10458. And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp. That this signifies hell, in which that nation then was, is evident from the signification of “the camp of the sons of Israel,” as being heaven and the church (see n. 4236, 10038); consequently when they were in idolatrous worship, adoring a calf instead of Jehovah, by their “camp” is signified hell; for what is representative of heaven and of the church is turned into what is representative of hell when the people turn themselves from Divine worship to diabolical worship, such as was the worship of the calf. The like is signified by “camp” in Amos:

I have sent among you the pestilence in the way of Egypt; your young men have I slain with the sword, with the captivity of your horses; so that I have made the stink of your camp to come up even into your nose (Amos 4:10).

The vastation of truth is here treated of, and when this is vastated, the “camp” signifies hell. That the vastation of truth is treated of is evident from the details of the passage as viewed in the internal sense; for “pestilence” denotes vastation (n. 7102, 7505); “way” denotes truth, and in the opposite sense falsity (n. 10422); “Egypt” denotes what is external, and also hell (see the places cited in n. 10437); “a sword” denotes falsity fighting against truth (see n. 2799, 4499, 6353, 7102, 8294); “young men” denote the truths of the church (n. 7668); “to be slain” denotes to perish spiritually (see n. 6767, 8902); “captivity” denotes the privation of truth (see n. 7990); “horses” denote an understanding which is enlightened (n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6125, 6534); and “a stink” denotes what is abominable exhaling from hell (n. 7161). From this it is evident that in this sense a “camp” denotes hell. Hell is also signified by the “camp” of the enemies who were against Jerusalem, and in general against the sons of Israel, in the historicals of the Word.

6524. The elders of his house. That this signifies that were in agreement with good, is evident from the signification of “elders,” as being the chief things of wisdom, thus those which agree with good (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “house,” as being good (see n. 2559, 3652, 3720, 4982). That “elders” denote the chief things of wisdom is because in the Word “old men” signify the wise, and in a sense abstracted from person, wisdom. As the “twelve tribes of Israel” signified all truths and goods in the complex, there were set over them princes and elders, and by “princes” were signified the primary truths which are of intelligence, and by “elders” the chief things of wisdom, thus those which are of good.

[2] That “princes” signify the primary truths which are of intelligence, may be seen above (n. 1482, 2089, 5044); but that “elders” signified the chief things of wisdom, and “old men,” wisdom, is plain from the following passages.

In David:

Let them extol Jehovah in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders (Psalms 107:32); where the “congregation of the people” denotes those who are in the truths that belong to intelligence, “congregation” being predicated of truths (n. 6355), and also “people” (n. 1259, 1260, 2928, 3295, 3581); and the “assembly of the elders” denotes those who are in good, which is of wisdom; for wisdom is of life, thus of good, but intelligence is of knowledges, thus of truth (n. 1555). Again:

I am wiser than the elders, because I have kept Thy commandments (Psalms 119:100); where the “elders” manifestly denote him who is wise. So in Job:

In old men there is wisdom, and in length of days intelligence (Job 12:12).

In Moses:

Thou shalt rise up before the gray head, and honor the faces of the old man (Leviticus 19:32);

this was commanded because old men represented wisdom.

[3] In Revelation:

Upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, who had golden crowns upon their heads (Revelation 4:4);

“elders” denote the things which belong to wisdom, thus those which belong to good; that “elders” denote these things is evident from the description-that they “sat on thrones, were clothed in white garments, and had crowns of gold on their heads;” for “thrones” denote the truths of intelligence from the good of wisdom (n. 5313); in like manner “white garments” (that “garments” are truths, n. 1073, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5954; and that “white” is predicated of truth, n. 3301, 5319). “Golden crowns upon their heads” denote the goods of wisdom; for “gold” is the good of love (n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658), and the “head” is the celestial, where is wisdom (n. 4938, 4939, 5328, 6436). They are called “wise” who are in the third or inmost heaven, thus who are nearest the Lord; but they are called “intelligent” who are in the middle or second heaven, thus who are not so near the Lord.

[4] Again:

All the angels stood round about the throne, and the elders, and the four animals (Revelation 7:11); where also “elders” denote the things that belong to wisdom. So in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

The child will puff himself up against the old man, and the despised against the honored one (Isaiah 3:5);

Again:

Jehovah Zebaoth shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before His elders shall be glory (Isaiah 24:23).

In Jeremiah:

My priests and mine elders expired in the city, because they have sought food for themselves wherewith to refresh their soul (Lam. 1:19).

Again:

Her king and her princes are among the nations, the law is not; the elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the earth, they keep silence (Lam. 2:9-10).

Again:

They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah; princes were hanged up by their hand; the faces of the old were not honored; the elders have ceased from the gate (Lam. 5:11-12, 14).

In Ezekiel:

Misery shall come upon misery, and rumor shall be upon rumor; therefore they shall seek a vision from the prophet; but the law hath perished from the priest, and counsel from the elders. The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with amazement (Ezekiel 7:26-27).

In Zechariah:

There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for multitude of days (Zech. 8:4).

That the elders might represent the things that belong to wisdom, the spirit of Moses was taken and given them, whence they prophesied (Numbers 11:16, et seq.). In the opposite sense “elders” denote the things that are contrary to wisdom (Ezekiel 8:11-12).