746. For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, signifies when those have been separated from heaven and condemned to hell who have assaulted the life of faith, which is charity. This is evident from the signification of "cast down," as being, in reference to the dragon, that those who are meant by "the dragon" have been separated from heaven and condemned to hell (of which above, n. 739, 742); also from the signification of "the accuser of our brethren," as being those who have assaulted the life of faith, which is charity, for an "accuser" signifies one who attacks, denounces, and reproaches, for he that accuses also attacks, denounces, and reproaches. Moreover, the same term in the original tongue means an adversary and one who reproaches; and what is wonderful, those who are "dragons," although they make no account of the life, yet in the spiritual world they accuse the faithful if they observe any evil of ignorance, for they inquire into their life for the purpose of arraigning and condemning, and thence they are called accusers.

[2] But "the brethren" whom they accuse mean all who are in the heavens as well as all on the earth who are in the good of charity; such are called "brethren" because they all have one Father, namely, the Lord, and those who are in the good of love to the Lord and in the good of charity towards the neighbor are His sons, and are called "sons of God," "sons of the kingdom," and "heirs." It follows, therefore, that as they are the sons of one Father they are brethren. Moreover, it is the primary commandment of the Lord, the Father, that they should mutually love one another, consequently it is love from which they are brethren; and love also is spiritual conjunction. From this it came that with the ancient people in the churches in which charity was the essential, all were called brethren, so likewise in our Christian Church at its beginning. This is why "brother" in the spiritual sense signifies charity. That formerly all who were of one church called themselves brethren and that the Lord calls those brethren who are in love to Him and in charity towards the neighbor, can be seen from many passages in the Word. But in order that what is signified by "brother" may be distinctly perceived it shall be illustrated from the Word.

[3] 1. That all who were of the Israelitish Church called themselves "brethren" can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

Then shall they bring all your brethren out of all nations an offering unto Jehovah (Isaiah 66:20).

In Jeremiah:

No one shall cause a Jew to serve his brother (Jeremiah 34:9).

In Ezekiel:

Son of man, thy brethren, thy brethren, the sons ¹ of thy kindred, and the whole house of Israel (Ezekiel 11:15).

In Micah:

Until the remnant of his brethren return unto the sons of Israel (Micah 5:3).

In Moses:

Moses went out unto his brethren that he might see their burdens (Exodus 2:11).

Moses said unto Jethro his father-in-law, Let me return to my brethren that are in Egypt (Exodus 4:18).

When thy brother shall be waxen poor (Leviticus 25:25, 35, 47).

But in reference to your brethren, the sons of Israel, a man shall not rule over his brother with rigor (Leviticus 25:46).

Would that we had died when our brethren died before Jehovah (Numbers 20:3).

Behold a man of the sons of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman (Numbers 25:6).

Thou shalt open thine hand to thy brother; when thy brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, shall be sold to thee he shall serve thee six years (Deuteronomy 15:11, 12).

If anyone shall steal a soul of his brethren, and he shall make gain of him (Deuteronomy 24:7).

Forty times thou shalt strike ² him, and he shall not add, lest thy brother be accounted vile in thine eyes (Deuteronomy 25:3; and elsewhere).

From this it can be seen that all the sons of Israel were called brethren among themselves; the primary reason of their being so called was that they were all descendants of Jacob, who was their common father; but the remote reason was that "brother" signifies the good of charity, and as this good is the essential of the church, all are also spiritually conjoined by it. Another reason is that "Israel" in the highest sense signifies the Lord, and thence "the sons of Israel" signify the church.

[4] 2. They also called themselves "man and brother," likewise "companion and brother," as in the following passages. In Isaiah:

The land has been darkened, and the people have become as food of the fire; they shall not spare a man his brother; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm, Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh (Isaiah 9:19-21).

"Man and brother" signify truth and good, and in the contrary sense falsity and evil, therefore it is said "Manasseh shall eat Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh," for "Manasseh" signifies voluntary good, and "Ephraim" intellectual truth, both of the external church, and in the contrary sense evil and falsity. (But this may be seen explained above, n. 386, 440, 600, 617.)

[5] In the same:

I will commingle Egypt with Egypt, that they may fight a man against his brother and a man against his companion, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom (Isaiah 19:2).

"Egypt" here signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual; and because this is in no light of truth it is continually contending about good and evil and truth and falsity, and this contention is signified by "I will commingle Egypt with Egypt, that they may fight a man against his brother and a man against his companion," "brother and companion" signifying good from which is truth and truth from good, and in the contrary sense evil from which is falsity and falsity from evil; therefore it is added, "city against city, and kingdom against kingdom;" "city" signifying doctrine, and "kingdom" the church from doctrine, which will contend in like manner.

[6] In the same:

They help a man his companion, and he saith to his brother, Be strong (Isaiah 41:6).

"Companion and brother" have here a similar signification as above. In Jeremiah:

Take ye heed a man of his companion, and trust ye not in any brother; for every brother supplanteth, and every companion doth slander (Jeremiah 9:4).

In the same:

I will scatter them, a man with his brother (Jeremiah 13:14).

In the same:

Thus shall ye say a man to his companion and a man to his brother, What hath Jehovah answered? (Jeremiah 23:35)

In the same:

Ye have not hearkened unto Me, to proclaim liberty a man to his brother and a man to his companion (Jeremiah 34:9, 17).

In Ezekiel:

A man's sword shall be against his brother (Ezekiel 38:21).

In Joel:

They shall not thrust forward a man his brother (Joel 2:8).

In Micah:

They all lie in wait for bloods, they hunt a man his brother with a net (Mic. Micah 7:2).

In Zechariah:

Do mercy and compassion a man with his brother (Zechariah 7:9).

In Malachi:

Wherefore do we deal treacherously a man against his brother? (Malachi 2:10)

In Moses:

There was thick darkness of darkness over all the land of Egypt; a man saw ³ not his brother (Exodus 10:22, 23).

In the same:

At the end of seven years every creditor shall remit his hand when he hath loaned anything to his companion, and he shall not exact from his companion or his brother (Deuteronomy 15:1, 2);

and elsewhere. In the nearest sense a "man" means everyone, and "brother" one of the same tribe because in blood-relationship, "and companion" one of another tribe because allied only by affinity; but in the spiritual sense "man" signifies anyone who is in truths, then also anyone who is in falsities; "brother" signifies anyone who is in the good of charity, and in an abstract sense that good itself, and "companion" anyone who is in truth from that good, and in an abstract sense that truth itself; and in the contrary sense these signify the evil opposite to the good of charity and the falsity opposite to the truth from that good. Both terms, "brother" and "companion," are used because ⁴ there are two things, namely, charity and faith, that constitute the church, as there are two things that make up the life of man, will and understanding; so there are two parts that act as one, as the two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, two hands, two feet, two lobes of the lungs, two chambers of the heart, two hemispheres of the brain, and so on, of which the one has reference to good from which is truth, and the other to truth from good. This is why it is said "brother and companion," and why "brother" signifies good, and "companion" its truth.

[7] 3. The Lord calls those of His church "brethren" who are in the good of charity, as can be seen from the following passages. In the Gospels:

Jesus stretching out His hand over His disciples said, Behold My mother and My brethren; whosoever shall do the will of My Father, he is My brother and sister and mother (Matthew 12:49, 50; Mark 3:33-35).

The "disciples" over whom the Lord stretched out his hand signify all who are of His church; "His brethren" signify those who are in the good of charity from Him, "sisters" those who are in truths from that good, and "mother" the church constituted of these.

[8] In Matthew:

Jesus said to Mary Magdalene and to the other Mary, Fear not; go tell My brethren to go into Galilee, and there shall they see Me (Matthew 28:10).

Here, too, "brethren" mean the disciples by whom are signified all those of the church who are in the good of charity. In John:

Jesus said to Mary, Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father (John 20:17).

The disciples are here again called "brethren" because "disciples," the same as "brethren," signify all those of His church who are in the good of charity.

[9] In Matthew:

The King answering said unto them, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these My brethren ye did it unto Me (Matthew 25:40).

It is evident from what there precedes that those whom the Lord here calls "brethren" are such as have done the good works of charity; but let it be known that although the Lord is their Father He still calls them "brethren;" He is their Father from the Divine love, but brother from the Divine that proceeds from Him. This is because all in the heavens are recipients of the Divine that proceeds from Him; and the Divine that proceeds from the Lord, of which they are recipients, is the Lord in heaven and also in the church; and this is not of angel or man, but is of the Lord with them; consequently the good of charity itself with them, which is the Lord's, He calls brother, in like manner also angels and men, because they are the recipient subjects of that good. In a word, the Divine proceeding, which is the Divine of the Lord in the heavens, is the Divine born of the Lord in heaven; from that Divine, therefore, angels who are recipients of it are called "sons of God," and as these are brethren because of that Divine received in themselves, it is the Lord in them who says "brother," for when angels speak from the good of charity they speak not from themselves but from the Lord. This, then, is why the Lord says, "Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these My brethren ye did it unto Me." So in the spiritual sense the brethren of the Lord are the goods of charity that are enumerated in the verses preceding, and these are called by the Lord "brethren" for the reason just given. Moreover, "the King," who so calls them, signifies the Divine proceeding, which in one word is called Divine truth or the Divine spiritual, which in its essence is the good of charity.

[10] It is therefore to be kept in mind that the Lord did not call them "brethren" because He was a man like them, according to an opinion that is received in the Christian world; and for this reason it is not allowable for any man to call the Lord "brother," for He is God even in respect to the Human, and God is not a brother, but the Father. In the churches on the earth the Lord is called brother, because the idea of His Human which they have formed is the same as their idea of any other man's human, when yet the Lord's Human is Divine.

[11] As "kings" formerly represented the Lord in relation to Divine truth, and as Divine truth received by angels in the Lord's spiritual kingdom is the same as Divine spiritual good, and as spiritual good is the good of charity, therefore the kings appointed over the sons of Israel called their subjects "brethren," although on the other hand the subjects were not permitted to call their king "brother," still less should the Lord be so called, who is the King of kings and Lord of lords. So in David:

I will declare Thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee (Psalms 22:22).

In the same:

I am become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien to my mother's sons (Psalms 69:8).

In the same:

For the sake of my brethren and companions I will speak, Peace be in thee (Psalms 122:8).

This was said by David as if respecting himself, and yet in the representative spiritual sense David here means the Lord. In Moses:

Out of the midst of thy brethren shalt thou set a king over them; ⁵ thou mayest not put a man that is an alien over them, who is not thy brother; but let him not exalt his heart above his brethren (Deuteronomy 17:15, 20).

The "brethren" from whom a king might be set over them signify all who are of the church, for it is said, "Thou mayest not put over them a man that is an alien;" "a man that is an alien" and a "stranger" signifying one who is not of the church.

[12] In the same:

Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren like unto me; unto him shall ye hearken (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18).

This is a prophecy respecting the Lord, who is meant by "the prophet" that Jehovah God will raise up of the brethren. They are called "thy brethren," that is, of Moses, because "Moses" means in a representative sense the Lord in relation to the Word, and a "prophet" means one who teaches the Word; thus also the Word and doctrine from the Word are meant, and this is why it is said, "like unto me." (That "Moses" represented the Lord in relation to the law, thus in relation to the Word, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 4859 at the end, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 9372, 10234.)

[13] 4. That all those are called "brethren" by the Lord who acknowledge Him and are in the good of charity from Him, follows from this, that the Lord is the Father of all and the Teacher of all, and from Him as Father is every good of charity, and from Him as Teacher is every truth of that good. Therefore the Lord says in Matthew:

Be ye not called teacher, for one is your Teacher, Christ; but all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon earth, for one is your Father who is in the heavens (Matthew 23:8, 9).

From this it is clearly evident that the words of the Lord must be understood spiritually; for who that is a teacher may not be called teacher? Or who that is a father may not be called father? But as "father" signifies good, and "the Father in the heavens" Divine good, and as "teacher" or "rabbi" signifies truth, and "the Teacher, Christ," Divine truth, so on account of the spiritual sense in all things of the Word it is said, "Call no man your father upon earth, nor anyone teacher," that is, in the spiritual sense, not in the natural sense. In the natural sense men may be called teachers and fathers, but representatively; that is to say, teachers in the world teach truths indeed, but from the Lord, not from themselves, and fathers in the world are good, and lead their children to good, but from the Lord, not from themselves. From this it follows that although they are called teachers and fathers still they are not teachers and fathers, but the Lord alone is Teacher and Father. "To call" and "to call by a name" signifies in the Word to recognize the quality of anyone. Because all in heaven and in the church are disciples and sons of the Lord, who is their Teacher and their Father, the Lord says, "all ye are brethren;" for the Lord calls all in heaven and in the church "sons and heirs" from their consociation by love from Him, and thus by mutual love, which is charity; therefore it is from the Lord that they are brethren. In this way the common saying that all are brethren in the Lord is to be understood.

[14] From this also it is clear whom the Lord means by "brethren," namely, all who acknowledge Him and are in the good of charity from Him, consequently who are of His church. Such are meant by the Lord by "brethren" in the following passages. In Luke:

Jesus said to Peter, When thou shalt be converted strengthen thy brethren (Luke 22:32).

The term "brethren" here does not mean the Jews, but it means all who acknowledge the Lord and are in good from charity and faith, thus all who were to receive the gospel through Peter, both Jews and Gentiles, for "Peter" in the Word of the Gospels means truth from good, thus also faith from charity; but here "Peter" means faith separated from charity, for just before it is said of him:

Simon, behold Satan demanded you that he might sift you as wheat. But I prayed for you that your faith fail not (Luke 22:31-32);

and afterwards it is said to him:

I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day until thou hast thrice denied that thou knowest Me (Luke 22:34).

Such is faith without charity. But "Peter converted" signifies truth from good, which is from the Lord, or faith from charity, which is from the Lord; therefore it is said, "When thou shalt have been converted strengthen thy brethren. "

[15] In Matthew:

Peter said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me and I should forgive him? (Matthew 18:21)

In the same:

So also shall My heavenly Father do to you if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses (Matthew 18:35).

In the same:

If thy brother hath sinned against thee go and reprove him between thee and him alone; if he hear thee thou hast gained thy brother (Matthew 18:15).

Here "brother" means the neighbor in general, thus every man; but in particular it means one who is in the good of charity and thence in faith from the Lord, whoever he may be; for these passages treat of the good of charity, since to forgive one who sins against you is of charity; also it is said, "if he hear, thou hast gained thy brother," which signifies, if he acknowledges his trespasses and is converted.

[16] In the same:

Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say unto thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye, when yet there is a beam in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye (Matthew 7:3-5).

Here too, because this treats of charity the term "brother" is used, for "to cast out the mote out of a brother's eye" signifies to instruct respecting falsity and evil, and to reform. It is said by the Lord, "a mote out of the brother's eye," and "a beam out of one's own eye," because of the spiritual sense in every particular of what the Lord said; for without that sense, of what consequence would it be to see a mote in the eye of another and not consider a beam in one's own eye, or to cast a beam out of one's own eye before he casts a mote out of another's eye? A "mote" signifies a slight falsity of evil, and a "beam" a great falsity of evil, and the "eye" signifies the understanding and also faith. "Mote" and "beam" signify the falsity of evil, because "wood" signifies good; and thus a "beam" signifies the truth of good, and in the contrary sense the falsity of evil, and the "eye" signifies the understanding and faith. This shows what is signified by "seeing the mote and the beam," and by "casting them out of the eye." (That "wood" signifies good, and in the contrary sense evil, may be seen in (Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4] Arcana Coelestia 643[1-4], 3720, 4943, 8354, 8740; and that the "eye" signifies the understanding, and also faith, n. 2701, 4403-4421, 4523-4534, 9051, 10569; also above, n. 37, 152) Moreover, in some passages "beam" is mentioned, and it signifies the falsity of evil (as in Genesis 19:8; 2 Kings 6:2, 5, 6; Habakkuk 2:11; Song of Solomon 1:17).

[17] In the same:

Whosoever doeth and teacheth, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens. I say unto you, Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the kingdom of the heavens. Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, but whosoever shall kill shall be liable to the judgment. But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be liable to the judgment; but whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the council; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be liable to the hell of fire. If thou offer thy gift upon the altar, and shalt there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there ⁶ the gift before the altar, and go, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming offer thy gift (Matthew 5:19-24).

This whole chapter treats of the interior life of man, which is the life of his soul, consequently of his will and thought therefrom; thus it treats of the life of charity, which is the spiritual moral life. This life the sons of Jacob knew nothing about before, because from their fathers down they were external men. For this reason also they were kept in the observance of external worship, according to statutes that were external, representing the internal things of worship and of the church. But in this chapter the Lord teaches that the interior things of the church must not only be represented by external acts, but must also be loved and done from the soul and heart; therefore "whosoever doeth and teacheth, he shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens," signifies that he will be saved who from interior life does and teaches the external things of the church. "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the kingdom of the heavens," signifies that unless the life is internal, and from that is external, heaven is not in man and man is not received into heaven; "righteousness" signifies the good of life from the good of charity, and "to exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees" signifies that the life must be internal, and not external without internal. The scribes and Pharisees were only in representative externals, and not in internals. External life from the internal is taught in the commandment of the Decalogue, "Thou shalt not kill;" but they did not know that wishing to kill a man is killing him; therefore it is first said, "Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be liable to the judgment;" for the doctrine had prevailed with the Jews from ancient time, that it was admissible to kill those who injured them, especially the Gentiles, and that they were to be punished for this lightly or grievously according to the circumstances of the hostility, consequently in reference to the body only and not as to the soul; this is meant by "he shall be liable to the judgment."

[18] That one who thinks ill of his neighbor without adequate cause, and turns himself away from the good of charity, will be punished lightly as to his soul, is signified by "Whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be liable to the judgment;" "to be angry," signifies to think ill, for it is distinguished from "saying Raca," and "saying, Thou fool." "Brother" means the neighbor, and also the good of charity, and "to be liable to the judgment" means to be examined and to be punished according to circumstances. That one who from wrong thought slanders the neighbor, and thus despises the good of charity as of little value, will be punished grievously, is signified by "whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the council," for "to say Raca" signifies to slander the neighbor from evil thought, thus to hold the good of charity to be of little value, for "to say Raca" means to hold as useless and as of little value, and "brother" means the good of charity. That one who hates the neighbor, that is, one who is altogether averse to the good of charity, is condemned to hell, is signified by "whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be liable to the hell of fire," to say "Thou fool" meaning to be altogether averse to, "brother" meaning the good of charity, and "the hell of fire" the hell where those are who hate that good and thence the neighbor. These three describe three degrees of hatred: the first is from evil thought, which is "to be angry," the second is from consequent evil intention, which is "to say Raca," and the third is from an evil will, which is "to say Thou fool." All these are degrees of hatred against the good of charity, for hatred is the opposite of the good of charity. The three degrees of punishment are signified by "the judgment," "the council," and "the hell of fire;" the punishments for lighter evils are signified by "the judgment," the punishments for the more grievous evils, by "the council," and the punishments for the most grievous evils, by "the hell of fire."

[19] As the universal heaven is in the good of charity towards the neighbor, and the universal hell is in anger, enmity, and hatred against the neighbor, and hence these are the opposites of that good; and as worship of the Lord because it is internal is worship from heaven, but it is no worship if anything of it is from hell, and yet external worship without internal is from hell, therefore it is said, "If thou offer thy gift upon the altar, and shalt there remember that thy brother hath aught against thee, go, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then coming offer thy gift upon the altar;" "the gift upon the altar" signifying the worship of the Lord from love and charity, "brother" meaning the neighbor, and in an abstract sense the good of charity; "having aught against thee" signifying anger, enmity, or hatred, and "to be reconciled" the dispersion of these and the consequent conjunction by love.

[20] From this it can be seen that the Lord means by "brother" the like as by "neighbor," and "neighbor" signifies in the spiritual sense good in the whole complex, and good in the whole complex is the good of charity. "Brother" has a similar meaning in the spiritual sense in many passages in the Old Testament. As in Moses:

Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart (Leviticus 19:17).

In David:

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity (Psalms 133:1).

In this sense, also:

Lot called the inhabitants of Sodom brethren (Genesis 19:7).

And this is meant by:

The covenant of brethren between the sons of Israel and Edom (Amos 1:9).

And by the brotherhood between Judah and Israel (Zechariah 11:14).

For by "the sons of Israel and Edom," as also by "Judah and Israel," these are not meant in the spiritual sense, but the goods and truths of heaven and the church, all of which are conjoined with each other.

Notas a pie de página:

3881. 'Therefore she called his name Judah' means the essential nature of it. This is clear from the meaning of 'name' and of 'calling the name' as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421. That nature is contained in the internal sense of these words spoken by Leah - 'This time I will confess Jehovah', dealt with immediately above in 3880. That is to say, in the highest sense those words mean the Lord and the Divinity of His Love, in the internal sense the Word and also the Lord's celestial kingdom, and in the more exterior sense doctrine from the Word which the celestial Church has. But as yet scarcely anyone knows that these things are meant in the Word when the name Judah is mentioned, the reason being that the historical descriptions of the Word are thought to be simply historical descriptions, and the prophetical utterances to belong among such things as have fallen into oblivion, except for some of them from which doctrinal inferences may be drawn out. No belief exists that those descriptions and utterances have a spiritual sense within them, because at the present day no knowledge exists of what the spiritual sense is, or indeed of what the spiritual is. And the chief reason for this is that the life which people lead is the natural life. This is such that when they have that life as their end in view or it is the only life they desire, it blots out both spiritual knowledge and faith - so much so that when spiritual life and a spiritual sense are spoken of, these are like something that does not really exist or else are something unpleasant and depressing which, because it does not accord with natural life, they find distasteful. Such being the condition of the human race at the present day it neither understands nor wishes to understand by the names mentioned in the Word anything else than the nations, peoples, individual persons, regions, cities, mountains, or rivers, which those names denote. Yet in the spiritual sense names mean real things.

[2] That 'Judah' in the internal sense means the Lord's celestial Church, in the universal sense His celestial kingdom, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself may be seen from many places in the Old Testament where Judah is mentioned, for example, from the following: In Moses,

You are Judah; your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; the sons of your father will bow down to you. A lion's whelp is Judah; from the prey you have gone up, my son. He crouched, he lay down like a lion, and like an old lion; who will rouse him up? The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh comes; and to him will be the gathering of peoples. Binding his ass's colt to the vine, and the foal of his she-ass to a choice vine, he will wash his clothing in wine, and his garment in the blood of grapes. His eyes are red from wine, and his teeth white from milk. Genesis 49:8-12.

[3] Nobody can know the meaning of this prophetical declaration about Judah uttered by Jacob, who by then was Israel - not even one expression used there - except from the internal sense. He cannot know for example what is meant by 'his brothers will praise him' and 'his father's sons will bow down to him', or by 'his going up from the prey like a lion's whelp', and 'his crouching and lying down like a lion'. Nor can he know what is meant by 'Shiloh', by 'binding his ass's colt to the vine, and the foal of his she-ass to a choice vine', by 'washing his clothing in wine, and his garment in the blood of grapes', by 'eyes red from wine', or by 'teeth white from milk'. As has been stated, these expressions cannot possibly be understood by anyone except from the internal sense, yet all of them - each one - mean celestial things belonging to the Lord's kingdom, also things that are Divine. The same words also foretell that the Lord's celestial kingdom, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself, were to be represented by Judah. All these things declared by Jacob will in the Lord's Divine mercy be discussed in the explanations of the chapter in which they occur.

[4] Similar examples involving the name Judah occur elsewhere, especially in the Prophets, as in Ezekiel,

You son of man, take a stick and write on it, For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions'. And take another stick and write on it, For Joseph - the stick of Ephraim and of the whole house of Israel, his companions - and join them together, one to the other into one stick for you, and they will be one in your, hand. I will make them into one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will be king to them all. My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. And they will walk in My judgements, and keep My statutes and do them. And they will dwell in the land which I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers dwelt. And they will dwell in it, they and their sons, and their sons' sons even for ever. And David My servant will be their prince for ever, and I will make with them a covenant of peace, it will be an eternal covenant with them. I will bless them, and multiply them, and I will grant My sanctuary in their midst for evermore. Thus will My dwelling-place be with them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people. Ezekiel 37:15-28.

Anyone who takes Judah, Israel, Joseph, Ephraim, and David in this passage to mean those actual people will believe all these things will actually take place as described in the sense of the letter. That is to say, he will believe that Israel is going to be reunited with Judah, as well as the tribe of Ephraim; also that David is going to reign as king; that in this manner they are going to dwell in the land given to Jacob for ever, and that at that time an eternal covenant will exist with them and the sanctuary will be in the midst of them for ever. But in fact the meaning of this passage has nothing whatever to do with that nation but with the Lord's celestial kingdom meant by 'Judah', and His spiritual kingdom meant by 'Israel', and with the Lord Himself meant by 'David'. From this it is quite evident that names are not used to mean actual persons but things that are celestial and Divine.

[5] The same is so with the following words in Zechariah,

Many peoples and numerous nations will come to seek Jehovah Zebaoth in Jerusalem and to placate Jehovah's face. Thus said Jehovah Zebaoth, In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue will take hold; and they will take hold of the hem of a man of Judah, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you. Zechariah 8:22-23.

Those who take these words literally will say, as the Jewish nation believes still, that being a prophecy not yet fulfilled it is going to be fulfilled in the future. These say that they are going to go back to the land of Canaan, that many from every nation and tongue will follow them, and take hold of the hem of a man of Judah and plead to be allowed to follow. They say that at that time God - that is to say, the Messiah, whom Christians call the Lord - will be among them, to whom they must first be converted. This would be the true implication of these words if 'a man of Judah' were used to mean a man of Judah. But in fact the internal sense at this point deals with a new spiritual Church among gentiles, and 'a man of Judah' means saving faith which results from love to the Lord.

[6] That 'Judah' is not used to mean Judah but, as has been stated, means in the internal sense the Lord's celestial kingdom which was represented in the Church established among Judah or the Jews, becomes quite clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

When the Lord raises an ensign for the nations He will gather the outcasts of Israel, and will assemble the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Then the envy of Ephraim will depart, and the enemies of Judah will be cut off. Ephraim will not envy Judah, and Judah will not harass Ephraim. Isaiah 11:12-13.

In Jeremiah,

Behold, the days are coming, said Jehovah, when I will raise up for David a righteous branch, who will reign as king, and prosper, and execute judgement and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name which they will call Him, Jehovah our Righteousness. Jeremiah 23:5-6.

In Joel,

Then you will know that I am Jehovah your God, who dwell in Zion, My holy mountain; and Jerusalem will be holy. It will happen on that day, that the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will flow with milk, and all the streams of Judah will flow with water; and a spring will come forth from the house of Jehovah and will water the river of Shittim. Judah will abide for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. Joel 3:17-18, 20.

[7] In Zechariah,

On that day I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. And on the house of Judah I will open My eyes, and every horse of the peoples I will strike with blindness. And the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, I will strengthen for myself the inhabitants of Jerusalem in Jehovah Zebaoth their God. On that day I will set the leaders of Judah like a hearth of fire in sticks of wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they will devour to the right and to the left all the peoples round about, and Jerusalem will yet again be inhabited in her own place, in Jerusalem. And Jehovah will save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David, and the glory of the inhabitant of Jerusalem, may not exalt itself over Judah. On that day Jehovah will protect the inhabitant of Jerusalem, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of Jehovah in front of them. And I will pour out over the house of David and over the inhabitant of Jerusalem a spirit of grace. Zechariah 12:4-10.

This refers to the Lord's celestial kingdom, where truth should not have dominion over good but ought to be subordinate to it, truth being meant by 'the house of David' and 'the inhabitant of Jerusalem', and good by 'Judah'. From this it is evident why first it is said that 'the glory of the house of David, and the glory of the inhabitant of Jerusalem, will not exalt itself over Judah', and after this that 'the house of David will be like God, and like the angel of Jehovah', and that 'a spirit of grace will be poured out over it and over the inhabitant of Jerusalem'. For such is the state when truth is subordinate to good or faith to love. 'The horse which will be struck with panic, and the horse of the peoples with blindness' is self-intelligence, see 2761, 2762, 3217.

[8] In the same prophet,

On that day there will be on the horses' bells, Holiness to Jehovah. And the pots in the house of Jehovah will be as the bowls before the altar. And every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holiness to Jehovah Zebaoth. Zechariah 14:20-21.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom. In Malachi,

Behold, I am sending My angel, who will prepare the way before Me, and suddenly there will come to His temple the Lord whom you are seeking, and the angel of the covenant in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming. Who can endure the day of His coming? Then the minchah of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to Jehovah, as in the days of old and as in former years. Malachi 3:1-2, 4.

This plainly refers to the Coming of the Lord. The meaning is that Judah and Jerusalem's minchah was not, as is well known, acceptable but that worship flowing from love, Judah's minchah, and worship flowing from faith rooted in love, Jerusalem's minchah, are acceptable.

[9] In Jeremiah,

Thus said Jehovah Zebaoth, Again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I turn again their captivity: Jehovah bless you, O habitation of righteousness, O holy mountain! And Judah and all its cities will dwell in it together. Behold, the days are coming, said Jehovah, in which I will sow the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. Behold, the days are coming, said Jehovah, in which I will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers. Jeremiah 31:23-24, 27, 31-32.

In David,

The Lord chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved, and built His sanctuary as the heights, as the earth He founded it for ever. Psalms 78:68-69.

[10] From these places and very many others which have not been mentioned one may see what 'Judah' means in the Word. They show that 'Judah' does not mean the Jewish nation, for that nation was anything but the celestial Church or the Lord's celestial kingdom; for so far as love to the Lord, charity towards the neighbour, and faith; went they were the worst nation of all. This has been so from their earliest forefathers, namely the sons of Jacob, even to the present day. But in spite of this such people were able to represent the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom, see 3479-3481. For in representations no attention is paid to the person who represents, only to what is represented by him, 665, 1097 (end), 1361, 3147, 3670.

[11] But when they did not adhere to the religious observances commanded by Jehovah or the Lord but deviated from them into acts of idolatry they no longer represented those things but such as are contrary to them, namely those of hell and the devil, according to the Lord's words in John,

You are from your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and did not take a stand on the truth. John 8:44

Such is the meaning of 'Judah' in the contrary sense, as becomes clear from the following: In Isaiah,

Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their tongue and their works are against Jehovah, to provoke the eyes of His glory to anger. Isaiah 3:8.

In Malachi,

Judah has acted faithlessly, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, and Judah has profaned the holiness of Jehovah, for he loved and married the daughter of a foreign god. Malachi 2:11.

And in addition in the following places - Isaiah 3:1 and following verses;

8:7-8; Jeremiah 2:28; 3:7-11; 9:26; 11:9-10, 12; 13:9; 14:2; 17:1; 18:11-13; 19:7; 32:35; 36:31; 44:12, 14, 26, 28; Hosea 5:5; 8:14; Amos 2:4-5; Zephaniah 1:4; and many times elsewhere.