9379. 'And they shall not come near' means no separate joining together or presence. This is clear from the representation of Aaron, his sons Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders, who are the ones here who 'shall not come near', as the Word in its outward sense, religious teachings, and the Church's leading truths, dealt with above in 9374-9376; and from the meaning of 'coming near' as the Lord's togetherness with and presence among people, dealt with immediately above in 9378, in this instance as no such togetherness or presence, since it says that Moses alone and not they themselves shall come near. The reason why no separate joining together or presence is meant is that Moses at this point represents the Word in general or the Word in its entirety, 9372, as well as the Word in its inward sense, 9374, whereas Aaron, his sons, and the seventy elders represent the Word in its outward sense and the things derived from it. Since there can be no separate joining of these to the Lord, because the Lord is the Word in its entirety, the words of explanation are 'no such joining or any separate presence'.