266. "Of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David." This symbolically means, through the Divine goodness united to the Divine truth in His humanity.

In the Word, Judah means a church governed by the goodness of love toward the Lord, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself in respect to the Divine goodness of His Divine love; and David means the Lord in respect to the Divine truth of His Divine wisdom. That the first is the meaning of Judah may be seen in nos. 96 and 350, and that the latter is the meaning of David, in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Regarding the Lord, nos. 43, 44.

It is apparent from this that "Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed" symbolically means that the Lord overcame the hells and put everything into order through the Divine goodness united to the Divine truth in His humanity.

In the literal sense it cannot be seen that this is the meaning of these words, but only that it is the Lord who was born in the world of the tribe of Judah and of the lineage of David. But still these same words carry within them a spiritual sense, in which people's names have meanings, as we have said here and there above. Thus Judah does not mean Judah, nor David, David, but Judah means the Lord in respect to Divine good, and David the Lord in respect to Divine truth. It is because of this that the spiritual meaning is thus formed. We are here setting forth that meaning, because the book of Revelation is now being opened in respect to its spiritual meaning.