3186. Our sister, be thou for thousands of ten thousands. That this signifies the fructification of the affection of truth to infinitude, appears from the signification of “sister,” who is Rebekah, as being the affection of truth (see n. 3077, 3179, 3182); and from the signification of “being for thousands of ten thousands,” as being fructification to infinitude; “thousands of ten thousands” here denote what is infinite, because the subject treated of is the Lord, in whom all things both in general and in particular are infinite. With man the case is this: Goods are not fructified and truths are not multiplied with him, until the conjunction of truth and of good has been effected in his rational, that is, until he is regenerate; for then the fruits or offspring come forth from legitimate or heavenly marriage, which is that of good and truth. It is true that previously to this time the goods which he does appear as if they were goods and the truths appear as if they were truths; but they are not genuine, for the very soul, which is good wherein is innocence from the Lord, is not in them; thus neither do they affect the man and make him happy. The affection of love and of charity, together with the happiness thereof, which affection is the soul, is given of the Lord when man is being regenerated.

[2] That by “thousands” is signified much, and also what is infinite, may be seen above (n. 2575); and still more by “ten thousands,” and still more by “thousands of ten thousands,” as also in other passages. Thus in Moses:

When the ark rested, he said, Return Jehovah, the ten thousands of the thousands of Israel (Numbers 10:36); where by “the ten thousands of the thousands” is also signified what is infinite, because it is predicated of the Lord, who is here “Jehovah.” Again:

Jehovah rose from Seir unto them; He shone forth from Mount Paran, and came from the ten thousands of holiness (Deuteronomy 33:2); where “ten thousands” also denote what is infinite.

In David:

The chariots of God are ten thousands of thousands of peaceable ones (Psalms 68:17); where the “chariots of God” denote those things which are of the Word and of the doctrine thence derived; “ten thousands of thousands” denote the infinite things which are therein.

In John:

I saw, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne; their number was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands (Revelation 5:11);

denoting that they were innumerable.

2575. Behold I have given to thy brother a thousand of silver. That this signifies an infinite abundance of rational truth adjoined to good, is evident from the signification of a “thousand,” as being much and countless; here infinite, or an infinite abundance, because predicated of the Lord (concerning which signification see below); from the signification of “silver,” as being rational truth (see n. 1551, 2048); and from the signification of “brother,” as being celestial good adjoined to rational truth, as a brother to a sister (n. 2524, 2557). From all this it is evident that “I have given to thy brother a thousand of silver” signifies an infinite abundance of rational truth adjoined to good. Its being given to good, which is the “brother,” but not to truth, is because truth is from good, not good from truth. (Concerning this infinite abundance, see above, n. 2572.)

[2] That in the Word a “thousand” signifies much and countless, and when predicated of the Lord what is infinite, is manifest from the following passages.

In Moses:

I Jehovah thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons, upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate Me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments (Exodus 20:5-6; 34:7; Deuteronomy 5:9-10).

And in Jeremiah:

Jehovah showeth mercy unto thousands, and recompenseth the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their sons after them (Jeremiah 32:18).

In these passages by “thousands” is not signified any definite number, but what is infinite, for the Lord’s mercy is infinite, because Divine.

In David:

The chariots of God are two myriads, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them, Sinai in holiness (Psalms 68:17); where “myriads” and “thousands” denote things innumerable.

[3] In the same:

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and a myriad at thy right hand; it shall not come nigh thee (Psalms 91:7); where also a “thousand” and a “myriad” denote things innumerable; and as it is concerning the Lord, who in the Psalms is meant by “David,” they denote all who are His enemies. In the same:

Our garners are full, affording all manner of food, our flocks bring forth a thousand and ten thousand in our streets (Psalms 144:13); where also a “thousand,” and “ten thousand,” that is, a myriad, denote things innumerable. In the same:

A thousand years in Thine eyes are as yesterday when it is past (Psalms 90:4);

a “thousand years” denote what is without time, and therefore eternity, which is infinity of time.

In Isaiah:

One thousand from before the rebuke of one, from before the rebuke of five shall ye flee, until ye be left as a mast upon the top of a mountain (Isaiah 30:17); where “one thousand” denotes many without any definite number; and “five” a few (n. 649).

In Moses:

Jehovah the God of your fathers make you a thousand times as many more as ye are, and bless you (Deuteronomy 1:11); where a “thousand times” denotes numberless, as in common speech, in which also a “thousand” is used for many; as when it is said that a thing has been said a thousand times, or done in a thousand ways. In like manner in Joshua:

One man of you shall chase a thousand, for Jehovah your God fighteth for you (Josh. 23:10).

[4] As in computation a “thousand” is a definite number, it appears in the prophecies, especially when connected with history, as if a “thousand” meant simply a thousand, when yet it signifies many or innumerable, apart from any fixed number; for historical matters are of such a nature as to determine the ideas into the nearest and proper significations of the words, as also to the names given; when yet real things are signified in the Word by numbers as well as by names (as is evident from what has been shown before, n. 482, 487, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252). Hence also it is supposed by some that by the “thousand years” in the Revelation (Revelation 20:1-7) there are meant a thousand years or a thousand periods, for the reason as already said that things prophetic are there described under the form of history; when yet by the “thousand years” nothing is there meant except an indeterminate large amount, as elsewhere also infinity of time, or eternity.