2952. In the ears of the people of the land. That this signifies even to obedience as to the truths of the church, is evident from the signification of the “ear,” as being obedience (see n. 2542, 2942); and from the signification of the “people of the land,” as being those who are of the spiritual church, and also the truths of this church (see n. 1259, 1260, 2928).

1260. Because in the Most Ancient and in the Ancient Church, nations signified goods, or good men, therefore in the opposite sense they signify evils, or evil men. In like manner peoples, because they signified truths, in the opposite sense signify falsities. For in a depraved church good is turned into evil, and truth into falsity. Hence comes the signification of “nations” and of “peoples” in this opposite sense in many places in the Word, as in Isaiah 13:4; 14:6; 18:2, 7; 30:28; 34:1-2; Ezekiel 20:32.