8421. And it shall be in the sixth day. That this signifies in the end of every state, is evident from the signification of “day,” as being state (see n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850, 7680); and from the signification of “the sixth,” as being the end of a state. The reason why “the sixth day” denotes the end of a state is that “seven days” or “a week” signify an entire period, or a full state (n. 2044, 3845, 6508); whence the day preceding the seventh, that is, the sixth day, signifies the end of this state; and the day following, or the eighth day, signifies the beginning of the same state (n. 2044, 8400).

493. That by “days” and “years” are signified times and states needs no further explication, except to say that in the world there must needs be times and measures, to which numbers may be applied because they are in the ultimates of nature; but whenever they are applied in the Word, the numbers of the days and years, and also of the measures, have a signification abstractedly from the times and measures, in accordance with the signification of the number; as where it is said that there are six days of labor, and that the seventh is holy, of which above; that the jubilee should be proclaimed every forty-ninth year, and should be celebrated in the fiftieth; that the tribes of Israel were twelve, and the apostles of the Lord the same; that there were seventy elders, and as many disciples of the Lord; and so in many other instances where the numbers have a special signification abstractedly from the things to which they are applied; and when thus abstracted, then it is states that are signified by the numbers.