9026. And he dieth not. That this signifies “and it is not extinguished” is evident from the signification of “dying,” as being to cease to be such as before (see n. 494, 6587, 6593), consequently to be extinguished, here not to be extinguished. As the internal sense here treats of the agreement of the truths of faith with the truths of the literal sense of the Word, and as the truths of the literal sense of the Word cannot be extinguished, because they are truths in the ultimate of order, therefore the smiting of a man from which he dies is not here treated of, but only the smiting of a man from which he does not die; for the truths of the literal sense of the Word can indeed be invalidated, but cannot be extinguished. Moreover after they have been invalidated, they can be set aside, but again by an unfolding of their meaning they can be restored. These things are signified by what was decreed about a man smitten by his companion, but rising again and walking upon his staff.

[2] He who investigates the interior things of the Word can see that for some secret reason which does not fall under the understanding unless this is enlightened by the light of heaven, it was decreed by the Lord that the smiter should be guiltless, if the person smitten rose again from his bed and walked abroad upon his staff; and especially that it was decreed by the Lord that he who smiteth his servant, and the servant die not for a day or two, should not be punished, because he is his silver; when yet this is the taking away of a man’s life, for the servant is a man, although a servant. But the secret reason why it was so decreed by the Lord does not appear except by means of the internal sense, in which the subject treated of is the truths of the church derived from the Word, the case with which is similar, when by “a man disputing and smiting his neighbor,” and also by “a man smiting his manservant and his maidservant,” are meant such things as in the spiritual sense correspond, and which are now unfolded. With the Israelitish nation there was instituted a representative church, that is, a church in which the internal things which are of heaven and the church were represented by external things. Therefore such things were decreed, and indeed commanded, as have no validity as laws since the internal things of the church were opened and revealed by the Lord; for since that time man is to live an internal life, which is a life of faith and charity, and such an external life as internal things make it.