9284. And it shall not be heard upon thy mouth. That this signifies that obedience is not to be paid with any affirmation, is evident from the signification of “hearing,” as being to obey (see n. 2542, 3869, 4652-4660, 5017, 7216, 8361); and from the signification of “not being upon the mouth,” when said of the doctrine of falsity which is signified by “the name of other gods,” as being not to affirm. The reason why the name of other gods was not to be mentioned, nor to be heard upon the mouth, was that heavenly things, and the Divine things of the Lord, might be represented by all the statutes, judgments, and commandments that were commanded; and they were represented so long as Jehovah was named and worshiped, for then the Divine of the Lord was present, and heaven with Him. But when other gods were named and worshiped, infernal things were represented, because spirits from the hells were then present who wished to be worshiped as gods; for those who are in the hells are continually seeking this, because the loves of self and of the world reign there (n. 3881).

2542. And spoke all these words in their ears. That this signifies an exhortation to the things thence derived that confirm, even until they should become obedient, is evident from the series in the internal sense, as well as from the signification of “ears.” From the series: There are many confirmatory things that support whatever the rational acknowledges; for it is precisely from these confirmatory things that its acknowledgment comes; and therefore it is that when rational things are being reduced to obedience exhortation is made to the things that confirm; for these are ever pressing in, and as it were rising up. From the signification of “ears:” In the internal sense of the Word “ears” signify obedience, by reason of the correspondence between hearing and obeying; which correspondence is moreover latent in the very word “hear,” and still more in “hearken;” the origin of which correspondence is from the other life, where they who are willing and obedient belong to the province of the ear, and indeed correspond to the hearing itself; which is an arcanum not yet known. But these things will become more clearly manifest when in what follows, of the Lord’s Divine mercy, correspondence will be treated of. That “ears” have this signification is evident from many passages in the Word. For the present we may adduce a single passage from Isaiah:

Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest peradventure they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and their heart should understand (Isaiah 6:10).

Here to “see with the eyes” is to understand; and to “hear with the ears” is to perceive with affection, consequently to obey. And nothing else is signified where the Lord says, “He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15, 13:9, 43; Luke 8:8; 14:35).