487. 'Days means periods of time and states in general. This has been shown in Chapter 1, where the 'days of creation' have no other meaning. In the Word it is very common for a whole period of time to be called 'a day', as it clearly is in the present verse and in verses 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 27, 31, below; and therefore the states that belong to periods of time in general are meant by 'days' as well. And when 'years' is attached, then periods of years mean the natures of those states, and so the states in particular.

[2] The most ancient people had their own particular numbers which they would use to mean different aspects of the Church - for instance, the numbers three, seven, ten, twelve, and many which they obtained from these and other numbers - and in so doing incorporated states of the Church. These numbers therefore contain arcana that would require considerable effort to unravel. Really a number was an evaluation of the states of the Church. The same feature occurs throughout the Word, especially in the prophetical. And the religious ceremonies of the Jewish Church also entail numbers specifying periods of time as well as quantities; for example, in connection with sacrifices, minchahs, oblations, and other practices, which in every case have special reference to holy things. Consequently eight hundred in this verse, nine hundred and thirty in the next, and the numbers of years mentioned in the verses that follow after that, embody in particular more matters than can possibly be retold; matters, that is to say, which have to do with changes in the state of their Church in relationship to their own general state. Later on, in the Lord's Divine mercy, the meaning of the simple numbers up to twelve will be given, for without knowing these first of all no one can grasp what compound numbers mean.

124. And ye shall have tribulation ten days. That this signifies that infestation, and thence temptation, will endure for some time, is evident from the signification of tribulation, as being the infestation and temptation of those who are in the spiritual affection of truth by those who are in falsities (that this is meant by tribulation is clear, because it is spoken of those who are in such affection), and from the signification of ten days, as being duration for some time. The reason why by ten days is signified duration for some time, is, that by forty days is signified an entire duration of infestation and temptation (see Arcana Coelestia 2959, 7985, 7986), and because ten is some part thereof. For all numbers in the Word signify things or states, with variety according to their relation to other numbers. (The number ten, without relation to other numbers, signifies what is full, or much, see n. 3107, 4638; but in relation to a greater number it signifies as much as is conducive to uses, n. 9757; here therefore it signifies duration for some time, thus as use requires. That all numbers in the Word signify things or states, see Arcana Coelestia 482, 487, 647, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4264, 4495, 4670, 5265, 6175, 9488, 9659, 10217, 10253.) Anyone who considers the subject may see, that by the tribulation of ten days here mentioned, which those should have who are cast into prison by the devil, is signified something more than ten days' tribulation.