Arcana Coelestia #3024
3024. That thou shalt not take a woman for my son of the daughters of the Canaanite. That this signifies that the Divine rational was not to be conjoined with any affection disagreeing with truth, is evident from the signification of “taking a woman,” as being to be conjoined by a covenant of marriage; from the signification of “my son,” namely Isaac, as being the Lord’s Divine rational (see n. 1893, 2066, 2083, 2630); from the signification of “daughters,” as being affections (see n. 489-491, 568, 2362); and from the signification of the “Canaanite,” as being evil (see n. 1444, 1573, 1574); from which it is that the “daughters of the Canaanite” are affections that do not agree with truth. The subject here treated of is the Divine truth that was to be adjoined to the Divine good of the Lord’s rational, as may be seen from the Contents (n. 3013). By the “woman” who was to be associated by a covenant of marriage, is meant that truth itself, which was to be called forth from the natural man by the common way; by “my son” is meant the Lord’s rational in respect to good, to which it was to be adjoined or associated; hence it may be known that by “not taking a woman from the daughters of the Canaanite,” is signified that this rational was not to be conjoined with any affection that disagreed with truth. All conjunction of truth with good is effected by means of affection; for no truth can possibly enter into man’s rational and be conjoined there, except by means of affection; for in affection is the good of love, which alone conjoins (n. 1895); as may also be known to anyone who reflects.
[2] That the “daughters of the Canaanite” signify affections which disagree with truth, that is, affections of what is false, is evident from the signification of “daughters;” for daughters are mentioned in many passages of the Word, and everyone can see that daughters are not there meant, as where it is said, the “daughter of Zion,” the “daughter of Jerusalem,” the “daughter of Tarshish,” the “daughter of My people.” That by these are signified affections of good and of truth, has been shown in passages quoted above. And because they are affections of good and of truth, they are also churches, for churches are churches from these affections. Thus by the “daughter of Zion” is signified the celestial church, and this from the affection of good; but by the “daughter of Jerusalem” is signified the spiritual church, from the affection of truth (n. 2362); this is also signified by the “daughter of My people” (Isaiah 22:4; Jeremiah 6:14, 26; 8:19, 21-22; 14:17; Lam. 2:11; 4:6; Ezekiel 13:17).
[3] From this it is evident what is signified by the “daughters” of the nations; as by the “daughters of the Philistines,” the “daughters of Egypt,” the “daughters of Tyre and of Zidon,” the “daughters of Edom,” the “daughters of Moab,” the “daughters of the Chaldeans” and “of Babel,” and the “daughters of Sodom,” namely, the affections of evil and falsity from which were their religious systems, and thus the religious systems themselves. That such is the signification of “daughters,” may be seen from the passages that follow.
In Ezekiel:
The daughters of the nations shall lament for Egypt. Wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cause her to go down, her and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the earth of the regions below, with them that go down into the pit (Ezekiel 32:16, 18).
The “daughters of the famous nations” denote the affections of evil.
In Samuel:
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph (2 Samuel 1:20).
In Ezekiel:
Thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt; I have delivered thee unto the will of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria, and of all that are round about her, the daughters of the Philistines which do despite unto thee round about (Ezekiel 16:26-27, 57).
That daughters are not meant here, anyone can see; but the religiosities of such as are signified by the Philistines, which are of such a kind that they talk much about faith and lead no life of faith (see n. 1197, 1198); for this reason they are also called the “uncircumcised,” that is, those who are devoid of charity.
[4] In Jeremiah:
Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt. O thou daughter that dwellest in Egypt, make thee vessels of exile. The daughter of Egypt shall be put to shame, she is delivered into the hand of the people of the north (Jeremiah 46:11, 19, 24).
The “daughter of Egypt” denotes the affection of reasoning from memory-knowledges concerning the truths of faith, as to whether they be so; thus she denotes the kind of religion that arises from this, which is such that nothing is believed except that which is comprehended by the senses, and thus nothing of the truth of faith (see n. 215, 232, 233, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1385, 2196, 2203, 2209, 2568, 2588).
[5] In Isaiah:
He said, Thou shalt no more exult, O thou oppressed daughter of Zidon (Isaiah 23:12).
And in David:
The daughter of Tyre with a gift, the rich among the people shall entreat thy faces (Psalms 45:12).
What is meant by the “daughter of Zidon” and the “daughter of Tyre,” is evident from the signification of Zidon and of Tyre (see n. 1201).
In Jeremiah:
Rejoice and be glad O daughter of Edom. Thine iniquity is consummated, O daughter of Zion. He will no more cause thee to migrate; thine iniquity shall be visited, O daughter of Edom (Lam. 4:21-22).
In Isaiah:
As a wandering bird, a nest sent forth, shall the daughters of Moab be (Isaiah 16:2).
Again:
Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babel; sit on the earth, without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans. Sit thou silent, and enter into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans, for thou shalt no more be called the lady of kingdoms (Isaiah 47:1, 5).
In Jeremiah:
A people cometh from the north set in array as a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babel (Jeremiah 50:41-42).
The daughter of Babel is like a threshing-floor, it is time to thresh her (Jeremiah 51:33).
In Zechariah:
Alas O Zion, escape, thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babel (Zech. 2:7).
In David:
The daughter of Babel is laid waste (Psalms 137:8).
In Ezekiel:
Thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their ancient estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their ancient estate (Ezekiel 16:55).
[6] Anyone can see that in these passages by “daughters” are not meant daughters, but affections that disagree with truth, and thus religiosities that come from this source; but what these religiosities are, is evident from the signification of the peoples named-as Edom, Moab, the Chaldeans, Babel, Sodom, and Samaria, which have been treated of in many places in the explications of the foregoing chapters of Genesis. Hence now it is evident what is here meant by the “daughters of the Canaanite.”
[7] That the Israelites were not to contract marriages with the daughters of the Canaanites, also had regard to the spiritual laws that good and falsity, and evil and truth are not to be joined together; for thence comes profanation. The prohibition was also representative of the matter concerning which we read in Deuteronomy 7:3; and in Malachi:
Judah hath profaned the holiness of Jehovah, in that he hath loved and hath married the daughter of a strange god (Malachi 2:11).
Jeremiah 6
1
"Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem; for evil looks forth from the north, and a great destruction.
2
The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, will I cut off.
3
Shepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch their tents against her all around; they shall feed everyone in his place."
4
"Prepare war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.
5
Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces."
6
For Yahweh of Armies said, "Cut down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
7
As a well casts forth its waters, so she casts forth her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds.
8
Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you; lest I make you a desolation, a land not inhabited."
9
Thus says Yahweh of Armies, "They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like a vine. Turn again your hand as a grape gatherer into the baskets."
10
To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can't listen. Behold, the word of Yahweh has become a reproach to them. They have no delight in it.
11
Therefore I am full of the wrath of Yahweh. I am weary with holding in. "Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.
12
Their houses shall be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says Yahweh."
13
"For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.
14
They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, 'Peace, Peace!' when there is no Peace.
15
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I visit them, they shall be cast down," says Yahweh.
16
Thus says Yahweh, "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, 'Where is the good way?' and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'
17
I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not listen!'
18
Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them.
19
Hear, earth! Behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.
20
To what purpose comes there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me."
21
Therefore thus says Yahweh, "Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish."
22
Thus says Yahweh, "Behold, a people comes from the north country. A great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.
23
They take hold of bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Zion."
24
We have heard its report; our hands wax feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, [and] pangs as of a woman in travail.
25
Don't go forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy, [and] terror, are on every side.
26
Daughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes! Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come on us.
27
"I have made you a tester of metals [and] a fortress among my people; that you may know and try their way.
28
They are all grievous rebels, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.
29
The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away.
30
Men will call them rejected silver, because Yahweh has rejected them."
