6283. 'And in them will my name be called' means that in them the essential nature of the good of spiritual truth from the natural will be present. This is clear from the meaning of 'one's name being called in another' as the essential nature of one in the other, dealt with in 1754, 1896, 2009, 3421; and from the representation of 'Israel' as the good of spiritual truth from the natural, dealt with above in 6277. And since they had within them Israel's essential nature they were accepted among the rest of Jacob's sons and became tribes, one the tribe of Manasseh, the other the tribe of Ephraim. Along with the rest - though excluding the tribe of Levi because it became the priesthood - they made up the twelve tribes when inheritances were allotted to them, as described in Joshua and also Ezekiel 48.

357. Of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed. This symbolizes an affection for truth springing from goodness, producing intelligence in those people who will be part of the New Heaven and of the Lord's New Church.

In the highest sense Levi symbolizes love and mercy; in the spiritual sense, charity in practice, which constitutes goodness of life; and in the natural sense, association and conjunction. The name Levi also comes from a word meaning to attach, which in the Word symbolizes a conjunction by love. Here, however, Levi symbolizes a love or affection for truth and the resulting intelligence, because he comes after Simeon and is the middle one in this series.

Since this is what Levi represents, therefore that tribe became the priesthood (Numbers 3:1-51, Deuteronomy 21:5, and elsewhere).

That the tribe of Levi symbolizes a love of truth, which is the fundamental love that causes a church to be a church, and at the same time the resulting intelligence, can be seen from the following passages:

...Jehovah... has chosen (the sons of Levi) to minister to Him and to bless in (His) name. (Deuteronomy 21:5)

To bless in the name of Jehovah is to teach, and only those people can do this who possess an affection for truth and the resulting intelligence.

...they guard Your Word and keep Your covenant. They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, and Israel Your law. (Deuteronomy 33:8-11)

The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple..., and He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; and He will purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver... (Malachi 3:1-4)

To purify the sons of Levi is to purify people who have an affection for truth.

Because intelligence causes that affection to blossom, therefore the rod of Levi, with the name of Aaron written on it, blossomed with almonds (Numbers 17:2-11).