THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 63

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

1. WHO is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah? this, that is magnificent in His apparel; marching on in the greatness of His strength? I, who speak in justice, mighty to save.

2. Wherefore art You red in Thine apparel, and Your garments as of him that treads the wine-vat?

VERSES 1-3. These things are said concerning the Lord, and His combats against all the hells; and whereas He fought against them from the human, in which was the Essential Divine it is therefore said - "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah?" whereby is signified combating from the Good of Love and from Truth, which are from the Divine; for "Edom" denotes what is red, and "Bozrah" the vintaging, and red" is predicated of Good, and "vintaging" of Truth; and whereas those things are meant by "Edom" and by "Bozrah", therefore in what follows He is called "red as he that treads the wine-vat"; and, whereas the Divine Good and the Divine Truth, which is here understood, is the Word in the letter, and this is slgnified by the "garments" of the Lord, therefore it is said, - , "Who has sprinkled His garments"; likewise, "Who is magnificent in His apparel"; and whereas all strength is contained in the Word, in the letter, therefore it is said, "walking [or marching on] in the greatness of His strength".

Judgment from His Divine upon the good find upon the evil, salvation in consequence thereof, is understood by "I who speak in justice, mighty [or great] to save". The violence offered to the Word by the Jewish nation, is signified by "Wherefore art You red in Thine apparel, and Your garments as of him that treads the wine-vat!" - "red as to the apparel" being predicated of the violence offered to the Divine Good of the Word, which was understood above by "Edom", and "the garments as of him that treads in the wine-vat" being predicated of the violence offered to the Divine Truth therein, which was understood above by "Bozrah".

The "garments", of the Lord, signify the Word in the letter, to which violence was offered by the adulterations and falsifications thereof. The prostration of the hells, and of the falsities thence derived, by virtue of His own proper power, is signified by "I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the peoples there was not a man with Me"; the casting of them down into the hells, who were in direful evils, and falsities thence derived, is signified by "I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled! them in My wrath"; "anger" being predicated of evils, and "wrath" of falsities; and they are attributed to the Lord, although it is they who are in evils and falsities thence derived, and that are angry and wrathful against the Lord; and whereas the judgment whereby the hells were subjugated was accomplished by the Lord, by temptations admitted into His Human, even to the last, which was the passion of the cross, therefore it is said, "Their victory was sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel"; for the Lord, by all things of His passion, and by the last upon the cross, represented the violence offered by the Jewish nation to the Word, or to Divine Truth; concerning which, see above, Apocalypse Explained 183, 195, at the end; 627, at the end; 655, 805. Apocalypse Explained 922.

Verses 1, 2, 3, 5. Who is this that cometh from Edom! etc.

- That "Edom" is the Lord as to the Divine Good of the Divine-Natural is evident, for the subject here treated of [in the supreme sense] is the conjunction of Good and Truth in the Humanity of the Lord; and the combats of temptations by which He conjoined them. That the "garments" here mentioned are the Truths of the natural man, or inferior Truths respectively, may be seen, Arcana Coelestia 2576; and that "red" is the Good of the natural principle, Arcana Coelestia 3300. That the Lord, by His own power, through combats in temptations, conjoined Truths therein to Good, is described by His "treading the wine-press alone", and by "His looking, and there was none to help", etc. "His own arm" signifies His own power. Arcana Coelestia 3322.

The subject here treated of is concerning the Lord, and His combats against the hells, and concerning the subjugation of them. The Lord Himself, as to His Divine Human, is here understood by "Edom, who had sprinkled garments from Bozrah", and by His "garments" is understood the Word in the letter; for "garments" signify Truths investing, and, when predicated of the Lord, they signify Divine Truths, consequently the Word; inasmuch as all Divine Truths are therein, as may be seen, Apocalypse Explained 195.

The Word, in the sense of the letter, is here also understood by "garments", because in the letter are Truths investing; for the sense of the letter serves for a vestment or clothing to the spiritual sense, and inasmuch as the Word, as to that sense, was torn asunder by the Jewish people, and thereby the Divine Truth adulterated, it is therefore said, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah?", "their victory was sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel"; the "garments of Bozrah" signifying the ultimate of the Word, which is the literal sense thereof; and "their victory upon My garments" denoting the sinister interpretation and application of the Word by those who wrest the sense of the letter to favour their own loves, and the principles thence conceived, as was done by the Jews, and is done by many at this day; this is understood by "their victory upon My garments."

That the Lord alone fought, is signified by "I have trodden the wine-press alone, and of the peoples there was not a man with Me"; the "wine-press" denotes combat from Divine Truths against falsities, because in wine-presses the wine is pressed out from the grapes, and by "wine" is signified Divine Truth; hence to "tread alone, and of the peoples there was not a man with Me", signifies that the Lord alone fought, without aid from anyone.

That the Lord subjugated the hells, is understood by "I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled them in My wrath"; "I have trodden" and "I have trampled" being expressions applicable to the wine-press, and signifying that He destroyed them; "anger" and "wrath" are expressions relating to destruction, and are attributed, in the sense of the letter, to the Lord, when notwithstanding there is not anything of anger and of wrath in Him, but in those who are against Him; wherefore, in this and in many other places, these things are said according to appearances. That they were subjugated and condemned to hell, is signified, in verse 6, by "I brought down their victory to the earth"; - "to the earth" denoting into damnation, thus into hell; that by the "earth" is also signified damnation, may be seen, Apocalypse Explained 304, at the end. Apocalypse Explained 359.

3. I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the peoples there was not a man with Me: and I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled them in My wrath; and their victory was, sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel.

Verse 3. By "treading the wine-press" is signified exploration, at the time of Judgment, as to the quality of their works; for by "treading the vine-press" is signified to explore, and by "the clusters which are trodden" are understood works, as may be seen above, Apocalypse Explained 649.

By "treading the wine-press" is not only signified, in an opposite sense, to explore evil works, but also to sustain them with others, and likewise to remove them, and to cast them into hell, as may be seen from Isaiah:

"I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled them in My wrath." (Isaiah 63:3)

Again:

"Jehovah has trodden the wine-press of the virgin of the daughter of Judah"; (Lamentations 1:15) speaking of what takes place at the Judgment. Apocalypse Revealed 652.

4. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed was come.

5. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I was astonished that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm wrought salvation for Me, and Mine indignation, it sustained Me.

6. And I trod down the peoples in Mine anger, and I inebriated them in My wrath; and I brought down their victory to the earth.

Verses 4, 6. By the combats which were temptations admitted into Himself the Lord subjugated the hells, and thus accomplished the Last Judgment. This is the Judgment which is understood by "the day of anger and of wrath of Jehovah", in the Word of the Old Testament; but the Last Judgment which is at this day performed by the Lord, is understood by "the day of His anger" in the Apocalypse. That a Last Judgment was performed by the Lord, when He was in the world, may be seen in the work concerning the Last Judgment 46. "The year of the redeemed", signifies judgment upon the good who are saved. Apocalypse Explained 413. See also True Christian Religion 116.

7. The mercies of Jehovah I will record, and the praises of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah has rendered unto us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel, which He has rendered to them, according to His compassions, and the multitude of His mercies.

8. For He said, Surely they are My people, sons that will not deceive; so He was their Saviour.

Verses 7-9. The divine Mercy in the Divine Human is here called " the Angel of the faces of Jehovah." That the "face of Jehovah", or of the Lord, is mercy, and also peace and goodness, because these are of Mercy, might be shown from many passages, as from the following: Numbers 6:25, 26; Psalm 67:1; 80:3, 7, 19. That the "face of Jehovah", or of the Lord, is Divine Love, is evident from His face when He was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, when "His face shone like the sun." (Matthew 17:2)

That "those who see the Lord, see the Father", is expressly declared in John 14:8, 9. Arcana Coelestia 5585.

9. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His faces saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up, and He bare them, all the days of old.

Verse 9. Treating concerning the Lord, who is called "the Angel of the faces of Jehovah", by virtue of the Divine Truth from His Divine Love; for by an "angel", in the Word, is signified Divine Truth, whence angels are also called "gods", as may be seen, Apocalypse Explained 130, 200, 302; and by the "faces of Jehovah" is understood the Divine Love which is in the Lord, whence it is also said, "In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up, and He bare them, all the days of old [or of eternity]"; these things being of the Divine Love. The Lord, as to His Human, was Divine Truth, from which He combated with the hells, and by which He subjugated them; and, therefore, He is here called an "Angel", which is His Divine Human. Apocalypse Explained 412.

10. But they rebelled, and provoked the Spirit of His holiness: so that He was turned to be their enemy, and He fought against them.

Verses 10, 11. In the Word of the Old Testament there is no mention made of the "Holy Spirit", but only of the "Spirit of Holiness", in three places, - once in David, Psalm 51:11; and twice in Isaiah, Isaiah 63:10, 11; whereas in the Word of the New Testament, both in the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistles, it is mentioned frequently. The reason is, because there was no "Holy Spirit" before the coming of the Lord, inasmuch as it proceeds out of the Lord from the Father; for " the Lord only is Holy"; (Revelation 15:4) wherefore also it is said by the angel Gabriel to the mother Mary "The Holy Thing which shall be born of you." (Luke 1:35) It is written that "the Holy Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet glorified"; (John 7:39) and yet it is said before that "the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth", (Luke 1:41) and "Zechariah", (Luke 1:67) and "Simeon." (Luke 2:25)

The reason of which seeming contradiction is, because these three persons were filled with the Spirit of Jehovah the Father, which was called the "Holy Spirit" on account of the Lord, who was already in the world. This is the reason, too, why in the Word of the Old Testament it is nowhere said that the prophets "spake from the Holy Spirit", but from Jehovah; for, in expressIng themselves on this subject, they constantly use some of these terms:

"Jehovah spoke to me"; "The word of Jehovah came to me", "Jehovah has spoken", "The saying of Jehovah." The reader may convince himself of this fact by reading the Prophets, and observing the very numerous passages in which these declarations occur, which are too numerous to he adduced here, in which it is never said that "the Holy Spirit spoke by them, nor that "Jehovah spoke to them by the Holy Spirit." True Christian Religion 158. See also above, Chapter 1:1, the Exposition. In respect the true Doctrine of "the Holy Spirit its Divine Operation", True Christian Religion 138-158.

11. But He remembered the days of old, Moses and His people, [saying] Where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? where is He that put in the midst of him the Spirit of His holiness?

12. Who led them at the right hand of Moses, with His glorious arm; dividing the waters before them, to make for Himself an everlasting name:

Verse 11. Where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? etc.

In this prophetic declaration by "Moses" is understood the Lord, who is also "the Shepherd of the flock"; by "the people, whom He brought up out of the sea", are signified those who are delivered from damnation. Arcana Coelestia 8099.

Verse 12. Dividing the waters before them, etc. - As to the "sea" or the "waters", out of whioh they were brought", see Chapter 51:10, the Exposition.

13. Who led them through the deeps; as a horse in the desert, they did not stumble:

14. As the cattle goes down into the valley; so the Spirit of Jehovah led him: thus didst You guide Your people, to make for Yourself a name of glory.

Verses 13, 14. The subject of this chapter is concerning the Lord and His combats with the hells, and the subjugation of them; but, in this passage, concerning those who are in love and faith in Him, who are compared to "a horse in the desert", and to "cattle [or a beastJ in the valley"; because by a "horse" is signified the understanding of Truth, and by "cattle" [or a beast] the affection of Good; for, all comparisons in the Word are from correspondences. Apocalypse Explained 355.

15. Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of Your holiness and of Your beauty: where is Your zeal and Your strength? [For] the yearning of Your bowels, and Your compassions, are restrained toward me.

Verse. 15. Zeal here stands for Mercy, which is "the yearning [commotio] of the bowels, and is predicated of Good; for it is said, "Your zeal and Your strength [virtutes]", where "zeal" is predicated of Good and "strength" of Truth; in like manner "the yearning of the bowels" is predicated of Good, and "compassions" of Truth.

"The habitation of holiness" is the heaven where those are who are of the celestial kingdom, and "the habitation of beauty" is the heaven where those are who are of the spiritual kingdom. Hence also it is evident that in the Word where "Good" is mentioned, "Truth" is also named, on account of the heavenly marriage which is in every particular of the Word; thus also the Lord, as to His two names "JESUS" and "CHRIST" which signify the divine marriage which is in the Lord; concerning which see Arcana Coelestia 683, 793, 8339. Arcana Coelestia 8875. See also Arcana Coelestia 3960, 9815.

As to the distinction between "glory" and "beauty", see above Chapter 46:13, the Exposition.

"Bowels", in the Word, signify love or mercy, by reason that the bowels or inward parts, especially the mother's womb, represent and thence signify chaste conjugial love, and love towards infants thence derived, as in Isaiah:

"The yearning [or commotion] of Your bowels, and Your compassions, are restrained toward me"; and in Jeremiah:

"Is not Ephraim My dear son? Is not he a pleasant child? Therefore My bowels are troubled fo. him; I will surely have compassion on him. (Jeremiah 31:20)

Hence it appears that love Itself, or mercy itself and the Lord's compassion towards mankind, are the things which in the internal sense, are signified by "bowels", and by "coming forth", or by "the offspring of the bowels"; (Isaiah 48:19) to "come forth out of the bowels", signifies to be born, and, in a spiritual sense, to be born of the Lord, or regenerated. They who have not the Lord's love, that is, who do not love their neighbour as themselves, have not in any respect the Lord's life, consequently they are in no respect "born" of Him, or "come forth out of His bowels", wherefore they cannot be heirs of His kingdom. Arcana Coelestia 1803.

16. Surely You art our Father, for Abraham knows us not, and Israel doth not acknowledge us: You, O Jehovah! art our Father, our Redeemer; Your name is from eternity.

Verse 16. That the Lord, as to His Divine Human, in whom is the Divine Trinity, is the "Father" see Chapter 9:6, the Exposition; see also Isaiah 22:21-24, the Exposition; and True Christian Religion 83, 113, 188, 294, 299, 637.

For Abraham knows us not. - As to "Abraham", see Chapter 41:8; 51:2, the Exposition.

17. Why, O Jehovah! have You made us to err from Your ways; why have You hardened our heart from the fear of You? Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Thine inheritance.

Verse 17. [That Jehovah is here said to "cause or make the people err from His ways, is spoken according to appearance, In a manner similar to that in which He is said to be "angry", to "punish", to "do evil", to "lead into temptation", etc. See the Exposition of Isaiah Chapter 45:7.]

Why have You hardened our heart from the fear of You? - What is meant by "the fear of the Lord", see Chapter 11:3, the Exposition.

Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your inheritance.

- "Tribes" are often mentioned in the Word, because the people of Israel were divided into twelve tribes; and he who does not know the internal sense of the Word supposes that by "tribes" are understood the tribes of Israel; tribes, however, are not understood by "tribes", nor Israel by "Israel", but by the "tribes" are understood all who are in Truths from Good, and by "Israel" is meant the church of the Lord. He who does not know this may easily seize upon the common belief that the sons of Israel were elected above all others in the universal world, and also that at length they are to be introduced into the land of Canaan, yea, that even heaven itself is to consist chiefly of them; whereas by the names of the "tribes" they are not understood, but those who are in Truths from Good, thus those who are of the church, - by the "twelve tribes" all, and by each "tribe" some particular Truth and Good, which they who belong to the church possess. That this is the case might be proved from many passages in the Word where "tribes" are mentioned, as in Isaiah 63:17. Apocalypse Explained 39.

18. They had, within a little, possessed the people of Your holiness: our enemies have trodden down Your sanctuary.

Verse 18. That "the people of holiness" signify holy Truths, see Chapter 62:12, the Exposition.

Our enemies have trodden down Your sanctuary. - By "enemies" are signified evils of life; by "treading down the sanctuary", is meant to destroy the Truths of doctrine from the Word, and this by the sensual-corporeal principle; for those who are in evils of life are all sensual-corporeal. The reason why "trampling" or "treading down" signifies these things is, because treading down is effected by the soles of the feet, and by the "soles of the feet" are signified the external-sensual things of man, and by the "feet" his natural things. In the spiritual world those who have denied and despised the Truths of heaven and the church, appear to tread them down with the soles of their feet, and this because, as said above, the external-sensual [principle] of man corresponds to the "soles of the feet." It is said that the external-sensual principle of man does this, but only the sensual [principle] with those who are merely sensual, who are those that deny the Truths of heaven and of the church, and also who believe nothing but what they can see with their eyes and touch with their hands. Apocalypse Explained 632. See also above, Chapter 5:5, 10:6, the Exposition.

That the internal of the natural degree is signified by the "feet", the middle by the "soles", and the lowest by the "shoes", see above, Chapter 11:15, 16, the Exposition.

19. We have been as those over whom You have never ruled, and who were not called by Your name.

Verse 19. Who were not called by Your name. - What is signified by being "called by a name", see Chapter 4:1, the Exposition.

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Isaiah Chapter 63

1. WHO is this that cometh from Edom, with sprinkled garments from Bozrah? this, that is magnificent in His apparel; marching on in the greatness of His strength? I, who speak in justice, mighty to save.

2. Wherefore art You red in Thine apparel, and Your garments as of him that treads the wine-vat?

3. I have trodden the wine-press alone; and of the peoples there was not a man with Me: and I trod them down in Mine anger, and I trampled them in My wrath; and their victory was, sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all Mine apparel.

4. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed was come.

5. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I was astonished that there was none to uphold: therefore Mine own arm wrought salvation for Me, and Mine indignation, it sustained Me.

6. And I trod down the peoples in Mine anger, and I inebriated them in My wrath; and I brought down their victory to the earth.

7. The mercies of Jehovah I will record, and the praises of Jehovah, according to all that Jehovah has rendered unto us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel, which He has rendered to them, according to His compassions, and the multitude of His mercies.

8. For He said, Surely they are My people, sons that will not deceive; so He was their Saviour.

9. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His faces saved them: in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He took them up, and He bare them, all the days of old.

10. But they rebelled, and provoked the Spirit of His holiness: so that He was turned to be their enemy, and He fought against them.

11. But He remembered the days of old, Moses and His people, [saying] Where is He that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of His flock? where is He that put in the midst of him the Spirit of His holiness?

12. Who led them at the right hand of Moses, with His glorious arm; dividing the waters before them, to make for Himself an everlasting name:

13. Who led them through the deeps; as a horse in the desert, they did not stumble:

14. As the cattle goes down into the valley; so the Spirit of Jehovah led him: thus didst You guide Your people, to make for Yourself a name of glory.

15. Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of Your holiness and of Your beauty: where is Your zeal and Your strength? [For] the yearning of Your bowels, and Your compassions, are restrained toward me.

16. Surely You art our Father, for Abraham knows us not, and Israel doth not acknowledge us: You, O Jehovah! art our Father, our Redeemer; Your name is from eternity.

17. Why, O Jehovah! have You made us to err from Your ways; why have You hardened our heart from the fear of You? Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Thine inheritance.

18. They had, within a little, possessed the people of Your holiness: our enemies have trodden down Your sanctuary.

19. We have been as those over whom You have never ruled, and who were not called by Your name.

627. Verse 1. And there was given to me a reed like a staff, signifies the mode of visitation, that is, of exploring the quality of the church in respect to truth and to good. This is evident from the signification of a "reed," as being that by which the quality is explored, for "to measure" signifies to explore, and a "measure" signifies the quality of a thing; therefore, the "reed," by which he measured the temple and the altar, as now follows, that is, the "measuring reed," signifies the mode of exploring the quality. It means the mode of exploring what the quality of the church is in respect to truth and good, because it says afterwards that "he measured the temple and the altar, and them that worship therein," which signifies the church in respect to truth and good, and thus in respect to worship.

[2] Moreover, a "reed" signifies visitation, because visitation is an exploration of the quality of the men of the church, and because a visitation precedes the Last Judgment, which will be treated of hereafter. What is the nature of that visitation or exploration can be seen from the visitation upon Sodom, that in the first place angels were sent there, and through them visitation or exploration was made of what quality they were in respect to their reception, that is, what was their quality in respect to the reception of Divine truth and Divine good, for these angels represented the Lord in respect to the Divine proceeding; and when it was found that all in Sodom except Lot were unwilling to receive them but wished to do them harm, then their destruction came, which means their last judgment.

[3] The measuring was effected by a reed, because a "reed or cane" signifies Divine truth in the ultimate of order, and a "staff," which the reed was like, signifies power; and by means of truth in the ultimate of order and its power all visitation or exploration is effected; for in the ultimate all truths, even from their firsts, form what is simultaneous, that is, coexist; therefore all things effected by the Divine, are effected from firsts by means of ultimates, therefore here visitation or exploration is so effected, and such truth is signified by a "reed or cane."

[4] So in the following passages. In Revelation:

One of the seven angels had a golden reed, with which he measured the city Jerusalem and its gates and its wall; and he measured the city with a reed unto twelve thousand stadia (Revelation 21:15, 16).

And in Ezekiel:

In the hand of the angel there was a line of flax and a measuring reed, and the reed was of six cubits, and with it he measured the length, the breadth and the height of the building, of the gate, of the porch, of the court, of the temple, and many other things (Ezekiel 40:3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 40:13, 17, et seq.; Ezekiel 41:1-5, 13, 14, 22; 42:1 -20 the end).

Here, too, the "measuring reed" means the mode of exploring the church in respect to truth and good, as can be seen from this, that the angel measured every particular of the temple as to length, breadth, and height; and "length" signifies good, "breadth" truth, and "height" the degrees of good and truth from the highest or inmost to the lowest or ultimate. (On this signification of "length and breadth," see the work on Heaven and Hell 197.) That a "reed" signifies truth in ultimates whereby explorations are effected, is evident also from this, that there was also a "line of flax" in the hand of the angel, "a line of flax" signifying truth; also from this, that "the reed was of six cubits," "six" having a similar signification as "three," namely, truths in the whole complex (See above, n. 384, 532). That "to measure" signifies to explore the quality of a thing will be seen in the following article.

[5] By ultimate truth, or truth in the ultimate of order, is meant sensual truth, such as the truth in the sense of the letter of the Word is to those who are merely sensual. Divine truth in its descent proceeds according to degrees, from the highest or inmost to the lowest or ultimate. Divine truth in the highest degree is such as is the Divine that proceeds most nearly from the Lord, thus such as is the Divine truth above the heavens; and as this is infinite, it cannot come to the perception of any angel. But Divine truth of the first degree is that which comes to the perception of the angels of the inmost or third heaven, and is called celestial Divine truth; from this is the wisdom of those angels. Divine truth of the second degree is that which comes to the perception of the angels of the middle or second heaven, and constitutes their wisdom and intelligence, and is called spiritual Divine truth. Divine truth of the third degree is that which comes to the perception of angels of the lowest or first heaven, and constitutes their intelligence and knowledge [scientia], and is called celestial-natural and spiritual-natural Divine truth. But Divine truth of the fourth degree is that which comes to the perception of the men of the church who are living in the world, and constitutes their intelligence and knowledge [scientia]; this is called natural Divine truth, and its lowest is called sensual Divine truth.

[6] These Divine truths are in the Word in the order of their degrees, and Divine truth in the lowest degree, or in the ultimate of order, is such as is the Divine truth in the sense of the letter of the Word, for children and for the very simple, who are sensual. This Divine truth is what is signified by a "reed or cane." And as explorations with all are effected by this lowest Divine truth, as was said above, so measurings and weighings in the representative churches were made by means of reeds or canes, which signify such Divine truth. It has just been shown that measurings were made by reeds; that weighings were also thus made can be seen in Isaiah:

They weighed silver with a reed (Isaiah 46:6).

[7] Because a "reed" signifies truth in ultimates, such as is for the simple and children, who are not spiritual but natural-sensual, it is also said in Isaiah:

A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench, and He will bring forth truth into judgment (Isaiah 42:3).

This treats of the Lord; and "a bruised reed He will not break" signifies that He will not hurt sensual Divine truth with the simple and with children; "smoking flax He will not quench" signifies that He will not destroy the Divine truth that is beginning to live from a very little good of love with the simple and with children, "flax" signifying truth, and "smoking" signifies its being alive from some little love; and because both, that is, the "reed and flax" signify truth, it is said that the Lord "will bring forth truth into judgment," which means that He will bring forth with them intelligence, "judgment" signifying intelligence.

[8] A "reed" signifies also sensual truth which is the lowest, such as exists with natural men, even with the evil. In the same:

The dry place shall become a pool, and there shall be grass instead of the reed and rush (Isaiah 35:7).

This refers to the establishment of the church by the Lord; and that those will then have intelligence through spiritual Divine truth who before had none is signified by "the dry place shall become a pool;" and that those will then have knowledge [scientia] through natural Divine truth who before had only sensual truth, is signified by "there shall be grass instead of the reed and rush," "grass" signifying knowledge from a spiritual origin, or by which spiritual truth is confirmed, while "reed and rush" signify knowledge from a sensual origin, or by which the fallacies of the senses are confirmed. This knowledge, regarded in itself, is only the lowest natural knowledge, which may be called material and corporeal, in which there is little or nothing of life.

[9] In the same:

The streams shall recede, the rivers of Egypt shall be minished and dried up, the reed and flag shall wither (Isaiah 19:6).

In the spiritual sense these words mean that all the understanding of Divine truth will perish; "the streams shall recede" signifies that all things of spiritual intelligence will depart; "the rivers of Egypt shall be minished and dried up" signifies that all things of natural intelligence will perish; "the reed and the flag shall wither" signifies that lowest truth, which is called sensual truth, and which is mere knowledge, will vanish; "streams and rivers" signifying the things of intelligence; "Egypt" the natural; "reed and flag" sensual truth or knowledge, and "to recede," "to be minished," "to be dried up," and "to wither," signifying to perish and disappear.

[10] In the same:

Thou hast trusted on the staff of this bruised reed, on Egypt, upon which when a man leaneth it goeth into his hand and pierceth it; so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him (Isaiah 36:6).

"Egypt" signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual, and its knowledge [scientificum]; when this is separated from the intelligence of the spiritual man it is fatuous, and is applied to confirm evils of every kind, consequently it is a false knowledge. This is what is called "a staff of a bruised reed," "reed," as was said, being truth in the ultimate of order, which is sensual knowledge [scientificum]; "bruised" signifies what is broken and not cohering with any interior truth to give it consistency; "staff" means the resulting power to perceive and also to reason about truths. This, therefore, is the meaning of "upon which when a man leaneth it goeth into his hand and pierceth it;" "to lean upon that staff" means to trust in one's own power to perceive truths and reason about them from what is one's own [proprium]; "to enter into the hand and pierce it" signifies to destroy all intellectual power, and to see mere falsities instead of truths and to seize upon them; "so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust on him" signifies that such is the natural man when separated from the spiritual, in respect to its knowledges and intelligence therefrom, and reasoning from that intelligence.

[11] In Job:

Let my shoulder blade fall from the shoulder, and mine arm be broken therefrom by a reed; for the dread of the destruction of God is upon me, and by reason of His majesty I can do nothing. Have I made gold my hope, and said to pure gold, Thou art my confidence? (Job 31:22-24)

This, too, treats of the confidence of self-intelligence, and in the spiritual sense these words describe that from this nothing of truth is seen, but only what is false, which does not cohere with any truth; non-coherence is signified by "let my shoulder blade fall from the shoulder, and mine arm be broken therefrom by a reed," "shoulder blade," "shoulder," and "arm" signifying power, here the power to understand and perceive truth; "to fall from the shoulder," and "to be broken by a reed" signifies to be separated from the spiritual power to perceive truth, and in consequence to be deceived by the sensual-corporeal man, and to perish by falsity, "reed" meaning truth in the ultimate of order, which is called sensual knowledge [scientificum], which becomes mere falsity when it is of the natural man alone separated from the spiritual; "the dread of the destruction of God" signifies the loss of all understanding of truth; "by reason of His majesty to be able to do nothing" signifies that nothing of the understanding and perception of truth is from what is man's own [proprium], but all from God; "to make gold a hope, and to say to pure gold, Thou art my confidence," signifies that he confided not in himself, by believing anything of good to be from himself.

[12] In Ezekiel:

That all the inhabitants of Egypt may know that I am Jehovah, because they have been a staff of a reed to the house of Israel; when they laid hold of thee with the hand thou wast bruised, and thou didst pierce through every shoulder for them; and when they leaned upon thee thou wast broken, and didst make all their loins to stand (Ezekiel 29:6, 7).

Here similar things are said of Egypt as above, and here, too, "Egypt" signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual, and its knowledge [scientificum], which when applied to evils is merely false. This is said of those in the church who trust in self-intelligence; "the sons of Israel" signify those who are of the church; their trust is signified by "a staff of a reed;" that all their ability to perceive truth thus perished is signified by "when they laid hold of thee with the hand thou wast bruised, and didst pierce through every shoulder for them," "shoulder" signifying the power or ability to understand truth; the loss of this is signified by "when they leaned upon thee thou wast broken." That thus every good of love and charity was destroyed and dissipated is signified by "thou didst make all their loins to stand," "loins" signifying the marriage of truth and good, so here that truth was not conjoined to good; truth conjoined to good constitutes the good of love and charity, since all the good of love and charity is formed by truths.

[13] In David:

Rebuke the wild beast of the reed or cane, the congregation of the mighty, among the calves of the peoples; trampling upon the plates of silver, he hath scattered the peoples, he desireth wars; those that are fat shall come out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall hasten her gift ¹ unto God (Psalms 68:30, 31).

This treats of the Lord's kingdom. To beware of false knowledge [scientificum], that is, of falsely applied knowledge from the natural man separated from the spiritual, is meant by "Rebuke the wild beast of the reed, cane or rod;" inasmuch as such knowledges, because they are from the fallacies of the senses, strongly persuade, they are called "the congregation of the mighty;" "the calves of the people" mean the goods of the church in the natural man; "plates of silver" are the truths of the church; "to tread upon" and "to scatter" mean to disperse and dissipate, which is done by those who are natural and sensual, and who think naturally and sensually, and not at the same time spiritually, thus who think from the natural and sensual man separated from the spiritual; this man is meant by "the wild beast of the reed" or "cane;" "to desire wars" signifies reasonings against truths; "those that are fat out of Egypt and Ethiopia" are those who have a knowledge [scientia] of spiritual things, and who are in the cognitions of truth and good, who will draw near to the Lord's kingdom because they are in light from the spiritual man.

[14] In the first book of Kings:

Jehovah shall smite Israel as a reed noddeth in the waters, and he shall pluck away Israel from off the good land (1 Kings 14:15).

The vastation of the church among the sons of Israel is compared to "the nodding of a reed or cane in the waters," because a "reed" or cane signifies the truth of the sensual man, which is the lowest, and when this truth is separated from the light of the spiritual man it becomes falsity. For the sensual man derives all that it has from things appearing in the world; consequently reasonings from these respecting spiritual things are mere fallacies, and from fallacies come falsities. (What the fallacies of the senses are in spiritual things, and that falsities are from them, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 53; also above in the explanation of Revelation, n. 575; and that sensual knowledge [scientificum]s [scientifica] are mere fallacies when the sensual man reasons from them, above, n.569, 581 also what the sensual is, and the quality of the sensual man, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 50.)

[15] In the Gospels:

They placed a reed in the Lord's right hand, and afterwards they took the reed and smote His head with it (Matthew 27:29, 30; Mark 15:19);

also:

They put a sponge upon a reed and gave Him vinegar to drink (Matthew 27:48; Mark 15:36).

Those who do not know the spiritual sense of the Word may believe that these and the many other things related of the Lord's passion involve nothing more than common modes of mockery; as that "they set a crown of thorns upon His head;" that "they parted His garments among them, but not the tunic;" that "they bent the knee before Him" for the sake of mocking Him; and also here, that "they placed a reed in His right hand, and afterwards smote His head with it;" and again, that "they filled a sponge with vinegar, or myrrhed wine, and set it upon a reed, and gave Him to drink." But let it be known that all things that are related of the Lord's passion signify the mocking at Divine truth, and thus the falsification and adulteration of the Word; since the Lord, when He was in the world, was the Divine truth itself, which in the church is the Word; and because the Lord was then the Divine truth, He permitted the Jews to treat Him altogether as they were treating the Divine truth or the Word by falsifying and adulterating it. For they applied all things of the Word to their own loves, and derided every truth that disagreed with their loves, as they did the Messiah Himself, because He did not, according to their explanation and religion, become king over the whole world, and exalt them into glory above all peoples and nations. (That all things related of the Lord's passion signify such things, see above, n. 64, 83, 195 at the end.) But that "they placed a reed in the Lord's hand and afterwards smote His head with it" signifies that they falsified Divine truth or the Word, and made an utter mockery of the understanding of truth and of Divine wisdom, a "reed" signifying falsity in what is most external (as above), and "to smite the head" signifying to reject and mock at the understanding of truth and Divine wisdom, which is what "the head of the Lord" signifies; and in "giving the Lord vinegar to drink," which signifies what is falsified, they placed a sponge filled with it on a "reed," which signifies falsity in what is most external, which is falsity sustaining.

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