4390. And built him a house. That this signifies the increase of good from truth in that state, is evident from the signification of “building a house,” as being to instruct the external man in intelligence and wisdom (see n. 1488). And as intelligence belongs to truth, and wisdom to good, by “building a house” is here signified the increase of good from truth. (That a “house” denotes good may be seen above, n. 2233, 2234, 3128, 3142, 3652, 3720.) What the good of truth is, has been already stated (n. 4337, 4353), namely, that it is truth in will and act. This truth is what is called good, and the conscience which is from this good is called a conscience of truth. This good which is from truth increases in proportion as the man exercises charity from willing well, thus in proportion and in such a manner as he loves the neighbor.

[2] The reason why good and truth are mentioned so frequently in the explications, is that all things in heaven, and consequently all in the Lord’s church, bear relation to good and truth. Speaking generally these two include all things that belong to doctrine and to life; truths, all things that belong to doctrine; and goods, all things that belong to life. Moreover, it is a universal fact that the human mind has no other objects than those which are of truth and good; its understanding, those which are of truth; and its will, those which are of good. Hence it is evident that truth and good are terms of the widest signification, and that their derivations are unutterable in number. This is the reason why truth and good are so often mentioned.

1488. And his house. That this signifies which He had collected, is evident from the signification of a “house,” as being, in this place, the memory-knowledges that are collected. To collect memory-knowledges, and by their means frame the external man, and build it up, is not unlike building a house; and therefore such things are signified in many passages of the Word by “building,” and by “building houses,” as in Isaiah:

I create new heavens and a new earth; they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them; they shall not build and another inhabit (Isaiah 65:17, 21-22);

here “houses” mean where there are wisdom and intelligence, thus where there are the knowledges of good and truth; for the Lord’s kingdom is here treated of, namely, the new heavens and the new earth.

In Jeremiah:

Build ye houses and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them (Jeremiah 29:5); where the meaning is similar.

In David:

Blessed is the man that feareth Jehovah, that delighteth greatly in His commandments; wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endureth forever (Psalms 112:1, 3); where “wealth and riches” denote the wealth and riches of wisdom and intelligence, thus knowledges; which are “in his house,” that is, are in him.

[2] “House” is used in the opposite sense in Zephaniah:

I will visit upon them that say in their heart, Jehovah hath not done good, and hath not done evil; and their wealth shall be for a spoil, and their houses a desolation; and they shall build houses and shall not inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards but shall not drink the wine thereof (Zeph. 1:12-13).

In Haggai:

Go up into the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house. Ye looked for much, and lo, it came to little; and ye brought it into the house, and I did blow it away. Why? saith Jehovah. Because of My house, which is deserted, while ye run everyone to his own house; therefore upon you are the heavens shut from dew (Haggai 1:8-10);

“houses” denote memory-knowledges by which, through reasoning, come falsities.

In Isaiah:

Woe unto them that join house to house, that cause field to draw near to field, till there be no place, and ye dwell alone in the midst of the land. Shall not many houses be for a desolation, great and good, without an inhabitant? The vineyard of Jehovah is the house of Israel (Isaiah 5:7-9)

also denoting memory-knowledges by means of which come falsities.

In Amos:

Behold, Jehovah commandeth, and will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts. Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen? that ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood (Amos 6:11-12); where “houses” denote in like manner falsities and the derivative evils; “horses,” reasoning; “judgment,” truths, which are “turned into gall;” and “the fruit of righteousness,” goods which are “turned into wormwood.”

[3] Thus throughout the Word, “houses” denote human minds, in which there should be intelligence and wisdom. In the passage before us, “the house of Pharaoh” denotes memory-knowledges by means of which comes intelligence, and thereby wisdom. The like is also signified by the house which Solomon built for the daughter of Pharaoh (1 Kings 7:8, etc.). Because “houses” denote minds, in which are intelligence and wisdom, and in which are affections belonging to the will, the word “house” in the Word is of a wide signification; but what its specific signification is, may be seen from the things of which it is predicated. Man himself is also called “a house.”