9034. And when a man shall smite his manservant, or his maidservant, with a rod. That this signifies if anyone within the church ill-treats the truth of memory, or its affection, from his own power, is evident from the signification of “smiting,” as being to ill-treat, for “smiting” is predicated of any injury whatsoever; from the signification of “a man” [vir], here a man of the sons of Israel, as being one who is of the church, and who consequently is in spiritual truth, which is the truth of the doctrine of faith of the church from the Word (see n. 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223, 7957, 8234, 8805); from the signification of a “manservant,” as being memory-truth, which is the truth of the Word, but of its literal sense (of which below); from the signification of a “maidservant,” as being natural affection, thus the affection of memory knowledges, because these are in the natural (n. 1895, 2567, 3835, 3849, 8993, 8994); and from the signification of a “rod,” as being natural power (n. 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026), here, one’s own power, because the manservant of whom it is said, was bought. From this it is plain that by the words, “if a man shall smite his manservant, or his maidservant,” is signified if anyone within the church ill-treats the memory-truth of the Word, or its affection.

[2] The reason why a “manservant” denotes the truth of the literal sense of the Word, is that by a “servant” in general are signified lower or exterior things, because these serve higher or interior things (n. 2541, 5161, 5164, 5936, 7143); consequently by a “servant” is signified the natural, because this serves the spiritual (n. 3019, 3020, 5305, 7998), consequently memory-truth, which belongs to the literal sense of the Word, for this serves spiritual truth, which belongs to the internal sense. The truth of the internal sense of the Word is the same as the genuine truth of the doctrine of faith of the church.

[3] How the truth of the literal sense of the Word serves spiritual truth, shall be briefly told. The man of the church first learns truth from the literal sense of the Word, which is general truth accommodated to the apprehension of the external man, who is in natural light. This truth is received by an external way, that is, by hearing, and is stored up in the memory of the external man, where are also various memory-knowledges derived from the world (n. 2469-2494). Afterward the things stored up in this memory are subjected to the sight or view of the internal man, who sees from the light of heaven. The internal man calls forth therefrom by selection the truths which agree with the good which flows in from the Lord by the way of the soul, and which the man had received. There the Lord conjoins these truths with good. The truths which are thus conjoined in the internal man are called “spiritual truths,” and the good with which the truths are conjoined is called “spiritual good.” This good, formed by means of truths, is what makes the spiritual life of man. The truths themselves there are called “the truths of faith,” and the good is called “the good of charity.” The good in which truths have thus been implanted is the church with man.

[4] From this it is plain in what manner the truths of the literal sense of the Word serve for the formation of spiritual truths, in general for the formation of faith and of charity, which make the spiritual life; which life consists in being affected with truths for the sake of good, and in being affected with good from truths, and finally in being affected with truths from good.

4876. And thy staff that is in thy hand. That this signifies by means of its power, that is, of that truth, is evident from the signification of a “staff,” as being power, of which presently; and from the signification of a “hand,” as being also power (n. 878, 3091, 3387, 3563). It is said “that is in thy hand,” because the power of that lowest truth is signified such as belonged to the religiosity of the Jewish nation, which here is “Judah.” That power is predicated of truth may be seen above (n. 3091, 3563). A “staff” is frequently mentioned in the Word, and it is surprising that scarcely anyone at this day knows that anything in the spiritual world was represented by it, as where Moses was commanded that whenever miracles were wrought, he was to lift up his staff, and thereby they were wrought. This was known among Gentiles also, as is evident from their fabulous tales in which staffs are ascribed to magicians. That a “staff” signifies power, is because it is a support; for it supports the hand and arm, and through them the whole body; wherefore a staff takes on the signification of the part which it immediately supports, that is, the hand and arm, by both of which in the Word is signified the power of truth. Moreover, it will be seen at the end of the chapters that in the Grand Man the hand and arm correspond to this power.

[2] That by a staff was represented power, appears, as just said, from what is related of Moses, in that he was commanded to take a staff (or rod), with which he was to do miracles; and that he took the rod of God in his hand (Exodus 4:17, 20); that when smitten by the rod, the waters in Egypt became blood (Exodus 7:15, 19-20); that when the rod was stretched out over the streams, frogs came up (Exodus 8:1-11); that when the dust was smitten by the rod, it became lice (Exodus 8:16-20); that when the rod was stretched out toward heaven, there was hail (Exodus 9:23); and that when the rod was stretched out over the land, locusts came up (Exodus 10:3-21). As the hand is the principal, by which power is signified, and a rod is the instrumental, therefore miracles were also wrought when his hand was stretched forth (Exodus 10:12-13); when his hand was stretched forth toward heaven, there was thick darkness over the land of Egypt (Exodus 10:21-22); and when his hand was stretched forth over the sea Suph, by an east wind the sea was made dry land; and on again stretching forth his hand, the waters returned (Exodus 14:21, 26-27).

[3] Moreover, when the rock of Horeb was smitten with the rod, waters flowed out (Exodus 17:5-6; Numbers 20:7-10). When Joshua fought against Amalek, “Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed” (Exodus 17:9, 11). From these passages it is very evident that a rod or staff, like the hand, represented power, and in the supreme sense the Divine omnipotence of the Lord; and it is also evident that at that time representatives constituted the externals of the church; and that the internals, which are spiritual and celestial things such as are in heaven, corresponded to them; and that from this came their efficacy. From this it is also plain how irrational those are who believe that there was any power infused into the staff or the hand of Moses.

[4] That in the spiritual sense, a “staff” is power, appears also from many passages in the prophets, as in Isaiah: Behold the Lord Jehovah Zebaoth doth take away from Jerusalem staff and stay, the whole staff of bread, and the whole staff of water (Isaiah 3:1); the “staff of bread” denotes support and power from the good of love, and the “staff of water,” support and power from the truth of faith. That “bread” is the good of love may be seen above (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735); and that “water” is the truth of faith (n. 28, 680, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424). The “staff of bread” is mentioned in like manner in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 4:16; 5:16; 14:13; and Psalms 105:16).

[5] Again in Isaiah:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth, O My people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of Asshur, who shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff upon thee, in the way of Egypt. Jehovah shall stir up against him a scourge, as in the plague of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and his staff shall be over the sea, and he shall lift it up in the way of Egypt (Isaiah 10:24, 26); where “staff” denotes power from reasoning and memory-knowledge, such as is the power of those who reason from memory-knowledges against the truths of faith, and either pervert them or make them of no account. This is signified by the “rod” with which Asshur shall smite, and by the “staff” which he shall lift up in the way of Egypt. That by “Asshur” is meant reasoning may be seen above (n. 1186); and that by “Egypt” is meant memory-knowledge (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462).

[6] In like manner in Zechariah:

The pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart away (Zech. 10:11).

In Isaiah:

Thou hast trusted on the staff of a bruised reed, even upon Egypt; whereon if a man lean it will go into his hand and pierce it (Isaiah 36:6);

“Egypt” denotes memory-knowledges, as above; power from them in spiritual things is the “staff of a bruised reed;” the “hand” which it goes into and pierces, is power from the Word. Again:

Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the rod of the rulers (Isaiah 14:5); where “staff” and “rod” manifestly denote power.

[7] In Jeremiah:

Grieve, all ye circuits of Moab, and say, How is the staff of strength broken, the staff of beauty (Jeremiah 48:17).

The “staff of strength” denotes power from good, and the “staff of beauty” power from truth.

[8] In Hosea:

My people interrogate their wood, and their staff will answer them; for the spirit of whoredom hath led them astray (Hos. 4:12);

“interrogating wood” means consulting evils; the “staff answering” means that falsity is thence, which has power from the evil which they confirm; the “spirit of whoredom” denotes a life of falsity from evil.

In David:

Yea, when I walk in the valley of shadow, I will fear not evil to me; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me (Psalms 23:4);

“Thy rod and Thy staff” denote the Divine truth and good, which have power. Again:

The staff of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the just (Psalms 125:3).

[9] Again:

Thou shalt crush them with a rod of iron; thou shalt scatter them like a potter’s vessels (Psalms 2:9);

a “rod of iron” denotes the power of spiritual truth in natural, for all natural truth in which there is spiritual truth has power; “iron” is natural truth (n. 425, 426). So also in Revelation:

He that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations; that he may pasture them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers (Revelation 2:26-27; and also 12:5; 19:15).

[10] Because a staff represented the power of truth, that is, the power of good through truth, therefore kings had scepters, which were made like short staffs; for by kings the Lord is represented as to truth, the Divine truth being the royalty itself (n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3670, 4581). The scepter signifies the power belonging to them, not by dignity, but by the truth which should rule, and no other truth than that which is from good; thus principally the Divine truth, and with Christians the Lord, from whom is all Divine truth.