2584. 'And they gave birth' means fertileness This is clear from the meaning of 'bearing' and 'childbirth'. In the internal sense of the Word none but spiritual and celestial things are meant, and therefore where the expressions conception or conceiving, childbirth or giving birth, birth or being born, generation or generating, are used, and when those who beget as father and mother, and those who are begotten as sons and daughters, are spoken of, such are not meant in any but a spiritual sense, for in itself the Word is spiritual and celestial. The same applies here also to 'giving birth', which means fertileness as regards matters of doctrine.

[2] The fact that no other kinds of childbirths are meant in the Word by childbirths may become clear from the following places: In Samuel,

Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, and those who were hungry have ceased to be so, until the barren has borne seven, and she who has many has left off. Jehovah takes life and He gives life; He causes [some] to go down into hell and [others] to come up. 1 Samuel 2:5-6.

In Jeremiah,

The bearer of seven languishes, she breathes her last. Her sun is going down while it is still day. Jeremiah 15:9.

In Isaiah,

Sing, O barren one, who did not bear, break forth into singing and shout, who has not gone into labour; for the sons of her that is desolate are more than the sons of her that is married, said Jehovah. Isaiah 54:1.

In David,

The voice of Jehovah causes the hinds to calve, and He strips the forests bare; and in His temple everyone says, Glory. Psalms 29:9.

In Isaiah,

Blush, O Sidon, for the sea has spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not gone into labour, I have not given birth, nor have I reared young men or brought up young women. As when the report comes to Egypt, they go into labour over the report of Tyre. Isaiah 23:4-5.

In the same prophet,

Before she went into labour she gave birth, and before pain came to her she brought forth a male child. Who has heard of such a thing as this? Who has seen such? Does a land give birth in one day? And shall I [bring to the point of birth and not] cause to give birth? said Jehovah. Shall I who cause to give birth shut up [the womb]? said your God. Isaiah 66:7-9.

In Jeremiah,

Ask, now, and see whether a male can bear. Why then have I seen every man, hands on loins, like one giving birth? Jeremiah 30:6.

In Ezekiel,

I will send fire on Egypt, and Sin will certainly go into labour, and No will be [breached]. Ezekiel 30:16.

In Hosea,

As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird, away from birth, and from the womb, and from conception. Hosea 9:11.

In the same prophet,

The pains of childbirth have come upon Ephraim, he is an unwise son, for now he will not present himself at the mouth of the womb of sons. Hosea 13:13.

In John,

A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. Carrying in the womb she cried out in labour, and was in anguish to give birth. A dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she had given birth to her child he might devour it. She gave birth therefore to a male child, who was to rule ¹ all nations with an iron rod. But the boy was caught up to God and His throne. Revelation 12:1-2, 4-5.

[3] From all these places anyone may see that no other conceptions and births are meant than those which are conceptions and births of the Church. The same may also be seen from the things said about Abimelech, that 'God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his women servants, and they gave birth'; and that 'Jehovah had completely closed every womb in Abimelech's house on account of the matter of Sarah, Abraham's wife'. What is meant in the internal sense by these words may become clear from the explanation of them, namely the character of the doctrine of faith when regarded from Divine truths, and the character of it when regarded from the rational. That is to say, when regarded from Divine truths, that is, from the Word, every single thing, both rational and factual, is confirmatory. But it is different when it is regarded from human things, that is from reason and knowledge. When regarded from the latter no good or truth at all is conceived; for to regard things from the Word is to do so from the Lord, but to regard them from reason and knowledge is to do so from man. The former gives rise to all intelligence and wisdom, the latter to all insanity and stupidity.

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9789. 'For their generations among the children of Israel' means eternity for the spiritual kingdom. This is clear from the meaning of 'generations' as eternity, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the children of Israel' as the spiritual Church, dealt with in 9340, thus also the spiritual kingdom. For the Lord's spiritual kingdom in heaven is the spiritual heaven; on earth it is the spiritual Church. The reason why 'generations' means eternity is that in the internal sense generations of faith and charity are meant, 613, 2020, 2584, 6239, 9042, 9079, and so things of heaven and the Church, which things are eternal. Also the children of Israel, to whom the word 'generations' applies, mean the Church, 9340. The fact that eternity is meant by 'generations' is evident from the following places in the Word: In Isaiah,

My righteousness will exist to eternity, and My salvation from generation to generation. ¹ Awake as in the days of old, the generations of eternity. ² Isaiah 51:8-9.

In the same prophet,

I will make you an eternal magnificence, ³ a joy of generation after generation. Isaiah 60:15.

In the same prophet,

Its smoke will go up to eternity. From generation to generation it will be laid waste; no one will pass through it for ever and ever. ⁴ Isaiah 34:10.

In David,

The counsel of Jehovah will stand to eternity, the thoughts of His heart to all generations. ⁵ Psalms 33:11.

In the same author,

I will praise Your name to eternity and forever. ⁶ Generation to generation will praise Your works. Psalms 145:2-4.

In the same author,

They will fear You with the sun, and before the moon, from generation to generation. ⁷ Psalms 72:5.

In Moses,

This is My name to eternity, and this is My memorial from one generation to another. ⁸ Exodus 3:15.

There are very many other places besides these. When it says that things will exist 'to eternity' and from 'generation to generation', 'eternity' has regard to the Divine Celestial or Good, and 'generation' to the Divine Spiritual or Truth. For in the Word, especially the prophetic part, two expressions that have reference to one and the same thing are very frequently used, as in the places quoted above in which eternity and generation to generation occur. They are used because of the heavenly marriage that is present in every single part of the Word. The heavenly marriage is a marriage of good and truth, or the Lord and heaven joined together, see the places referred to in 9263.

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