9371. THE INTERNAL SENSE.

Verses 1-2. And He said unto Moses, Come up unto Jehovah, thou and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and bow yourselves afar off; and Moses, he alone, shall come near unto Jehovah; and they shall not come near; and the people shall not come up with him. “And He said unto Moses,” signifies that which concerns the Word in general; “come up unto Jehovah,” signifies conjunction with the Lord; “thou and Aaron,” signifies the Word in the internal sense and the external sense; “Nadab and Abihu,” signifies doctrine from both senses; “and seventy of the elders of Israel,” signifies the chief truths of the church which are of the Word, or of doctrine, and which agree with good; “and bow yourselves afar off,” signifies humiliation and adoration from the heart, and then the influx of the Lord; “and Moses, he alone, shall come near unto Jehovah,” signifies the conjunction and presence of the Lord through the Word in general; “and they shall not come near,” signifies no separate conjunction and presence; “and the people shall not come up with him,” signifies no conjunction whatever with the external apart from the internal.

Frequent mention is made of garments in the Word, and by them are meant those things which are beneath or without, and which cover those things that are above or within. Because 'garments' signify the external of man, they also signify the natural principle, for this covers his internal and spiritual principle. 'Garments' specifically signify the truths which are of faith, because these cover the goods which are of charity. Garments and clothing, as in Isaiah 63:1, 3, signify the Lord's human. Garments of wrought gold, as in Psalm 45:13, signify the quality of truth derived from good. Garments of honorableness, as in Isaiah 52:1, signify the holy things of faith. The garments of the Lord at his transfiguration signify divine truth proceeding from his divine love. Garments of needlework, fine linen, and silk, as in Ezekiel 16:10, 18, signify the lower spiritual things and doctrinal ideas of the spiritual church perverted. Garments of holiness which Aaron wore, as in Leviticus 16:2, 4; Exodus 28 etc., represent the Lord's divine human principle. Garments of the Lord, as in Isaiah 63:1, signify the Word in the literal sense. Garments of salvation signify the truths of faith, and the robe of righteousness signifies the good of charity, as in Isaiah 61:10.

(Notae: Arcana Coelestia 5248; Exodus 28; Isaiah 52; Matthew 17:2)

3143. And there is room for the camels. That this signifies a state for all things that would be serviceable to Him, is evident from the signification of “room,” as being state (see above, n. 1273-1277, 1376-1381, 2625); and from the signification of “camels,” as being general memory-knowledges (see n. 3048, 3071). That these are things for service may be seen above (n. 1486, 3019, 3020); for all things that belong to the natural man are for no other use than to serve the spiritual; wherefore also menservants, maidservants, camels, and asses, in the internal sense chiefly signify the things which belong to the natural man.