4507. And whatever was in the city, and whatever was in the field, they took. That this signifies all the truth and good of the church, is evident from the signification of a “city,” as being doctrine, thus the truth of the church (see n. 402, 2268, 2449, 2712, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493); and from the signification of a “field,” as being the church as to good, thus the good of the church (n. 2971, 3310, 3766, 4440, 4443); so that “whatever was in the city, and whatever was in the field” denotes all the truth and good of the church.

4492. All that went out of the gate of his city. That this signifies that they would recede from the doctrine of the Church among the Ancients, is evident from the signification of “going out,” as here being to recede; and from the signification of the “gate of a city,” as being doctrine (see n. 2943, 4477), here the doctrine of the Church among the Ancients, because it was the gate of “his city,” that is, of Shechem, for by Shechem is represented the truth of the Church among the Ancients (n. 4454). As before said, by the Church among the Ancients is meant that which was from the Most Ancient Church. How the case herein is will appear from what now follows.