336. And the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands. That this signifies that those are innumerable who are in truths, and innumerable those who are in goods, is clear from the signification of number, as denoting quantity and quality, quantity in the natural sense, and quality in the spiritual sense, the suitable number determining them; but still by all numbers in the Word is signified something of the thing treated of, as by two, three, four, five, seven, ten, and twelve, as has been shown in their proper places. It is the same thing with myriad and thousand, which are here mentioned. The number seven, for example, does not signify seven, but all things, full, and whole (see above, n. 257). But what myriads and thousands signify, shall now be explained. Myriads signify things innumerable; similarly thousands; but myriads are predicated of truths, and thousands of goods; hence it is that by myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, are signified that those are innumerable who are in truths, and innumerable those who are in goods.

[2] Those who are in the lower heavens, concerning whom these things are said, belong to those who are in the higher heavens, treated of above, like two kingdoms, namely, the spiritual kingdom, and the celestial kingdom; those who belong to the spiritual kingdom are meant by those who are in truths, but those who belong to the celestial kingdom are meant by those who are in goods; the latter being innumerable is signified by thousands of thousands, and the former being innumerable is signified by myriads of myriads; but in the abstract sense, which is the true spiritual sense, innumerable truths and innumerable goods are signified. The reason why myriads and thousands signify things innumerable, is, because ten signifies many, and thence also a hundred, a thousand, and ten thousand; for numbers multiplied by a similar number signify the same as the simple numbers by which they are multiplied (see n.5291, 5335, 5708, 7973). But when things innumerable, which are infinitely many, are to be expressed, they are called myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands.

[3] Moreover, when two multiplied numbers, the one greater and the other less, which have a like signification, are mentioned together, as when ten and a hundred, or a hundred and a thousand, then the less is predicated of goods, and the greater of truths; the reason is, because every single good consists of several truths, for good is formed from truths, and hence good is produced by truths; it is from this fact that the greater number is predicated of truths, and the less of goods; similarly here myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands. That it is so may be illustrated by the following consideration, that one delight of affection may be presented by several ideas of thought, and expressed by various things in speech; the delight of the affection is what is called good, and the ideas of thought and various things in the speech, which proceed from that delight or good, are what are called truths. The case is similar with one thing of the will in reference to many things of its understanding, and also with one thing of love to many things which express it; this is why much and multitude in the Word are predicated of truths, and great and greatness of good, for what is great contains in itself many things. But these things are said for those who can be instructed by examples, in order that they may know whence it is that thousands equally as myriads signify things innumerable, but still that myriads are predicated of truths, and thousands of goods.

[4] That these numbers signify such things is evident from the following passages.

In Moses:

"In the first-born of his bullock he hath honour, and his horns [are] the horns of unicorns; with them he shall thrust the people together to the ends of the earth; and these are the myriads of Ephraim, and these are the thousands of Manasseh" (Deuteronomy 33:17).

These things are said concerning Joseph, by whom, in a representative sense, is signified the Lord as to the Divine Spiritual, and as to His spiritual kingdom (see n. 3969, 3971, 4669, 6417). By his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh are signified two parts of that kingdom, namely, intellectual truth and voluntary good; by Ephraim intellectual truth, and by Manasseh voluntary good; hence it is that myriads are predicated of Ephraim and thousands of Manasseh. That these are signified by Ephraim and Manasseh may be seen in theArcana Coelestia 3969, 5351, 5353, 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267, 6296. What is signified by the first-born of the bullock, and by the horns of the unicorn, may be seen above (n. 316).

[5] In David:

"The chariots of God are two myriads, thousands of angels of peace; the Lord is among them, in the holy place of Sinai" (Psalms 68:17).

By the chariots of God are signified truths of doctrine, and by the angels of peace are signified the goods thereof; therefore myriads are predicated of the former, and thousands of the latter. (That chariots signify truths of doctrine, may be seen, n. 2762, 5321, 8215; and that peace signifies the inmost of good, in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 284-290.) And because the Lord is called Lord from good, and Sinai signifies heaven where and whence the Divine truth is, therefore it is said the Lord is among them, in the holy place of Sinai, the holy place denoting heaven and the church where Divine truth is. (That the Lord is called Lord from Divine good, and God from Divine truth, may be seen, n. 4973, 9167, 9194; and that Sinai signifies heaven where the Lord is, from whom is Divine truth, or from whom is the law, in the strict sense, and in the broad sense, n. 8399, 8753, 8793, 8805, 9420.)

[6] In the same:

"Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night; of the dart that flieth by day, of the pestilence that creepeth in darkness; of death that wasteth at noon-day. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and a myriad at thy right hand" (Psalms 91:5-7).

These things are said concerning the falsities and evils that are not known to be falsities and evils, and that yet creep into the thought and the will, and destroy men; falsities that are known to be falsities, are meant by the dart that flieth by day, and evils that are known to be evils and yet enter, are meant by the death that wasteth at noon-day; and falsities that are not known to be falsities, are meant by the terror of the night, and evils which are not known to be evils, by the pestilence that creepeth in darkness. The destruction of these evils is signified by a thousand that shall fall at his side; and the destruction of the falsities by the myriad that shall fall at his right hand; by the side also, at which they shall fall, is signified good, and by the right hand the truth of good. The reason why a thousand is predicated of evils, and a myriad of falsities is, because falsities are opposed to truths, and evils opposed to goods; and in the Word opposites are expressed by the same words and the same numbers.

[7] In the same:

"Our garners [shall be] full, yielding from food to food; our flocks shall bring forth thousands, myriads in our streets" (Psalms 144:13).

By garners and by food are signified the goods and truths of the church; for spiritual foods are the knowledges of truth and good, by which there is intelligence. Similar but interior things are signified by flocks; therefore the goods of the church are meant by thousands, and the truths thereof by myriads; and because truths are meant by myriads, therefore it is said, myriads in our streets; for by the streets of a city are signified truths of doctrine. (That food signifies both good and truth, may be seen n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5410, 5426, 5576, 5582, 5588, 5655, 5915, 6277, 8418, 8562, 9003; hence also garners, which are the storehouses thereof. That by flocks are signified interior goods and truths, which are called spiritual, n. 1565, 2566, 3767, 3768, 3772, 3783, 3795, 5913, 6044, 6048, 8937, 10609.)

[8] In Micah:

"Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriads of rivers of oil?" (Micah 6:7).

Because by rams are signified spiritual goods, and by rivers of oil are signified the truths proceeding from good, therefore, myriads are predicated of the latter, and thousands of the former. (That by rams are signified spiritual goods, may be seen, n. 2830, 4170.) And because the good of love is signified by oil, therefore by the rivers thereof are signified the things proceeding from it, which are truths.

[9] In Daniel:

"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit. A stream of fire issuing and going forth from before him; a thousand of thousands ministered unto him, and a myriad of myriads stood before him" (7:9, 10).

The Lord's advent is here treated of, and by the thrones that were cast down, are signified the falsities of the church, which were destroyed; by the Ancient of days is meant the Lord from eternity; by a stream of fire issuing and going forth from before Him, are signified the Divine good of love, and the Divine truth thence; by a stream of fire issuing, the Divine good of love; and by the same going forth, the Divine truth proceeding. Because each is signified, therefore it is said, a thousand of thousands ministered unto Him, and a myriad of myriads stood before Him, a thousand being predicated of Divine Good, and a myriad of Divine truth; to minister is also predicated of good (see above, n. 155); and to stand as well as to go forth is predicated of truth.

[10] In Moses:

"When the ark rested, Moses said, Return, O Jehovah, to the myriads of the thousands of Israel" (Num. 10:35, 36).

Because the ark signified the Divine Celestial proceeding from the Lord, from the law or testimony which was in it, and by Israel was signified the church as to the reception of Divine good and Divine truth, therefore it is said, "The myriads of the thousands of Israel," by whom are signified the truths from good, which are in Israel or in the church. But what a thousand signifies when ten thousand or a myriad are not adjoined to it, will be seen in its proper article in the following pages; similarly what is signified by number.

5291. 'And let him take up a fifth part of the land [of Egypt]' means which are to be preserved and then stored away. This is clear from the meaning of 'taking up a fifth part' as that which implies something similar to taking tenths. In the Word 'taking tenths' means preserving remnants, and preserving remnants is a gathering together and then storing away of forms of truth and good. For remnants are the forms of good and truth that the Lord has stored away in the interior man, see 468, 530, 560, 561, 661, 1050, 1906, 2284, 5135, and 'tenths' is used in the Word to mean remnants, 576, 1738, 2280, and so also is 'ten', 1906, 2284. And the number five, which is half of ten, is likewise used to mean the same. Half or twice any number when used in the Word holds the same meaning as the number itself. Twenty for example holds the same meaning as ten, four the same as two, six the same as three, twenty-four the same as twelve, and so on. A multiplication of a number also holds the same meaning. A hundred or a thousand for example holds the same as ten; seventy-two and also a hundred and forty-four hold the same as twelve. Therefore what it is that composite numbers hold within them may be seen from the simple numbers of which they are the products. What the more simple numbers hold within them may be seen in a similar way from their integers. Five for example may be seen from ten, two and a half from five, and so on. In general it should be recognized that multiples hold the same meaning as their factors, yet more completely, while quotients hold the same meaning as their dividends, yet less completely.

[2] As regards the number five specifically, this has a dual meaning. First, it means that which is little and consequently something; second, it means remnants. It receives its meaning of that which is little from its relationship with other numbers meaning that which is much, namely a thousand and a hundred, and therefore ten also. For 'a thousand' and 'a hundred' mean that which is much, see 2575, 2636, and so therefore does 'ten', 3107, 4638, as a consequence of which 'five' means that which is little, and also something, 649, 4638. But 'five' means remnants when it has a connection with ten, 'ten' in this case meaning remnants, as stated above. For all numbers used in the Word have spiritual realities as their meaning, see 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4264, 4495, 4670, 5265.

[3] Anyone who does not know that the Word has an internal sense which is not visible in the letter will be utterly astonished by the idea that spiritual realities too are meant by the numbers used in the Word. The specific reason for his astonishment is his inability to use numbers to give shape to any spiritual idea, when yet the spiritual ideas known to angels present themselves as numbers, see 5265. The identity of those ideas or spiritual realities to which numbers correspond can, it is true, be known; but the origin of such correspondence remains hidden, such as the origin of the correspondence of 'twelve' to all aspects of faith, the correspondence of 'seven' to things that are holy, as well as that of 'ten' and also 'five' to forms of good and truth stored up by the Lord within the interior man, and so on. Even so, it is enough if people know simply that such a correspondence does exist and that by virtue of that correspondence each number used in the Word denotes something present in the spiritual world, consequently that what is Divine has been inspired into them and so lies concealed within them.

[4] Examples of this are seen in the following places where 'five' is mentioned, such as the Lord's parable in Matthew 25:14 and following verses about the man who, before going away to a foreign country, placed his resources in the hands of his servants. To the first he gave five talents, to the second two, and to the third one. The servant who received five talents traded with them and earned five talents more. In a similar way the one who received two earned two more; but the servant who received one hid his master's money ¹ in the earth. The person whose thought does not extend beyond the literal sense knows no other than this, that the numbers five, two, and one have been adopted merely to make up the story told in the parable and that they entail nothing more, when in fact those actual numbers hold some arcanum within them. The servant who received the five talents means those people who have accepted forms of good and truth from the Lord and so have received remnants. The one who received the two talents means those who at a more advanced stage in life have linked charity to faith, while the servant who received the one means someone who receives faith alone devoid of charity. Regarding this servant it is said that he hid his master's money ¹ in the earth - the reason for this description being that the money ¹ he is said to have received means in the internal sense truth which is the truth of faith, 1551, 2954; but faith that is devoid of charity cannot earn any interest, that is, it cannot be fruitful. These are the kinds of matters that numbers hold within them.

[5] Much the same is contained in other parables, such as the parable in Luke 19:12 and following verses regarding someone who journeyed to a far country to receive a kingdom. He gave his servants ten minas and told them to trade with these until he came back. When he returned the first said, 'Sir, your mina has earned ten minas'. He said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you have been faithful over a very little, be over ten cities'. The second said, 'Sir, your mina has made five minas', and to him too he said, 'You also, be over five cities'. The third had kept his mina stored away in a handkerchief. But the master said, 'Take the mina from him and give it to him who has ten minas'. Here in a similar way 'ten' and 'five' mean remnants, 'ten' rather more, 'five' somewhat less. The one who kept his mina stored away in a handkerchief describes those who acquire the truths of faith but do not join them to the good deeds of charity, so that these truths do not gain interest or become fruitful at all.

[6] The same meaning exists in other places where the Lord uses these numbers, such as the place where He refers to what one of those invited to a supper said,

I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going away to test them. Luke 14:19.

Also in the place where He refers to what the rich man said to Abraham,

I have five brothers; send [Lazarus] to speak to them, lest they come into this place of torment. Luke 16:28.

And in the place where He talks about ten virgins, five of whom were wise and five were foolish, Matthew 25:1-13. The following words spoken by the Lord in a similar way contain such numbers,

Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division; for from now on there will be in one house five divided; three against two, and two against three. Luke 12:51-52.

And the following details given in the historical narrative also contain such numbers - the Lord fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes; He commanded them to sit down in groups of a hundred and groups of fifty; and after they had eaten they collected twelve baskets of broken pieces, Matthew 14:15-21; Mark 6:38 and following verses; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:5-13.

[7] It is hardly credible that the numbers included in such details, since these belong to a historical narrative, have a spiritual meaning. That is, five thousand, the number of people, has a spiritual meaning; so does five, the number of loaves, as well as two, the number of fishes. A hundred, and likewise fifty, the numbers of people sitting down together, each have a spiritual meaning; and so lastly does twelve, the number of baskets containing broken pieces. Though it may seem incredible, every detail holds some arcanum. Every single thing occurred providentially, to the end that Divine realities might be represented by them.

[8] In the following places too 'five' means things of a similar nature in the spiritual world, and it corresponds to such in both senses, the genuine sense and the contrary one: In Isaiah,

Gleanings will be left in it, as in the shaking of an olive tree, ² two or three berries on the top of the [highest] branch, four or five on the branches of a fruitful tree. Isaiah 17:6-7.

In the same prophet,

On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt which speak in the lips of Canaan and swear to Jehovah Zebaoth. Isaiah 19:18.

In the same prophet,

One thousand at the rebuke of one, at the rebuke of five you are fleeing, until you remain like a flagstaff on top of a mountain, like a signal upon a hill. Isaiah 30:17.

In John,

The fifth angel sounded, at which point I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key of the pit of the abyss. It was given the locusts which were coming out from there, that they should not kill the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads, but that they should torment them five months. Revelation 9:1, 3, 5, 10.

In the same book,

Here is intelligence, if anyone has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits; and there are seven kings. Five have fallen; and one is, the other has not yet come. And when he comes he must remain a short time. Revelation 17:9-10.

[9] The number five holds a similar representative meaning in the following places,

The valuation for a man or for a woman was determined by their ages - between one month and five years, and between five years and twenty years. Leviticus 27:1-9.

If a field was redeemed, one-fifth was to be added. Leviticus 27:19.

If tithes were redeemed, again one fifth was to be added. Leviticus 27:31.

The firstborn who were in excess [of the Levites] were to be redeemed for five shekels [each]. Numbers 3:46-end.

The firstborn of an unclean beast was to be redeemed with the addition of one-fifth. Leviticus 27:27.

In the case of any wrongs that were done one-fifth was to be added as a penalty. Leviticus 22:14; 17:13, 15; Numbers 5:6-8.

Anyone who stole an ox or one of the flock, and who slaughtered it or sold it, had to restore five oxen for an ox, and four of the flock for one of the flock. Exodus 11:1.

[10] The fact that the number five contains some heavenly arcanum, as does ten also, is evident from the cherubs referred to in the first Book of Kings,

In the sanctuary Solomon made two cherubs of olive wood, each ten cubits high. The wing of one cherub was five cubits, and the wing of the other cherub five cubits; ten cubits from the tips of the wings of one to the tips of the wings of the other. Thus a cherub was ten cubits; both cherubs were the same size and same shape. 1 Kings 6:23-25.

The same fact is evident from the lavers around the temple, and also from the lampstands, described in the same book,

Five bases for the lavers were placed on the right side of the house, ³ and five on the left side of the house. ³ Also, five lampstands were placed on the right, and five on the left in front of the sanctuary. 1 Kings 7:39, 49.

The bronze sea was ten cubits from one brim to the other, and five cubits high, and thirty cubits in circumference. 1 Kings 7:13.

All this was prescribed so that holy things might be meant spiritually not only by the numbers ten and five but also by thirty, for although geometrically this number giving the circumference is not right for the stated diameter, it nevertheless implies spiritually what is meant by the rim of a vessel.

[11] All numbers mentioned in the Word mean things existing in the spiritual world, as is clearly evident from the numbers used in Ezekiel, where a new land, a new city, a new temple, and a detailed measuring of these by the angel are described; see Chapters 40-43, 45-49 [sic.]. Numbers are used in these chapters to describe practically every sacred object, and therefore anyone unacquainted with what those numbers hold within them can know scarcely anything about the arcana present there. The number ten and the number five occur there in Ezekiel 40:7, 11, 48; 41:2, 9, 11-12; 42:4; 45:11, 14, in addition to the multiplications of such numbers, namely twenty-five, fifty, five hundred, and five thousand. As regards the new land, the new city, and the new temple mentioned in those chapters, these mean the Lord's kingdom in heaven, and therefore His Church on earth, as is clear from every detail mentioned there.

[12] All the references above to 'five' have been gathered together for the reason that here and in what follows the subject is the land of Egypt, where, in the seven years of abundance, a fifth part of the corn was to be gathered and preserved for use in the succeeding years of famine. This demonstrates that 'the fifth part' means the forms of good and truth which a person has received from the Lord, who has stored them away and preserved them in that person for future use when there is a famine, that is, when there is an absence and deprivation of goodness and truth. For unless the Lord stored away in a person such forms of good and truth, there would be nothing to raise him up in a state of temptation and vastation and consequently to make it possible for him to be regenerated, so that he would be left without any means of salvation in the next life.

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