6858. Unto the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite. That this signifies the region occupied by evils from falsities, is evident from the representation of the Canaanites, as being evils from the falsities of evil (see n. 4818); and from the representation of the Hittites, as being falsities from which are evils (n. 2913). (By the nations in the land of Canaan which are enumerated here and also in other plac es, as Genesis 15:18-19; Exodus 23:23, 28; 33:2; 34:11; Deuteronomy 7:1; 20:17; Josh. 3:10; 24:11; Judges 3:5, are signified all kinds of evil and falsity.) What is meant by the region occupied by evils from falsities, and also by the other kinds of evil and falsity, must be told. Before the coming of the Lord into the world, evil genii and spirits occupied all that region of heaven to which the spiritual were afterward taken up; for before the coming of the Lord many such roamed at large and infested the good, especially the spiritual who were in the lower earth; but after the coming of the Lord they were all thrust down into their hells, and that region was set free, and was given for an inheritance to those who were of the spiritual church. It has been frequently observed that as soon as any place is left by good spirits it is occupied by evil ones; and that the evil are driven out of it, and as soon as this is done it again passes to those who are in good. The reason is that the infernals continually burn to destroy the things of heaven, especially those to which they are in opposition; and therefore when any place is left, being then without protection, it is immediately occupied by the evil. As before said, this is especially meant by the region occupied by evils and falsities, which is signified by the place where the nations were that were to be driven out. This, together with what was said above (n. 6854) is a great mystery, which cannot be known without being revealed.