4815. And Judah went down from his brethren. That this signifies the posterity of Jacob, and specifically the tribe of Judah, which was separated from the rest, is evident from the representation of Judah, as being in the universal sense the posterity of Jacob, and in the specific sense the tribe called the tribe of Judah; and from the signification of “going down from his brethren,” as being to be separated from the rest of the tribes, here to go into worse evil than they; for “going down” involves to be cast down to evil, as “going up” involves elevation to good (n. 3084, 4539). The reason of this as before said is that the land of Canaan represented the Lord’s kingdom, and Jerusalem and Zion the inmost of it; but the regions outside the boundaries of that land represented those things which are outside the Lord’s kingdom, namely, falsity and evil. Therefore going from Zion and Jerusalem toward the boundaries was called “going down;” but going from the boundaries to Jerusalem and Zion was called “going up.” Hence “going up” involves elevation to what is true and good, and “going down,” to be cast down to what is false and evil. As the falsity and evil to which the tribe of Judah cast itself down are here treated of, it is said that Judah “went down,” and then that he “turned aside to a man, an Adullamite;” and by “turning aside” is signified turning to falsity, and afterward to evil.

[2] It is known that the tribe of Judah was separated from the rest of the tribes, and the reason was that this tribe might represent the Lord’s celestial kingdom, but the rest of the tribes His spiritual kingdom. For this reason also Judah in the representative sense is the celestial man, and in the universal sense the Lord’s celestial kingdom (n. 3654, 3881); and the rest of the tribes were called by the one name, “Israelites,” for Israel in the representative sense is the spiritual man, and in the universal sense the Lord’s spiritual kingdom (n. 3654, 4286).

[3] That the tribe of Judah went into worse evil than the rest is specifically signified by these words: “Judah went down from his brethren, and turned aside.” That the tribe of Judah went into worse evil than the rest is evident from many passages in the Word, especially in the prophets; as in Jeremiah:

Her treacherous sister Judah saw when for all the ways whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement; yet treacherous Judah her sister feared not, but she also went and committed whoredom, so that by the voice of her whoredom the land was profaned, she committed adultery with stone and wood; yet for all these things treacherous Judah hath not returned unto Me; backsliding Israel hath justified her soul more than treacherous Judah (Jeremiah 3:7-11).

And in Ezekiel:

Her sister indeed saw, yet she corrupted her love more than she, and her whoredoms above the whoredoms of her sister (Ezekiel 23:11);

speaking of Jerusalem and Samaria, or of the tribes of Judah and the tribes of Israel. So in many other places.

[4] In the internal sense that tribe is described as to how it lapsed into falsity, and thence into evil, and at last into mere idolatry. This is indeed described in the internal sense before that tribe was separated from the rest, and before it so came to pass; but what is in the internal sense is Divine, and to the Divine future things are present. (See what is foretold of this nation in Deuteronomy 31:16-22; 32:15-44)

3084. And came up. That this signifies elevation, is evident from the signification of “coming up,” as being to be elevated. Being elevated is said of passing from what is lower to what is higher, and also therefore of passing from what is exterior to what is interior, which is the same thing; for what is lower or higher in a human idea is exterior or interior in the angelic idea; for instance, heaven, which appears to man higher, but to angels interior; and the natural with man-this is exterior relatively to his spiritual; and so again is the spiritual relatively to the celestial; or what is the same, memory-knowledge, which is of the natural man, is exterior relatively to truth, and truth is exterior relatively to good; and therefore memory-knowledge relatively to truth is called a veil and also clothing, and truth likewise is so called relatively to good; and it is from this that one is said to “go up” to Jerusalem, but to “go down” from Jerusalem; also to “go up from Jerusalem to Zion,” and to “go down from Zion to Jerusalem;” for by what is round about Jerusalem are signified the exteriors of the church, but by Jerusalem the interiors, and by Zion the inmosts. As in the passage before us in the internal sense there is described the first of the elevation of truth out of the natural man to the rational, it is therefore said first that the affection of truth represented by Rebekah “went down to the fountain,” and then that she “came up;” for, as before said (n. 3074), the Divine love flows into the affection of good, and from this into the affection of truth, and vivifies and enlightens the things that are in the natural man, and then disposes them in order (this is signified by “going down”); and by virtue of this, truths are raised out of the natural man into the rational, and are conjoined with the good there (this is signified by “going up”).