9659. And there shall be eight planks, and their bases of silver. That this signifies support in every way by good, and through the truth which is from good, is evident from the signification of “eight,” as being in every way, of which in what follows; from the signification of “planks,” as being the good which supports (see n. 9634); and from the signification of “bases of silver,” as being support through the truth which is from good (n. 9643).

[2] That “eight” denotes in every way is because by this number is signified the same as by “two,” and by “four,” for it arises from these multiplied together, and by “two” and “four” is signified conjunction to the full (n. 5194, 8423, 8877), and from this also what is full (see n. 9103), and consequently in every way; for that which is in fullness is also in every way. By “eight” is also signified what is full and in every way, from the fact that by a “week” is signified an entire period from beginning to end (n. 2044, 3845); consequently by “the eighth day” is signified a full state, from which there is afterward made a new beginning. From this it was that male children were circumcised when eight days old (Genesis 17:12; 21:4); for by “circumcision” was signified purification from filthy loves by means of the truth of faith (n. 2039, 2046, 2799, 3412-3413, 4462); the foreskin corresponded to the defilement of good by these loves (n. 4462, 7045, 7225); and “the sword of stone,” with which the circumcision was performed, signified the truth of faith by means of which purification is effected (n. 2039, 2046, 2799, 7044).

[3] What is full and in every way is also signified by “eight” after “seven,” in Micah:

When Asshur shall come into our land, and shall tread our palaces, then shall we set over him seven shepherds and eight princes of men. And they shall feed on the land of Asshur with the sword; and He shall deliver us from Asshur (Micah 5:5-6);

“Asshur” denotes reasoning about the goods and truths of the church from man’s own intelligence; total or complete deliverance from the falsity thence, is signified by the “eight princes of men who shall destroy;” the “princes of men” denote the primary truths of good.

[4] That “eight” denotes what is full, and in every way, is also plain from experience concerning the admission and reception of societies into heaven (as may be seen above, n. 2130). The societies that were first received appeared up to twelve in number, and afterward eight; for those who are admitted and received into heaven are those who have been purified from earthly things, and therefore from the loves of them, and who have afterward been instructed; by the number “eight” was then signified what is full.

[5] The like is signified by “eight” in other parts of the Word, as by the porch of the gate from the house being “eight ells,” and by there being “eight steps” to the house, in Ezekiel 40:9, 31, 41. A new house is there treated of, by which is signified a New Church of the Lord; the truths which lead to good, and from good to truths, are signified by the porch and by the steps.

[6] He who knows not that in the Word numbers infold realities, is bound to get the idea that where the tabernacle, the temple of Solomon, and afterward a new house, and a new temple, and a new earth, are described in Ezekiel, the measurements and numbers have no real meaning, and therefore no holiness, although in the Word not a syllable is void of meaning. Let him who has intelligence consider the measurements and numbers in Ezekiel, from chapter 40 to chapter 48, and the measurements and numbers given by John in the Revelation, chapter 21, where also it is said that “the angel measured the wall of the New Jerusalem a hundred forty and four cubits,” and that “this measure is that of a man, that is, of an angel” (verse 17); also in another passage: “He that hath intelligence, let him compute the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six” (Revelation 13:18); besides those given in many other passages. (That all the numbers mentioned in the Word signify real things, see n. 482, 487, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4264, 4495, 4670, 5265, 5291, 5335, 5708, 6175, 7973; and in the places where it has been shown what is signified by some numbers in particular.)

4264. Thirty milch camels and their colts, forty heifers and ten bullocks, twenty she-asses and ten foals. That this signifies things of service general and special, is evident from the signification of “camels and their colts,” and of “heifers and bullocks,” also of “she-asses and their foals” as being the things which are of the natural man (concerning which see above—as to camels, n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145; bullocks, n. 1824, 1825, 2180, 2781, 2830; and she-asses, n. 2781). That the things which are of the natural man are relatively things of service, may also be seen above (n. 1486, 3019, 3020, 3167). Hence it is that by these animals are signified things of service general and special. As regards the number, of she-goats two hundred, of he-goats twenty, of ewes two hundred, of rams twenty, of camels and their colts thirty, of heifers forty, of bullocks ten, of she-asses twenty, and of their foals ten, these are arcana which cannot be opened without much explication and ample deduction; for all numbers in the Word signify actual things (n. 482, 487, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252); and what they signify has been shown in the foregoing pages where they have occurred.

[2] I have sometimes wondered that when the speech of the angels fell down into the world of spirits, it fell also into various numbers; and also that where numbers were read in the Word, real things were understood by the angels. For number never penetrates into heaven, because numbers are measures of both space and of time, these being of the world and of nature, to which in the heavens correspond states and changes of states. The most ancient people, who were celestial men and had communication with angels, knew what was signified by every number, even by the compound ones; and from them their signification was handed down to their posterity, and to the sons of the Ancient Church. These are things which will hardly be credited by the man of the church at this day, who believes nothing to have been stored up in the Word more holy than what appears in the letter.

7973. About six hundred thousand on foot that were men. That this signifies all things of the truth and good of faith in one complex, is evident from the signification of the number “six hundred thousand,” as being all things of faith in one complex; for this number arises from six and also from twelve, and “twelve” signifies all things of faith and charity (see n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913). It is for this reason that the sons of Jacob were twelve, and that their posterity were distinguished into twelve tribes, and also that twelve disciples were adopted by the Lord, namely, to represent all things of faith and charity. (Concerning the tribes see n. 3858, 3862, 3913, 3926, 4060, 6335, 6337, 6640, 7836, 7891; concerning the disciples, n. 3354, 3488, 3858, 6397.)

[2] That here “six hundred thousand” has a similar signification, is because a number greater or less, or multiplied, or divided, involves the like as the simple numbers from which it is derived (n. 5291, 5335, 5708). This is very clear from the number “twelve,” which has a like signification whether divided into six, or multiplied to seventy-two, or to one hundred and forty-four-that is, twelve times twelve,—or to twelve thousand, or to one hundred and forty-four thousand, as the “one hundred and forty-four thousand” spoken of in John:

I heard the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty and four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel, out of each tribe twelve thousand (Revelation 7:4-5);

here by the “sons of Israel” are not meant the sons of Israel, nor by “tribes” tribes, nor by “number” number, but such things as are in the internal sense, namely, all things of faith and charity, and thus by each tribe specifically one genus or one class, according to what has been unfolded in regard to the contents of the twenty-ninth and thirtieth chapters of Genesis.

[3] In like manner in the same:

Behold the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty and four thousand, having the name of His Father written upon their foreheads. They sang a new song before the throne, and no one could learn the song save the hundred and forty and four thousand bought from the earth. These are they who follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were bought from men, the firstfruits to God and the Lamb (Revelation 14:1, 3-4).

From this description it is clear that they who are in charity are meant by “the hundred and forty and four thousand,” and it is also clear that this number merely designates state and quality.

[4] For this number designates the like as “twelve,” because it arises from “twelve thousand” and “twelve” multiplied together; in like manner as the lesser number “one hundred and forty-four” which is twelve times twelve, in the same:

He measured the wall of the holy Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, a hundred and forty and four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is, of an angel (Revelation 21:2, 17).

That in the spiritual sense the “wall of the holy Jerusalem” does not mean a wall, but the truth of faith defending the things of the church, see n. 6419; for which reason also it is said that it was “a hundred and forty and four cubits.” That such is the meaning is very clear, for it is said that this measure is “the measure of a man, that is, of an angel,” and by “man” and by “angel” is signified everything of the truth and good of faith.

[5] And the same is evident from the twelve precious stones of which was the foundation of the wall, and from the twelve gates, each of which was a pearl (verses 19-21), for by “precious stones” are signified the truths of faith which are from the good of charity (n. 643, 3720, 6426), as likewise by a “gate” and also by a “pearl.” From this then it is evident that a lesser and a greater number involve the like as the simple number from which they come. (That all numbers mentioned in the Word signify real things, see n. 482, 487, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4264, 4495, 4670, 5265, 6175.)

[6] From all this it can now be seen that the number “six hundred thousand men” going forth out of Egypt has also such a signification. That this number signifies such things scarcely anyone can believe, for the reason that it is a matter of history, and everything historical keeps the mind continually in the external sense, and withdraws it from the internal sense. Nevertheless this number has such a signification, for there is not even a syllable, nor yet one jot or one point in the Word, which is not in itself holy, because it infolds in itself what is holy. Everyone sees that there is nothing holy in the mere historical fact.