9437. And Moses was in the mountain forty days and forty nights. That this signifies what is complete in respect to instruction and influx, is evident from the signification of “forty,” as being what is full or complete. That “forty” denotes what is full or complete, is because “four” denotes what is full (see n. 9103), in like manner “ten” (n. 3107, 4638), and the number forty arises from four multiplied into ten; for multiplied numbers signify the same as the simple numbers from which they have been multiplied (n. 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973). (That all numbers in the Word signify real things, see n. 575, 3252, 4264, 4495, 4670, 5265, 6175.) It is from this then that Moses was in the mountain forty days and forty nights. That “forty” here signifies what is complete in respect to instruction and influx, is plain from what follows in chapters 25 to 32, in which are recounted the things concerning which he was instructed, which were the ark, Aaron, the Urim and Thummim, and the sacrifices. That “forty” signifies what is complete as to influx also, is because from that time Moses began to represent the holy external of the Word, which mediates between the Lord and the people; and mediation is effected by influx through this holy external into the representative in which the people were (see n. 9419).

[2] As “forty” signified what is full or complete, therefore Moses remained on Mount Sinai not only on this occasion, but also on another, “forty days and forty nights” (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:18, 25; 10:10). And for this reason the sons of Israel wandered in the wilderness “forty years,” until, as it is said, “all that generation was consumed” (Numbers 14:33-34; 32:13). And for this reason it was said by Jonah to the Ninevites that “the city would be overthrown after forty days” (Jonah 3:4). And for this reason the prophet was commanded “to lie on the right side, and to bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days” (Ezekiel 4:6). For this reason also it is said of Egypt that it should be surrendered to “an utter solitude forty years, and after those years should be gathered together from the peoples” (Ezekiel 29:11-13). And for this reason “it rained upon the earth, so that it was inundated with a flood, forty days and forty nights” (Genesis 7:4, 12, 17). From this it is evident why it was decreed that a wicked man should be “beaten with forty stripes” (Deuteronomy 25:3); for “forty stripes” signified punishment to the full. From this it is also evident what is meant in the prophetic song of Deborah and Barak, that “there was neither shield nor spear seen in the forty thousands of Israel” (Judges 5:8); “in the forty thousands of Israel” denotes in all. It is evident also from this why the temple built by Solomon was “forty cubits long” (1 Kings 6:17); in like manner the new temple described in Ezekiel (41:2); for by “the temple,” in the supreme sense, is signified the Lord; in the internal sense, heaven and the church; and thus by “forty,” what is complete in respect to representation. In like manner in other passages.

4495. And it came to pass on the third day. That this signifies what is continuous even to the end, is evident from the signification of the “third day,” as being what is complete from beginning to end (see n. 2788), thus also what is continuous. That this is the signification of the “third day,” can scarcely be believed by those who regard the historicals of the Word as mere worldly histories, holy merely because they are in the sacred volume. But that not only the historicals of the Word themselves enfold within them spiritual and heavenly things which are not apparent in the letter, but that so also do all the words, and even all the numbers, has been shown in the preceding explications; that such is really the case will of the Lord’s Divine mercy become still more evident in the prophetic parts, which do not keep the mind so closely engaged with the succession of statements in the sense of the letter as do the historical parts. But that the number “three,” also the number “seven,” and the number “twelve,” enfold deep secrets within them, must be evident to everyone who examines the Word in regard to its interiors; and if these numbers are so full of significance, it follows that there must be something deeply hidden in all the other numbers that occur in the Word, for the Word is holy throughout.

[2] Sometimes when speaking with angels, as it were written numbers appeared before my eyes like those seen on paper in bright day, and I perceived that the very things they were speaking of fell into such numbers; and from this experience I learned that every number mentioned in the Word holds within it some mystery, as is very evident from the following passages:

He measured the wall of the Holy Jerusalem a hundred and forty-four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is, of an angel (Revelation 21:17).

He that hath intelligence let him compute the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty six (Revelation 13:18).

That the number first mentioned—“144”—results from the multiplication of twelve into itself, and that the number “666” is a product of three and six, is manifest, but what holy thing they enfold within them may appear from the holiness of the number “twelve” (see n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913), and of the number “three” (n. 720, 901, 1825, 2788, 4010).

[3] This latter number—“three”—being significative of what is complete even to the end, thus of one period, great or small, was received in the representative church, and was employed whenever such a thing was signified; and also in the Word (in which all things have a signification both in general and in particular) as may be seen from the following instances:

That they should go three days’ journey and should sacrifice (Exodus 3:18; 5:3).

That they should be ready against the third day, because on the third day Jehovah would come down upon Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:11, 15-16, 18).

That nothing should be left of the flesh of the sacrifice until the third day (Leviticus 7:16-18; 19:6-7).

That the water of separation should be sprinkled upon the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day (Numbers 19:11-22).

That they who touched one slain in war should be purified on the third day and on the seventh day (Numbers 31:19-25).

That Joshua commanded the people to pass over Jordan within three days (Josh. 1:11; 3:2).

That Jehovah called Samuel three times, and Samuel ran to Eli three times, and Eli understood the third time that Jehovah had called Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-8).

That Jonathan said to David that he should hide himself in the field unto the third day at even, and that Jonathan sent to him on the third morrow, and revealed the disposition of his father; and that Jonathan then shot three arrows at the side of the stone; and that after this David bowed himself three times to the earth before Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:5, 12, 19-20, 35-36, 41).

That three things were offered to David to chose from: that there should come seven years of famine, that he should flee three months before his enemies, or that there should be three days’ pestilence in the land (2 Samuel 24:11-13).

That Rehoboam said to the congregation of Israel who sought to be relieved from the yoke of his father, that they should go away three days, and come again; and that they came to Rehoboam the third day, as the King bade, saying, Come to me again the third day (1 Kings 12:5, 12).

That Elijah stretched himself upon the widow’s son three times (1 Kings 17:21).

That Elijah told the people to pour water upon the burnt-offering and the wood the third time, and they did it the third time (1 Kings 18:34).

That Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights (Jonah 1:17; Matthew 12:40).

That the Lord spoke of a man who planted a vineyard and sent his servants three times, and afterwards his son (Mark 12:2, 4-6; Luke 20:12-13).

That He said of Peter that he should deny Him thrice (Matthew 26:34; John 13:38).

That He said to Peter three times, Lovest thou Me? (John 21:15-17).

From these and many other places in the Word it may be seen that there was some mystery in the number “three,” and that therefore this number was received among the significatives in the ancient churches. That it signifies an entire period of the church and of the things in the church, whether great or small, is manifest; and that it consequently signifies what is complete and also continuous to the end, is very plain in Hosea:

Jehovah will vivify us after two days; on the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live before Him (Hos. 6:2).