THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter Isaiah 32

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation)

1. BEHOLD, a King shall reign in justice, and Princes shall rule in judgment.

VERSE 1. That the Lord, as to Divine Truth, is represented in the Word by a " King", and as to Good by a " Priest", see above, Chapter 1:1, the Exposition.

2. And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, as a covert from the inundation; as rivers of waters in a dry place; as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land:

Verse 2. [lt does not appear that Swedenborg has quoted this verse, but its spiritual meaning is clear from the correspondences. That Divine Truth from the Lord, in His Word, signified by "man", is the cause of all protection in temptations, and against all assaults from hell, is declared in these words, see above, Chapter 4:6, the Exposition.]

3. And the eyes of those that see shall not be dim; and the ears of those that hear shall hearken.

Verse 3. The eyes, the ears, etc. - See Chap, Isaiah 29:18; 35:4-6, the Exposition.

4. And the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge; and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak elegant things.

5. The fool shall no longer be called liberal; and the covetous shall no more be called noble:

Verse 4. By the "rash" or "precipitate" are understood those who easily catch at, and believe the things that are said, and consequently falsities also; concerning such it is said that "they shall understand knowledge", which means to receive truths. By the "stammerers" are understood those who with difficulty can apprehend the Truths of the church; that they shall confess them from affection is understood by "their tongue shall be ready or swift to speak"; "swiftness" being predicated of affection. Apocalypse Explained 455.

6. For the fool will speak folly; and his heart will work iniquity: to practise hypocrisy, and to speak error against Jehovah; to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

7. As for the covetous, his instruments are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks judgment.

8. But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he be established.

Verse 6. He is called a " fool" who is in falsities and evils from the love of self thus from his own intelligence; thefalses are understood by "the folly which he speaks", and evils by "the iniquity which his heart worketh." The evils which he speaks against Goods are understood by "the hypocrisy which he practises", and the falsities which he speaks against Truths by "the error which he speaks against Jehovah." That it is for the purpose of persuading and thus of destroying those who desire Goods and Truths, is understood by "making empty the soul of the hungry", and by "causing the drink of the thirsty to fail"; the "hungry soul" are such as desire Goods, and the "thirsty desiring drink" are such as desire Truths. A" Apocalypse Explained 386.

Here by the "soul" is signified man as to the understanding of Good and Truth; by "the soul of the hungry" the understanding of Good, and by "the drink of the thirsty" the understanding of Truth. That the man who is in falsities of evil will endeavour to deprive thereof him who is in Truth from Good, is signified by "the fool speaking folly", by "making empty the soul of the hungry", and by "causing the drink of the thirsty to fail." Apocalypse Explained 750.

Verses 6, 7. In this passage by the "poor" and "needy" are understood those who are destitute of the knowledges of Truth and Good, wherefore it is said that "the covetous deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks judgment"; the "lying words" denote falsities, and to "speak judgment" denotes what is right. Inasmuch as such are treated of it is also said that "they practise hypocrisy, and speak error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail"; to "practise hypocrisy" and to "speak error" denotes to commit evil from the false, and to speak what is false from evil; to "make empty the soul of the hungry" denotes to deprive those of the knowledges of Good who desire them and to "cause the drink of the thirsty to fail" is to deprive of the knowledges of Truth those who desire them. Apocalypse Explained 238.

9. O you women that are at ease, stand up, hear My voice! O you confident daughters, give ear unto My speeeh!

10. Year upon year shall you be disquieted, O you confident ones: for the vintage has failed, the gathering shall not come in.

11. Tremble, O you women that are at ease; be you troubled, O you confident ones! strip you, make yourselves bare; and gird [sackcloth] upon your loins.

12. They shall smite upon the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

Verses 9, 10. By "the women who are at ease" are signified the cupidities of those who have no concern for the devastation of the church; by "confident daughters" are signified the cupidities of those who have confidence in self-derived intelligence; by "women " and "daughters" are signified all who are such in the church, whether they be men or women. By "the vintage which shall fail", and by "the gathering which shall not come", is signified that the Truth of the church shall be no more; for the same is denoted by "vintage" as by "vine"; namely, the Truth of the church, whence it is evident what is signified by the "gathering" thereof. Apocalypse Explained 555.

By "confident daughters" are signified those in the church who love falsities more than Truths. That with such persons Truths ate successively and in every state diminished, is signified by "their being disquieted year upon year." The entire devastation of Truth, even until nothing remains, is understood by "the vintage failing", or being consumed; and by "the gathering not coming in." Apocalypse Explained 919.

Verses 9, 11, 12. "Daughters" are affections, as shown in Arcana Coelestia 2362, 3024. To "make bare or naked", is to be deprived of Truth, see Arcana Coelestia 1073, 4958. To "gird themselves upon the loins", is to be in grief on account of Good which is lost. To "smite upon the breast"; is to be in grief on account of the Good of Truth being destroyed; and because these things are understood, it is further said, "for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine"; for a " field." is the church as to Good, thus the Good of the church, as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2971; 3196; and the "vine" is the spiritual church, thus the Good of Truth, see Arcana Coelestia 5113, 6375. Arcana Coelestia 6432.

13. Over the land of My people the thorn and the brier shall come up; yea, over all houses of joy, over the exulting city.

14. For the palace is deserted, the multitude of the city is forsaken; the cliff and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture for flocks:

Verses 13, 14. "The thorn and the brier which shall come up over the land" signify the false and the evil. "The palace 'which shall be deserted" signifies where Good dwells; and "the multitude of the city which shall be forsaken" signifies where there are Truths, for a "city" signifies the doctrine of Truth. Apocalypse Explained 804.

Verse 14. By these words is described the total devastation of the church, where there is no more any Good of life or Truth of doctrine; no one, however, can know what is involved therein except from the internal sense, and from the state of things in the spiritual world. The devastation of the whole church is understood by "The palace is deserted, the multitude of the city is forsaken"; a " palace" signifies the whole church as to Truths from Good; and a "desert" signifies where there is no Good in consequence of there being no Truth; whence the "palace" being deserted or a "desert", signifies the church devastated. The "multitude of the city" signifies all the Truths of doctrine; for a "city" denotes doctrine, and "multitude" is predicated of Truths, which are said to be "forsaken" when they are not. That "the cliff and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever", signifies that the church shall no more exist with them, because there is nothing but evil of life and the false of doctrine, which are signified by "dens", because such persons dwell in dens, as was said above; (see Chap Isaiah 2:10, the Exposition.) and inasmuch as such persons dwell in deep places in the spiritual world, and they are covered above by eminences or cliffs and beacons, so as to be hid from those who dwell upon the earths there, therefore it is, not only said that "the cliff and the watch-tower shall be for dens", but also that they should be "a joy of wild asses, and a pasture for flocks." In that world also there are many hells in deep places, altogether hid by earths, rocks, and hills above, or by eminences and beacons, where there is grass, as it were "a pasture for flocks"; whence it is that the hells are unknown to those who dwell there upon the earth. "A joy of wild asses" also signifies the affection or love of falsities; and "the pasture for flocks", in this place, the nourishment of evils from falsities; and by both is signified the devastation of Truth by falsities. From these considerations it may be seen what is the nature of the arcana contained in this and similar passages. Apocalypse Explained 410.

15. Till the spirit from on high be poured out upon us; and the wilderness, become a fruitful field; and the fruitful field be esteemed a forest.

16. And judgment shall dwell in the wilderness; and justice shall reside in the fruitful field.

Verses 15, 16. Treating of those who are in natural Good, and are being reformed, The influx out of heaven into them, is signified by "The spirit from on high shall be poured out upon you." That then Truth from a spiritual origin shall be implanted in them, is signified by "the wilderness shall become a fruitful field"; a "wilderness" denoting the natural man destitute of Truths, and the "fruitful field", or "land of corn", denoting the natural man fructified with Truths. That he has thence the science of the knowledges of Truth and Good, is signified by, "the fruitful field shall be esteemed a forest" "forest" being predicated of the natural man, as a "garden" is of the spiritual; wherefore by a "forest" is signified science, and by a "garden" intelligence. That what is right and just is thence in him, is signified by "Judgment shall dwell, in the wilderness, and justice shall reside in the fruitful field"; "judment" and "justice", in the spiritual sense, signify Truth and Good, but, in the natural sense, what is right and just. Apocalypse Explained 730.

17. And the work of justice shall be peace; and the labour of justice quietness and security for ever:

18. And My people shall dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tents of securities, and in quiet resting places.

Verses 17, 18. Peace is said to be "the work of Jehovah", because it is from the Lord only, and everything which exists by virtue of peace from the Lord, with those who are in conjunction with Him, is called "the Work of Jehovah"; whence it is said- "The work of Jehovah is peace." "The labour of justice" signifies Good conjoined with Truth, wherein peace consists; for "labour", in the Word, is predicated of Truth, "justice" of Good, and "rest" of the peace derived from their conjunction; "security for ever" signifies that thus there will be no infestation or fear from evils and falsities. Hence it is evident what is signified by its being said that "My people shall dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tents of securities, and in quiet resting places", namely, that they may be in heaven where the Lord is, and thence in the Good of love and of worship, without infestation from the hells, and thus in the delights of Good and pleasantnesses of Truth. The "habitation of peace" denotes heaven where the Lord is; "tents of securities", the Goods of love and of worship, not infested by evils and falsities, which are from hell; and "quiet resting places", the delights of Good and pleasantnesses of Truths. That "tents" signify the Goods of love and of worship, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia n. 414, 1102, 2145. "Peace" is the happiness of the heart and the soul, arising from the conjunction of the Lord with heaven and the church, and this from the conjunction of what is Good and True with those who are there; hence there is no longer any combat of what is evil and false against what is Good and True, or no dissension or war in a spiritual sense. Hence it is peace in which all fructification of Good and all multiplication of Truth takes place, consequently all wisdom and intelligence. And because that peace is from the Lord alone, and from Him with the angels in heaven and with men in the church, therefore by "Peace", in the supreme sense, is understood the Lord, and, in a respective sense, Heaven and the Church, consequently Good conjoined with Truth in those who are there. Apocalypse Explained 365.

In respect to "Peace" and the Lord as being "the Prince of Peace", see Chapter 9:6, the Exposition.

19. But the hail shall fall, and the forest be brought down; and the city shall be laid utterly low.

20. Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send forth [thither] the foot of the ox and of the ass.

Verse 19. The hail shall fall. - See Chapter 28:2, 22, the Exposition.

Verse 20. Here by those "who sow beside all waters" are meant they who allow themselves to be instructed in spiritual things. That "waters" are spiritual things, thus the Intellectual things of Truth, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 680. "Who send forth the foot of the ox and of the ass", signifies natural things which are serviceable thereto. That the "ox" is the natural principle as to Good, see Arcana Coelestia 2180, 2566; the "ass", is the natural principle as to Truth. Arcana Coelestia 2781.

To "sow beside all waters", is to be instructed in whatsoever truths may be of use [to the spiritual life]. To "send forth the foot of the ox and of the ass", is to be instructed in external goods and truths. Arcana Coelestia 9272.

That "waters" signify Truths, see above, Chapter 11:9, the Exposition.

The signification of the "horse", as denoting the understanding, is derived from no other source than from the representatives which exist in the spiritual world. In that world are frequently seen horses, and persons sitting upon horses, and also chariots: and there every one knows that they signify things intellectual and doctrinal. I myself have often observed, when any were thinking from their understanding, that at such times they appeared as if riding on horses; their meditation represented itself in this manner before others, although they themselves were ignorant of it. There is also a place in the spiritual world where many assemble who think and speak from understanding concerning the truths of doctrine; and when others approach, they see the whole plain covered with chariots and horses. Novitiate spirits who are astonished at the sight, and wonder whence it proceeds, are Instructed that it is an appearance resulting Irorn their intellectual thought. That place is called the assembly of the intelligent and the wise. I have likewise seen bright horses and chariots of fire when certain spirits were taken up into heaven, which was a sign that they were then Instructed in the truths of heavenly doctrine; and become intelligent, and thus were taken up. On seeing which, it occurred to mymind what is signified by the "chariots of fire" and the "horses of fire" which carried Elijah up into heaven, and what is signified by the "horses and chariots of fire" that were seen by the lad of Elisha when his eyes were opened.

That such is the signification of "chariots" and "horses" was perfectly well known in the ancient churches; for those churches were representative churches, and tbe science of correspondences and representations was esteemed, among the members of those churches the chief of all sciences. From those churcbes the signification of the "horse" as expressive of understanding, was derived to the wise men round about, even into Greece. Hence it was, when they would describe the sun, in which they placed their God of wisdom and intelligence, that they attributed to it a chariot and four horses of fire; and when they would describe the God of the sea, since by the "sea" were signified sciences derived from understanding; that they also attributed horses to him; and when they would describe the rise of the sciences from understanding, that they also feigned a winged horse, which, with its hoof, broke open a fountain, at which sat nine virgins called the sciences. For from the ancient churches they received this knowledge, that by tbe "horse" is signified understanding, by "wings" spiritual truth, by the "hoof" what is scientific derived from understanding, and by a "fountain" doctrine from which sciences are derived. Nor is anything else signified by the "Trojan horse" than an artificial contrivance devised by their understanding for the purpose of destroying the walls, Even at this day, when the understanding is described after the manner received from those ancients, it is usual to figure it by a "flying horse" or Pegasus; so, likewise, doctrine is described by a "fountain", and the sciences by "virgins"; but scarcely anyone knows that by the "horse", in the mystic sense, is signified understanding, still less that those signiflcatives were derived to the Gentiles from the ancient representative churches. Wliite Horse, 2-4.

Verses 1-3. Man's own intelligence is thus described. "Egypt" denotes science; a "horse", understanding thence derived; a "chariot" denotes doctrine thence derived; a "horseman", intelligence from the same origin; of all which it is said "Woe unto them who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, and do not seek Jehovah." Their destruction by evils is meant by "His arising against the house of the wicked, and against the help of those that work iniquity." That the above things originate in man's proprium, and consequently have no life in them, is meant by "Egypt being man, and not God", and' by "the horses thereof being flesh, and not spirit"; "man" and "flesh" denote man's proprium; "God" and "spirit" are life from the Lord; the "horses of Egypt" are man's own intelligence. There are several other passages in the Word, which thus describe intelligence derived from rnan's self, and derived from the Lord, which passages are to be understood only by menus of the spiritual sense. Doct. of Life, 30.

By "Egypt", in the Word, is signified the scientific [principle] which is in the natural man, and hence it also signifies the natural man; And because the natural man, with the scientific [principle] which is therein, has not any understanding, but only thought from the memory, which is a species of imagination from the objects of the sight and of hearing, and inasmuch as it is below the spiritual man, in which reside all the Good and the Truths of heaven and the church, hence by "Egypt" in most passages is signified the false scientific [principle]; for when the spiritual man does not flow in, the scientifics of the natural man are turned into mere falsities, and the thoughts of the natural man into confirmations of the false, and into ratiocinations from them against Truths. Hence it may appear what is signified by "the horses of Egypt, and by the chariots thereof", namely, by the "horses" false scientifics, and by the "chariots" doctrinals from which are ratiocinations against Truths. They, therefore, who are of such a quality do not seek Truth from any other source than from themselves, for the proprium of everyone resides in the natural man, and not in the spiritual man: wherefore instead of truths they seize falsities, and instead of goods, evils; and the latter they call Goods, and the former Truths, and trust in themselvee, because in their own proprium. These things are signified by these words "Woe unto them that go down to Egypt for help, who stay on horses; who trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong." The "horses" here denote false scientifics, the "chariots" doctrinals thence derived, and the "horsemen" ratiocinations thence against Truths; wherefore also it is said, "The Egyptians are man, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit"; whereby is signified that only what is merely natural is in them, and not anything spiritual, nor consequently anything of life, - "man" signifying the natural man, and "flesh" the proprium thereof, and "God" and "spirit" signifying the divine-spiritual man, and life thence derived; and inasmuch as they confide in themselves, and not in the Lord, it is said, "They look not unto the Holy One of Israel, and seek not Jehovah! " Apocalypse Explained 355.

3. For the Egyptians are man, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit: and Jehovah shall stretch forth His hand, and the helper shall stumble, and the helped shall fall; and together shall all of them be consumed.

Verse 3. And in John:

"It is the spirit which vivifieth; the flesh profits nothing." (John 63)

Again,

"that which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is generated of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6)

And in David:

"God remembered that they were flesh; a breath that passes away, and returns not again." (Psalm 78:39)

The evil of man's will, which is his proprium from nativity, is signified in these passages by "flesh"; likewise by "the flesh which the sons of Israel lusted after in the wilderness", and on account of which "they were smitten with a great plague", and from which the place was called "a sepulchre of coucupiscences." (Numbers 11:4-34). Apocalypse Explained 1082.

4. For thus has Jehovah said unto me, Like as the lion roars, even the young lion, over his prey, though a multitude of shepherds be called together against him, at their voice he will not be terrified, nor at their tumult will he be humbled so shall Jehovah of Hosts descend to fight for the mountain of Zion, and for the hill thereof.

Verse 4: In this passage Jehovah is compared to a "roaring lion", because by a "lion" is signified the power of leading out from hell or from evils, and by "roaring" is signified the defending against evils and falsities; wherefore it is said, "So shall Jehovah of Hosts descend to fight for the mountain of Zion, and for the hill thereof." The "mountain of Zion" and the "hill" thereof denoting the celestial church and the spiritual church.

The "prey" upon which the lion and the young lion roar, signifies deliverance from evils which are from hell. Apocalypse Explained 278.

5. As birds hovering [over their young], so shall Jehovah of Hosts protect Jerusalem; protecting, He will deliver; and passing over, He will rescue her.

6. Return unto Him, from whom you have deeply revolted, O you sons of Israel!

Verse 5. Jehovah is said to "protect Jerusalem, as birds flying [or hovering]", for by "protecting" is signified the Divine Providence as to defence; by "Jerusalem" is signified the church; and by "birds hovering", with which the comparison is made, is signified circumspection and presence, in this case as being predicated of the Lord's Omnipresence. Apocalypse Explained 282.

Verse 6. Return unto Him, etc. - See Chapter 30:15, note.

7. For in that day shall they reject every man the idols of his silver, and the idols of his gold, which their own hands have made for sin.

Verses 7, 8. By "the idols of silver and the idols of gold which they shall on that day reject", are signified the falsities and evils of religion and of worship, which they call Truths and Goods; and inasmuch as the falsities and evils of religion and of worship are from self-derived intelligence, therefore it is said, "Which their own hands have made for sin."

That there shall then be no reasonings from such things, is signified by "The Assyrian shall fall", etc. Apocalypse Explained 582.

Verses 7-9. For in that day shall they reject every man the idols of his silver, etc. - Treating concerning judgment upon those who, from self-derived intelligence, fancy themselves wise in things divine, such as are those who are in the love of self and of the world, and seek after the fame of erudition for the sake of themselves; such persons, inasmuch as they cannot see truths, seize upon falsities, and vaunt them for truths. The falsities favouring their principles and loves are signified by the "idols of silver" and the "idols of gold."

That they are from self-derived intelligence, is signified by "Their own hands have made them for sin."

That they should perish by their own falsities, is signified by "The Assyrian shall fall by a sword, not of man [vir]; yea, a sword, not of man [hominis], shall devour him"; the "Assyrian" denoting the rational principle perverted, and, consequently, those who are in falsities from self-derived intelligence; and to "fall" and to be "devoured by the sword" denoting to perish.

This was also represented by "the king of Assyria being slain by his sons"; (Isaiah 37:38). His "sons" there signify his own falsities by which he perished. "His rock shall pass away for fear", signifies all the falsities, in general, in which such persons confide; and "his princes shall be terrified at the standard", signifies primary falsities.

It is said, "at the standard", because it is not by any combat with Truths that they are dissipated, but solely by the sign of combat, which is a "standard." Such also have been seen by mle cast down from the rocks [in the world of spirits], upon which they were, by the waving of a standard. Apocalypse Explained 411.

8. And the Assyrian shall fall by a sword, not of man; yea, a sword, not of man, shall devour him: and he shall betake himself to flight from the face of the sword; and his young men shall be tributary.

Verse 8. His young men shall be trributary.

- "Young men", in a good sense, denote those who are intelligent; thus intelligence, and thence Truth confirmed; but by the "young men of Assyria", in a bad sense, as in this verse, is signified false intelligence, confirmed by fallacious and negative reasonings, which, at the time of judgment, are made tributary, or entirely subjugated. See Arcana Coelestia 7668.

9. His rock shall pass away for fear; and his princes shall be terrified at the standard, says Jehovah, whose fire is in Zion, and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Verse 9. Thus says Jehovah, whose fire is in Zion, and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

- Where by "fire" is signified the Good of Love; and by "furnace", Truth from that Good, thus the Truth of Doctrine. Similar things are also signified by "Zion" and "Jerusalem"; by "Zion" the church as to the Good of Love, and by "Jerusalem" the church as to the Truth of Doctrine. Apocalypse Explained 540.

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Isaiah Chapter 32

1. BEHOLD, a King shall reign in justice, and Princes shall rule in judgment.

2. And a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind, as a covert from the inundation; as rivers of waters in a dry place; as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land:

3. And the eyes of those that see shall not be dim; and the ears of those that hear shall hearken.

4. And the heart of the rash shall understand knowledge; and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak elegant things.

5. The fool shall no longer be called liberal; and the covetous shall no more be called noble:

6. For the fool will speak folly; and his heart will work iniquity: to practise hypocrisy, and to speak error against Jehovah; to make empty the soul of the hungry, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

7. As for the covetous, his instruments are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks judgment.

8. But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things shall he be established.

9. O you women that are at ease, stand up, hear My voice! O you confident daughters, give ear unto My speeeh!

10. Year upon year shall you be disquieted, O you confident ones: for the vintage has failed, the gathering shall not come in.

11. Tremble, O you women that are at ease; be you troubled, O you confident ones! strip you, make yourselves bare; and gird [sackcloth] upon your loins.

12. They shall smite upon the breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine.

13. Over the land of My people the thorn and the brier shall come up; yea, over all houses of joy, over the exulting city.

14. For the palace is deserted, the multitude of the city is forsaken; the cliff and the watch-tower shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture for flocks:

15. Till the spirit from on high be poured out upon us; and the wilderness, become a fruitful field; and the fruitful field be esteemed a forest.

16. And judgment shall dwell in the wilderness; and justice shall reside in the fruitful field.

17. And the work of justice shall be peace; and the labour of justice quietness and security for ever:

18. And My people shall dwell in a habitation of peace, and in tents of securities, and in quiet resting places.

19. But the hail shall fall, and the forest be brought down; and the city shall be laid utterly low.

20. Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send forth [thither] the foot of the ox and of the ass.

455. And peoples and tongues, signifies all who are in falsities from ignorance and from various religions. This is evident from the signification of "peoples," as being those who are in the truths of doctrine, and in a contrary sense those who are in the falsities of doctrine (of which above, n. 175; but here, those who are in the falsities of doctrine from ignorance; for here are treated of those who are saved, although from the doctrine of their religion they have been in falsities. All those who are in the good of life in accordance with the dogmas of their religion, which they have believed to be true although they are not true, are saved, for falsity is not imputed to anyone who lives well according to the dogmas of his religion, because it is not his fault that he is ignorant of truths. For the good of life in accordance with a religion contains within itself the affection of knowing truths, and these truths are learned and accepted when such persons come into the other life, for every affection remains with man after death, and especially the affection of knowing truths, because this is a spiritual affection; and when man becomes a spirit, he is his affection; consequently the truths that are then desired are imbibed and thus received deeply in the heart. (That when a man lives well falsities of religion are accepted by the Lord as truths, see above, n. 452.) The above is evident from the signification of "tongues," as meaning their confessions from religion, for "tongues" mean speech, and "speech" signifies confession and religion, because the tongue utters and confesses the things that pertain to religion.

[2] There is frequent mention in the Word of the "lip," the "mouth," and the "tongue;" and the "lip" signifies doctrine, the "mouth" thought, and the "tongue" confession. "Lip," "mouth," and "tongue," have this signification because these are the externals of man, by means of which things internal find expression, and it is things internal that are signified in the internal or spiritual sense. For the Word in the letter consists of external things that are manifest before the eyes and are perceived by the senses, therefore the Word in the letter is natural, and this in order that the Divine truth that it contains may be there in what is ultimate and thus in fullness. But these external things, which are natural, include in themselves things internal that are spiritual, and these therefore are the things that are signified.

[3] That "tongues" signify confessions from religion, and according to the dogmas of religion, can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

The time shall come for bringing together all nations and tongues, that they may come and see My glory (Isaiah 66:18).

This is said of the Lord's coming; "nations and tongues" signify all who are in the good of life according to their religions; "tongues" signify religions from confessions; it is therefore said "that they may come and see My glory," "glory" signifying Divine truth, by which the church exists.

[4] In Daniel:

Behold, with the clouds of the heavens one like the Son of man. And there was given Him dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, tongues, and nations might worship Him (Daniel 7:13, 14).

"The Son of man who was to come in the clouds of the heavens," evidently means the Lord, and "the clouds of the heavens" mean the Word in the letter, in which it is said that the Lord is to come, for the Word treats of Him, and in the inmost sense of Him alone. Therefore it is said "Son of man," because the Lord is called "the Son of man" from Divine truth, which is the Word. But respecting this see more above n. 36 where these words are explained:

Behold, He cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see Him (Revelation 1:7).

The Lord's power from Divine good is meant by "dominion," and from Divine truth by "glory," and heaven and the church are meant by "kingdom." "Peoples, tongues, and nations," signify all those who are in doctrine and in a life according to their religions; those who are in doctrine are called "peoples," those who are in life "nations," and "tongues" mean religions.

[5] In Zechariah:

In those days ten men out of all tongues of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a man that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you (Zechariah 8:23).

The spiritual sense of these words may be seen above n. 433; namely, that a "Jew" means those who are in love to the Lord and in the truths of doctrine from Him; and that "all tongues of the nations" mean those who are of various religions.

[6] "Tongues" have a like signification in the following passages.

In Moses:

From these were the islands of the nations separated in their lands, every man according to his tongue, according to their families, in their nations. The habitations of the sons of Shem, according to their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations (Genesis 10:5, 31).

In Revelation:

Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings (Revelation 10:11).

Again:

And they of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations shall see their bodies three days and a half (Revelation 11:9).

Again:

And it was given unto the beast to make war with the saints and to overcome them; and there was given him power over every tribe and tongue and nation (Revelation 13:7).

Again:

I saw an angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to proclaim unto those that dwell on the earth, and unto every nation and tribe and tongue and people (Revelation 14:6).

And again:

The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues (Revelation 17:15).

"Waters" here signify the truths of the Word, for "waters" in the Word signify truths, and in the contrary sense falsities; therefore here "peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues," mean those who are in truths falsified, which in themselves are falsities, and are consequently in evils of life.

[7] In Luke:

The rich man said to Abraham, Have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and may cool my tongue, for I am tortured in this flame (Luke 16:24).

In this parable, as in others, the Lord spake by correspondences, as can be seen by this, that the "rich man" does not mean the rich, nor does "Abraham" mean Abraham, nor by "the water with which Lazarus might cool the tongue" are water and tongue meant, nor does the "flame" mean flame, for in hell no one is tortured by flames; but a "rich man" means those who are of the church where the Word is, from which they have spiritual riches, which are truths of doctrine; so the "rich man" here means the Jews, with whom was the Word at that time; "Abraham" means the Lord; the "water into which Lazarus might dip the tip of his finger" signifies truth from the Word; and "tongue" signifies a thirst and eagerness to pervert the truths that are in the Word; and the "flame" the punishment of that eagerness, which is various and manifold. This makes evident what these things signify in the series, and that "to cool the tongue with water" signifies to allay the thirst and the eagerness to pervert truths, and to confirm falsities thereby. Who cannot see that it does not mean that Lazarus should dip the tip of his finger in water to cool the tongue?

[8] In Zechariah:

This shall be the plague wherewith Jehovah will strike all the peoples that shall fight against Jerusalem; his flesh shall waste away as he stands upon his feet, and his eyes shall waste away in their sockets and his tongue shall waste away in his mouth (Zechariah 14:12).

This is said of those who endeavor to destroy the truths of doctrine by means of falsities; and this is signified by "fighting against Jerusalem," "Jerusalem" signifying the church in respect to doctrine, and thence the truths of the doctrine of the church; "the flesh shall waste away" signifies that all good of love and of life will perish, for this is what "flesh" signifies; "standing upon his feet" means upon bones without flesh, which signifies that they will be wholly corporeal-natural, "feet" signifying the things that belong to the natural man, here its lowest things; "his eyes shall waste away in their sockets" signifies that all the understanding of truth will perish, "eyes" signifying the understanding; "his tongue shall waste away in his mouth" signifies that all the perception of truth and all the affection of good will perish; "tongue" signifying also the perception of truth and the affection of good, the perception of truth from its speaking, and the affection of good from its power of tasting, for "taste" signifies appetite, desire, and affection.

[9] In the book of Judges:

Jehovah said unto Gideon, Everyone that lappeth the waters with his tongue as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; and everyone that boweth down upon his knees to drink. And the number of them that lapped in their hand were three hundred men; and these were led against Midian and smote him (Judges 7:5-7).

"Midian" here means those who do not care for truth, because they are merely natural and external; therefore Midian was smitten by those who "lapped the waters in the hand with the tongue like a dog;" these mean such as have an appetite for truths, thus they who from some natural affection seek to know truths, a "dog" signifying appetite and eagerness, "waters" truths, and "lapping them with the tongue" to have an appetite for and eagerly seek. So it was by these that Midian was smitten. Anyone can see that such things would not have been commanded unless they had been significative.

[10] In David:

Thou hidest them in the hiding place of Thy faces from the pride of man; Thou concealest them in a pavilion from the strife of tongues (Psalms 31:20).

"A hiding place of faces in which Jehovah hides them," signifies the Divine good of the Divine love, for "the face of Jehovah" signifies the good of love, and "the hiding place" signifies inwardly in man; "the pride of man" signifies the pride of self-intelligence; the "pavilion in which He hides them" signifies Divine truth; and "the strife of tongues" signifies the falsity of religion from which they reason against truths. This makes clear what these things signify in series.

[11] In Jeremiah:

Lo, I will bring upon you a nation, a nation whose tongue thou shalt not know nor shall thou understand what they speak. It shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread (Jeremiah 5:15, 17).

This does not mean that a nation of an unknown tongue or of an unintelligible speech should be brought; but an evil nation of an utterly different religion is meant, whose dogmas they shall not know nor understand the reasonings therefrom; and in an abstract sense the falsities of evil which are altogether contrary to the truths of good are signified; for "nation" in an abstract sense means evil, and "tongue" here means the falsity of religion, and "to speak" means to reason therefrom; therefore it is added, "it shall eat up thy harvest and thy bread," for "harvest" signifies truths by which there is good, "bread" the good therefrom, and "to eat up" to consume and deprive.

[12] In Ezekiel:

Thou art not sent to a people of deep lip and heavy of tongue, but to the house of Israel; not to great peoples of deep lip and heavy of tongue, whose words thou shalt not hear. If I should send thee to them, will they not hearken unto thee? (Ezekiel 3:5, 6).

"Peoples of deep lip and heavy of tongue, whose words are not heard," signify those who are in an unintelligible doctrine, and thus in an abstruse religion, whose dogmas cannot be comprehended, "lip" signifying doctrine, "tongue" religion, and "words" its dogmas; therefore these peoples mean the nations that do not have the Word, by which Jehovah, that is, the Lord, is known. That these will receive Divine truths when they are instructed is signified by "these would hearken if he should be sent unto them."

[13] In Isaiah:

Thou wilt not see an obstinate people, a people of depths of lip that thou canst not hear; barbarous in tongue, without intelligence (Isaiah 33:19).

"A people of depths of lip and barbarous in tongue" has a similar signification here as "peoples of deep lip and heavy of tongue" above. Evidently a people with a speech that cannot be understood is not meant; for it is added, "barbarous in tongue, without intelligence," for there may be intelligence in the tongue or speech of such, but not in their religion.

[14] In the same:

I have sworn that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear (Isaiah 45:23).

This is said of the coming of the Lord; and "every knee shall bow" signifies that all who are in natural good from spiritual good will worship Him, the "knee" signifying the conjunction of natural good with spiritual. This shows that bending the knees signifies acknowledgment, thanksgiving, and adoration from spiritual good and delight in the natural; "every tongue shall swear" signifies that all will confess the Lord who are in good from religion, "to swear" signifying to confess, and "tongue" religion according to which one lives.

[15] In David:

And my tongue shall meditate of Thy righteousness and of Thy praise all the day (Psalms 35:28).

Here, too, "tongue" signifies confession from the doctrine of the church, for it is said "to meditate of;" "righteousness" is predicated of the good of the church, and "praise" of its truth, as also elsewhere in the Word. So again in the same:

My tongue shall meditate of Thy righteousness all the day (Psalms 71:24).

[16] In the same:

With gall the wicked compass me, the mischief of their lips doth cover them; burning coals overwhelm them; with fire let them be cast into pits, that they rise not again; a man of tongue shall not be established in the earth (Psalms 140:9-11).

"Gall" signifies truth falsified, which in itself is falsity; "the mischief of their lips" signifies the falsity of doctrine therefrom, for "lips" signify doctrine; "burning coal by which they are overwhelmed," and the "fire with which they are to be cast into pits," signify the pride from self-intelligence and the love of self, through which they fall into mere falsities, "burning coals" signifying the pride of self-intelligence, "fire" the love of self, and "pits" falsities. Moreover all falsities of doctrine in the church and all falsifications of the Word spring from the pride of self-intelligence and from the love of self. This makes evident what is signified by "a man of tongue shall not be established in the earth," namely, a false religion.

[17] In the same:

My soul, I lie in the midst of lions, the sons of man are set on fire, their teeth are spear and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword (Psalms 57:4).

"Lions" signify those who plunder the church of truths, and thus destroy it; the "sons of man who are set on fire," signify those who are in the truths of the church, and in an abstract sense the truths themselves, which are said to be "set on fire" by the pride of self-intelligence, whence come falsities; "their teeth are spear and arrows" signifies reasonings from external sensuals and thus from the fallacies and falsities of religion, by which truths are destroyed, "teeth" signifying the ultimates of man's life, which are external sensual things, and here reasoning from these, and "tongue" signifying the falsities of religion; therefore it is said "their tongue a sharp sword," "sword" signifying the destruction of truth by falsities.

[18] In Job:

Wilt thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook, and overwhelm his tongue with a cord? (Job 41:1)

In this and the preceding chapter the Behemoth and the leviathan are treated of, and both signify the natural man, the "Behemoth" the natural man in respect to goods which are called the delights of natural love, and the "leviathan" the natural man in respect to truths which are called knowledges and cognitions, from which is natural light. These are both described by pure correspondences according to the ancient style. That reasoning from the light of nature by means of knowledges [scientifica] can be restrained by God only, is described in that chapter and the subsequent one by the "leviathan," and also by these words, "Wilt thou draw out leviathan with a fish-hook, and overwhelm his tongue with a cord?;" "tongue" signifying reasoning from knowledges [scientifica]. That the "leviathan" signifies the natural man as regards knowledges [scientifica] can be seen from other passages where it is mentioned (as Isaiah 27:1; Psalms 74:14; Psalms 104:26). Also from the fact that the "whale," by which the leviathan is meant, signifies the natural man in regard to knowledges [scientifica].

[19] In Isaiah:

The heart of the hasty shall have intelligence for knowing, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be swift to speak (Isaiah 32:4).

The "hasty" mean those who readily seize upon and believe whatever is said, thus also falsities; of such it is said that "they shall be intelligent and know," that is, receive truths; "stammerers" mean those who are hardly able to apprehend the truths of the church; that they will confess them from affection is meant by "their tongue shall be swift to speak," "swiftness" is predicated of affection.

[20] In the same:

Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing aloud; for waters shall break out in the wilderness, and brooks in the plain of the desert (Isaiah 35:6).

This is said of the coming of the Lord; the "lame" signifies those who are in good but not genuine good, because they are in ignorance of truth through which good comes; "to leap as a hart" signifies to have joy from the perception of truth; the "dumb" signifies those who on account of ignorance of truth are unable to confess the Lord and the genuine truths of the church; "he shall sing" signifies joy from the understanding of truth; "waters shall break out in the wilderness" signifies that truths shall be opened where they were not before; and "brooks in the plain of the desert" signify intelligence there, for "waters" signify truths, and "brooks" intelligence.

[21] This makes clear what is signified in the spiritual sense by "the deaf man that had an impediment in his speech" whom the Lord healed, which is thus described in Mark:

Jesus took aside the deaf man who had an impediment in his speech, and put His fingers into his ears, and spitting, touched his tongue; and looking up into heaven, He said to him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened; and straightway his ears were opened, and the bond of his tongue was loosed, and he spake aright (Mark 7:32-35).

The Lord's miracles, because they are Divine, all involved and signified such things as pertain to heaven and the church, therefore they were healings of the diseases which signified the various healings of the spiritual life, as may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 7337, 8364, 9031). The "deaf man" signifies those who are without the understanding of truth, and thence in no obedience; "his difficulty in speaking" signifies the difficulty of such in confessing the Lord and the truth of the church; the "ears" opened by the Lord signify the perception of truth and obedience; and the "tongue" whose bond was loosed by the Lord signifies the confession of the Lord and of the truths of the church.

[22] Again, that the apostles and others after the Lord's resurrection spoke with new tongues signifies also the confession of the Lord and of the truths of the new church. This is thus referred to in Mark:

Jesus said, These signs shall follow them that believe; in My name shall they cast out demons, and they shall speak with new tongues (Mark 16:17).

"To cast out demons" signifies to remove and reject the falsities of evil; and "to speak with new tongues" signifies to confess the Lord and the truths of the church from Him. So:

To the apostles there appeared divided tongues like as of fire, which sat on them. And being filled with the Holy Spirit they began to speak with other tongues (Acts of the Apostles 2:3, 4).

The "fire" signified the love of truth, and "filled with the Holy Spirit" signified the reception of Divine truth from the Lord; and "new tongues" signified confessions from the love of truth or zeal; for, as was said above, all Divine miracles, consequently all miracles mentioned in the Word, involved and signified things spiritual and celestial, that is, such things that pertain to heaven and the church: by this Divine miracles are distinguished from miracles not Divine. It is unnecessary to quote more passages from the Word to show that "tongues" do not mean speech in the ordinary sense, but confessions from the truths of the church, and in the contrary sense confessions from the falsities of any religion.