386. And with hunger. That this signifies by privation, lack, and ignorance of the knowledges of truth and good, is plain from the signification of hunger, as denoting the privation of the knowledges of truth and good, also a lack and ignorance of them. These things are signified by hunger in the Word. The reason that these things are signified by hunger, is, because by meat and drink are signified all things that nourish and sustain the spiritual life, which in general are the knowledges of truth and good. The spiritual life itself has need equally of nourishment and support as the natural life; therefore when man is deprived of them, or when they fail, or when they are unknown and yet are desired, that life is said to be in famine. Natural foods also correspond to spiritual foods, as bread to the good of love, wine to the truths thence, and other meats and drinks specifically to their own goods and truths. This has been treated of throughout in the numbers preceding, and will be treated in those following. It is said that hunger signifies deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good, also a lack and ignorance thereof, because there is deprivation with those who are in evils and the falsities thence, a lack with those who cannot know them, because they are not in the church or in its doctrine, and ignorance, with those who know that [such knowledges] exist and thence desire them. These three are signified by famine in the Word, as is evident from the passages there in which famine, the hungry, thirst, and the thirsty, are named.

[2] (i) That famine signifies a deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good which takes place with those who are in evils and the falsities thence, is plain from the following passages. In Isaiah:

"In the wrath of Jehovah of hosts is the land darkened, the people are become fuel for the fire; a man shall not spare his brother. And if he shall snatch on the right hand, he shall yet be hungry; and if he shall eat on the left hand, they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm; Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; they together against Jehovah" (Isaiah 9:18-21).

No one can understand these words but from the internal sense, nor even the subject treated of, which is the extinction of good by falsity, and of truth by evil. The perversion of the church by falsity, is meant by the land being darkened in the wrath of Jehovah of hosts; and the perversion thereof by evil, is meant by the people becoming fuel for the fire; the land darkened, signifies the church where there is not truth, but only falsity; and fuel for the fire, signifies the consuming of it by the love of evil, fire denoting the love of evil; falsity destroying good, is meant by, "a man shall not spare his brother," man (vir) and brother signifying truth and good, here man [signifying] falsity, and brother good, because it is said, he shall not spare him. The consequent deprivation of all good and of all truth, however it may be sought for, is meant by, "if he shall snatch on the right hand, he shall yet be hungry; and if he shall eat on the left hand, they shall not be satisfied"; the right hand signifying good from which is truth, and the left hand, truth from good. To snatch at and to eat those things, signifies to seek for; and to be hungry and not be satisfied, denotes to be deprived of. That evil will extinguish all truth, and falsity all good, is meant by, "they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm," the flesh of the arm denoting the power of good by truth, man denoting falsity, and to eat denoting to extinguish. That thence all the will of good and the understanding of truth perish, is meant by Manasseh eating Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh. (That Manasseh denotes the will of good, and Ephraim the understanding of truth, may be seen, n. 3969, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267, 6296.) That this is the case with those who are in evils and falsities, is meant by, "they together against Jehovah"; for when the will is in good and the understanding in truth, then they are with Jehovah; because they are both from Him; but when the will is in evil, and the understanding in falsity, then they are against Jehovah.

[3] In the same:

"Rejoice not thou, whole Philistea, that the rod that smiteth thee is broken; for from the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk, the fruit of which shall be a flying serpent. I will kill thy root with famine, and it shall slay thy remainder" (14:29, 30).

Almost similar things are meant by these [words,] in the internal sense, but those are here treated of who believe that the interior sight alone of the natural man is faith, and that by the latter or the former they are justified and saved, thus denying that the good of charity is of any efficacy. Those who are of such a nature, are meant by the Philistines, and a company of them by Philistea (as may be seen, n. 3412, 3413, 8093, 8313). That this false principle, which is faith alone, or faith separated from charity, destroys all the good and truth of the church, is meant by its being said, from the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk, the serpent's root denoting that false principle, and a basilisk denoting the destruction of the good and truth of the church thereby. That thence arises reasoning from absolute falsities, is meant by, the fruit of which shall be a flying serpent, a flying serpent denoting reasoning from falsities. The deprivation of all truth, and thence of all good, is meant by, "I will kill thy root with famine, and famine shall slay thy remainder," famine denoting the deprivation of truth and good, and the remainder denoting all things brought forth from that principle. That such things are meant, has also been made evident by experience itself. Those who have confirmed themselves in the principle concerning faith alone in doctrine and in life, are seen in the spiritual world as basilisks, and their reasonings as flying serpents.

[4] In the same:

Who formeth a God, and casteth a molten image, and it profiteth not. "He worketh the iron with the tongs, and operateth upon it with the coal, and he formeth it with pointed hammers; so he worketh it by the arm of his strength; he is even hungry until his strength faileth, neither doth he drink until he is weary" (44:10, 12).

The formation of doctrine from the proprium, both from the intellect and the love, is described by these words. By forming a God, is signified doctrine from [one's] own understanding; and by casting a molten image, from self-love. By working the iron with the tongs, and operating upon it with the coal, is signified the falsity which he calls truth, and the evil which he calls good; iron denoting falsity, and a fire of coal denoting the evil of self-love. By, "he formeth it with pointed hammers," is signified by ingenious reasonings from falsities that they may appear to be coherent; by, "so he worketh it by the arm of his strength," is signified from the proprium; by, "he is even hungry until his strength faileth, neither doth he drink until he is weary," is signified that there is nowhere anything of good or anything of truth; to hunger signifies the deprivation of good, and not to drink the deprivation of truth. And until his strength faileth, and until he is weary, signifies till nothing of good and nothing of truth remains. How can he who looks at the Word from the sense of the letter only, suppose otherwise than that the formation of a graven image is here described? Yet any one can see that such a description of the formation of a graven image involves nothing spiritual. Nay, more, it would be superfluous to say, that he even hungers until he has no strength, neither doth he drink until he is weary. But not only in the Word here, but also elsewhere, the formation of a religion and doctrine of falsity is described by idols, graven and molten images, which signify the falsities of religion, and of doctrine originating from [man's] own understanding, and from self-love (see n. 8869, 8932, 8941, 9424, 10406, 10503).

[5] In the same:

"These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? devastation and a breach and famine and the sword" (51:19).

By famine is here also meant the deprivation of the knowledges (cognitions) of good, even till there is no more good; and by the sword the deprivation of the knowledges (cognitions) of truth, even till there is no more truth; therefore mention is also made of devastation and a breach, devastation signifying that there is no more good, and a breach that there is no more truth.

[6] In the same:

"Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed" (65:13).

Here, also, by being hungry and thirsty is meant to be deprived of the good of love and the truths of faith, by being hungry to be deprived of the good of love, and by being thirsty to be deprived of the truths of faith; by eating and drinking are signified the communication and appropriation of goods and truths; and by the servants of the Lord Jehovih, those who receive goods and truths from the Lord; hence it is evident what is signified by, "Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty." That the former shall have eternal happiness, but the latter unhappiness, is signified by, "Behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed."

[7] In Jeremiah:

"By the sword, by famine, and by pestilence will I consume them; Yet I said, Ah, Lord Jehovih! behold the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; wherefore thus said Jehovah against the prophets prophesying in my name, when I sent them not; yet they say the sword and famine shall not be in this land, by the sword and by famine shall these prophets be consumed; the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, neither shall there be any to bury them" (14:12, 13, 15, 16).

By sword, famine, and pestilence, is signified the deprivation of truth and good, and thence of spiritual life, by falsities and evils; by the sword, the deprivation of truth by falsities; by famine, the deprivation of good by evils; and by the pestilence, the deprivation of spiritual life. By prophets are meant those who teach the truths of doctrine, and, in an abstract sense, the doctrinals of truth. Hence it is evident what is signified by all these, namely, that those who teach the doctrine of falsity and evil shall perish by the things which are signified by sword and famine. That those also who receive that doctrine from them are separated from all the truth of the church, and damned, is signified by, "they shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, neither shall there be any to bury them"; the streets of Jerusalem denoting the truths of the church, to be cast out in them denoting to be separated from those truths, and not to be buried denoting to be damned.

[8] Similar things are signified by the sword, famine, and pestilence in the following passages, namely, by the sword, the deprivation of truth by falsities; by famine, the deprivation of good by evils; and by pestilence, the consumption and deprivation of spiritual life thence.

In Jeremiah:

"They shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine, that their carcase may be meat to the birds of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth" (16:4).

The dead body being meat to the birds of the heavens, signifies damnation by falsities; and their being meat to the beast of the earth, damnation by evils.

In the same:

"They denied Jehovah, when they said, He is not; neither shall evil come upon us; and we shall not see sword and famine " (5:12).

In the same:

"Behold, I will visit upon them; the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine" (11:22).

In the same:

"Give their sons to the famine, and make them flow down upon the hands of the sword, that their wives may become bereaved and widows, and their men be put to death, their young men smitten by the sword in war" (18:21).

In the same:

"I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten for badness. And I will pursue after them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence" (29:17, 18).

In the same:

"I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence upon them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave to them and to their fathers" (24:10).

In the same:

"I proclaim a liberty for you, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will deliver you up to commotion in all the kingdoms of the earth" (34:17).

In the Evangelists:

"Nation shall be roused against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be pestilences, and famines, and earthquakes, in divers places" (Matthew 14:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11).

In Ezekiel:

"Because thou hast defiled my sanctuary, a third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee; and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part to every wind. When I shall send among them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction; whilst I will send them to destroy you; yet, for all that, I will increase the famine upon you, until I break your staff of bread. And I will send upon you famine and the evil wild beast, and I will make thee bereaved; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee" (5:11, 12, 16, 17).

In the same:

"The sword from without, and the pestilence and famine within; he who is in the field shall die by the sword, but him who is in the city shall the famine and the pestilence devour" (7:15).

In the same:

"On account of all the evil abominations they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. He who is far off shall die by the pestilence; he who is near shall fall by the sword; and he who remaineth and hath been kept alive, shall die by the famine" (6:11, 12).

In Jeremiah:

"But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, that you may not obey the voice of Jehovah your God; [saying,] No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, and shall not hear the sound of the trumpet, and shall not hunger for bread; and there will we dwell; hear ye the word of Jehovah, If ye wholly set your faces to go into Egypt, and come to sojourn there, it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall seize you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were fearful, shall follow close after you in Egypt; and there ye shall die. And they shall die there by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; neither shall one of them remain by reason of the evil that I will bring upon you. And ye shall be a reviling, and an astonishment, and reproach; neither shall ye see this place any more. Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye have desired to come in order to sojourn there" (42:13-18, 22; 44:12, 13, 27).

By Egypt is here signified the Natural, and by coming into Egypt and sojourning there, is signified to become natural. (That Egypt denotes the scientific of the natural man, and that hence it denotes the Natural, and the land of Egypt the natural mind (mens) may be seen, n. 4967, 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160, 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301, 5799, 6015, 6147, 6252, 7353, 7648, 9340, 9391; and that to sojourn denotes to be instructed, and to live, n. 1463, 2025, 3672.) From these considerations it is evident what is signified in the spiritual sense by, they should not come into Egypt, and they should then die by the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, namely, if they became merely natural, they would be deprived of all truth, good, and spiritual life; for the natural man separate from the spiritual is in falsities and evils, and thence in infernal life - (That the natural man separate from the spiritual is of such a nature, may be seen in the Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 47, 48); - it is therefore said that if they came into it, they should be a reviling, and an astonishment, and a reproach, neither should they see this place [any more]. By the place which they should see [no more] is meant the state of the spiritual man, the same as by the land of Canaan. Such things are also signified by the murmurings of the sons of Israel in the wilderness, in that they desired so often to return into Egypt, therefore also manna was given to them, by which is signified spiritual nourishment (Exodus 16:2, 3, 7-9, 22).

[9] In Ezekiel:

"Then I shall stretch out mine hand against the house of Israel, that I may break its staff of bread, and send famine into it, and cut off man and beast from it. When I shall cause the evil wild beast to pass through the land, and it shall bereave it, that it become a desolation. When I shall send my four evil judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the evil wild beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast" (14:13, 15, 21).

In these words is described the vastation of the church. The house of Israel and Jerusalem denote the church; by breaking the staff of bread is signified to destroy everything celestial and spiritual, by which [it is] to be nourished; for bread implies everything of heaven and the church, or all spiritual nourishment; and by cutting off man and beast (bestiam), is signified all spiritual and natural affection; therefore by the sword, the famine, the evil wild beast [feram], and the pestilence, are signified the destruction of truth by falsity, of good by evil, of the affection of truth and good by the lusts arising from evil loves, and the consequent extinction of spiritual life; these are called the four evil judgments, which are also meant by the sword, by hunger, by death, and by the evil wild beast in this verse of the Apocalypse. That it is the vastation of the church which is thus described, is evident.

[10] The three evils signified by the famine, the sword, and the pestilence, were also announced by the prophet Gad to David, after he had numbered the people (2 Sam. 24:13). No one can know why such evils were denounced against David because of his numbering the people, unless he knows that the people of Israel represented, and thence signified, the church as to all its truths and goods, and that to number signified to know the quality thereof, and afterwards to arrange and dispose them according to it. Because no one can know and do this but the Lord alone; and the man who attempts to do so, deprives himself of all good and truth, also of spiritual life, therefore because David did this representatively, those three [evils] were proposed to him, of which he might choose one. Who does not see that there was nothing evil in numbering the people, and that the evil on account of which David and his people were punished was concealed interiorly, namely, in the representatives in which the church then was? In those passages adduced, famine signifies the deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good, and thence the deprivation of all truth and good.

[11] (ii) That famine also signifies the lack of them [i.e. of knowledges], which is with those who cannot know them, because they are not in the church or in the doctrine thereof, is plain from the following passages.

In Amos:

"Behold, the days come, in which I will send a famine into the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of Jehovah; that they may wander from sea to sea, from the north to the east; they shall run to and fro to seek the word of Jehovah, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and youths faint for thirst" (8:11-13).

Here is explained what is meant by famine and by thirst, namely, that a famine of bread is not meant, nor a thirst for waters, but of hearing the word of Jehovah, thus that it is a lack of the knowledges (cognitions) of good and truth that is meant; and that these are not in the church, or in the doctrine thereof, is described by, they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north unto the east, to seek the word of Jehovah, and shall not find it. From sea to sea signifies on all sides, for the last boundaries in the spiritual world appear as seas, where truths and goods take their beginning and are terminated; therefore seas in the Word signify the knowledges of truth and good, also scientifics in general. From the north to the east, also signifies on all sides, where truth and good are; the north denoting where truth is in obscurity, and the east denoting where good is. Because a lack of the knowledges of good and truth is signified by hunger and thirst, therefore it is also said, in that day shall the fair virgins and youths faint for thirst"; fair virgins denoting the affections of truth from good, and young men denoting the truths themselves that are of good, the thirst by which they shall faint denoting the lack thereof. (That virgins signify the affections of good and truth, may be seen, n.2362, 3963, 6729, 6775, 6788; and that young men signify truths themselves, and intelligence, see n. 7668.)

[12] In Isaiah:

"Therefore my people shall live in banishment for want of knowledge; and men of famine shall be the glory thereof, and the multitude thereof dried up with thirst" (5:13).

The desolation or destruction of the church for want of the knowledges of good and truth, is signified by, "My people shall live in banishment for want of knowledge." The Divine truth which constitutes the church is signified by glory; that this is not, and that, consequently, good is not, is signified by the glory thereof being men of famine, men of famine denoting those who have no perception of good, and no knowledges of truth; and that hence they have no truth is signified by the multitude thereof being dried up with thirst, to be dried up with thirst denoting a lack of truth, and multitude in the Word being said of truths.

[13] In the same:

"Let the people seek their God, the law, and the testimony; for they shall pass through it perplexed and famished; and it shall come to pass, that when they hunger, they shall be indignant, and shall curse their king, and their gods, and shall look upwards; they shall look also to the land, but behold straitness and thick darkness" (8:19-22).

Those who are in falsities from a lack of the knowledges of truth and good, and their indignation in consequence are here treated of; the defect is described by their looking upwards, and also regarding the earth, but behold, straitness and thick darkness. To look upwards and to regard the earth, denotes [to look] everywhere where are goods and truths. But, "behold, straitness and thick darkness," denotes that they are nowhere [to be found], but absolute falsities, thick darkness denoting dense falsity. Their indignation in consequence is described by, "and it shall come to pass, that when they hunger, they shall be indignant, and shall curse their king and their gods, to be hungry denotes a desire to know; king denotes falsity; the gods denote the falsities of worship thence; and to curse denotes to detest.

[14] In Lamentations:

"Lift up thy hands" to the Lord "over the soul of thy children, that faint for hunger in the top of all the streets" (2:19).

Lamentation over those who are to be instructed in the knowledges of good and truth by which spiritual life is attained, is described by, "Lift up thy hands to the Lord over the soul of thy children"; and the want of those knowledges is described by their fainting for hunger in the top of all the streets; hunger denotes want; streets denote truths of doctrine; to faint in the top of them, denotes their absence.

[15] In the same:

"Servants have ruled over us; neither is there any to deliver out of their hand. We get our bread with the peril of our souls because of the sword of the wilderness. Our skins are black like an oven because of the storms of famine" (5:8-10).

By the servants that have ruled while there was none to deliver out of their hand, are signified evils of life and falsities of doctrine, in general evil loves and false principles. We get our bread with the peril of our souls, because of the sword of the wilderness, signifies that there is no good from which the true spiritual life [results], in consequence of the falsity everywhere reigning; the bread denotes the good from which spiritual life [is derived]; the sword denotes falsity destroying; and the wilderness denotes where there is no good because no truth, for all good with man is formed by truths, therefore, where there are not truths, but falsities, good is not. Our skins are black like an oven because of the storms of famine, signifies that for want of the knowledges of good and truth the natural man is in its own evil love. The skin, from correspondence with the grand man or heaven, signifies the natural man; to be black like an oven, signifies to be in its own evil from falsities; and the storms of famine signify an entire lack of the knowledges of good and truth.

[16] In Luke:

"Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger" (6:25).

By the full in the Word are meant those who have the Word, where are all the knowledges (cognitions) of good and truth; and by being hungry is meant being in need of them, and being deprived of them.

In Job:

"Blessed is the man whom God hath chastened; therefore reject not the discipline of Schaddai. In famine he shall redeem thee from death; and in war from the hands of the sword" (5:17, 20).

This treats of those who are in temptations; temptations are signified by, "whom God hath chastened," and by, "the discipline of Schaddai." By Schaddai also are signified temptations, deliverance from them, and consolation after them (as may be seen, n. 1992, 3667, 4572, 5628, 6229). Famine in which he shall be redeemed, signifies temptation as to the perception of good, in which he shall be delivered from evil; to redeem is to deliver; and the hand of the sword in the war, signifies temptation as to the understanding of truth, war also denoting temptation or combat against falsities.

[17] (iii) That famine in the Word also signifies ignorance of the knowledges of truth and good, as applied to those who know that there are such knowledges and thence desire them, is plain from the following passages. In Matthew:

"Blessed are they who hunger for justice, for they shall be filled" (5:6).

To hunger for justice signifies to desire good, for in the Word justice is said of good.

And in Luke:

"God hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away" (1:53).

They that hunger denote those who are in ignorance of the knowledges of truth and good, and yet in the desire of them and the rich, those who possess in abundance those knowledges, but have no desire for them. That the former are enriched, is signified by God filling them with good things; and that the latter are deprived thereof, is signified by God sending them away empty.

[18] In David:

"Behold, the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear him, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine " (Psalms 33:18, 19).

By them that fear Jehovah are meant those who love to do His precepts. By delivering the soul from death, is signified from evils and falsities, and thence from damnation; and by keeping them alive in famine, is signified to give spiritual life according to the desire. The desire for the knowledges of truth and good is the spiritual affection of truth, which exists only with those who are in good of life, that is, who do the Lord's precepts, who, as has been said, are meant by them that fear Jehovah.

[19] Again:

"Let them confess his mercy to Jehovah, that he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with good" (Psalms 107:8, 9).

To satisfy the longing soul, and to fill the hungry soul with good, means for those who desire truths and goods; the longing soul signifying those who desire truths, and the hungry soul, those who desire goods.

Again:

"There is no want to them that fear" Jehovah. "The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; but they that seek Jehovah shall not want any good thing" (Psalms 34:9, 10).

Here also they that fear Jehovah, who have no want, signify those who love to do the Lord's precepts; and they that seek Jehovah, who shall not want any good thing, signify those who are therefore loved by the Lord, and receive goods and truths from Him. The young lions that lack, and suffer hunger, signify those who know and are wise from themselves; to lack and suffer hunger denote that they have neither truth nor good. (What lions in both senses signify, may be seen, n. 278.)

[20] Again:

Jehovah "who executeth judgment for the oppressed; who giveth bread to the hungry. Jehovah who looseth the prisoners" (Psalms 146:7).

By the oppressed are here meant those who are in falsities from ignorance; their oppression is from spirits who are in falsities; therefore, it is said Jehovah executeth judgment for them, by vindicating them from those that oppress. By the hungry are meant those who desire goods, and because the Lord nourishes them, it is said Jehovah "giveth bread to the hungry"; to give bread denotes to nourish, and spiritual nourishment consists in knowledge (scientia), intelligence, and wisdom. And by those that are bound are meant those who desire truths, but are withheld from them by falsities of doctrine, or by ignorance, because they have not the Word. Therefore to loose the bound denotes to liberate from them. (That such are called bound, may be seen, n. 5037, 5086, 5096.)

[21] Again:

Jehovah "turneth the wilderness into a lake of waters, and a land of dryness into the going forth of waters. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city of habitation; and sow the fields, and plant vineyards, and make fruit of increase" (107:35-37).

These words are to be understood altogether otherwise than according to the sense of the letter, namely thus, that those who are ignorant of the knowledges of truth, and yet are desirous of knowing them, shall be greatly enriched and opulent; for by Jehovah turning the wilderness into a lake of waters, is signified that where there was ignorance there shall be abundance of truth, a wilderness denoting where there is ignorance of truth, and a lake of waters an abundance of it. By turning a land of dryness into the going forth of waters, is signified the same in the natural man, for the land of dryness denotes where there is ignorance of truth, the going forth of waters denotes abundance; the natural man denotes the going forth, and waters denote truths. That "He maketh the hungry to dwell there," signifies that [He maketh] those [live] who are in the desire for truth; to dwell denotes to live, and they that are hungry denote those who desire. "That they may prepare a city of habitation," signifies to form for themselves a doctrine of life; a city denoting doctrine, and a habitation denoting life. That they may "sow the fields, and plant vineyards, and make fruit of increase," signifies to receive truths, to understand them, and to do them; to sow fields denotes to be instructed and to receive truths; to plant vineyards denotes to receive those [truths] in the understanding, that is, in the spirit, for vineyards denote spiritual truths, whence to plant them denotes spiritually to receive, that is, to understand those [truths]; to make fruit of increase denotes to do them and to receive goods, for fruits are the deeds and goods of charity.

[22] Again:

"Jehovah knoweth the days of the upright; and shall be their inheritance for ever. They shall not be ashamed in the time of evil; and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied" (Psalms 37:18, 19).

The days of the upright signify the states of those who are in good, and in the truths thence, or those who are in charity, and in the faith thence. By Jehovah being their inheritance for ever, is signified that they are His own and are in heaven; by their not being ashamed in the time of evil, is signified that they shall conquer when they are tempted by evils; and by their being satisfied in the days of famine, is signified that they shall be supported by truths, when they are tempted and infested by falsities. The time of evil and the day of famine, signify states of temptations; and temptations are from evils and falsities.

[23] In the first book of Samuel:

"The bows of the mighty were broken, and they that stumbled were girded with strength. The full have hired themselves for bread; and the hungry have ceased, even until the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many children hath failed" (2:4, 5).

Here, by the full who have hired themselves for bread, and by the hungry who have ceased, are signified those who wish for and desire goods and truths. The rest may be seen explained above (n. 257 and 357).

[24] In Isaiah:

"The fool speaketh foolishness, and his heart worketh iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against Jehovah, to make empty the hungry soul, and to cause the drink of the thirsty to fail" (32:6).

He is here called a fool who is in falsities and evils from the love of self, consequently, from his own intelligence. Falsities are meant by the foolishness which he speaks; and evils, by the iniquity which his heart works. The evils which he speaks against goods are meant by the hypocrisy which he practises; and the falsities which he speaks against truths, by the error which he speaks against Jehovah. That this is to persuade and destroy those who desire goods and truths, is meant by making empty the hungry soul, and causing the drink of the thirsty to fail; the hungry soul denoting those who desire goods, and he who thirsteth for drink, those who desire truths.

[25] Again:

"If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, thy light shall arise in darkness, and thy thick darkness be as the noonday" (58:10).

By these words is described charity towards the neighbour, here towards those who are in ignorance, and at the same time in the desire of knowing truths, and in grief on account of the falsities by which they are possessed; and that with those who are in that charity, falsities shall be dispelled, and truths give light and shine. Charity towards those who are in ignorance, and at the same time in the desire of knowing truths, is meant by, if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry; the hungry denoting those who desire, and the soul denoting the intelligence of truth instructing. That it is so with those who are in grief on account of the falsities with which they are possessed, is meant by, if thou wouldst satisfy the afflicted soul; that with those who are in such charity, ignorance will be dissipated, and truths give light and shine, is meant by, thy light shall arise in darkness, and thy thick darkness be as the noonday. Darkness signifies the ignorance of the spiritual mind, and thick darkness the ignorance of the natural mind; light also signifies truth in the light, in like manner noonday. Such enlightenment have they who, from charity or spiritual affection, instruct those who are in falsities from ignorance; for that charity is a receptacle of the influx of light or truth from the Lord.

[26] Again:

Is not this the fast which I have chosen? to break thy bread to the hungry, and to bring the afflicted outcasts into thy house? when thou seest the naked, and coverest him" (58:6, 7).

Similar things are meant by these words; for, by breaking bread to the hungry, signifies from charity to communicate to, and instruct, those who are in ignorance, and who at the same time are desirous of knowing truths. To bring the afflicted outcasts into the house, signifies to amend and restore those who are in falsities, and thence in grief; the afflicted outcasts denoting those who are in grief from falsities. For those who are in falsities stand without, whereas those who are in truths are in the house; for the house denotes the intellectual mind, into which truths only are admitted, for it is opened by truths from good. On account of such signification it is also added, "when thou seest the naked and coverest him"; to be naked signifying to be without truths, and to cover signifying to instruct; for garments in the Word signify truths clothing (as may be seen above, n. 195).

[27] Again:

"They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them leadeth them, even unto the springs of waters shall he guide them" (49:10).

That they shall not hunger nor thirst does not signify that they shall not hunger and thirst for natural food and drink; and that the natural heat and sun shall not smite them, does not signify that they shall not become hot from these; similarly, that they are to be led unto the springs of waters. Whoever thinks does he not see that other things are there meant? By to hunger and thirst, therefore, are signified to hunger and thirst for such things as pertain to eternal life, or which give it, which in general have reference to the good of love and the truth of faith, hunger to the good of love, and thirst to the truth of faith. The heat and the sun signify warmth from the principles of falsity and the love of evil; for these take away all spiritual hunger and thirst; the springs of waters unto which the Lord will lead them, signify enlightenment in all truth, a spring or fountain denoting the Word, and also doctrine from the Word; waters denoting truths; and to lead, when said of the Lord, denoting to enlighten. From these considerations it is evident what is signified by the Lord's words in John:

"I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst" (6:35).

Here it is evident that to hunger is to come to the Lord, and that to thirst is to believe on Him; to come to the Lord is to do His commandments.

[28] Because these things are signified by hungering and thirsting, it is also evident what is signified in the Lord's words in Matthew:

The King, said to them on the right hand, I was an hungered, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink; I was a sojourner, and ye took me in. And he said to them on the left hand, that he was an hungered, and they gave him no meat; that he was thirsty, and they gave him no drink; that he was a sojourner, and they took him not in (25:34, 35, 41-43).

By hungering and thirsting are signified to be in ignorance and in spiritual want, and by giving to eat and drink, are signified to instruct and to enlighten from spiritual affection or charity; therefore it is also said, I was a sojourner, and ye took me not in, for by sojourners are signified those who are out of the church, and desire to be instructed and receive the doctrinals of the church, and to live according to them (see n. 1463, 4444, 7908, 8007, 8913, 9196). In the Word also we read of the Lord, that He hungered and thirsted, whereby is meant, that from His Divine love He willed and desired the salvation of the human race.

[29] That He hungered we read in Mark:

"When they were come from Bethany," Jesus "hungered; and, seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon; but when he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the time of figs. Therefore he said unto it, Let no man eat fruit of thee for ever. And the disciples, in the morning, as they passed by, saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots" (11:12, 14-20; Matthew 21:19, 20).

He who does not know that all things of the Word contain a spiritual sense, may think that the Lord did this to the fig-tree from indignation because He hungered but by the fig-tree here is not meant a fig-tree, but the church as to natural good, and specifically the Jewish Church. That there was not any natural good therein, because nothing spiritual, but only some truths from the sense of the letter of the Word, is signified by, Jesus seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves, came if haply He might find anything thereon; but when He had come to it He found nothing but leaves. Leaves signify the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word. That with that nation there would nowhere be any natural good of the church, because they are in dense falsities and in evil loves, is signified by Jesus saying, "Let no man eat fruit of thee for ever," and by the fig-tree being dried up from the roots. It is also said, that it was not the time of figs, and thereby is meant that the church was not yet commenced. That the beginning of a new church is meant by the fig-tree, is evident from the Lord's words (in Matthew 24:32, 33; Mark 13:28, 219; and in Luke 21:28-31). From these considerations it is evident what is there signified by hungering. (That the fig-tree signifies the natural good of the church, see n. 217, 4231, 5113; and that the leaves signify the truths of the natural man, see above (n. 109).)

[30] That the Lord thirsted we read in John:

"Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst. And there had been placed a vessel full of vinegar; and they filled a sponge, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. And when Jesus had received the vinegar he said, It is finished" (19:28-30).

Those who think of these things only naturally and not spiritually, may suppose that they involve nothing more than that the Lord thirsted, and that then vinegar was given to Him; but because all things which the Scripture said concerning Him were then consummated, and He came into the world to save mankind, therefore He said, I thirst, by which is meant that from Divine love He willed and desired the salvation of the human race. But that vinegar was given to Him, signifies that in the coming church there would be no genuine truth, but truth mingled with falsities, such as exist with those who separate faith from charity, or truth from good, this being signified by vinegar. Their putting it upon hyssop signified a certain purification of it, for by hyssop is signified an external means of purification (as may be seen, n. 7918). That every particular of the things related in the Word concerning the Lord's passion, involves and signifies Divine, celestial, and spiritual things, may be seen above (n. 83). From the passages adduced above it is evident what famine signifies in the Word. Let them be examined and well considered, and it will be seen by such as think at all interiorly, that natural famine, hunger, and thirst, can in no way be meant, but, spiritual.

727. "Rod and staff" signify power, and indeed, the power of Divine truth, chiefly for the reason that they were branches or boughs of trees, and these signify the knowledges of truth and good, which are the truths of the natural man; and as they also supported the body, they signified power. This is still more true of an "iron rod," because iron likewise signifies the truth of the natural man, and because of its hardness it signifies power that cannot be resisted. That "rods and staffs" thence signify the power of Divine truth is derived from correspondence. Therefore in the spiritual world, where all things that appear are correspondences, the use of staffs is a representative of the power of those that use them. It was similar in the Jewish Church, which, like the ancient churches, was a representative church. This is why Moses wrought miracles and signs in Egypt, and afterwards in the desert, by stretching forth his staff, as that:

The waters smitten with the staff were turned into blood (Exodus 7:1-21).

Frogs came up from the rivers and pools, over which the staff was stretched forth (Exodus 8:1).

From the dust smitten with the staff there came lice (Exodus 8:12).

When the staff was stretched toward heaven there came thunders and hail (Exodus 9:23.).

Locusts came forth (Exodus 10:12 seq.).

The Sea Suph when the staff was stretched forth over it was divided, and afterwards returned (Exodus 14:16, 21, 26).

From the rock in Horeb, smitten with the staff, waters came forth (Exodus 17:5; Numbers 20:7-13).

Joshua prevailed over Amelek when Moses held up his hand with the staff, and Amelek prevailed when Moses let it down (Exodus 17:9-12).

Also fire went up out of the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes which Gideon offered, when the angel of Jehovah touched it with the end of his staff (Judges 6:21).

These miracles were wrought by the stretching forth of a staff, because a "staff" from correspondence signifies the power of the Lord through Divine truth (which power was treated of in the article immediately preceding).

[2] Divine truth in respect to power is signified elsewhere in the Word by "rods" and "staffs," as can be seen from the following passages.

In David:

Yea, when I shall walk in the shady valley I will fear no evil to me; Thy rod and Thy staff will comfort me; Thou wilt make ready before me a table in the presence of mine enemies; and Thou wilt make fat my head with oil and my cup will abound (Psalms 23:4, 5).

"To walk in a shady valley" signifies in the spiritual sense an obscure understanding that does not see truths from light; "Thy rod and Thy staff will comfort me" signifies that spiritual Divine truth together with natural Divine truth will protect, for these have power; "rod" meaning spiritual Divine truth, "staff" natural Divine truth, the two together meaning these in respect to their power to protect, for "to comfort" means to protect. As "rod and staff" signify Divine truth in respect to power, it is next said, "Thou wilt make ready before me a table, Thou wilt make fat my head with oil, my cup will abound," which signifies spiritual nourishment through Divine truth; for "to make ready a table" signifies to be nourished spiritually; "to make fat the head with oil" signifies with the good of love, and "cup" signifies with the truth of doctrine from the Word, "cup" standing here for "wine."

[3] In Ezekiel:

Thy mother was like a vine planted by the waters, whence she had rods of strength, as scepters for them that rule; but she lifted herself on high in her stature among the thick boughs; therefore she was plucked up in wrath, she was cast down to the earth and the east wind dried up her fruit; the rods of her strength were broken off and dried up, the fire devoured everyone. Now she is planted in the wilderness, in a land of drought and thirst; a fire hath gone out from the rod of her branches, and hath devoured her fruit, and so there is not in her a rod of strength, a scepter of them that rule ¹ (Ezekiel 19:10-14).

This describes the desolation of all truth in the Jewish church; the "princes" against whom is the lamentation signify truths, and the "mother" who was made a lioness signifies the church; about these this is said, "Thy mother was like a vine planted by the waters" signifies that the spiritual church, from its establishment had been instructed in truths; "mother" meaning the church in general; "vine" the spiritual church in particular; "waters" truths, and "to be planted" to be established. "Whence she had rods of strength as scepters for them that rule" signifies that the church had Divine truth in its power, and thus dominion over the falsities of evil which are from hell, "rods of strength" signifying Divine truth in respect to power, and "scepters" Divine truth in respect to dominion, for the scepters of kings were short staffs from a significative tree, here from the vine; "but she lifted herself on high in her stature among the thick boughs" signifies the pride of self-intelligence from knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man; this pride is signified by "she lifted herself on high in her stature," and the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man are signified by the "thick boughs." "She was plucked up in wrath, she was cast down to the earth," signifies the destruction of the church by the falsities of evil; "the east wind dried up her fruit" signifies the destruction of its good, "east wind" signifying destruction, and "fruit" good; the good that those have, remaining from the Word, who are in the falsities of evil, is here meant, and its destruction is signified by "the drying up of the fruit by an east wind." "The rods of her strength were broken off and dried up" signifies that all Divine truth was dispersed, consequently that the church had no power against the hells. "The fire consumed everyone" signifies pride from the love of self, which destroyed; "now she is planted in the wilderness, in a land of drought and thirst," signifies that the church is desolated until there is no good of truth or truth of good. "A fire hath gone out from the rod of her branches," signifies pride in every particular of it; "it hath devoured her fruit" signifies the consumption of good; "so that there is not in her a rod of strength, a scepter of them that rule," signifies the desolation of Divine truth in respect to power and in respect to dominion, as above.

[4] In Jeremiah:

Say ye, How is the staff of strength broken, the staff of splendor! Come down from thy glory and sit in thirst, O thou daughter that dwellest in Dibon; for the devastator of Moab hath come up against thee and hath destroyed thy fortresses! (Jeremiah 48:17, 18).

"The daughter of Dibon" signifies the external of the church, and thence the external of the Word, which is the sense of its letter; and "the devastator of Moab" signifies its adulteration. From this it is clear what is signified by "the staff of strength is broken, the staff of splendor," namely, that they have no Divine truth in its power, "staff of strength" meaning Divine truth in the natural sense, and "staff of splendor" meaning Divine truth in the spiritual sense; "come down from thy glory and sit in thirst, O thou daughter that dwellest in Dibon," signifies the deprivation and lack of Divine truth; "to come down from glory" meaning the deprivation of it; "glory" Divine truth in light, and "thirst" the lack of it. "For the devastator of Moab hath come up against thee" signifies the adulteration of the Word, in respect to its literal sense; "and hath destroyed thy fortresses," signifies the taking away of defense; "fortress" meaning defense against falsities and evils; the literal sense of the Word is that defense.

[5] In David:

Jehovah shall send the staff of thy strength out of Zion (Psalms 110:2).

Here also "staff of strength" signifies Divine truth in its power, and "Zion" the church that is in love to the Lord, and is therefore called a celestial church.

[6] In Micah:

Feed Thy people with Thy rod, the flock of Thine heritage; they shall feed in Bashan and Gilead according to the days of an age (Micah 7:14).

"Feed Thy people with Thy rod" signifies the instruction of those who are of the church in Divine truths from the Word; "to feed" signifying to instruct; "people" meaning those who are of the church in truths, and "rod" where the Word is because it is Divine truth. "The flock of heritage" signifies those of the church who are in the spiritual things of the Word, which are the truths of its internal sense; "they shall feed in Bashan and Gilead" signifies instruction in the goods of the church and in its truths from the natural sense of the Word.

[7] In Isaiah:

He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked (Isaiah 11:4).

Here "the rod of Jehovah's mouth" signifies Divine truth or the Word in its natural sense; and "the breath of His lips" signifies Divine truth or the Word in the spiritual sense, both destroying the falsities of evil in the church, which is signified by "smiting the earth and slaying the wicked."

To smite with a rod (Micah 5:1);

And to pierce with his staffs the head of the unfaithful (Habakkuk 3:14);

have a like signification.

[8] In Moses:

Israel sang a song respecting the fountain in Beer; O fountain the princes digged, the nobles of the people digged out, by the Lawgiver, with their staffs (Numbers 21:17, 18).

"The fountain in Beer" here signifies doctrine from the Word, "Beer" meaning in the original tongue a fountain; the "princes" who digged, and "the nobles of the people" who digged out, signify those who are intelligent and those who are wise from the Lord, who is here "the Lawgiver." The "staffs" with which they digged and digged out signify the understanding enlightened in Divine truths.

[9] In Zechariah:

There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and a man in whose hand is a staff because of the multitude of days (Zechariah 8:4).

"Old men and old women" signify those who are intelligent from doctrine and from the affection of truth; "the man in whose hand is a staff [scipio] because of the multitude of days" signifies the wise who trust in the Lord alone and not at all in themselves; that these will be in the church that has the doctrine of genuine truth is signified by "in the streets of Jerusalem," "Jerusalem" meaning the church in respect to doctrine, and "streets" the truths of doctrine, here genuine truths.

[10] In Jeremiah:

Every man has become brutish by knowledge, every refiner is put to shame by the graven image; the portion of Jacob is not like these; but He is the Former of all things, and Israel is the staff of His heritage, Jehovah of Hosts is His name (Jeremiah 10:14, 16; 51:19).

"Every man has become brutish by knowledge" signifies by the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man separated from the spiritual; "every refiner is put to shame by the graven image" signifies by falsities that are from self-intelligence, "but He is the Former of all things" signifies the Lord from whom is all intelligence of truth; "Israel is the staff of his heritage" signifies the church that has Divine truth, and its power against falsities; and because this treats of intelligence through Divine truth it is added, "Jehovah of Hosts is His name;" the Lord is called "Jehovah of Hosts" from Divine truths in the whole complex, for "hosts" mean armies, and "armies" signify all the truths and goods of heaven and the church.

[11] When the sons of Israel murmured in the desert against Moses and Aaron on account of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, because they were swallowed by the earth, it was commanded that:

The princes of the twelve tribes should place their staffs in the Tent of meeting, before the testimony; and when this was done the staff of Aaron blossomed and brought forth almonds (Numbers 17:2-10).

This was done because they murmured against Jehovah, that is, against the Lord, and indeed against Divine truth which is from Him; for Moses and Aaron represented the Lord in respect to the law, which is the Word; for this reason it was commanded that "the princes of the twelve tribes should place their staffs in the Tent of meeting before the testimony;" for "the twelve tribes," and in particular "their princes," and likewise "their twelve staffs," signified the truths of the church in the whole complex; and "Tent of meeting" represented and thence signified heaven, from which are the truths of the church, and the "testimony" the Lord Himself. "The staff of Aaron" blossomed and brought forth almonds, because his "staff" represented and thence signified truth from the good of love; and because truth from the good of love alone brings forth fruit, which is the good of charity, it was his staff that blossomed and brought forth almonds, "almonds," like as "the tribe of Levi," signifying that good (See above, n. 444. It is be known that "tribe" "staff" are expressed by the same word (as in Numbers 1:16; 2:5, 7); therefore "the twelve staffs" have a like signification as "the twelve tribes," namely, the Divine truth of the church in the whole complex. (On the twelve tribes see above, n. 39, 430, 431, 657.)

[12] As a "staff" signifies the power of Divine truth, it signifies also the power to resist evils and falsities. In Isaiah:

Behold the Lord Jehovih of Hosts doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the staff and the stay, the whole staff of bread, and the whole staff of water, the mighty one and the man of war, the judge and the prophet (Isaiah 3:1, 2).

Here "to take away the whole staff of bread and the whole staff of water" signifies to take away every good and truth of the church, and when these are taken away there is no longer any power to resist evils and falsities, so as to hinder their free entrance; "bread" signifies the good of the church, "water" its truth, and "staff" the same as to their power to resist evils and falsities; therefore it follows that "the mighty one and the man of war, the judge and the prophet," who will also be taken away, "the mighty one and the man of war" signifying truth combating against evil and falsity, and "judge and prophet" the doctrine of good and truth.

[13] In Ezekiel:

Behold I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they shall eat bread by weight and in carefulness, and drink waters by measure and with astonishment (Ezekiel 4:16).

"To break the staff of bread" signifies that good and truth shall fail in the church, for "bread" here signifies good and truth; therefore it follows "they shall eat bread by weight and in carefulness, and drink waters by measure," which signifies a lack of good and truth, and thus of the power to resist evils and falsities:

Breaking the staff of bread and of water (Ezekiel 5:16; 14:13; Psalms 105:16; Leviticus 26:26);

has a like signification.

[14] As "rod and staff" signify the power of Divine truth, and thus Divine truth in respect to power, so in the contrary sense "rod and staff" also signify the power of infernal falsity, and thence infernal falsity in respect to power. In this sense "rod and staff" are mentioned in the following passages. In Isaiah:

Jehovah has broken the staff of the wicked, the rod of them that rule (Isaiah 14:5).

"To break the staff of the wicked" signifies to destroy the power of falsity from evil; and "to break the rod of them that rule" signifies to destroy the rule of falsity.

[15] In David:

The staff of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, that the righteous put not forth their hands to perversity (Psalms 125:3).

"The staff of wickedness" signifies the power of falsity from evil; "upon the lot of the righteous" signifies over truths from good, which the faithful have, and especially with those who are in love to the Lord, for these in the Word are called the "righteous;" "lest the righteous put forth their hands to perversity" signifies lest they falsify truths.

[16] In Lamentations:

I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of His fury; He hath led me in darkness, and not into light (Lamentations 3:1, 2).

This is said of the devastation of the church; and "the rod of fury" signifies the rule of infernal falsity; "he hath led me and brought me in darkness and not into light" signifies into mere falsities, and thus not to truths.

[17] In Isaiah:

Thou hast broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his exactor (Isaiah 9:4).

This is said of the Gentiles who were in falsities from ignorance, because they did not have the Word, and therefore did not know the Lord. The evil by which they were oppressed and the falsities by which they were infested are signified by "the yoke of the burden, the staff of the shoulder, and the rod of the exactor," "to break" signifies to destroy these, for "to break" is predicated of a yoke, a staff, and a rod, and to destroy, of evil and falsity, which heavily weigh upon and powerfully persuade and compel to obedience.

[18] In the same:

At the voice of Jehovah Asshur shall be dismayed, he shall be smitten with a staff; then every passage of the rod of foundation upon which Jehovah shall cause to rest shall be with timbrels and harps (Isaiah 30:31, 32).

This is said of the time of the Last Judgment, when there shall be a New Church. "Asshur, who shall be dismayed at the voice of Jehovah, and shall be smitten with a staff" signifies reasoning from falsities that will be dispersed by Divine truth. That the truths of the literal sense of the Word will then be understood and received with joy, is signified by "then the passage of the rod of the foundation shall be with timbrels and harps," "passage" signifying the opening and free reception, and "timbrels and harps" signifying the delights of the affection of truth. The truths of the literal sense of the Word are signified by "the rod of the foundation," because that sense is a foundation for the truths of its spiritual sense; and as the spiritual sense rests upon the literal, it is said "upon which Jehovah shall cause to rest."

[19] In Zechariah:

The pride of Asshur shall be brought down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart (Zechariah 10:11).

"The pride of Asshur" signifies the pride of self-intelligence, and "the staff of Egypt" signifies its power from the confirmation of its falsities by the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man.

[20] In Isaiah:

Woe to Asshur, the rod of Mine anger and the staff of Mine indignation, which is in their hand; O My people that dwellest in Zion, fear not Asshur that he smite thee with a rod, and lift up his staff upon thee in the way of Egypt (Isaiah 10:5, 24, 26).

Here, too, "Asshur" signifies the reasonings from self-intelligence by which truths are perverted and falsified; the consequent falsities and the perversions of truth are signified by "the rod of Mine anger and the staff of Mine indignation, which is in their hand." That truths will not be perverted with those of the church who are in celestial love and in truths therefrom is signified by "Thou that dwellest in Zion, fear not." That falsity urges and excites and strives to pervert by means of such things as pertain to the natural man is signified by "that he smite thee with a rod, and lift up a staff upon thee in the way of Egypt," "the way of Egypt," signifying the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man, from which come reasonings. Since "Egypt" signifies the natural man with the things that are in it, and the natural man when separated from the spiritual is in mere falsities:

Egypt is called the staff of a bruised reed, which goeth into and pierceth the hand when one leaneth upon it (Ezekiel 29:6, 7; Isaiah 36:6).

This may be seen explained above n. 627.

[21] In Isaiah:

Be not glad O Philistia, because the rod that smiteth thee ² is broken; for from the serpent's root shall come forth a basilisk, whose fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent (Isaiah 14:29).

That "Philistia" signifies the religion of faith separated from charity, "the serpent's root" that false principle, "the basilisk" the destruction of the good and truth of the church, and "the fiery flying serpent" reasonings from the falsities of evil, may be seen above n. 386; thus these serpents have a similar signification as "the dragon" in this chapter of Revelation. That "Philistia should not be glad because the rod of him that smiteth her is broken" signifies that she should not boast that the dominion of that falsity is not yet destroyed.

[22] In Hosea:

My people question the wood, and their staff answereth them, for the spirit of whoredoms hath seduced them, and they have committed whoredom under their God (Hosea 4:12).

This is said of the falsification of the Word. "To question the wood or an idol of wood" signifies to consult the intelligence that is from what is one's own [proprium] that favors its loves; "the staff answereth them" signifies the falsity in which one has faith, for when the selfhood [proprium] is consulted falsity responds; the selfhood is of the will, thus of the love, and the falsity thence is of the understanding, thus of the thought. "The spirit of whoredoms that has seduced" signifies the lust of falsifying; "to commit whoredom under their God" signifies to falsify the truths of the Word.

[23] From this now it is clear what "rod and staff" signify in both senses; and from this it can be known what is meant by "the iron rod with which the son, the male is to tend all nations;" likewise by these words in Revelation:

Out of the mouth of Him who sat upon the white horse goeth forth a sharp sword, that with it He may smite the nations; and He shall tend them with an iron rod (Revelation 19:15).

Also by these words above:

He that shall overcome I will give him power over the nations, that he may rule them with an iron rod; as a potter's vessels shall they be broken (Revelation 2:26, 27).

The explanation of this may be seen above n. 176. Like things are signified by these words in David:

Thou shalt break them in pieces with an iron rod, thou shalt shatter them like a potter's vessel (Psalms 2:9).

Footnotes: