4600. And it came to pass, while Israel abode in this land. That this signifies when in this state, namely, of good from truth, is evident from the signification of “to abide,” as being to live, for “to abide” signifies the like as “to dwell,” but with the difference that “to abide” is predicated of truth, and “to dwell” of good (that “to dwell” denotes to be and to live, thus state, may be seen above, n. 3384); from the signification of “land,” as being the church as to good (n. 566, 662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 2571, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535), here as to the good of truth, the state of which (in which Israel now was) is what is signified.

1262. From what has been said it may now be seen that by “the earth” is here signified the church; for when “earth” (or “land”) is mentioned, there cannot but be a perception of the nation or people there; and when a nation or people is perceived, there must be a perception of their quality. Hence by “the earth” nothing else is signified than the church, as has been shown before n. 662, 1066).