9390. 'And he sent boys of the children of Israel' means those things that belong to innocence and charity. This is clear from the meaning of 'boys of the children of Israel' as things which belong to innocence and charity among members of the Church. For 'sucklings', 'young children', and 'boys' mean those who have innocence and charity, or in the abstract sense, without reference to persons, those things which belong to innocence and charity, 430, 5236; and 'the children of Israel' means members of the Church, or in the abstract sense, without reference to persons, the Church itself, 9340.

9382. 'And Moses came and reported to the people' means enlightenment and instruction by the Lord, imparted through Divine Truth which springs from Him. This is clear from the representation of 'Moses' as the Lord in respect of the Word, and so in respect of Divine Truth since the Word is this, dealt with above in 9372; from the meaning of 'coming' - when it refers to the Lord in respect of the Word or Divine Truth, represented by 'Moses' - as enlightenment, for when the Lord comes or He is present in the Word there is enlightenment; and from the meaning of 'reporting' as instruction. From all this it is evident that 'Moses came and reported to the people' means enlightenment and instruction by the Lord, imparted through Divine Truth.

[2] A brief statement must also be made here regarding the nature of enlightenment and instruction from the Word. Everyone receives enlightenment and instruction from the Word according to his affection for truth and degree of desire for it, and according to his ability to receive it. The internal man of those who receive enlightenment dwells in the light of heaven, for the light of heaven is what enlightens a person in the truths and forms of the good of faith, 8707, 8861. Those who are in that way enlightened understand the Word according to its inner truths, which being so they establish for themselves from the Word guidelines, to which they then relate the literal sense. But those who have no affection for truth rooted in good nor consequently any desire to become wise are blinded rather than enlightened when they read the Word, since they do not dwell in the light of heaven. Indeed in the light of the world, called natural illumination, they gain no insights into things other than those of a worldly nature. And as a result of this the illusions to which their outward senses are subject lead them to seize on falsities which look to them like truths. The majority of these people therefore establish no guidelines for themselves but keep to the literal sense, which they use in support of falsities, especially such falsities as accord with self-love and love of the world. But those who are not like these do no more than assent to the teachings of their Church, without caring or knowing whether they are true or false. Regarding these, see 4741, 5033, 6865, 7012, 7680, 7950, 8521, 8780. From this it is evident who exactly they are who are enlightened by the Word and who exactly they are who are blinded. That is to say, those are enlightened who are governed by heavenly loves; for heavenly loves receive and like sponges soak up heaven's truths, and are also of their own accord joined to them in the manner of soul and body. On the other hand those are blinded who are ruled by worldly loves, since these loves receive and like sponges soak up falsities, and are also of their own accord joined to them. For good and truth accord with each other, as conversely do evil and falsity. This being so, evil and falsity joined together is called the hellish marriage, in which hell itself consists, while good and truth joined together is called the heavenly marriage, in which heaven itself consists.

[3] The reason why the Word is the source of enlightenment and instruction is that in its first origin the Word is God's truth itself emanating from the Lord, and on its way down into the world it is adjusted to suit all the heavens. Therefore when a person possessing a heavenly love reads it the Word links him to heaven and through heaven to the Lord, as a result of which he receives enlightenment and instruction. It is different when a person possessing a worldly love reads the Word. He is not linked to heaven and consequently has no enlightenment or instruction. Regarding the union of heaven and the world through the Word, and of the Lord with the human race, see 9212 (end), 9216 (end), 9357.

5328. 'Or his foot' means all power in the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'foot' as the natural, dealt with in 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4931-4952. Here power within the natural is meant because 'lifting up the foot', like 'lifting up the hand', means power, though 'lifting up the hand' means power in the spiritual, whereas 'lifting up the foot' means power in the natural; for the parts within the body that are above the feet correspond to spiritual things. This is especially evident from the Grand Man or the three heavens.

[2] Whenever the whole of heaven is displayed visually as one human being, the inmost or third heaven presents itself as the head, the middle or second heaven presents itself as the body, and the lowest or first as the feet. The reason the inmost or third heaven presents itself as the head is that it is celestial; the reason the middle or second heaven presents itself as the body is that it is spiritual; and the reason the lowest or first presents itself as the feet is that it is natural. By 'the neck' therefore, since this is an intermediate part, is meant the inflow and communication of celestial things with spiritual ones; and by 'the knees', since these are likewise intermediate, is meant the inflow and communication of spiritual things with natural ones. From this it is evident that 'lifting up the hand' means power within the spiritual, while 'lifting up the foot' means power within the natural, and therefore that the power meant by 'the hand' has regard to the spiritual, namely to truth grounded in good, 3091, 3567, 4932. By the spiritual is meant that within the natural which belongs to the light of heaven, and by the natural that within the natural which belongs to the light of the world; for everything belonging to the light of heaven is called spiritual, and everything belonging to the light of the world is called natural.