Verse 20. And this is the case also as to the will, as to the understanding, and as to the outward life; for evil invariably brings punishment upon itself, and he who acts from falsity must suffer the consequences of falsity.

4192. 'Gather stones; and they took stones and made a heap' means truths arising out of good. This is clear from the meaning of 'stones' as truths, dealt with just above in 4190, and from the meaning of 'a heap' as good. The reason why 'a heap' means good is that in former times before they used to construct altars people made heaps and ate on them as a witness to their being joined together in love. But later on, when the representatives of the ancients were regarded as being holy, instead of heaps they built altars, which also consisted of stones but arranged more methodically, Joshua 22:28, 34. This is why 'a heap' has a similar meaning to an altar, namely the good of love, the stones of it meaning the truths of faith.