10458. And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp. That this signifies hell, in which that nation then was, is evident from the signification of “the camp of the sons of Israel,” as being heaven and the church (see n. 4236, 10038); consequently when they were in idolatrous worship, adoring a calf instead of Jehovah, by their “camp” is signified hell; for what is representative of heaven and of the church is turned into what is representative of hell when the people turn themselves from Divine worship to diabolical worship, such as was the worship of the calf. The like is signified by “camp” in Amos:

I have sent among you the pestilence in the way of Egypt; your young men have I slain with the sword, with the captivity of your horses; so that I have made the stink of your camp to come up even into your nose (Amos 4:10).

The vastation of truth is here treated of, and when this is vastated, the “camp” signifies hell. That the vastation of truth is treated of is evident from the details of the passage as viewed in the internal sense; for “pestilence” denotes vastation (n. 7102, 7505); “way” denotes truth, and in the opposite sense falsity (n. 10422); “Egypt” denotes what is external, and also hell (see the places cited in n. 10437); “a sword” denotes falsity fighting against truth (see n. 2799, 4499, 6353, 7102, 8294); “young men” denote the truths of the church (n. 7668); “to be slain” denotes to perish spiritually (see n. 6767, 8902); “captivity” denotes the privation of truth (see n. 7990); “horses” denote an understanding which is enlightened (n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6534); and “a stink” denotes what is abominable exhaling from hell (n. 7161). From this it is evident that in this sense a “camp” denotes hell. Hell is also signified by the “camp” of the enemies who were against Jerusalem, and in general against the sons of Israel, in the historicals of the Word.

7989. A night of watches is this to Jehovah. That this signifies the presence of the Lord with those who are in truth and good, and with those who are in evil and thence in mere falsity, is evident from the signification of “night,” as being a state of damnation (see n. 7851); and from the signification of the “watches to Jehovah,” as being the presence of the Lord and thence protection; for by the presence of the Lord those are enlightened who are in good and thence in truth, and those are made blind who are in evil and thence in falsity; and also by the presence of the Lord those are brought out from damnation who are to be raised into heaven, for they are withheld from evil and are kept in good, and this by a strong force from the Lord; and by the presence of the Lord those also who are to be cast down into hell are brought into damnation, for according to the degree of the Lord’s presence they are in evil (n. 7926,7643). Hence then it is that this state and this time are called “a night of watches to Jehovah.” The presence of the Lord is described in what follows by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, to lead them (Exodus 13:21); and His presence both with those who were in good and truth, and with those who were in evil and falsity, is described by that pillar interposing itself between the camp of Israel and the camp of the Egyptians, and that when Jehovah looked forth from it to the camp of the Egyptians, the Egyptians were immersed in the sea Suph (Exodus 14:19-20, 24-27).