9328. 'And throw into confusion all the people' means the dismay of all falsities. This is clear from the meaning of 'throwing into confusion' as dismay, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the people' as those guided by truths, thus in the abstract sense as truths themselves, and in the contrary sense as falsities, dealt with in 1259, 1260, 2928, 3295, 3581, 6232. The reason why 'throwing into confusion' means dismay is that those who are dismayed are thrown in heart and mind into such confusion that they are mad and charge of their own accord into destruction. The fact that such dismay is meant by 'throwing into confusion' is evident in Zechariah,

On that day there will be great confusion from Jehovah among those who fight against Jerusalem. And everyone will seize his companion's hand, ¹ and his [other] hand will rise up against his companion's hand. Zechariah 14:12-13.

'Fighting against Jerusalem' means doing so against the Church, thus also against the truths and forms of the good of faith which constitute the Church. 'Confusion', it is evident, means dismay to the point of madness. In Moses,

Jehovah your God will deliver up ² the nations before you, and will throw them into great confusion until they are destroyed. Deuteronomy 7:23.

'Confusion' stands for such dismay.

Footnotes:

7957. 'Both you and the children of Israel' means together with their truth from God, and with truth that leads to good and truth which springs from good. This is clear from the representation of 'Moses' as the truth from God, dealt with just above in 7955; and from the representation of 'the children of Israel' as those belonging to the spiritual Church, dealt with often, thus those guided by truth that leads to good and by truth which springs from good. For the spiritual Church differs from the celestial Church in that it is brought to the good of charity by means of the truth of faith, which being so it considers truth to be the essential thing. Initial contact with that good for them is effected through truth, for truth teaches them what they ought to do; and when they do that truth it is called good. This good, once they have been brought in contact with it, becomes the standpoint from which they see truths, that show them further how to act. From this it is evident that whether you say those belonging to the spiritual Church or those guided by truth through Which good is done, and by truth seen from the standpoint of good, it amounts to the same thing.