3707. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth. That this signifies that Divine truth natural would be as natural good, is evident from the signification of “seed,” as being truth (see above, n. 3706); hence “thy seed,” or the seed of Jacob, is Divine truth natural, for by Jacob is represented the Lord’s Divine natural, as shown above-and from the signification of the “dust of the earth,” as being good (see n. 1610). Therefore “thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth,” signifies in the internal sense that Divine truth natural should be as Divine good natural. That the “dust of the earth” signifies good, is because by “earth” is signified the Lord’s kingdom, consequently good, as shown above (n. 3705); the “dust of that earth” therefore signifies good, but natural good, because by “earth,” as also shown above, is signified that which is lower in the Lord’s kingdom, thus the natural; while “heaven,” when it also is mentioned, signifies that which is interior, or the rational. This is the reason why fructification of good and multiplication of truth are expressed in the Word throughout by “seed becoming as the stars of the heavens and as the dust of the earth.” By the “stars of the heavens” are there signified rational things; and by the “dust of the earth,” natural things, which thus increase. What is meant by natural truth being as natural good, will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be explained hereafter.

1610. I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth. That this signifies multiplication immeasurably, is evident without explication. It is here said that his seed should be made “as the dust of the earth;” in other places in the Word, “as the sand of the sea,” and in others, “as the stars of the heavens.” Each expression has its own peculiar signification. “The dust of the earth” refers to things that are celestial, for “the earth,” as before shown, signifies the celestial of love. “The sand of the sea” refers to things that are spiritual; for “the sea,” as has also been shown, signifies the spiritual of love. “As the stars of the heavens” signifies both of these, in a higher degree; and as none of these things can be numbered, it became a customary form of speaking to express by them immeasurable fructification and multiplication.

[2] That his seed (that is, the faith of love, or love) should be immeasurably multiplied, in the supreme sense, signifies the Lord, and in fact His Human Essence; for the Lord as to His Human Essence was called “the Seed of the woman” (see n. 256). And when the Lord’s Human Essence is signified, by immeasurable multiplication is meant the infinite celestial and spiritual; but when the faith of charity, or charity, in the human race, is signified by “seed,” it is meant that this seed in each one who lives in charity is immeasurably multiplied; as also comes to pass in the other life, with everyone who lives in charity. With such a one, charity and the derivative faith, and, together with these, happiness, are multiplied to such a degree, that it can only be described as immeasurable, and beyond words. When by “seed” there is signified the human race, the multiplication of this in the Lord’s Kingdom is also immeasurable, not only from those who are within the church and their children, but also from those who are without the church and their children. Hence the kingdom of the Lord, or heaven, is immeasurable. Concerning its immensity, of the Lord’s Divine mercy more will be said elsewhere.