8714. 'Rulers of fifties' means first and foremost truths that are intermediary. This is clear from the meaning of 'rulers' as first and foremost truths, as above in 8712, 8713; and from the meaning of 'fifties' as intermediary truths, that is to say, those which lie between truths springing from good that reside in the second degree and those that reside in the third, meant by 'rulers of hundreds' and 'rulers of tens'. The reason why 'fifties' are intermediary truths is that 'fifty' means either much or something, just as 'five' does (for the meaning of 'five' as much, see 5708, 5956, and for its meaning something, 4638, 5291), and therefore when fifty is mentioned between a hundred and ten, intermediaries are meant. Intermediary truths are those which extend towards one part from another, that is, exist between those in a prior degree and those in a posterior degree, in order to link such degrees together.

5956. 'And five changes of garments' means much truth from the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'five' as much, dealt with in 5708; and from the meaning of 'changes of garments' as truths brought in touch with good. The reason this truth is from the natural is that 'garments' are spoken of in reference to the natural. The reason why truth from the natural was the intermediary, which was represented by 'Benjamin', is that to be an intermediary it must derive from the internal and from the external, 5822. Its derivation from the internal is described by the imparting to the intermediary of a complete amount of truth from good, which is meant by 'three hundred pieces of silver', dealt with immediately above in 5955. The derivation of the intermediary from the external is described by much truth received from the natural, meant by 'five changes of garments'.