10253. Five hundred. That this signifies full, is evident from the signification of the number “five hundred,” as being what is full. That “five hundred” denotes what is full is because this number is compounded of five twice multiplied by ten, or five times a hundred; and by “five” is signified much, in like manner by “ten,” and by a “hundred;” hence by “five hundred” is signified what is full. (That by “five” is signified much, see n. 5708, 5956, 9102; so by “ten,” n. 3107, 4638; also by a “hundred,” n. 4400, 6582, 6594; and that all numbers in the Word signify real things, see the places cited in n. 9488; and that compound numbers signify the like as the simple ones from which they come forth by multiplication, n. 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973.)

[2] That numbers signify real things is clearly evident in Ezekiel, where the house of God with all within and without it, and also the new earth, are measured, and are described by the numbers of the measure (chapters 40 to 48); and by the “new earth” is there meant the church, and by the “house of God” the holiness of it; in like manner by John in Revelation, where also the New Jerusalem, by which also is meant a new church, is described by the numbers of the measure. If numbers had not signified real things, all these measurements would have been of no value.

[3] That “five hundred” signifies the whole from one end to the other, thus what is full, is evident from this in Ezekiel:

He measured outside the house, or temple, on the eastern quarter, five hundred reeds round about; on the northern quarter five hundred reeds round about; on the southern quarter five hundred reeds; and on the quarter of the sea five hundred reeds. Its wall round about; the length five hundred reeds, and the breadth five hundred reeds; to distinguish between that which was holy and that which was profane (Ezekiel 42:15-20);

from which words it is plain that “five hundred” denotes the whole in the complex, or everything holy from one end to the other, thus what is full, for it is said that the wall, which was of this length and breadth in a square, distinguished between what was holy and what was profane.

[4] That “five hundred” signifies much; and its tenth part, or “fifty,” relatively something is evident from the Lord’s words to Simon in Luke:

Jesus said, A certain creditor had two debtors; the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. When they had nothing to pay, he forgave them both; therefore which of them will love him most? Simon answered, He to whom he forgave most. Jesus said, Just so the woman’s many sins are forgiven, because she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little (Luke 7:41 to the end).

The Lord employed these numbers because they signified much and something; for He spoke from the Divine, thus by means of significatives according to correspondences; and also in all other places, as when He spoke of the virgins, whom He called “ten,” and “five” of them wise, and “five” foolish. He said “ten,” because by this number are signified all, that is, of the church; and “five,” because by this number is signified some part (n. 4637, 4638).

5708. Five measures. That this signifies much increased, is evident from the signification of “five,” as being much (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “measures,” as being states of truth from good (see n. 3104). As regards “five,” it is a number that signifies a little, likewise some, and also much. Its signification depends upon its relation to the number of which it is a part (n. 5291): as a part of “ten” it involves the same as ten, but in a less degree, because it is half of the number ten; for as numbers formed by multiplication signify the like with their simple numbers (see n. 5291, 5335), so numbers produced by division signify the like as their multiples-for instance “five” the same as “ten” and as “twenty” and also as “one hundred” and “one thousand,” and so on. (That “ten” denotes what is full may be seen above, n. 3107, 4638.) Five more measures were given to Benjamin than to the rest of his brethren because of the signification of the matter in the internal sense; ten measures could not have been given, for they would have been far too much. By traditions from the Most Ancient Church the ancients knew what some numbers signified, and therefore they made use of these numbers when anything occurred which they might serve to signify, as here the number “five;” and in other cases they applied several other numbers, as “three” to signify what is full from beginning to end; “seven” to signify what is holy; “twelve” to signify all things in their complex.