5339. And the earth made gatherings [collections] in the seven years of abundance of produce. That this signifies the first states when truths are multiplied in series, is evident from the signification of “seven years,” as being the first states, for the seven years of abundance of produce came first, and the seven years of famine came after (that “years” are states, see n. 482, 487, 488, 493, 893); and from the signification of “abundance of produce,” as being the multiplication of truth (n. 5276, 5280, 5292); by “the earth made” is signified that this multiplication took place in the natural, for the “earth” here is the natural (as just above, n. 5338); and from the signification of “gatherings,” as being series. In regard to the series signified by “gatherings,” the case is this. With the man who is being reformed, general truths are first instilled, then the particulars of the generals, and finally the singulars of the particulars; the particulars are arranged under the generals, and the singulars under the particulars (n. 2384, 3057, 4269, 4325, 4329, 4345, 4383, 5208). These arrangings or settings in order are signified in the Word by “bundles,” here by “handfuls” or “gatherings,” and they are nothing but the series into which truths when multiplied are arranged or set in order. With the regenerate these series are according to the setting in order of the societies in the heavens; but with those who are not and cannot be regenerated, they are according to the setting in order of the societies in the hells. Hence the man who is in evil, and thence in falsity, is a hell in the least form; and the man who is in good, and thence in truth, is a heaven in the least form. But in regard to these series, of the Lord’s Divine mercy more elsewhere.

5292. In the seven years of abundance of produce. That this signifies that had been instilled at the times when truths with goods were multiplied, is evident from the signification of “years,” as being states, and hence also times (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “abundance of produce,” as being the multiplication of truth, or truth multiplied (of which above, n. 5276, 5278, 5280); here therefore are signified truths with goods multiplied, because truths are nothing without goods, and no truths are stored up in the inner man (of which just above, n. 5291), except such as are conjoined with goods. That “years” signify not only states, but also times, is because in the internal sense “years” signify entire states, that is, entire periods from the beginning of a state to the end. These periods cannot be expressed otherwise than by times, nor can they be apprehended as anything else by those who are in time. (That “years” and “days” are both states and times, may be seen above, n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2906)