10074. 'And the two kidneys and the fat that is on them' means the more internal, purified truth of the natural man and its good. This is clear from the meaning of 'the kidneys' as the more internal truth of the external or natural man; and from the meaning of 'the fat that is on them' as its good, dealt with above in 10032. The reason why purified truth is what is meant by 'the kidneys' is that the kidneys are organs purifying the blood, 10032, and 'the blood' means truth, 9393, 10026.

9528. 'Of shittim wood' means out of mercy. This is clear from the meaning of 'shittim wood' as the good of merit which is the Lord's alone, dealt with in 9472, 9486; and since the good of merit is mercy, 'shittim wood' also means mercy. For out of pure love, thus out of pure mercy, the Lord assumed the Human, and underwent the severest temptations, finally the passion on the Cross, that He might save the human race; and therefore merit and righteousness are His. From all this it is evident that the good of merit consists in mercy, mercy (misericordia) being Divine Love directed towards those trapped in misery (miseriae).

The Lord underwent the severest temptations and thereby set heaven and hell in order; and He fought out of Divine Love, to save those who receive Him in love and faith, see 1266, 1663, 1668, 1676, 1690, 1691 (end), 1737, 1787, 1789, 1812, 1813, 1820, 1921, 2083, 2159, 2574, 2649, 2776, 2795, 2813, 2816, 3318 (end), 4180, 4286, 4295, 5078.