1685. With Chedorlaomer, king of Elam; and Tidal, king of Goiim; and Amraphel, king of Shinar; and Arioch, king of Ellasar, symbolizes truth and goodness in the [Lord's] outer self, as can be seen from the symbolism of the same words in verse 1 of this chapter [§1661].
[2] Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, symbolizes truth; Tidal, king of Goiim, symbolizes goodness; and the others symbolize everything that results. This is indicated by the change from verse 1 above in the order of their listing. Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, appeared in the third place there and appears in first place here, and Tidal, king of Goiim, appeared in fourth place there, in second here.
It is truth that is the first requirement for battle, because truth is the weapon we fight with. Truth enables us to recognize falsity and evil, so we never engage in these battles until we have absorbed secular knowledge and the knowledge of truth and goodness. Chedorlaomer, named first here, therefore symbolizes the truth possessed by the Lord. The same thing can be seen from the symbolism of Elam as the faith that develops out of a love for others, since this faith is the same thing as truth. The symbolism of Elam was illustrated earlier at Genesis 10:22 [§1228].
It follows that Tidal, king of Goiim (that is, of the nations), 1 symbolizes goodness and that the other kings symbolize the further truth and goodness that result.
Footnotes:
1. "Goiim" is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for "nations" (גּוֹיִם [gôyim]). For more on the meaning of this term in historical context, see note 6 in §1651. [LHC]
