10032. 'And the two kidneys and the fat on them' means the more internal truth of the external or natural man, and the good of that truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'the kidneys' as more internal truths, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the fat' as good, dealt with above in 10029, the good of that truth being meant here because it was the fat on the kidneys. The expression 'the good of that truth' is used because all good has its own truth, and all truth has its own good. There are countless kinds of good, and each has truth of the same kind. For throughout heaven there are forms of good and of truth which constitute the life there, and everywhere these are different. What type of good it is that is meant by 'the fat on the kidneys' is clear from the truths meant by 'the kidneys'. By 'the kidneys' are meant truths that serve to explore, purify, and correct; they derive this meaning from the function they perform. From this it is evident what 'the kidneys' means in the following places: In Jeremiah,

Jehovah tests the kidneys and the heart. Jeremiah 11:20.

In the same prophet,

Jehovah testing the righteous, seeing the kidneys and the heart. Jeremiah 20:12.

In David,

You test the heart and the kidneys, O righteous God. Psalms 7:9.

In the same author,

O Jehovah, explore my kidneys and my heart. Psalms 26:2.

In the same author,

O Jehovah, You possess my kidneys. Psalms 139:13.

In John,

I am He who examines closely the kidneys and the heart. Revelation 2:23.

'Examining the kidneys closely' and 'testing them' mean exploring the truths of faith, and 'examining the heart closely' and 'testing it' mean exploring forms of the good of love; for 'the heart' is the good of love, 3883-3896, 7542, 9050. The fact that the truths of faith are meant by 'the kidneys' is plainly evident in David,

O Jehovah, behold, You desire truth in the kidneys. Psalms 51:6.

The reason why more internal truth and the exploration of it is meant by 'the kidneys' is that by 'the ureters and bladder' which lead away from the kidneys is meant more external truth and the exploration of it, and also correction, 5381-5384.

6978. 'And it will become blood on the dry land' means the falsifying of all truth and the consequent deprivation of it in the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'blood' as holy truth coming forth from the Lord, and in the contrary sense as truth falsified and rendered profane, dealt with in 4735 (the implications of this have been stated in what comes immediately before this); and from the meaning of 'the dry land' as the natural, dealt with just above in 6976. The meaning of 'blood' as the falsification of truth and the profanation of it is clear in particular in Nahum,

Woe to the city of blood, ¹ all full of lies [and] plunder! Prey will not depart! The noise of a whip and the noise of the rumbling wheel, ² and the neighing horse and the clattering ³ chariot! The mounting horseman, ⁴ and the glitter of the sword, and the lightning-flash of the spear, and the multitude of slain, and the heap of corpses, and no end of bodies - they trip over their bodies - all because of the multitude of whoredoms of a harlot with goodly grace, the mistress of sorceries, the seller of nations through her acts of whoredom, and of families through her sorceries. Nahum 3:1-4.

'The city of blood' means teachings that uphold falsity, so that 'blood' means truth that has been falsified and rendered profane. This is evident from the internal sense of every word of the description of the city, not only in the verses that have been quoted but also in those that follow them, since the whole chapter continues with a description of it; for' the city' means doctrinal teachings. 'All full of lies and plunder' means full of falsity and of evil resulting from falsity. 'The noise of the whip and the noise of the rumbling wheel' means the defence of falsity by the use of fallacious ideas. 'The neighing horse and the clattering chariot' means by the use of a perverted power of understanding and of teachings similarly perverted. 'The mounting horseman, the glitter of the sword, the lightning-flash of the spear' means a battle against truth. 'The multitude of slain' means that countless falsities and people under the influence of them result from it. 'The heap of corpses, and no end of bodies' means that countless evils and people governed by them result from it. 'The whoredoms of a harlot' means falsifications themselves which take place; and 'sorceries' has a similar meaning.

Фусноти: