10510. And Jehovah smote the people. That this signifies the devastation of truth and of good with the Israelitish nation, is evident from the signification of “smiting,” as being to destroy (see n. 6761), and in the spiritual sense “to destroy” denotes to deprive someone of the truths and goods of faith and love, which in the Word is called “desolation” and “vastation.” The reason why devastation is here signified by “smiting,” is that in this chapter the subject treated of is the closing of the internal with the Israelitish nation; and the closing of the internal is devastation in respect to truth and good.