Arcana Coelestia # 6413
6413. Is a hind let loose. That this signifies the freedom of natural affection, is evident from the signification of a “hind,” as being natural affection (of which below); and from the signification of “let loose,” as being freedom, for when a captured hind is let loose it has freedom. Deliverance from a state of temptations is compared to a “hind let loose,” because the hind is an animal of the forest, loving freedom more than other animals, in which the natural also resembles it; for this loves to be in the delight of its affections, consequently in freedom, for freedom is that which belongs to affection. The reason why a “hind” signifies natural affection, is that it is one of the beasts which are significative of [good] affections, as are all those which are for food and use, such as lambs, sheep, goats, and kids, and also oxen, bullocks, and cows; but these beasts are also significative of spiritual affections, because burnt-offerings and sacrifices were made of them, whereas hinds, not being employed for such a use, were significative of natural affections. (That “beasts” signify affections may be seen above, n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 719, 776, 1823, 2179, 2180, 3519, 5198; also that their signifying affections is from the representatives in the world of spirits, n. 3218, 5198.)
[2] Natural affections are also signified by “hinds” in David:
Jehovah maketh my feet like those of hinds, and stationeth me upon my high places (Psalms 18:33).
And in Habakkuk:
Jehovih the Lord is my strength, who setteth my feet like those of hinds, and maketh me to march upon my high places (Hab. 3:19).
“To make the feet like those of hinds” denotes the natural in the freedom of the affections (that “feet” are the natural, see n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, 5327, 5328). That “to set the feet as those of hinds” has this signification, may be seen from the fact that to make the feet nimble and active to run like those of hinds is not anything spiritual; and yet that something spiritual is involved, is plain from what immediately follows, that “Jehovah will set him and cause him to march upon his high places,” whereby is signified spiritual affection, which is above natural affection. So with this passage in Isaiah:
The lame shall leap as a hart (Isaiah 35:6);
for by the “lame” is signified one who is in good, but not as yet genuine (n. 4302).
[3] In David:
As the hart crieth after the water brooks, so crieth my soul after Thee (Psalms 42:1).
The “hart” here is the affection of truth; “to cry after the water brooks” denotes to long for truths. (That “waters” are truths, see n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668)
[4] In Jeremiah:
Out of the daughter of Zion hath gone forth all her honor; her princes are become like harts, they have found no pasture (Lam. 1:6); where the “daughter of Zion” denotes the affection of good, which affection is of the celestial church (n. 2362); “princes” denote the primary truths of that church (n. 1482, 2089, 5044), which are compared to “harts,” whereby are signified the affections of natural truth; and by the “harts not finding pasture,” are signified natural affections without truths and their goods. (That a “pasture” denotes truth and the good of truth, which sustain the spiritual life of man, see above, n. 6078, 6277.)
[5] So by “hinds” in Jeremiah:
The earth has been broken in pieces, in that there hath not been rain in the land, the husbandmen have been ashamed, they have covered over their heads, because even the hind hath brought forth in the field, but forsook it, because there was no grass (Jeremiah 14:4-5).
The “hind” denotes the affection of natural good; “hath brought forth in the field” denotes to conjoin the natural affections with the spiritual things of the church; but because these affections were devoid of truths and goods, it is said that she “forsook, because there was no grass.” Everyone can see that there is an internal sense in what is here said about the hind; for without an internal sense what could be here meant by the “hind bringing forth in the field, but forsaking, because there was no grass?”
[6] In like manner in David:
The voice of Jehovah hath made the hinds to calve, and strippeth bare the forests; but in His temple everyone saith, Glory (Psalms 29:9).
That there is an internal sense which is spiritual in the words “the voice of Jehovah hath made the hinds to calve” is very evident from the fact that immediately afterward it is said, “but in His temple everyone saith, Glory,” which words without the spiritual sense do not cohere with what is said before about hinds and forests.
Genesis 49
1
Jacob called to his sons, and said: "Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which will happen to you in the days to come.
2
Assemble yourselves, and hear, you sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel, your father.
3
"Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength; excelling in dignity, and excelling in power.
4
Boiling over as water, you shall not excel; because you went up to your father's bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch.
5
"Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence.
6
My soul, don't come into their council. My glory, don't be united to their assembly; for in their anger they killed men. In their self-will they hamstrung cattle.
7
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
8
"Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father's sons will bow down before you.
9
Judah is a lion's cub. From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down, he crouched as a lion, as a lioness. Who will rouse him up?
10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs. To him will the obedience of the peoples be.
11
Binding his foal to the vine, his donkey's colt to the choice vine; he has washed his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.
12
His eyes will be red with wine, his teeth white with milk.
13
"Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea. He will be for a haven of ships. His border will be on Sidon.
14
"Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the saddlebags.
15
He saw a resting place, that it was good, the land, that it was pleasant. He bows his shoulder to the burden, and becomes a servant doing forced labor.
16
"Dan will judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
17
Dan will be a serpent in the way, an adder in the path, That bites the horse's heels, so that his rider falls backward.
18
I have waited for your salvation, Yahweh.
19
"A troop will press on Gad, but he will press on their heel.
20
"Asher's food will be rich. He will yield royal dainties.
21
"Naphtali is a doe set free, who bears beautiful fawns.
22
"Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a spring. His branches run over the wall.
23
The archers have severely grieved him, shot at him, and persecute him:
24
But his bow remained strong. The arms of his hands were made strong, by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, (from there is the shepherd, the stone of Israel),
25
even by the God of your father, who will help you; by the Almighty, who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.
26
The blessings of your father have prevailed above the blessings of your ancestors, above the boundaries of the ancient hills. They will be on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head of him who is separated from his brothers.
27
"Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey. At evening he will divide the spoil."
28
All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them. He blessed everyone according to his blessing.
29
He instructed them, and said to them, "I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
30
in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place.
31
There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and there I buried Leah:
32
the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth."
33
When Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the spirit, and was gathered to his people.
