2940. 'Ephron was sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth' means those who were primarily able to receive the good and truth of faith. This is clear from the representation of 'Ephron', and also from the meaning of 'the sons of Heth' as those with whom the good and truth of faith could be received and with whom a new Church existed, dealt with in 2913, 2933; and from the meaning of 'the middle' or 'in the midst' as that which is primary or the chief thing, and also that which is inmost, dealt with in 1074. 'The middle' in the internal sense means that which is primary or the chief thing, and also that which is inmost, by reason of the representatives in the next life. When anything good is represented there by means of spiritual ideas, the purest of the good is in the middle and the less and less pure in consecutive degrees from the middle, until lastly at the circumference there is that which is not good at all. And this is why 'in the midst' means both that which is primary or the chief thing and also that which is inmost. The ideas comprising thought are also represented in the same manner, and so are affections too. And all changes of state are represented in that manner, in that everything good or evil is altered as to its position towards the middle. This has its origin in the form possessed by spiritual and celestial things, which is such.

1074. 'The middle of the tent' is the chief thing of faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'the middle' and from the meaning of 'a tent'. In the Word 'the middle' means that which is inmost, and 'tent' charity, or worship deriving from charity. Charity is the inmost, that is, the chief thing of faith and worship, and so is 'the middle of the tent'. That 'the middle' means that which is inmost has been shown already, and that 'tent' means the holiness of love, which is charity, see what has appeared already in 414.