THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 25

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation)

1. O JEHOVAH, You art my God; I will exalt You, I will praise Your name; for You have done wonderful [things]; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

2. For You have made of a city a heap; of a fortified city a ruin: a palace of strangers be no city; it shall never be built.

VERSES 1-12. The glorification of God Messiah, or the Lord, and the thanksgiving of those who are in heaven, on account of deliverance from their enemies, is here described. The "enemies" are also described, namely, those to whom a revelation has been made, and who, from self-love, are therefore proud. This glorification is referred to the elders or ancients in Jerusalem, concerning whom we read at the end of the former chapter, - they shall now see "wonderful things and counsels from antiquity", that is, truths and goods, which are signified by "Truth and Fidelity."

Verse 2. The "devastated city" is in allusion to the judgment in the former chapter; "strangers are the impious; their "palace" is pride and the love of self; this "palace" will be utterly cast down.

Verse 3. The "strong or brave people are those who have acquired faith, hence their strength and bravery; the "formidable nations" are also those who have faith, for they are formidable to their enemies.

Verse 4. A faith in the Lord involves what is here said, namely that they know and believe that their "defence or fortress is the Lord", for He is a defence to those who are "poor and needy", that is, who believe that they have, by no means, any strength from themselves. The more a man believes that he has no strength in himself, and that all power belongs to the Lord, he is the more strong and formidable [to his spiritual enemies]. Hence it follows that the Lord is "a refuge from the inundation, a shadow from the heat", etc., for so long as a man lives, he is liable to perpetual assaults from evil spirits; a "wall" is mentioned, because they desire to take possession of his intellectual mind, wherefore their assaults are compared to a "blast against a wall."

Verse 5. "From their heat, or their love, in a dry place, arises a tumult or noise [or opposition against divine Truth]; the Lord represses that heat by "the shadow of a cloud", which is called "the branch of the violent ones", namely, by their darkness, for it is their darkness which is called "branch."

Verse 6. The "feasts" thus described signify spiritual and celestial joys; the "eatables" from which everything impure is removed, are those joys in spiritual things when they are imbued with the Lord's justice or righteousness, hence His holiness. The impure or feculent things do not then appear, because they are not excited; they still, however, remain at the roots, but they are changed into that form in which they can be imbued with the Lord's holiness, for they are no longer excited by the diabolical crew, which is, then expelled.

Verse 7 describes the intellectual light which will then arise, or the understanding of Truth; for then will be seen "the counsels from afar", namely, Truth and Goodness. The shade which is described is compared to a "veil", and to the "face of a covering"; these things are said of the understanding but the "feasts" of love. This is to take place on Mount Zion for all peoples, that is, for those who are in the faith; for these are called "the people of Mount Zion."

Verse 8. "He shall swallow up death for ever", etc. - "Death" is damnation, which Adonai Jehovih, that is, !he Lord, will destroy when all "tears", that is, grief and pain, "will be wiped away", and likewise all", reproach or ignominy, because during their lifetime they had been affected with ignominy.

Verse 9. Faith is here described by a confession of faith in God Messiah, or the Lord; to "rejoice in His salvation", is to rejoice in Himself, for He is Salvation.

Verse 10. By "Moab" the impious are understood. By " Moab", who was born of Lot and of his elder daughter, are understood those who mix holy things with profane thus those to whom a revelation has been made, and who then can adulterate holy things, which is signified by the adultery of Lot with his own daughter. This is also the case with those who confide in their own powers, and not in the Lord, as in the following verse.

Verse 11. Because a revelation has been given to them, they are proud and trust in themselves; wherefore they are compared to those who "swim" and who continually desire to cast themselves on high, and who wish to betake themselves to the other bank, but by "the devices or obstacles [obices] of their hands, which are their own powers in which they trust, their pride is subdued.

Verse 12. "The fortress of the high fort", etc. - Their pride is here treated of and its imaginary defences, which are dejected and laid prostrate in the dust; for such is the representation of the depression of the proud. (Swedenborg's Notes on Isaiah, p. 64.)

Verses 1-3. Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth, etc.

- The devastation of the former church and the establishment of a new one are here treated of. The devastation of the church as to doctrine is understood by "making of a city a heap, a fortified city a ruin, a palace of strangers to be no city; and the establishment of a New Church as to doctrine, is understood by the words which follow, "Therefore shall the powerful people honour You; the city of the strong nations shall fear You." Apocalypse Explained 223.

Verse 2. Strangers. - See Chap, Isaiah 1:7, the Exposition.

3. Therefore shall the powerful people honour You; the city of the formidable nations shall fear You:

Verse 3.The powerful people shall honour You, the city of the formidable nations shall fear You. Here worship from Good is signified by "honouring", for "honouring" is predicated of the good of love; and worship from Truths is signified by "fearing You", as was said above; powerful people signify the men of the church who are in truths from Good, for from them comes all power; "the city of the formidable nations" signifies those who are in the truths of doctrine, and thereby in the good of love; and inasmuch as all spiritual power is thence derived, therefore they are called "the formidable nations."

From these words also it manifestly appears that there is a marriage of Good and Truth in every part of the Word; for to "honour" is predicated of Good to "fear" of Truth; both of them in worship. "People" also is predicated of those who are in Truths, and thereby in good; and "nations", those who are in Good, and thence in truths; and whereas all power in the spiritual world is from the conjunction of Good and Truth, therefore people are called "powerful", and nations are called "formidable." Apocalypse Explained 696. See also Arcana Coelestia 2826.

Verses 3, 7, 8. The powerful people shall honour You, etc.

- A distinction is here made between people and nations, because "people" signify those who are of the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, and "nations" those of His celestial kingdom, thus those who are in spiritual good, and those who are in celestial good; spiritual good is the Good of charity towards our neighbour, and the good of faith thence derived; and celestial good is the Good of love to the Lord, and the good of mutual love thence derived. The truth of this latter good is what is understood by "the city of formidable nations", for "city" signifies the doctrine of Truth, or truths of doctrine.

By "swallowing up the covering which is upon all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations", is signified to dissipate the shade which covers the understanding, and prevents it seeing the truths and perceiving the goods which appertain to heaven and the church. Apocalypse Explained 331.

4. For You have been a fortress to the poor, a fortress to the needy in his distress: a refuge from; the inundation, a shadow from the heat; when the blast of the violent ones was like an inundation [against] a wall.

5. As the heat in a dry place, the tumult of strangers shalt You subdue; as the heat by, the shadow of a cloud, the branch of the violent ones shall He bring low.

Verses 4, 5. By the "poor" and "needy" are signified those who are in a defect of Good from ignorance of Truth, and yet are in the desire of Good and Truth. It is called. "inundation and heat ", when evils and falsities rise up and flow in from the proprium, and also from others who are in evil; the "spirit [or blast] of the violent" signifies their opposition to the goods and truths of the church; they are called "violent" "who endeavour to destroy goods and truths, and their "spirit" signifies their lust of destroying. "The tumult of strangers shall You bring low", signifies that the Lord will allay and take away the irruption of falsities from evil; "tumult" signifying irruptions, "strangers" falsities from evil, and to "humble and bring low" signifies to allay and take away. To "repress the heat by the shadow of a cloud", signifies to defend from the concupiscence of the false; "heat" denoting the concupiscence of the false, and the "shadow of a cloud" defence from it; for the shadow of a cloud tempers the heat of the, sun, and assuages its burning. Apocalypse Explained 481.

Verse 4. A refuge, etc. - See the Exposition of Isaiah Chapter 4:6.

6. And Jehovah of Hosts shall make, for all; peoples on this mountain a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of' marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

Verse 6. These things are said concerning the state of those who should acknowledge and adore the Lord. By "this mountain" is signified the New Church from the them; by the "feast of fat things, of fat things full things full of marrow", is signified good both natural and' spiritual, with joy of heart and by "wine", and "wine on the lees well refined", are signified truths from that good, with the felicity thence derived. Apocalypse Explained 1159.

The words also treat of the Lord's advent. By "the feast of fat things" is signified the appropriation and communication of goods; and by "the feast of wines on the lees well refined", or of the best wine, is signified the appropriation of truths. That" fat things" signified the goods of love, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 353, 5943, 10053; and also the delights of love, 6409; and that "wine" signifies the good of charity, which in its essence is Truth 1071, 1798, 6377.

Similar things are signified by the "marriage [feast]", to which the ten virgins were invited. (Matthew 25:1-12)

This "feast of fat things", etc. was spoken of the sacrament of the Holy Supper, "which was to be instituted by the Lord. True Christian Religion 708.

The "feasts" which were anciently made among those who were in significatives and representatives, signified no other than initiation into mutual love and charity. The "nuptial feasts", too, signified initiation into conjugial love; and the "holy feasts" into spiritual and celestial love; and this by reason that "feasting", or eating and drinking, signified appropriation and conjunction. Arcana Coelestia 3832.

"Feasts of Charity" were instituted among the primitive Christians that they might meet together in cordial joy and friendly union. The spiritual sphere which prevailed on those occasions was the sphere of love to the Lord and towards the neighbour, which exhilarated every mind, softened, the tone of every expression and communicated to all the senses a festivity from the heart; for from every man there emanates a spiritual sphere, derived from the affection of his love and corresponding thought, which inwardly affects those in his company, particularly at the time of convivial recreations. This sphere emanates both by the face and the respiration.

It is because "dinners" and "suppers", or "feasts", were significative of such consociation of mind that they are so often mentioned in the Word. True Christian Religion 433, 459, 727.

7. And in this mountain He will swallow up the face of the covering cast over all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations.

Verse 7. He will swallow up the face of the covering, etc. - [By these words is meant that the Lord will, when this spiritual " feast" comes to be enjoyed, remove all obscurity respecting the true meaning of His Word, and will open the understandings of His people to perceive its internal Truths and the genuine doctrines of His church.]

8. He shall swallow up death for ever; and the Lord Jehovih shall wipe away the tear from off all faces; and the reproach of His people shall He remove from off the whole earth: for Jehovah has spoken it.

Verse. 8. By which is signified that the Lord, by His coming, shall remove evils and falsities with those who live from Him, so that there shall be no grief of mind on account of them, or from them, "Death" signifies evil, because this is the case of spiritual death; and "tear" is predicated of the false. It is to be observed that "the shedding of tears" and "weeping" signify grief on account of falsities and from falsities, but "shedding of tears" grief of mind, and "weeping" grief of heart, on account of falsities; grief of mind is grief of the thought and understanding, which are of truth, and grief of heart is grief of the affection or will, which are of good; and as everywhere in the Word there is the marriage of Truth and Good, therefore both "weeping" and "tears" are mentioned in the Word when grief is expressed on account of the falsities of doctrine or of religion. That "weeping" is grief of heart, may appear from this consideration, that it bursts forth from the heart and breaks out into lamentation through the mouth; and that "shedding of tears" is grief of mind, may appear from this consideration, that it issues forth from the thought through the eyes. In the act both of weeping, and shedding of tears comes forth water, but bitter and astringent, and this is occasioned by the influx from the spiritual world into the grief of man, where "bitter water" corresponds to the defect of truth by reason of falsities, and to grief on account thereof; wherefore grief on account of falsities has place with those who are in truths. From these considerations it may appear whence it is that in the Word, where "tears" are mentioned, "weeping" is mentioned also, namely, that it is on account of the marriage of Good and Truth in every part of the Word. The following passages may serve for confirmation, thus in Isaiah:

"I will weep, as with the weeping of Jazer, for the vine of Sibmah: I will water you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh!" (Isaiah 16:9)

In Jeremiah:

"My soul shall weep in secret places, and mine eyes shall run down with tears:" (Jeremiah 13:17) Apocalypse Explained 484.

The Lord Jehovih shall wipe away the tear from all faces, etc. These words signify that they will no longer be in combats against evils and their false principles, and thus not in pain or grief, but in goods and truths, and hence in heavenly joys from the Lord. The same thing is also signified in the Apocalypse by "the Lamb wiping away all tears from their eyes." Apocalypse Revealed 385.

As to the specific meaning of "Jehovih", see Chapter 3:15, the Exposition.

9. In that day shall, they say, Behold, this is our God! we have waited for Him, and, He will save us: this is Jehovah; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.

Verse 9. From this and many other passages it is evident that it was JEHOVAH HIMSELF who should come into the world to redeem and save mankind, and not, as is commonly supposed, "a Son from eternity." (See Isaiah 43:11, 12; 45:14, 15, 21; Hosea 13:4)

Brief Exposition 120. See also Conjugial Love 81; True Christian Religion 82, 188, 294.

10. For the hand of Jehovah shall rest upon this mountain; and Moab shall be trodden under Him, as the, straw is trodden on the dunghill.

Verse 10. The hand of Jehovah shall rest upon this mountain; and Moab shall be threshed [or trodden down], etc.

- That "Moab" signifies those in the church who are in external good without an internal principle, and whose good is consequently defiled with falsities, is signified by being "threshed or trodden down as straw for the dunghill", see above, Chapter 15:1, the Exposition.

11. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst! thereof, as he that swims spreads forth to swim: but He shall bring down his pride together with the devices of his hands.

Verse 11. And he [Moab] shall spread forth his hands, etc. - That the "hand" signifies power and authority, and hence confidence, is evident from many passages in the Word, as in Isaiah:

"Moab spreads forth his hands", etc.; where "hand" stands for self-power [or power from the proprium], from the love of being pre-eminent over others, thus from pride.

Again,

"Their inhabitants were short of hand"; (Isaiah 37:27) "short of hand" means of no power, Hence it appears what was the nature of representatives which were the externals of the Jewish church; hence it appears too what the nature of the Word is, as containing things which, in their external sense, do not seem to be representative of the Lord and of His kingdom, like what is said here concerning "stretching out the hand", and all other things of a similar kind, whose true meaning cannot be comprehended whilst the mind dwells only in the historical relations of the letter. It appears likewise from hence how far the Jews departed from the true understanding of the Word and of the rites of the church, whilst they placed all worship in externals; even to the attributing of ability to the "rod of Moses" and to the "spear of Joshua", when yet there was in them no more ability than in any other piece of wood: but whereas they signified the Lord's Omnipotence, and as this was understood in heaven when, by command, they "stretched out the hand" or the "rod", therefore signs and miracles were done by them. The like is true concerning what is written of Moses when he was on the top of the hill, and when he lifted up his hands, Joshua prevailed; but when he let them down, the enemy prevailed: and therefore they supported his hands. (Exodus 17:9-13)

The like is true concerning the "laying on of hands", when anyone was to be consecrated, as when the people were to "lay their hands on the Levites," (Numbers 8:9, 10, 12) and when Moses "laid his hands on Joshua", in appointing him to be his successor, (Numbers 27:18, 23), that thus ability might be conferred; hence the ceremony at this day of inauguration and benediction by the "laying on of hands."

How far the "hand" signified and represented ability, may appear from what is written in the Word concerning Uzzah and Jeroboam; concerning Uzzah, that he "put forth [his hand] to the ark of God, and took hold of it; on which account he died. (2 Samuel 6:6, 7)

The "ark" represented the Lord, consequently all that is holy and celestial; Uzzah's "putting forth to the ark" represented self-ability, or man's proprium, which being profane, the word "hand" is not mentioned, but still it is understood; the reason thereof is, lest it should be perceived by the angels that what was so profane had touched what was holy.

Concerning Jeroboam it is thus written:

"It came to pass, when he heard the word of the man of God, which cried against the altar, that Jeroboam put forth his hand from off the altar, saying, Lay hold of him. And his hand; which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him, And he said to the man of God, Entreat I pray you, the, faces of Jehovah your God, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God entreated the faces of Jehovah God; and his hand was restored to him, and became as before. (1 Kings 13:4, 6)

Here, in like manner, by "putting forth the hand is signified self-ability, or proprium, which is profane in that it was desirous to violate what was holy by "putting forth the hand against the man of God", wherefore "the hand was dried up"; but inasmuch, as he was an idolator and incapable of profanation as was before said, "his hand was restored to him." That the "hand " signifies and represents ability, may appear from representatives in the world of spirits, where a kind of bare arm sometimes is presented to view, which has such strength in it, that it appears able to break bones to pieces, and bruise, as it were, to nothing the inmost marrow contained therein; and hence so great terror is excited, that all who see it are ready to melt at heart; nay, such strength is actually in it. Arcana Coelestia 878.

12. And the fortress of the high fort of your walls shall He bring down, lay low, bring to the ground, [even] to the dust.

Verse 12. The fortress of the high fort, etc. - [These words imply that all the false principles of doctrine and of evil confirmed by Moab will, at the time of judgment, be destroyed, howsoever he may "spread forth his hands", or put forth all his powers to save himself from destruction, that is, from being drowned in the falsities of his own persuasion.]

As to the signification of "fortress", "walls", "bulwarks", etc., see Chapter 26:1, the Exposition; but, in this passage, these terms are used in a bad sense.

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Isaiah Chapter 25

1. O JEHOVAH, You art my God; I will exalt You, I will praise Your name; for You have done wonderful [things]; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

2. For You have made of a city a heap; of a fortified city a ruin: a palace of strangers be no city; it shall never be built.

3. Therefore shall the powerful people honour You; the city of the formidable nations shall fear You:

4. For You have been a fortress to the poor, a fortress to the needy in his distress: a refuge from; the inundation, a shadow from the heat; when the blast of the violent ones was like an inundation [against] a wall.

5. As the heat in a dry place, the tumult of strangers shalt You subdue; as the heat by, the shadow of a cloud, the branch of the violent ones shall He bring low.

6. And Jehovah of Hosts shall make, for all; peoples on this mountain a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of' marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

7. And in this mountain He will swallow up the face of the covering cast over all peoples, and the veil that is spread over all nations.

8. He shall swallow up death for ever; and the Lord Jehovih shall wipe away the tear from off all faces; and the reproach of His people shall He remove from off the whole earth: for Jehovah has spoken it.

9. In that day shall, they say, Behold, this is our God! we have waited for Him, and, He will save us: this is Jehovah; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.

10. For the hand of Jehovah shall rest upon this mountain; and Moab shall be trodden under Him, as the, straw is trodden on the dunghill.

11. And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst! thereof, as he that swimms spreads forth to swim: but He shall bring down his pride together with the devices of his hands.

12. And the fortress of the high fort of your walls shall He bring down, lay low, bring to the ground, [even] to the dust.

331. And people and nation, signifies who are of the Lord's spiritual church, and of His celestial church. This is evident from the signification of "people" and "nation" in the Word, "people" signifying those who are in spiritual good, thus those who are of the Lord's spiritual church, and "nation" those who are in celestial good, thus those who are of the Lord's celestial church. That there are two kingdoms into which the heavens are divided, namely, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom, and that those who are in the good of love to the Lord are in the celestial kingdom, and those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbor are in the spiritual kingdom, see in the work on Heaven and Hell, (n. 20-28). These two kingdoms, however, are not only in the heavens but also on the earth, and on the earth they are called the celestial church and the spiritual church. Few know what is signified in the Word specifically by a "people" or "peoples," and what by a "nation" or "nations." I will therefore present from the Word some passages where the two are named together, from which it will be clear that "people" and "nations" have distinct significations, for unless they had distinct significations they would not both be named together, as in the following passages.

[2] In Isaiah:

The strong people shall glorify Thee, the city of the formidable nations shall fear Thee. Jehovah will swallow up in this mountain the faces of the covering, that covereth over all peoples, and the veil that is veiled over all nations (Isaiah 25:3, 7).

Here a distinction is made between "peoples" and "nations," because "peoples" signify those who are of the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and "nations" those who are of His celestial kingdom, thus those who are in spiritual good and those in celestial good. Spiritual good is the good of charity towards the neighbor, thus the good of faith, and celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, and thence the good of mutual love. The truth of this good is what is meant by "the city of formidable nations," for "city" signifies the doctrine of truth, or the truths of doctrine; "to swallow up the covering over all peoples, and the veil veiled over all nations," signifies to dispel the shade that has so covered the understanding that the truths are not seen or the goods perceived that pertain to heaven and the church.

[3] In the same:

Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye peoples; let the earth hear, and the fullness thereof (Isaiah 34:1).

Because "nations" signify those who are in the good of love, and "peoples" those who are in the good of charity and in the truths of faith therefrom, it is said of the nations that they should "come near," and of the peoples that they should "hearken;" to "come near" signifies to be conjoined by love, and to "hearken" signifies to obey and to be instructed; it is therefore said, "let the earth hear, and the fullness thereof," "earth" signifying the church in respect to good, and "the fullness thereof" truths.

[4] In the same:

I Jehovah have called thee in righteousness, and I will hold thine hand and I will give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the nations (Isaiah 42:6).

In the same:

Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be brought together, and let the peoples gather together (Isaiah 43:8-9).

In the same:

I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a prince and lawgiver to the nations (Isaiah 55:4).

In the same:

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold, I will lift up Mine hand towards the nations, and lift up My standard towards the peoples (Isaiah 49:22).

In the same:

The peoples that walk in darkness have seen a great light. Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast made great to it gladness (Isaiah 9:2-3).

And in the same:

It shall be in that day that the root of Jesse, which standeth for an ensign of the peoples, the nations shall seek. And He shall lift up an ensign for the nations, and shall gather together the outcasts of Israel (Isaiah 11:10, 12).

All these things are said of the Lord; and "peoples" and "nations" mean all who are of His church; for all who are of the Lord's church are either of His celestial kingdom or of His spiritual kingdom; not any except those who are in these two kingdoms can possibly be of the church. Moreover, there are two things that constitute the church, good and truth, both from the Lord; "nations" mean those who are in good, and "peoples" those who are in truth; and, abstractly from persons, "nations" signify the goods of the church, and "peoples" its truths; "peoples" signify the truths of the church because spiritual good, or the good of charity towards the neighbor, in which those are who are meant by "peoples," in its essence is truth. (See Arcana Coelestia 8042, 10296; why it is so, n. 863, 875, 895, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555, 2256, 4328, 4493, 5113, 9596; thence what the distinction is between those who are of the celestial kingdom and those who are of the spiritual kingdom, n. 2088, 2669, 2708, 2715, 3235, 3240, 4788, 7068, 8521, 9277, 10295)

[5] In the same:

In that time a present unto Jehovah of Hosts shall be brought; a people distracted and plundered: and a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of Jehovah of Hosts, to Mount Zion (Isaiah 18:2, 7).

This treats of the invitation of all to the church; therefore also "people" and "nation" are both mentioned. "Mount Zion" signifies the church, to which they are invited; "a people distracted and plundered" signifies those with whom truths have been taken away, changed, or perverted by those who are in the falsities of doctrine; "a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled," signifies those with whom goods have been treated in like manner, "rivers" meaning falsities and reasonings therefrom.

[6] In Zechariah:

Yet there shall come peoples, and the inhabitants of great cities, to entreat the faces of Jehovah, and many peoples and numerous nations shall come to seek Jehovah of Hosts in Jerusalem (Zechariah 8:20-22).

Here, too, "peoples" and "nations" signify all who are of the Lord's church; "peoples" those who are of His spiritual church, and "nations" those who are of His celestial church. "Jerusalem," to which they shall come, is the church.

[7] In David:

Thou wilt set me for the head of the nations; a people I have not known shall serve me (Psalms 18:43).

In the same:

Jehovah will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. God reigneth over the nations. The willing ones of the peoples are gathered together (Psalms 47:3, 8-9).

In the same:

That [Thy way] may be known on the earth, Thy salvation among all nations. The peoples shall confess Thee, O God: the nations shall be glad and shout for joy; for Thou shalt judge the peoples in uprightness, and shalt lead the nations into the land (Psalms 67:2-4).

Remember me, O Jehovah, in good pleasure towards Thy people; that I may be glad in the joy of Thy nations (Psalms 106:4-5).

I will confess Thee, O Lord, among the nations. I will sing psalms unto Thee among the peoples (Psalms 57:9; 108:3).

In these passages also "peoples" and "nations" are mentioned, by which are meant all who are in truths and goods. Moreover, the very words that are applied to peoples are words that are predicated of truths, and those applied to nations are those that are predicated of goods. That no other are meant by "nations" is evident also from the fact that these things were said by David, who was an enemy of the Canaanitish nations.

[8] In Luke:

Mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; a light for a revelation to the nations (Luke 2:30-32).

In Zephaniah:

The remnant of My people shall spoil them, and the remainder of My nation shall inherit them (Zephaniah 2:9).

In Moses:

When her two sons were struggling in her womb, Rebekah went to inquire of Jehovah, and Jehovah said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels (Genesis 25:22-23).

Remember the days of the age, when the Most High gave to the nations an inheritance; when He separated the sons of man he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:7-8).

"The sons of man" have the same signification as "peoples," namely, those who are in spiritual truths and goods; therefore it is said of them, "when He separated the sons of man He set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel;" "the sons of Israel" signifying the spiritual church, and the "number" of them, or of the twelve tribes named from them, signifying all the truths and goods therein (See just above, n. 330); such therefore are called "peoples;" "to separate" them and "to set their bounds" signifies to alienate from falsities and to bestow truths; and "to give an inheritance to the nations" signifies heaven and conjunction with those who are in the good of love.

[9] In Daniel:

All peoples, nations, and tongues shall worship Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not perish (Daniel 7:14).

This is said of the Lord; and "peoples" and "nations" mean all who are in truths and goods; and "all tongues" mean all of whatever doctrine or religion; for the Lord's church is universal, since it exists with all who are in the good of life, and who from their doctrine look to heaven, and thereby conjoin themselves to the Lord (of whom see Heaven and Hell 318-328). Because "nations" signify those who are in the good of love, and "peoples" those who are in the good of charity and in the truths of faith therefrom, it is said, "His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom shall not pass away;" "dominion" in the Word is predicated of good, and "kingdom" of truth; for this reason the Lord is called "Lord" from Divine good, and "king" from Divine truth.

There are other passages besides these that might be quoted to prove that "peoples" signify those who are of the spiritual church, and "nations" those who are of the celestial church. So far those only have been presented in which "peoples" and "nations" are mentioned together; to these some shall be added in which "nations" alone are mentioned.

[10] In Isaiah:

Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keepeth faithfulness may enter in. Thou hast added to the nation, O Jehovah, Thou hast added to the nation; Thou hast been glorified: Thou hast removed all the ends of the earth (Isaiah 26:2, 15).

In David:

All the ends of the earth shall turn unto Jehovah; and all the families of the nations shall worship before Thee. For the kingdom is Jehovah's; and He it is that ruleth among the nations (Psalms 22:27-28).

In Isaiah:

The nations shall walk to Thy light, and kings to the brightness of Thy rising. Thy heart shall be enlarged, because the multitude of the sea shall turn unto Thee, the army of the nations shall come unto Thee (Isaiah 60:3, 5).

All nations shall see Thy righteousness, and all kings Thy glory (Isaiah 62:2).

In these passages "nations" and "peoples" are not mentioned together, but still in the last two "nations" and "kings" because "kings" signify the like as "peoples," namely, those who are in truths (See above, n. 31); and it is because "nations" signify those who are in good, and "kings" those who are in truths, that it is said of the nations that they "shall see Thy righteousness," and of the kings that they shall "see Thy glory;" "righteousness" in the Word being predicated of good, and "glory" of truth. (That "righteousness" is predicated in the Word of Divine good, seeArcana Coelestia 2235, 9857; and "glory" of Divine truth, n. 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429.)

[11] From the contrary sense it can yet be seen that "peoples" signify those who are in truths, and "nations" those who are in good; for in that sense "peoples" signify those who are in falsities, and "nations" those who are in evils, as in the following. In Isaiah:

O Assyrian, the rod of Mine anger, I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of My wrath will I command him (Isaiah 10:5-6).

In the same:

The voice of a multitude in the mountains; the voice of a tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together. They come from a land afar off, from the end of the heavens, even Jehovah with the vessels of His indignation to destroy the whole land (Isaiah 13:4-5).

Jehovah that smiteth the peoples with a stroke not curable, that ruleth with anger the nations (Isaiah 14:6).

In the same:

At the noise of the tumult let the peoples flee away; and before Thine exaltation let the nations be dispersed (Isaiah 33:3).

In Jeremiah:

Behold, a people cometh from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. They lay hold on the bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy (Jeremiah 6:22-23).

In Ezekiel:

I will not cause thee to hear any more the calumny of the nations, and the reproach of the peoples thou shalt not bear any more (Ezekiel 36:15).

In David:

Thou makest us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples (Psalms 44:14).

In the same:

Jehovah bringeth the counsel of the nations to nought; He overthroweth the thoughts of the peoples (Psalms 33:10).

In these passages "peoples" mean those who are against the truths of the spiritual church, thus in falsities; and "nations" those who are against the goods of the celestial church, thus in evils. This is also the signification of the peoples and nations that were driven out of the land of Canaan. To this let what was said above n. 175 be added.