THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 54

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation.)

1. SING, O you barren, that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and exult, you that didst not travail: for more are the sons of the desolate than the sons of the married woman, says Jehovah.

VERSE 1. Treating of the advent of the Lord, and of the New Church to be established by Him among the Gentiles, who are understood by "the barren, who did not bear", and by "the desolate, who shall have many sons." They are called "barren", because they knew not the Lord, neither had the Word, where Truths are; wherefore they could not be regenerated. "Sons" denote Truths from the Lord by the Word. The church which is in possession of the Word, from which the Lord is known, is understood by "the married, who has no sons"; the joy of those who are of the New Church; and who before had not Truths, is signified by "her breaking forth in to singing, and exulting, who did not travail", - to "travail" denotes to have in the womb, Inasmuch as "mother" signified the church, and "sons" and "daughters" its Truths and Goods, and whereas in the ancient churches; and afterwards in the Jewish church, all things were representative, and thence significative, therefore it was a disgrace and a reproach for women to be barren; on which account Rachel was angry with Jacob, because she did not bear children, arid said, when she brought forth Joseph, "God has taken away my reproach." (Genesis 30:1, 23)

For the same reason, after Elizabeth had conceived, she said "Thus has the Lord done to me in the days wherein He looked on me, to take away my reproach amongst men." (Luke 1:25) Apocalypse Explained 721.

Verses 1-3. These words treat of the church about to be established among the Gentiles which is called "barren", and which "did not bear", because they were without Truths from the Word; of which church it is said that "the sons should be more than the sons of the married woman, because its Truths would be more numerous than the Truths of the former church now devastated, for "sons" signify Truths. To "enlarge the place of the tent", signifies the holy principle of worship from the Good of love; to "stretch out the curtains of the habitations, denotes the holy principle of worship from the Truths of faith. Arcana Coelestia 9595.

To "enlarge the place of the tent", is to enlarge those things which are of the church, thus the doctrine of what is Good and True from the Word, and hence those things which are of worship. To "stretch out or to expand the curtains of the habitations", is to multiply Truths; that "curtains" are the Truths of the church, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 9596. The "barren" are those who were not before in the Goods and Truths of the church. Arcana Coelestia 10545.

Verses 1, 5, 6, 13. In these verses occur expressions which have relation to marriage such as being "barren", "not bearing", :" not travailing"; "the sons of the desolate and of the married woman"; "the reproach or shame of widowhood"; "as a woman forsaken and afflicted in spirit"; "the wife of [one's] youth", etc. The reason why these terms occur is, because the conjunction of what is Good and True is represented by "marriage"; hence, in the spiritual sense, these expressions involve something relating to the marriage of what is Good and True, and to the perversions of that marriage. See Arcana Coelestia 443.

2. Enlarge the place of your tent; and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: spare not; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes;

Verses 2, 3. Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes; for on the right hand and on the left you shalt break forth, etc. - The establishment of the church amongst the Gentiles is here treated of. By "enlarging the place of the tent", is signified the increase of the church as to worship from Good; by "stretching out the curtains of the habitations", is denoted the increase of the church as to the Truths of doctrine; by "lengthening the cords", is understood their extension; by "strengthening the stakes", is meant their confirmation from the Word.

By "breaking forth on the right hand and on the left", is signified amplification as to the Good of charity, and as to the Truth of faith, "on the right" as to the Good of charity, and "on the left" as to the Truth of faith from that Good.

By "the seed which shall inherit the nations", is understood the Truth by which Goods are acquired, - "seed" is Truth, and "nations" are Goods; and by "the desolate cities which they would cause the nations to inhabit, are understood Truths from Goods of life, "desolate cities" are the Truths of doctrine where before there were no Truths, "nations" are the Goods of life from which are Truths, and to "dwell" or to be "inhabited" is to live. Apocalypse Explained 600. See also 223.

To" lengthen the cords" and to "strengthen the stakes" signifies the more ample connection and confirmation of Truths; for by "cords" is understood the conjunction of Truths, and by "stakes" their confirmation. Arcana Coelestia 9777. See also Apocalypse Explained 799.

As to the meaning of "cords" find "stakes", and the reason "why a "tent" and a "tabernacle" signify the holy principle of worship, see Chapter 33:20, the Exposition.

3. For on the right hand, and on the left, you shalt break forth; and your seed shall inherit the nations, and they shall cause the desolate cities to be inhabited.

Verse 3. By "the seed which shall inherit the nations", is signified the Divine Truth which shall be given to the nations; by "breaking forth on the right and on the left", is denoted the extension and multiplication of Goods and Truths, - by the "right" is understood Truth which is in light, and by the "left" Truth which is in the shade, because, in the spiritual world, to the right is the south, where those are who are in the clear light of Truth, and to the left is the north, where those are who fire in the obscure light of Truth.

By "causing the desolate cities to be "inhabited", is signified their life according to divine Truths, which were previously destroyed; "cities" are the Truths of doctrine from the Word; to be "inhabited" means to live according to those Truths; "desolate cities" signify those Truths previously destroyed, namely, among the Jewish people. Apocalypse Explained 768.

4. Fear not; for you shalt not be confounded: and blush not; for you shalt not be brought to reproach: for you shalt forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you shalt remember no more,

Verse 4. See the Exposition of Isaiah Chapter 24:23.

You shalt forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you shalt remember no more- The "reproach of widowhood" is predicated of the church when not in Truth, because not in Good, and consequently in the false. Arcana Coelestia 4844.

5. For your Husband is your Maker; Jehovah of Hosts is His name: and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall He be called.

Verse 5. The Lord, from Divine Good, is called "Husband and Bridegroom"; and His kingdom and church, from the reception of the Divine Truth which proceeds from the Lord, is called "wife and bride." Arcana Coelestia 9198.

6. For as a woman forsaken and afflicted in spirit has Jehovah called you; and as a wife of youth, when you wast rejected, says your God.

7. For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you:

Verses 6, 7. Here by "a woman forsaken and afflicted in spirit", is understood the church which is not in Truths, but still in the affection or desire for them, - "Woman" denoting the church, which is said to be "forsaken" when it is not in Truths, and "afflicted in spirit" when in grief from the affection or desire for Truths; by "a wife of youth", is denoted the ancient church, which was in Truths from affection; and by the same, when "repudiated or rejected", is understood the Jewish church, which was not in Truths from any spiritual affection. The establishment of a New Church by the Lord, and liberation from spiritual captivity, is signified by "For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you." Apocalypse Explained 555.

8. In an inundation of anger I hid My face for a moment from you; but with everlasting kindness will I have Mercy on you, says your Redeemer Jehovah.

Verse 8. An "inundation of anger" signifies temptation, in which evils cause anguish and torment; because the Lord appears not to have mercy, it is said, "I hid my face for a moment from you." That the "face of Jehovah" is the Divine Love, is evident from the Lord's face "when He appeared transfigured before Peter, James and John that is, when He showed to them His Divine, and when "His face shone as the sun"; (Matthew 17:2) that the "Sun" is the Divine Love, was shown above. The Lord is never "angry", nor does He "turn away" or "hide His face", but it is so said from the appearance with the man who is In evil; for the man who is in evil turns himself away, and hides the Lord's face from himself, that is, removes from himself the Lord s mercy. This is evident from many passages, but especially from the following:

"Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you." (Isaiah 59:2) Arcana Coelestia 5585, 6997.

9. For this is [as] the waters of Noah unto Me: when I swore that the waters of Noah should no more pass over the earth; so have I sworn that I will not be wroth with you, nor rebuke you.

Verse 9. When I sware that the waters of Noah should no more pass over the earth, etc. - The "waters of Noah" were the false principles and persuasions which destroyed the most ancient church. What is meant by "Jehovah's swearing", see Chapter 45:23, the Exposition.

10. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills shall be removed; but My loving-kindness shall not depart from you, and the covenant of My peace shall not be removed, says Jehovah who has mercy on you.

Verse 10. Where it is evident that it is not the mountains and hills upon the earth which shall "depart or recede, and be removed", but those who are in evil loves and in falsities thence derived; for the subject here treated of is concerning the nations or Gentiles, of whom a New Church was to be formed: wherefore by the "mountains" and "hills" are more especially understood those of the former church, consequently the Jews, with whom were mere evils of the false and falsities of evil, by reason of their being immersed in tbe loves of self and of the world. Apocalypse Explained 405.

Verses 10, 13. The subject here treated of is concerning the New Heaven and the New Church. The former heaven and the former church, which should perish, are understood by "the mountains which shall depart or recede, and the hills which shall be removed." That they who are in the New Heaven and in the New Church will be in Good from the Lord, and possess heavenly joy to eternity, by conjunction with Him, is signified by " My loving-kindness shall not depart [or recede] from you", and "the covenant of My peace shall not be removed"; "loving-kindness" or mercy signifies Good from the Lord, and the "covenant of peace" heavenly joy derived from conjunction with the Lord, - a "covenant" denoting conjunction.

By "the sons who shall be taught by Jehovah, and who shall have much peace", are understood those in the New Heaven and in the New Church, who will be principled in Truths originating in Good from the Lord, and enjoy eternal beatitude and felicity; "sons" in the Word, signifying Truths originating in Good, or those who are principled therein; their being "taught by Jehovah" denoting that those Truths are from the Lord; and "much peace" signifying eternal beatitude and felicity. Apocalypse Explained 365.

11. O you afflicted, tossed about with tempest, not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones in stibium, and your foundations with sapphires.

Verses 11-13. These things are said of "the barren, who brought not forth", and "who should have many sons"; and by the "barren" are signified the Gentiles who had not divine Truths, because they had not the Word, whence they are called "the afflicted, tossed about with tempest, and not comforted"; to be "afflicted and tossed about with tempest" is predicated of the falsities by which they were infested and carried every way. That the Lord, when He came, would reveal to them living Truths, and instruct them, is signified by "I will lay your stones in stibium, and your foundations with sapphires", &.c. That by the "precious stones", here mentioned, are understood divine Truths in the ultimate of order, such as are those of the literal sense of the Word, in which are contained internal Truths, such as are those in the spiritual sense of the Word, is evident; for by the "foundations", "gates", and "borders", which were to be laid with those stones are signified ultimate principles, whence it follows that, in the above passage, by "stones" in general, and by "sapphires", "carbuncles" and "fire-stones" [or rubies], are signified such Truths as are in the literal sense of the Word, which are ultimate Truths, because for the natural and sensual man. Inasmuch as the instruction of the Gentiles in divine Truths is here understood, therefore it follows, "And all your sons shall be taught by Jehovah"; but what is specifically signified by the sapphire", "carbuncle", and "fire-stone", it is not necessary to explain In this place, only that "precious stones" in general signify ultimate Truths. Apocalypse Explained 717. See also Arcana Coelestia 9407, 9643, 9873.

12. And I will make your windows of rubies, and your gates of stones of carbuncle; and all your borders of pleasant stones:

Verse 12. These things are said of the Gentiles out of the church, from whom a New Church was to be established by the Lord. By "I will make your suns as rubies" is signified that Goods shall be brilliant from the fire of love; "suns" here denoting the Goods of love, and the "ruby" denotes a brilliance as from fire.

By "I will make your gates of carbuncles", is signified that Truths shall be resplendent from Good; "gates" denoting introductory Truths, specifically the doctrinals which are derived from Good, for all Truths of doctrine, which are genuine, proceed from Good, and are of Good; and "stones of carbuncle" signify their splendour from Good, - all "precious stones" signifying Truths derived from Good, and the colour, splendour, and fire thereof indicating the quality of Truth from Good.

By "all your borders shall be of pleasant stones", is signified that the scientific Truths which appertain to the natural man shall be pleasant and delightful from Good; for by a "border" is understood the same as by a "foundation", and this is the natural man, forasmuch as in the things which are therein the Goods and Truths of the spiritual man are terminated; and "pleasant stones" denote Truths that are pleasant and delightful from Good. The nature and quality of the Goods and Truths of the Word, which will be with those who are of the New Church, is therefore described in this passage. That the "sun" signifies the Good of love, is also evident from the circumstance of their being called, "suns" in the plural number. Apocalypse Explained 401.

I will make [or set] your suns [windows] of rubies, etc. - Here, instead of windows, "suns" are mentioned, from light, because it is let in or transmitted thereby, "Suns" or "windows" are intellectual things, and, indeed, from charity, wherefore they are compared to the "ruby." The "gates" are the rational things hence derived: and the "borders" are the scientific and sensual principles; for the Lord's church is here treated of. Arcana Coelestia 655. See the note.

13. And all your sons shall be taught by Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of your sons.

14. In justice shalt you be established: you shalt be far from oppression; for you shalt not fear it: and from terror; for it shall not come near you.

15. Behold, they shall be leagued together, but not by Me: whosoever is leagued against you shall fall because of you.

Verse 13. There is a spiritual idea, of which few have any knowledge, which enters by influx into the minds of those who are in the affection of Truth, and dictates interiorly, whether the thing which they are hearing or reading is true or not. In this idea are those who read the Word in illumination from the Lord. To be in illumination is to be in perception and thence in an internal acknowledgement that that which they hear or read [in the Word] is true. Those who are in this illumination are said to be "taught by Jehovah"; (Isaiah 54:13; John 6:45), and of them it is said in Jeremiah

"Behold, the days come that I will make a new covenant; - this shall be the covenant: I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and they shall no more teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know you Jehovah: for they shall all know Me." (Jeremiah 31:31, 33, 34)

From these considerations it is plain that Faith and Truth are a one. This also is the reason that the ancients, who were more accustomed to think of Truth from affection than the moderns, instead of Faith used the word "Truth", and for the same reason, in the Hebrew language, Truth and Faith are expressed by one and the same word, namely, Amuna or Amen. Doctrine of Faith 5, 6.

16. Behold, I have created the smith who blows the coals in the fire, and produces an instrument for his work; and I have created the destroyer to lay waste.

17. No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that rises up against you in judgment you shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah; and their justice is from Me, says Jehovah.

Verse 16. See Chapter 44:10, 12, the Exposition; see also Chapter 45:7, the Exposition, in which it is explained how all things, both good and evil, are said to be "created" by God.

---

Isaiah Chapter 54.

1. Sing, O you barren, that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and exult, you that didst not travail: for more are the sons of the desolate than the sons of the married woman, says Jehovah.

2. Enlarge the place of your tent; and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: spare not; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes;

3. For on the right hand, and on the left, you shalt break forth; and your seed shall inherit the nations, and they shall cause the desolate cities to be inhabited.

4. Fear not; for you shalt not be confounded: and blush not; for you shalt not be brought to reproach: for you shalt forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you shalt remember no more,

5. For your Husband is your Maker; Jehovah of Hosts is His name: and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall He be called.

6. For as a woman forsaken and afflicted in spirit has Jehovah called you; and as a wife of youth, when you wast rejected, says your God.

7. For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you:

8. In an inundation of anger I hid My face for a moment from you; but with everlasting kindness will I have Mercy on you, says your Redeemer Jehovah.

9. For this is [as] the waters of Noah unto Me: when I sware that the waters of Noah should no more pass over the earth; so have I sworn that I will not be wroth with you, nor rebuke you.

10. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills shall be removed; but My loving-kindness shall not depart from you, and the covenant of My peace shall not be removed, says Jehovah who has mercy on you.

11. O you afflicted, tossed about with tempest, not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones in stibium, and your foundations with sapphires.

12. And I will make your windows of rubies, and your gates of stones of carbuncle; and all your borders of pleasant stones:

13. And all your sons shall be taught by Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of your sons.

14. In justice shalt you be established: you shalt be far from oppression; for you shalt not fear it: and from terror; for it shall not come near you.

15. Behold, they shall be leagued together, but not by Me: whosoever is leagued against you shall fall because of you.

16. Behold, I have created the smith who blows the coals in the fire, and produces an instrument for his work; and I have created the destroyer to lay waste.

17. No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that rises up against you in judgment you shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah; and their justice is from Me, says Jehovah.

717. And upon his heads seven diadems, signifies Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, here these truths adulterated and profaned. This is evident from the signification of "heads of the dragon," as being the true knowledges [scientifica] of the Word, which have been adulterated and profaned; that these "heads" signify insanity in spiritual things and yet craftiness in deceiving and leading astray may be seen above n. 714. Also from the signification of "diadems" (or precious stones), as being Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word (of which presently); also from the signification of "seven," which means all things, and is predicated of things holy, and in the contrary sense of things profane (of which above, n. 715, here it is predicated of things profane, because of truths of the Word adulterated and thus profaned.

Thence it is clear that "the seven diadems upon the heads of the dragon" signify Divine truths in the ultimate of order, here these truths adulterated and profaned.

[2] "Precious stones," which are "diadems," signify Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, because a "stone" signifies truth, therefore "precious stones" signify Divine truths. They mean Divine truths in the ultimate of order, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, because these are transparent, having in them a spiritual sense, and in that sense there is the light of heaven, which makes all things of the sense of the letter of the Word to be pellucid, and to be variegated also according to the series of things in the spiritual sense from which arise modifications of heavenly light, that present such colors as appear in the heavens, and thence in precious stones of various kinds.

[3] Diadems were seen upon the seven heads of the dragon, because the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word shine wherever they are, as well with the evil as with the good, for the spiritual light that is in them is not extinguished by their being with the evil, for heaven still flows into those truths. But the evil adulterate them, and thence see nothing of the light of heaven in them, but yet believe them to be holy because they apply them to confirm the falsities of their religion, so from the faith they have in their holiness the truths still shine before them; and since this is so, and since they acquire for themselves by means of these truths communication with the heavens they are finally deprived of them, and left to their falsities in which there is no light; this is done when they are let down into hell.

[4] That the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word appear as diadems is evident from the diadems in the spiritual world. In the palaces of angels in heaven there are many things that shine with precious stones. Sometimes precious stones are also let down into the lower parts, and are presented as a gift to those who have done some good thing; they are even sold there as in the world, especially by the Jews, who also there trade in them. It is granted and permitted to the Jews to trade in precious stones in the spiritual as in the natural world, because they regard the sense of the letter of the Word as holy.

For the same reason also noble women below the heavens adorn themselves with diadems as in the world. When it is asked where those diadems in heaven and thence in the lower parts are from, it is said that they are from the Lord, and from the spiritual light that is from Him, and that they are ultimates of that light, which are called effects; also that they are representative forms of the affections of truth from good, thus that they are Divine truths in the ultimate of order, such as the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word are. As this is the origin of precious stones, there are some in the world of spirits who are allowed to make diadems by inserting together truths from the sense of the letter of the Word, but these diadems are not genuine, and are not hard like crystals, because they are artificial.

[5] From this it can now be seen what "diadems or precious stones" signify in the following passages. In Isaiah:

O thou afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted, behold, I lay thy stones with stibium, and thy foundations in sapphires, and I will make thy suns a carbuncle, and thy gates into stones of ruby, and all thy border into stones of desire, and all thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah (Isaiah 54:11-13).

This is said of "the barren who did not bear," who should have many sons, by whom the Gentiles that had no Divine truths because they did not have the Word are signified; therefore they are called "afflicted and tossed with tempests and not comforted," "to be afflicted and tossed with tempests" is predicated of falsities by which they are infested and carried hither and thither. That when the Lord comes He will reveal to them Divine truths and instruct them, is signified by "I will lay thy stones with stibium, and thy foundations in sapphires, and I will make thy suns into a carbuncle, and thy gates into stones of rubies, and thy borders into stones of desire." It is evident that the "precious stones" here mentioned mean Divine truths in the ultimate of order, like the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, in which are internal truths, which are such truths as are in the spiritual sense of the Word; for the "foundations, gates, and borders," which were to be laid with these precious stones, signify ultimates; consequently here "stones" in general, and "sapphires," "carbuncles," and "stones of ruby," signify such truths as are in the sense of the letter of the Word, which are ultimate truths because they are for the natural and sensual man. Because the instruction of the Gentiles in Divine truths is meant by these words it is added, "and all thy sons shall be taught of Jehovah." But what "sapphire," "carbuncle," and "ruby" signify in particular need not be told here, only that "precious stones" signify in general ultimate truths.

[6] Because "the city of the New Jerusalem" signifies the doctrine of the New Church, and "the foundations of its wall" signify ultimate Divine truths, and "gates" introductory Divine truths, therefore the foundations are described by twelve precious stones, and the gates by pearls, in Revelation:

The foundations of the wall of the city the New Jerusalem were adorned with every precious stone; the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh hyacinth, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate was [one] pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass (Revelation 21:19-21).

These "twelve precious stones" constituting the foundations, and "the twelve pearls" constituting the gates signify ultimate Divine truths, which are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, upon which the doctrine of that church is founded, and by which man is introduced as by gates. The foundations are said to be "of precious stones," and the gates "of pearls," because the sense of the letter of the Word contains in it the spiritual sense, thus the light of heaven, which makes the sense of the letter of the Word to be pellucid, as those stones are from light and from fire. But of this more hereafter, when the particulars are explained.

[7] The precious stones of which the breastplate of judgment called Urim and Thummim was made, which was upon the ephod of Aaron, and also those that were set upon the shoulders of the ephod have a similar signification, in Moses:

They shall make the ephod of gold, hyacinthine, purple, scarlet double-dyed, and fine twined linen, the work of the designer. Thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the sons of Israel, the work of an artificer in stone; with the engravings of a seal shalt thou engrave upon the two stones the names of the sons of Israel; thou shalt make them to be encompassed with settings of gold; and thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod. And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with the work of a designer, as the work of the ephod shalt thou make it; and thou shalt fill it with a filling of stones, there shall be four rows of stones. The first row a ruby, a topaz, a carbuncle; the second row a chrysoprase, a sapphire, and a diamond; the third row a cyanus, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row a tharshish, an onyx, and a jasper. The stones shall be upon the names of the sons of Israel, twelve upon their names, the engravings of a seal for every one upon his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes. This was the breastplate of judgment, the Urim and Thummim (Exodus 28:6-30).

What these things involve no one can know unless he knows what Aaron represented, and thus what his garments signified, and the ephod in particular (for it was because his garments were significative that they were called "the garments of holiness"); also what the "breastplate" upon the ephod, which was called "the breastplate of judgment, the Urim and Thummim," signified; also what "the twelve tribes of Israel," and "the twelve stones upon their names" signified. As to Aaron himself, he represented the Lord in relation to the priesthood, which is the Lord's celestial kingdom; while "his garments" in general represented the spiritual kingdom, for this in the heavens invests the celestial kingdom. For there are two kingdoms into which the heavens are divided, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom. That is called the celestial kingdom where the Divine good proceeding from the Lord is received, and that is called the spiritual kingdom where Divine truth is received; therefore Divine truth is signified by "the garments of Aaron" in general, and Divine truth in ultimates by the "ephod," since this was the outmost vestment. That "garments" in general signify truths, and "the Lord's garments," which appeared bright white as the light when He was transfigured before the three disciples, signified the Divine truth proceeding from Him, and likewise "the Lord's garment divided by the soldiers," may be seen above (n. 64, 65, 195, 271, 395, 475, 476, 637). This shows that "the twelve stones in the breastplate of the ephod" signified Divine truths in ultimates, like as "the twelve sons of Israel" and "the twelve tribes;" that both of these signify in the Word the truths of the church in the whole complex may be seen above (n. 431, 657).

[8] This breastplate was composed of precious stones, under which were the names of the twelve sons of Israel, that by means of it they might receive answers from heaven, which were exhibited in the breastplate and from it by variegations of the colors shining forth from those stones, which were in accord with the representations of Divine truths in the heavens, where the Divine truths that flow down from the Lord through the heavens towards the lower parts are exhibited by variegations of colors; which shows that these "precious stones" signified Divine truths in ultimates. (But this may be seen more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia 9856-9909; also respecting the two onyx stones that were upon the shoulders of the ephod, n. 9831-9855. That the "ephod" signified the external of the spiritual kingdom, which is Divine truth in ultimates, n. Arcana Coelestia 9824. But what is signified in particular by the "ruby," the "topaz," and the "carbuncle," see n. 9865; what by the "chrysoprase," the "sapphire," and the "diamond," n. 9868; what by the "cyanus," the "agate," and the "amethyst," n. 9870; and what by the "tharshish," the "onyx," and the "jasper," n. 9872)

[9] The "precious stones" by which the knowledge [scientia] of the cognitions of truth and good, and thus the intelligence of the king of Tyre are described, have a similar signification in Ezekiel:

King of Tyre, thou art full of wisdom and perfect in beauty; thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the ruby, the topaz, and the diamond, the tharshish, the sardonyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the chrysoprase, and the emerald, and gold. Thou wast the cherub, the spreading out of him that covereth, and I have set thee, thou hast been in the mountain of the holiness of God, thou hast walked in the midst of the stones of fire (Ezekiel 28:12-14).

Because "the king of Tyre" signifies the knowledges of the truth of the church from the Word, and indeed from its literal sense, therefore it is said that "he has been in Eden the garden of God," "Eden the garden of God" signifying intelligence from the Lord through the Word, for "Eden" as the "east," means the Lord, and "the garden of God" is intelligence from Him; and because true intelligence is acquired, that is, given, solely through the knowledges of truth and good from the Word understood according to its genuine sense, therefore it is said "every precious stone was thy covering," "every precious stone" signifying the knowledges of truth and good, and "covering" signifying the external of the Word that covers its internal; the external of the Word is the sense of its letter covering the internal, which is its spiritual sense. Because man has wisdom and intelligence from this, it is said "King of Tyre, thou art full of wisdom and perfect in beauty;" "beauty" signifying intelligence, because all beauty in the heavens is according to intelligence. The sense of the letter of the Word is also meant by "the cherub, the spreading out of him that covereth," for "cherubim" signify a guard that the Lord be not approached except through the good of love, and the sense of the letter of the Word is what guards, because it covers its interiors. "The mountain of holiness" signifies the church in respect to the doctrine of love and charity; and "the stones of fire," in the midst of which he walked, signify truths from the good of love, according to which is the life. That "precious stones" here signify truths pellucid from the light of heaven, which is Divine truth, can be clearly seen from this, that "Tyre" signifies in the Word the knowledges of truth and good, which knowledges are ultimate truths, such as belong to the sense of the letter of the Word. (That "Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth and good, may be seen above, n. 514 .)

[10] In the same:

Syria was thy trader by reason of the multitude of thy works, they gave chrysoprase for thy wares, purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and ruby. The traders of Sheba and Raamah, these were thy traders by the chief of all spices, and by every precious stone and gold (Ezekiel 27:16, 22).

This, too, is said of Tyre, which signifies the knowledges of truth and good in the church from the Word (as above). Because "Syria and Sheba and Raamah" likewise signify the knowledges of truth and good, and "tradings" the acquisition of these, those regions are said to have given "precious stones in their tradings." The knowledges of truth and good are truths in ultimates such as the truths of the sense of the letter and the literal sense of the Word.

[11] In Job:

The stones thereof are the place of sapphire, and it hath dust of gold. Where shall wisdom be found, and where is the place of understanding? Gold is not given for it, neither is silver weighed for the price of it; it cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, the precious onyx and the sapphire; gold and the diamond cannot vie with it; coral and crystal shall not be mentioned with it, and the choice of wisdom is above pearls; the topaz of Ethiopia shall not vie with it. Behold, the fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to depart from evil is intelligence (Job 28:6, 12, 13, 15, 16-19, 28).

Because all wisdom and understanding comes through ultimate Divine truths spiritually understood, and because these truths are signified by the precious stones here named, as "the onyx, the sapphire, the diamond, the topaz, and pearls," and because these stones being of earthly materials, although they are accounted precious in the world, are as nothing in respect to intelligence and wisdom, it is said that they are not to be valued as equal with intelligence and wisdom, nor are gold and silver. Comparisons are made with these because they are significative; otherwise they are comparatively of no account.

[12] In David:

Thou, Jehovah, shalt arise and have compassion upon Zion, for Thy servants desire the stones thereof (Psalms 102:13, 14).

"The stones of Zion" which the servants of Jehovah desire mean Divine truths, for "Zion" upon which Jehovah will have mercy, means the church that is in celestial love.

[13] In Zechariah:

Behold the stone that I have set before Joshua, the high priest, upon one stone are seven eyes; behold, I engrave the engraving of it. In that day ye shall call every man to his companion, under the vine and under the fig tree (Zechariah 3:9, 10).

This is said of the Lord's coming; and "the stone set before Joshua the priest" signifies Divine truth, which is the Word; "seven eyes in one stone" signify Divine wisdom and intelligence, which are of Divine truth, thus of the Word; seven is predicated of the holy things of the Word and of the church, and "eyes" signify intelligence and wisdom; "to engrave an engraving" signifies a representative and significative of it; "the vine and fig tree" under which they shall come signify the church and doctrine from internal and external truths; internal truths are those that are called spiritual, and external truths are those that are called natural, and the former are signified by the "vine," and the latter by the "fig tree."

[14] In Moses:

They saw the God of Israel, and under His feet as it were a work of sapphire stone, as the substance of heaven for cleanness (Exodus 24:10).

"The God of Israel" means the Lord; "a work of sapphire stone under His feet" means Divine truth in ultimates, such as the Word is in the letter, for "the sole of the foot" signifies the ultimate, which is all that the Jewish nation could see, for they were in the externals of the Word, of the church, and of worship, and not in internals; the "sapphire" signifies transparent from internal truths; "as the substance of heaven for cleanness" signifies the transparency of the angelic heaven. (But these things are explained in Arcana Coelestia 9406-9408.) Because a "precious stone" signifies Divine truth in ultimates transparent from interior truths, the luminary of the city New Jerusalem is described in Revelation as:

Like unto a precious stone, as it were a jasper stone, bright like crystal (Revelation 21:11)

Again, since "the white horse" there signifies the understanding of the Word, and "He that sat upon the horse" the Lord in relation to the Word:

There were seen upon the head of Him who sat upon the white horse many diadems, and His name is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:12, 13).

[15] Thus much respecting precious stones with those who are in Divine truths; something will now be said about precious stones with those who are in infernal falsities. To them precious stones are also given while they live in the world, since they, equally, possess the knowledges of truth and good from the natural sense of the Word, which is the sense of the letter; therefore precious stones or diadems are equally ascribed to them, as here to "the dragon," upon whose heads were seen "seven diadems," for the reason that with the evil the same as with the good the Word is still the Word and its truths are truths in themselves; and when the evil pervert and falsify the truths of the Word it yet does not change their essence. For this reason, in what follows in Revelation like things were seen upon the woman sitting on the scarlet colored beast, by whom Babylon is described, of whom it is said:

A woman sat upon the scarlet colored beast full of the names of blasphemy, and it had seven heads and ten horns; she was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, and upon her forehead a name written, Babylon the great (Revelation 17:3-5).

But more about this in what follows. So again elsewhere in Revelation:

The merchants of the earth shall weep and lament over Babylon the great, for no one buyeth her merchandise anymore, the merchandise of gold and silver and precious stone and pearl, and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet. And the merchants shall say, Woe, woe, the great city! she that was arrayed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, decked with gold, precious stone, and pearls (Revelation 18:11-12, 18:15, 18:16).

[16] Because "precious stones, also purple and fine linen" signify the knowledges of truth and good from the Word, therefore it is said of the rich man:

At whose gate Lazarus was laid, that he was clothed in purple and fine linen (Luke 16:19, 20).

"The rich man" means the Jewish nation; and because it had the Word in which are Divine truths, it is said "to be clothed in purple and fine linen," and "Lazarus the pauper" means the Gentiles that did not have the Word, and thus had no truths; this evidently is why the rich man, although he was evil and was afterwards cast into hell, had "garments of purple and fine linen. "

[17] Like things are also said about the king of the north, who made war against the king of the south, in Daniel:

The king of the north, as a god he shall honor the fortresses upon his station, a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, silver, and precious stones, and desirable things; he shall make strongholds of fortresses with a strange god; whoso shall acknowledge him shall have great honor (Daniel 11:38, 39).

This chapter treats of the war of the king of the north with the king of the south; and "the king of the north" means those who are in knowledge [scientia] from the Word, but not in life, thus who are in so-called faith alone, but yet not in charity, since they reject charity as not contributing to salvation. But "the king of the south" means those who are in intelligence from the Word, because they are in charity; such are "the king of the south," or pertain to "the king of the south," because "the south" means light, and "light" signifies intelligence, and those who are in charity, which is the life of faith, have the light of intelligence from the Word. But "the king of the north," or those who belong to "the king of the north" are such as are described above, because the "north" means night, and also a cold light, such as is the light of winter, from which, because there is no heat in it, there is no fructification; for spiritual heat is charity, and all germination is from heat through light. The war between these kings is described because the last time of the church is treated of when everything of salvation is placed in knowledge [scientia] from the Word, and nothing in the life, and with the Jewish nation, in the traditions by which they falsified the Word; the truths of the Word become traditions when there is no life of charity, and the truths of the Word likewise become falsities when faith is separated from charity. From this it can be seen that "the king of the north" also means those who are in faith alone, that is, in faith without charity.

[18] The same are meant in Daniel by "the he-goat" that fought with the ram; the same also are meant by "the dragon" in this chapter, with the difference, that "the dragon" means properly the learned who have confirmed themselves by doctrine and life in faith separated from charity, for these have poison like dragons that destroys charity. For this reason the angel Michael is also mentioned in Daniel 12:1. That those who place everything of the church in the knowledge [scientia] of cognitions from the Word, and nothing in life, pervert and falsify the truths of the Word is meant by "the king of the north shall honor a strange god whom their fathers knew not," and "shall honor him with gold, silver, precious stone, and pearls;" ¹ "his god" meaning the truths of the Word falsified, since "God" when mentioned in the Word means the Lord in relation to Divine truth, thus the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, and when "Jehovah" is mentioned, the Lord in relation to Divine good, thus the Divine good proceeding from the Lord is meant; therefore "a strange god whom his fathers knew not" means the truths of the Word falsified, which in themselves are falsities, and are not acknowledged by those who were previously of the church. Those truths and goods of the Word themselves, though falsified, are signified by "precious stones and desirable things," as also by "silver and gold," for the truths of the Word do not change their essence when they are with the evil. "Fortresses upon the station," and "strongholds of fortresses" signify the things of self-intelligence confirmed by the sense of the letter of the Word, which is such that when it is not interiorly understood it may be so drawn as to confirm any heresies whatever. From this the signification of "the seven diadems upon the heads of the dragon" can now be seen.

Footnotes: