4501. And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son at the edge of the sword. That this signifies that they extirpated the church itself, is evident from the representation of Hamor, as being the Church among the Ancients as to good (see n. 4447); from the representation of Shechem, as being the Church among the Ancients as to truth (n. 4454, 4472, 4473); and from the signification of the “edge of the sword,” as being falsity and evil combating (n. 4499), thus the means by which they extinguished the church in themselves.

4473. And in the eyes of Shechem Hamor’s son. That this signifies in respect to the doctrine, is evident from the representation of Shechem, as being the truth of the church that was among the ancients, which is from the good which is “Hamor” (n. 4454). But here “Shechem” is doctrine, for the reason mentioned just above (n. 4472).