6451. I am being gathered unto my people. That this signifies that he would be in the goods and truths of the natural which are from him, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel and of the tribes named from them, which are here “his people,” as being goods and truths in the natural (see n. 3858, 3926, 3939, 5414, 5879, 5951, 6335, 6337), and that these are from him is evident; and from the signification of “being gathered to that people,” as being to be in these things. As the subject treated of here and in what follows is the gathering or coming forth of spiritual good, which is “Israel,” in the goods and truths of the natural, which are his “sons” or the tribes named after them, it must be told how this is to be understood.

[2] In man there is what is inmost, there are interior things under the inmost, and there are exterior things. All these are most exactly distinct; they succeed in order, thus from the inmost down to the outermost; according to the order in which they succeed, they also flow in; hence it is that life flows through the inmost into the interiors, and through the interiors into the exteriors, thus according to the order in which they succeed; and it does not rest except in the ultimate of order, where it stops. And as the interior things flow in according to order down to the ultimate, and there stop, it is evident that the interior things are together in the ultimate, but in this order: the inmost, which has flowed in, holds the center; the interior things which are under the inmost encompass the center; and the exterior things make the circumference; and this not only in general, but also in every detail. The former order is called “successive order,” and the latter “simultaneous order;” and this latter order originates from the former; for in every case the simultaneous has its origin in the successive, and when it has thus originated it exists so.

[3] As all the interiors are together in the ultimate, therefore the appearance is as if life were in the ultimate, that is, in the body; when yet it is in the interiors, nor yet there, but in the highest, that is, in the Lord, from whom is the all of life. Hence also it is that life in the exteriors is obscure compared with life in the interiors; for in the exteriors the life is general, coming forth from the influx of many, nay, of innumerable things from the interiors, which appear together and in general. Thus now it is in some measure plain how it is to be understood that spiritual good which is “Israel” must be in the goods and truths of the natural, which are his sons or tribes; for spiritual good which is “Israel” is in the interior of the natural, and the goods and truths which are his sons are in its exterior. That spiritual good must be in these is signified by “I am being gathered unto my people.”

2362. Behold I pray I have two daughters who have not known man. That this signifies the affections of good and of truth, is evident from the signification of “daughters,” as being affections (see n. 489-491). Their “not having known man” signifies that falsity had not contaminated them; for “man” [vir] signifies rational truth, as also in the opposite sense falsity (n. 265, 749, 1007). There are two affections, namely, of good and of truth (see n. 1997). The former, or the affection of good, constitutes the celestial church, and is called in the Word the “daughter of Zion,” and also the “virgin daughter of Zion;” but the latter, or the affection of truth, constitutes the spiritual church, and is called in the Word the “daughter of Jerusalem.”

[2] As in Isaiah:

The virgin daughter of Zion hath despised thee, hath mocked at thee; after thee hath the daughter of Jerusalem shaken her head (Isaiah 37:22; 2 Kings 19:21).

In Jeremiah:

What shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem; what shall I equal to thee, and comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion (Lam. 2:13).

In Micah:

Thou, O tower of the flock, the hill of the daughter of Zion, even to thee shall it come, and the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem (Micah 4:8).

In Zephaniah:

Shout, O daughter of Zion; make a loud noise, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem (Zeph. 3:14).

In Zechariah:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; make a loud noise, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King shall come unto thee (Zech. 9:9; Matthew 21:5; John 12:15).

[3] That the celestial church, or the Lord’s celestial kingdom, is called the “daughter of Zion” from the affection of good, that is, from love to the Lord Himself, may be seen further in Isaiah (10:32; 16:1; 52:2; 62:11; Jeremiah 4:31; 6:2, 23; Lam. 1:6; 2:1, 4, 8, 10; Micah 4:10, 13; Zech. 2:10; Psalms 9:14). And that the spiritual church, or the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, is called the “daughter of Jerusalem” from the affection of truth, and thus from charity toward the neighbor, may be seen in Jeremiah (Lam. 2:15). Both of these churches and their characteristics have been treated of many times in Part First.

[4] From the fact that the celestial church is from love to the Lord in love toward the neighbor, it is likened especially to an unmarried daughter or virgin, and indeed is also called a “virgin,” as in John:

These are they who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins; these are they that follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth, for they are without spot before the throne of God (Revelation 14:4-5).

That this might be represented in the Jewish Church also, it was enjoined upon the priests that they should not take widows, but virgins, for wives (Leviticus 21:13-15; Ezekiel 44:22).

[5] From the things contained in this verse it can be seen how pure is the Word in the internal sense, although it may not so appear in the letter; for when these words are read: “Behold I pray I have two daughters who have not known man; let me I pray bring them out unto you, and ye may do unto them as is good in your eyes, only unto these men do not anything,” nothing but what is impure enters the ideas, especially the ideas of those who are in a life of evil. And yet how chaste these words are in the internal sense, is manifest from the explication, by which it is shown that they signify the affections of good and of truth, and the blessedness which they who do no violence to the Lord’s Divine and Holy perceive from the enjoyment of them.