5135. For in being carried off by theft I was carried away. That this signifies that celestial things were alienated by evil, is evident from the representation of Joseph, who says these things of himself, as being the celestial in the natural (n. 5086, 5087, 5106), consequently the celestial things therein; and from the signification of “being carried off by theft,” as being to be alienated by evil; for “to steal” is to alienate, and “theft” is the evil which alienates, and also the evil which claims the celestial things that are in the natural. “Theft” signifies alienation in respect to the abode of which it takes possession, and from which it casts out goods and truths, and which it fills with evils and falsities; “theft” also signifies the claiming of what belongs to others when it attributes to itself and makes its own the goods and truths which are in that abode, and also when it applies them to evils and falsities. That it may be known what “theft” is in the spiritual sense, it is necessary to state how the case is with evils and falsities when they enter and take possession of the abode, and also when they claim the goods and truths which are there.

[2] From infancy until childhood, and sometimes till early manhood, by instruction from his parents and teachers a man is imbued with goods and truths; for he then learns them with avidity, and believes them in simplicity. The state of innocence favors them and adapts them to the memory, but places them only at the first threshold; for the innocence of infancy and childhood is not internal innocence which affects the rational, but is external innocence which affects only the exterior natural (see n. 2306, 3183, 3494, 4563, 4797). But when the man grows older and begins to think from himself, and not as before from parents and teachers, he then takes up again and as it were ruminates the things which he had before learned and believed, and either confirms them, or doubts about them, or denies them. If he confirms them, it is a sign that he is in good; if he denies them, it is a sign that he is in evil; but if he doubts about them, it is a sign that in succeeding years he will accede either to the affirmative or to the negative.

[3] The things which man as a little child in its first age learns eagerly or believes, and which he afterward either confirms, or doubts about, or denies, are especially these: that there is a God, and that He is one; that He has created all things; that He rewards those who do well, and punishes those who do evil; that there is a life after death, in which the evil go to hell and the good to heaven, thus that there is a hell and a heaven, and that the life after death is eternal; also that he ought to pray daily, and this with humility; that the Sabbath day is to be kept holy; that parents are to be honored; and that no one must commit adultery, murder, or theft; with other like things. These things man imbibes and is imbued with from early childhood; but when he begins to think from himself and to lead himself, if he confirms such things in himself, and adds to them things which are still more interior, and lives according to them, then it is well with him; but if he begins to infringe these things, and at last to deny them, however much for the sake of civil laws and for the sake of society he may live in externals according to them, he is then in evil.

[4] This evil is what is signified by “theft,” insofar as like a thief it takes possession of the abode in which good has been before, and insofar as with many it takes away the goods and truths which had been there before, and applies them to confirm evils and falsities. The Lord insofar as possible then removes from that abode the goods and truths of early childhood, and withdrawing them toward the interiors stores them up in the interior natural for use. These goods and truths stored up in the interior natural are signified in the Word by “remains” (see n. 468, 530, 560, 561, 660, 661, 1050, 1738, 1906, 2284). But if evil steals the goods and truths there, and applies them to confirm evils and falsities, especially if it does this from deceit, then it consumes these remains; for it then mingles evils with goods and falsities with truths till they cannot be separated, and then it is all over with the man.

[5] That such things are signified by “theft,” may be seen from the mere application of “theft” to the things of spiritual life. In spiritual life there are no other riches than the knowledges of good and truth, and no other possessions and inheritances than the felicities of life arising from goods and their truths. As before said, to steal these things is “theft” in the spiritual sense; and therefore by “thefts,” in the Word, nothing else is signified in the internal sense; as in Zechariah:

I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, when behold a flying roll. Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth upon the faces of the whole earth; for everyone that stealeth hence, like it is innocent; and everyone that sweareth, like it is innocent. I have cast it forth that it may enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth by My name for lying; and it shall pass the night in his house, and shall consume it and the wood thereof and the stones thereof (Zech. 5:1, 3-4

the evil which takes away the remains of good is signified by “him that stealeth,” and by the “house of the thief;” and the falsity which takes away the remains of truth is signified by “him that sweareth,” and by the “house of him that sweareth for lying;” the “faces of the whole earth” denote the universal church; therefore it is said that “the curse shall consume the house and the wood thereof and the stones thereof.” The “house” is the natural mind or man as to this mind (n. 3128, 3538, 4973, 5023); “wood” is the goods therein (n. 2784, 2812, 3720, 4943); and the “stones” are truths (n. 643, 1298, 3720).

[6] Profanation and hence the taking away of good and truth are signified in the spiritual sense by the deed of Achan, who took of the accursed things a mantle of Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold, and hid them in the earth in the midst of his tent, and who therefore was stoned, and all the things were burned; as is related in Joshua:

Jehovah said unto Joshua, Israel hath sinned, they have transgressed My covenant which I commanded them; and they have taken of the accursed thing, and have stolen, lied, and have put it among their vessels (Josh. 7:10-11, 21, 25);

by “accursed things” were meant falsities and evils, which were in no wise to be mixed up with holy things; the “mantle of Shinar, shekels of silver, and wedge of gold” are in the spiritual sense species of falsity; “hiding them under the earth in the midst of the tent” signified a commixture with holy things. (That a “tent” denotes what is holy may be seen above, n. 414, 1102, 1566, 2145, 2152, 3312, 4128, 4391, 4599.) These things were signified by Israel’s “stealing, lying, and putting it among their vessels;” for “vessels” are holy truths (see n. 3068, 3079, 3316, 3318).

[7] In Jeremiah:

I will bring the issue of Esau upon him, the time that I shall visit him. If grape gatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grape gleanings? If thieves by night, would they not destroy a sufficiency? I will strip Esau, I will uncover his secret things, and he shall not be able to hide, his seed is devastated, and his brethren, and his neighbors, and he is not (Jeremiah 49:8-10); where “Esau” denotes the evil of the love of self to which falsities are adjoined (n. 3322). That this evil consumes the remains of good and truth is signified by “thieves in the night destroying a sufficiency;” and by “his seed, his brethren, and his neighbors being devastated, and he is not.” “Seed” denotes the truths which are of faith from charity (n. 1025, 1447, 1610, 1940, 2848, 3038, 3310, 3373); “brethren” denote the goods which are of charity (n. 367, 2360, 2508, 2524, 3160, 3303, 3459, 3815, 4121, 4191); “neighbors” denote the adjoined and related truths and goods which belong to him.

[8] Something similar is said of Esau in Obadiah:

If thieves come to thee, if overthrowers by night (how wilt thou be cut off!) will they not steal till they have enough? If grape gatherers come to thee, will they not leave some clusters? (Obad. 1:5);

“grape gatherers” denote falsities which are not from evil; by these falsities the goods and truths stored up by the Lord in man’s interior natural (that is, remains) are not consumed, but by falsities derived from evils, which steal truths and goods and also by wrong applications employ them to confirm evils and falsities.

[9] In Joel:

A great people and mighty, they shall run like heroes; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march everyone in his ways; they shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run on the wall; they shall climb up into the houses; they shall enter in through the windows like a thief (Joel 2:2, 7, 9);

a “great people and mighty” denotes falsities fighting against truths (n. 1259, 1260); and because they fight mightily in destroying truths, they are said to be “like heroes and men of war;” the “city” through which they are said to “run to and fro” denotes the doctrinals of truth (n. 402, 2268, 2449, 2712, 2943, 3216); the “houses into which they shall climb” denote the goods which they destroy (n. 710, 1708, 2048, 2233, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4982); the “windows through which they shall enter in” denote things intellectual and the derivative reasonings (n. 655, 658, 3391); hence they are compared to a “thief,” because they take possession of the abode previously occupied by truths and goods.

[10] In David:

As thou hatest discipline, and castest My words behind thee; if thou seest a thief thou runnest with him, and thy part is with adulterers. Thou openest thy mouth for evil, and with thy tongue thou weavest deceit (Psalms 50:17-19);

speaking of a wicked person, “to run with a thief” denotes to alienate truth from himself by means of falsity.

[11] In Revelation:

They repented not of their murders, nor of their enchantments, nor of their whoredoms, nor of their thefts (Revelation 9:21);

“murders” denote evils which destroy goods; “enchantments,” falsities therefrom which destroy truths; “whoredoms,” truths falsified; “thefts” goods thus alienated.

[12] In John:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not through the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in through the door is the shepherd of the sheep. I am the door; through Me if anyone enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and shall find pasture. The thief cometh not but to steal, and to murder, and to destroy (John 10:1-2, 9-10);

here again a “thief” denotes the evil of merit; for he who takes away from the Lord what is His, and claims it for himself, is called a “thief.” As this evil closes the way and prevents good and truth from the Lord from flowing in, it is said “to murder” and “to destroy.” The same is signified by the commandment in the Decalogue:

Thou shalt not steal (Deuteronomy 5:19; see n. 4174).

From all this it is evident what is signified by the laws enacted in the Jewish Church in regard to thefts (as in Exodus 21:16; 22:1-4; Deuteronomy 24:7); for as all the laws in that church originated in the spiritual world, they correspond to the laws of order which are in heaven.

5135. ‘Quia furto auferendo ablatus sum’: quod significet quod caelestia abalienata sint per malum, constat a repraesentatione ‘Josephi’ qui de se illa dicit, quod sit caeleste in naturali, de qua n. 5086, 5087, 5106, consequenter caelestia ibi; et ex significatione ‘furto auferri’ quod sit abalienari per malum; ‘furari’ enim est abalienare, et ‘furtum’ est malum quod abalienat, et quoque ‘furtum’ est malum quod vindicat sibi illa quae ibi; furtum significat abalienationem respective ad sedem quam occupat e qua ejicit bona et vera et implet malis et falsis, et furtum significat vindicationem aliorum, cum bona et vera quae in sede illa, sibi attribuit et sua facit, et quoque quando applicat illa malis et falsis; ut sciatur, quid furtum in sensu spirituali, dicendum quomodo se habet cum malis et falsis cum intrant et occupant sedem, et quoque cum vindicant sibi bona et vera quae ibi:

[2] homo ab infantia usque ad pueritiam, et quandoque ad primam adolescentiam imbuit bona et vera per instructionem a parentibus et magistris, arripit enim tunc illa et simpliciter credit; status innocentiae promovet, et inaptat illa memoriae, sed locat in primo limine, nam innocentia infantilis et puerilis non est innocentia interna quae afficit rationale, sed est innocentia externa quae solum afficit naturale exterius, n. 2306, 3183, ¹ 3494, 4563, 4797; cum autem homo provehitur aetate, et incipit cogitare non sicut prius a parentibus et magistris sed a semet, tunc resumit et quasi ruminat illa quae prius didicerat et crediderat, et illa vel confirmat, vel de illis dubitat, vel illa negat; si illa confirmat, indicium est quod in bono sit; si autem negat, indicium est quod in malo sit; si autem de illis dubitat, indicium est quod succedente aetate vel ad affirmativum vel ad negativum accedat;

[3] quae homo ut infans prima aetate arripit vel ² credit, et quae dein vel confirmat, vel de quibus dubitat, vel quae negat, sunt imprimis quod Deus sit, et is unus ³ , quod Ille creaverat omnia, quod Ille remuneret illos qui bene agunt et puniat illos qui mala faciunt, quod vita sit post mortem, et quod mali veniant in infernum et boni in caelum, ita quod infernum et caelum sint, quod vita post mortem sit aeterna tum quod quotidie orandum, et hoc humiliter, quod dies sabbati sancte habendi, parentes honorandi, non adulterandum, non occidendum, non furandum, et plura similia; hac haurit et imbui homo ab infantia, at cum incipit ex se cogitare et semet ducere, si talia apud se confirmat, et superaddit plura quae adhuc interior sunt, et vivit secundum illa, tunc bene cum illo est; ast si incipit infringere illa, et tandem negare, utcumque secundum illa propter leges civiles et propter societates in externis vivit, tunc in malo est;

[4] hoc malum est quod significatur per ‘furtum’,

quatenus id sicut fur occupat sedem ubi prius fuit bonum, et apud plures quatenus id bona et vera quae prius ibi fuerant, aufert et applicat ad confirmanda mala et falsa; Dominus quantum possibile est, bona et vera infantiae tunc removet a sede illa et versus interiora retrahit, ac illa in interiore naturali reponit in usum; haec bona et vera in interiore naturali reposita in Verbo significantur per reliquias ⁴ , de quibus n. 468, 530, 560, 561, 660, 661, 1050, 1738, 1906, 2284; at si malum furatur ibi bona et vera et applicat illa ad confirmanda mala et falsa, imprimis si ex dolo, tunc reliquias illas consumit, nam tunc commiscet mala bonis et falsa veris, usque adeo ut separari nequeant, et tunc actum est cum homine.

[5] Quod per ‘furtum’ talia significentur, constare potest ex sola applicatione furti ad illa quae vitae spiritualis sunt; in vita ⁵ spirituali non aliae opes sunt quam cognitiones boni et veri, nec aliae possessiones et hereditates quam felicitates vitae quae ex bonis et inde veris, illa furari, sicut supra dictum, est ‘furtum’ in sensu spirituali; quapropter per furta in Verbo non aliud in sensu interno significatur, ut apud Zachariam, Sustuli oculos meos et vidi, cum ecce volumen volans, ... tum dixit ad me, Haec maledictio, exiens super facies totius terrae, nam omnis furans hinc, sicut illa innocens, et omnis pejerans sicut illa innocens: ejeci illam, ... ut ingrediatur in domum furis, et in domum pejerantis per nomen Meum pro mendacio; et pernoctet in domo ejus, et consumat eam, et ligna ejus et lapides ejus, 5:1-4;

malum quod aufert reliquias boni significatur per ‘furantem et per domum furis’, et falsum quod aufert reliquias veri significatur per ‘pejerantem et domum pejerantis’; ‘facies totius terrae’ pro universa Ecclesia; ideo dicitur ⁶ quod ‘maledictio illa consumet domum, et ligna ejus et lapides ejus’, ‘domus’ est mens naturalis seu homo quoad illam, n. 3128, 3538, 4973, 5023; ‘ligna’ sunt bona ibi, n. 2784, ⁷ 2812, 3720, 4943; et ‘lapides’ sunt vera, n. 643, 1298, 3720.

[6] Profanatio et inde ablatio boni et veri in spirituali sensu significatur per factum Achanis, quod sumpserit de devotis togam Shinearis, ducentos siclos argenti, et linguam auri, et abscondiderit illa sub ⁸ terra in medio tentorii sui; quapropter ille lapidatus, et omnia combusta ⁹ , de quibus ita ¹⁰ apud Joshuam, Jehovah ad Joshuam, Peccavit Israel, transgressi sunt foedus Meum quod praecepi illis, et sumpserunt de devotione, furati sunt, mentiti, et posuerunt inter vasa sua, 7:11, 21, 25; per ‘devota’ significabantur falsa et mala, quae nequaquam commiscenda essent sanctis; ‘toga Shinearis, sicli argenti et lingua auri’ in sensu spirituali sunt species falsi; ‘recondere illa sub terra in medio tentorii’ significabat commixtionem cum sanctis; quod ‘tentorium’ sit sanctum videatur n. 414, 1102, 1566, 2145, 2152, 3312, ¹¹ 4128, 4391, 4599; haec significata sunt per quod ‘furati sint mentiti, et posuerint inter vasa sua’, ‘vasa’ enim sunt sancta ver n. 3068, 3079, 3316, 3318:

[7] apud Jeremiam,

¹² Exitum Esavi adducam super eum, tempus visitabo eum; si vindemiatores venerint tibi, nonne relinquent racemationes? si fures in nocte, corrumpentne sufficientiam? Ego denudat Esavum, revelabo occulta ejus, et abscondi non poterit; devastatum est semen ejus, et fratres ejus, et vicini ejus, et non ille, 49:8-10;

‘Esau’ pro malo amoris sui cui falsa adjuncta, n. 3322; quod id malum consumat reliquias boni et veri, significatur per quod ‘fures in nocte corrumpant sufficientiam’ et quod ‘devastatum sit semen ejus, fratre ejus, et vicini ejus, ¹³ et non ille’; ‘semen’ pro veris quae sunt fide ex charitate, n. 1025, 1447, 1610, 1940, 2848, 3038, 3310, 3373, ‘fratre’ pro bonis quae charitatis, n. 367, 2508, 2524, 2360, 3160, 3303, 3459, 3815, 4121, 4191, ‘vicini’ pro adjunctis et affinibus veris et boni quae ejus.

[8] Similiter de Esavo apud Obadiam, Si fures venerint tibi, si eversores noctu, quomodo excisus eris; nonne furabuntur quod illis satis? si vindemiatores venerint tibi, nonne relinquent racemos?

vers. 5; ‘vindemiatores’ pro falsis quae non ex malo, per illa falsa non consumuntur bona et vera [in] interiore naturali apud hominem a Domino reposita, hoc est, ‘reliquiae’, sed per falsa ex malis, quae ¹⁴ furantur vera et bona, et quoque ad confirmanda mala et falsa per applicatione sinistras adhibentur:

[9] apud Joelem,

Populus magnus [et] validus, ... sicut heroes current, sicut viri belli, conscendent murum, ac quilibet in viis suis pergent; ... in urbe discurrent, in muro current, in domos ascendent, per fenestras ingredientur sicut fur, 2:7, 9;

‘populus magnus et validus’ pro falsis pugnantibus contra vera, n.

1259. 1260, et quia pugnant valide destruendo vera, dicuntur ‘heroes et sicut viri belli’; ‘urbs per quam dicuntur discurrere’ pro doctrinalibus veri, n. 402, 2268, ¹⁵ 2449, 2712, 2943, 3216; ‘domus in quas ascendent’ pro bonis quae destruunt, n. 710, 1708, 2048, 2233, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4982; ‘fenestrae per quas ingredientur’ pro intellectualibus et inde ratiociniis, n. 655, 658, 3391, inde comparantur ‘furi’ quia occupant sedem ubi prius vera et bona:

[10] apud Davidem,

Cum tu oderis disciplinam, et rejicis verba Mea post te, si videris furem curris cum eo, et cum adulteris pars tua; os tuum aperis ¹⁶ ad malum, et lingua tua nectis dolum, Ps. 50:17-19;

ibi de impio, ‘currere cum fure’ pro abalienare a se verum per falsum:

[11] in Apocalypsi, Non egerunt paenitentiam ex homicidiis suis, neque ex incantationibus suis, neque ex scortationibus suis, neque ex scortationibus suis, 9:21;

‘homicidia’ pro malis quae destruunt bona, ‘incantationes’ pro falsis inde quae destruunt vera, ‘scortationes’ pro falsificatis veris, ‘furta’ pro abalienatis inde bonis:

[12] apud Johannem, Amen, amen, dico vobis, qui non est ingrediens per januam in caulam ovium, sed ascendit aliunde, is est fur et latro; qui vero ingreditur ¹⁷ per januam, pastor est ovium.... Ego sum ostium, per Me si quis introiverit, salvabitur, et ingredietur et egredietur, et pascuum inveniet; fur non velint nisi ut furetur, et mactet et perdat, 10:1, 2, 8-10; ‘fur’ hic etiam pro malo meriti, nam qui aufert Domino quod ¹⁸ Ipsius est, et sibi vindicat, ‘fur’ dicitur; hoc malum quia claudit viam, ne bonum et verum a Domino influat, dicitur ‘mactare et perdere’: simile per non furaberis in decalogo, Deut. 5:17 [KJV Deut. 5:19], significatur, n. 4174. Ex his constare potest quod per leges de furtis in Ecclesia Judaica latis, in sensu spirituali significatur, ut Exod. 21:16, 21:37 [KJV 22:1]; 22:1-3 [KJV 2-4]; Deut. 24:7;

omnes enim leges ibi e mundo spirituali quia traxerunt ¹⁹ originem, correspondent legibus ordinis quae in caelo.

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