4922. And bound double-dyed upon his hand. That this signifies that she put a mark upon it, namely, upon the power, and that “double-dyed” is good, is evident from the signification of “binding upon the hand,” as being to put a mark upon power, for the “hand” is power (n. 4920); and from the signification of “double-dyed” as being good, and indeed spiritual good. That “double-dyed” denotes spiritual good, is because it was of a scarlet color; and the color of scarlet when seen in the other life signifies spiritual good, that is, the good of charity toward the neighbor. For all colors visible in the other life signify something of good and truth, because they come into existence from the light of heaven, which in itself is wisdom and intelligence from the Lord’s Divine. The variations or modifications of that light are the consequent variations, and so to speak modifications, of wisdom and intelligence, consequently of good and truth. That the light in heaven is from the Divine wisdom and intelligence of the Lord, who appears there as a sun, may be seen above (n. 1053, 1521-1533, 1619-1632, 2776, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3225, 3337, 3339, 3340, 3485, 3636, 3643, 3862, 3993, 4180, 4214, 4302, 4405, 4408, 4413, 4415, 4523-4533). That colors are from this source, and that they are the variations and modifications of that light, and consequently of intelligence and wisdom, may be seen above (n. 1042, 1043, 1053, 1624, 3993, 4530, 4677, 4742).

[2] That “double-dyed” denotes spiritual good, is plain from the passages in the Word in which it is mentioned, as in Jeremiah:

If then thou art laid waste what wilt thou do? If thou clothest thyself with double-dyed, and adornest thyself with an ornament of gold, in vain shalt thou make thyself beautiful; the lovers will abhor thee (Jeremiah 4:30); where Judah is spoken of; “clothing thyself with double-dyed” denotes spiritual good, and “adorning thyself with an ornament of gold” denotes celestial good. In the second book of Samuel:

David lamented over Saul and over Jonathan, and wrote to teach the sons of Judah the bow. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in double-dyed, with delights, and put an ornament of gold upon your apparel (2 Samuel 1:17-18, 24); where “teaching the bow” is teaching the doctrine of love and charity, for a “bow” signifies this doctrine; “clothing in double-dyed” denotes spiritual good, as before; and “putting an ornament of gold upon the apparel” denotes celestial good.

[3] Because this was the signification of “double-dyed,” it was commanded that double-dyed scarlet should be used on the curtains of the tabernacle, on the veil, on the covering for the door of the tent, on the covering for the gate of the court, on the table of faces when they journeyed, and on Aaron’s garments of holiness, as on the ephod, the breastplate of judgment, and the fringe of the robe of the ephod—as is evident from the following passages:

[4] Thou shalt make for the tabernacle ten curtains; of fine-twined linen, and blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed (Exodus 26:1).

Thou shalt make a veil of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine-twined linen (Exodus 26:31).

Thou shalt make a covering for the door of the tent, of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine-twined linen (Exodus 26:36).

For the gate of the court thou shalt make a covering of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine-twined linen, the work of the embroiderer (Exodus 27:16).

When the camp setteth forward they shall spread upon the table of faces a cloth of scarlet double-dyed, and cover the same with a covering of badger’s skin (Numbers 4:5, 7-8).

Thou shalt make the ephod of gold, of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed and fine-twined linen, the work of the artificer. Likewise on the belt (Exodus 28:6, 8).

Thou shalt make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the artificer; like the work of the ephod, of gold, of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine-twined linen (Exodus 27:15).

Upon the fringe of the robe of the ephod [thou shalt make] pomegranates of blue, and of crimson, and of scarlet double-dyed (Exodus 27:33 [NCBSW: 28:33]).

[5] As the tent of assembly with the ark represented heaven, therefore the above-mentioned colors were commanded to be used; and they signify in their order the celestial and spiritual things there, “blue and crimson” signifying celestial goods and truths, and “scarlet double-dyed and fine-twined linen,” spiritual goods and truths. Everyone who believes the Word to be holy can know that everything in it has some signification; and whoever believes that the Word is holy because it was sent down by the Lord through heaven, can know that the celestial and spiritual things of His kingdom are signified. In like manner it was commanded that cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop should be used in the cleansing from leprosy (Leviticus 14:4, 6 (Leviticus 14:6), 52); and that cedar wood, and hyssop, and double-dyed crimson should be cast upon the burning of a red heifer, from which was to be prepared the water of separation (Numbers 19:6, 9).

[6] The profanation of good and truth is described by similar expressions in Revelation.

I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was clothed in crimson and scarlet, and gilded with gold and precious stone and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and filthiness of her whoredoms (Revelation 17:3-4).

Woe, woe, the great city, she that was clothed in fine linen, and crimson, and scarlet, and gilded with gold, and precious stone and pearls (Revelation 18:16);

speaking of Babylon, by which is signified the profanation of good (n. 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326), here the profanation of good and truth, which is Babylonish. In the prophets of the Old Testament, “Babylon” is the profanation of good, and “Chaldea” the profanation of truth.

[7] “Scarlet,” in the opposite sense, signifies the evil which is opposite to spiritual good, as in Isaiah:

Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18).

That “scarlet” signifies this evil is because “blood”—also from its redness—signifies in the genuine sense spiritual good, or charity toward the neighbor, but in the opposite sense violence offered to charity.

4677. And he made him a tunic ¹ of various colors. That this signifies the appearances of truth thence, whereby the spiritual of the natural is known and distinguished, is evident from the signification of a “tunic,” as being the truth of the natural, of which hereafter; and from the signification of “various colors,” as being the appearance of truth by which the spiritual of the natural is known and distinguished. That these are signified by “various colors” cannot be known by anyone unless he knows that colors appear in the other life equally as in the world-colors which in beauty and variety far surpass those in this world-and unless he knows what is the source of these colors. The colors seen in the other life are from the variation of the light there, and are so to speak modifications of intelligence and wisdom; for the light which appears there is from the Divine truth that is from the Lord, or is the Divine spiritual from Him, or what is the same, is Divine intelligence and wisdom, which appears as light before the eyes of angels and spirits. Hence it is evident what is signified by the colors from that light, namely, qualities of truth, thus its appearances, and that they appear from the affections of good and truth. (Concerning the colors in the other life see n. 1042, 1043, 1053, 1624, 3993, 4530)

[2] That a “tunic” is the truth of the natural was said above (n. 3301), but as it was not there shown, I may now confirm it here from other passages in the Word. As the kings in the Jewish Church represented the Lord as to the Divine spiritual, or Divine truth (n. 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670), therefore their daughters were clothed in tunics of various colors, for by “daughters” were signified affections of good and truth, and therefore churches (see n. 2362, 3963); of whom we read in the second book of Samuel:

There was upon Tamar, David’s daughter, a tunic of various colors, for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins appareled (2 Samuel 13:16).

[3] And because the high priests represented the Lord as to the Divine celestial or Divine good, Aaron was clothed in garments that represented the Divine truth which is from the Divine good of the Lord; for Divine good is in the Lord, but Divine truth proceeds from Him, and is what was represented by these garments. So also when the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, the Divine good appeared as the sun, and the Divine truth was presented as raiment which appeared as the light (Matthew 17:2).

[4] The garments in which Aaron and his sons were clothed are thus described in Moses:

Thou shalt make for Aaron a tunic of fine linen, and a miter of fine linen, and thou shalt make a belt, the work of the embroiderer. And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make tunics, and thou shalt make for them belts, and headtires shalt thou make for them, for glory and for adornment (Exodus 28:39-40).

Every particular here signified something pertaining to the Divine truth from the Divine good of the Lord, the “tunic of fine linen” specifically signifying the Divine spiritual. So also in another place:

Thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the tunic, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and shalt clothe him with the girdle of the ephod; afterwards thou shall cause his sons to approach, and put tunics upon them (Exodus 29:5, 8; 40:14).

What these particulars signify will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be shown when they come to be treated of. (That “garments” in general are truths, see n. 297, 1073, 2576, 4545.)

[5] The prophets also were clothed in tunics, but in tunics of hair; because by the prophets the Lord was represented as to truths of doctrine, and because these are of the natural or external man, the prophets had tunics of hair, for “hair” signifies what is natural (n. 3301).

[6] That a “tunic” signifies Divine truth from the Lord, is still more obvious from those passages in the New Testament in which “tunic” is mentioned, as in John:

The soldiers took His garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part, and also the tunic; now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore one to another, Let us not divide it, that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith, They divided my vestments among them, and upon my tunic did they cast a lot (John 19:23-24);

one who reads these words supposes that they involve no greater mystery than that the vestments were divided among the soldiers, and that a lot was cast upon the tunic, and yet every particular was representative and significative of something Divine, as well that the vestments were divided into four parts, as that the tunic was not divided, but upon it was cast a lot, especially that the tunic was without seam and woven from the top throughout; for by the “tunic” was signified the Lord’s Divine truth, which as being one only and from good, was represented by the tunic being without seam and woven from the top throughout

[7] The like was signified by the “tunic of Aaron,” which was woven, or the work of the weaver, as is evident from Moses:

They made the tunics of fine linen, the work of the weaver, for Aaron and for his sons (Exodus 39:27).

There was also represented that the Lord did not suffer Divine truth to be rent into parts, as was done by the Jews with the lower truths of the church.

[8] Because Divine truth which is from Divine good is one only, the twelve disciples when sent to preach the gospel of the kingdom were commanded not to have two tunics; as in Luke:

Jesus sent the twelve disciples to preach the kingdom of God; and He said unto them, Take nothing for the way, neither staves, nor bag, nor bread, nor silver; neither have two tunics apiece (Luke 9:2-3);

and in Mark:

He commanded them that they should take nothing for the way save a staff only, no bag, no bread, no brass in their belt; but be clad with shoes; and put not on two tunics (Mark 6:8-9);

And in Matthew:

Possess neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your belts, nor bag for the way, nor two tunics, nor shoes, nor staves (Matthew 10:9-10).

[9] All the particulars herein are representative of the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord’s kingdom which the disciples were sent to preach. That they were not to take with them gold, silver, brass, bag, nor bread, was because these things signified goods and truths which are from the Lord alone—“gold” signifying good (n. 113, 1551, 1552); “silver,” truth therefrom (n. 1551, 2954); “brass,” natural good (n. 425, 1551); “bread,” the good of love or celestial good (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3478, 3735, 4211, 4217). But the “tunic” and “shoe” signified the truths with which they were clothed, and the “staff” the power of truth from good. (That a “staff” is this power may be seen above, n. 4013, 4015; and that a “shoe” is the lowest natural, n. 1748, here as to truth.) A “tunic” is interior natural truth, and because these things ought not to be double, but single, it was forbidden to have two staves, two pairs of shoes, or two tunics. These arcana are within this command of the Lord, and cannot possibly be known except from the internal sense.

[10] All and each of the things the Lord said were representative of Divine things, consequently of the celestial and spiritual things of His kingdom, and thus were adapted to the apprehension of men, and at the same time to the understanding of spirits and angels; wherefore those things which the Lord said, filled and continue to fill the whole heaven. From this it is evident of what use and importance it is to know the internal sense of the Word. Moreover, without this sense anyone can confirm from the Word whatever dogma he pleases; and because such is the appearance of the Word to those who are in evil, they therefore deride it, and are ready to believe anything rather than that it is Divine.

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