10498. That Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin. That this signifies a complete estrangement and turning away, is evident from the signification of “sin,” as being a turning away and estrangement from the Divine (see n. 5229, 5474, 5841, 7589, 9346), here a complete turning away and estrangement, because it is called “a great sin.” Turning away and estrangement from the Divine is complete when there is no longer received anything of truth and good from heaven, for the truth and good from heaven is the Divine with man. That with that nation there was no reception of truth and good from heaven, consequently that there was a complete turning away from the Divine, is described by these words in Isaiah:

Say to this people, Hearing hear ye, but understand not; and seeing see ye, but know not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and blot out their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and their heart should understand, and be converted, that they may be healed (Isaiah 6:9-10; also John 12:37-40);

it is said, “lest they be converted that they may be healed,” by which is signified that if they were to understand the internal things of the Word, of the church, and of worship, they would profane them (according to what was said above, n. 10490).

10491. And the sons of Leviticus did according to the word of Moses. That this signifies this accomplished by those who are in truths from good, is evident from the representation of the sons of Levi, as being those who are in truths from good, and in the abstract sense, truths from good (see above, n. 10485); and from the signification of “doing according to the word of Moses,” as being the accomplishment.