251. The reason why the “serpent” means all evil in general, and specifically the love of self, is that all evil has had its rise from that sensuous part of the mind, and also from that memory-knowledge [scientifico], which at first were signified by the “serpent;” and therefore it here denotes evil of every kind, and specifically the love of self, or hatred against the neighbor and the Lord, which is the same thing. As this evil or hatred was various, consisting of numerous genera and still more numerous species, it is described in the Word by various kinds of serpents, as “snakes” “cockatrices” “asps” “adders” “fiery serpents” “serpents that fly” and “that creep” and “vipers” according to the differences of the poison, which is hatred. Thus we read in Isaiah:

Rejoice not thou, whole Philistia, because the rod which smiteth thee is broken, for out of the serpent’s root shall go forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a flying fire-serpent (Isaiah 14:29).The “serpent’s root” denotes that part of the mind, or that principle, which is connected with the senses and with memory-knowledge [est sensuale et scientificum]; the “cockatrice” denotes evil originating in the falsity thence derived; and the “flying fire-serpent” the cupidity that comes from the love of self. By the same Prophet also similar things are elsewhere thus described:

They hatch cockatrice’s eggs, and weave the spider’s web; he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and when it is crushed there cometh out a viper (Isaiah 59:5).

The serpent described here in Genesis is called in the Revelation the “great and red dragon” and the “old serpent” and also the “devil and satan” that “deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:3, 9; 20:2), where, and also in other places, by the “devil” is not meant any particular devil who is prince over the others, but the whole crew of evil spirits, and evil itself.

1162. That 'the sons of Ham' means things that belong to separated faith follows from what appears above. To know what 'Ham' means and from that 'the sons of Ham', one must know what faith separated from charity is. Faith separated from charity is no faith. And where there is no faith there is no worship, neither internal nor external. If any worship does exist it is corrupted worship, and this is why 'Ham' likewise means corrupted internal worship. The individual belief is false in people who apply the term 'faith' to a mere knowledge of celestial and spiritual things separated from charity. For sometimes the most evil people of all - such as those who have led lives continually hating, getting revenge, and committing adultery, and who are therefore like those in hell and after life in the body become devils - are more knowledgeable than others. From this it becomes clear that knowledge is not faith. Rather, faith is the acknowledgement of the things that belong to faith; and that acknowledgement is in no way external but internal, being the operation of the Lord alone through the charity present with a person. Nor is acknowledgement in any way of the lips but of the life. It is from a person's life that the nature of his acknowledgement may be known. All who have a knowledge of the cognitions of faith but have no charity are called 'the sons of Ham'. Whether their knowledge is a knowledge of the interior cognitions of the Word and its deepest mysteries, or a knowledge of all that the literal sense of the Word contains, or a knowledge of other truths, from which these may be regarded, no matter what name they are given, or whether it is a knowledge of all the rituals that constitute external worship, they are 'sons of Ham' if they have no charity. That those called 'the sons of Ham' are such is clear from the nations now under discussion.