8199. All the night. That this signifies in the obscure state, is evident from the signification of “the night,” as being a state of obscurity in respect to the truth and good of faith (see n. 1712, 6000). By “the night” is here meant that obscurity which follows immediately after temptations; for they who are liberated from temptations first come into obscurity before they come into clearness, because the falsities and evils that are injected by the hells adhere to them awhile, and are not dissipated except successively.

1711. Verse 15. And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left of Damascus. “He divided himself against them by night,” signifies the shade in which the apparent goods and truths were; “he and his servants,” signifies the rational man, and the things in the external man which obeyed; “and smote them,” signifies vindication; “and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left of Damascus,” signifies as far as this extended.