3762. 'And went to the land of the sons of the east' means a raising up towards truths that relate to love. This is clear from the meaning of 'the land of the sons of the east'. For Aram or Syria was called 'the land of the sons of the east', as is evident from the fact that it was the land to which Jacob went, see also 3249. In general, 'Syria' means cognitions of good, as shown in 1232, 1234, but specifically 'Aram Naharaim' or Syria of the [Two] Rivers means cognitions of truth, in 3051, 3664. Here however it is not said that he went to Aram or Syria but 'to the land of the sons of the east', so as to mean that which is the subject in the whole of this chapter, namely an ascent towards truths that relate to love. The expression 'truths that relate to love' is used to describe those truths which in other places have been called celestial truths, for they are cognitions concerning charity towards the neighbour and concerning love to the Lord. In the highest sense, where the Lord is the subject, they are truths that relate to Divine love.

[2] These truths, that is to say, those concerning charity towards the neighbour and concerning love to the Lord, must first be learned before a person can be regenerated, and must also be acknowledged and believed. And insofar as those truths are acknowledged and believed, and are endowed with life, that person is also regenerated and those truths are implanted in his natural, where they exist as in their own soil. They are first implanted there through the instruction received from parents and teachers, then from the Word of the Lord, and after that from personal reflection on them. But all of this does no more than to deposit those truths in the person's natural memory and so to place them among the cognitions there. They are still not acknowledged, believed, and received unless life is led in accordance with them, in which case the person enters into an affection for them; and insofar as he enters into an affection for them because his life accords with them, those truths are implanted in his natural as their own soil. Things that are not so implanted do indeed remain with that person, but only in his memory as some item of knowledge or historical fact which does no more than enable him to talk about such things, to further his reputation by means of them, and in so doing to grow in wealth and position. When this is the case truths have not been implanted within him.

[3] As regards the meaning of 'the land of the sons of the east' as truths relating to love, and so as cognitions of truth leading the way to good, this may be seen from the meaning of 'sons' as truths, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, and from the meaning of 'the east' as love, dealt with in 101, 1250, 3249. Their land is the soil in which they exist. For 'the sons of the east' are those who possess cognitions concerning truth and good and therefore the truths that relate to love. This may be seen further from other places in the Word, as in the first Book of Kings,

The wisdom of Solomon surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of the Egyptians. 1 Kings 4:30.

Here 'the wisdom of the sons of the east' means interior cognitions concerning truth and good, and so means people who possess them. 'The wisdom of the Egyptians' however means knowledge of the same things as they exist in a lower degree -'the Egyptians' meaning factual knowledge in general, see 1164, 1165, 1462.

[4] In Jeremiah,

Thus said Jehovah, Arise, go up against Kedar; lay waste the sons of the east. They will take their tents and flocks, their curtains and all their vessels, and will take their camels. Jeremiah 49:28-29.

Here 'the sons of the east' is used to mean those who possess cognitions concerning good and truth. This is clear from the fact that 'they will take their tents and flocks, also their curtains and all their vessels, as well as their camels'. For 'tents' means holy forms of good, 414, 1102, 2145, 2152, 3312; 'flocks' the goods that flow from charity, 343, 2566; 'curtains' holy truths, 2576, 3478; 'vessels' the truths of faith, and facts, 3068, 3079; 'camels' factual knowledge in general, 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145. Thus 'the sons of the east' means those who possess these, that is, cognitions concerning what is good and what is true.

[5] The wise men from the east who came to Jesus when He was born belonged to those people called the sons of the east. This becomes clear from the fact of their awareness that the Lord was to be born, and that they knew of His Coming from the star which appeared to them in the east. These matters are described in Matthew as follows,

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, behold wise men from the east came into Jerusalem, saying, Where is He born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him. Matthew 2:1-2.

The fact that such a prophecy existed from of old among the sons of the east, who were from Syria, is clear from Balaam's prophecy concerning the Lord's Coming, in Moses,

I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A star will arise out of Jacob and a sceptre will rise up out of Israel. Numbers 24:17.

The fact that Balaam was from the land of the sons of the east, that is, from Syria, is evident from the following in Moses,

Balaam uttered his declaration and said, From Syria has Balak, the king of Moab, brought me, from the mountains of the east. Numbers 23:7.

The wise men who came to Jesus when He was born are called the magi, but this expression was used for wise men at that time, as is clear from many places, such as Genesis 41:8; Exodus 7:11; Daniel 2:27; 4:6-7; 1 Kings 4:30; and in various places in the Prophets.

[6] 'The sons of the east' in the contrary sense means cognitions concerning evil and falsity, and so means those who possess these. This is clear in Isaiah,

The envy of Ephraim will depart, and the enemies of Judah will be cut off. They will fly down onto the shoulder of the Philistines towards the sea, and together they will plunder the sons of the east. Isaiah 11:13-14.

In Ezekiel, when prophesying against the sons of Ammon,

Behold, I have handed you over to the sons of the east as an inheritance, and they will station their ranks among you. Ezekiel 25:4, 10.

In the Book of Judges,

When Israel put in seed, Midian came up and Amalek, and the sons of the east; and they came up upon them. Judges 6:3.

'Midian' stands for those under the influence of falsity because the good of life does not exist with them, 3242; 'Amalek' for those under the influence of falsities with which they assail truths, 1679; 'the sons of the east' for those who possess cognitions that support what is false.

1102. 'He will dwell in the tents of Shem' means so that the internal features of worship may be present in the external features. This becomes clear from all that has been stated already about Shem, to the effect that 'Shem' is the internal Church or internal worship, and that external worship is something altogether soulless or unclean if it does not have internal worship to give it life and sanctify it. That 'tents' means nothing else than the holiness of love and worship arising out of this becomes clear from the meaning of 'tents' dealt with already in 414. Among the ancients 'wandering about and dwelling in tents' was common expression, and by 'tents' in the internal sense was meant holy worship, for the reason that the most ancient people not only wandered about with tents but also dwelt in tents and used to celebrate holy worship in them. Consequently 'wandering about and dwelling' also meant in the internal sense living.

[2] In addition to the places quoted already in 414, let the following as well serve to confirm that 'tents' means holy worship: In David,

God forsook the dwelling-place at Shiloh, the tent where He dwelt with man. Psalms 78:60.

Here 'tent' has a similar meaning to the Temple, in which God is said 'to dwell' when He is present with someone within love. For this reason the individual in whose life holy worship had a place was called by the ancients 'a tent', and later 'a temple'. In Isaiah,

Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out. Isaiah 54:1.

This stands for enlightenment in the things that belong to true worship. In Jeremiah,

The whole land has been laid waste; suddenly My tents have been laid waste, My curtains in a moment. Jeremiah 4:20.

Here it is quite evident that tents are not meant but holy worship. In Zechariah,

Jerusalem will dwell yet again in her own place, in Jerusalem Jehovah will save the tents of Judah. Zechariah 12:6-7.

Here 'the tents of Judah' stands for worship of the Lord arising out of the holiness of love.

[3] From these quotations it now becomes clear what 'dwelling in the tents of Shem' means, namely, so that internal worship may be present in external. But because 'Japheth', the member of the external Church, has little knowledge of what internal things are, a brief description of him will be given. When a person feels or perceives within himself that he has thoughts regarding the Lord which are good and thoughts regarding the neighbor which are good, and he wishes to perform acts of kindness for him, but not for the sake of any gain or for the sake of his own position, and when he feels that he has pity for anyone who suffers misfortune, and more so for him who errs in regard to the doctrine of faith, he may then know that 'he is dwelling in the tents of Shem', that is, that there are with him things of an internal nature by means of which the Lord is working.