8080. And every firstborn of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem. That this signifies that the truths of faith are not to be ascribed to the Lord, but the goods of faith, is evident from the signification of the “firstborn,” as being faith (see n. 352, 2435, 6344, 7035, 8042); from the signification of “sons,” as being truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); and from the signification of “redeeming,” as being to give something else in its place (as above, n. 8074, 8078). That it denotes that these are not to be ascribed, follows from the full meaning of these words: “and every firstborn of man among thy sons thou shalt not cause to pass over (that is, shalt not sacrifice), but shalt redeem.” “Not to cause to pass over” denotes not to ascribe (as above, n. 8074, 8078.) From all this it is evident that by “every firstborn of man among thy sons thou shalt redeem” is signified that the truths of faith are not to be ascribed to the Lord, but something else in their place; that this is the good of faith can be seen from the fact that by the “firstborn” in general is signified the good of faith (as above, n. 8042, 8043); but that when it is said “the firstborn of man among his sons” it denotes the truth of faith; for there is the truth of faith, and there is the good of faith.

[2] That the good of faith, or charity, is this something else which is to be ascribed to the Lord instead of the truths of faith, can also be seen from the fact that the firstborn of the sons of Israel were not accepted; but in their place the Levites, and this for the reason that by Leviticus was represented the good of faith, or charity (3875, 4497, 4502, 4503); that the tribe of Leviticus was accepted in place of all the firstborn, see Numbers 3:12-13, 40; 8:16-18. That the good of faith is this something else which is to be ascribed to the Lord, can also be seen from the fact that faith is not faith without charity (n. 654, 724, 1162, 1176, 2231, 2343, 2349, 2429, 2839, 2982, 3146, 3325, 3849, 3865, 4368, 5351, 7039, 7082-7084, 7342, 7950); and also from the fact that the good of faith is actually in the first place, but the truth of faith only apparently so (n. 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 4977, 5351, 6256, 6269, 6272, 6273); thus that charity is the firstborn (n. 3325, 3494, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930).

[3] That regarded in itself the truth of faith without its good is not to be ascribed to the Lord, that is, given to Him, or acknowledged to be from Him, is because no truth of faith has any life in it until it becomes the good of faith; and the truth of faith becomes the good of faith by willing it and doing it (n. 7835). When therefore it becomes the good of faith, then it is acknowledged by the Lord as being His, for the Lord gives faith mediately through its good. Moreover with the man of the spiritual church all the truth of faith becomes the good of faith when he is being regenerated, and then for the first time it becomes the Lord’s.

[4] The law concerning the redemption of the firstborn of man was delivered to the end that they should not sacrifice their sons, which came into use among the nations with whom there remained the statutes of the Ancient Church, which was a representative church, but which in course of time were wholly adulterated. That the firstborn were to be sanctified to God was one of the statutes of the Ancient Church; but by “sanctifying” they began to understand sacrificing. The descendants of Jacob also inclined to do likewise; and therefore this law was unfolded before them; and to prevent their doing this the Levites were accepted in place of the firstborn, as has been said. In the spiritual world this law was unfolded according to its correspondent sense, which is that the truths of faith are not holy, thus are not to be sanctified or ascribed; but the goods of faith. Moreover sanctification was afterward understood in this manner-that they should give or present the firstborn to Jehovah, and offer a sacrifice for him, according to these words in Luke:

When the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought Jesus up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord. As it was written in the law of the Lord, that every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice (Luke 2:22-24).

4926. And she said, Wherefore hast thou broken upon thee a breach? That this signifies its apparent separation from good, is evident from the signification of a “breach,” as being the infraction and perversion of truth by separation from good-of which presently. That “to break a breach” here is to pull off the double-dyed from the hand, and thus to separate good, is evident, for by “double-dyed” is signified good (n. 4922); that this was apparently so follows from the fact that it so appeared to the midwife; for this was not the one who had the double-dyed, but his brother, by whom is represented truth. On this subject see what is shown just above (n. 4925), namely that good is actually the firstborn, but truth apparently. This may be further illustrated from the uses and members in the human body. It appears as if the members and organs are prior, and that their uses follow; for the former are first presented to the eye, and are also known before the uses. Nevertheless the use is prior to the members and organs, these latter being from the uses, and therefore formed according to them; nay, the use itself forms them, and adapts them to itself. Unless this were so, all and each of the things in man would by no means conspire so unanimously to a one. It is similar with good and truth: it appears as if truth were prior, but it is good, for good forms truths and adapts them to itself; wherefore regarded in themselves truths are nothing else than goods formed, or forms of good. Truths also in respect to good are like the viscera and fibers in the body in respect to uses; and regarded in itself good is nothing else than use.

[2] That a “breach” signifies infraction of truth and perversion of it by separation from good, is evident also from other passages in the Word, as in David:

Our garners are full, affording from food to food; our flocks are thousands and ten thousands in our streets; our oxen are laden; there is no breach (Psalms 144:13-14);

treating of the Ancient Church, such as it was in its youth; the “food with which the garners were full” denotes spiritual food, that is, truth and good; “flocks” and “oxen” denote internal and external goods; “there is no breach” denotes that truth is not infracted or broken through by separation from good.

[3] In Amos:

I will raise up the tent of David that is fallen, and fence up the breaches thereof; and I will restore its ruins, and I will build it according to the days of eternity (Amos 9:11);

describing the church which is in good, the “tent of David that is fallen” being the good of love and charity from the Lord. (That “tent” is this good, may be seen above, n. 414, 1102, 2145, 2152, 3312, 4128, 4391, 4599, and that “David” is the Lord, n. 1888) To “fence up the breaches” means to amend the falsities which have entered by the separation of truth from good; “to build it according to the days of eternity” denotes according to the state of the church in ancient times; that state and those times are called in the Word the “days of eternity,” the “days of an age,” and also “of generation and generation”—as in Isaiah:

[4] Builds of thee the wastes of an age, the foundations of generation and generation; and thou shall be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in (Isaiah 58:12);

describing the church in which charity and life is the essential. Here also “repairing the breach” denotes amending the falsities which have crept in by the separation of good from truth, every falsity being from this source; and “restoring paths to dwell in” denotes truths which are of good, for “paths” or “ways” are truths (n. 627, 2333), and “dwelling” is predicated of good (n. 2268, 2451, 2712, 3613).

[5] Again:

Ye saw the breaches of the city of David, that they were many; and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool (Isaiah 22:9).

The “breaches of the city of David” denote falsities of doctrine, and the “waters of the lower pool” the traditions by which they made infractions of the truths that are in the Word (Matthew 15:1-6; Mark 7:1-14).

In Ezekiel:

Ye have not gone up into the breaches, neither have ye built up the fence for the house of Israel, that ye might stand in the war in the days of Jehovah (Ezekiel 13:5).

Again,

I sought from them a man that buildeth the fence, and standeth in the breach before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none (Ezekiel 22:30);

to “stand in the breach” denotes to defend and to take heed lest falsities break in.

In David:

Jehovah said that He would destroy the people, unless Moses His chosen had stood before Him in the breach (Psalms 106:23); where also “to stand in the breach” denotes to take heed lest falsities break in. “Moses” is the Word (see pref ace to Gen. 18, and n. 4859e).

[6] In Amos:

They shall draw out your posterity with fish-hooks. Ye shall go forth through the breaches, everyone straight before her; and ye shall throw down the palace (Amos 4:2-3);

“to go forth through the breaches” denotes through falsities from reasonings; the “palace” is the Word, consequently the truth of doctrine which is from good. And as by “breaches” is signified the falsity which comes into existence by the separation of good from truth, the same is also signified, in the representative sense, by “strengthening and repairing the breaches of the house of Jehovah” (2 Kings 12:6-8, 12; 22:5). In the second book of Samuel:

It grieved David because Jehovah had broken a breach upon Uzzah; therefore he called that place Perez-Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:8);

speaking of Uzzah, who died because he touched the ark; by the ark was represented heaven, in the supreme sense the Lord, consequently Divine good; by Uzzah however was represented that which ministers, thus truth, for this ministers to good. The separation above described is signified by the “breach upon Uzzah.”