4453. And range through it trading, and get you possession therein. That this signifies doctrinal tenets from what is general that would agree together, is evident from the signification of “trading,” as being to acquire knowledges for one’s self, and also to communicate them (see n. 2967), hence “to range through the land trading” denotes to enter into the knowledges of good and truth signified by Shechem the son of Hamor and his city; and from the signification of “getting possession therein,” as being to make one, thus to agree together, for they who possess a land together, make one and agree. That “to trade” denotes to acquire knowledges, and also to communicate them, is because in heaven, where the Word is perceived according to its internal sense, there is no trading, for in heaven there is no gold, silver, or anything else such as are traded with in this world; and therefore when we read in the Word of “trading,” this is understood in a spiritual sense, and there is perceived something that corresponds to trading, which-to speak generally-is the acquisition and communication of knowledges, and specifically, is that [which is indicated by the object] named. Thus, if “gold” is named, the good of love and wisdom is understood (n. 113, 1551, 1552); if “silver,” the truth which is of intelligence and faith (n. 1551, 2048, 2954); if “sheep,” “rams,” “kids,” or “lambs,” in which they traded in ancient times, such things are understood as these animals signify, and so on.

[2] As in Ezekiel:

Say unto Tyre, O thou that dwellest at the entrances of the sea, the trader of the peoples unto many isles, Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches; in silver, in iron, in tin and lead they furnished thy fairs. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, these were thy traders in the soul of man, and in vessels of brass they furnished thy commerce. The sons of Dedan were thy traders, many isles were the merchandise of thine hand. Syria was thy merchant in the multitude of thy works. Judah and the land of Israel, these were thy traders in wheat, minnith, and pannag, and in honey and oil and balm they furnished thy commerce. Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of thy works, by reason of the multitude of all riches, in wine of Heshbon and wool of Zachar. Dan and Javan furnished yarn in thy fairs. Dedan was thy trader in garments of freedom for the chariot. The Arabian and all the princes of Kedar, these were the merchants of thy hand, in lambs and rams and he-goats, in these were they thy merchants. The traders of Shebah and Raamah, these were thy traders in the chief of all spice and by every precious stone and gold they furnished thy tradings. Haran and Canneh and Eden, the traders of Sheba, Asshur, Chilmad was thy trader. These were thy traders with perfections, with balls of blue, and broidered work; and with treasures of precious garments bound with cords and in cedar they were in thy merchandise; whence thou hast been filled and become honored exceedingly in the heart of the seas (Ezekiel 27:3, 12-13, 15-19, 21-25).

[3] From this and many other passages in the Word it appears that “tradings,” “commerce,” “merchandise,” and “wares,” are nothing else than things which relate to the knowledges of good and truth. For what has the prophetic Word to do with the tradings of Tyre unless things spiritual and celestial are signified by them? And because this is so, it must be very evident not only that by the wares are other things signified, but also that by the nation there named are signified those possessed of these other things; and that except from the internal sense it cannot be known what all these signify, as for instance what is signified by “Tarshish,” “Javan,” “Tubal,” “Meshech,” the “sons of Dedan,” “Syria,” “Judah,” “Israel,” “Dan,” “Javan,” “Dedan,” the “Arabian,” “Sheba,” “Raamah,” “Haran,” “Canneh,” “Eden,” “Assyria,” “Chilmad;” and also what is signified by their wares, such as “silver,” “iron,” “tin,” “lead,” “vessels of brass,” “wheat,” “minnith,” “pannag,” “honey,” “oil,” “balm,” “wine of Heshbon,” “wool of Zachar,” “yarn,” “garments of freedom for the chariot,” “lambs,” “rams,” “he-goats,” “spice,” “precious stone,” “gold,” “balls of blue,” “broidered work,” “cords bound,” and “cedar.” These and the like things signify the goods and truths of the church and the Lord’s kingdom, and also the knowledges of these goods and truths. It is for this reason that Tyre is here treated of, because by “Tyre” are signified knowledges (n. 1201). And because such wares, that is, goods and truths, are in the Lord’s church and kingdom, the land of Canaan (which signifies the Lord’s church and kingdom) bore from the most ancient time a name that is derived from “wares” or “merchandise,” for such is the meaning of the name “Canaan” in the original language. From all that has been said it is now evident what is signified by “ranging through the land trading.”

1182. Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. That these signify that such worships were in that region, and that at the same time they signify the worships themselves, the externals of which appear holy while the interiors are profane, is evident from the signification of “Babel,” and of “the land of Shinar.” Babel is much treated of in the Word, and everywhere such worship is signified by it, that is to say that the externals appear holy while the interiors are profane. But as the following chapter treats of Babel, it will be shown there that such things are signified by Babel; and that in the beginning such worship was not so profane as it became afterwards. For the quality of external worship is precisely in accordance with the interiors; the more innocent the interiors are, the more innocent is the external worship; but the more foul the interiors are, the more foul is the external worship; and the more profane the interiors are, the more profane is the external worship. In a word, the more of the love of the world and of self there is in a man who is in this external worship, the less there is that is living and holy in his worship; the more hatred toward the neighbor there is in his love of himself and of the world, the more profanity there is in his worship; the more malice in his hatred, the more still of profanity there is in his worship; and the more deceit in his malice, the more profanity yet is there in his worship. Those loves and these evils are the interiors of the external worship which is signified by “Babel,” concerning which in the following chapter.