9397. And read it in the ears of the people. That this signifies for hearkening and obedience, is evident from the signification of “reading,” as being for hearkening; for when anything is read, it is that it may be heard, perceived, and obeyed; that is, that it may be hearkened unto; and from the signification of “in the ears,” as being for obedience; for “the ears,” and “hearing,” signify obeying (see n. 2542, 3869, 4551, 4652-4660, 5471, 5475, 7216, 8361, 8990, 9311).

[2] As “the ears” signify not only hearing and notice, but also obedience, therefore in the Word frequent mention is made of speaking “in the ears,” and reading “in the ears,” of people; and not of speaking and reading “before them;” as in Jeremiah:

Hear thou these words that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people (Jeremiah 28:7).

They spoke these words in the ears of the people (1 Samuel 11:4).

Let thine handmaid speak in thine ears (1 Samuel 25:24).

Proclaim in the ears of the people, saying (Judg. 7:3).

Speak in the ears of the people (Exodus 11:2).

Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the judgments which I speak in your ears this day (Deuteronomy 5:1.

I speak these words in their ears (Deuteronomy 31:28).

Moses spoke all the words of the song in the ears of the people (Deuteronomy 32:44).

He read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant (2 Kings 23:2).

They said unto him, Sit down and read it in our ears; and Baruch read it in their ears (Jeremiah 36:15).

When Jesus had ended all the words in the ears of the people (Luke 7:1).

[3] As “the ear,” and “hearing,” signify the reception of truth, notice, and obedience, thus the first and the last of faith, therefore it was so often said by the Lord, “He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; 7:16; Luke 14:35). And because by “the deaf,” that is, those who do not hear, are signified in the spiritual sense those who are not in the faith of truth, because they are not in the knowledge and consequent perception of it (n. 6989, 9209), therefore when the Lord healed one that was deaf, “He put His finger into his ears, and said, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened” (Mark 7:32-35). (That all the miracles of the Lord infolded and signified states of the church, see n. 8364, 9086)

3870. That I was hated. That this signifies a state of faith if the will be not correspondent thereto, is evident from the signification of “being hated,” as being not loved, for such is the state of faith if the will does not correspond to it. In the internal sense the subject treated of is the progress of man’s regeneration from external to internal; that is, from the truth of faith to the good of charity. The truth of faith is external, and the good of charity is internal. In order that the truth of faith may live, it must be introduced into the will, that it may there receive life; for truth does not live from knowing, but from willing. Life flows in from the Lord through the new willing that He creates in man. The first life manifests itself by obedience, which is the first of the will; the second by the affection of doing the truth, which is the progression of the will, and which exists when delight and bliss are perceived in doing the truth. Unless there takes place such a progress of faith, truth does not become truth, but becomes a separate affair from life, sometimes confirmative of falsity, and sometimes persuasive of it, thus a foul affair; for it couples itself with the man’s evil affection, or cupidity; that is, with his own proper will, which is contrary to charity. Such is the faith that by many at this day is believed to be faith, and to save without the works of charity.

[2] But this faith, which is separate from charity, and therefore contrary to charity, is represented in what follows by Reuben, in that he lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine (Genesis 35:22), and concerning which Jacob, then Israel, expresses his detestation in the words:

Reuben, my firstborn, thou art my might, and the beginning of my strength; light as water thou shalt not excel, because thou wentest up on thy father’s bed, then defiledst thou it; he went up on my couch (Genesis 49:3-4

The will and affection of this faith, namely, that which is separated from charity, as being contrary to charity, is also described in the same chapter by Simeon and Leviticus in these words:

Simeon and Leviticus are brethren; weapons of violence are their swords; let not my soul come into their secret; into their assembly let not my glory unite itself; for in their fury they slew a man, and in their will they unstrung an ox. Cursed be their fury, for it was fierce; and their anger, for it was cruel; I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel (Genesis 49:5-7).

That it is faith separate from charity which is here described by “Simeon and Levi,” will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be shown in what follows.