8998. 'He shall have no power to sell her to a foreign people' means that it must not pass to those who are not of the Church's faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'the foreigner' as those outside the Church, thus those who are not of the Church's faith, dealt with in 2049, 2115, 7996; and from the meaning of 'selling' as alienating, dealt with immediately above in 8997. The implications of this are that those born within the Church and imbued since early childhood with the fundamental truths taught by the Church ought not to enter into marriages with those who are outside the Church and have therefore been imbued with ideas such as are not the Church's. The reason why is that they are in no way joined to one another in the spiritual world; for in that world everyone's association with others is determined by his good and from this by his truth. And since such are in no way joined together in the spiritual world, they ought not to be on earth; for essentially a marriage consists of one human mind and inclination joined to another's, which derive spiritual life from the truths and forms of the good of faith and charity. Therefore also in heaven marriages on earth between people of different religions are thought to be detestable, and especially those between members of the Church and people outside the Church. This also was the reason why the Jewish and Israelite nation was forbidden to contract marriages with the nations [in Canaan], Deuteronomy 7:3-4, and why fornicating with them was utterly detestable, Numbers 25:1-9.

[2] This is made even more plainly evident by the origin of conjugial love; that is, it springs from the marriage of goodness and truth, 2727-2759. Descending from this marriage, conjugial love is heaven itself within someone. But this is destroyed when the hearts and faith of two married to each other are not alike. This then is the reason why a female slave from among the daughters of Israel, that is, from the Church, was not to be sold to a foreign people, that is, to those outside the Church. For the latter would then betroth her, that is, be joined to her, and in so doing would profane things of the Church, which explains why doing such a thing to her is called 'acting treacherously'.

7996. 'No son of a foreigner shall eat it' means that those not in possession of truth and good are set apart from them. This is clear from the meaning of 'a foreigner' as those who are outside the Church and unreceptive of anything of the truth or good of faith, as the nations in the land of Canaan were, dealt with in 2049, 2115, thus those who are not in possession of truth and good; and from the meaning of 'not eating it' as not having any contact with them or being joined to them, thus being set apart from them. The verses immediately following deal with those who shall eat the Passover together and those who shall not eat it. The Passover was a supper, representing the groups of good people living in association with one another in heaven. The statutes in the verses that follow indicate who exactly could be included and who could not. In general the banquets within the Church in ancient times, both midday meals and suppers, were held in order that people might be brought into association with one another and joined together in love, and in order that they might inform one another about matters of love and faith, and so about the things of heaven, see 3596, 3832, 5161. Such were the delights surrounding feasts in those times, and they were the end in view in holding midday meals and suppers. People's minds were thereby nourished, and also their bodies in a parallel and corresponding way. As a result they enjoyed good health and long life, they received intelligence and wisdom, and they were also brought into communication with heaven, some into open communication with angels. But as in course of time all internal things disappear and give way to external ones, so it is with the ends to which banquets and feasts are held. At the present day these are held not to draw people together into any spiritual fellowship but to create worldly connections. That is to say, they are held for the sake of material gain, the quest for high office, and mere pleasures. They provide nourishment for the body, but none for the mind.