From Swedenborg's Works

 

Index - Arcana Coelestia (Hyde edition) #1

Study this Passage

/ 26  
  

1. INDEX OF WORDS, NAMES, AND SUBJECTS

A

Aaron (Aharon). Aaron denotes the doctrine of good and truth, 6998, 7009; the truth of doctrine which proceeds mediately from the Lord, 7009; the Lord as to good: shown, 9806; the external of the Word, the Church, and worship, separated from the internal: illustrated, 10397.

Moses denotes the Word in the internal sense; Aaron denotes doctrine therefrom, when they are named together, 7089. Moses denotes the internal law or truth; Aaron denotes the external law or truth, 7382. Moses denotes the internal; Aaron denotes the external, 10468. Aaron denotes the doctrine of truth from the external sense of the Word, and Hur denotes truth of that doctrine, 9424. The sons of Aaron denotes Divine Truth proceeding from Divine Good, 9807. The priesthood succeeded from Aaron to his sons, because they represented the Lord as to Celestial Divine Good; consequently the celestial kingdom is a kingdom of priests: briefly shown, 9946. The priesthood of Aaron, his sons, and the Levites denotes the work of the Lord's salvation in successive order, 10017. Aaron and his garments represent the higher heavens, thus the celestial kingdom, and his sons and their garments represent the lower heavens, or the spiritual kingdom, 10068.

Abel (Abel). Abel denotes charity, 342, 354.

Abib, The Month (Abib mensis). Abib denotes the beginning of a new state, 8053, 9291.

[Abide, To. See To DWELL.]

Abihu (Abihu). See NADAB.

[Ability. See MIGHTY and POWER.]

Abimelech (Abimelechus). Abimelech, because he denotes the doctrine of faith, also represents, in the supreme sense, the Lord, 3393, 3401; those who are in the doctrine of faith, and regard truths in cognitions, 3392; the doctrine of faith that regards rational things, 3391, 3397, 3447.

The king of the Philistines denotes doctrinal things, 3365, 3391. The king of Gerar denotes the doctrine of faith that regards rational things, 2504, 2509, 2510.

[Abodes. See MANSIONS.]

Abomination (abominatio). Abomination denotes the separation of perverted things from goods, 6052; infernal foulness and defilement, 7454. [The abomination of desolation denotes the state of the Church when there is no love and no charity, 2454:4, 3652.]

Abortion (abortus). See To BRING FORTH.

[About. See ROUND About.]

Above (supra). What is interior is expressed by that which is higher, 2148, 3084, 4599, 5146, 8325. Lower things may be seen from higher, not contrariwise, 8237. To look above and below self, 7814-7821. See CHARITY.

[Abraham (Abraham). See under ABRAM.]

Abram (Abram). Abram knew not Jehovah, 1356; was an idolater, 1356, and worshipped the god Shaddai, 1992; is unknown in heaven, 1834:3, 1876; but when he is named the Lord is understood, 1989.

What Abram signifies, 1732, 1741. What Abram the Hebrew signifies, 1702, 1741. Abram represents the Lord in that state and in that age, 1989; the common stock of the Church where the Word is, 3778, and the genuine Church, 4206, 4207. Because by Abram the Lord is represented, by him many things are represented, 1965, 3245. Abram was called Abraham, the letter H being inserted from Jehovah, so as to represents the Divine of the Lord, 2010.

Abraham knew not Jehovah, 7194; worshipped other gods, 3667:2; in the first state, worshipped other gods, 2559.

Abraham denotes the Lord in that state, 2501; also the Lord's Divine Human; when, 2833, 2836; represents the Lord, and more besides, 3245; represented the Divine of the Lord, which is the Father, and the Divine Human, which is the Son, but the Divine Human from eternity, 3251. Jehovah the God of Abraham denotes the Divine of the Lord, which Abraham represents, 3439. Jehovah the God of Abraham thy father denotes the Lord, that from Him is good, 3703. Abraham represents the Lord's Human as to Good; Sarah represents the Lord's Human as to Truth, 2172, 2198. Abraham and Keturah represents the Lord's Divine Spiritual, 3236. The sons of Abraham by Keturah represents the Lord's Spiritual Kingdom with derivations, 3239-3242.

The fathers of the Jews, as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, worshipped each his own god, 5998. See JEW. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob worshipped the god Shaddai, 3667:2. If the historicals were the Word, apart from the internal sense, many, such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, would be esteemed as saints and as gods, when yet there is nothing more in them than in others, in the other life, 3229. When Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are named in the Word, the Lord is understood, in heaven, and as to the Divine Itself and the Divine Human: shown, 6804.

What is represented by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the supreme sense, or in the Lord; and what in the representative sense with man, 6098. Abraham signifies the Lord's Internal Man, and what Isaac and Jacob signifies, 1893. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob denotes the Lord, and the Lord as to the Human not yet made Divine, 7193; the Divine Life together, thus the Divine Itself, the Divine Rational, and the Divine Natural, 4615; in the supreme sense, the Lord; and, in the relative sense, internal and external good, 6276; heaven and the Church: illustrated, 10445; represents three things in the Lord, which are one, and three things in the Church, 6185. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob denotes the Lord as to the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, 6847. A covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob denotes conjunction by means of the Divine Human of the Lord, 6804. The seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob denotes the goods and truths of heaven and the Church, 10445. What to swear by Abraham, Isaac, and. Jacob signifies, 6589. To sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob denotes to be with the Lord; and to come to Abraham's bosom denotes to be in the Lord, 3305:7. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob buried in the land of Canaan signifies regeneration and resurrection, because the Church was there, 6516.

[Abrech (Abrech). Abrech denotes adoration, 5323. See KNEE.]

Abscesses (apostemata). Abscesses in the cavity of the breast; who corresponds to them, 5188. See WOUND.

Abstract (abstractum). In heaven they think and speak by abstract things; why, 4380e, 8343, 8985, 9007. See PERSON.

Abyss (abyssus). Abyss denotes those who are in lusts and falsities, 18; temptations, also hell, 756, 845. Abysses, in that they are waters in plenty, denote truths of faith in abundance, also falsities from lusts; thence the hells: shown, 8278; temptations: shown, 8278:3; the hells as to falsities; and depths denote the hells as to evils, 8279. See also DEPTH. The abyss lying beneath denotes scientifics which are in the natural, 6431.

Accident, By (fortuitu). See FORTUNE.

Accurse, To (devovere). To accurse denotes casting out from the Church, and an extirpation of falsities from evil, 9193.

Acknowledge, To (agnoscere). It is one thing to know (scire), another to acknowledge, and another to have faith, 896. [See also under SCIENCE.]

Acquainted with, To be (nosse). See To KNOW and To COGNIZE.

Acquisition (acquisitio). What acquisition signifies, 1435, 1717, 1851. Acquisition denotes those things which are acquired; thus scientifics, truths, and goods, 1435, 1851, 4105, 4391, 4487, 6017; the scientific from which a man thinks, 1435; good and truth in general, 4391; truths acquired, 6017. Acquisition denotes truth, and substance denotes good, 4105. Acquisition denotes the good of truth, and purchase denotes truth, 4487.

Act, To (agere). Reagency is from agency, 6262. The conjunction of good and truth illustrated by agency and reagency, 10729:2. See REGENERATION.

Action (actio). See To ACT.

[Active. See To ACT.]

Adam (Adam). See MAN (homo). That the history of creation in the first chapters of Genesis is made-up history is illustrated from various things therein, 8891:2. Adam's nakedness is explained, 9960:19. See NAKEDNESS.

Add, To (addere). 'God hath gathered my reproach, and Jehovah will add another son,' from which words Joseph was named, denotes, in the supreme sense, the Lord as to the Divine Spiritual; in the internal sense, the Spiritual Kingdom, or the good of faith; in the external sense, salvation, also fructification and multiplication, 3969:4.

[Adhere, To. See To CLEAVE.

Adjure, To. See To SWEAR.

Admah and Zeboim (Adma et Zeboim). What Admah and Zeboim signifies, 1212.]

Adoration (adoratio). Adoration is described, 1153:2. There is no adoration unless there is charity, 1150. To fall upon the face was a mode of adoring with the ancients; why, 1999. [See also WORSHIP.]

Adornment (ornatus). Adornment denotes holy truth, also the Divine in externals: illustrated, 10536; shown, 10540.

Adullam (Adulla). Adullamite denotes truth which is from good; in the opposite sense, falsity which is from evil, 4816, 4854.

Adultery (adulterium). See also HARLOT. Everyone can know how impious adultery is, if he would think about it as a case of his own wife being thus deceived, 2733:3. The mercilessness and religious condition of adulterers, 2747. Adulterers wish to obsess men, 2752; are cruel, 824; excite pain in the loins and genital members, 5059, 5060. The greatest adulterers, when they apply themselves, induce pain in the periostea everywhere and heaviness in the stomach, 5714. Adulterers do not fear Divine and human laws, but they fear blows, 2748. How filthy their ideas are, 2747, 2748. Adulteries are also destructive of society, since all adulterers are in the love of self, 2045:2. Marriages are most holy, but adulteries are most profane, 9961:4; they are profane and from hell, 10174. They who take delight in adulteries do not believe those things which relate to heaven and the Church, because it is from the marriage of evil and falsity, which is infernal, 10175.

When anyone commits adultery on earth, heaven is closed against him; his character hereafter, 2750. Adulterers cannot come into heaven, 2747, 2748. It is impossible for them to enter into heaven, 827; they cannot approach to heaven, and adulteries are contrary to conjugial love, the laws of both kingdoms, and order, 2733:2. An adulterer approaching towards heaven rejected, 539. By accustomed blandishments adulterers insinuated themselves into societies, but were rejected, beaten, and at length associated with their like in the hells, 2753. Angelic bliss and felicity communicated to adulterers become nauseous, painful, and stinking, on which account they cast themselves together into hell, 2749.

Concerning the hells of those who have lived in adulteries and lasciviousness, see HELL. In their hells they love dirt and excrements, 2755. Concerning those who are most filthy; their filthiness is unmentionable; their character and hell, 5722. Adulterers are in the excrementitious hells, 5394. The most deceitful adulterers beyond others, are above the head: they ensnare by means of innocence and mercy; their hell is the most grievous, 2754. The hell of cruel adulterers is under the right foot, where those are who are of the Jewish nation; from experience, 5057. A body of adulterers which sends out investigators who report that they are against conjugial love, good and truth, and the Lord, 2751. Adulterers who are in contraries are they who ensnare in conjugial love, by means of love, friendship, and kindnesses; concerning whom from experience, 5060. The very grievous punishment of those who have communion of wives, 2756. One who by adulteries and whoredoms extinguished the desire for marriage and the procreation of offspring; his punishment, 2746. With the lascivious who have not extinguished the desire of procreating offspring there is heat, 2757. The hell of those from the Church who have lived in faith separated from charity, and in a life of evil, is under that of adulterers; the reason, 8137:2.

Adulteries denotes the perversions of truth and good, 3399; adulterations of good, and whoredoms denotes falsifications of truth; this is from representative things, 2466, 2729. To commit adultery (adulterari), whoredom (moechari), and fornication (scortari), denotes to pervert those things which relate to faith; thus to apply the Word to the confirmation of evils and falsities; in the internal, representative sense, to worship idols: shown, 8904. Prohibited degrees signify profanations of various kinds, 6348:2. The dog Cerebus denotes a guard lest anyone pass over from the heavenly delight of conjugial love to the opposite, 2743, 5051:2. See DOG.

[Adversary. See ENEMY.]

Afar (longinquum). To see from afar denotes to perceive remotely, 4723. To stand afar off denotes remoteness from internals, thus from good and truth: shown, 8918. To bow oneself from afar off denotes humiliation, also adoration from the heart, and then the influx of the Lord, 9377. See also NEAR.

Affection (affectio). See also LOVE, CHARITY. Affection is that which is continuous of love, 3339. What the delight of affection is, 3933e. See DELIGHTFULNESS. Celestial affections are altogether incomprehensible and inexpressible, 3339, 3857:3. Every affection contains in itself things innumerable; concerning which things; and the affection is the whole man, 3078, 3189. To one affection there are many subordinate affections, and these in an incomprehensible form, 3189. The quality of the love and affection of a man is known from the end; concerning which subject see 3796:2.

There is an affection of good and an affection of truth; what the distinction between them is, 1904, 1997. The quality of those who are in the affection of good, and that of those in the affection of truth; the distinction, 2425:2, 2429:2. There is an affection of rational truth, and that of scientific truth, 2503. The first affection in the natural man is not that of genuine truth, but the affection of this truth comes afterwards, 3040. What the genuine affection of truth is, and its nature; and what the affection of truth, not genuine, is, and its nature; the distinction, 8993:3. Affections, when they ascend or are elevated towards the interiors, become gentler, and other spiritual affections are substituted, 3909. The affection of truth appears to be from truth, but it is from good, 4373. All affections are bonds, and they are external and internal, 3835. Those who are in truths without affection, [who are man-servants,] and those who are in truths from affection, who are maid-servants; the distinction between them, 8994:3.

Affections are what excite truths and falsities, 2480e. The celestial angel’s form to themselves lights of affections, and then of ideas, from the affection of good and truth in the Word,2157, 2275. Conjunction is made by means of affections, 3939. The conjunction of truth with good is made by means of affection, 3024. By means of affections the implantation and conjunction of the love of good and truth are effected: illustrated, 4018. Truths are nothing without affections: illustrated, 3849. The affection of good is adjoined to truth in the natural man by the Lord, with man, and, through the affection of good, truths are produced, and so falsities and evils are removed, 3336:3. Affection is insinuated by means of refusal, 4366, 4368. Truth without affection does not enter, still less inhere, 3066. Affection always adjoins itself to the subjects which are implanted in the memory, and is, together with them, reproduced, 3336:2. Heavenly freedom is from the affection of truth and good, and infernal freedom, from the affection of falsity and evil, 2873. See FREEDOM. To imitate affections, as if they were heavenly, from the proprium, is infernal, 10309.

All affections have gestures corresponding to them, 2153. Affections are signified by little children, girls, young women, and daughters, but with a difference, 3067.

Affinity (affinitas). There are affinities of love and faith, 917. There are consanguinities and affinities relating to heavenly loves, 2739. With all things in man there are consanguinities and affinities, 2508, 2524, 2556. If men recognised and perceived what good is, they would then first know innumerable things: namely, the proximities of good and truth, such as they are in heaven, 3612. Societies in heaven are situated like consanguinities and affinities on earth, 685. All consanguinity in heaven is from good, and proceeds therefrom, 3815. Consanguinities and affinities in the other life take place according to good, 4121. To contract affinities denotes union, 4450.

Affirmative (affirmativum). The affirmative of good and truth must be the first thing of man's regeneration, 3923. There must be the affirmative of truth before the influx of good from the Lord can be received, 3913e. They who consult scientifics concerning Divine things, if they are in an affirmative state, are confirmed; if in a negative state, they are weakened, and at length believe nothing, 4760. The learned more than the simple denotes this; and they believe less, because they consult scientifics from a negative state, and so deprive themselves of interior sight, 4760:4.

Affliction (afflictio). Affliction is predicated respecting truth, 4060; denotes temptation, 1846, 5356; the means of arriving at good, 3864; infestation, 6663, 6851. To afflict denotes to infest by falsities of doctrine; to oppress denotes to infest by evils of life, 9196. By to afflict the soul is signified to compel to do good, 1947.

After (post). See also BACKWARDS. After denotes near to, 5216. After thee, what it signifies, 2019. To go after them, when spoken of the Divine, denotes to protect lest evils should flow into the voluntary, 8194. See also BACK. To be, go, walk after, denotes to follow and consociate with them: shown, 9251.

Agate, Ligure, Amethyst (achates, cyanus, amethystus). Agate, ligure, amethyst, denotes the spiritual love of good, or the internal good of the Spiritual Kingdom, 9870.

Age (aetas). Concerning the successive states of a man according to ages; the first is from birth to the fifth year, then there are ignorance and innocence; the second is from that age to the twentieth year, which is the state of instruction and knowledge; the third is from that age to the sixtieth year, which is the state of intelligence; and the fourth is the state of innocence in wisd.om,10225. Times, as times of a man's age, denotes states; concerning which, 3254.

Age (saeculum). An age, when mentioned with respect to the Church, denotes duration to the end; when spoken of heaven and the Lord, what is eternal; it is predicated in general of every Church, in particular of the celestial Church; it also denotes the world and the life there, likewise the life after it: shown, 10248. See also GENERATION.

[Aged, See OLD.

Agency. See TO ACT.

Agreement. See CONSENT.]

Aholiab (Aholiabus). Aholiab, who did the works, denotes those who are in the good and truth of faith,10329:4; with whom the Church was to be established, 10335.

Ai (Aja). What Bethel and Ai signifies, 1453, 1557.

Aid. See HELP.

[Alien. See STRANGERS.

Alive. See under LIFE.

Almighty. See OMNIPOTENCE and SHADDAI.]

Almonds (amygdaloe). Almonds denotes the goods of life corresponding to the truths of interior natural good, 5622. Almond-shaped bowls denotes scientifics from good, 9557.

Alone (solus). What to be alone or to dwell alone signifies, 139, 471.

Altar (altare). [See also under To ANOINT.] In ancient times heaps were made, and the altars were therefrom, 4192. The altar and the tent were polluted by the sins of the people: shown and illustrated, 10208:3.

The altar and the temple were the principal representatives of the Lord, 921, 2777, 2811; and altars primarily signified the Lord's Divine Human, as does the Holy Supper, 2811. Altar denotes what is holy of worship, 4541; also what is built in witness and memory: shown, 8623; a representative of the Lord, and the worship of Him, as to good: shown, 9714; the principal representative of the Lord, and the worship of Him: references, 10642; heaven and the Church as to the reception of good from the Lord: illustrated and shown, 10123, 10151; the representative of the Lord as to the Divine Good; statues denotes the same as to the Divine Truth, 9388, 9389.

The altar of Jehovah denotes the principal thing of the worship of the Lord, 8935, 8940, 9014; they who acted from deceit or hypocrisy were to be taken from the altar and die: shown, 9014:4. All things of the altar represented and signified; concerning which see 4489:2 To build an altar denotes, in the highest sense, sanctification, 4558. An altar from the ground denotes the principal representative of the worship of the Lord from good; but an altar from stone denotes the same from truth, 8935, 8940. Ashes of the altar denotes those things which are to be removed after uses; concerning which, 9723. The grate, the network, which was around the altar, denotes the sensual: illustrated, 9726. The vessels of the altar denotes scientific truths serving good, 9724, 9725, 10344. The foundation of the altar denotes the sensual, 10028. The altar of incense, see INCENSE. The altar of the nations denotes the representative of idolatrous worship, 10642:2. To enter into the tent of meeting denotes to represent all things of worship from spiritual good; to come near to the altar denotes to represent all things of worship from celestial good, 10242, 10245. To enter into the tent of meeting denotes to represent the Lord as to worship from Divine Truth, 9963; and to come near to the altar denotes to represent the Lord as to Divine Good, also as to worship, 9964.

[Alternations. See CHANGES.

Always (semper). See under To-DAY.

Amalek. See AMALEKITEl

Amalekite (Amalekita). Amalekites denotes the falsities by which truths are assaulted,1679. Amalek denotes falsity from interior evil: shown, 8593; concerning those who are represented by the Amalekites further; their character, 8622:2, 8625:2.

Amazement, To be Amazed (stupor, stupescere). To be astonished (obstupescere) denotes a sudden change of state, 5705.

Ambush (insidiae). See DECEIT.

Amethyst (amethystus). Ligure, agate, and amethyst denotes the spiritual love of good, or the internal good of the Spiritual Kingdom, 9870.

Ammon (Ammon). The sons of Ammon denotes those with whom truths are falsified; Moab, those with whom goods are adulterated, who nevertheless have been in natural good, 2468:15.

Amorite (Emmoraeus). Amorite denotes evil in general; and the inhabitants of the land of Canaan were called Amorites, 6306:4; evil and falsity; whence, 1857. Amorite [and Perizzite] denotes evil and falsity therefrom, 6859.

Anakim (Anakim, Enakim). See NEPHILIM [and PERSUASION].

Ancients. See under ANGEL.]

And (et). 'And' was used in the place of punctuation, as was also 'it came to pass,' 5578.

Angel (angelus). See also HEAVEN, [ARMY, and BEAUTY]. All spirits and angel’s have been men,1880; they appear as men; whence, 3633. Angels are forms of love and charity, 3804:2, 9879; they are images of love and charity under the human form, 4735:2; they are of ineffable beauty, and are as loves and charities in form, 4985; they are of ineffable beauty, because they are in the form of heaven, 5199. Those who are in hell appear to themselves, in their own light, as men, but looked into by angel’s, as devils and monsters; whence this is,4533. The deceitful, looked into by angel’s, appear as serpents and vipers,4533.

Concerning the spirits and angel’s with man,5846-5866, and 5976-5993. See MAN (homo). With every man there are evil spirits and angel’s,2887, 2888. According to the doctrine of the churches, in some measure, there are spirits from hell and angel’s from heaven with man,5979:2. Angels and spirits are always present with man, 968. There are two angel’s with man, because there are two kinds of them: celestial and spiritual,5978. That man may live, angel’s from heaven and spirits from hell must be adjoined to him,5993. Angels are successively with infants and children, 2303. A man is governed by means of spirits and angel’s, from the Lord,50, 697. All changes of state with motion, as to voluntary things as well as to intellectual things, are regulated by the Lord through spirits and angel’s,2796. Angels protect a man in various ways, they inspire goods, and this from love which is from the Lord, 5992; they rule over evil spirits, 1755. Angels with men do not attend, except to ends, 1645e; they bend evils toward goods, 5980. Spirits and angel’s perceive the interior things of man's thought,1931. Angels from certain societies see from causes what is with man, 4073e. Angels flow into the truths of faith with man: illustrated, 5893. See REGENERATION. Angels dwell in everyone's affection, 3464; they dwell with those who are in the good of faith, 2268; they feel exquisitely what enters with a man, 228. In spirits and angel’s every sense, except taste, is more exquisite than in man,1880, 1881.

Angels regard man as a brother, but evil spirits regard him as a vile slave, 2890. With what charity and joy those who are let in are received; they are received by angel’s into the heavens, and how they come into agreeable societies,2131. Celestial angel’s occupy the province of the heart, and two sit at the head, when a man is resuscitated from the dead,168-181; spiritual angel’s succeed them,132-189. Angels do not forsake the resuscitated man, but he desires to depart from them, 182. Because angel’s love everyone, they do not relinquish a soul, but it desires to depart from them, and dissociates itself,314-316; they are very indignant when compelled to retire, 4077.

A man, an angel, or a spirit is according to his love: illustrated, 10177. A man is in the society of such spirits or angel’s as he himself is; concerning which,4067:3, 4073:2, 4077:2. Angels who are in similar good know each other as if they had been acquainted from infancy, and it is from this that truths with man acknowledge and conjoin themselves, 9079:2.

There are three heavens; those of spirits, of angelic spirits, and of angel’s; in each of which there are both celestial and spiritual angel’s,459. The angel’s of the three heavens are subordinate to each other,1752; but the subordination is not that of command, 1802. Concerning the heavenly freedom in which angel’s are, see FREEDOM. The whole of an angel’s power is from the Lord,1752. There are angel’s who are nearer to the Lord and those who are remoter, or, who are interior and exterior,1802:2. The Lord appears to celestial angel’s as the Sun, to spiritual angel’s as the Moon,1529-1531.

Angels are continually being purified, and can never come to perfection, 4803. Evil is not separated from a man or an angel, but he is withheld from evil, and so held in good, 1581. Those who are in evil associate themselves with societies, those who are in good are adjoined by the Lord to them, 4073:2. The changes of angel’s' states appear in their faces according to the societies into which they come,4797; which things were seen, 4797. Angels appear in the heavens clad in garments 165; those who are likenesses of the Lord appear in radiance and white, after the likeness of the Lord in the transfiguration, 5530:2. Angels are veiled by a thin and suitable cloud lest they should be hurt by the Divine influx, 6849. See also FIRE.

What angel’s introduce beautiful dreams,1977. The influx of angel’s is like streams of flaming light,6209; it is into conscience, 6207, 6213. Conscience is from the combat of spirits and angel’s,227. In temptations there are indignations and many affections, 1917. Angels were with the Lord when He fought, 1705, 1752; He had societies of spirits and angel’s with Him, yet He took nothing from them, but through them from the Divine,4075. He admitted into Himself temptations from angel’s,4295:3. Angels have no name, but are named from their quality as to good, 1705; and are distinguished by goods and truths, 1754. The base and filthy things of infernal spirits are turned into milder things with angel’s,5981. See also SUBJECTS. Angels moderate penalties in the other life, but cannot take them away, 967. The angelic life consists in use and the goods of charity, 454.

They who are in love to the Lord and charity have angelic wisd.om in them, but obscurely; they come into it after death,2494. The wisd.om of angel’s continually increases in the other life, yet they cannot advance far beyond the first degree,6648. Nothing of an angel's intelligence and wisd.om is from himself, but from the Lord,4295:2. Angels are in wisd.om above that of man,3404, 3405. There are innumerable things which are apprehended by angel’s, but not by men,2786, 2795, 2796, 2802; they apprehend innumerable things of which man does not apprehend even the most general: exemplified, 3314; they comprehend and see innumerable things of which man knows not even that they are, still less what they are, 9176e. Angelic wisd.om is ineffable: illustrated, and from experience,9094. Angels are in wisd.om and intelligence, and in the principles of things, and they see all things which are beneath, because they are in celestial and spiritual love,2572:3. Thoughts and affections extend themselves far into angelic societies, 6598-6613. See To THINK. Angelic ideas are alive, because they refer natural things to spiritual, and to such as relate to man, 7847. The state of angel’s as to those things which relate to the memory,2493. Celestial angel’s form for themselves lights of ideas, from affection,2802; they never wish to name faith, but they perceive love, with a difference known to them, 202; with the spiritual angel’s it is otherwise,203.

The speech of spirits and angel’s,1634-1650. See To SPEAK and LANGUAGE. The difference of the speech of spirits, angelic spirits, and angel’s,1642. The speech of angelic spirits described, 1643. The speech of angel’s in the world of spirits appears like the light of a flame,1646. The case of thoughts and speech of angel’s is as internal things in the body are with respect to external,3347; for ideas they have ends and uses, 1645. The speech of celestial angel’s is distinct from that of spiritual angel’s, and is also more copious,1647; because they form for themselves lights of ideas from the affections in the Word, 2157; but the spiritual form significations of things, 2157, 2275. Because celestial angel’s derive all things from love, their speech is more incomprehensible than that of spiritual angel’s,880e. What angel’s speak of among themselves,5249e. When the wise ancients thought about God, they thought of the Divine Human, as angel’s do,6876:2. The state of angel’s when they speak, not from themselves, but from the Lord,1745:2. How it is with angel’s, when the Lord speaks by means of them, that they know not but that they are the Lord,1925. The man of the Most Ancient Church spake with angel’s, but not those afterwards, they spake, but in another manner,784. I have spoken with spirits and angel’s; and man was so created that he might speak with them,5, 67-69, 1880. See TO SPEAK. Angels see nothing that is in the solar world; they have seen through my eyes, 1880; when this first happened, it was regarded as a miracle, 1880:2. Heaven and earth were so united from their first creation, 1880:2. It is dangerous for man to have heaven opened to him, 784e.

The internal sense is for angel’s, and to them it is precious, though of slight account with man,2540:2, 2541, 2545, 2551, 2574:3. Many things in the internal sense come within the angelic apprehension, because angel’s are in the light of heaven, which do not come within man's apprehension, because he is in the light of the world,2618, 2619, 2629e. Because the Word in the highest sense treats of the Lord's glorification, and in the representative sense of man's regeneration, therefore, they who are in the Lord enter into angelic wisd.om and happiness,5688e.

The Lord as to the Divine Human is called the angel of Jehovah; the reason is that the Human Divine formerly appeared as an angel when Jehovah or the Divine Itself passed through heaven, 6831. The Lord is an angel, and is called an angel as to the Divine Human: briefly shown, 9303. The man who receives the Divine is also called an angel: shown, 10528. Many are called an angel, and named an angel, as Michael, which denotes the function, 8192:3. See GOD. An angel, in the supreme sense, denotes the Lord as to the Divine Human, and also the Divine of the Lord with angel’s and men: briefly shown,10528. The Lord is understood by angel’s in the Word, but what with respect to the Lord is signified appears from the series,1925e. By angel’s are signified the Lord, and why,3039; and an angel denotes the Divine Providence, 3039. An angel signifies something of the Lord, 2821; and the reason is that angel’s do not speak from themselves, and do not attribute good and truth to themselves,4085. Angels denotes Divine Truth: illustrated, 8192:2. Two angel’s signify the Divine Human and the Holy which proceeds from the Lord,2319. The redeeming angel is the Lord's Divine Human, and the Lord is called an angel: shown, 6280. The Sent, as the Lord called Himself, is the angel of Jehovah: shown 6831. The angel’s of God met him, denotes enlightenment,4235.

Anger (ira). Anger is described as being a flame in the understanding breaking forth from the fire, when love is assailed: illustrated, 9144. Anger and evil are from man, and not from the Lord, although they are attributed to Him: references, 9306:4. When anger is attributed to God, it is with man: shown, 5798; also to the Lord, when yet it is with man, 8483; and to Jehovah; the reasons: shown, 6997:3. The love and mercy of the Lord appear to the evil as anger, when they are punished; thence it is called anger: shown, 8875. Zeal has good in it; anger, evil, 4164. Anger is predicated of evil, wrath of falsity, 6358, 6359.

Anger signifies departure from charity, 357e. Anger denotes to be indignant, in which there is nothing of anger, 3909; aversion; the reason, 5034; aversion and assault: shown, 5798: sadness of spirit or understanding, 5887, 5888; evil, because it is from evil, and not from good, thus not from the Lord, although attributed to Him: illustrated, 10618:2. To burn with anger, when spoken of the Lord, denotes aversion on the part of man: illustrated, 10431. Long-suffering as to angers, denotes to endure evils long, and the Divine clemency, 10618. The anger of Jehovah denotes clemency and mercy, 6997; punishment and damnation: shown, 6997:6. The wrath of Jehovah denotes the fury of lusts and the endeavour to offer violence, on the part of the evil, 8284. Wrath and anger denotes resistances and also punishments; wrath is predicated of truth and falsity; anger of good and evil, 3614. Fire denotes anger: shown, 9143.

Animal (animal). See BEAST [and BRUTES.

Animal, Wild. See WILD BEAST.]

Anoint, To, Anointing, Ointment (ungere, unctio, unguentum). See here what is said concerning OIL. They anointed stones, arms of war, the altar, and similar things, priests, prophets, kings, and themselves: shown and explained, 9954. They anointed themselves with common oil, and not with the oil of holiness: shown, 9954:20. To anoint denotes to induce representation, 10268; inauguration for the purpose of representing the Lord as to the Divine Good, thus for the purpose of representing the good of love from Him: shown, 9954, 10285. To anoint a pillar, 3728, 4090. See PILLAR. The Anointed, king, and Divine Truth are the same, 3009. See CHRIST. The Anointed of Jehovah denotes the Lord as to the Divine Human: shown, 9954:11.

Anointing denotes inauguration for the purpose of representing, 9474. See also OIL. Anointing upon the head represented upon the whole Human of the Lord: shown, 10011. By anointing was represented the Divine Good, and by filling the hand, the Divine Truth and the power therefrom, 10019.

Ointment of ointment, and a dealer in ointment, 10264, 10265. See SPICE.

Answer, To (respondere). To answer, when assented to, denotes what is reciprocal, 2919, 4096; whence: shown, 8340; also reception, 2941, 2957; cognition, 5255; perception, 5472. To answer and say denotes thought, 6943. To answer in a cause denotes to declare an opinion, and judge, 9252. A Divine answer denotes the Divine Truth from which it is, 8824.

Antediluvians (antediluniani). See FLOOD.

Antipodes (antipodes). Navigation round the world cannot be comprehended by many, nor how the antipodes stand on their feet, 1378.

Anxiety (anxietas). See SAD.

Apollyon (Apollyon). Apollyon denotes the reasoning from falsities which appears as if from truths, and from philosophical considerations wrongly applied, 7643.

Apostles (apostoli). The apostles believed that they were to be great in heaven, 3417:2. What is signified by the apostles sitting upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, 2129:2; they cannot judge any single thing appertaining to man, 2129:2, 2553:2. The twelve apostles signified all things of faith, both its good and its truth, 3488 See TWELVE. Concerning the tribes and the apostles, it is said they are to judge, but this denotes the truths which are signified by them, 6397:2.

The disciples at first held no other opinion concerning the Lord than that which the Jews held concerning the Messiah, and, further, concerning the heavenly kingdom than that there would be sub-ordinations as in an earthly kingdom, 3857:6. The disciples of the Lord represented all who are of the Church, 3354. The twelve disciples denotes all things of love and faith, as the twelve tribes, 3858:16. See also TRIBES.

[Apparel. See GARMENT.]

Appear, To (apparere). Jehovah appearing to him denotes from the Divine, 3367, 3438.

Appearance (apparentia). See also FALLACY, [TRUTH, and WORD.] In the Word of the Lord much is spoken according to appearances, 589, 735, 926, 1838, 1874. Appearances of truth; what they are; adapted as if they were truths, 1832:2; examples, 3207:3. There are no pure truths with man, neither with angel’s, but in the Lord alone,3207:3. The truths of man are appearances, 2196:2, 2203, 2209, 2242:2. Appearances of truth with angel’s, and with men who are in good, are received by the Lord as truths,3207. The doctrine of faith is invested with such appearances as are from human conditions, 2719, 2723. Those appearances are listened to as truths which belong to doctrinals, 3364, 3365. See To APPEAR. Rational things are appearances of truth, 3368:2. Truths Divine flow in by means of appearances with angel’s and men, otherwise they could not at all be apprehended,3362; they are in appearances with angel’s and men, because Divine things cannot otherwise be apprehended,3364e, 3356e. Appearances of truth are and exist by means of influx from the Divine of the Lord into rational things, and therefrom into natural things, where they are presented as an image of many things in a mirror, so that those which are in heaven appertaining to the angel’s are presented in the world of spirits, from which are representations,3368:3. Representations in the other life are appearances, but living, thus real, which are from the light of heaven, which is wisd.om and life from the Lord; but those which are in the light of the world are relatively not real, except so far as they are conjoined with those which are of the light of heaven,3485. Appearances of truth are of a threefold degree, 3357-3360, 3362. Appearances are the truths which belong to man; exemplified from space or place, 3387e. On the appearances of a higher degree, which appertain to the angel’s; from the example of eternity, which to them is a state,3404:2. Appearances of truth of a higher degree far exceed in perfection and abundance those which are in men, 3405; those of a lower degree exemplified from the saying that some were to be great in heaven, 3417. The Lord was also in appearances, but these He put off, 3405.

[Apperception. See PERCEPTION.]

Appetite (appetitus). Appetite corresponds to the desire to know (sciendi) and be wise, 4792.

Approach, To (appropinquare). See NEAR, [and To COME NEAR.] To approach denotes influx, 8159; conjunction, 9997, 10001; when used of the beast for the sacrifice, denotes application for the purpose of purification, 10021. To approach before Jehovah denotes a state of reception and application to that state; on which, 8439. To approach unto God denotes to think from the faith of charity about the Divine, 6843. To approach and be near denotes conjunction and presence: illustrated and shown, 9378.

[Appropriation. See under INFLUX.]

Arabia (Arabia). See KEDAR.

Aram (Aram). See SYRIA.

[Aram Naharaim. See SYRIA.]

Ararat (Ararath). Mount Ararat denotes the light (lumen) of one regenerated, 854, 855.

[Arcanum. See WORD.

Archer. See under BOW.]

Architecture (architectura). How stupendous it is in the other life, 1627, 1628, 1629.

Arise, To (surgere). To arise signifies some elevation, 2401, 2785, 2912, 2927, 4103; elevation, and man is said to be elevated by means of spiritual and celestial things, 3171, 4103. To arise denotes elevation into a state of light, 4881, 6010; elucidation, 6010. To arise in the morning denotes to be elevated to heaven, and, in the opposite sense, to be depressed to hell, 10413. See MORNING. To arise in the morning, when spoken of the evil, denotes elevation to attention, 7435. To arise early in the morning denotes a state of enlightenment, 3458, 3723. The interiors are elevated: see To BE ELEVATED and To ASCEND.

Aristotle (Aristoteles). On the scholastics and metaphysicians; several matters about Aristotle, 4658. Aristotle's thought about the Supreme Deity, the Lord, and the spirit of man, 4658:4. Concerning the woman seen by Aristotle, 4658:5.

Ark (arca). Noah's Ark. What is signified by the ark, 639.

Joseph's Ark. An ark, being that in which something is concealed, thus denotes concealment; hence the Ark of the Testimony because the law was therein, 6596.

Moses' Ark. Moses, when an infant, was placed in a little ark, because he represented the Divine Law and the Lord as to the Divine Law, 6723:3. A coffer of bulrush denotes what is mean, but still derived from truth, 6723, 6732.

The Ark of the Testimony. [See also Joseph's Ark.] The Divine Law was in the ark, and the ark represented the Lord as to the Divine Law, 6723:3. The ark denotes the inmost heaven, where the Lord is: shown, 9485. The tent and the ark represented heaven, where the Lord is, 9457, 9481:2.

[Arkites (Arki). What the Arkites signifies, 1205.

Arm (brachium). See HAND and SHOULDER. The body exercises its forces and powers by means of the arms and hands, 4933. A naked arm, in the other life, is of such great power, 878e. The naked arm was seen bent forward, 4934, 4935. Those in the Grand Man who correspond to the hands, arms, and shoulders, are they who are in power by means of the faith of truth from good, 4932.

Hands, arms, and shoulders are predicated respecting truth, by which are signified powers, in the internal sense, 3091. Arms, power, 574; strength: references, 10019:6. Arms signify strength, and hands, power, 4934. Hands signify power, and arm, still greater power, 1085. The arm of Jehovah denotes the Lord as to the Divine Human, 8099:3. To make flesh his arm denotes to trust in himself and to what is his own, and not to the Divine, 10283:7. A stretched-out arm, when spoken of the Lord, denotes Divine Power, 7205. An arm not stretched out, but bent, signifies power in the general sense, 7205. When it is said, respecting Jehovah, that He stretched out the hand or arm, it denotes unlimited or infinite power in action, 7673. The right hand of God, and the arm of His strength, signifies the Lord as to the Divine Truth, 8281:5.

Armlet. See BRACELETS.

Arms. See WEAPONS.]

Army (exercitus). The sons of Israel were divided into armies that they might represent the Lord's kingdom as to goods and truths, 7236. Jehovah Zebaoth, or of Hosts, was so called from Divine truths, and because He fights for man, 3448:6. Angels are called the hosts of Jehovah, also the sun, moon, and stars; and the Lord is, therefore, Jehovah of Hosts: shown, 7988:5.

By armies are signified truths, and, in the opposite sense, falsities, because by these there is combat: shown, 3448:8. Armies denotes the genera and species of good in truths, 7236. As to armies denotes that they are distinct as to the quality of good from truth, 8019. The armies of Jehovah denotes goods and truths: shown, 7988. The armies of Pharaoh denotes falsities from evils, thus those who are in faith separated, and in a life of evil, 8138. The horses of Pharaoh and the Egyptians denotes scientifics from a perverse understanding; horsemen, reasonings therefrom; chariots, the doctrinals of falsity; armies, the falsities themselves, 8146:3, 8148. War in general and weapons of war signify spiritual combats; such armies are the truths and goods by which they are fought. See WAR, BOW, SWORD, SHIELD, and ENEMY.

[Aromatics. See SPICE.

Around. See ROUND ABOUT.]

Arphaxad (Arphachschad). What Arphaxad signifies, 1230, 1339, 1341.

Arrogance (fastus). See LOVE OF SELF.

Arrow (sagitta). See BOW.

[Arrow-Snake. See under SERPENT.

Arsenal (armamnentarium). Arsenals signify such things as are of truths fighting against falsity, and, in the opposite sense, of falsity fighting against truths, 6661:2. See also STOREHOUSES.]

Art (ars). The arts of magicians unknown in the world, 831.

Artificer (artilex). Artificer denotes one who is wise, intelligent, knowing, 424.

Ascend, To (ascendere). [See also To ARISE.] What to ascend signifies, 1543. To ascend refers to what is external, and denotes from the exterior to the interior, 3084. To ascend is predicated respecting going towards interiors: shown, 4539, 4969; it denotes elevation towards interiors, 5817, 6007; also to recede and depart; concerning which signification, 5964; to conjoin, 8760; conjunction, 9373. God ascended from above him in that place denotes the Divine in that state, 4578. To ascend denotes going towards interiors; to descend denotes towards exteriors, 5406.

Asher (Ascher). Asher was so called from blessedness; what Asher signifies, 3938, 3939. See BLESSEDNESS. Asher denotes the blessing of the affections, 6408.

Ashes (cinis). [See also under ALTAR.] Ashes denotes falsity from the evil of lusts, 7520. Ashes of the altar denotes those things which are to be removed after use, lest they should oppose other uses: shown, 9723. Cinders of the furnace denotes falsities of lusts, 7519, 7520.

Ashkenaz (Askenas). What Ashkenaz S., 1154.

Ask, To, Asking (interrogare, interrogatio). Why men are asked by the Lord, when yet He knows all things, 2693; shown, 6132. To ask denotes to examine, 3385; and to perceive the thought of another; the reason, 5597, 5800. Questions in the sense of the letter, in the supreme sense, denotes acknowledgment, 4358; also cognition from perception, 6250. To ask Jehovah, when it relates to the Lord, denotes a state of communication, 3291; to be instructed in the truths and goods of the Church and worship, 10548.

Ass, She-Ass (asinus, asina). [See also OX.] A judge rode on a she-ass, the sons of a judge on young asses, a king on a she-mule, his sons on mules, 2871. How the Lord's riding on a she-ass is a sign of the highest judgment and kingdom is explained, 9212:5. What ass and she-ass signifies, 1486. Ass denotes a scientific, 5492; the natural, 8078. Asses denotes scientifics, 5958; also she-asses, 5959. Asses, when they served for riding, denotes rational truth, because this was a sign of the judicial office and kingship; but asses which served for carrying burdens denotes scientifics, 5741:2. To ride upon an ass denotes to serve the intelligence, 7024. A bony ass denotes the lowest service, 6389. The firstborn of an ass denotes the mind merely natural, 8078. The son of a she-ass denotes rational truth, 2781:5. What is signified by the Lord riding on a she-ass and a foal, 2781:8. Ass denotes natural truth, and mule denotes rational truth: shown, 2781. What ploughing with an ox and an ass together signifies, 10669:5.

Ass, Wild (onager). Wild ass denotes rational truth; described, 1949-1951.

Assembly (coetus). See CONGREGATION [and To MEET (convenire).]

Asshur (Aschur). Asshur signifies the rational mind, 119; reason and ratiocination, 1186.

Assyria (Assyria). See ASSHUR.

[Astonished, To be. See under AMAZEMENT.]

Asylum (asylum). They who injure anyone as to spiritual life by means of falsities of religion which they believed to be truths, were represented by those who fled to an asylum: shown, 9011.

Atmosphere (atmosphaera). Into all forms that subsist intrinsic and extrinsic forces act; inward forces are alive, outward forces are not alive, but they correspond to each other, 3628:2. They who are from the Most Ancient Church have delightful auras, 1116. The atmospheres in the other life, 1621. There are most beautiful atmospheres around infants, 2297.

Attraction (attractio). The life which is from the Lord appears attractive: shown, 8604:3. All love appears attractive, 8604:3.

Aura (aura). See ATMOSPHERE.

Authority (auctoritas). The sphere of authority belonging to a certain one born into dignity, 1507. The sphere of authority is tempered by goodness, and honour is bestowed on those who are born into authority, 1508.

Avarice (avaritia). Concerning the Jews and the robbers in the desert, 940. Concerning the sordidly avaricious and their hells; they are infested by mice, 938, 954; they are where there are excoriated bogs, 939. Into what phantasies avarice is turned, in the other life, 954. They who are in filthy avarice are in the love of self more than others, although it does not so appear outwardly, and thence they are against all good whatsoever, 4751:2. The avaricious who are in the higher part of the stomach infuse anxieties, 6202.

Avert, To (avertere). See To TURN.

Awake, To (expergisci). To awake denotes to be enlightened, 3715, 5208. 5218.

Axe (securis). What is signified by an axe to cut wood in a forest, 9011:3. See WOOD.

[Azure. See BLUE.]

/ 26  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3933

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

3933. 'And Zilpah, Leah's servant-girl, bore Jacob a son' means acknowledgement, that is to say, of external truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'bearing' as acknowledgement; from the meaning of 'a servant-girl' as an affirmative means joining two together; and from the meaning of 'a son' as truth, dealt with in 489, 491, 533, 1147.

  
/ 10837  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2781

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

2781. 'And saddled [his] ass' means the natural man which He prepared. This is clear from the meaning of 'an ass', dealt with below. In man there are things of the will and there are those of the understanding; with the former go those things which spring from good, with the latter those which spring from truth. There are various kinds of animals, by which things of the will springing from good are meant, such as lambs, sheep, goats, she-goats, young bulls, and oxen, see 1823, 2179, 2180; and there are also those by which are meant things of the understanding springing from truth, namely horses, mules, wild asses, camels, and asses, in addition to birds. 'A horse' means the understanding part of the mind, as has been shown above in 2761, 2762; 'a wild ass' means rational truth separated from good, see 1949; and 'a camel' means factual knowledge in general, and 'an ass' factual knowledge in particular, see 1486.

[2] There are two elements which constitute the natural degree of man's mind, or what amounts to the same, the natural man - natural good and natural truth. Natural good is the delight that flows forth from charity and faith, natural truth is knowledge of these. That natural truth is what is meant by 'an ass', and rational truth by 'a mule', becomes clear from the following places:In Isaiah,

A prophecy of the beasts of the south. In the land of distress and repression are the lion and the tiger, and from them come the viper and the flying fiery-serpent. They will bear their riches on the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures on the humps of camels - on a people [who] will not be any use [to them]; for the Egyptians will help in vain and to no advantage. Isaiah 30:6-7.

The expression 'the beasts of the south' is used of those who possess cognitions of good and truth but who make them matters of knowledge, not of life. In reference to those beasts it is said that those people 'bear their riches on the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures on the humps of camels', for the reason that 'young asses' means facts in particular, and 'camels' facts in general. 'The Egyptians', of whom it is said that they will help in vain and to no advantage, means knowledge, see 1164, 1165, 1186. It is evident to anyone that this prophecy has an internal sense and that without this it is understood by nobody, for without the internal sense no one can know what 'the prophecy of the beasts of the south' is, or what 'the lion and the tiger', or what 'the viper and the flying fiery-serpent', or what is meant by the words that 'those beasts were to bear their riches on the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures on the humps of camels', or why the assertion immediately follows that 'the Egyptians will help in vain and to no advantage'. 'Ass' is used with a like meaning in Israel's prophecy concerning Issachar, in Moses,

Issachar is a bony ass lying down between burdens. Genesis 49:14.

[3] In Zechariah,

This will be the plague with which Jehovah will smite all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem. It will be a plague of the horse, the mule, the camel, and the ass, and every beast. Zechariah 14:12, 15.

'The horse, the mule, the camel, and the ass' means things of the understanding residing in man which will suffer from the plague. This is clear from every single detail before and after those verses, for the subject there is the plagues which are to precede the Last Judgement or. Close of the Age and to which John makes much reference in Revelation, as do the rest of the Prophets in various places. Those who are going to wage war at that time against Jerusalem, that is, against the Lord's spiritual Church and its truths, are meant by those animals. It will be the things of the understanding that will suffer from such plagues

[4] In Isaiah,

Blessed are you who sow beside all waters, who send forth the foot of the ox and the ass. Isaiah 32:20.

'Sowing beside all waters' stands for those who allow themselves to be taught spiritual things - 'waters' meaning spiritual things and so things that constitute an understanding of truth, see 680, 739, 2702. 'Who send forth the foot of the ox and the ass' stands for natural things that are to be of service, 'ox' meaning the natural as regards good, 2180, 2566, 'ass' the natural as regards truth.

[5] In Moses,

Binding his young ass to the vine and the foal 1 of his she-ass to the choice vine. He washes his vesture in wine and his cloak in the blood of grapes. Genesis 49:11.

This is the prophecy of Jacob, by then Israel, concerning the Lord. 'The vine' and 'the choice vine' stand for the spiritual Church, external and internal, 1069. 'Young ass' stands for natural truth, 'the foal of a she-ass' for rational truth. The reason 'the foal of a she-ass' means rational truth is that 'a she ass' means the affection for natural truth, 1486, while her foal means rational truth, see 1895, 1896, 1902, 1910.

[6] In former times a judge used to ride on a she-ass and his sons on young asses, the reason being that judges represented the goods of the Church and their sons truths derived from those goods. A king however used to ride on a she-mule and his sons on mules, the reason being that kings and their sons represented the truths of the Church, see 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069. The fact that a judge rode on a she-ass is clear in the Book of Judges,

My heart goes out to the law-givers of Israel offering themselves willingly among the people. Bless Jehovah, you who ride on white she-asses, you who sit on Middin. 2 Judges 5:9-10.

The fact that judges' sons rode on young asses,

Jair the judge over Israel had thirty sons who rode on thirty young asses. Judges 10:3-4.

And elsewhere in the same book,

Abdon the judge of Israel had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy young asses. Judges 12:14.

David said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord and cause Solomon my son to ride on the she-mule which is mine. And they caused Solomon to ride on King David's she-mule. And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king in Gihon. 1 Kings 1:33, 38, 44-45.

The fact that the king's sons rode on mules,

All King David's sons arose, and they rode each on his mule and fled because of Absalom. 2 Samuel 13:29.

[7] From all this it is evident that riding on a she-ass indicated the judge, and riding on a she-mule the king; riding on a young ass indicated the judge's sons, and doing so on a mule the king's sons. They indicated these personages because, as has been stated, 'a she-ass' represented and meant the affection for natural good and truth, 'a she-mule' the affection for rational truth, 'an ass or young ass' natural truth itself, and 'a mule' as well as 'the foal of a she-ass' rational truth. This shows what is meant by the prophetical words that refer to the Lord, in Zechariah,

Exult, O daughter of Zion! Rejoice, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King will come to you. He is just and having salvation, humble and riding on an ass, and on a young ass, the foal of she-asses. His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. Zechariah 9:9-10.

The fact that the Lord wished to ride on these when He was about to enter Jerusalem is well known from the Gospels. The event is referred to in Matthew as follows,

Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a she-ass tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. This took place to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet saying, Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your King is coming to you, meek seated on a she-ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden. And they brought the she-ass and the colt and laid their garments on them and set Him on them. Matthew 21:2, 4-5, 7.

[8] 'Riding on an ass' served to indicate that the natural was subordinate, and 'riding on a colt, the foal of a she-ass' that the rational was so; for 'the foal of a she-ass' is similar in meaning to 'a mule', as has been shown above, where Genesis 49:11 is referred to. 3 From this - the spiritual meaning of these animals - and because it was the right of the supreme judge and of the king to ride on them, and at the same time so that He might fulfil the representatives of the Church, the Lord was pleased to ride in this way. His doing so is described in John as follows,

The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel! Jesus found a young ass and sat on it, as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on a she-ass's colt! These things however His disciples had not understood at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of Him, and that they had done these things for Him. John 12:12-16; Mark 11:1-12; Luke 19:28-41.

[9] From an this it may now be clear that every single thing in the Church of that period was representative of the Lord, and consequently of the celestial and spiritual things that are in His kingdom; even the she-ass and the colt of the she-ass were so, which represented the natural man as regards good and truth. The reason for the representation was that the natural man ought to serve the rational, and the rational to serve the spiritual; but the spiritual ought to serve the celestial, and the celestial to serve the Lord. This is the order in which one is subordinated to another.

[10] Because 'an ox and an ass' meant the natural man as regards good and truth many laws were therefore laid down in which oxen and asses are mentioned. At first glance these laws do not seem to be worthy of mention in the Divine Word, but when they are interpreted as to their internal sense, that which is spiritual and of great importance is seen within these laws, such as the following laws in Moses,

If anyone opens a pit, or if anyone digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or an ass falls into it, the owner of the pit shall recompense its owner with silver, and the dead animal shall be his. Exodus 21:33-34.

If you meet your enemy's ox or his ass going astray you shall certainly lead it back to him. If you see the ass of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you are disinclined to remove it, you shall certainly help to remove it from it. Exodus 23:4-5; Deuteronomy 22:1, 3.

You shall not see your brother's ass or ox falling down in the road and hide yourself from them; you shall certainly help to lift them. Deuteronomy 22:4.

You shall not plough with an ox and an ass together. You shall not wear mingled material made of wool and linen together. Deuteronomy 22:10-11.

Six days you shall do your works, and on the seventh day you shall rest, in order that your ox and your ass may rest, and the son of your woman servant, and the settler. Exodus 23:12.

Here 'ox and ass' in the spiritual sense means nothing other than natural good and truth.

Footnotes:

1. literally, the son

2. A Hebrew word, the meaning of which is uncertain.

3. i.e. in subsection 5 of this paragraph 378:5

  
/ 10837  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.