475. And they did wash their robes.- This signifies the removal of falsities by means of temptations, as is evident from the signification of washing, which denotes to purify from falsities and evils, consequently to remove them; for the evils and falsities which men, spirits, and angels have, are not taken away, but removed, and when removed they appear as though taken away (concerning this fact see the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 166, 170); washing therefore signifies to remove falsities, and thus to purify; and from the signification of robes as denoting truths in general, protecting, see above (n. 395). But in the present case "by robes" before they were washed and made white, are signified falsities from which they were purified. For those who are in falsities from ignorance appear in the spiritual world at first in dusky garments of various colours, and while in temptations, in squalid garments; but when they come out of temptations, they appear in white robes, which shine according to their state of purification from falsities. Every one in the other life appears in garments which accord with the truths and the falsities which he has; for this reason garments signify truths, and in the opposite sense, falsities, as may be seen above (n. 195, 271). It is evident from these things, what is signified by washing their robes and making them white.

[2] In ancient times, when all the external things of the church were representative and significative of things spiritual and celestial, washings were customary, and they represented purifications from falsities and evils. Washings had this signification, because waters signified truths, while filth signified falsities and evils, and all purification from falsities and evils takes place by means of truths. That waters signify truths may be seen above (n. 71). Washings were therefore instituted with the sons of Israel by command. For a representative church was established among them, everything pertaining to which signified spiritual things, and the washings signified purifications from evils and falsities, and thence regeneration. On this account a laver of brass was placed at the door of the tent of the congregation, (Exodus 30:18-20); and also lavers of brass were placed without the Temple, one great [laver] called "the molten sea," and ten smaller lavers (1 Kings 7:23-39).

[3] Because washings signified such things, therefore when Aaron and his sons were inaugurated into the priesthood, Moses was commanded to wash them with water at the door of the tabernacle, and so to sanctify them (Exodus 29:4; 40:12; Leviticus 8:6). For priests represented the Lord as to Divine Good, as kings represented Him as to Divine Truth; consequently the priests also represented the Divine sanctity, which is pure without blemish. Aaron and his sons received this representation through the washing by Moses; wherefore it is said, that they should thus be sanctified, although they themselves received no sanctity by the washing.

[4] Therefore it was also commanded that Aaron and his sons should wash their hands and feet before they entered the tent of the congregation, and before they ascended the altar to minister, and it is said "that they die not," and that it should be to them "a statute of an age" (Exodus 30:18-21, chap. 40:30, 31); and that Aaron should wash his flesh before he put on the garments of the ministry (Leviticus 16:4, 24). By washing the hands and feet was signified the purification of the natural man, and by washing the flesh, the purification of the spiritual man. Hence also it was commanded, that the Levites should be sanctified by being sprinkled with the water of expiation, and by shaving their flesh, and washing their garments (Num. 8:6, 7). This was done to the Levites because they attended to the external things of the church under Aaron and his sons; and the purification of the external things of the church was represented by the sprinkling of the water of expiation, by shaving their flesh, and washing their garments.

[5] Moreover, all who became unclean by touching unclean things also washed themselves and their garments, and thus were said to be made clean. As for example, they who had eaten of the carcase of an unclean beast, or of what was torn (Leviticus 17:15, 16); he who touched the bed of one that had a flux, or who had sat upon the vessel, upon which that one had sat, or who had touched his flesh (Leviticus 15:5-12). The leper, after his cleansing, had to wash his garments, shave off all his hair, and wash himself with water (Leviticus 14:8, 9); and in fact the very vessels that were made unclean by the touch of the unclean, had to be passed through waters (Leviticus 11:32); besides in many other references. He who supposes that they who washed their flesh, or hands and feet, or garments, were thereby cleansed and sanctified, that is to say, purified from their sins, is much deceived. For sins are not washed away or removed as filth is by water, or by means of water, but they are washed away, that is, removed, by means of truths, and a life according to them, and this alone was what was represented by washings; for waters signify truths, and truths, when there is a life according to them, purify men.

[6] That these external things contribute nothing to purification from evils and falsities, is clearly taught by the Lord in Matthew:

"Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside of them may be clean also" (23:25, 26).

The Lord gave similar teaching when the Jews and Pharisees rebuked His disciples for not washing their hands before they eat, for he said, that that would not defile a man, but every evil which goeth forth from the heart (Matthew 15:1, 2, 19, 20; Mark 7:1-23; Luke 11:38, 39). It is therefore clear that the Jews, by their washings, were never sanctified and cleansed from their spiritual defilements, which are the evils issuing from the heart, because these evils reside within, and in the world have no relation to the filth which adheres to the body. It is said, that the inside of the cup and of the platter is to be cleansed in order that the outside may be clean also; for the exterior with man cannot be cleansed before the interior, since by means of the interior the exterior is cleansed. By the cup and platter are signified the interiors and exteriors of man, which receive truth and good, for the cup is the container of wine, and the platter the container of food; and wine (vinum) signifies truth, and food signifies good, just as bread does. It is therefore evident what is signified, in the spiritual sense, by cleansing first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside may be clean also.

[7] The same also is meant by the washing of the feet of the disciples, concerning which the Lord thus spoke to Peter:

"He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit" (John 13:10).

Here by, "he that is washed," is signified inward purification; and by, "needeth not save to wash his feet," is signified, that then he is to be outwardly cleansed, for the feet signify the external or natural man, as may be seen above (n. 69). Concerning this interior truth more may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 179, 181); and in the Arcana Coelestia, where the following subjects are illustrated, namely, that each man, both the internal or spiritual, and the external or natural, must be purified in order that a man may be purified, and that the external must be purified by the internal (n. 3868, 3870, 3872, 3876, 3877, 3882). The internal man is purified before the external, because the internal is in the light of heaven, and the external in the light of the world (n. 3321, 3325, 3469, 3493, 4353, 8746, 9325). The external or natural man is purified by the Lord through the internal or spiritual (n. 3286, 3288, 3321). A man is not purified until the external or natural man is also purified (n. 8742-8747, 9043, 9046, 9061, 9325, 9334). Unless the natural man be purified, the spiritual man is closed (n. 6299); and as to the truths and goods of faith and of love he is as it were blind (n. 3493, 3969).

The internal man is purified by knowing, understanding, and thinking the truths of the Word, and the external man, by willing and doing them. From these considerations the meaning of the Lord's words to Peter is now clear, "He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit;" and also the Lord's words to the Pharisees; "Cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside of them may be clean also."

[8] That the internal man is purified by means of the truths of faith, and the external by a life according to them, is meant also by these words of the Lord, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Water signifies the truths of faith, and the spirit, a life according to them.

[9] From these observations the signification of washing in the following passages is evident.

Thus in Ezekiel:

"I washed thee with waters; yea, I thoroughly washed away thy bloods from upon thee, and I anointed thee with oil" (16:9).

This was said of Jerusalem, which signifies the church; the purification of the church from falsities and evils is signified by, I washed thee with waters; yea I thoroughly washed away thy bloods from upon thee. To wash with waters signifies to purify it by means of truths, and to wash away bloods signifies to purify from evils and falsities. To imbue it with the good of love is signified by, I anointed thee with oil, oil denoting the good of love.

[10] In Isaiah:

"When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and shall have purged the bloods of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, in the spirit of judgment, and in the spirit of cleansing" (4:4).

To wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion, signifies to purify the affections of those who are of the celestial church from the evils of the love of self, filth denoting the evil of the love of self, daughters, the affections, and Zion, the church which is in love to the Lord, and is therefore called the celestial church. To wash away the bloods of Jerusalem signifies to purify the affections from the falsities of evil, bloods denoting those falsities. In the spirit of judgment, and in the spirit of cleansing, signifies, by the understanding of truth, and by the affection for truth, for spirit denotes the Divine Truth which proceeds from the Lord, the spirit of judgment, the understanding of truth thence, and the spirit of cleansing, the spiritual affection for truth, since it is this which cleanses.

[11] Again, in Job:

"If I wash myself in waters of snow, and make my hands clean with lye; yet shalt thou plunge me into the pit, and mine own clothes shall abhor me" (9:30, 31).

These words mean, that if any one desire to purify himself, even by means of truths and goods which are, or seem to be genuine, he will still lead himself into falsities. To wash himself denotes to purify himself; waters of snow denote the truths which are, or seem to be, genuine; lye denotes the good from which [such waters come]; and the pit denotes what is false. That consequently truths falsified exist, is meant by mine own clothes shall abhor me, clothes denoting truths, which are said to abhor a man when he falsifies them, and this is the case when he thinks out and forms conclusions from his own intelligence.

[12] In Moses:

"Who washes his garment in wine, and his covering in the blood of grapes" (Genesis 49:11).

These words are spoken of Judah, who there signified the Lord as to Divine Truth; that He completely purified this in His Human, when He was in the world, is signified by His washing His garment in wine, and His covering in the blood of grapes, garments and covering signifying His Human, and wine and the blood of grapes, the Divine Truth. These things are explained in the Arcana Coelestia 6377, 6378).

[13] That washing, signifies to purify from falsities and evils, is evident in Isaiah:

"Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil" (1:16).

Because to wash signifies to remove falsities and evils, it is therefore said, "put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil."

[14] In Jeremiah:

"O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thoughts of thine iniquity lodge within thee?" (4:14).

And in David:

"Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:2, 7).

Here to wash clearly denotes to purify from falsities and evils, for it is said, "wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin," and afterwards "wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." To wash from iniquity denotes purification from falsities, and from sin denotes from evils, for iniquity is spoken of falsities, and sin, of evils. Because the water of expiation also was prepared from hyssop, it is therefore said, "purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean."

[15] In Jeremiah:

"Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much lye, thine iniquity is marked before me" (2:22).

Here also it is clear that washings only represented and thence signified spiritual washings, which are purifications from falsities and evils, for it is said, "Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much lye, yet thine iniquity is marked before me."

[16] Similarly in David:

"I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and my chastisement until the mornings" (Psalm 73:13, 14).

Here, to wash his hands in innocency, denotes to declare himself to be innocent and pure from evils and falsities; for the washing of the hands was also a testification of innocence; as also is evident from the fact that Pilate washed his hands and said, "I am innocent of the blood of this just one" (Matthew 27:24).

[17] Because washings signified purifications from falsities and evils, and because the blind signified those who do not see truths, and thence are in falsities, therefore the Lord told the blind man, whose eyes he anointed with clay made of spittle, to wash himself in the pool of Siloam; and he afterwards washed and came seeing (John 9:6, 7, 11, 15). The blind man here represented those who can see nothing of truth because they are sensual, and see only those things which appear before the external senses, and therefore they drink in fallacies instead of truths, and apply the sense of the letter of the Word to confirm them. The clay made of spittle signifies sensual truth, such as is contained in the Word for such persons. The waters of the lake or pool of Siloam signify the truths of the Word for all things even to the pools of water in Jerusalem, were significative; and by washing is signified to purify from fallacies, which in themselves are falsities. Hence the signification of these things in a series is evident; for all the miracles and works of the Lord, when He was in the world, signified celestial and spiritual Divine things, that is, such things as have reference to heaven and the church, and this because they were Divine, and the Divine always operates in ultimates from primaries (ex primis), and so in fulness. Ultimates are such things as appear before the eyes in the world; for this reason the Lord spoke, and the Word was written by means of such things in nature, which are correspondences.

[18] The case is similar with the miracle wrought on Naaman the leper at the command of Elisha, recorded as follows in the second book of Kings:

Naaman the Syrian was afflicted with leprosy, and was bidden by a messenger from Elisha to wash himself seven times in Jordan, and his flesh should come again to him and he should be clean, and at length Naaman "went down and dipped himself in Jordan seven times, and then his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean" (5:10, 14).

Naaman, of Syria, the leper, represented and signified those who falsify the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for leprosy signifies falsifications, and Syria, the knowledges of truth and good. The waters of Jordan signified truths introductory to the church, which are the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, for the river Jordan was the first boundary by which the land of Canaan was entered, and by the land of Canaan was signified the church; hence the waters of Jordan signified introductory truths, which are the first knowledges of truth and good from the Word. On account of this signification of the waters of Jordan, Naaman was commanded to wash himself in it seven times, which signified purification from falsified truths. Seven times signify what is in fulness, and when used of holy things, it signifies such holy things as Divine truths are. By reason of this signification of seven times, it is said that his flesh was restored as the flesh of a little child, and by the flesh being restored is signified spiritual life, such as those have who are regenerated by means of Divine truths.

[19] Because the waters of Jordan signify truths introductory to the church, which are the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, and since washing therein signifies purification from falsities, and thence reformation and regeneration by the Lord, therefore baptism was instituted, and it was first administered in Jordan by John (Matthew 3:11-16; Mark 1:4-13). The rite of baptism signified initiation into knowledges from the Word concerning the Lord, His coming, and salvation from Him. And because man is reformed and regenerated by the Lord by means of truths from the Word, therefore baptism was commanded by the Lord (Matthew 28:19). For truths from the Word are the means by which man is reformed and regenerated, and it is the Lord who reforms and regenerates. More may be seen concerning this in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 202-209).

[20] John said that he baptized with water, but that the Lord baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Luke 3:16; John 1:33). By this is meant, that John only inaugurated them into knowledges from the Word concerning the Lord, and so prepared them to receive Him, but that the Lord Himself regenerates man by Divine Truth and Divine Good proceeding from Himself; for John represented the Word just as Elijah did; the water with which John baptized signified introductory truths, these being knowledges concerning the Lord from the Word. The Holy Spirit signifies Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord; fire, the Divine Good proceeding from Him; and baptism, regeneration by the Lord, by means of Divine Truths from the Word.

[21] Washings were instituted in the ancient churches, and afterwards baptisms in their place, which nevertheless were only representative and significative rites, in order that heaven might be conjoined with the human race, and specifically with the man of the church. For heaven is conjoined to man when he is in ultimates, that is, in such things as are in the world as to his natural man, and in such things as are in heaven as to his spiritual man; there cannot be conjunction in any other way. It was for this reason that baptism and the Holy Supper were instituted, and that by means of such things as are in the world the Word was written, and that it contains a spiritual sense, wherein are heavenly things; and that the sense of the letter of the Word is natural, and contains a spiritual sense within it. That by means of this the Word conjoins the angels of heaven with the men of the church, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 303-310); and in the little work Concerning the White Horse, from beginning to end. That the Holy Supper also conjoins, may be seen [in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem] (n. 210-222); the case is the same in regard to baptism. But yet he who believes that baptism contributes anything to the salvation of man, unless he be at the same time in the truths of the church and in a life according to them, is much deceived. For baptism is an external act, and apart from what is internal, contributes nothing to salvation, but it does contribute to it where the external is conjoined with the internal. The internal of Baptism is this, that by means of truths from the Word, and a life according to them, evils and falsities are removed by the Lord, and thus man is regenerated, as the Lord also teaches in Matthew (23:26, 27), by means of the things explained above in this article.

9348. 'For it will be a snare to you' means owing to evils that are enticing and deceptive. This is clear from the meaning of 'a snare', when it has reference to evils, as enticement and deception. The reason why evils are enticing and deceptive is that all evils spring from self-love and love of the world, 9335, and self-love and love of the world are born together within a person. These are the source of what the person feels as the delight of his life right from when he is first born; indeed the life that is his comes from them. Those loves therefore, like the hidden currents in a river, are constantly drawing the person's thought and will away from the Lord to self, and away from heaven to the world, thus away from the truths and forms of the good of faith to falsities and evils. At this time reasonings based on the illusions of the senses are especially predominant, and also the literal sense of the Word wrongly explained and used.

[2] These two things are what 'snares', 'traps', 'pits', 'nets', 'ropes', 'fetters', and also 'pretences' and 'deceits' are used to mean in the spiritual sense of the Word, as in Isaiah,

Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth. Consequently it will happen, that he who is fleeing from the sound of terror will fall into the pit, and he who is climbing out of the pit will be caught in the snare, for the floodgates from on high have been opened, and the foundations of the earth have been shaken. Isaiah 24:17-19.

And in Jeremiah,

Fear, the pit, and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of Moab. He who flees from the fear will fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare. Jeremiah 48:43-44.

'Terror' and 'fear' are the disturbance and commotion in the mind when it is held fast between evils and forms of good, and consequently between falsities and truths. 'The pit' is falsity created by reasonings based on the illusions of the senses to lend support to delights that are attributable to self-love and love of the world; 'the snare' is the enticement and deception of evil that results from it.

[3] In Isaiah,

They will go and stumble ¹ backwards, and be broken, and snared, and caught. Isaiah 28:13.

'Falling backwards' stands for turning oneself away from goodness and truth; 'being broken' stands for dispensing with truths and forms of good; 'being snared' stands for being enticed by the evils of self-love and love of the world; and 'being caught' stands for being carried away by them.

[4] In Ezekiel,

The mother of the princes of Israel is a lioness. One of her cubs learned to seize prey; he devoured men (homo). The nations heard about him; he was caught in their pit, and they led him away with hooks to the land of Egypt. Later on he ravished widows ² and devastated cities; the land and its fullness was desolated by the sound of his roaring. Therefore the nations from the provinces round about lay in ambush against him, and spread their net over him; he was caught in their pit. They put him in a cage with hooks, and led him to the king of Babel; [they led him away] in nets, that his voice should no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel. Ezekiel 19:2-4, 7-9.

This describes the profanation of truth in successive stages by the enticements of falsities arising from evils. 'The mother of the princes of Israel' is the Church where primary truths are, 'the mother' being the Church, see 289, 2691, 2717, 4257, 5581, 8897, and 'the princes of Israel' primary truths, 1482, 2089, 5044. 'A lioness' is falsity that arises from evil and that perverts the Church's truths; 'a lion's cub' is evil in its power, 6367. 'Seizing prey' and 'devouring men' mean destroying truths and forms of good, for 'man' is the Church's good, 4287, 7424, 7523. 'The nations' are evils, 1259, 1260, 1849, 2588 (end), 4444, 6306. 'A pit', in which the nations caught him, is falsity arising from evil, 4728, 4744, 5038, 9086. 'The land of Egypt', to which he was led away with hooks, is factual knowledge through which falsity comes, 9340. 'Ravishing widows' means perverting forms of good which have the desire for truth, for 'ravishing' means perverting, 2466, 2729, 4865, 8904, and 'widows' forms of good that have the desire for truth, 9198, 9200. 'Devastating cities' means destroying the Church's teachings that present the truth, 402, 2268, 2449, 2943, 3216, 4478, 4492, 4493. 'Desolating the land and its fullness' means destroying all things of the Church, 9325. 'The sound of the lion's roaring' is falsity. 'Spreading a net over him' means enticing by means of delights belonging to earthly kinds of love and by means of reasonings attributable to them. 'Leading away to the king of Babel' is the profaning of truth, 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1307, 1308, 1321, 1322, 1326.

[5] The fact that such things do not happen when a person does not love self and the world above all things is described in the following manner in Amos,

Will a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Will a bird fall into a snare on the earth if there is no trap for it? Will a snare spring up from the earth if it has certainly not caught [anything]? Amos 3:4-5.

[6] It is evident to anyone that 'a snare' in the spiritual sense means enticement and deception effected by means of the delights of self-love and love of the world, thus the enticement and deception of evils, which operate through reasonings that are based on the illusions of the senses and lend support to those delights. For the ensnarement and capturing of people is brought about by nothing else. When the devil's crew makes its attack on a person it concentrates on his loves, which they charm in every way until they have captivated him; and when he has been captivated that person reasons from falsities against truths, and from evils against forms of good. Yet he does not remain content to do that; he also takes delight in snaring others and enticing them towards falsities and evils. The reason why he also takes delight in doing this is that he too is now one of the devil's crew.

[7] Since 'a snare', 'a trap', and 'a net' mean such things they also mean the destruction and so annihilation of spiritual life; for the delights belonging to those loves are what destroy it and annihilate it, since those loves, as stated above, are the source from which all evils spring. From self-love springs disdain for others in comparison with self, then mockery and denigration of them, followed by enmity if they disagree with oneself, and finally by the delight that goes with hatred, vengeance, and so with inhumanity, indeed barbarity. This love in the next life rises to such a height that unless the Lord shows such people favour and grants them dominion over others, they are not only disdainful of Him but also mock the Word which speaks of Him. At length they are stirred by hatred and vengeance to act against Him; and insofar as they are unable to do so they carry out their hatred and vengeance with inhumanity and barbarity against everyone who confesses Him. All this shows where the essential nature of the devil's crew springs from, namely from self-love. Therefore since 'a snare' means the delight of selfish and worldly love, it means the destruction and annihilation of spiritual life; for the whole of love and faith to the Lord, and the whole of love towards the neighbour are destroyed by the delight of selfish and worldly love where it reigns supreme; see the places referred to in 9335.

[8] The fact that those loves are the origins of all evils, that hell arises from them and lies within them, and that those loves are the fires of hell is not known in the world at the present day. Yet people could have known this from the consideration that those loves are the opposites of love towards the neighbour and love to God, and the opposites of humility of heart, and from the consideration that from those loves alone spring all disdain, all hatred, all vengeance, and all inhumanity and barbarity, as anyone may realize who gives any thought to the matter.

[9] The fact that 'a snare' therefore means the destruction and annihilation of spiritual life is evident from the following places: In David,

Jehovah will rain on the wicked, snares, fire and brimstone. Psalms 11:6.

'Fire and brimstone' are the evils of selfish and worldly love. For this meaning of 'fire', see 1297, 1861, 5071, 5215, 6314, 6832, 7324, 7575, 9144, and for 'brimstone', 2446, from which it is evident what 'snares' mean. In Luke,

... lest that day comes on you suddenly, ³ for it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Luke 21:34-35.

This refers to the last phase of the Church, when there is no faith because there is no charity, since self-love and love of the world will reign. This is followed by annihilation, which is meant by 'a snare'. In Jeremiah,

Among My people are found wicked ones. They keep watch, like fowlers laying [snares]; they set a gin to catch human beings. Jeremiah 5:26.

In David,

Those seeking my life ⁴ lay snares, and those seeking my hurt speak of ways to annihilate, and contemplate deceits all the day. Psalms 38:12.

In the same author,

Keep me from the hands of the trap they have set for me, and from the snares of the workers of iniquity. Let them fall into their own nets, ⁵ the wicked together, until I pass by. Psalms 141:9-10.

In Isaiah,

He will be as a sanctuary, though He will be as a stone to strike against and as a rock to stumble over, ⁶ for both houses of Israel; He will be as a snare and as a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Many among them will trip, and fall, and be broken to pieces, and be snared and caught. Isaiah 8:14-15.

This refers to the Lord. 'A stone to strike against' and 'a rock to stumble over' stand for stumbling blocks that are laid; and 'a snare' and 'a trap' for the annihilation accomplished by those who attack and try to destroy truths and forms of the good of faith in the Lord by means of falsities that lend support to self-love and love of the world. For to all proud people the very fact that the Divine appeared in a human form, and that He did so not in royal majesty but in a guise that was despised, is not only a stumbling block but also a snare.

From all this it is now evident that 'it will be a snare' means the enticement and deception of evils, and consequent annihilation, as in other places in Moses,

... lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land onto which you will come, lest it becomes a snare in your midst. Exodus 34:12.

In the same author,

You shall not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you. Deuteronomy 7:16.

In the same author,

Beware lest perhaps you are ensnared to follow ⁷ the nations, and lest perhaps you inquire after their gods. Deuteronomy 12:30.

'The nations' are evils and the falsities arising from them.

Bilješke: