the spiritual church, and "cords" signify conjunction, and preaching from that tribe to the rest, and from the rest to it; and "the twelve tribes of Israel" signify all things of that church.

Poznámky pod čarou:

438. Verse 6. Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand sealed, signifies charity towards the neighbor, and that all who are in it are in heaven and come into heaven. This is evident from the signification of "the tribe of Asher," as being the spiritual affection which is charity (of which presently); and from the signification of "twelve thousand sealed," as being those who are in heaven and who come into heaven (as above, n. 433). That "the tribe of Asher" signifies love towards the neighbor, which is called charity, will be made clear from what follows, and is also clear from this, that the twelve tribes taken together represented heaven and the church, and therefore signify these in the Word, and that each tribe represented, and thence signifies, some universal essential that is a constituent of heaven and the church. Heaven and the church are constituted, in general, of three universal essentials, namely, love to the Lord, charity towards the neighbor, and the obedience of faith; love to the Lord is signified by the first three tribes, Judah, Reuben, and Gad (as was shown above); charity towards the neighbor is signified by these three tribes, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh; while the obedience of faith is signified by the three tribes next named, Simeon, Levi, and Issachar; the conjunction of all of these with the Lord is signified by the last three tribes, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. This, in brief, is the signification of all these tribes named in this order, for their signification is determined by the order in which they are named (as has been said and shown above, n. 431, 435, 436).

[2] Furthermore, the "sealed" mean those who have been separated from the evil and received into heaven; and the first three tribes mean those who have been received into the highest or third heaven, in which all are in love to the Lord; the three tribes next named, which are now under consideration, mean those who have been received into the middle or second heaven, in which all are in charity towards the neighbor; while the three tribes that next follow mean those who have been received into the lowest or first heaven, where those are who are in the obedience that is called the obedience of faith; and the last three tribes mean the reception of all these into the three heavens by the Lord; for there are three heavens, distinguished from one another according to the degrees of the good of love. From all this it can first be seen that this second class of tribes, that is, the three tribes, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh, mean those who are in charity towards the neighbor; "the tribe of Asher" meaning charity towards the neighbor; "Naphtali" the regeneration of those who are in that charity, and "Manasseh" their good of life.

[3] But what "Asher" signifies in the Lord's kingdom, that is, in the church, shall first be told. "Asher" signifies the blessedness of spiritual affections, and thence spiritual affection itself; and as spiritual affection is what is called love towards the neighbor or charity, so "Asher" here signifies charity; consequently the "twelve thousand" of that tribe here signify all who are in charity, and are thus in the second or middle heaven. That Asher was so called from what is blessed or from blessedness is evident both from the meaning of the word in Hebrew and also from what was said of him by Leah the wife of Jacob, when he was born, which is the following:

Zilpah, Leah's maidservant, bare Jacob a second son. And Leah said, In my blessedness, for the daughters will call me blessed; and she called his name Asher (Genesis 30:12, 13).

"The daughters who should call her blessed" signify the spiritual affections of truth, which constitute the church, from which is every internal blessedness that is heavenly, in which blessedness those are who are in charity towards the neighbor, for charity towards the neighbor is the spiritual affection of truth (as was just said above); and the spiritual affection of truth is to love truth in its essence, that is, to love truth because it is truth; moreover, the neighbor, in the spiritual sense, is nothing else than good and truth, and charity is love for this (as can be seen from what is said and shown in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, on Love towards the Neighbor, which is called Charity, n84-107. The rest of the passage may be seen explained in Arcana Coelestia 3936-3939).

[4] That "Asher" signified blessedness which is of love and charity is further evident from the blessing of Asher by Israel his father:

From Asher his bread is fat, and he shall yield the delicacies of a king (Genesis 49:20).

"From Asher" signifies from celestial and spiritual affections, which are those of love to the Lord and of charity towards the neighbor; "his bread is fat," signifies delight from good; "and he shall yield the delicacies of a king" signifies pleasure from truth. (This is further explained in Arcana Coelestia 6408-6410.)

[5] "Asher" has a similar significance in Moses' blessing, namely, the delight of the affection of truth from the Word; the blessing is this:

Of Asher he said, Blessed above sons be Asher; let him be acceptable unto his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil; thy shoe is iron and brass; and as the days so thy fame (Deuteronomy 33:24, 25).

Moses' blessing of the sons of Israel contains arcana respecting the Word; and "Asher," who is the one last mentioned there signifies the spiritual affection of truth from the Word; therefore it is said, "Blessed above sons be Asher, let him be acceptable to his brethren," "sons" signifying truths, and "brethren" the church from truths; and "blessed" and "acceptable" are predicated of the affection of truths. The good of love, from which are the truths of the Word in the sense of the letter, is signified by "dipping his foot in oil;" "foot" signifies truth in ultimates, which is the truth of the sense of the letter of the Word, and "oil" signifies the good of love. That the ultimate of the Word is natural truth and good is signified by "thy shoe is iron and brass;" natural truth is signified by "iron," and natural good by "brass," and the ultimate by "shoe." That the Word is to endure to eternity is signified by "as the days so thy fame." (That "iron" signifies natural truth, see above, n. 176; that "brass" signifies natural good, n. 70; and that "shoe" signifies the ultimate of the natural, which is the sensual, see Arcana Coelestia 1748, 2162, 6844)

[6] Because "Asher" signifies the delight of affections, such as those have who are in truths from the sense of the letter:

That tribe encamped, together with the tribe of Dan and the tribe of Naphtali, to the north (Numbers 2:25-31).

The encampments of the sons of Israel in the wilderness represented the arrangements of the angelic societies in the heavens (See above, n. 431), and there to the north are the dwelling places of those who, from the good of charity, are in the affection of spiritual knowledges.

[7] That "Asher" signifies spiritual blessedness, which is blessedness from love and charity, can be seen in Ezekiel, where the new land and the new city are treated of, and that land is distributed as an inheritance among all the tribes of Israel; and to the city twelve gates are assigned, one for each tribe. The inheritance of Asher is there described in chapter Ezekiel 48:1-3, and the gates in these words:

The corner towards the sea four thousand and five hundred; ¹ the gates of the city three; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. Round about eighteen thousand; and the name of the city from that day, Jehovah-is-there (verses 34, 35).

The "land" that was to be distributed for an inheritance signifies the church; the "sons of Israel" among whom it was to be distributed, signify all truths from good in the complex that belong to the church; the "city" signifies the doctrine of truth from good of love, therefore it is called Jehovah shammah, or "Jehovah-is-there;" the "gates" signify introductory truths, which are doctrinals; the number "four thousand and five hundred" signifies all truths from good, and "eighteen thousand" all the truths of doctrine encompassing and defending. This makes clear not only that each and all things there mentioned, even to the numbers, signify the things of the church, but also that no tribe of Israel is there meant, each tribe named standing for some universal essential of the church. It is evident, moreover, that "Asher" here signifies the spiritual affection of truth, which makes one with charity towards the neighbor. (That "Asher" signifies eternity in the highest sense, in the internal sense the felicity of life from blessedness of affections that are of love and charity, and in the external sense natural delight therefrom, see in Arcana Coelestia 3938, 3939, 6408.)

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