8310. Verses 14-16. The peoples have heard, they have trembled, pain hath laid hold of the inhabitants of Philistia. Then were the chiefs of Edom dismayed, the mighty ones of Moab, terror hath laid hold of them, all the inhabitants of Canaan are melted. Fright and dread are fallen upon them; in the greatness of Thine arm they shall be destroyed as a stone, until Thy people shall pass over, O Jehovah, until shall pass over this people which Thou hast taken possession of. “The peoples have heard,” signifies all who are in falsity from evil everywhere; “they have trembled,” signifies terror; “pain hath laid hold of the inhabitants of Philistia,” signifies despair of enlarging their dominion on the part of those who are in faith separate from good; “then were the chiefs of Edom dismayed,” signifies the like with those who are in a life of evil from the love of self; “the mighty ones of Moab,” signifies those who are in a life of falsity from this love; “terror hath laid hold of them,” signifies that they have dared nothing; “all the inhabitants of Canaan are melted,” signifies the like with those who had been of the church, and have adulterated goods, and falsified truths; “fright and dread are fallen upon them,” signifies that they are without any hope of domination; “in the greatness of Thine arm,” signifies by virtue of omnipotence; “they shall be destroyed as a stone,” signifies a falling down like a weight; “until Thy people shall pass over,” signifies that thus without danger of infestation all shall be saved who are capable of receiving the truth of good and the good of truth; “until shall pass over this people,” signifies that thus shall be saved those of the church who are in truth and good; “which Thou hast taken possession of,” signifies who have thus become the Lord’s.

3295. And the one people shall prevail over the other people. That this signifies that at first truth shall be superior to the good of truth, is evident from the signification of “people,” as being truth (see just above, n. 3294); and from the signification of “prevailing over,” as being superior. The “people” referred to in the first place signifies truth, but the “people” referred to in the second place, the good of truth; the good of truth being that good which comes forth from truth, and which in its first coming forth is truth, but is called good because it appears as good. Hence it is that by “people” is also signified this good, which in its first coming forth is called the good of truth. In order to have some idea of this good, we must know that before a man has been regenerated he does good from truth; but after he has been regenerated he does good from good; or more clearly, before a man has been regenerated he does good from the understanding; but after he has been regenerated, from the will. The good therefore that is from the understanding is not in itself good, but truth, whereas the good which is from the will is good. For example: one who does not honor his parents, but from the commandment of the Decalogue learns to honor them, when first he honors them, does it from the commandment; and as this honor is from the commandment it is not in itself good, because it is not from love, but is either from obedience to the law, or from fear of the law. Nevertheless it is called the good of truth, but in its first coming forth it is truth; for at that time the man does not do good, but truth; whereas when the man honors his parents from love, then it is good. The same is true in all other cases.