10227. 'The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel when they give [the offering] of Jehovah' means that all equally, however much ability they possess, should attribute to the Lord all forms of truth springing from good. This is clear from the meaning of 'the rich' as one who is affluent in truths and forms of good, and in cognitions or knowledge of them, dealt with below; from the meaning of 'the poor' as one who is not affluent in them, also dealt with below; from the meaning of 'not giving more and not giving less' as all equally; from the meaning of 'half a shekel' as all forms of truth springing from good, dealt with in 10221; and from the meaning of 'giving to Jehovah' as attributing to the Lord, for 'Jehovah' in the Word means the Lord, see the places referred to in 9373. From these meanings it is evident that 'the rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel when they give [the offering] of Jehovah' means that all equally, however much ability they possess, should attribute to the Lord all forms of truth springing from good.

[2] The implications of all this are that everyone possesses the ability to understand and be wise; but the reason why one person may be wiser than another is that they are not alike in attributing to the Lord all that constitutes understanding and wisdom, that is, all forms of truth and good. Those who attribute them all to the Lord are wiser than any others, because all forms of truth and good constituting wisdom flow in from heaven, that is, from the Lord there. The attribution of them all to the Lord opens the inner levels of a person's mind towards heaven. For that attribution involves the acknowledgement that no truth or good at all come from self; and in the measure that this is acknowledged self-love departs, and along with it the thick darkness resulting from falsities and evils. In the same measure also the person attains innocence, love to the Lord, and faith in Him. As a result of this the person is linked to the Divine, who then flows in, bringing enlightenment. All this shows why it is that one person may have more wisdom, another less, and also why 'the rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less', meaning that all equally possess the ability to be wise. The ability to be wise, it is true, does not exist with all in equal measure; nevertheless all equally possess the ability, for each is able to be wise.

[3] The ability to be wise should not be taken to mean an ability to use knowledge to engage in reasoning about truths and forms of good, and so an ability to prove anything you like. Rather, it is an ability to observe what is true and good, to choose what is appropriate, and to apply this to functions performed in life. Those who attribute everything to the Lord are able to do these things, whereas those who do not attribute everything to Him but to themselves only know how to reason about truths and forms of good. Nor do they see anything apart from what they derive from others; and this they see not with the power of reason, only with the workings of the memory. Since they are incapable of looking around inside actual truths they stand out of doors, affirming whatever they receive, whether true or false. The more expertly people can use their knowledge to do this, the wiser than others the world believes them to be. But the more they attribute all things to themselves, thus the more they love the things they think as a result of their own efforts, the more insane they are; for they affirm falsities more than truths and evils more than forms of good. They receive light from no other source than the illusions and appearances which exist in the world, and therefore from their own inferior light, called natural illumination, separated from the light of heaven. And when that illumination has been separated, then so far as the truths and forms of good which belong to heaven are concerned there is thick and total darkness.

[4] The fact that riches and wealth mean matters of understanding (or intelligence) and wisdom, and therefore cognitions or knowledge of truth and good as well, which also are called spiritual wealth and riches, is clear from places in the Word where they are mentioned, as in Isaiah,

I will visit upon ¹ the fruit of the pride of the king of Asshur, for the reason that he has said, By the power of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding. Therefore I will remove the boundaries of the peoples, and will plunder their treasures. My hand will find, like a nest, the wealth of the peoples. Isaiah 10:12-14.

This refers in the internal sense to those who trust in their own intelligence and believe that true wisdom comes not from heaven but from themselves. 'The king of Asshur' means reasoning, at this point as a result of self-intelligence, 1186; and 'plundering the treasures and the wealth of the peoples as a consequence' means destroying those things that constitute the truths of intelligence and wisdom.

[5] In the same prophet,

A prophecy regarding the beasts of the south. They carry their wealth on the shoulders of asses, and their treasures on the backs of camels, to Egypt. Isaiah 30:6-7.

'The beasts of the south' are those who, though they are within the Church and so dwell in the light of truth from the Word, read the Word solely for the sake of possessing knowledge and not for the sake of rendering useful services in life. For 'the south' means where the light of truth is, thus where the Word exists, 3195, 3708, 5672, 9642; 'an ass' means knowledge, as does 'a camel', and 'Egypt' too. For this meaning of 'an ass', see 5492, 5741, 7024; 'a camel', 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156; and 'Egypt', the places referred to in 9391. The fact that these prophetic words must be understood in a spiritual sense becomes clear from the consideration that no one without that sense knows what is meant by 'the beasts of the south', by 'carrying their wealth on the shoulders of asses, and their treasures on the backs of camels', or by carrying them 'to Egypt'.

[6] In the same prophet,

I will give you the treasures of darkness, and the secret wealth of concealed places, that you may know that it is I, Jehovah. Isaiah 45:3.

'The treasures of darkness, and the secret wealth of concealed places' are such things as belong to heavenly intelligence and wisdom, which are hidden from the natural man.

[7] In Jeremiah,

The sin of Judah has been written with a pen of iron. O My mountain in the field, I will give for spoil your resources and all your treasures. Jeremiah 17:1, 3.

Judah is called 'a mountain in the field' because that which was representative of the celestial Church existed there, 'mountain' being the love which the celestial Church possesses, 6435, and 'the field' the Church itself, 2971, 3766, 7502, 9139, 9295. 'The resources' and 'the treasures' which would be given for spoil are all of the Church's truths and forms of good that would be reduced to nothing.

[8] In the same prophet,

On account of your trust in your works and in your treasures, you also will be taken. Jeremiah 48:7.

'Treasures' here also stands for the matters of doctrine and the cognitions or knowledge that the Church possesses.

[9] In the same prophet,

O sword against its horses and against its chariots, and against the mixed crowd who are in its midst! O sword against its treasures, in order that they may be looted! A drought on its waters, in order that they may dry up! Jeremiah 50:36-38.

These words are directed against the Chaldeans, by whom one should understand people whose worship is external devoid of internal, thus people who claim with their lips to believe the truths of the Word but in their heart reject them. By 'sword' falsity engaged in conflict against truths is meant, 2799, 4499, 6353, 7102, 8294; by 'horses' the power of understanding, 2760-2762, 3217, 5321; and by 'chariots' matters of doctrine, 5321, 8215. By 'treasures' which would be looted are meant the Church's truths and forms of good, which would be perverted and ruined through the application of them to the evils of self-love and love of the world; and by 'a drought on the waters, in order that they may dry up!' deprivation and destruction of the truths of faith, 'water' meaning the truth of faith, see 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 8568, 9323.

[10] Who can fail to see that the literal meaning is not the real meaning that these words possess? For is there anything holy, anything of the Church, anything of heaven, or any sense in the idea of a sword against horses, against chariots, against a mixed crowd, against treasures, or in the idea of a drought over waters, in order that they may dry up? From all this and from all else in the Word it may be seen plainly that a spiritual sense, different from the natural, lies within every detail and that without this sense the Word cannot be called holy, and that in very many places is not even intelligible.

[11] In the same prophet,

O Babel, you who dwell on many waters, great in treasures, ... Jeremiah 51:13.

'Babel' means those who possess the Word and consequently all the Church's truths and its forms of good, but who apply them to self-love and in so doing profane them, 1326. The same thing was also represented by the action of the king of Babel, who took all the vessels of the temple, which were made of gold and silver, drank from them, and at the same time praised the gods of gold and silver, Daniel 5:2-4ff. This explains why Babel is spoken of as 'dwelling on many waters, great in treasures', 'waters' meaning truths and in the contrary sense falsities, 2702, 3058, 4976, 8568, 9323. A further description occurs in the Book of Revelation, in which the riches of Babylon are listed in Chapter 18, where they are called its 'merchandise'.

[12] In Ezekiel,

I will bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar. By means of the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets. They will seize your wealth and despoil your merchandise. Ezekiel 26:7, 11-12.

'Tyre' is used to mean the Church in respect of cognitions or knowledge of goodness and truth, 1201, 'Nebuchadnezzar' the king of Babel to mean that which is profane and lays waste, 1327(end), which happens when the truths and forms of good which the Word contains serve, through wrong application, as means to lend support to the evils of self-love and love of the world. For in these circumstances the evils of those loves exist inwardly, in the heart, while the holy things of the Church are on the lips. 'The hoofs of his horses' are the outermost levels of the natural, that is, levels of knowledge consisting solely of sensory impressions, 7729; 'streets' are the truths of faith, 2336; and 'wealth' and 'merchandise' are cognitions of goodness and truth.

[13] Since cognitions of goodness and truth are meant by 'Tyre', 1201, wherever Tyre is referred to in the Word various kinds of merchandise and riches are also referred to, as in the same prophet,

Tarshish was your trader through the vastness of all your wealth - in silver, iron, tin, and lead. Damascus was your trader because of the vastness of all your wealth. Through the vastness of your wealth and your trading you have enriched all the kings of the earth. Ezekiel 27:1-end.

In the same prophet,

By your wisdom and by your intelligence you have gained wealth for yourself; [you have gained] gold and silver in your treasuries. By the vastness of your wisdom you have increased your wealth. Ezekiel 28:4-5.

This too refers to Tyre, from which it is plainly evident that 'wealth and riches' in the Word is used to mean spiritual wealth and riches, which are cognitions of goodness and truth, thus which are the means to wisdom.

[14] Also in Zechariah,

Tyre gathers silver like the dust, and gold like the mud of the streets. Behold, the Lord will make it poor and hurl ² its wealth into the sea. Zechariah 9:3-4.

And in David,

The daughter of Tyre will offer you a gift, daughter of the king; the rich of the people will entreat your face. Psalms 45:12.

The Church in respect of the affection for truth is described here; and it is called 'the daughter of the king', for 'the daughter' means the Church in respect of affection, 2362, 3963, 6729, 9055(end), and 'the king' means truth, 1672, 2015, 2069, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 6148. This is why it says that the daughter of Tyre will offer her a gift, and that the rich of the people will entreat her face, 'the rich of the people' meaning those who are affluent in truths and forms of good.

[15] In Hosea,

Ephraim said, Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself. Hosea 12:8.

Nor are 'I have become rich' and 'I have found wealth for myself' used to mean an enrichment with worldly riches and wealth, but with heavenly ones; for 'Ephraim' is used to mean the Church's power of understanding, which receives light when the Word is read, 5354, 6222, 6238, 6267.

[16] In John,

To the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans [write], Because you say, I am rich, and have become enriched, and have no need - when you do not know that you are wretched, and miserable, and needy, and blind, and naked - I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified in fire that you may be enriched, and white garments that you may put on. Revelation 3:14, 17-18.

This refers to the Church which supposes that everything composing the Church consists in bare knowledge alone and which consequently considers itself superior to others, when in fact knowledge is no more than the means with which to correct and improve one's life. Anyone therefore who possesses knowledge without a life led in accord with it is wretched, miserable, needy, blind, and naked. 'Buying gold purified in fire' means acquiring real good for oneself from the Lord, and buying 'white garments' means acquiring real truths springing from that good for oneself from the Lord.

'Gold' means the good of love, see the places referred to in 9874.

'Garments' means the truths of faith, 4545, 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216, 9814, 9952.

[17] In Jeremiah,

I Jehovah give to each according to his ways, according to the fruits of his works. As a partridge collects but does not lay, [so is he who] acquires riches but not by means that are just ³ . In the midst of his days he will leave them behind; at the end of his days he will become a fool. Jeremiah 17:10-11.

This refers to those who acquire knowledge for themselves without any use for it in view other than to make themselves rich, that is, possessors of knowledge, when in fact life is what it is intended to serve. All this is meant by 'gathering as a partridge and yet not laying' and by 'acquiring riches but not by means that are just'.

[18] In Luke,

Any one of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be My disciple. Luke 14:33.

Anyone who does not know that 'possessions' in the internal sense are spiritual riches and wealth, which consist of cognitions or knowledge derived from the Word, cannot possibly have any other idea than that if he is to be saved he will have to strip himself of all his wealth. But that is not the meaning of those words; 'possessions' there is used to mean everything that is the product of self-intelligence. For no one can be wise by virtue of what is his own, only by virtue of what is the Lord's. Therefore 'renouncing all one's possessions' means attributing no intelligence or wisdom at all to oneself; and whoever fails to do this cannot be taught by the Lord, that is, be His disciple.

[19] Since possessions, riches, wealth, silver, and gold mean the things that constitute intelligence and wisdom, the Lord also compares the kingdom of heaven to treasure hidden in a field, Matthew 13:44; and He says that people should provide themselves treasure that does not fail in heaven; for where the treasure is, there the heart is, Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 12:33-34.

[20] Those who do not know that by 'the rich' they should understand people who possess cognitions or knowledge of truth and good, thus people who have the Word, and that by 'the poor' they should understand people who do not possess them but nevertheless desire them, cannot have any other idea than that in Luke 16 one who was rich and another who was poor in the ordinary sense of those words are meant by the rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and the poor one who was laid at his porch. But in that parable 'the rich man' is used to mean the Jewish nation, who had the Word, the 'purple' in which he was clothed meaning real good, 9467, and 'fine linen' real truth, 5319, 9469, 9596, 9744. And 'the poor man' laid at the porch is used to mean those who are outside the Church and do not have the Word but who nevertheless desire the truths and the good things of heaven and the Church.

[21] From all this too it is evident that those who have the Word, consequently Divine Truths, should be understood by 'the rich', as also in Mary's ⁴ prophecy in Luke,

God has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. Luke 1:53.

'The hungry' are those who elsewhere are called 'the poor', thus those who have no bread and water and so are wanting food and drink, that is, those who have no knowledge of goodness and truth and yet desire them. By 'bread and water' in the Word goodness and truth are meant, 9323; and by 'hungering and thirsting', thus by 'wanting food and drink', the desire for them is meant.

[22] Such people are also meant elsewhere by 'the poor', as in Luke,

Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven ⁵ . Blessed are you who are hungry, for you will be satisfied. Luke 6:20-21.

In the same gospel,

The householder told his servant to go out into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. Luke 14:21.

In the same gospel,

To the poor the gospel will be preached. Luke 7:22.

In Matthew,

The poor hear the gospel. Matthew 11:5.

In Isaiah,

Then the firstborn of the poor will feed, and the needy will lie down with confidence. Isaiah 14:30.

In the same prophet,

The needy of men (homo) will exult in the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 29:19.

In Zephaniah,

I will leave in your midst a wretched and poor people, who will hope in the name of Jehovah. They will feed and rest, with none making them afraid. Zephaniah 3:12-13.

And in Isaiah,

The poor and the needy are seeking water, but there is none; their tongue is parched with thirst. I, Jehovah, will hearken to them. I will open streams on the sloping heights, and I will place springs in the midst of valleys. Isaiah 41:17-18.

[23] 'The poor and the needy seeking water' are those who desire cognitions or knowledge of goodness and truth, 'water' meaning truth. This desire is described by the statement that their tongue is parched with thirst, and the abundance which they are going to have by the promise that streams will be opened on sloping heights, and springs in the midst of valleys. From all this it is again evident that heavenly realities, which belong to the truth of faith and the good of love, are meant by earthly objects, that is, by the waters, streams on sloping heights, and springs in valleys; that these objects compose the literal sense of the Word, whereas those realities compose the spiritual sense; and that the Word is Divine by virtue of the spiritual sense, and not so without it.

[24] Another reason why wealth and riches mean such things as constitute intelligence (or understanding) and wisdom lies in correspondence. Among angels in heaven everything looks as though it is gleaming with gold, silver, and precious stones; and this is owing to the intelligent understanding of truth and wise discernment of good they possess. For the inner abilities which angels possess present themselves in this visual manner through objects that correspond to these abilities. Among spirits too who are below the heavens riches make their appearance in accordance with the state of reception of truth and good from the Lord.

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2830. 'And behold, a ram' means spiritual members of the human race. This is clear from the meaning of 'a ram', dealt with below. Within the Church it is well known that the burnt offerings and sacrifices in the representative Jewish and Israelite Church meant the Lord's Divine Human. But the burnt offerings and sacrifices of the lambs meant one thing, those of sheep and she-goats another, and those of kids, rams, and he-goats, of oxen, young bulls, and calves, and of turtle doves and young pigeons meant yet other things, as also did the minchahs and drink offerings. In general these things that were sacrificed meant the Divine celestial, Divine spiritual, and Divine natural things which are the Lord's; and from meaning these they meant celestial, spiritual, and natural things which exist from Him within His kingdom, and so within every individual who is the Lord's kingdom. This may be seen also from the Holy Supper which superseded burnt offerings and sacrifices. In it the bread and the wine mean the Lord's Divine Human - the Bread His Divine celestial, the Wine His Divine spiritual - and consequently mean His love towards the whole human race, and in turn the love of the whole human race for the Lord, 2343, 2359. From this it is evident that burnt offerings and sacrifices contained within them celestial worship springing from love to the Lord, and spiritual worship springing from charity towards the neighbour, and therefore from faith in the Lord, 922, 923, 1823, 2180. What the celestial is and what the spiritual is, that is, who constitute the celestial members and who the spiritual within the Lord's kingdom or Church, has been stated rather often, see 1155, 1577, 1824, 2048, 2088, 2184, 2227, 2669, 2708, 2715.

[2] That 'a ram' then means the Lord's Divine spiritual, and so that which is spiritual with man, or what amounts to the same, spiritual members of the human race, may become clear from the burnt offerings and sacrifices that were made from rams. For example, when Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the function they performed, that is, when they were inaugurated, they were to offer one young bull for a sin offering, sprinkle its blood over the horns of the altar, and pour the remainder at the base of it. Also they were to slaughter one ram and to sprinkle its blood around the altar, and after that they were to burn the ram - the whole of it - as a burnt offering. And the blood of the second ram which had been slaughtered was to be sprinkled over the tip of Aaron's ear, and over his thumb and big toe, and after that they were to make a wave offering of it and burn it on top of the burnt offering, Exodus 29:1-35; Leviticus 8:1-end; 9:2 and following verses. Clearly all these observances were holy, but they were holy for the reason that they represented and meant holy things. Other than for this reason, none of these observances - slaughtering a young bull, sprinkling its blood over the horns of the altar and pouring the remainder at the base of it, slaying one ram and sprinkling its blood around the altar and after that burning it, and sprinkling the blood of the second ram over the tip of Aaron's ear and over his thumb and big toe and also making a wave offering of it and burning it on top of the burnt offering - would have possessed any holiness, nor thus any worship, unless they had represented holy things. But what each observance represented does not become clear to anyone except from the internal sense. That the young bull offered as a sin offering meant the Lord's Divine natural, and the ram His Divine spiritual, and at the same time spiritual members of the human race, may become clear from the meaning of a young bull and of a ram in the Word. Inaugurations into the priesthood were effected by means of spiritual things, for by means of spiritual things man is initiated into those which are celestial, or what amounts to the same, by means of the truths of faith he is initiated into good that stems from love. In a similar way when Aaron entered the Holy Place he was to offer a young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering, Leviticus 16:2-3.

[3] When a Nazirite was completing the period of his Naziriteship he was to offer one male lamb a year old without a blemish as a burnt offering, and one ewe-lamb a year old without a blemish as a sin offering, and one ram without blemish as a peace offering, Numbers 6:13-14, 16-17. The reason for these observances was that a Nazirite represented the celestial man, who is the likeness of the Lord, 51, 52, 1013. The celestial man is such that he is moved by celestial love, that is, by love to the Lord, and from this by celestial truth, 202, 337, 2069, 2715, 2718. This was why the Nazirite was required to sacrifice a male lamb and a ewe-lamb, meaning that which is celestial, and also to sacrifice a ram, meaning that which is spiritual. Young bulls, rams, and lambs were sacrificed at festivals. For example, on the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs, together with their minchah, were to be offered as a burnt offering, Numbers 28:18-20. On the day of the firstfruits too, two-young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs, together with their minchah, were to be offered as a burnt offering, Numbers 28:26-28. At new moons two young bulls, one ram, and seven lambs, together with their minchah, were to be offered as a burnt offering, Numbers 28:11-12; in the seventh month, on the first of the month, one young bull, one ram, seven lambs, together with their minchah; and on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen lambs; and so on, see Numbers 29:1-2, 12-14, 17-18, 20-24, 26-36. Young bulls and rams meant spiritual things, while lambs meant celestial. For at festivals it was required that those taking part were to be sanctified and were brought into that condition by means of spiritual things.

[4] Since 'rams' meant the Divine spiritual of the Lord's Divine Human, and also spiritual things residing with man, it is therefore said in Ezekiel, where the New Temple and the New Jerusalem, that is, the Lord's spiritual kingdom, are referred to, that when they had finished cleansing the altar they were to offer a young bull as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering; and for seven days they were to provide daily a he-goat for a sin offering, and a young bull and a ram, Ezekiel 43:23-25. Also 'on that day' the prince on behalf of all the people was to provide a young bull for a sin offering, and on the seven days of the feast seven young bulls and seven rams, together with the minchah, as a burnt offering, Ezekiel 45:22-24; and on the sabbath day he was to provide six lambs and a ram, Ezekiel 46:4; 6.

[5] As regards the New Temple and the New Jerusalem, these in the universal sense mean the Lord's kingdom, see 402, 940, and in particular a new Church, 2117. There neither burnt offerings nor sacrifices are offered, as may be well known to all; and from this it is evident that burnt offerings and sacrifices mean the celestial things of love and the spiritual things of faith; for these things belong to the Lord's kingdom, and so are akin to the things meant here by young bulls, rams, and lambs. As regards the young bulls and rams, these mean spiritual things, as is clear from each detail in this part of Ezekiel in the internal sense - in general from the fact that specifically the New Temple and the New Jerusalem mean the Lord's spiritual kingdom, while Zion means the celestial kingdom.

[6] That 'a ram' means that which is spiritual, or what amounts to the same, those who are spiritual, is also evident in Daniel. Daniel saw a ram with two horns which was standing before the river; and then he saw a he-goat which struck the ram, broke its horns, and trampled on it, Daniel 8:3-4, and following verses. Here 'the ram' is used to mean nothing else than the spiritual Church, and 'the he-goat' to mean those who are governed by faith separated from charity, that is, by truth separated from good, and who step by step rise up against what is good, and finally against the Lord - as is also described. In Samuel,

Samuel said to Saul, Does Jehovah delight as greatly in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in hearkening to the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to hearken is better than sacrifice, and to obey than the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22.

Here, since it is obedience - and so truth, which is spiritual - that is spoken of, and since what was said was addressed to the king - who also means truth, 1672, 2015, 2069 - the words used are not therefore 'better than the fat of oxen (or of lambs)' but 'better than the fat of rams'.

[7] In David,

When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a foreign people, Judah became His sanctuary, Israel His dominions. The sea looked and fled, and Jordan turned itself backwards. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like the young of the flock. What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn yourself backwards? O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like the young of the flock? At the presence of the Lord, you are in labour, O earth; at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, and the flint into a fountain of water. Psalms 114:1-end.

This refers in the internal sense to spiritual good following regeneration and describes the nature of that good. The celestial-spiritual nature of it is described as the mountains skipping like rams, and the celestial-natural as hills doing so like the young of the flock - 'mountains' meaning the celestial things of love, see 795, 1430. Anyone may see that these words, like all the rest of David's, contain matters that are holy, but within the internal sense, and that something spiritual is meant by the mountains skipping like rams, and the hills like the young of the flock, and by the earth going into labour at the presence of the Lord. Without the internal sense they would be expressions devoid of any real meaning.

[8] Much the same applies to the following in Moses,

He will cause him to ride over the heights of the land, and will cause him to eat the produce of the land, and will cause him to suck honey out of the crag, and oil out of the flinty rock - butter from the cattle, and milk from the flock, with the fat of lambs and rams, the breed ¹ of Bashan, and of goats, with the kidney-fat of wheat; and of the blood of the grape you will drink unmixed wine. Deuteronomy 32:13-15.

'Rams, the breed of Bashan' stands for celestial-spiritual things. As to what celestial-spiritual things are, see 1824. In David,

I will offer to You burnt offerings of things full of marrow, with the incense of rams; I will provide ox with he-goats. Psalms 66:15.

'Burnt offerings of things full of marrow' stands for the celestial things of love, 'incense of rams' for the spiritual things of faith.

[9] In Ezekiel,

Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, these were the merchants of your hand in lambs, in rams and he-goats. Ezekiel 27:21.

This refers to Tyre, which means those with whom cognitions of good and truth exist, 1201. 'Arabia' stands for their wisdom, 'princes of Kedar' for their intelligence, 'lambs' for celestial things, 'rams' for spiritual things, 'he-goats' for natural things, which come in order one after another. In Isaiah,

The whole flock of Kedar will be gathered to You, the rams of Nebaioth will minister to You; they will come up with acceptance on My altar, and I will beautify My beautiful house. Isaiah 60:7.

This refers to the Lord's Divine Human. 'The flock of Kedar' stands for Divine celestial things, 'the rams of Nebaioth' for Divine spiritual things. From all these references it may now become clear that 'a ram' in the internal sense means the Lord's Divine spiritual; and from this it means that which is spiritual with man, or what amounts to the same, it means spiritual members of the human race.

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