1231. The symbolism of Lud as knowledge of truth can be seen by considering that a knowledge of truth comes in this way — from the Lord through charity and so through faith by means of reason and learning. The symbolism can also be seen in Ezekiel:

Persia and Lud and Put were in your army; they were your men of war. Shield and helmet they hung on you; they themselves gave you your adornment. (Ezekiel 27:10)

Tyre is the subject here. Lud and Put stand for points of knowledge, which are described as being in the army and as being men of war, because they serve to defend truth, with the aid of reason; and this service is also the hanging of shield and helmet. For the symbolism of Put as superficial knowledge of the Word, see above at verse 6 of this chapter [§§1163-1164, 1166].

144. In regard to the idea that naming things means recognizing their nature, it needs to be realized that the ancients took a name to mean simply the essence of a thing, and seeing something and naming it to mean recognizing its nature. ¹ This was due to the fact that they gave their daughters and sons names with a relevant meaning. Every name had a unique element that indicated where people were from and what they were like. Explanations further on concerning Jacob's twelve sons will, by the Lord's divine mercy, demonstrate this. ²

Since names, then, told where people were from and what they were like, that is exactly what naming something meant to those ancient people. Such a manner of speaking was familiar to them, and anyone who fails to understand it will be puzzled by the symbolism.

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