5343. The food of the field of the city. That this signifies things that belong and are suitable to them, namely, truths adjoined to good in the interiors, is evident from the signification of “food,” as being truths adjoined to good (see n. 5340, 5342). The truths that belong and are suitable to the interiors are signified by the “food of the field of the city” because the field belonged to the city, and made its surrounding compass. Things that do this signify in the internal sense things suitable and belonging thereto; wherefore also it is immediately said, “that which was round about it, put he in the midst thereof.” The reason why those things which make the surrounding compass signify things that belong and are suitable to, is that all truths joined to good are arranged in series; and the series are such that in the midst or inmost of each series there is truth joined to good, and round about this midst or inmost are the truths belonging and suitable thereto, and so on in order to the very outermost, where the series vanishes. The series themselves are also similarly arranged in relation to one another, but are varied according to changes of state.

That there are such arrangements of truths joined to good, is wont to be presented to the very sight in the other life; for in the light of heaven, in which are intelligence and wisdom, such things can be presented to view, though not in the light of the world; nor in the light of heaven with the man whose interiors are not open; and yet they may be acknowledged by him from rational insight, and in this way be rationally seen from the light of heaven. These arrangings originate from the arrangings of the angelic societies in heaven; for as these are arranged, so are the series of truths joined to good arranged in the regenerate; for the latter correspond to the former.

5340. And he gathered together all the food of the seven years. That this signifies the preservation of truth adjoined to good multiplied during the first times, is evident from the signification of “gathering together,” as here being to preserve; for he gathered it together and put it in the cities and in the midst, and by this is signified that he stored it up in the interiors, thus that he preserved it, for it came into use in the years of famine; and from the signification of “food,” as being all that by which the internal man is nourished. That this is good and truth, is evident from the correspondence of the earthly food by which the outward man is nourished, with the spiritual food by which the internal man is nourished. Here therefore it is truth adjoined to good, for this is what is preserved and stored up in the interiors.

By the “seven years” are signified the first states when truths are multiplied (n. 5339). From this it is plain that the preservation of truth adjoined to good, multiplied during the first times, is signified by “he gathered together all the food of the seven years.” It is said “the preservation of truth adjoined to good,” but as few know what truth adjoined to good is, and still less how and when truth is adjoined to good, something must be said about it. Truth is conjoined with good when a man feels delight in doing well to the neighbor for the sake of what is true and good, and not for the sake of self or the world. When a man is in this affection, the truths he hears or reads or thinks are conjoined with good, as is usually noticeable from the affection of truth for the sake of that end.