2943. Of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying. That this signifies as to the doctrinal things through which there is faith, is evident from the signification of “gate,” as being entrance, thus that which introduces (in like manner as “door,” see n. 2145, 2152, 2356, 2385); and from the signification of “city,” as being the truth of faith (see n. 402, 2268, 2449, 2451, 2712). Cities in the Ancient Church were not like the cities of later times and of the present day, that is, assemblages and gatherings of people; but they were the dwelling together of separate families. The family of one parent constituted a city, as for instance the city of Nahor (to which Abraham’s servant came when he was to betroth Rebekah to Isaac, Genesis 24:10) was Nahor’s family which was there; and Shalem, the city of Shechem (to which Jacob came when he journeyed from Paddan-aram, Genesis 33:18; 34 (Genesis 34:2) (Genesis 34:4) (Genesis 34:6) (Genesis 34:8) (Genesis 34:11) (Genesis 34:13) (Genesis 34:18) (Genesis 34:20) (Genesis 34:24) (Genesis 34:26)) was the family of Hamor and Shechem, which was there; and so with the other cities of that time.

[2] And as they had learned from the most ancient people that nations and families represented the heavenly societies, and thus the things of love and charity (n. 655, 1159), so when a “city” is mentioned instead of a family, and “people” instead of nation, truth is signified which is of faith. Hence also the “city of God” and the “holy city,” in the genuine sense signify faith in the Lord; and as a walled town or city signified faith, the “gate” of the city signified doctrinal things, because these introduce to faith. This in the representative Jewish Church was also signified by the judges and the elders sitting in the gate of the city and judging there; as is plain from the historical parts of the Word; and also in Zechariah:

These are the words that ye shall do: Speak ye every man the truth with his companion, judge truth and the judgment of peace in your gates (Zech. 8:16).

Also in Amos:

Hate the evil and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate (Amos 5:15).

(That a “gate” also signifies the way of access to the rational mind, and that this mind is compared to a city, may be seen above, n. 2851)

655. That the “window” which was to be “made perfect to a cubit from above” signifies the intellectual part, anyone may see from what has now been said; and also from the fact that when the construction of the ark is being treated of, and by the “ark” is signified the man of the church, the intellectual part cannot be otherwise compared than to a “window from above.” And so in other parts of the Word: the intellectual part of man, that is, his internal sight, whether it be reason, or mere reasoning, is called a “window.” Thus in Isaiah:

O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest and not comforted, I will make thy suns (windows) of rubies, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy border of pleasant stones (Isaiah 54:11-12).

Here “suns” are put for “windows” from the light that is admitted, or transmitted. The “suns” or “windows” in this passage are intellectual things that come from charity, and therefore they are likened to a “ruby;” the “gates” are rational things thence derived; and the “border” is that which is of knowledge and the senses [scientificum et sensuale]. The Lord’s church is here treated of.

[2] All the windows of the temple at Jerusalem represented the same: the highest of them the intellectual things; the middle, rational things; and the lowest, the things of knowledge and the senses; for there were three stories (1 Kings 6:4, 6, 8). Likewise the windows of the new Jerusalem in Ezekiel 40:16, 22, 25, 33, 36).

In Jeremiah:

Death is come up into our windows, it is entered into our palaces; to cut off the little child from the street, the young men from the streets [vicis] (Jeremiah 9:21).

Windows of the middle story are here meant, which are rational things, it being meant that they are extinguished; the “little child in the street” is truth beginning.

[3] Because “windows” signify things intellectual and rational that are of truth, they signify also reasonings that are of falsity. Thus in the same Prophet:

Woe unto him that buildeth his house in what is not righteousness, and his chambers in what is not judgment; who saith, I will build me a house of measures, and spacious chambers, and he cutteth him out windows, and it is floored with cedar, and painted with vermilion (Jeremiah 22:13-14).

Here “windows” denote principles of falsity.

In Zephaniah:

Droves of beasts shall lie down in the midst of her, every wild animal of his kind [gentis], both the cormorant and the bittern [chippod] shall lodge in the pomegranates thereof; a voice shall sing in the window; wasting shall be upon the threshold (Zephaniah 2:14).

This is said of Asshur and Nineveh; “Asshur” denotes the understanding, here vastated; a “voice singing in the windows” reasonings from phantasies.