432. Verse 5. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.

"Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand," signifies love to the Lord, and that all who are in that love are in heaven, and come into heaven. "Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the light of truth from that good, and that all who are in that light are in heaven, and come into heaven. "Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand," signifies the good of life thence.

4969. 'Who made him go down there means a descent from this simple good to that factual knowledge. This is clear from the representation of 'the Ishmaelites who made him go down' as those in whom simple good is present, dealt with immediately above in 4968, and from the meaning of Egypt, to which 'there' refers here, as factual knowledge in general, dealt with just above in 4964, 4966. The expression 'going down' is used because the subject is factual knowledge which is exterior. For in the Word passing from interior things to exterior ones is described as 'going down', and passing from exterior to interior ones as 'going up', see 3084, 4539.