9658. 'Thus it shall be for them both; at the two corners they shall be' means a like joining together everywhere. This is clear from the meaning of 'both', or the two, as a joining together, dealt with above in 9655. Since things were to be the same at both corners, a like joining together everywhere is meant. For the paired boards at the two corners faced all four quarters - this was how the two legs at the corners were assembled - and to face all four quarters is to look everywhere. And since things were to be alike at both, a like joining together everywhere is meant.

2046. 'Every male' means those who possess the truth of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'a male' as truth, dealt with in 672, 749. The reason why the word 'male', meaning the truth of faith, is used is that nobody can be purified from those filthy loves except the person who is governed by truth. From truth he recognizes what is pure or impure, and what is holy or unholy. Until he possesses such knowledge there are no channels into which and through which heavenly love flowing in constantly from the Lord is able to operate, for it cannot be received except within truths. It is by means of cognitions of truth therefore that a person is reformed and regenerated, but this does not take place before he has been endowed with them. Conscience itself is formed by means of the truths of faith, for the conscience with which a regenerate person is endowed is a conscience for what is true and right. On this matter see 977, 986 (end), 1033, 1076, 1077. This also is the reason why flint knives, or 'swords of flint', as they are called, were used for circumcision. 'Swords of flint' means truths, see above 2039 (end).