844. From this verse down to verse 6 the subject is the first state of the member of this Church following temptation. The present verse means the end of temptation. Previously the subject has been his temptation as regards things of the will, and also his temptation as regards those of the understanding. The end of temptation as regards things of the will is meant by 'the fountains of the deep were stopped', and as regards those of the understanding by 'the floodgates of heaven'. That this is the meaning of these phrases has been stated and shown already at Chapter 7:11, and that 'rain' means temptation itself at 7:12. Consequently there is no need to pause any longer to confirm these matters.

'To smite' signifies condemnation.

'To smite the earth with every plague as often as they will,' as in Revelation 11:6, signifies the destruction of the church by all kinds of evils and falsities.

Among the ancients, who lived in an age of representatives and meaningful signs, 'to smite the mother with the children' was a proverbial expression meaning the destruction of the Church and of everything that belonged to the Church either in general, or in particular with anyone who in himself is a Church. 'Mother' was used to mean the Church, and 'children' or 'sons,' truths which belonged to the Church. So 'to smite the mother with the children' means to perish completely, as a person also perishes completely when the Church and what belongs to the Church perishes in him, or when the affection for truth, which is the meaning of 'mother' and constitutes the Church in a person, is destroyed. 

'To smite,' as in Genesis 32:8, signifies destruction.

In Genesis 14:15, this signifies vindication.

(Odkazy: Arcana Coelestia 7871)