3459. And they sware a man to his brother. That this signifies confirmation with those who are in the good of truth, is evident from the signification of “swearing,” or of an “oath,” as being confirmation (n. 2842, 3037, 3375); and from the signification of “a man with his brother,” as being the good of truth, or what is the same, those who are in this good. (That “man” signifies truth may be seen above, n. 265, 749, 1007, 3134, 3309; and that a “brother” signifies good, n. 2360; also what the good of truth is, n. 3295, 3332.) Those are in this good who are here represented by Abimelech, or who are represented by the Philistines, of whom Abimelech was king, namely, those who make faith the essential of the church, and place it before charity. They who are such are in no other good than the good of truth, for they elicit and draw forth from the Word nothing but what is of faith, thus what is of truth, and scarcely see what is of good, thus what is of life. Therefore they confirm themselves in doctrinal things of faith, but not in any doctrinal things of charity. When these do good, it is from the doctrinal things of faith, and the good thence is what is called the good of truth.

[2] With those who are in this good the Lord conjoins Himself, but not so much as with those who are in the good of charity; for love and charity are spiritual conjunction, and not faith except through love and charity; and because this is so, it is not said that they “made a covenant with Isaac,” but that they “sware a man to his brother;” for a “covenant” is predicated of good, which is of love and charity; but an “oath” of truth, which is of faith (n. 3375); “dwelling together,” which is signified by a “feast” (n. 3456) is also predicated of those who are in the good of truth. From those of this character in the other life it has been given me to know that they are separate from those who are in the good of charity; for these are more closely conjoined with the Lord than the former, whose good is so to speak hard, does not suffer itself to be bent, is not communicative, thus is not in heaven, but upon the threshold of heaven.

3134. Saying, Thus spoke the man unto me. That this signifies the inclination of truth in the natural man, is in like manner evident from the affection in these words, and also from what the man, or Abraham’s servant, spoke to Rebekah; from which it is evident that it is the inclination that is signified; and also from the signification of a “man” as being truth (see n. 265, 749, 1007), here truth in the natural man from the Divine-because the man is here Abraham’s elder servant, by whom is signified the natural man (as may be seen above, n. 3019). In the Word, especially the prophetic, the word “man” [vir] often occurs; as “man and wife,” “man and woman,” “man and inhabitant,” also “man [vir] and man [homo]”; and in such places by “man” [vir] in the internal sense is signified that which is of the understanding, which is truth; and by “wife,” “woman,” “inhabitant,” and “man” [homo], that which is of the will, which is good. As in Isaiah:

I see, and there is no man; even among them, and there is no counselor (Isaiah 41:28);

“no man” denotes no one intelligent, thus no truth. Again:

I came, and there was no man; I called, and there was none to answer (Isaiah 50:2).

The meaning here being the same.

[2] Again:

Truth hath stumbled in the street, and uprightness cannot enter; and truth hath been taken away; and he that departeth from evil is mad. And Jehovah saw, and it was evil in His eyes that there was no judgment, and no man, and He was amazed (Isaiah 59:14-16).

“No man” plainly means no one intelligent, and thus in the universal sense no truth. It here treats of the last time of the church, when there is no longer any truth; and it is therefore said, “truth hath stumbled in the street, uprightness cannot enter, truth hath been taken away.” (That “street” also is predicated of truth, may be seen above, n. 2336; and “judgment” also, n. 2235.) In Jeremiah:

Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth judgment, that seeketh truth (Jeremiah 5:1).

Here a “man” evidently denotes one who is intelligent; and also truth.

In Zephaniah:

I will make their streets desolate, that none passeth by; their cities shall be devastated, so that there shall be no man; that there shall be no inhabitant (Zeph. 3:6).

“No man” denotes no truth; “no inhabitant,” no good (see above, n. 2268, 2451, 2712, and many other places).