The Bible

 

Genesis 10:5

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5 Of these were the isles of the nations divided in their lands, every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

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Arcana Coelestia #1185

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1185. Out of that land went forth Asshur. 1 That this signifies that they who were in such external worship began to reason about the internals of worship, may be seen from the signification of “Asshur” in the Word, as being reason and reasoning, concerning which in what presently follows. There is a twofold meaning in these words, namely, that Asshur went forth out of that land, and that Nimrod went forth from that land into Asshur, or Assyria. It is so expressed because both are signified, namely, that reasoning concerning spiritual and celestial things arises from such worship-which is that Asshur went forth out of the land of Shinar-and that such worship reasons about spiritual and celestial things-which is that Nimrod went forth from that land into Asshur, or Assyria.

Footnotes:

1. Or, he went forth into Assyria.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.