166. Verse 23. And her sons I will kill with death, signifies that thus falsities are extinguished. This is evident from the signification of "sons," as being truths of the church from the Word, and, in the contrary sense, falsities (of which presently); also from the signification of "king with death," as being to extinguish; for falsities are separated, and as it were extinguished by temptations, and by man's refraining from them, and shunning them, and holding them in aversion. "Sons" in the Word signify truths, and in the contrary sense falsities, because the spiritual sense of the Word treats only of such things as relate to the church and heaven; and all things of the church and of heaven have reference to the goods which are of love, and to the truths which are of faith. From this it is that the names of kinships and relationships, as husband, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, and others, signify spiritual things that have reference to spiritual birth, which is regeneration, and to the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and truth. The things that are born of this marriage are likewise goods and truths. From this it is that "daughters" in the Word signify goods, and "sons" truths, both derived from the good that is signified by "father," and from the truth that is signified by "mother." (That all the truths and goods that are with the regenerate man are conjoined according to spiritual relationships, and follow in order, see Arcana Coelestia 2508, 3815, 4121. That all who are in heaven are also associated according to spiritual relationships, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 205. That "sons" signify truths and the affections of truth, is shown in Arcana Coelestia 489, 491, 533, 2623, 3373, 4257, 8649, 9807; that "sons of sons" signify truths in successive order, n. 6583, 6584; that by "father," "mother," "brethren," "children," goods and truths, or evils and falsities with man are signified, n. Arcana Coelestia 10490; that "to smite the mother upon the sons," is to destroy all things of the church, n. 4257; that the Lord called Himself "the Son of man," because He was Divine truth, and because every truth of heaven and of the church proceeds from Him, see above, n. 63.)

2508. 'She is my sister' means rational truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'a sister' as rational intellectual truth, dealt with in 1495. That rational truth is meant by 'a sister' cannot be seen by anyone except from the heavenly marriage; for the things that descend from that marriage have links with one another - resembling the ties of blood-relationships and relationships by marriage on earth, concerning which see 685, 917 - and in ways endlessly varying. The heavenly marriage exists solely between Divine Good and Divine Truth. Conceived from that marriage there exist with man the capacities to understand, to be rational, and to have knowledge; for without this conception from the heavenly marriage no one can possibly be endowed with understanding, reason, or knowledge, and cannot consequently be a human being. Insofar therefore as he draws from the heavenly marriage he is human. The heavenly marriage exists within the Lord Himself, so that the Lord is that marriage itself; for He is Divine Good itself and at the same time Divine Truth. The heavenly marriage exists with angels and men insofar as love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour, and consequently insofar as faith derived from these exist with them, that is, insofar as the Lord's good and the truth derived from this do so. When this is the case with them they are called 'daughters and sons', and in relation to one another 'sisters and brothers', but with differences. The reason rational truth is called 'a sister' is that it is conceived from the influx of Divine Good into the affection for rational truths. The good conceived in this way in the rational is called 'a brother', and the truth 'a sister'. But this will be clearer from the words spoken by Abraham in verse 12 of this chapter, 'And also she is truly my sister, my father's daughter but not my mother's daughter; and she became my wife'.