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ועתה ארור אתה מן האדמה אשר פצתה את פיה לקחת את דמי אחיך מידך׃
Arcana Coelestia #425
425. It is unknown to the world at the present day that “brass” signifies natural good, and also that every metal mentioned in the Word has a specific signification in the internal sense-as “gold” celestial good; “silver” spiritual truth; “brass” natural good; “iron” natural truth; and so on with the other metals, and in like manner “wood” and “stone.” Such things were signified by the “gold” “silver” “brass” and “wood” used in the ark and in the tabernacle and in the temple, concerning which, of the Lord’s Divine mercy hereafter. That such is their signification is manifest from the Prophets, as from Isaiah:
Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings. For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron; I will also make thy tribute peace, and thine exactors righteousness (Isaiah 60:16-17),
treating of the Lord’s advent, of His kingdom, and of the celestial church. “For brass gold” signifies for natural good celestial good; “for iron silver” signifies for natural truth spiritual truth; “for wood brass” signifies for corporeal good natural good; “for stones iron” signifies for sensuous truth natural truth.
In Ezekiel:
Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, these were thy merchants, in the soul of man, and vessels of brass they gave thy trading (Ezekiel 27:13),
speaking of Tyre, by which are signified those who possess spiritual and celestial riches; “vessels of brass” are natural goods.
In Moses:
A land whose stones are iron, and out of whose mountains thou mayest hew brass (Deuteronomy 8:9),
where also “stones” denote sensuous truth; “iron” natural, that is, rational truth; and “brass” natural good. Ezekiel saw:
Four living creatures, or cherubs, whose feet sparkled like the appearance of burnished brass (Ezekiel 1:7),
where again “brass” signifies natural good, for the “foot” of man represents what is natural. In like manner there appeared to Daniel, A man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with gold of Uphaz, his body also was like the beryl, and his arms and his feet like the appearance of burnished brass (Daniel 10:5-6).
That the “brazen serpent” (Numbers 21:9) represented the sensuous and natural good of the Lord, may be seen above.
Isaiah 59
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Behold, Yahweh's hand is not shortened, that it can't save; neither his ear heavy, that it can't hear:
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but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
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For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue mutters wickedness.
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None sues in righteousness, and none pleads in truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
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They hatch adders' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he who eats of their eggs dies; and that which is crushed breaks out into a viper.
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Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
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Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their paths.
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The way of peace they don't know; and there is no justice in their goings: they have made them crooked paths; whoever goes therein does not know peace.
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Therefore is justice far from us, neither does righteousness overtake us: we look for light, but, behold, darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity.
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We grope for the wall like the blind; yes, we grope as those who have no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; among those who are lusty we are as dead men.
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We roar all like bears, and moan bitterly like doves: we look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.
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For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and as for our iniquities, we know them:
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transgressing and denying Yahweh, and turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.
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Justice is turned away backward, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and uprightness can't enter.
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Yes, truth is lacking; and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Yahweh saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.
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He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his own arm brought salvation to him; and his righteousness, it upheld him.
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He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; and he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a mantle.
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According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, wrath to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompense.
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So shall they fear the name of Yahweh from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun; for he will come as a rushing stream, which the breath of Yahweh drives.
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"A Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from disobedience in Jacob," says Yahweh.
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"As for me, this is my covenant with them," says Yahweh. "My Spirit who is on you, and my words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, nor out of the mouth of your seed, nor out of the mouth of your seed's seed," says Yahweh, "from henceforth and forever."
