9304. To guard thee in the way. That this signifies His providence and guard from the falsities of evil, is evident from the signification of “guarding,” when said of the Lord, as being providence; for providence consists in providing and foreseeing, thus in leading to good and guarding from evil; because good is provided by the Lord, and evil is foreseen by Him (see n. 6489); and because evil is foreseen, man is guarded from it, otherwise good cannot be provided. And from the signification of “the way,” as being truth (n. 627, 2333, 3477); here as being falsity, because it is said “to guard thee;” for he who leads in truth likewise guards from falsity, because falsity infests and attacks truth. That falsity of evil is meant, is because this falsity infests and attacks; but not the falsity which is not of evil, such as is with those who are in good (of which falsity, and also of the falsity of evil, see n. 2243, 2408, 2863, 4736, 4822, 6359, 7272, 7437, 7574, 7577, 8051, 8137, 8149, 8298, 8311, 8318, 9258, 9298).

6359. And their wrath for it was hard. That this signifies a turning away from the derivative truth, that it was confirmed, is evident from the signification of “wrath,” as being a turning away from truth (that “wrath” is predicated of truth, and “anger” of good, may be seen above, n. 3614); and from the signification of “hard,” as being what is confirmed, for the falsity which has been confirmed even to persuasion, is hard. That it is hard has been given to know from experience, for among spirits and among the angels truth from good appears and is presented to view as soft, but falsity from evil as hard, and this in proportion as the falsity from evil is more confirmed. When persuasion has been brought about by means of confirmation from many things, this hardness appears there like the hardness of bone. Such hardness is also like the hardness in this world, in that it reflects the rays of light. Thus when the light of heaven from the Lord falls upon the hardness produced by falsity from evil, it is reflected; but on the other hand, when the light of heaven from the Lord falls upon the softness produced by truth from good, it is received.