555. Verse 8. And they had hair as the hair of women, signifies that they seem to themselves to be also natural affections of truth. This is evident from the signification of "hair," as being the things of the natural man, and in particular the true knowledges [scientifica] there (of which above, n. 66); and from the signification of "women," as being affections (of which presently). "Hair" signifies the things of the natural man because the "head" signifies the things of the spiritual man, and all things of the natural man invest all things of the spiritual man, as the hair invests the head; the head also corresponds to things spiritual, and the hair to things natural, thence also that is what they signify. It is from this correspondence that angels are seen with beautiful hair, and from the orderly arrangement, grace, and gloss of their locks it may be known how the natural man in them corresponds with the spiritual. Now as "women" signify affections, it can be seen that "they had hair as the hair of women" signifies that they seem to themselves to be natural affections of truth. That this is what is signified is evident also from the series; for "faces as men's faces" signify the appearance as if they were spiritual affections of truth; thence now it follows that "hair as the hair of women" signifies there seeming to be natural affection of truth; it is said immediately, too, of their teeth, that they were "as lion's teeth," and these signify the ultimates of the natural man in respect to knowledge and power. In the prophetic Word the terms "woman," and also "daughter" and "virgin" often occur; but it has heretofore been unknown what they signify. It is very evident that a woman, a daughter, or a virgin is not meant, since where these are mentioned the church is treated of; but what they signify can be seen from the connection of the subjects treated of in the spiritual sense.

[2] That "woman" signifies the church as regards the affection of truth, thus the affection of the truth of the church, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In Jeremiah:

Wherefore commit ye evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, babe, and suckling, out of Jerusalem? ¹ (Jeremiah 44:7).

In the same:

I will scatter man and woman; I will scatter the old man and the lad; I will scatter the young man and the virgin (Jeremiah 51:22).

In Ezekiel:

Slay to destruction the old man and the young man and the virgin and the infant and the women (Ezekiel 9:6).

In Lamentations:

They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah; princes were hanged up by their hand; the faces of elders were not honored (Lamentations 5:11, 12).

In these passages "man and woman," "old man and babe," "youth and virgin," do not mean man, woman, old man, babe, youth, and virgin, but all things of the church; "man and woman" signify truth and its affection, "old man and babe" wisdom and innocence, "youth and virgin" the understanding of truth and the affection for good. That such is the signification is made evident from this that these chapters treat of the church and its desolation in respect to truth and good; therefore these terms signify such things as belong to the church. For the Word is inwardly spiritual, because it is Divine; but if man and woman, old man and babe, youth and virgin meant such persons, the Word would not be spiritual but natural; but it becomes spiritual when "man and woman" mean the church in respect to truth and its affection, "old man and babe" the church in respect to wisdom and innocence, and "young man and virgin" the church in respect to intelligence and its affection. Moreover, man is man because the church is in him, and where the church is, there is heaven. When, therefore, man as "old," "young," an "infant," a "male," also "woman" and "virgin" are mentioned, that with them pertaining to the church that corresponds in age, sex, inclination, affection, intelligence, and wisdom, is meant.

[3] That "woman" signifies the church in respect to the affection of truth, or the affection of the truth of the church, can be seen also from these words in Isaiah:

Then seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and we will clothe ourselves with our own raiment; only let thy name be called upon us; gather thou up our reproach (Isaiah 4:1).

This treats of the end of the church, when there is no longer any truth, for these words precede:

Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy strength in the war (Isaiah 3:25);

which signify that the understanding of truth will be destroyed by falsities, so that there will be no more resistance in combats; and it is added:

In that day shall the shoot of Jehovah be for splendor and glory (Isaiah 4:2);

which signifies that truth will spring up anew in the church; for this is said of the Lord's coming. "Seven women shall take hold of one man" signifies that truth will be desired and sought from affection but will not be found; "man" signifying truth, "women" affections or longings for truth, and "seven" holiness. That instruction in genuine truths, and thus spiritual nourishment would not be found, is signified by saying "we will eat our own bread, and we will clothe ourselves with our own raiment;" "bread" signifying instruction and spiritual nourishment, and "raiment" truth clothing good; that truth only can be applied and by application conjoined is signified by "only let thy name be called upon us;" and as all esteem is from the spiritual affection of truth and conjunction therefrom, and otherwise there is no esteem, it is said, "gather thou up or take away our reproach."

[4] In Jeremiah:

Return, O virgin of Israel, return to thy cities. How long wilt thou go about? For Jehovah hath created a new thing in the earth; a woman shall compass a man (Jeremiah 31:21, 22).

This treats of the spiritual captivity in which the church was before the Lord's coming. The church is said to be in spiritual captivity when there is no truth, and yet truth is desired; in such captivity were the Gentiles with whom the church was established. "Return, O virgin of Israel, return to thy cities," signifies that they shall return to the truths of doctrine; "virgin of Israel" being the church, and "her cities" the truths of doctrine. "For Jehovah hath created a new thing in the earth, a woman shall compass a man," signifies that a new church is to be established in which truth will be conjoined to its affection; "to create a new thing in the earth" meaning to establish that new thing; "woman" being the church in respect to the affection of truth, "man" truth, and "to compass" to be conjoined.

[5] In Isaiah:

As a woman forsaken and afflicted in spirit Jehovah hath called thee, and a woman of youth when rejected, said thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great compassions will I gather thee (Isaiah 54:6, 7).

Here, too, "a woman forsaken and afflicted in spirit" means the church that is not in truths and yet is in the affection or longing for them, "woman" meaning the church, which is said to be "forsaken" when it is not in truths, and to be "afflicted in spirit" when in grief from the affection or longing for truths. "A woman of youth" means the Ancient Church, which was in truths from affection; and "one rejected" means the Jewish church, which was not in truths from any spiritual affection; that the church is to be established by the Lord, and delivered from spiritual captivity, is meant by "for a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great compassions will I gather thee."

[6] In Jeremiah:

Hear the word of Jehovah, O ye women, and let your ear perceive the word of His mouth, that ye may teach your sons ² wailing, and a woman her companion lamentation. For death hath come up through the windows, it hath come into our palaces, to cut off the babe from the street, the young man from the broad ways (Jeremiah 9:20, 21).

It was said to women that they should hear and perceive, because "women" signify the church from the affection and reception of truth; "sons whom the women should teach wailing," and the "companion whom a woman should teach lamentation," signify all who are of the church, "sons" signifying those who are in the truths of the church, "companion" they who are in the good of the church; "wailing and lamentation" signify because of the church vastated in respect to truths and goods; "death hath come up through the windows, it hath come into our palaces" signifies infernal falsity entering into the understanding, and thence into all things of thought and affection, "windows" signifying the understanding, and "palaces" all things of the thought and affection; "to cut off the babe from the street, and the young man from the broad ways," signifies the vastation of nascent truth and of truth born; the "babe in the street" meaning nascent truth, and "the young man in the broad ways" truth born.

[7] In Ezekiel:

Two women, the daughters of one mother, who committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth; the name of the elder was Oholah, and the name of her sister Oholibah; and they bare sons and daughter. Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem Oholibah (Ezekiel 23:2-4).

As "Samaria," the metropolis of the Israelites, signifies in the Word the spiritual church, and "Jerusalem," the metropolis of the Jews, the celestial church, each in respect to doctrine; so these are called "women;" and as these two churches act as one, they are called "daughters of one mother," "mother" also signifying the church, as do "Oholah and Oholibah," that is, "the tent or habitation of God," for this signifies heaven where Divine truth and Divine good are, and so, too, the church, for the church is the Lord's heaven on earth; "their committing whoredom in Egypt in their youth" signifies that they were then in no truths but in falsities, for in Egypt they had not the Word; that was given to them afterwards through Moses and the prophets, and it was thus that the church was instituted among them. "To commit whoredom in Egypt" signifies to falsify truths by knowledges of the natural man, and to falsify truths there means to turn holy things into magic, as the Egyptians did; "the sons and daughters whom they bore" signify the falsities and evils of the church.

[8] In Micah:

Ye draw off the robe from them that pass by securely, returning from war. The women of my people ye drive out from the house of their delights (Micah 2:8, 9).

"To draw off the robe from them that pass by securely, returning from war," signifies to deprive of truths all who are in truths, and who have fought against falsities; "who pass by securely" signifies all who are in truths; "returning from war" those who have been in temptations, and who have fought against falsities. "To drive out the women of my people from the house of their delights" signifies to destroy the affections of truth, and thus the pleasantnesses and felicities of heaven, "the women of my people" meaning the affections of truth, and "house of delights" the pleasantnesses and felicities of heaven, for these are the affections of good and truth.

[9] In Zechariah:

I will gather all nations to Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be captured and the house ³ plundered, and the women shall be ravished (Zechariah 14:2).

"All nations" signify evils and falsities of every kind; "Jerusalem" signifies the church, "city" doctrine, "house" everything holy of the church, "women" the affections of truth, and "their being ravished" that truths will be perverted, and that thus the affections of truth will perish.

[10] In the same:

In that day shall the lamentation in Jerusalem increase, and the land shall lament and every family apart; the family of the house of David apart, and their women apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their women apart; the family of the house of Levi apart, and their women apart; the family of the house of Simeon apart, and their women apart; all the families that are left, every family apart, and their women apart (Zechariah 12:11-14).

What "David" and his house, likewise what "Levi," and "Simeon," and their houses signify, has been shown in the explanations above, namely, that "David" signifies Divine truth, "Nathan" the doctrine of truth, "Levi" the good of charity, and "Simeon" truth and good in respect to perception and obedience. It is said "the families shall lament apart, and their women apart," because "families" signify the truths of the church, and "women" the affections of truth; and these "lament apart" when truth laments because there is no affection of it, and affection laments because it has no truth. This is said of the lamentation over each and all things of the church because they are vastated and destroyed; for each and all things of the church are signified by "all the families that are left," which mean the tribes. That "the twelve tribes" signify all things of the church in the complex may be seen above (n. 430, 431). "Jerusalem" signifies the church and its doctrine.

[11] In Matthew:

Then shall two be in the field, one shall be taken and the other left. Two shall be grinding at the mill, one shall be taken and the other left (Matthew 24:40, 41).

By the first two are meant men, and women by the last two; and "men" signify those who are in truths, and "women" those who are in good from the affection of truth; here, however, "men" mean those who are in falsities, and "women" those who are in evils from the affection of falsity, for it is said that "one shall be taken and the other shall be left;" meaning that those shall be saved who are in truths from affection, and those shall be condemned who are in evils from affection. "Field" signifies the church; "to grind" signifies to acquire for themselves truths of doctrine from the Word; those who apply these truths to good are signified by those who "shall be taken," and those who apply them to evil are signified by those who "shall be left." (But this may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 4334, 4335.)

[12] In Moses:

I will break for you the staff of bread, that ten women may bake your bread in one oven, and they shall bring back your bread by weight; and ye shall eat and not be satisfied (Leviticus 26:26).

This means, in the spiritual sense, that truth from good, which is spiritual nourishment, shall fail, "bread" signifying all spiritual food by which the man of the church is nourished, and "women" those of the church who are in the affection of truth. "Ten women shall bake bread in one oven" signifies that the truth which may be conjoined to good will be sought for but very little will be found; for "to bake" signifies to prepare and conjoin that it may serve for the use of life; "to bring back the bread by weight" signifies that it is scarce; and "to eat and not be satisfied" signifies because truth from good is so scanty and scarce as to yield hardly any nourishment to the soul.

[13] In Moses:

A man's garment shall not be upon a woman, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto Jehovah thy God (Deuteronomy 22:5).

"Man and his garment" signifies truth, and "woman and her garment" signifies the affection of truth. These in every man are as distinct as understanding and will are, or as thought which is of the understanding, and affection which is of the will are; and unless they were distinct, the sexes would be confounded, and there would be no marriage, for in marriage man is the truth which is of the thought, and woman is affection.

That man and woman were both so created that they may be two and yet one, is evident from the book of Genesis in which it is said of the creation of the two:

And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; ⁴ male and female created He them (Genesis 1:27; 5:2).

[14] And afterwards:

The man said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; for this she shall be called wife, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:23, 24; Mark 10:6-9).

Man here means the church in general and in particular. The church in particular is the man of the church, or the man in whom the church is. "God created man in His own image" signifies in the image of heaven; for "God," that is, Elohim, in the plural, signifies the Divine proceeding that makes heaven, and the man who is a church is a heaven in the least form, for he corresponds to all things of heaven (See in the work on Heaven and Hell 7-12, 51-58). "Male" signifies here, as above, the truth which is of the understanding, and "female" the good which is of the will; the wife is said to be "bone of man's bones, and flesh of his flesh," to signify that good, which is the wife, is from truth, which is the man, "bone" signifying truth before it is vivified, that is, conjoined to good, such as is the truth of the memory with man; and because all good is formed from truths it is said, "because she was taken out of man." That "the man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife" signifies that truth must be of good, and that thus both must become one good; this is signified by "they shall be one flesh," "flesh" signifying good, and also a human being. But the things here said cannot enter the understanding of man, except with few, unless it is known that the first two chapters of Genesis treat of the new creation, that is, of the regeneration of the men of the church, the first chapter of their regeneration, the second of their intelligence and wisdom; and "male and female," or "man and wife," mean in the spiritual sense the conjunction of truth and good, which is called the heavenly marriage, into which marriage man comes when he is regenerated and becomes a church; and man has been regenerated and has become a church when he is in good and in truths therefrom, which is meant by "the man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be as one flesh." (But a still clearer idea of these things may be had from what is said in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, On Good and Truth, n. 11-19; On the Will and Understanding, n. 28-33; On Regeneration, n 173-182; also respecting the good from which are truths, n. 24.)

[15] Because "man and woman" signify the conjunction of truth and good:

When Moses saw that the sons of Israel took to themselves the female captives of the Midianites, their enemies, he said that they should kill every woman that had known man by lying with a male; but that they should keep alive the women that had not known man (Numbers 31:17, 18).

These things were commanded because a "woman not conjoined to a man" signified the church in respect to the affection for truth or for conjunction with truth; but "a woman conjoined to a man of Midian" signified good adulterated; for the Midianites represented, and thence signified, truth that is not truth because it is not from good, thus is falsity. This was why the women who had known man were to be killed, but those who had not known man were to be kept alive. "The women of Midian" signified the defilement of good by falsities, and thus good adulterated and profaned, which is filthy adultery, as is evident from what is related respecting "the whoredom of the sons of Israel with the women of the Midianites" (Numbers 25).

[16] Whoever does not know that "woman" signifies the spiritual affection of truth, also that the evils and falsities that everyone has are in the natural man, and none of them in the spiritual man, cannot know what is signified by the following respecting a woman captive in Moses:

If thou shalt see in captivity a woman beautiful in form of the enemy, and hast a desire unto her for a wife, thou shalt bring her into the midst of thy house; where she shall shave her head and pare her nails; then she shall put away the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall weep for her father and her mother a month of days, and after that thou shalt go in unto her and know her, and she shall be thy wife (Deuteronomy 21:11-13).

A "woman" signifies the church in respect to the spiritual affection of truth, or the spiritual affection of truth which a man of the church has, but "a woman captive beautiful in form" signifies the religious principles with the Gentiles in whom is a longing or affection for truth; that "she is to be brought into the midst of the house, and there is to shave her head, pare her nails, and afterwards put away the raiment of her captivity" signifies that she should be led into the interior or spiritual things of the church, and by means of them reject the evils and falsities of the natural and sensual man; "the midst of the house" signifies things interior which are spiritual; "the hair of the head which must be shaved" signifies the falsities and evils of the natural man; "the nails which must be pared," signify the falsities and evils of the sensual man; and "the raiment of captivity" signifies the falsity of religion in which one who from affection longs for truth is held as it were captive; all these, therefore, must be rejected because they are in the natural and sensual man, as has been said above; that she shall "weep for her father and her mother a month of days" signifies that the evils and falsities of one's religion must be consigned to oblivion; "after that the man should go in unto her and know her, and she should be his wife," signifies that thus truth, which is the "man," can be conjoined with its affection, which is the "wife." Why this statute was given no one can know unless he knows from the spiritual sense what is signified by "a woman taken captive from the enemy," by "the midst or inmost of the house," by "hair," "nails," and "the raiment of captivity," and unless he knows something about the conjunction of truth and good, for on this conjunction all the precepts in the Word concerning marriages are founded. The church in respect to the affection of truth is signified also by:

The woman encompassed with the sun, and in labor, before whom the dragon stood when she should bring forth a man child; and who afterwards fled into the wilderness (Revelation 12:1, et seq.).

Here the "woman" signifies the church, and the "man child" whom she brought forth, the doctrine of truth, as will be seen in the explanation further on.

[17] As "woman" signifies the church in respect to the affection of truth from good, or the affection of truth from good of the man of the church, so in the contrary sense a "woman" signifies the cupidity of falsity from evil; for most things in the Word have also an opposite signification. A "woman" (and women) signify this in the following passages. In Jeremiah:

Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The sons gather wood and the fathers kindle the fire and the women knead the dough, to make cakes to the queen of the heavens, and also to pour out libations unto other gods (Jeremiah 7:17, 18)

What this prophecy involves cannot be known unless it is known what "the cities of Judah," "the streets of Jerusalem," what the "sons," "fathers," and "women" signify, also what "gathering wood," "kindling a fire," "kneading the dough," "cakes," "the queen of the heavens," and "libations" signify. But when it is known what these signify, and the signification is taken in place of the things named, there results therefrom the spiritual meaning that is involved in this prophecy. "The cities of Judah" signify the doctrinals of the church; "the streets of Jerusalem" the truths of these, but here falsities; "sons" mean those who are in the truths of doctrine, but here those who are in falsities, who are said "to gather wood" when they acquire for themselves falsities from evils; "fathers" mean those who are in the goods of the church, but here those who are in evils, who are said "to kindle a fire" when from the love of evil they favor and excite evils; "women" mean the affections of truth from good, but here the cupidities of falsity from evil; these are said "to knead the dough" when from falsities and according to them they frame doctrine; "to make cakes to the queen of the heavens" signifies to worship infernal evils of every kind, "to make cakes" meaning to worship from evils, and "the queen of the heavens" meaning all evils in the complex, for "the queen of the heavens" has a similar signification as "the host of the heavens;" "to pour out libations unto other gods" signifies to worship from falsities, "other gods" meaning infernal falsities; for "God" signifies, in a good sense, Divine truth proceeding, but "other gods" signify infernal falsities, which are falsities from evil.

[18] In Isaiah:

As for My people, babes are their oppressors, and women rule over it. ⁵ O My people, thy leaders cause thee to err, and have blotted out the way of thy paths (Isaiah 3:12).

"Oppressors," "babes," and "women," signify those who violate, are ignorant of, and pervert truths, "oppressors" meaning those who violate truths; "babes" those who are ignorant of them, and "women" the cupidities that pervert them; "leaders that cause thee to err" signify those who teach; "to blot out the way of thy paths" signifies that the truth which leads is not known.

[19] In the same:

When the harvest withereth, breaking in pieces, the women coming shall set it on fire; for this is a people of no intelligence (Isaiah 27:11).

This is said of the church vastated; "the harvest withering" signifies the truths of good destroyed by evil loves; "the women who set it on fire" signify the cupidities of falsity which altogether consume.

[20] In the same:

Rise up, ye women that are at ease, hear my voice; ye confident sons ⁶ give ear to my speech; the vintage shall be consumed, the ingathering shall not come (Isaiah 32:9, 10).

"Women that are at ease" signify the cupidities of those who are wholly unconcerned about the vastation of the church; "the confident sons" signify the falsities of those who trust in self-intelligence; "women and sons" signify all in the church who are such, whether men or women; "the vintage that shall be consumed, and the ingathering that shall not come" signify that there shall no longer be any truth of the church, for "vintage" has a similar signification as "wine," namely, the truth of the church; and this makes evident what is signified by its "ingathering."

[21] In Ezekiel:

But if a man be just, and hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled the wife of his companion, neither come near to a menstruous woman (Ezekiel 18:5, 6).

"The just man" is described as one "who hath not eaten upon the mountains," which signifies whose worship is not from infernal loves, for this is the signification of "sacrificing upon mountains," and "eating of the sacrifices;" "who hath not lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel" signifies whose worship is not from the falsities of doctrine, for "idols" signify the falsities of doctrine, and "the house of Israel" means the perverted church in which such falsities are; "who hath not defiled the wife of his companion" signifies who does not adulterate the good of the church and of the Word; "who cometh not near to a menstruous woman" signifies who does not defile truths by the cupidities of falsity.

[22] In Lamentations:

The hands of the compassionate women have sodden their own children that they might become food for them, in the breach of the daughter of My people (Lamentations 4:10).

This signifies the destruction by falsities of the truth and good of doctrine from the Word, and the appropriation of the falsities, with the consequent vastation of the church. "The compassionate women" signify the affections of falsity as if it were truth; "their having sodden children" signifies to destroy by falsities the truths and goods of doctrine from the Word; "to become food for them" signifies to appropriate falsities; and "the breach of the daughter of my people" signifies the vastation of the church. "Women" signify also evil cupidities in Revelation (Revelation 14:4; 17:3, of which in the explanation further on).

Footnotes:

388.And with the wild beasts of the earth. That this signifies evils of life, which are lusts and the falsities thence arising from the love of self and of the world, which devastate all things of the church with man, is plain from the signification of wild beasts, as denoting the lusts and falsities arising from the love of self and of the world; and because those are themselves evils of life; for an evil life is a life of lusts and falsities, therefore, by the wild beasts of the earth are here meant those things. That wild beasts signify such things will be seen in what follows. And from the signification of the earth as denoting the church (concerning which see above, n. 29, 304); and as by wild beasts are signified evils of life, and these devastate the church with man; and as by the earth is signified the church, therefore, by the wild beasts of the earth are signified evils of life which devastate the church with man. The church with man is mentioned because the church is in man; for a church is a church from charity and faith, and these are in man; and if these are not present, there is no church with him. It is believed that the church exists where the Word is, and where the Lord is known; but yet the church consists only of those who from the heart acknowledge the Divine of the Lord, and who learn truths from the Lord by the Word, and do them; no others constitute the church. That by the wild beasts of the earth are here specifically signified evils of life, is evident from the series of things in the internal sense. It is said that power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the wild beasts of the earth. By the sword is signified falsity destroying truth; by hunger, the deprivation of the knowledges of truth and good; by death, the extinction of spiritual life; thence by the wild beasts of the earth are signified evils of life, because these rule when spiritual life is extinguished for when there is no spiritual life, then the life is merely natural, and the latter life, without the former, is full of lusts from the love of self and the world, - thus infernal; therefore that life is what is meant by an evil wild beast.

[2] Moreover, with respect to the evil life, which is signified by the evil wild beast, it exists equally with those who lead a good moral life if they are without spiritual life; for they do good, and speak truth, and exercise sincerity and justice, but only for the sake of fame, honours, gain, and the laws; thus make a pretence for the sake of appearance, emulating the spiritual, whereas inwardly they neither will anything good nor think anything of truth; they also ridicule sincerity and justice, except for the above reasons; therefore, inwardly they are infernal. This also is evident with such people when they become spirits, which takes place immediately after death; then, when those external bonds which have been mentioned are taken away from them, they rush without restraint into evils of every kind. But it is different with those who have led a good moral life from a spiritual origin. (But upon this subject more may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 484, 329-531, 534; also above, n. 182.) These things are mentioned in order that it may be known what is meant by an evil life, namely, that it is not the external life, of the body, and of the world where men are, that is called the natural world, but the internal [life] of the spirit, and of the world where angels are, that is called the spiritual world. For man, as to his body, with its gestures and speech, is in the natural world, but as to his spirit, namely, as to thought and affection, he is in the spiritual world; yea, as the sight of the body has an extension into the natural world, and there diffuses itself abroad, so the sight of the spirit, which is thought from affection, has an extension into the spiritual world, and is there diffused abroad. That this is the case few know, and hence they suppose that it is of no consequence to think evil and to will evil, provided one abstains from doing evil and speaking evil; still, however, all thought and volition affects the man's spirit and constitutes his life after death.

[3] That evil wild beasts signify lusts and the falsities thence arising from the love of self and the world, which devastate every thing of the church with man, and also, in an opposite sense, the affections of truth, which vivify every thing of the church, is evident from the following passages in the Word.

In Jeremiah:

"Go, assemble every wild beast of the field; come to devour. Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyards; they have trodden my field under foot, they have reduced the field of desire into a desert of solitude" (12:9-11).

The subject here treated of is the vastation of the church as to its truths and as to its goods. Vastation is described by the shepherds destroying the Lord's vineyard, and treading His field under foot. By shepherds are meant those who teach truths, and thereby lead to the good of life; in the present case, those who teach falsities, and thereby lead to evil of life. By the vineyard is meant the church as to truths; and by the field, the church as to good. The vastation thereof is meant by destroying and by treading them under foot, also by reducing the field into a desert of solitude. And because lusts and falsities arising from the love of self and the world, devastate it, it is said, "Go, assemble every wild beast of the field; come to devour"; every wild beast of the field signifying falsities and the lusts thence arising, and to devour signifying to devastate and consume. That by the wild beast of the field is not meant the wild beast of the field, is evident, for it is said that the shepherds have destroyed the vineyard, and trodden the field under foot; and by shepherds are meant pastors of the church, and not shepherds of the flock.

[4] In David:

"The boar out of the wood treadeth under foot" thy vine, "and the wild beast of the fields doth devour it" (Psalms 80:8, 9, 13).

By the vine here is signified the same as by the vineyard above, namely, the church as to truth, which is called the spiritual church; the vastation thereof by the lusts and falsities of the natural man separated from the spiritual, is meant by the boar out of the wood treading it under foot; the boar out of the wood signifying the evil lusts of the natural man; and the wild beast of the fields, falsities.

[5] In Hosea:

"I will lay waste their vine and their fig-tree, and I will make them a forest, and the wild beast of the field shall devour them" (2:12).

By the vine and the fig-tree is signified the church; by the vine, the internal church, which is of the spiritual man; and by the fig-tree, the external church, which is of the natural man; the vastation of both is signified by, I will lay them waste, and make them a forest, and the wild beast of the field shall devour them. The forest signifies the sensual man, which is in absolute fallacies, and in the falsities thence; and the beast of the field signifies falsities thence and evil lusts. For when the church with man is devastated, that is, when the truth of the church is no longer believed, then man becomes sensual, believing nothing but what he can see with his eyes, and touch with his hands, and such a man gives himself up wholly to the love of self and the love of the world, thus to lusts. That the church is here meant by the vine and the fig-tree, is evident from the second verse of the same chapter, where it is said, that they should plead with her mother; for she is "not my wife, neither am I her husband"; and by mother and wife in the Word is signified the church.

[6] In Moses:

"By little and little I will drive out the" nations "lest the land become a solitude, and the wild beast of the field be multiplied against thee" (Exodus 23:28, 29; Deuteronomy 7:22).

What these signify, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 9333-9338), namely, that by the nations are signified the evils which man has, also those from inheritance; and that with man they are removed by degrees, since if they were removed instantly before good is formed in him by means of truths, falsities would enter which would destroy him. The wild beasts of the field signify falsities arising from the delights of natural loves.

[7] In the same:

"If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them, I will give peace on the earth, so that ye shall lie down securely, and none shall make you afraid; and I will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, and the sword shall not go through your land. But if ye will not obey me, and do all my precepts, I will send among you the wild beast of the field, which shall bereave you of your children, and destroy your beast, and make you few in number, that your highways may be laid waste" (Leviticus 26:3, 6, 14, 22).

This describes the state of the life of those who have charity, and of those who have not. The life of charity is meant by walking in the statutes, observing the precepts, and doing them, for this is charity; the state of their life is described by peace, by lying down securely, and none making them afraid; by which is signified blessedness of heart and soul, arising from the conjunction of good and truth, whence there is no longer any combat of evil and falsity against them. It is also described by, "I will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, and the sword shall not pass through it," by which is signified that the lusts and falsities arising from the love of self and the world [shall exist no longer]; the evil wild beast signifying the lusts that destroy good affections, and the sword signifying the falsities that destroy truths. That the contrary state is theirs who have not charity, is described by, "if ye will not obey me, and do all my precepts, I will send the wild beast of the field among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your beast, and make you few in number, that your highways may be devastated," by which is signified, that by lusts, and the falsities thence, they shall be deprived of every good and truth. The lusts and the falsities thence which would thus deprive are signified by the wild beast of the field which shall bereave you; the good affections of which they are deprived are signified by the beast which shall be destroyed; and the truths themselves thence are signified by their highways which shall be devastated; ways denoting the truths which lead to good.

[8] In Ezekiel:

"And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil wild beast to cease out of the land, that they may dwell trustingly in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. They shall no more be a prey to the nations, and the wild beast of the field shall not devour them; but they shall dwell trustingly, and none shall make them afraid" (34:25, 28).

These words relate to the Lord's coming, and to His kingdom then; what they signify in the internal sense, is evident from the passages just now explained, where many similar words occur. By the evil wild beast in the land are signified lusts; and by the wild beast of the field, falsities.

[9] In Hosea:

"I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps, and I will rend the caul of their heart, and I will devour them like a fierce lion; the wild beast of the field shall tear them" (13:8).

The vastation of good by falsity is treated of in this passage. A bear bereaved of her whelps signifies the power of evil from falsity; and a fierce lion, the power of falsity from evil; and the wild beast of the field, lusts and falsities; destruction by these is signified by the wild beasts tearing them; the separation of truth from good by falsity and evil is signified by rending the caul of their heart.

[10] In Isaiah:

"No lion shall be there, and the ravenous of the wild beasts shall not go up thither" (35:9).

In that chapter the Lord's coming is treated of, and the state of those who are in His kingdom. "No lion shall be there," signifies that there shall be no falsity destroying the truth; "the ravenous of the wild beasts shall not go up thither," signifies that there shall be no lust of destroying; because this [lust] is from hell, it is said, it shall not go up thither.

[11] In Zephaniah:

Jehovah "will stretch out his hand over the north, and destroy Assyria; that the flocks may lie down in the midst of her, every wild beast of the nation; both the cormorant and the bittern shall pass the night in the upper lintels of it. Such is the city that dwelleth carelessly, saying in her heart, I, and none other beside me; how is she become a desolation, a place for the wild beast to lie down in!" (2:13-15).

Man's own intelligence is here treated of, which confirms falsities and evils by reasonings from scientifics, and by applications from the sense of the letter of the Word. By the north is signified the natural and sensual man, also the Scientific which is there; and by Assyria is signified reasoning from it; and by, saying in her heart, "I, and none other beside me," is signified man's own intelligence. From these considerations it is evident what the particulars here mentioned involve in a series, namely, that by, Jehovah "will stretch out his hand over the north, and destroy Assyria," is signified that He will deprive the natural man of such a quality, and the intellectual or reasoning man thence, of all perception of good and understanding of truth. By, "the flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, every wild beast of the nation; both the cormorant and the bittern shall pass the night in the upper lintels of it," is signified, that everywhere therein shall be falsities of evil, and falsities of thought and perception in the knowledges from the Word, the wild beast of the nation denoting the falsity of evil, the cormorant and the bittern, the falsity of thought and perception, and the upper lintels, knowledges from the Word. By, "Such is the city that dwelleth carelessly, saying in her heart, I, and none other beside me," is signified, that such intelligence trusts to itself, and assumes everything from the proprium; a city signifying doctrine from such intelligence. By, "how is she become a desolation, a place for the wild beast to lie down in!" is signified, that nothing of truth remains therein, but that it is full of falsities.

[12] In Ezekiel:

"Speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Asshur was a cedar in Lebanon, [which] became high above all the trees of the field; but because his height is exalted, and hath shot up his top among the entwistings, therefore strangers shall cut him off, and the violent of the nations shall cast him down. Upon his ruin shall dwell every bird of the heavens, and every wild beast of the field shall be upon his branches" (31:2, 3, 5, 10-13).

The things mentioned in this passage are similar in signification to those above described. By Pharaoh king of Egypt is signified the same as above by the north, namely, the natural man and the Scientific which is there; by Assyria is signified reasoning from it; by his height being exalted, and shooting up his top among the entwistings, is signified glorying from the intelligence thence, thus from one's own intelligence. From this general signification of the contents [of the passage] it may be seen what the particulars there involve, namely, that, "speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude," is spoken of the natural man, and of the scientifics therein; Pharaoh king of Egypt is the natural man, and his multitude is the Scientific there. That the cedar in Lebanon has become high above all the trees of the field, signifies the Rational increasing by scientifics, Assyria denoting the Rational, and the cedar the Intellectual, and his becoming high above all the trees of the field, signifying immense growth from the knowledges of truth and good. "But because he is exalted in height, and he hath shot up his top among the entwistings," signifies because of his glorying from intelligence, and from the knowledge (scientia) belonging to the natural man, which glorying, being an exaltation of mind from the love of self, is from the proprium. For the natural man, separate from the spiritual, exalts itself, because being separate from the spiritual it is in the proprium, and attributes all things to itself and nothing to God; to shoot up his top is to exalt itself, and the entwistings denote the scientifics which belong to the natural man (as may be seen, n. 2831, 8133). That "strangers and the violent of the nations shall cut him off and cast him down," signifies that falsities and the evils thence shall destroy the Rational, strangers denoting falsities, and the violent of the nations the evils thence; whence "every bird of the heavens shall dwell upon his ruin, and every wild beast of the field shall be upon his branches," signifies that then there will be falsities of thought, and evils of affection; for birds signify knowledges (cognitions) both of truth and of falsity; the wild beast of the field signifies evils of the affection thence; and the field signifies the church; for no other falsities and evils are meant but those that exist in the church. (That birds signify thoughts, ideas, and reasonings in both senses, with a variety according to their genera and species, may be seen, n. 776, 778, 866, 988, 993, 3219, 5149, 7441.)

[13] In the same:

"And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers; upon the faces of the field shalt thou fall; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered; I have given thee for meat to the wild beast of the field and to the bird of the heaven" (29:5; 32:4).

These things also are said of Pharaoh and of Egypt, by whom is signified the natural man separated from the spiritual, which, when separated, is in absolute falsities and evils, for it is then without the light of heaven, which imparts all intelligence. By being left thrown out into the wilderness, therefore, is signified to be without truths and goods; by the fish of his rivers is signified the sensual Scientific (as may be seen above, n. 342); by falling upon the faces of the field, is signified that everything of the church shall perish with him; by not being brought together nor gathered, is signified, that good and truth is not seen; for the spiritual man sees these things in the natural, because he therein collects and gathers together scientifics whence he forms conclusions; by, "I have given thee for meat to the wild beast of the field and the bird of the heaven," is signified here as above, to perish by falsities of the thought, and the evils of the affection thence. Because the natural man, separated from the spiritual, is carried away into falsities of every kind, and becomes hurtful, therefore, Egypt is said to be a wild beast of the reeds (Psalms 68:31).

[14] In Ezekiel:

"Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou and all thy hands, and the peoples that are with thee; to the flying bird of every wing, and to the wild beast of the field, have I given thee for meat" (39:4).

This is spoken concerning Gog, by whom is signified external worship separate from internal, which in itself is no worship, being the worship of the natural man separate from the spiritual. "Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel," signifies they have nothing of the good of charity, the mountains of Israel signifying the goods of charity, and to fall there signifying to perish. "Thou and all thy hands, and the people that are with thee," signifies, that that worship together with its doctrinals and falsities would perish; "to the flying bird of every wing, and to the wild beast of the field, have I given thee for meat," signifies the extinction of truth and good by falsities of every kind, and by evils; the evils which are signified by the wild beast of the field, are evils of the life, which are lusts arising from the love of self and the world.

[15] In David:

"O God, the nations have come into thine inheritance; the temple of thy holiness have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem in heaps. The dead body of thy servants have they given as meat to the bird of the heavens, the flesh of thy saints to the wild beast of the earth" (79:1, 2).

By the nations here are not meant nations, but evils of life and falsities of doctrine; for by God's inheritance is signified the church, in which the Lord is all good and truth, because [they are] from Him; by polluting the temple of holiness, and laying Jerusalem in heaps, are signified to profane worship, and pervert the doctrine of the church, the temple of holiness signifying worship, because worship takes place therein, and Jerusalem signifying the church as to doctrine, thus also the doctrine of the church. And by giving the dead body of Thy servants as meat to the bird of the heavens, and the flesh of Thy saints to the wild beast of the earth, is signified to destroy all truths by falsities, and goods by evils; the bird of the heavens here also denoting the thoughts of falsity, and the wild beast of the earth denoting the affections of evil thence.

[16] In the same:

Give not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the wild beast; forget not the life of thine afflicted ones for ever" (Psalms 74:19).

By the turtle-dove is signified spiritual good, thus also those who are in that good; and by the wild beast is signified the falsity of evil lusting to destroy, thus also those who are in the falsity of evil and lust to destroy; hence it is evident what is signified [by], "Give not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the wild beast." By the afflicted ones are meant those that are infested by falsities, and thence are in anxiety, and wait for deliverance.

[17] In Ezekiel:

The sheep "scattered are without a shepherd, and become meat for every wild beast of the field, and are scattered" (34:5, 8).

By this is signified that the goods of charity have been destroyed by falsities, and altogether consumed by evils of every kind thence. The wild beast of the field denotes evils of the life arising from falsities of doctrine. By sheep, in the Word, are meant those who are in the good of charity; but because the genuine spiritual sense is apart from persons, by sheep are signified the goods of charity; by shepherds are signified those who by truths lead to good, and in the abstract the truths themselves by which good is acquired; therefore to be without a shepherd, signifies to have no truth by which good is acquired, consequently, falsity. By becoming meat is signified to be consumed, the same as by being devoured, when wild beasts are spoken of. By the wild beast of the field evils from falsities are signified.

[18] In Job:

"Blessed is the man whom God chastiseth. In famine he shall redeem thee from death; and in war from the hands of the sword. At devastation and famine thou shalt laugh, and thou shalt not be afraid of the wild beast of the earth" (5:17, 20, 22).

These expressions relate to temptations. "Blessed is the man whom God chasteneth" signifies, he that is tempted. "In famine he shall redeem thee from death," signifies deliverance from evils when he is tempted through a lack of good and the non-perception of it; "in war from the hands of the sword," signifies deliverance from falsities when he is tempted through a lack of truth and the non-understanding of it; war denoting temptation. "At devastation and famine thou shalt laugh," signifies that for him there shall be no lack of good; and "thou shalt not be afraid of the wild beast of the earth," signifies that no falsity shall [infest] him.

[19] In Ezekiel:

"Thus shalt thou say unto them, They who are in the wastes shall die by the sword, and him who is upon the faces of the field I will give to the wild beast to be devoured; and they that are in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence. For I will give the land unto desolation and wasteness" (33:27, 28).

The subjects here treated of are the desolation of all the truth, and the vastation of all the good in the church, since it is also said, I will give the land unto desolation and wasteness; the land signifying the church. "They who are in the wastes shall die by the sword," signifies that those who are in scientifics shall perish by falsities; for the scientifics of the natural man without light from the spiritual are here meant by wastes; "him who is upon the faces of the field I will give to the wild beast to be devoured," signifies that those who are in knowledges from the Word shall perish by the evils of falsity, the faces of the field denoting the things of the church, here knowledges (cognitions) from the Word; the wild beast denoting the evil of falsity. "They that are in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence," signifies that those who have confirmed themselves in falsities and evils from the Word, and also from scientifics, shall utterly perish by evils and falsities; forts denoting confirmations from the Word, caves confirmations from scientifics. That such things are signified by these words, can be seen only from the series in the internal sense, for the subject treated of is, as has been said, the total vastation of the church.

[20] In the same:

"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; especially will I bring the sword upon thee" (5:17).

Again:

"When I shall send famine upon the land, and cut off man and beast [from it]; when I shall make the evil wild beast to pass through the land, and bereave it, that it become desolate, so that none pass through because of the wild beast; and when I shall bring the sword, and send the pestilence; thus when I shall send my four evil judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, the famine, the evil wild beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast" (14:18, 15, 17, 19, 21).

In the internal sense, by cutting off man and beast is signified to deprive of every affection of good and truth, both internal or spiritual and external or natural. (That this is signified by man and beast in the Word, may be seen, n. 7424, 7523, 7872.) By famine is signified the deprivation of the good of love; by the sword, the deprivation of the truth of faith, both by falsity. By the evil wild beast is signified the deprivation of both by the evils of the love of self and of the world; and by the pestilence, the deprivation of spiritual life thence. These are called here the four judgments, because man is judged from them.

[21] From the explanation of these passages and of those which precede, it is evident what is meant by each particular here in the series. By the evil wild beast are meant all destructive beasts, such as lions, bears, tigers, panthers, boars, wolves, dragons, serpents, and many others, which prey upon and rend useful animals, such as lambs, sheep, cows, oxen, and the like. That by such wild beasts, and in general by the evil wild beast, are signified lusts arising from the love of self and of the world, from which are all evils of life and falsities of doctrine, is from correspondence, as is evident from appearances in the spiritual world. There all the lusts of evil and falsity appear as wild beasts of various kinds. Those also from whom such appearances arise resemble wild beasts, for their chief delight is to assault and destroy the good. This delight is an infernal delight, and is inherent in the loves of self and of the world, in which the hells are. From these considerations it is evident whence it is that by the evil wild beast in general are signified evils of life, or lusts and the falsities thence arising from the loves of self and of the world, which vastate all things of the church with man.

[22] So far it has been shown from the Word that wild beasts signify evil lusts and falsities, and specifically the lusts of ravaging and destroying goods and truths by means of falsities, thus the spiritual life of man. Now it shall also be shown that wild beasts in the Word signify also the affections of truth and good, which are opposed to the affections of falsity from evils, which are called lusts. The reason why wild beasts in the Word signify also the affections of truth and good is, because the expression, from which they are named and called in the original tongue, signifies life, for wild beast in that tongue is called chajah, and chajah signifies life, and in the affection of truth and good is the very life of the spiritual man; therefore when the wild beast is mentioned in this good sense in the Word, it is better to be changed and called animal, which signifies a living soul. But when in this sense wild beast (fera) is spoken of, the idea which adheres to the word fera in the Latin tongue must be entirely laid aside, for in that language the idea of wild and ferocious adheres to the word fera, and thus an idea unfavourable and evil. It is different in the Hebrew tongue, in which wild beast signifies life, and in general a living soul or animal; in this sense chajah or wild beast (fera) cannot be called beast (bestia), because everywhere in the Word wild beast (fera) and beast (bestia) are mentioned, and by wild beast (fera) is signified the affection of truth, and by beast (bestia) the affection of good. Because wild beast or chajah in this opposite sense signifies the affection of truth and good, therefore Eve, the wife of Adam, is called Chavah, from that expression; as is evident in Moses:

"And the man called his wife's name Eve (Chavah); because she would be the mother of all chaj, that is, living (Genesis 3:20).

And also the four animals which were cherubim, are called from the same expression, chajah, in the plural; and because to the expression wild beast (fera) in the Latin tongue adheres the idea of wild and ferocious as has been said, the translators have said animals. That from this word they are called cherubim, which appeared as animals, seeEzekiel 1:5, 13-15, 22; 10:15; and elsewhere.

[23] Similarly, the animals to be eaten, as lambs, sheep, she-goats, rams, kids, he-goats, heifers, oxen, cows, as also animals not to be eaten, are, in common language, called wild beasts (feroe), and yet all animals that are to be eaten signify good affections, for they are mild and useful, consequently, not wild and ferocious.

Thus in Moses:

"This is the wild beast (fera) which ye shall eat of every beast (bestia) among all the wild beasts that go upon four, to distinguish between the wild beast which is eaten, and the wild beast which is not eaten" (Leviticus 11:2, 27, 47).

And in another place:

"He that hunteth a hunting of the wild beast, and of the bird, which is eaten" (Leviticus 17:13).

The animals also that were sacrificed, and have been named above, were termed wild beasts (fera).

Thus in Isaiah:

"And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, and the wild beast thereof is not sufficient for a burnt offering" (40:16).

And in David:

"I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy folds for sacrifice. For every wild beast (fera) of the forest is mine, and the cattle (bestiae) upon the mountains of thousands. I know every bird of the mountains: and the wild beast of my fields is with me. If I were hungry I would not tell thee; for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Sacrifice unto God confession" (Psalms 50:9-14).

[24] That wild beast signifies both the affection of truth and good, is further plain from the following passages. In Moses:

"In the seventh year, which is the sabbatical year, thou shalt let the land rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat it, and that the wild beast of the field may eat the remainder of them" (Exodus 23:11).

And in another place:

In the year of the sabbath, "all the produce which is in thy land shall be for meat for thy cattle [bestiae], and for the wild beasts (feroe)" (Leviticus 25:6, 7).

Here by cattle (bestiae) and wild beasts (feroe), are meant lambs, sheep, she-goats, kids, rams, he-goats, heifers, oxen, cows, horses, and asses, but not lions, bears, boars, wolves, and similar rapacious wild beasts; therefore by wild beasts here, are meant domestic wild beasts, which are useful, by which are signified the affections of truth and good.

[25] In David:

"Praise Jehovah from the earth, ye whales, and all deeps; wild beast and all cattle; creeping thing, and winged bird; kings of the earth, and all peoples" (Psalms 148:7, 10, 11).

By these things are signified goods and truths of every kind in man, from which man worships God; and because from such things man worships God, and these are not of man, but of the Lord in Him, it is therefore to be understood that these things worship God, for no one can worship God from himself aright, but from God, that is, from the goods and truths which are of God in him. That no one can name Jesus from himself, but from the Lord, is known to some in the church, and is well known in heaven. By praising Jehovah is signified to worship Him; by whales and deeps are signified scientifics and knowledges (cognitions) in general or in the aggregate; by wild beast and all cattle are signified the affections of truth and good; by creeping thing and bird of every wing is signified the delight of good and truth pertaining to the natural and spiritual man. On this account it is also said, "Praise Jehovah, ye kings of the earth, and all peoples," by whom are signified the truths of good of every kind. That such things are signified by these words, is evident from their signification in the internal sense, and from the Word in heaven, where it is spiritual, because for the angels who are spiritual. (That the Word is also in the heavens, and there, according to the internal sense, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 259-261.)

[26] Again:

"O God, thou makest the rain of benevolences to drop down, thou shalt confirm thy labouring inheritance; thy wild beasts shall dwell therein" (Psalms 68:9, 10).

Here also the wild beast or animal means those who are in the affections of truth and good, or in the abstract, those affections themselves; for by the rain of benevolences which God causes to drop down, is signified the Divine truth from the Divine good. By the labouring inheritance which God shall confirm, is signified the church which is in Divine truth as to doctrine and life; the inheritance denoting the church where these are, which is called labouring from an earnest endeavour to do good. That the wild beasts shall dwell therein, namely, in the inheritance or church, signifies the affections of truth and good. That nothing else is meant here by wild beast, is evident, for the rapacious wild beast, that is, the lust of falsity and evil, cannot dwell in the inheritance upon which God causes the rain of benevolences to drop down.

[27] In Hosea:

"And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the wild beast (fera) of the field, and with the bird of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the ground; and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth; and I will make them to lie down safely. And I will betroth myself to thee for ever" (2:18, 19).

These things are said of a new church from the Lord; and by the wild beast of the field, the bird of the heavens, and the creeping thing of the earth, are signified the same as by those things above in David (Psalms 148:7, 10, 11), which have been already explained. By covenant is signified conjunction; thus, by making a covenant is signified to be conjoined (see n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396, 10632). For Jehovah cannot make a covenant with or be conjoined with the affections of evil and falsity, or with the lusts signified by wild beasts in the former sense, and He cannot in any way make a covenant with the wild beast, bird, and reptile, but with such things as are signified by them. But these things may be seen more fully explained above (n. 357).

[28] In Ezekiel:

"Speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; Behold, Asshur, a cedar in Lebanon, beautiful in branch, and a shady wood, and high in stature. The waters made him to grow, whence his height became exalted above all the trees of the field, all the birds of the heavens made their nests in his branches, and under his branches every wild beast of the field brought forth; and in his shade dwelt all great nations; no tree in the garden of God was equal to him in beauty" (31:2-9).

By Pharaoh and Egypt is here signified the Scientific of the natural man; and by Asshur, the Rational which the Scientific serves, whose growth by true scientifics and knowledges (cognitions) is described by the cedar in Lebanon, by which also the Rational is signified. By the waters which caused it to grow are signified truths; and by the branches is signified extension, such as belongs to the thought of the rational man. Hence it is evident what is signified by, “all the birds of the heavens built their nests in his boughs; every wild beast of the field brought forth under his branches," and by, "in his shade dwelt all great nations," namely, rational and spiritual truths, affections of truth, and goods, of every kind. For by the birds of the heavens are signified the rational and spiritual truths of every kind; by the wild beast, the affections of truth; by bringing forth is signified to multiply, for from the affections of truth every spiritual birth or multiplication takes place; and by great nations are signified goods. (That birds signify thoughts, things rational, intellectual, and spiritual, thus, truths, because all things of the thought are either truths or falsities, may be seen, n.745, 776, 866, 988, 991, 3219, 5149, 7441. That to bring forth signifies to multiply truths and goods, and that this is spiritual birth, n. 3860, 3868, 9325. That nations signify those who are in goods, and hence abstractedly goods, n. 1059, 1159, 1258, 1260, 1416, 1849, 6005; and above, n. 175, 331. That Pharaoh and Egypt signify the Scientific in both senses, good and evil, may be seen, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702, 6015, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 7296, 9340, 9391. And that Assyria signifies the Rational in both senses, n. 119, 1186.)

[29] That Egypt signifies scientific truth, and Assyria rational [truth], and that everything rational pertaining to man has its birth by means of scientifics, or that these are subservient to it, as was said above, is evident from these words in Isaiah:

"In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt into Assyria, that the Assyrian may come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and they shall serve Jehovah, the Egyptians with Assyria. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land; whom Jehovah Zebaoth shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance" (19:23-25).

Here Egypt signifies the Scientific, Assyria the Rational, and Israel the Spiritual.

[30] From the passages now adduced it is evident what is signified by the bird and the wild beast of the field, in Ezekiel:

"Thus said the Lord Jehovih; Say unto the bird of every wing, and to every wild beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side over my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth. And ye shall eat fat to satiety, and ye shall drink blood even to drunkenness, of my sacrifice which I will sacrifice for you. And ye shall be satisfied upon my table, with horse and chariot, with mighty man and with every man of war. So will I give my glory among the nations" (39:17-21).

That these things are spoken of the church to be established by the Lord among the nations, is evident from all the particulars here; therefore by the bird of every wing, and every wild beast of the field, which are to be assembled and to be invited to the sacrifice, are signified all those who are in the affection of truth and good, for by the flesh which they shall eat is signified the good of love; and by the blood which they shall drink, truth from that good; and by the sacrifice is signified the worship itself from these. But these things may be seen more fully explained above (n. 329).

[31] Sometimes, in the Word, wild beast (fera) and beast (bestia) are mentioned together, sometimes wild beast alone, also beast alone; and sometimes the wild beast of the earth, or the wild beast of the field; and when wild beast and beast are mentioned, then the affection or love of falsity and evil is signified; by the wild beast, the affection or love of falsity; and by beast, the affection or love of evil; or, in the opposite sense, by the wild beast, the affection or love of truth; and by the beast the affection or love of good. But when the wild beast only is mentioned, also when beast only, then by wild beast is meant the affection both of falsity and evil, and in the opposite sense, the affection both of truth and good; but by beast, the affection of evil and of falsity thence, and in the opposite sense, the affection of good and of truth thence. But concerning the signification of beast it will be seen below in its proper place. When, however, the wild beast of the earth is mentioned, the wild beast is meant which devours animals and men; but when the wild beast of the field is mentioned, the wild beast which consumes what is sown is meant; thus the wild beast of the earth signifies those things that destroy the goods of the church; and the wild beast of the field signifies those things that destroy the truths of the church; for by the earth, and also by field, is signified the church; but by the earth is signified the church from the nation and people there, and by the field, the church from what is sown, or from the reception of seeds.