1101. Verse 3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of her whoredom, and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich from the abundance of her luxuries.

3. "For all nations have drunk of the wine of the anger of her whoredom," signifies the adulteration of all things of the good of heaven and of the church by direful falsities of evil (n. 1102); "and the kings of the earth have committed whoredom with her," signifies the falsification of all things of the truth of heaven and the church (n. 1103); "and the merchants of the earth have become rich from the abundance of her luxuries," signifies instruction in those things of heaven and the church, which draw their delightfulness and desirableness from the love of having dominion by the holy things of the church as means, and also from the love of possessing the world by the same means (n. 1104).

'A shield' signifies defense which is trusted against evils and falsities. In respect to the Lord, it signifies defense, and in respect to people, confidence in the Lord's protection. This is because it was a protection for the breast, and 'the breast' signifies good and truth, good because of the heart in it, and truth because of the lungs. In an opposite sense, 'shield' denotes evils and falsities which are used to wage combat, and is used as a defense in Jeremiah 46:3-4 among other passages.

(Odkazy: Arcana Coelestia 1788)