5212. And behold seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk. That this signifies memory-knowledges of the natural joined together, is evident from the signification of “ears,” or spikes, of corn, as being memory-knowledges belonging to the natural (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “upon one stalk,” as being joined together; for in respect to their origin things on one stalk are joined together. The reason why “ears” or spikes of corn signify memory-knowledges, is that “corn” signifies the good of the natural (see n. 3580), because memory-knowledges are the containants of the good of the natural, as the ears are of the corn; for in general all truths are vessels of good, and so also are memory-knowledges, for these are lowest truths.

Lowest truths, or truths of the exterior natural, are called memory-knowledges, because they are in man’s natural or external memory, and because they partake for the most part of the light of the world, and hence can be presented and represented to others by forms of words, or by ideas formed into words by means of such things as are of the world and its light. The things in the inner memory, however, insofar as they partake of the light of heaven, are not called memory-knowledges, but truths; nor can they be understood except by means of this light, or expressed except by forms of words, or ideas formed into words, by means of such things as are of heaven and its light. The memory-knowledges here signified by “ears,” or spikes, are memory-knowledges of the church, in regard to which see above (n. 4749, 4844, 4964, 4965).

[2] The reason why there were two dreams, one of the seven kine and the other of the seven ears of corn, is that in the internal sense both naturals, the interior and the exterior, are treated of, and in what follows, the rebirth of both. By the “seven kine” are signified the things of the interior natural called truths of the natural (see n. 5198); and by the “seven ears of corn,” the truths of the exterior natural called memory-knowledges.

[3] Interior and exterior memory-knowledges are signified by “ears of the river Euphrates even to the river of Egypt,” in Isaiah:

It shall be in that day that Jehovah will shake off from the ear of the river even unto the river of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one to another, ye sons of Israel. And it shall be in that day that a great trumpet shall be sounded, and they shall come that are perishing in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt; and they shall bow themselves to Jehovah in the mountain of holiness at Jerusalem (Isaiah 27:12-13);

“the perishing in the land of Assyria” denote interior truths, and the “outcasts in the land of Egypt,” exterior truths or memory-knowledges.

[4] So also in Mark the comparison with the blade, the ear, and the corn, involves the rebirth of man by means of memory-knowledges, truths of faith, and goods of charity:

Jesus said, So is the kingdom of God, as when a man casteth seed upon the earth; then sleepeth and riseth night and day, but the seed germinates and grows while he knoweth not. For the earth beareth fruit of itself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come (Mark 4:26-29).

The “kingdom of God,” which is compared to the blade, the ear, and the corn, is heaven in man through regeneration; for one who has been regenerated has the kingdom of God within him, and becomes in image the kingdom of God or heaven. The “blade” is the first memory-knowledge; the “ear” is the memory-knowledge of truth thence derived; the “corn” is the derivative good. Moreover, the laws enacted in regard to gleanings (Leviticus 19:9; 23:22), and in regard to the liberty of plucking the ears from the standing corn of the neighbor (Deuteronomy 23:25), and also in regard to eating no bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the offering of God was brought (Leviticus 23:14), represented such things as are signified by “ears.”

5198. There came up seven kine. That this signifies were truths of the natural, is evident from the signification of “kine,” as being truths of the natural (of which presently). That there were seven, is because “seven” signifies what is holy (see n. 395, 433, 716), and hence this number adds holiness to the subject (see n. 881). Moreover, the subject here treated of is holy, for it is the further rebirth of the natural by its conjunction with the celestial of the spiritual. That “kine” or “heifers” signify truths of the natural may be seen from the fact that “oxen” and “bullocks” signify goods of the natural (n. 2180, 2566, 2781, 2830); for wherever in the Word the male signifies good, the female signifies truth; and on the other hand where the male signifies truth, the female signifies good. Hence it is that a “cow” signifies the truth of the natural, for an “ox” signifies its good.

[2] (That all beasts whatever mentioned in the Word signify affections-evil and useless beasts evil affections, but gentle and useful ones good affections-may be seen above, n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 719, 776, 1823, 2179, 2180, 3218, 3519.) The cause of this signification is from representatives in the world of spirits; for when those in heaven are speaking about affections, in the world of spirits are represented beasts corresponding to that kind of affections. This has often been given me to see, and I have sometimes wondered why it was; but I perceived that the lives of beasts are nothing but affections, for they follow their affection from instinct without reason, and so are carried along each to its own use. To these affections without reason no other bodily forms are suitable than such as those in which beasts appear upon the earth. Hence it is that when there is discourse about affections only, ultimate forms of these affections appear that are similar to the bodily forms of such beasts; for these affections cannot be clothed with any other forms than those which correspond to them. I have also seen strange beasts which exist nowhere in the world, and which were the forms of unknown and of mixed affections.

[3] This then is the reason why in the Word by “beasts” are signified affections; but what affections are signified appears only from the internal sense. That by “oxen” is signified the good of the natural may be seen in the passages cited above, and that by “kine” are signified truths of the natural may be seen from the passages in which they are mentioned (as in Isaiah 11:7; Hosea 4:16; Amos 4:1); and also from the water of separation wherewith the sons of Israel were to be made clean, which was prepared from a red cow burned to ashes outside the camp, and with which cedar wood, hyssop, and double-dyed scarlet were mingled (Numbers 19:2-11). When the meaning of this proceeding is disclosed by means of the internal sense, it is seen that by a “red cow” is signified truth of the natural that was unclean, and was made clean by the burning and also by means of such things as are signified by “cedar wood,” “hyssop,” and “double-dyed scarlet;” the “water” therefrom representing the means of purification.