9555. 'And there shall be six branches going out of its sides' means all the capacities of truth derived from good in their entirety. This is clear from the meaning of 'six' as all in their entirety, dealt with in 3960 (end), 7973, 8148; and from the meaning of 'branches going out of the sides' as truths derived from good. For the branches out of the lampstand have a similar meaning to human arms and hands, because every single thing that exists in the natural order bears resemblance to the human form and for that reason has a spiritual meaning, 9496, 9553. The arms and hands on a person correspond to truths derived from good, and consequently to power, 878, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 6292, 6947, 7188, 7189, 7205, 7518, 7673, 8050, 8153, 8281, 9025, 9133. From all this it is evident that 'six branches going out of the sides' means all the capacities of truth derived from good in their entirety.

1322. 'So that they do not hear each man the lip of his companion' means that all were at variance with one another, that is, one man was opposed to the next. This becomes clear from the words themselves. 'Not hearing a companion's lip' is not acknowledging what another says, and in the internal sense not acknowledging what another teaches, which is his doctrine - for 'lip' is doctrine, as shown above at verse 1. They do indeed acknowledge it with the lips but not with the heart, and assent with the lips is worthless when there is no assent in the heart. This is similar to the situation that exists with evil spirits in the next life, who are distinguished into separate communities just as good spirits are. But they are joined and held together by their having similar delusions and evil desires, so that they act together in persecuting truths and goods. So they have a common interest to hold them together. But as soon as that common interest ceases to exist one rushes at another, and their joy then consists in torturing one or more of their companions. The same applies in the world where doctrine and worship of this kind exist. People may be quite united in their acceptance of what is a matter of doctrine or religious practice, but the common interest holding them together is worship of self. And their acceptance is proportional to their ability to share in that common interest. But to the extent they cannot share or have any hope of sharing that common purpose they split up, for the reason mentioned just above, that not one of these people possesses any truth but every one has falsity in place of truth, and evil in place of good. This then is what is meant by 'Each man not hearing the lip of his companion'.