2276. Peradventure thirty shall be found. That this signifies somewhat of combat, is evident from the signification of the number thirty. That “thirty” signifies somewhat of combat, thus but a little of combat, comes from the fact that this number is compounded by the multiplication of five (by which is signified some little), and six (by which is signified labor or combat, as was shown in Part First,n. 649, 720, 737, 900, 1709).

[2] Hence also this number, wherever read in the Word, signifies something that is relatively little; as in Zechariah:

I said unto them, If it be good in your eyes, give me my hire; and if not, forbear; and they weighed my hire, thirty pieces of silver. And Jehovah said unto me, Cast it unto the potter, the goodly price ¹ whereat I was valued by them; and I took the thirty silver pieces, and cast it to the potter in the house of Jehovah (Zech. 11:12-13);

denoting that they valued so little the Lord’s merit, and redemption and salvation by Him. The “potter” denotes reformation and regeneration.

[3] Hence the same thirty silver pieces are spoken of in Matthew:

They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him whom they had bought from the sons of Israel, and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me (Matthew 27:9-10);

from which it is plainly evident that “thirty” here denotes the price of what is but little valued. The valuation of a servant who was held as being of little account, was thirty shekels; as is evident in Moses:

If the ox gore a manservant, or a maidservant, he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver; and the ox shall be stoned (Exodus 21:32).

Of how little account a servant was held, is evident in the same chapter (verses 20-21). In the internal sense a “servant” denotes labor.

[4] That the Levites were taken for the work of the ministerial office—which is described by the expression “one coming to exercise warfare, and to do the work in the tent”—from a “son of thirty years to one of fifty” (Numbers 4:3, 23, 30, 35, 39, 43), was because “thirty” signified those who were being initiated, and who therefore could as yet exercise but little warfare as understood in the spiritual sense.

[5] So in other passages where “thirty” is named in the Word; as that they should offer “upon a son of an ox a meat-offering of three tenths” (Numbers 15:9); which was because the sacrifice of an ox represented natural good (as shown above, n. 2180); and natural good is but little in comparison with spiritual good, which was represented by the sacrifice of a ram; and still less in comparison with celestial good, which was represented by the sacrifice of a lamb; in connection with which there was another rate of tenths for the meat-offering, as is evident in the same chapter, verses 4 to 6; also Numbers 28:12, 13, 20, 21, 28, 29; 29:3, 4, 9, 10, 14, 15; which rates of tenths, or which proportions, would never have been commanded, unless they had involved heavenly arcana.

In Mark also “thirty” denotes a little:

The seed which fell into good ground yielded fruit growing up and increasing, and brought forth, one thirty, and another sixty, and another a hundred (Mark 4:8),

where “thirty” denotes a small growth, and that which has labored but little. These numbers would not have been marked out for use, unless they had contained within them the things which they signify.

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