10554. And Jehovah spoke unto Moses faces to faces. That this signifies the Divine things in the Word conjoined together, is evident from the signification of “speaking faces to faces,” as being to be conjoined, for by “faces” are signified the interiors, and when the interiors mutually regard each other and see alike, they conjoin themselves together. This is signified by “speaking faces to faces” when said of Jehovah speaking unto Moses, by whom is meant the Word; for by “speaking” is signified perception, and by “faces to faces” is signified mutually, consequently the mutual perception of the one in that of the other, which is conjunction.

[2] This means that such is the nature of the Word, because here “Moses” denotes the Word. For such is the nature of the Word in its internal and in its external. In its internal, and also in its external, each and all things have been conjoined together; moreover those which are in its internal are conjoined by means of correspondences with those which are in its external. These conjunctions cannot be described, and if they were described, they could not be apprehended by any idea of thought. It is celestial and spiritual things which are there thus conjoined together, and it is these which by means of correspondences are conjoined with the natural and worldly things which constitute the sense of the letter. The nature of these conjunctions may in some measure be presented to the idea by comparison with the conjunctions of the angelic societies in the heavens, which taken together are a one, just as are the members, viscera, and organs with man, which though various, and each of them inwardly consisting of countless various things, nevertheless make a one. Such also is the Word in respect to its truths and goods. That such is the nature of the Word is quite unknown to man; but the angels know it, for they perceive the connection of the interior things of the Word.

[3] From all this it can be seen that by “Jehovah speaking unto Moses faces to faces” is signified the Divine things in the Word conjoined together. That one thing is signified by “speaking faces to faces,” and another by “seeing Jehovah face to face,” is evident from what follows in this chapter, where Jehovah says unto Moses, “Thou canst not see My faces, because a man doth not see Me and live. But I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee over with the palm of My hand, until I have passed by; and I will take away the palm of My hand, and thou shalt see My back parts, and My faces shall not be seen” (verses 20-22, 23). (That “Moses” denotes the Word, see the places cited in n. 10549; that “the faces” denote the interiors, see those cited in n. 9546; and also that “speaking” denotes perception, see those cited in n. 10290)