9155. To see whether he hath put his hand to his companion’s work. That this signifies to see whether they have entered into good, is evident from the signification of “whether he hath put his hand,” as being whether good has caused to be of its own right and power; and from the signification of “in his companion’s work,” as being the truth and memory-knowledge which have been taken away; for the silver and vessels that were given to be taken care of, and were stolen, are what are called the “companion’s work.” (That the “silver and vessels” denote truths and memory-knowledges, see above, n. 9149) From this it is evident that by “to see whether the lord of the house hath put his hand to his companion’s work” is signified whether good has caused to be of its own right and power the truths and memory-knowledges that had been taken away; thus whether these had previously entered into good (according to what was shown just above, n. 9154). (That “the hand” denotes power, see n. 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5296, 6292, 7188, 7189, 7518, 7673, 8153; also that “in the hand” denotes that which is with anyone and in anyone, n. 9133)

9149. When a man shall give to his companion silver or vessels to take care of. That this signifies truths from good and the corresponding knowledges in the memory, is evident from the signification of “silver,” as being truth from good (see n. 1551, 2954, 5658, 6914, 6917, 7999, 8932); from the signification of “vessels,” as being memory-knowledges (see n. 3068); that corresponding memory-knowledges are meant is because all spiritual truths are stored up in memory-knowledges as in their vessels (n. 3079); and all memory-knowledges correspond to the truths which are contained; and from the signification of “to take care of,” as being to be in the memory; for in the spiritual sense, in which truths and memory-knowledges are treated of, “to be taken care of” denotes to be kept in the memory, because it is in this that such things are taken care of. “A man giving to his companion to take care of,” denotes to store up within himself in the memory, for that which in the sense of the letter is said of one person and another, as here of a man and his companion, in the internal sense is understood of one; for two truths, as also a truth and the corresponding memory-knowledge, are in a human being as a man and his companion.