863. For they are virgins. That this signifies for the reason that they are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth, is evident from the signification of virgins, as denoting the affections of truth, which are called spiritual. For there are affections of truth which are natural, and this is the case with almost all people, especially during youth and adolescence; and such natural affections have reward as an end; in the first place fame, and afterwards honour and gain. But these affections are not meant here by virgins, but spiritual affections of truth, which are those which have eternal life, and the uses of that life as their end. Those who are in these affections, love truths because they are truths, thus apart from the world's glory, honours, and gain. And those who love truths apart from such things, love the Lord; for the Lord is with man in the truths which are from good. For that which proceeds from the Lord as a Sun is Divine truth; and the Lord is that which proceeds from Himself. He, therefore, who receives truth because it is truth, from spiritual love, receives the Lord. Hence it is said of such, "These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." These are also meant by these words of the Lord, in Matthew:

"The kingdom of the heavens is like to a treasure hid in a field, which when a man hath found he hideth; and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth the field."

Again:

"The kingdom of the heavens is like to a merchantman seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one precious pearl, went and sold all that he had, and bought it" (13:44-46).

By the treasure hid in the field, and by the pearls, are signified the truths of heaven and the church; and by the one precious pearl is signified the acknowledgment of the Lord. The affection of truths for their own sake is signified by the man going for joy, and selling all that he had, and buying the field in which the treasure was hid; also by the merchantman going and selling all that he had, and buying the precious pearl.

[2] Those who are in the spiritual affection of truth are called virgins, from the marriage of good and truth, from which proceeds conjugial love. For the wife is the affection of good, and the husband is the understanding of truth; females and males are such by birth. Now because virgins love to be conjoined to men who are in the understanding of truth, therefore they signify the affections of truth. But upon this subject more may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 366-386), where marriages in the spiritual world are treated of. From these things the significations of virgins in the following passages in the Word is now evident.

In Lamentations:

"The ways of Zion do mourn, because they come not to the feast; all her gates are laid waste, her priests sigh, her virgins are sad, and she is in bitterness: the Lord hath prostrated all the mighty in the midst of me; he hath proclaimed against me the time appointed, to break my young men: the Lord hath trodden the wine-press for the virgin daughter of Zion. Hear, I pray, all ye people, and see my grief: my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity" (1:4, 15, 18).

The devastation of Divine truth in the church is described by these words. Zion, of which these words are spoken, signifies the church where the Lord reigns by means of Divine truth. The ways of Zion mourning, signifies that Divine truths are no longer sought. No one coming to the feast, signifies that there is then no worship. All her gates being laid waste, signifies that there is no approach to truths. Her priests sigh, her virgins are sad, signifies that the affections of good and the affections of truth are destroyed. He hath prostrated all my mighty men in the midst of me, signifies that all the power of truth against falsities has perished. He hath proclaimed against me the time appointed, signifies its last state, when the Lord is about to come. To break my young men, signifies, when there is no longer any understanding of truth. The Lord hath trodden the wine-press for the virgin daughter of Zion, signifies, when all the truths of the Word are falsified. My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity, signifies, when all affection of truth and the understanding of truth have perished by falsities.

[3] Again:

"The elders of the daughter of Zion, they sit on the earth, they keep silence; they have cast up dust upon their heads, they have girded themselves with sackcloth, the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground. What shall I testify to thee, to what shall I liken thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? The boy and the old man have lain in the streets; my virgins and my young men have fallen by the sword" (Lamentations 2:10, 13, 21).

By these words also is described the devastation of Divine truth in the church; the daughter of Zion denoting the church in which the Lord reigns by means of Divine truth. Grief on account of her devastation is described by sitting on the earth, by the elders being silent, by casting up dust upon the head, by girding themselves with sackcloth, and by hanging down the head to the earth. By the elders of the daughter of Zion are signified those who have been in Divine truths. By the virgins of Jerusalem are signified those who have taught truths from affection for truth. The boy and the old man have lain in the streets, signifies that, with Divine truths, innocence and wisdom are destroyed. My virgins and my young men have fallen by the sword, signifies that all the affection of truth and the understanding of truth have perished by falsities, virgin denoting the affection of truth, young man the understanding of truth; and to fall by the sword, to perish by falsities.

[4] Again:

"Our skins are blackened as an oven on account of the storms of famine; the women in Zion were violated, the virgins in the cities of Judah; the princes were hanged up by their hands, the faces of the elders were not honoured" (Lamentations 5:10-12).

Here similar things are involved. What is signified by the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah, and by the princes and old men, has been explained above (n. 540, 555, 655).

In Amos:

"Behold the days come in which I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for waters, but of hearing the words of Jehovah: in that day, the fair virgins and the young men shall faint for thirst" (8:11,13).

This refers to the want of Divine truth. Such want is meant by famine and thirst. It is said, therefore, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for waters, but of hearing the words of Jehovah. That the affection of truth and the understanding of truth will cease through want, is signified by, in that day, the virgins and the young men shall faint for thirst.

[5] In Isaiah:

"Be thou ashamed, O Zidon; the sea hath spoken, the fortress of the sea, saying, I have not travailed nor brought forth; I have not nourished young men, nor brought up virgins" (23:4).

By Zidon and Tyre is meant the church as to the knowledges of good and truth; and by the sea and the fortress of the sea, the Natural where those knowledges are. That none are reformed by those knowledges is signified by, I have not travailed nor brought forth; and that consequently there is no understanding of truth, nor affection of truth, is signified by, I have not nourished young men, nor brought up virgins.

[6] In David:

God "gave up his people to the sword, and was wroth with his inheritance. The fire hath devoured his young men, and his virgins are not given in marriage. Their priests have fallen by the sword" (Psalms 78:62-64).

Here also the devastation of the church by falsities and evils is treated of. God gave up His people to the sword, and was wroth with His inheritance, signifies that the church perished by falsities and evils; the sword denoting the destruction of truth by falsities; and being wroth, destruction by evils. The people signify those in the church who are in truths, and the inheritance, those who are in goods; in this case, those who are in falsities and evils. The fire hath devoured His young men, signifies that the love of self and the pride of their own intelligence thence, have destroyed the understanding of truth. His virgins are not given in marriage, signifies that the affections of truth perished, through not understanding truth. His priests have fallen by the sword, signifies that the goods of the church, which are the goods of works, charity, and life, were destroyed by falsities.

[7] In Moses:

"Without shall the sword bereave, and from the inner chambers terror, both the young man and the virgin, the suckling with the man of age" (Deuteronomy 32:25).

Without shall the sword bereave, and from the inner chambers terror, signifies that falsity and evil, which are from hell, shall devastate both the natural and the rational man. The young man and virgin signify the understanding of truth and the affection for it. The suckling with the man of age, signifies innocence and wisdom.

[8] In Jeremiah:

"By thee will I disperse nations, and by thee will I destroy kingdoms; by thee will I disperse the horse and the rider; by thee will I disperse the chariot and him that is carried therein; by thee will I disperse the old man and the boy; by thee will I disperse the young man and the virgin; by thee will I disperse the shepherd and his flock; by thee will I disperse the husbandman and his yokes; by thee will I disperse the officers and the rulers" (51:20-23).

These things are said of Jacob and Israel, by whom, in the highest sense, is meant the Lord, who was to destroy the evils and falsities which ruled in the church about the time of His advent. By the nations and kingdoms which He will disperse, are signified evils and falsities in general. By the horse and his rider, are signified reasonings from falsities against truth. By the chariot and him who is carried therein, are signified the falsities of doctrine. By old man and boy, are signified falsities confirmed and not confirmed. By young man and virgin, are signified the understanding of falsity and the affection for it. By the shepherd and his flock are signified those who teach and those who learn. By the husbandman and his yokes, are signified things of a similar kind. By officers and rulers, are signified the principles of falsity and evil.

[9] In Ezekiel:

"Jehovah said, go through the midst of the city, and through the midst of Jerusalem, and slay to destruction the old man, the young man, the virgin, and the infant, and the women; but against any man upon whom is the sign, approach not" (9:4, 6).

By these things is described the devastation of all things pertaining to the church, Jerusalem denoting the church; and the old man and young man, the virgin, the infant, and women, denoting all things of the church. The old man, wisdom; the young man, intelligence; the virgin, affection for truth; the infant, innocence; the women, the good conjoined to the true; and to slay to destruction, denotes to destroy utterly. That these things were not done, but only seen by the prophet when he was in the spirit, is evident from the preceding verses, wherein the abominations of the house of Israel and Judah are shown under various forms and objects. And because those things were not done, but only seen, it is quite clear, that by the old man, young man, virgin, infant, and women, such things as have been described are signified. What is meant by not approaching any man upon whom was the sign, may be seen above (n. 427).

[10] In Joel:

"They cast lots upon my people, and gave a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, which they drank" (3:3).

To cast lots upon the people, signifies to disperse the truths of the church by means of falsities. To give a boy for a harlot, signifies to falsify the truths of the Word. To sell a girl for wine, signifies to falsify the goods of the Word. Which they drank, signifies being tainted with falsity.

[11] In Zechariah:

"The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in my streets" (8:5).

By boys and girls are signified the truths and goods of innocence, such as the truths and goods of the Word are, which essentially constitute the church. By the streets of the city are signified doctrinals, which was the reason that the ancients taught in the streets. And to play in the streets, signifies to be glad and rejoice on account of them.

[12] In Jeremiah:

"Again will I build thee, O virgin Israel; then shall the virgin be glad in her dance, and the young men and old men together" (31:4, 13).

By the virgin Israel is signified the church from the affection of truth. Then shall the virgin be glad in the dance, signifies the gladness of heart of those who are in the spiritual affection of truth; because all spiritual gladness is from the affection for truth. Wherefore to play, dance, sing, and similar things, are spoken in the Word of virgins and damsels.

[13] Because the church is a church from the spiritual affection for truth, which is the love of truth for the sake of truth, therefore mention is made in the Word throughout of

"The virgin Israel" (as in Jeremiah 18:13; 31:4, 21; Amos 5:2).

"The virgin daughter of Zion" (2 Kings 19:21; Isaiah 37:22; Lamentations 1:4; 2:13).

"The virgin daughter of my people" (Jeremiah 14:17).

"The virgin daughter of Zidon" (Isaiah 23:12).

"The virgin daughter of Egypt" (Jeremiah 46:11).

Also:

"The virgin daughter of Babel" (Isaiah 47:1).

In David:

"They have seen thy steps, O God, the steps of my God, my King, in the sanctuary; the singers went before, the players on instruments followed after, in the midst of the virgins playing on the timbrels" (Psalms 68:24, 25, 26).

These things are said of the Lord, who is there meant by my God and my King. And His Advent is meant by His steps in the sanctuary. By the singers, the players on instruments and on timbrels, are signified all those who belong to His spiritual and celestial kingdoms. By the singing virgins, those who belong to the Lord's spiritual kingdom. By players on instruments and on the timbrels, those who belong to His celestial kingdom; these are called virgins from the affection of truth and good. And singing, playing on instruments and on timbrels, are said of their gladness and joy of heart. For by instruments which are beaten and those which are blown is described the joy of those who belong to the celestial kingdom, but by stringed instruments and singing the gladness of those who belong to the spiritual kingdom is described.

[14] Again:

"The daughters of kings among the precious ones; at thy right hand standeth the queen in purest gold of Ophir: hear, O daughter, and see, incline thine ear, then shall the king be delighted in thy beauty, for he is thy Lord, therefore bow thyself down to him. Also the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift, the rich of the people shall intreat thy favour. The king's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing of wrought gold; she shall be brought unto the king in broidered garments; the virgins that follow her, her companions, shall be brought to him, with joy and exultation they shall be brought, into the palace of the king" (Psalms 45:9-15).

That these things are said of the Lord, is evident from the verses that precede, 2-8, and from those that follow, 16 and 17. And by the daughters of kings are signified affections for Divine truth. By the queen at His right hand in purest gold of Ophir, is signified heaven and the church, which are in Divine truths from Divine good. To hear, see, and incline the ear, which are said of the King's daughter, signify to hearken, perceive, and obey; thus to understand, to act, and be wise, from the Lord. That then she will be accepted of the Lord, is signified by, then shall the King be delighted in thy beauty, beauty being predicated of the affection of truth; for this constitutes the beauty of the angels. Therefore, bow thyself down to Him, signifies worship from a humble heart. Also the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift, signifies worship from those who are in the knowledges of truth. The rich of the people shall intreat thy favour, signifies adoration from those who are in intelligence from those knowledges. The King's daughter is all glorious within, signifies the spiritual affection of truth, which is called glorious from the abundance of truth; and within, signifies spiritual. Her clothing of wrought gold, signifies investing truths formed from the good of love. She shall be brought to the King in embroidered garments, signifies appearances of truth, such as exist in the literal sense of the Word. The virgins that follow her, her companions, signifies spiritual-natural affections of truth, which are of service. With joy and exultation they shall be brought, they shall come into the palace of the king, signifies with heavenly joy into heaven, where the Lord is.

[15] Because the daughters of a king signified spiritual affections for truth; and their garments signified truths in the ultimate of order, such as the truths of the Word in the literal sense are; therefore,

The daughters of a king, whilst they were virgins, were formerly clothed in robes made of variegated pieces, as is said of Tamar, the daughter of David (2 Sam. 13:18).

In Zechariah:

"How great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty: corn maketh the young men to grow, and new wine the virgins" (9:17).

This treats also of the Lord. And by His goodness and beauty are meant Divine good and Divine truth. Corn makes the young men to grow, and new wine the virgins, signifies that the understanding of truth, and the affection for truth, are formed by means of good and truth from Him.

From these passages it is clear that by virgins, in the Word, are signified affections of truth; and similarly in other passages.

[16] As in Isaiah 62:5; Jeremiah 2:32; Joel 1:7, 8; Psalm 148:12; Judges 5:30.

Because a virgin signified an affection for the genuine truth of the church which altogether agrees with the good of love, it was commanded that

The high priest should not take to wife a widow, or a woman divorced, or a corrupt harlot, but a virgin from his people, lest he should profane his seed (Leviticus 21:13-15).

Likewise Ezekiel (44:22);

the explanation of this may be seen (n. 768). Because by a virgin is signified an affection for genuine truth, and by her violation is signified the falsification of Divine truth, therefore to commit adultery was so severely forbidden, as, for example:

"If a man entice a virgin, and lie with her, he shall endow her to himself for a wife: but if her father shall refuse to give her, he shall weigh silver according to the dowry of virgins" (Ex. 22:16, 17; Deuteronomy 22:28, 29);

this may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 9181-9186).

[17] Because the affection for truth and the understanding of truth form a marriage, like that of a virgin espoused and married to a man, and that they afterwards make one like will and understanding, or like affection and thought, or like good and truth, in every man; and because different affections cannot be conjoined to one and the same thought, or different wills to one and the same understanding, or different truths of the church to one and the same good of love, without its resulting in the falsification and thence the dissipation of truth; hence it was that lying with a virgin who was betrothed was a crime punishable by death; according to these words in Moses:

"If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed to a husband, and a man lie with her in the city, both shall be stoned; but if it be in the field, the man alone shall die, the damsel is not guilty of death" (Deuteronomy 22:23-27).

By lying together in the city is signified the adulteration of the good and truth of doctrine from the Word; for a city denotes doctrine; and stoning was a punishment for injuring the truth of doctrine. But by lying together in the field is signified the falsification of the truth of the church before it is received as a doctrinal; thus not in adulteration of the good thereof. For a field denotes the church, where truth is first implanted, and afterwards grows, and at last becomes united with doctrine; this is why the man alone had to die.

From these things it is also evident that virginity signifies undefiled affection for truth.

As in Leviticus 21:13; Deuteronomy 22:13-21; Ezekiel 23:3, 8.

66. (Verse 14) And his head and his hairs were white. That this signifies the Divine in primaries and in ultimates, is evident from the signification of the head when mentioned in reference to the Lord, of whom these things are said, as denoting the Divine in primaries, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of hairs, as denoting the Divine in ultimates, of which also we shall speak presently; and from the signification of white, as denoting what is pure. (That white (album) and white (candidum) denote what is pure, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319.) The reason why the head, when mentioned in reference to the Lord, denotes the Divine in primaries, is, that the head is the highest part of man, and therein are those primary things which give rise to all things that take place in the body. For in the head are the understanding and the will, from which, as from their beginnings, all the other things flow that relate to man's remoter things, as speech, and all actions. But the reason why hairs, when mentioned in reference to the Lord, denote the Divine in ultimates is, that hairs are ultimates, for they grow from the ultimate parts of man, and the primaries terminate in them; therefore, when the head and hairs are mentioned, primaries and ultimates are meant.

[2] He who knows that the head signifies primaries, and the hairs ultimates, even in spiritual things, and that primaries and ultimates signify all things (as was shown above, n. 41), may know many arcana of the internal sense, where those things are mentioned. As, for instance, a Nazarite was not allowed to shave the hair of his head, because, as is said, it was the Nazariteship of God upon his head, and when the days were accomplished, he had to shave it off, and consecrate it (Numbers 6:1-21); also the strength of Samson was in his hairs, and when they were shaved off he became weak, and when they grew again his strength returned (Judges 16:13 to the end). Again, forty-two boys were torn in pieces by bears, because they mocked Elisha, calling him bald-head (2 Kings 2:23, 24). So too Elias was clothed with a garment of hair (2 Kings 1:8) and John the Baptist with camel's hair (Mark 1:6). Moreover what is signified by the head, hairs, beard and baldness, may be seen where they are mentioned in the Word.

[3] The reason why a Nazarite was not allowed to shave his hair, because, as is stated, it was the Nazariteship of God upon his head, and that when the days were accomplished, he had to shave it off, and consecrate it, was, that a Nazarite represented the Lord in primaries and in ultimates, and His Divine in ultimates was His Human, which He made Divine even to the flesh and bones, which are the ultimates. That He made the Human Divine even to the flesh and bones, is clear from the fact that He left nothing in the sepulchre, and that He said to His disciples that He had flesh and bones, which a spirit has not (Luke 24:39, 40). And when the Divine itself is also Divine in ultimates, then it rules all things from primaries by ultimates. (As is evident from what was said and shown above, n. 41; especially from the things which are adduced in Arcana Coelestia, to the effect that interiors successively flow into exteriors, even to the outermost or ultimate, and that therein also they exist and subsist, n. Arcana Coelestia 634, 6239, 6465, 9215, 9216; that they not only flow in successively, but also form what is simultaneous in the ultimate; concerning which order see n. 5897, 6451, 8603, 10099; that therefore all interior things are held together in connection, from the primary by means of the ultimate, n. 9828; and in the work, Heaven and Hell 297; that hence the ultimate is more holy than the interiors, n. Arcana Coelestia 9824; that hence in the ultimates there is strength and power, n. 9836.) It was for these reasons that the Nazariteship was instituted. The reason why the Nazarite should ultimately consecrate his hair by putting it into the fire of the altar, was, because the Holy Divine was thereby represented, and the fire of the altar signified that Holy (n. 934, 6314, 6832).

[4] From these considerations it is also evident why the strength of Samson was in his hair (Judges 16[13] to the end), for it is said that he was a Nazarite from his mother's womb (Judges 13:7; 16:17); so also it was not lawful for the chief priest and his sons, nor for the Levites, to shave the head and make themselves bald (Leviticus 10:6; 21:5, 10; Ezekiel 44:20). So, too, to cut off the beard, which also had a similar signification, was ignominious with the people of Israel (2 Sam. 10:4, 5). The reason why the forty-two boys were torn in pieces by bears, because they mocked Elisha, calling him bald-head, was, that Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord as to the Word, which is Divine truth, the sanctity and strength of which are in the ultimates from primaries, as said above; and because baldness signified the deprivation of them, therefore this circumstance took place; bears also signify truth in ultimates. (That Elijah and Elisha represented the Lord as to the Word, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2762, 5247.)

[5] From these considerations it is also clear why the garment of Elias was hairy, and that of John was made of camel's hair; for John the Baptist, as well as Elias, represented the Lord as to the Word, therefore he was also called Elias (as may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 7643, 9372). When these things are understood it can be known what is signified by the head, hairs, beard, and baldness in the Word. As in Isaiah:

"In that time shall the Lord, by the king of Assyria, shave the head, and the hairs of the feet; he shall also consume the beard" (7:20).

In the same:

"Upon all heads shall be baldness, every beard shaven" (15:2).

In Jeremiah:

"Truth hath perished, and is cut off from their mouth; cut off thine hair and cast it away" (7:28, 29).

And in Ezekiel:

"Take a razor, and pass it upon the head and beard" (5:1).

Again:

"On every face shall be shame, and upon all heads baldness" (7:18).

Again:

"Every head was made bald" (29:18).

In Amos:

"I will bring baldness upon every head" (8:10).

And in David:

"God shall bruise the head of his enemies, the hairy scalp of him that goeth on in his guilt" (Psalm 68:21).

In these passages, and in others, by cutting off the hair of the head, shaving the beard, and inducing baldness, is signified to deprive of all good and truth, because he who is deprived of the ultimates is also deprived of things prior, for prior things exist and subsist in ultimates, as said above. In the world of spirits also, there are seen those who are bald; and I have been informed that they are those who were abusers of the Word and had applied the sense of the letter, which is Divine truth in the ultimates, to wicked purposes, and consequently were deprived of all truth; they are also the most wicked, and many of them are from the Babylonish nation; but, on the contrary, the angels are seen with becoming hair.