7049. Then she said, A bridegroom of bloods as to circumcisions. That this signifies that although the internal was full of violence and hostility against truth and good, still circumcision was to be received as a sign representative of purification from filthy loves, is evident from the signification of a “bridegroom of blood,” as being what is full of all violence and hostility against truth and good (of which above, n. 7047); and from the signification of “circumcision,” as being a sign representative of purification from filthy loves (see n. 2039, 2632, 3412, 3413, 4462, 4486, 4493). This is said by Zipporah, because it was now permitted that nation to represent the church, which is signified by “ceasing from killing him” (n. 7048). Circumcision was made a sign representative of purification, because by “cutting off the foreskin” was signified the removal of filthy loves, and thereby the laying bare of the internal (n. 7045); and therefore when the internal is not at all attended to, as was the case with that nation, which was in externals without an internal, there then remains the signification of circumcision or the cutting off of the foreskin, namely, the removal of filthy loves, thus purification, for which reason it could serve as a representative sign.

7045. And cut off the foreskin of her son. That this signifies the removal of filthy loves, and thereby the laying bare of the internal, is evident from the signification of “cutting off,” as being to remove; from the signification of “the foreskin,” as being earthly and bodily love, which defiles spiritual and celestial love (see n. 3412, 4462); and from the signification of “son,” as being the truth of the representative church. That a “son” denotes truth may be seen above (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); and that it denotes the truth of that church, is because Zipporah represents that church, and calls him her “son,” and by him shows the quality of that nation, and hence the quality of its worship. That by the “foreskin” are signified filthy loves, is because the loins with the genitals correspond to conjugial love (n. 5050-5062); and because they correspond to conjugial love, they correspond to all celestial and spiritual love (n. 686, 4277, 4280, 5054); and therefore the foreskin corresponds to the most external loves, which are called bodily and earthly. If these loves are devoid of internal loves, which are called spiritual and celestial, they are filthy, as was the case with that nation, which was in externals without an internal. It is said “without an internal,” and by this is meant no acknowledgment of truth, and no affection of good, thus no faith, and no charity, for these are of the internal man, and from them proceed the activities of charity, which are external goods. This internal, which is devoid of faith and charity, and yet is full of evils and falsities, is called by the Lord “empty” (Matthew 12:43-45); hence it is said, “an external without an internal.” Now as by the “foreskin” are signified loves the most external, therefore when they are removed, as is signified by Zipporah’s cutting off the foreskin, the quality of these loves appears, thus the laying bare of the internal.