4453. 'Carry on trade throughout it, and have possessions in it' means matters of doctrine which, because they are comunicated, would accord with one another. This is clear from the meaning of 'carrying on trade" as acquiring cognitions for oneself and also communicating them, dealt with in 2967 - 'carrying on trade throughout the land' therefore meaning entering into the cognitions of good and truth which Shechem the son of Hamor and his city mean; and from the meaning of 'having posession of a land make one and accord with one another. The reason why 'carrying on trade' means acquiring cognitions for oneself and also communicating them is that in heaven, where the Word is perceived, which in general is the acquisition and communication of cognitions, and specifically the reality meant my whatever commodity is mentioned. For example, if gold is mentioned, the good of love and wisdom is understood, 113, 1551, 1552; if silver, the truth that belongs to intelligence and faith, 1551, 2048, 2954. If mention if made of sheep, rams, kids, or lambs with which people traded in ancient times, the kinds of things meant by sheep, rams, kids and lambs are understood; and so on.

[2] As in Ezekiel,

Say to Tyre, one that dwells upon the entrances of the seas, that she is the trader of the peoples to many islands: Tarshish was your merchant because of the abundance of all riches; silver, iron, tin, and lead, they exchanged for your wares. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were your traders in the souls of men - and they gave vessels of bronze for your commerce. The sons of Dedan were your traders; many islands were the merchandise of your hand. Syria was your merchant in the multitude of your handiworks; Judah, and the land of Israel, they were your traders. Wheat of Minnith, and pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm they exchanged for your commerce. Damascus was your merchant in the multitude of your handiworks, because of the multitude of all riches - in the wine of Helbon, and the wool of Zahar. Dan and Javan traded with yarn for your wares. Dedan was your trader in chariot cloaks. ¹ . The Arab and all the princes of Kedar were the merchants of your hand, in lambs, and rams, and goats; in these were they your merchants. The traders of Sheba and Raamah, they were your traders in the best of every spice; and by means of every precious stone and gold they provided your tradings. Haran and Canneh and Eden, the traders of Sheba; Asshur, Chilmad, was your trader. These were your traders in choice wares - balls of violet, and embroidered garments; and treasure-chests of precious garments, bound cords, and objects made of cedar were among your merchandise. The ships of Tarshish were your squadrons in your merchandise from which you have been filled and made exceedingly honoured in the heart of the seas. Ezekiel 27:1-25.

[3] From here and many other paces in the Word it may be seen that tradings, commerce, merchandise, and wares mean nothing other than undertakings involving cognitions of good and truth. For what connection can the prophetical Word have with the trading activities of Tyre unless they mean things that are spiritual and celestial? That being so, it is quite clear not only that things other than wares are meant by 'wares' but also that the nations mentioned by name there mean people among whom these other things reside. It is also clear that no one can know what is meant by any of them except from the internal sense - what is meant by Tarshish, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, the sons of Dedan, Syria, Judah, Israel, Dan, Javan, Dedan, the Arab, Shebah, Raamah, Haran, Canneh, Eden, Asshur, and Chilmad. Nor can one know what is meant by their wares - by silver, iron, tin, lead, vessels of bronze, wheat, minnith, pannag, honey, oil, balm, the wine of Helbon, the wool of Zahar, yarn, chariot-cloaks, lambs, rams, goats, spices, precious stones, gold, balls of violet embroidered garments, bound cords, and objects made of cedar. These and others like them mean the goods and truths of the Church and of the Lord's kingdom, and the cognitions of those goods and truths. It is because Tyre means cognitions, 1201, that Tyre is the subject at this point in Ezekiel. And because such 'wares', that is, goods and truths, exist in the Church and the Lord's kingdom, the land of Canaan, which means the Church and the Lord's kingdom, was from most ancient times so named from a word meaning wares or merchandise, for this is what the name Canaan means in the original language. From all this one may now see what is meant by 'carrying on trade throughout the land'.

Fußnoten:

10022. 'Before the tent of meeting' means to purification, the reception of truth from heaven, and the joining of it to good. This is clear from the representation of 'the tent of meeting' as heaven where the Lord is, dealt with in 9457, 9481, 9485. The reason why purification, the implantation of truth, and the joining of it to good are also meant here is that the young bull was led to that place to be sacrificed, and by sacrifices not only purification but also the implantation of truth and good and joining together of them are meant. For sacrifices represented purifications from evils and falsities, and expiations, see 9990, 9991, and the place before the tent, called its door, represented the joining together of truth and good, which is called the heavenly marriage, 10001. So it is then that 'you shall bring the young bull near before the tent of meeting' means the time when the external or natural man, as this exists in its infancy, applies itself to being purified from evils and falsities, and so to receiving truth from heaven and joining it to good.

[2] Since sacrifices and burnt offerings are the subject in what follows directly after this in the present chapter, what was represented by them in general must be stated. Burnt offerings and sacrifices in general represented purification from evils and falsities; and since purification was represented, so too was the implantation of goodness and truth from the Lord, and also the joining together of them. For when a person has been purified from evils and falsities, which is brought about by the removal of them, goodness and truth from the Lord flow in; and to the extent that goodness and truth flow in, in that state, they are implanted and joined together. For the Lord is unceasingly present with goodness and truth with every person, but He is received only to the extent that evils and falsities are removed, thus to the extent that the person is purified from them. The joining together of truth and good is regeneration. From this it may be seen what burnt offerings and sacrifices in general represented; but what each represented specifically is clear from the different kinds of living creatures that were sacrificed.

[3] Because these three - purification from evils and falsities, the implantation of truth and good, and the joining together of them - were represented by sacrifices and burnt offerings, all worship springing from the truth of faith and the good of love is also meant by them, 6905, 8680, 8936; for the end in view of all worship is that a person may be purified from evils and falsities, consequently that he may have forms of goodness and truth from the Lord implanted in him, and so may be regenerated, which is accomplished by the joining together of that goodness and truth. These joined together constitute heaven or the Lord's kingdom with a person.