1672. And the kings that were with him. That this signifies the apparent truth which is of that good, is evident from the signification of “kings” in the Word. “Kings,” “kingdoms,” and “peoples,” in the historical and the prophetical parts of the Word, signify truths and the things which are of truths, as may be abundantly confirmed. In the Word an accurate distinction is made between a “people” and a “nation;” by a “people” are signified truths, and by a “nation” goods, as before shown (n. 1259, 1260). “Kings” are predicated of peoples, but not so much of nations. Before the sons of Israel sought for kings, they were a nation, and represented good, or the celestial; but after they desired a king, and received one, they became a people, and did not represent good or the celestial, but truth or the spiritual; which was the reason why this was imputed to them as a fault (see 1 Samuel 8:7-22, concerning which subject, of the Lord’s Divine mercy elsewhere). As Chedorlaomer is named here, and it is added, “the kings that were with him,” both good and truth are signified; by “Chedorlaomer,” good, and by “the kings,” truth. But what was the quality of the good and truth at the beginning of the Lord’s temptations has already been stated.

10107. 'And the bread which is in the basket' means making celestial good from the Lord their own. This is clear from the meaning of 'eating' - at this point, eating the bread - as making one's own, as immediately above in 10106; from the meaning of 'the bread' as the good of love and charity, dealt with in 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4217, 4735, 4976, 5915, 6118, 9323, 9545; and from the meaning of 'the basket' as the level of the outward senses, dealt with in 9996. From these meanings it is evident that 'eating the bread which is in the basket' means making good from the Lord on outward levels their own. The bread in the basket consisted of unleavened loaves, unleavened cakes, and unleavened wafers, by which purified good is meant, both inward and outward kinds of it, 9992-9994. When therefore the words 'the bread in the basket' are used all those kinds of good present on the level of the outward senses are meant, that level being the last and lowest of a person's life, containing inward things all together within itself.

The level of the outward senses is the last and lowest of a person's life, see 5077, 5081, 5094, 5125, 5128, 5767, 6183, 6311, 6313, 6318, 6564, 7645, 9212, 9216, 9730, 9996.

That level contains all inward things, because it is last and lowest, 6451, 6465, 9216, 9828, 9836, 10044.