402. Verse 13. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, signifies that the knowledges of good and truth perished. This is evident from the signification of "stars" as being the knowledges of good and truth (See above, n. 72); also from the signification of "falling unto the earth," as being to perish; for when stars fall to the earth they perish. The same is signified by:

The stars shall fall from heaven (Matthew 24:29; and Mark 13:25).

Anyone can see that "stars" here do not mean stars, for these cannot fall from heaven, for they are fixed or established in their place, and cannot fall to the earth, because they are larger than the earth; consequently by them are signified such things as belong to heavenly light, and give light, which are the knowledges of good and truth. Moreover, stars appear in the angelic heaven, but they are appearances from the knowledges of good and truth, therefore they appear about those who are in such knowledges, especially when they turn them over in the mind, and are desirous of knowing them.

649. But here the numbers, or the measurements of the ark, mean nothing other than the remnants that existed with the member of this Church when he was being reformed, and in particular that they were few. This is clear from the fact that among those numbers five is predominant, which in the Word means some, or a little, as in Isaiah,

Gleanings will be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries on the top of the highest branch, four or five on the branches of a fruitful tree. Isaiah 17:6.

Here 'two or three' and 'five' stands for a few. In the same prophet,

One thousand at the rebuke of one, at the rebuke of five will you flee, until you are left like a flagstaff on top of a mountain. Isaiah 30:17.

This also stands for a few. The minimum penalty when making restitution was a fifth part, Leviticus 5:16; 6:5; 22:14; Numbers 5:7, and the minimum increase when they redeemed an animal, a house, a field, or tithes, was a fifth part, Leviticus 27:13, 15, 19, 31.