811.That captivity, in the Word, signifies spiritual captivity, which is to be shut out from Divine truths, that is, from the understanding of them in the Word; also destruction by falsities of evil and by evils arising from falsity, is evident from the passages in the Word where captivity is mentioned; as in the following places:

In Luke:

"They shall fall by the edge of the sword, and they shall be made captive amongst all nations; at length Jerusalem shall be trodden under foot" (21:24).

The subject of that chapter is the Consummation of the Age, by which is signified the last time of the church, when there is no longer any truth remaining. By their falling by the edge of the sword is signified the destruction of truth by falsities - sword signifying the combat of falsity against the truth, and also the destruction of truth by falsities. By being made captive amongst all nations, are signified persuasions, and obsessions therefrom, by evils of every kind. For when truths are destroyed, falsities take their place, and not only falsities but evils. All nations signify evils of every kind. By Jerusalem being trodden under foot is signified the full destruction and perversion of the doctrine of the church - Jerusalem denoting the church as to doctrine - and to be trodden under foot denoting to be altogether destroyed; this is done chiefly by falsifications and adulterations of the Word.

[2] In Ezekiel:

"They shall be made captive amongst the nations, and the altars shall be devastated, and the idols shall be broken, and the slain shall fall in the midst of you" (6:1-10).

By the altars being devastated, is signified that all worship from the good of love shall perish. By the idols being broken, is signified that all worship from the truths of that good shall also perish. And by the slain falling in the midst of them, is signified that they shall perish by falsities. To be slain by the sword has this signification.

[3] In Lamentations:

"Hear all ye people, and see ye my grief; my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity" (1:18).

This is a lamentation over the devastation of all truth in the church. The lamentation is described by, hear all ye people, and see ye my grief. That all affection of truth is destroyed, is signified by, my virgins are gone into captivity, a virgin denoting the affection of truth. And that all understanding of truth is destroyed, is signified by, my young men are gone into captivity, young men denoting the understanding of truth and intelligence.

[4] In Amos:

"If they have gone into captivity before their enemies, thence do I command the sword that it may slay them" (9:4).

If they have gone into captivity before their enemies, signifies, if they have suffered evils to take possession of them, enemies denoting evils, and to go into captivity denoting to be possessed by them. Thence do I command the sword that it may slay them, signifies that falsities will shut them out from understanding truths, and destroy them.

[5] In David:

God "forsook the habitation of Shiloh, the tent which he placed amongst men; and he delivered his strength into captivity, his gracefulness into the hand of the enemy" (Psalm 78:60, 61).

By the habitation of Shiloh is signified the church which is in the good of love, and by the tent is signified the church which is in truths of doctrine. Hence it is evident that by God forsaking the habitation of Shiloh, the tent which He placed amongst men, is signified, that the goods of love and the truths of doctrine were destroyed. By the strength which He delivered into captivity, is signified spiritual truth from celestial good; and by captivity, is signified a shutting out thereof from the understanding, and so destruction by falsities. And by the gracefulness which He delivered into the hand of the enemy, is signified natural truth from spiritual; this being signified by gracefulness, and the destruction thereof by evils being signified by delivering it into the hand of the enemy.

[6] In Ezekiel:

The prophet was commanded to depart out of the place, and to bring out the vessels of removal through the wall before their eyes, to bring them out under the darkness, and to cover his face that he might not see the earth: and say, "I am your prodigy; even as I have done, so shall it be done to them; into exile, into captivity, they shall go" (12:1-12).

The prophet by these things represented the state of the church at that time, which was, that there were no longer any truths remaining that were not destroyed by falsities. For all the prophets represented the church as to doctrine from the Word. His departing out of the place, and bringing out the vessels of removal through the wall under darkness, and covering his face that he might not see the earth, represented the rejection of all the truths of doctrine from the Word. By departing out of the place is signified rejection. By the vessels of removal are signified the truths of doctrine. By the wall, through which he brought them out, is signified the ultimate that encompasses and defends truths; and the ultimate of doctrine is the sense of the letter of the Word, which is called a wall by reason of its containing and including the spiritual sense. By the darkness under which he was to bring them out, are signified falsities. By covering his face that he might not see the earth, is signified the truths of good being no longer seen in the church. Because the prophet represented these things, therefore it is said, "As I have done, so shall it be done to them; into exile and captivity shall they go." It is therefore evident that to go into exile signifies the dispersion of truth, and that to go into captivity signifies to be taken possession of by falsities.

[7] In Habakkuk:

"I will raise up the Chaldeans, a nation going to the breadths of the earth; they shall gather the captivity as the sand; they shall mock at kings, and rulers shall be laughter to them" (1:6, 9, 10).

By the Chaldeans are signified those who destroy the truths of the church. By the breadths of the earth are signified the truths thereof. That they will destroy all truths by falsities, is signified by gathering the captivity as the sand. That they will deride and blaspheme the truths and goods of the Word, is signified by mocking at kings, and rulers being laughter to them. Kings signify the truths of the Word, and rulers the goods thereof.

[8] In Jeremiah:

Nebuchadnezzar "shall come and shall smite the land of Egypt; those who are for death to death; those who are for captivity to captivity; those who are for the sword to the sword: and I will kindle a fire in the houses of Egypt, that it may burn them, and he shall carry them away captive; at length he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment" (43:11, 12).

By Nebuchadnezzar, or by the king of Babel, in the Word, are meant those who destroy everything of the church by evils; and by the Chaldeans are meant those who destroy everything of the church by falsities. In the abstract sense, by the king of Babel are signified the evils which destroy, and by the Chaldeans their falsities. Nebuchadnezzar's coming and smiting the land of Egypt, signifies the destruction of the natural man as to all goods and truths thence from the Word.

Those who are for death to death, signifies destruction by evils. Those who are for captivity to captivity, signifies destruction by the shutting out from and deprivation of truth. Those who are for the sword to the sword, signifies destruction by falsities therefrom. By kindling a fire in the houses of Egypt to burn them, and by taking them captive, is signified that the loves of self and of the world will destroy all things of the natural man by evils, and falsities. Fire signifies those loves; the houses of Egypt signify all things of the natural man; to burn them signifies to destroy by evil loves; and to take them captive signifies to destroy by falsities thence. At length he shall array himself with the land of Egypt as a shepherd putteth on his garment, signifies that the falsities of evil and the evils of falsity will occupy the whole natural man. This is compared to the garment of a shepherd, because a garment signifies truth investing good; but in this case falsity investing evil. For the natural man is as a garment to the spiritual man, for it encompasses and encloses it.

[9] In Jeremiah:

"Those who are for death to death; those who are for famine to famine; and those who are for captivity to captivity" (15:2).

By these words is described the total vastation of good and truth in the church; for in the verse preceding it is said, "If Moses and Samuel stood before me, my soul could not be towards this people; cast them out before my face, that they may go forth." Therefore those who are for death to death, signifies that those who reject goods perish by evils. Those who are for famine to famine, signifies that those who reject truths perish by falsities. Those who are for captivity to captivity, signifies that those who love evils and falsities are taken possession of by them.

[10] In Isaiah:

"As my servant Isaiah went naked and barefoot three years, so shall the king of Assyria lead the captivity of Egypt, and the multitude of Cush, to be carried away, boys and old men, naked and barefoot, even the buttocks uncovered, the nakedness of Egypt" (20:3, 4).

By the king of Assyria is signified reasoning from the scientifics of the natural man; and by Egypt is signified the natural man. Hence by the king of Assyria leading the captivity of Egypt, is signified that reasoning from falsities will destroy all truths in the natural man, such as are the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word. The rest may be seen explained above (n. 532).

[11] In Daniel:

"He shall also carry away captive into Egypt their gods with their princes, with their vessels of desire, and the silver and the gold; and he shall stop more years than the king of the north. The intelligent of the people shall instruct many, although they shall fall together by sword and flame, and captivity and depredation, [many] days" (11:8, 33).

The subject here is the war between the king of the north and the king of the south. By the king of the north is signified falsity ruling in the church; by the king of the south the truth defending the church against falsity. That still falsities will predominate in the church in the end of the days is there predicted and described. By their gods and their princes, the vessels of desire; and the gold and silver, which shall be led captive into Egypt is signified that truth protecting shall take away all the truths and goods of the church from those who are in falsities. Its spiritual truths are signified by their gods and princes, natural truths by their vessels of desire, and all truth and good in general by silver and gold. And their taking away and protection is signified by leading into captivity to Egypt. By falling by the sword and flame, is signified to perish by falsities and evils therefrom. And by captivity and depredation is signified the deprivation of all things of truth and good.

[12] In Jeremiah:

After that the prophet was delivered up to prison, he prophesied that all Judah should be transported into captivity to Babel, and should there die and be buried (20:1-6; 27:1 to end).

By that prophet, as by prophet in general, is signified the doctrine of the church from the Word. By his being delivered up to prison was represented that the like should come to pass with the church and its doctrine, which is signified by all Judah being carried away into captivity to Babel. The captivity of the tribe of Judah in Babel seventy years represented the full destruction of truth and the devastation of the church.

[13] In the same:

"The wind shall feed all thy shepherds, and thy lovers shall go into captivity; then shalt thou be ashamed and disgraced for all thy wickedness" (22:22).

By shepherds, in the abstract sense, are signified the goods of the church, and by lovers the truths thereof. The wind which shall feed the shepherds, signifies the hollowness and emptiness of doctrine. The captivity into which the lovers shall go, signifies a shutting out from all truths and from the understanding thereof. To be ashamed and disgraced signifies to be destitute of all good and truth; for thus, when they come amongst the angels, are they affected with shame and disgrace.

[14] In Moses:

"I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of the slain and captivity, with the gall of the revenges of the enemy" (Deuteronomy 32:42).

To make the arrows drunk with blood, signifies delirium of the mind from the Word falsified. The sword shall devour flesh, signifies that falsities shall destroy everything of good. With the blood of the slain and of captivity, signifies the extinction and shutting out of all truth, the slain denoting the extinction of truth by falsities, and captivity the shutting out of truth by falsities. With the gall of the revenges of the enemy, signifies with the malice and cruelty of hell, the gall of revenges denoting malice and cruelty, and the enemy denoting hell.

[15] In Isaiah:

"Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols are wild beasts and beasts, they stoop, they bow down together, and their soul shall go into captivity" (46:1, 2).

Their idols are wild beasts and beasts, signifies that their falsities are infernal falsities, and evils therefrom. They stoop, they bow down together, signifies that they fall away. Their soul shall go into captivity, signifies that they shall go into hell, where they will be shut out from all truth.

[16] In Obadiah:

"In that day aliens led his strength captive, and strangers entered his gates and cast lots upon Jerusalem" (1:11).

Spoken of Edom, by whom is signified the truth of the natural man, but in this case falsity. By the aliens who led captive his strength, are signified the falsities of the church destroying its truths, strength signifying truth, because all spiritual strength consists in truths. By the strangers who entered the gates, are signified falsities of doctrine destroying the truths by which entrance into interior truths is possible. By Jerusalem upon which they cast lots, is signified the doctrine of the church from the Word thus dissipated, to cast lots denoting to dissipate.

[17] In Jeremiah:

"Woe to thee, Moab, the people of Chemosh perisheth, for thy sons are taken into captivity, and thy daughters into captivity; yet I will bring back the captivity of Moab" (48:46, 47).

By Moab are meant those who are in natural delight, and who therefore adulterate the goods of the Word. By the people of Chemosh are meant those who are in natural truth. By sons and daughters being taken into captivity, is signified that the truths and goods of their church are shut out by falsities and evils, sons denoting truths, and daughters goods. I will bring back the captivity of Moab in the end of the days, signifies that truths shall be opened to those who are meant by Moab; and that they shall be instructed therein, the end of the days signifying the Coming of the Lord. Mention is frequently made in the Word of captives who are to be brought back, and by these are meant the Gentiles, who are called captives by reason of their being shut out from truths, which, however, shall be opened to them by the Lord.

[18] In Isaiah:

"Jehovah hath anointed me to preach glad tidings to the poor; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted; to preach liberty to the captives, and to them that are bound, to him whose eyes are holden" (61:1).

These things are said of the Lord. By the poor to whom Jehovah anointed Him to preach good tidings, are signified those who are in few truths, and yet desire them, that their soul may be thereby sustained. By the broken-hearted are signified those who are consequently in grief. By the captives to whom He should preach liberty are signified those who are shut out from truths and therefore from goods; to whom truths shall be opened, by means of which they shall be imbued with goods. By them that are bound and him whose eyes are holden, are signified those to whom it was denied to see truths; thus the Gentiles are meant, who afterwards received truths from the Lord.

[19] In the same:

"I have raised him up in justice, and all his ways will I make straight: he shall build my city, and shall let go my captivity, not for price, neither for reward" (45:13).

This also is said of the Lord. And by the justice in which Jehovah hath raised Him up, is signified the good of love; and by His ways, which He will make straight, are signified truths proceeding from good. By the city which He shall build, is signified the doctrine of the church; and by the captivity which He shall let go, is signified the opening and revelation of Divine truths among those who had been hitherto shut out from them. That the Lord will do these things freely is signified by, not for price, neither for reward.

[20] In Jeremiah:

"The children of Israel and the children of Judah are oppressed together, and all that take them captive, hold them fast, and refuse to let them go; their Redeemer is strong, striving he will strive in their dispute, and will give rest to the land" (50:33, 34).

This is also said of the Lord who is the Redeemer that is strong. By striving in their dispute, is signified visitation and judgment upon those who oppress them by falsities, and liberation thereby from them. By giving rest to the land, is signified protection from falsities. By the children of Israel and the children of Judah, who are said to be oppressed, are not meant the sons of Israel and of Judah, but the nations that are in truths and goods from the Lord; who, being detained by those who deceive them and shut out truths from them, it is said that those who take them captive hold them fast, and refuse to let them go.

[21] In David:

"Thou hast ascended upon high; thou hast led captivity captive" (Psalm 68:18).

Here also the Lord is treated of. And by leading captivity captive, is signified to liberate from falsities those who were thereby held captive.

In Isaiah:

"Shall the capture be taken from the mighty, or the captivity of the just be snatched away? For thus saith Jehovah, Even the captivity of the mighty shall be taken, and the capture of the violent shall be snatched away" (49:24, 25).

This is also spoken of the Lord, and of the bringing back the sons of Zion from captivity. But by the sons of Zion are meant those who are in love to the Lord, and thence in truths. That they were shut out from truths by those who strenuously confirmed falsities, and that nevertheless they were liberated by the Lord, is signified by, shall the capture be taken from the mighty, and shall the captivity of the just be snatched away?

[22] In David:

"Who will give out of Zion the salvation of Israel? When Jehovah bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall exult, Israel shall be glad" (Psalm 14:7; 53:6).

By Zion are here also meant those who are in the good of love from the Lord. Liberation from evils by the Lord, and salvation, are meant by, who will give out of Zion the salvation of Israel? By bringing back the captivity of His people, is meant deliverance from falsities and evils. By Jacob shall exult, Israel shall be glad, is meant joy on account of deliverance with those who are in the external and internal church. Those who belong to the external church are meant by Jacob, and those who are of the internal church by Israel; and the Gentiles are meant by both.

[23] In Jeremiah:

"Fear not, my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel; behold I keep thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of thy captivity, so that Jacob may return, and rest, and be at ease, and none shall make him afraid" (46:27; 30:10).

By Jacob and Israel here also are meant the Gentiles. By Jacob those who belong to the external church, and by Israel those who belong to the internal church. To keep them from afar off, signifies to save them, although they are far from salvation. From the land of captivity, signifies to liberate them from falsities, whereby they were shut out from the truths and goods of heaven and the church. By returning, and by resting at ease, and none shall make him afraid, is signified to be protected from falsities which are from hell.

[24] In the same:

"All that devour thee shall be devoured, and all thine adversaries, they shall also go into captivity; and they that preyed upon thee shall be for a prey; and all that plundered thee will I give for plunder. I will bring back the captivity of the tents of Jacob; and I will have mercy on his dwelling-places; the city may be built upon its own heap; and the palace inhabited after its own manner" (30:16, 18).

All that devour thee shall be devoured; all thine adversaries shall go into captivity; they that preyed upon thee shall be for a prey; and all that plundered thee will I give for plunder, signifies things similar to the words in the Apocalypse now explained, that is, if any one leads into captivity, he shall go into captivity; and if any one kills with the sword, he must be killed by the sword. What the rest signifies was explained above (n. 799).

[25] In the same:

"I shall be found of you, and I will bring back your captivity, and I will gather you out of all nations, and I will bring you back to the place whence I caused you to depart" (29:14).

By these words also is described the liberation of the Gentiles from spiritual captivity, which is a shutting out from the truths and goods of heaven and the church, whereby salvation is effected.

In Zephaniah:

"At that time I will bring you, even in time to gather you unto me; for I will give you for a name and a praise to all the people of the earth, when I bring back your captivity before your eyes" (3:20).

By these words also is meant the bringing back of the Gentiles from spiritual captivity.

In Amos:

"I will bring back the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build their devastated cities, and shall sit and plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof, and they shall make gardens, and eat the fruit of them" (9:14).

This passage may be seen explained above (n. 376, 405).

[26] In Isaiah:

"Put on thy strength, O Zion; put on the garments of thy gracefulness, O Jerusalem, the city of holiness: for there shall not add to come any more into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean; shake thyself from the dust; sit, O Jerusalem; to open the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion" (52:1, 2).

By Zion is meant the church that is in the good of love to the Lord; the truth from that good being signified by the strength which Zion shall put on; and the truths of the doctrine of that church by the garments of gracefulness which Jerusalem shall put on. By the uncircumcised and the unclean who shall not add to come in any more, are signified the evils of earthly loves, and their falsities. By shaking herself from the dust, arising and sitting, when said of Jerusalem, is signified liberation from infernal falsities, and elevation to the truths of heaven. By to open the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion, is signified deliverance from a state of detention from truths through falsities, which hinder the reception of influx out of heaven. The daughter of Zion denotes those who are in the affection of truth from the good of love from the Lord. In the following verses of that chapter it is said of the children of Israel, that they went down to sojourn in Egypt, and that Assyria oppressed them; by which is signified that they were shut out from truths by reasonings from scientifics of the natural man.

[27] In the same:

"The people shall take them, and shall lead them to their place; and the house of Israel shall possess them for a heritage upon the land of Jehovah, for man servants and maid servants; so that they shall take them captive whose captives they were, and they shall rule over their exactors" (14:2).

These words also treat of the bringing back of the sons of Israel, by whom are meant the nations. That those who have shut out [others] from truths, and deceived by means of falsities, are also shut out from truths and deceived by means of falsities, is signified by, they shall take them captive whose captives they were, and they shall rule over their exactors.

[28] In Hosea:

"In the house of Israel I have seen a foul thing; there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is polluted; and, O Judah, he hath set a harvest for thee, when I shall bring back the captivity of my people" (6:10, 11).

These things are said of the state of the church among the Jews about the time of the Lord's Advent. The whoredom of Ephraim, which is the foul thing in the house of Israel, signifies the falsification of the Word, whoredom denoting falsification, and Ephraim the understanding of the Word. Israel is polluted, and, O Judah, he hath set a harvest for thee, signifies that the church was in absolute falsities, and that they applied the Word to confirm them. By Judah is signified the Word, and by harvest, the abundance of such things there which they applied. That this would be the state of the Jewish Church when truths should be opened before the Gentiles, who should thereby be delivered from falsities, is signified by, when I shall bring back the captivity of my people.

[29] Similar things are signified in the historical parts of the Word by the captivities of the sons of Israel by various enemies, and by their deliverances; as,

That they were forced to serve Kushan, king of Syria, and were liberated by Othniel (Judges 3).

That they served Eglon, king of Moab, and were liberated by Ehud (Judges 3).

That they were delivered to Jabin, king of Canaan, and liberated by Deborah (Judges 4).

That they were delivered up to the Midianites, and liberated by Gideon (Judges 6).

That they were delivered up to the Philistines and Ammonites, and liberated by Jephthah (Judges 10; 11).

[30] Similar things were signified,

By the captivity of the Jews, seventy years, in Babel (2 Kings 25).

For the historical parts of the Word are all representative of such things as pertain to the church, and the expressions by which the historical circumstances are described are all significative.

Similar things are also signified in the Word by them that are bound, as in the following passages:

"They shall be gathered together, they who are bound in a pit, and they shall be shut up in a prison; but after a multitude of days they shall be visited" (Isaiah 24:22).

"By the blood of thy covenant I will send forth the bound out of the pit in which there is no water" (Zech. 9:11).

"The sighing of the bound shall come before thee" (Psalm 79:11).

"He made the world a wilderness and destroyed their cities, he opened not the house for his bound ones" (Isaiah 14:17).

"To open the blind eyes, to bring the bound out of prison, them that sit in darkness out of the prison house" (Isaiah 42:7).

The King said, "I was in prison, and ye came not unto me" (Matthew 25:36).

Jesus said, "Ought not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?" (Luke 13:16).

5354. 'And the name of the second he called Ephraim' means a new area of understanding within the natural, and the essential nature of it. This is clear from the meaning of 'the name' and 'calling the name' as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421; and from the representation of 'Ephraim' as the area of understanding within the natural, dealt with below. What the new area of understanding and what the new area of will are, meant by 'Ephraim and Manasseh', must be stated first. It is indeed well known in the Church that a person must be born again, that is, be regenerated, so that he may enter the kingdom of God. This is well known because the Lord has declared it quite explicitly in John 3:3, 5; yet What being born again implies is still known to only a few. And the reason for this is that few know what good and evil are. The reason people do not know what good and evil are is that they do not know what charity towards the neighbour is. If they did know what this was they would also know what good was, and from good what evil was; for everything is good that springs out of genuine charity towards the neighbour.

[2] But with no one can this good have its origin in the person himself, for it is something utterly heavenly flowing into him from the Lord. This heavenly good is flowing in constantly, but evils and falsities stand in the way and prevent the reception of it. So that it may be received therefore it is necessary for the person to remove the evils and, so far as he possibly can do so, the falsities too, and thereby bring himself into a condition to receive that good flowing in. When, after evils have been removed, he accepts the inflow of good he acquires a new will and a new understanding. The new will enables him to feel a sense of delight in doing good to his neighbour without any selfish end in view, and the new understanding enables him to take delight in learning what goodness and truth are for their own sakes and for the sake of the life he should lead. Because this new understanding and new will are brought into being by what flows in from the Lord, the person who has been regenerated therefore acknowledges and believes that the goodness and truth for which he feels an affection do not originate in himself but in the Lord, and also that what does originate in himself or is properly his own is nothing but evil.

[3] From all this one may see what is meant by being born again, and also what is meant by a new will and a new understanding. But regeneration, which brings the new will and the new understanding into being, does not take place in a single instant. Rather, it is taking place from earliest childhood through to the final phase of life, and after that for ever in the next life; and it is accomplished by Divine means that are countless and beyond description. In himself the human being is nothing but evil which is constantly radiating from him as if from a furnace and is constantly trying to smother good while it is still being born. The removal of that kind of evil and the firm implantation of good in its place cannot be effected except through the whole course of a person's life; nor can it be effected except by Divine means which are countless and beyond description. At the present time scarcely anything is known about these means, for the reason that people do not allow themselves to be regenerated. Nor do they believe that regeneration is anything, because they do not believe in a life after death. The process by which regeneration takes place, a process involving things beyond description, constitutes the major part of angelic wisdom; and that process is of such a nature that no angel can ever completely exhaust all there is to know about it. This is the reason why in the internal sense of the Word it is the chief matter that is dealt with.

[4] It is evident from very many places in the Word that 'Ephraim' means a new understanding within the natural, above all in the prophet Hosea, who makes many references to Ephraim, the following among them,

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me, that you have altogether committed whoredom, O Ephraim; Israel has been defiled. Israel and Ephraim will collapse through their iniquity; Judah also will collapse with them. Ephraim will become a lonely place on the day of reproach. ¹ And I will be like a moth to Ephraim, and like a worm to the house of Joseph. And Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound; and Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to King Jareb, and he could not cure you. Hosea 9:3, 5, 9, 11-13.

After this in the same prophet,

When I healed Israel the iniquity of Ephraim was revealed, and the evils of Samaria; for they practised a lie, and a thief came, a band spread itself outside. And Ephraim was like a silly dove with no heart; they called on Egypt, they went away to Assyria. When they go I will stretch My net over them. Hosea 7:1, 11-12 and following verses.

[5] And further on in the same prophet,

Israel has been swallowed up, now they are going to be among the gentiles, like a vessel in which there is no desire. When they went up to Assyria [they were like] a wild ass alone by himself; Ephraim procures lovers ² with a prostitute's hire. Hosea 8:8-9.

Israel will not dwell in Jehovah's land, but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and in Assyria they will eat what is unclean. Hosea 9:3.

Ephraim has encompassed Me with a lie, and the house of Israel with deceit; and Judah will have dominion still with God and with the saints of the Faithful One. ³ Ephraim feeds the wind, and pursues the east wind. All the day long he multiplies lies and devastation and they make a covenant with the Assyrian, and oil is carried down into Egypt. Hosea 11:11; 12:1.

[6] Ephraim is referred to by this prophet in many other places besides these, such as Hosea 4:16-18; 5:3, 5, 9, 11-13; 7:8-9; 9:8, 11, 13, 16; 10:6, 11; 11:3, 8-9; 12:8, 14; 13:1, 12; 14:8. In all these places 'Ephraim' is used to mean the area of understanding within the Church, Israel' the spiritual area within it, and 'Judah' the celestial area. Also, since the area of understanding within the Church is meant by 'Ephraim', frequent reference is therefore made to Ephraim going away into Egypt or into Assyria. This is because 'Egypt' means factual knowledge and 'Assyria' reasonings based on this; and factual knowledge and reasonings are things associated with the understanding. For the meaning of Egypt' as factual knowledge, see 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 3325, 4749, 4964, 4966; and for that of 'Asshur' or 'Assyria' as reason or reasoning, 119, 1186.

[7] The understanding area of the Church is meant in a similar way by 'Ephraim' in the following places: In Zechariah,

Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion! Make a noise, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king comes to you. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and I will cut off the battle bow; on the other hand he will speak peace to the nations. And his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. I will bend Judah for Me, I will fill Ephraim with the bow; and I will rouse your sons, O Zion, together with your sons, O Javan. Zechariah 9:9-10, 13.

This refers to the Lord's Coming, also to the Church among the gentiles. 'Cutting off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem' stands for the entire understanding which the Church possesses. 'Filling Ephraim with the bow' stands for imparting a new understanding. For 'the chariot' means doctrinal teaching, see 5321; 'the horse' means the power of understanding, 2760-2762, 3217, 5321; and 'the bow' too means doctrinal teaching, 2685, 2686, 2709. Doctrinal teaching is dependent on the power of understanding, for to the extent that a person understands it, he believes it; his understanding of doctrinal teaching determines what his faith is like.

[8] For this reason the children of Ephraim are called 'archers' in David,

The children of Ephraim who were armed (they were archers) turned back on the day of battle. Psalms 78:9.

In Ezekiel,

Son of man, take a stick and write on it, For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions. Then take another stick and write on it, Joseph's - the stick of Ephraim and of the whole house of Israel, his companions. After that join them together, one to the other into one stick for you, that both may be one in your ⁴ hand. Behold, I am about to take the stick of Joseph which is in the hands of Ephraim and of the tribes of Israel his companions, and I will add them who are on it to the stick of Judah, and will make them into one stick, that they may be one stick in My hand. Ezekiel 37:16-17, 19.

Here also 'Judah' is used to mean the celestial area within the Church, 'Israel' the spiritual area within it, and 'Ephraim' the understanding area. The idea that these will be made one through the good of charity is meant by the promise that one stick will be made out of two. For 'a stick' means good which is the good of charity and of works motivated by charity, see 1110, 2784, 2812, 3720, 4943.

[9] In Jeremiah,

It is a day [when] the watchmen will cry from mount Ephraim, Arise, let us go up to Zion, to Jehovah our God. I will be a father to Israel, and Ephraim will be My firstborn. Jeremiah 31:6, 9.

In the same prophet,

I have surely heard Ephraim bewailing, You have chastised me and I was chastised, like an unruly calf. Direct me, that I may be directed. Is not Ephraim a precious son to Me? Is he not a delightful child? For after I have spoken against him I will surely remember him again. Jeremiah 31:18, 20.

In the same prophet,

I will bring back Israel to his own habitation so that he may feed on Carmel and Bashan; and on mount Ephraim and in Gilead his soul will be satisfied. Jeremiah 50:19

In Isaiah,

Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, to the falling flower and the glory of its beauty, which is on the head of a valley of fat ones confused by wine. Isaiah 28:1.

[10] In all these places too 'Ephraim' means the area of understanding within the Church. The area of understanding within the Church is that understanding which members of the Church have about truth and goodness, that is, about matters of doctrine regarding faith and charity. Thus it is the notions, conceptions, or ideas which they possess about these matters. Truth forms the spiritual area of the Church, and good the celestial area. But one member's understanding of truth and goodness is different from another's, and therefore the nature of each member's understanding of truth determines the kind of truth known to him. And the same is so with each person's understanding of goodness.

[11] What the Church's area of will, meant by 'Manasseh', is exactly can be recognized from the area of understanding, which is 'Ephraim'. The nature of the Church's will is similar to that of its understanding in that it varies from one member to another. 'Manasseh' means that area of will in Isaiah,

Through the wrath of Jehovah Zebaoth the earth has been darkened, and the people have become as fuel for the fire; a man will not spare his brother. A man will eat the flesh of his own arm; Manasseh [will consume] Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and together they are against Judah.

'A man will eat the flesh of his own arm, Manasseh [will consume] Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh' stands for the member of the Church when his will acts in opposition to the activity of his understanding, and his understanding acts in opposition to the activity of his will.

[12] In David,

God has spoken by means of His holiness, I will exalt, I will divide up Shechem and portion out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; and Ephraim is the strength of My head. Psalms 60:6-7.

In the same author,

Turn Your ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead ⁵ Joseph like a flock; You who are seated upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up Your power. Psalms 80:1-2.

Here also 'Ephraim' stands for the area of understanding within the Church and 'Manasseh' for the area of will there. The same meaning is also evident from the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh by Jacob before he died, and in addition from the fact that Jacob accepted Ephraim in place of Reuben, and Manasseh in place of Simeon, Genesis 48:3, 5. For Reuben had represented the Church's area of understanding, which is faith in the understanding, or doctrine, 3861, 3866. Also, Simeon had represented faith in action - or obedience and the will to put truth into practice - from which charity springs and through which charity expresses itself; thus he represented truth realized in action, which is good belonging to the new will, 3869-3872.

[13] The reason why Jacob, who by then was Israel, blessed Ephraim more fully than Manasseh, by placing his right hand on the former and his left on the latter, Genesis 48:13-20, was the same as the one involved in Jacob's procurement for himself of Esau's birthright. It was also the same as what was involved in the birth of Perez and Zerah, Judah's sons by Tamar; though he was the firstborn, Zerah nevertheless came out after Perez, Genesis 38:18-30. The reason this happened was that the truth of faith, which belongs to the understanding, seems to occupy the first place while a person is being regenerated, and the good of charity, which belongs to the will, seems to occupy the second. But in actual fact good occupies the first place, as is plain to see once the person has been regenerated. On this subject, see 3314, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247, 4337, 4925, 4926.

Voetnoten: