4937. Spirits from hell sometimes use delusion to produce a shoulder with which they cause force to be repelled; it cannot even pass by them. But all this is solely for the protection of those employing that kind of delusion; for they know that in the spiritual world the shoulder corresponds to all power. In the Word too 'the shoulder' means all power, as is evident in the following places,

You have broken the yoke of his burden, and the rod of his shoulder. Isaiah 9:4.

You push with side and with shoulder, and butt with your horns. Ezekiel 34:21.

You will tear for them every shoulder. Ezekiel 29:6-7.

That they may serve Jehovah with one shoulder. Zephaniah 3:9.

To us a Boy is born, and the government will be upon His shoulder. Isaiah 9:6.

I will place the key of the house of David on His shoulder. Isaiah 22:22.

7945. 'So they did' means an act initiated by the will. This is clear from the fact that 'did' is repeated here, and that when used first it meant an act initiated by the understanding, whereas here it means an act initiated by the will. In the Word it is common for what seem like repetitions to occur in which one matter is mentioned twice. But the first mention has reference to truth that belongs to the understanding, and the second to good that belongs to the will. The reason for this is that every detail of the Word contains the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of goodness and truth, 683, 793, 801, 2173, 2516, 2712, 4138 (end), 5138, 5502, 6343, and contains in the highest sense the Divine marriage, which is that of Divine Good within the Lord and Divine Truth going forth from Him, 3004, 5502, 6179. These considerations show also that the Word is most holy.