2832. By his horns. That this signifies with all power in regard to the truths of faith, is evident from the signification of “horns.” “Horns” are mentioned in many places in the Word; and there signify the power of truth from good; and in the opposite sense the power of falsity from evil; here the meaning is that the spiritual who are signified by the “ram” are entangled in natural memory-knowledge with all their might in regard to truth, and hence that they are deprived of the power of perceiving truths. For the more anyone consults natural memory-knowledges, and sticks fast in them in his animus and mind in regard to the things which are truths of faith, the more does he lose the light of truth, and with the light, the life of truth. Everyone may know this from experience, if he attends and reflects, from those who say that they can believe nothing unless they comprehend that it is so by means of the things of sense, or of memory-knowledge. If you explore their quality, you will find that they believe nothing; and moreover that nothing seems to them more wise than to ascribe everything to nature. There are many also who say that they believe although they do not comprehend; when nevertheless, in secret with themselves, they reason equally as others do from the things of sense and memory-knowledge concerning the truths of faith, as to whether a thing is so. These either have a kind of persuasion breathed in from the love of self and the world, or they do not believe at all. Their quality is manifest from their life. Both classes are indeed in the Lord’s spiritual church, but they are not of the church. They who are of the church are in a life of good, and have faith in truths; but the spiritual have faith in other truths besides those which have been impressed on them from infancy, and which they have afterwards confirmed to themselves from doctrine or from some other source. Such is the state of the spiritual, which state is here described by the “ram caught in the thicket by his horns” (see just above, n. 2831).

[2] That a “horn” signifies the power of truth from good, is evident from the following passages.

In David:

Thou art the glory of their strength, and in Thy good pleasure wilt Thou exalt our horn; for our shield belongeth unto Jehovah, and our king to the Holy One of Israel. My truth and My mercy shall be with him, and in My name shall his horn be exalted; I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers (Psalms 89:17-18, 24-25 (Psalm 89:26)

where “our horn” and “his horn” manifestly denote the power of truth. The Lord’s spiritual kingdom is there treated of; “our king belongs to the Holy One of Israel” denotes that Divine truth belongs to the Lord. (That a “king” is truth, and that the Lord’s royalty is the Divine Truth, may be seen above, n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069); to “put his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers” denotes that strength is in the memory-knowledges and the knowledges of truth. (That the “hand” and the “right hand” denote strength, see above, n. 878; and also that the “sea” and the “rivers” denote memory-knowledges and knowledges, n. 28, 2702.) In the same:

I will love Thee, O Jehovah, my strength; Jehovah is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strong rock in whom I trust, my shield, and the horn of my salvation (Psalms 18:1-2; 2 Samuel 22:2-3).

The “horn of salvation” denotes truth as to power; in this passage “strength,” “rock,” “fortress,” “God,” “strong rock,” and “shield,” are all significative of the power of truth.

[3] In the same:

In Zion will I make a horn to bud unto David, I will prepare a lamp for Mine anointed; His enemies will I clothe with shame (Psalms 132:17-18); where the Lord is treated of, who is “David” (n. 1888); a “horn” denotes the power of truth; a “lamp,” the light of truth.

In Samuel:

My heart hath exulted in Jehovah, my horn is exalted in Jehovah, my mouth is enlarged against mine enemies, because I have been glad in Thy salvation. Jehovah will give strength unto His king, and will exalt the horn of His anointed (1 Samuel 2:1 (2:1), 10);

this is the prophecy of Hannah; the “horn” denotes the power of truth.

[4] In Moses:

The firstling of his ox, honor is his, and his horns are the horns of the unicorn; with them shall he push the peoples all of them, to the ends of the earth (Deuteronomy 33:17);

this is the prophecy of Moses concerning Joseph, where the “horns of the unicorn” denote the great power of truth, as is manifest also from its being said that he shall “push the peoples with them to the ends of the earth.” So too in David:

My horn shalt Thou exalt like the unicorn’s (Psalms 92:10).

And in the same:

O Jehovah, save me from the mouth of the lion, and answer me from the horns of the unicorn (Psalms 22:21);

Divine truths, from their height, are called the “horns of unicorns;” hence the “horn” is so often said to be “exalted,” for exaltation signifies power from the interior. (That what is internal is represented by what is high, may be seen above, n. 1735, 2148)

[5] In Jeremiah:

The Lord hath cut off in fierce anger all the horn of Israel, He hath drawn back His right hand from before the enemy (Lam. 2:3);

to “cut off all the horn of Israel” denotes to deprive of truth which has power, which is also to “draw back the right hand from before the enemy.”

In Ezekiel:

In that day will I make a horn to grow for the house of Israel, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them (Ezekiel 29:21);

to “make the horn to grow for the house of Israel,” denotes to multiply the truths of the spiritual church, which is “Israel;” the “opening of the mouth” denotes the confession of them.

[6] In Habakkuk:

God will come from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran; His honor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of His praise and His brightness shall be as the light; He had horns out of His hand, and there was the hiding of His strength (Hab. 3:3-4); where the Lord is treated of; that “He had horns out of His hand, and there was the hiding of His strength,” plainly denotes the power of truth; that “Mount Paran” is the Divine Spiritual or the Divine Truth of the Lord’s Human, may be seen above (n. 2714), which also is the “brightness” and the “light.”

[7] The Divine Truth of the Lord’s Human is thus described in John:

I saw and behold in the midst of the throne, and of the four animals, a Lamb standing as if slain, having seven horns, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth (Revelation 5:6).

The “seven horns” denote holy or Divine truths. (That “seven” means holy, may be seen above, n. 716, 881.) The “seven spirits sent forth into all the earth,” are the holy preachings of the same truths.

[8] The “horns of the altars” signified nothing else than truth in which is power. Of these it is said in Moses:

Thou shalt make horns upon the four corners of the altar; out of it shall its horns be (Exodus 27:2; 38:2).

So too upon the altar of incense, out of which were to be horns (Exodus 30:2; 37:25). (That the altar was a principal representative of the Lord and of His worship, may be seen above, n. 921.) The altar was a representative of His Divine Good; the horns were the representatives of His Divine Truth; that truth was from good was represented by the horns being out of it, or out of the altar. (That there is no other truth than that which is from good, may be seen above, n. 654, 1162, 1176, 1608, 2063, 2261, 2429.) It is manifest from this that “horns” in the genuine sense signify the power of truth which is from good.

[9] That Aaron and his sons, when initiated in the ministry, took of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with the finger (Exodus 29:12; Leviticus 8:15); and that Aaron made expiation upon the horns of the altar once in the year (Exodus 30:10); and that when a priest sinned, he offered a bullock, and put of the blood upon the horns of the altar of incense (Leviticus 4:3, 7); also that when a prince sinned, he offered a burnt-offering, and the blood was sprinkled upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering (Leviticus 4:22, 25); and that it was the same when a soul sinned (verses 27, 30, 34, of the same chapter); as also when the altar was expiated (Leviticus 16:18-19)—all these things signified truths from good; for all sanctifications, inaugurations, and expiations were made by truths, because truths introduce to good (n. 2830). That the “horns of the altar” signified truths which are from good, may also be seen in John:

The sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God (Revelation 9:13).

The “horns of the golden altar” manifestly denote truths from good, for thence came the voice (that “gold” is good may be seen above, n. 113, 1551, 1552; and still more the “golden altar”).

[10] In Amos:

In the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him, I will visit upon the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and shall fall to the ground (Amos 3:14).

That the “horns of the altar were to be cut off,” was because truth from good was no longer represented there; “Bethel” is the Divine Good, and is therefore called the “king’s sanctuary,” and the “house of the kingdom” (Amos 7:13). The kings being “anointed with oil from a horn” (1 Samuel 16:1 (1 Samuel 16:1), 13; 1 Kings 1:39) represented in like manner truth from good. (The “oil” was good, n. 886; but the “horn,” truth; the “royalty” itself in the internal sense is such truth, n. 1728, 2015, in which is power.)

[11] That a “horn” in the opposite sense signifies the power of falsity which is from evil, is evident from the following passages.

In Amos:

Ye who rejoice in a thing of naught, who say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength? (Amos 6:13);

“horns” here denote the power of falsity.

In Zechariah:

I lifted up mine eyes and saw, and behold four horns; and I said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these? And he said to me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. And Jehovah showed me four smiths; and I said, What come these to do? And He said, saying, These are the horns which scattered Judah, so that no man doth lift up his head; and these are come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations, which lifted up their horn against the land of Judah, to scatter it (Zech. 1:18-21).

The “horns” denote the power of falsity, which vastates the church.

In Ezekiel:

Ye thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad (Ezekiel 34:21);

here the shepherds who seduce by falsities are treated of; the “horns” denote the power of falsity; the “shoulder,” all power (n. 1085).

In Jeremiah:

Jehovah hath destroyed, and hath not pitied, and He hath caused the enemy to rejoice over thee; He hath exalted the horn of thine adversaries (Lam. 2:17).

In the same:

The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken (Jeremiah 48:25);

“horn” here denotes powerful falsity.

[12] In David:

I said to them that were glorying, Glory ye not, and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn; lift not up your horn on high, speak not with a stiff neck. All the horns of the wicked will I cut off, the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up (Psalms 75:4-5, 10).

The “horns of the wicked” denote the power of falsity from evil; the “horns of the righteous,” the power of truth from good.

[13] In Daniel:

A fourth beast was seen, terrible and powerful and strong exceedingly, and it had iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet, and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and behold another little horn came up among them, and three of the first horns were rooted up before it; and behold in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things. I held then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I desired certitude concerning the fourth beast, and concerning the ten horns that were on his head, and concerning the other which came up, and three fell before it; and concerning the same horn that had eyes, and a mouth speaking great things; I held, and the same horn made war with the saints. And he said, As for the fourth beast, it shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise, and another shall arise after them, and he shall be diverse from the former ones, and he shall humble three kings; he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints; afterwards the judgment shall sit (Daniel 7:7-8, 11, (Daniel 7:11)19-26).

Here in the internal sense the perverted state of the church is treated of. The things which were here seen by Daniel, as the beast, the teeth of iron, the horn in which were eyes, and the horns that spoke, and those which made war with the saints, and that which spoke against the Most High, signify the state of falsity and of heresies within the church. That “horns” signify falsity powerful and prevailing, is evident from the mere fact that eyes are attributed to them, that is, understanding (n. 2701); and that they spoke, even against the Most High. By the “kingdoms” and “kings” are not signified kingdoms and kings, but doctrinal things of falsity; as may be seen from their signification in the Word as being doctrinal things of truth, and in the opposite sense of falsity (see n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 2547).

[14] Again in Daniel:

A ram was seen by him standing before the river, which had two horns; and the horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. I saw the ram pushing with his horn westward, and northward, and southward, so that no beasts could stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself. As I was considering, behold a he-goat of the goats came from the west over the face of the whole earth; this he-goat had a horn between his two eyes; he came to the ram the lord of the horns, and ran upon him in the fury of his power, and smote him, and brake his two horns; and there was no power in the ram to stand before him. Afterwards the he-goat of the goats magnified himself exceedingly and when he was strong, his great horn was broken, and there came up four horns in place of it. Soon out of one of them went forth a little horn, and grew exceedingly toward the south, and toward the east, and toward beauty; and it grew even to the army of the heavens, and some of the army and of the stars it cast down to the earth, and trampled upon them. The ram with the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia; the he-goat is the king of Greece; the four horns in place of one are four kingdoms out of the nation (Daniel 8:1-27).

Here in the spiritual sense the state of the spiritual church is treated of, which is the “ram” (n. 2830); and the state of that church is described, how it gradually declines and is perverted. The “he-goat of the goats” denotes those who are in faith separate from charity, or in truth separate from good, who begin to uplift themselves against good, and at length against the Lord. The “horns of the ram” are the truths of the spiritual church both internal and external; the “horns of the he-goat of the goats” are truths which have gradually degenerated into falsities; and by the “kingdoms” and “kings” here mentioned are not signified kingdoms and kings, but truths and falsities, as already said; for the Lord’s Word in its essence does not treat of worldly and earthly, but of spiritual and heavenly things.

[15] In John:

And there was seen another sign in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems; his tail drew a third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth (Revelation 12:3-4).

And again:

I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy. It was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. And then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb (Revelation 13:1-2, 7, 11).

Again in the same:

I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy; having seven heads and ten horns; it was the great Babylon. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth; and they are seven kings; the ten horns are ten kings (Revelation 17:3, 5, 7, 9, 12-13).

That by the “horns” here in like manner as in Daniel are signified the powers of falsity, is evident.

1675. The Horites in their Mount Seir. That this signifies the persuasions of falsity that are from the love of self, is evident from the signification of “the Horites,” and from the signification of “Seir.” As regards the Horites, they were those who dwelt in Mount Seir, as is evident (Genesis 36:8) f (Genesis 36:20) rom Genesis 36:8, 20, etc., where Esau is spoken of, who is called Edom. By “Esau” or “Edom,” in the genuine sense, is signified the Lord as to His Human Essence; and He is also represented by Esau or Edom, as may be seen from many passages of the Word both historical and prophetical; concerning which, of the Lord’s Divine mercy hereafter. And as they who are in persuasions of falsity were represented by the Horites, and as at that time representatives came forth into actual realization, therefore the driving out of the Horites from Mount Seir by the descendants of Esau had a similar representation.

[2] Of this it is said in Moses:

That also is accounted a land of Rephaim; Rephaim dwelt therein aforetime; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, a people great and many, and tall as the Anakim; and Jehovah destroyed them from before them, and they had them in possession, and dwelt in their place. As He did for the sons of Esau, that dwelt in Seir, in that He destroyed the Horites from before them; and they had them in possession, and dwelt in their place (Deuteronomy 2:20-22).

These things represent and signify the same as what is here related concerning Chedorlaomer, namely, that Chedorlaomer and the kings with him smote the Horites in Mount Seir; for by Chedorlaomer, as before said, are represented the Lord’s good and truth in His childhood, thus the Lord’s Human Essence in respect to good and truth at that time, by which He destroyed the persuasions of falsity, that is, the hells filled with such a crew of the devil, that attempted to destroy the world of spirits, and consequently the human race, by persuasions of falsity.

[3] And as Esau or Edom represented the Lord in respect to His Human Essence, Mount Seir also, and Paran represented the things that belonged to His Human Essence, namely, the celestial things of love. This is evident from the blessing of Moses:

Jehovah came from Sinai, and arose to them from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran, and He came from the ten thousands of holiness; from His right hand was a fire of law unto them, yea, He loveth the peoples (Deuteronomy 33:2-3

that “Jehovah arose from Mount Seir, and shone forth from Mount Paran,” signifies nothing else than the Lord’s Human Essence. Everyone may know that to rise from Mount Seir, and to shine forth from Mount Paran, signifies neither mountains nor their inhabitants, but Divine realities, thus the celestial things of the Lord’s Human Essence, of which it is predicated that Jehovah arose and shone forth from it.

[4] That “Seir” has this signification is evident from the Song of Deborah and Barak, in the book of Judges:

O Jehovah, when Thou wentest forth out of Seir, when Thou departedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped drops, the clouds also dropped waters, the mountains flowed down, this Sinai before Jehovah the God of Israel (5:4-5); where to “go forth out of Seir,” and to “depart out of the field of Edom,” have no other signification.

[5] This is even more manifest in the prophecy of Balaam (who was one of the sons of the east, or from Syria, where there was a remnant of the Ancient Church), as given in Moses:

I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not nigh; there shall arise a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise up out of Israel, and Edom shall be an inheritance, Seir also shall be an inheritance, belonging to His enemies (Numbers 24:17-18); where “to see Him, but not now,” to “behold Him, but not nigh,” is the Lord’s coming into the world; whose Human Essence is called “a star out of Jacob,” which is to arise, and also “Edom,” and “Seir”; that Edom and Seir were not to be the inheritance, is plain to everyone. That “Seir, belonging to His enemies,” or the mountain of His enemies, should be an inheritance, means the same as in many other places, where it is said that the enemies were to be expelled, and their land possessed.

[6] That Mount Paran also, or El-paran, named in this verse, signifies the same, is evident likewise in Habakkuk:

God will come from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His honor covered the heavens, and the earth was filled with His praise (Hab. 3:3).

But it is to be known that mountains and lands have and take a signification from those who inhabit them; from the Horites when the Horites dwelt there; and when these were expelled, from those who expelled them, as from Esau or Edom, and also from other sources; and therefore the signification exists in two senses, the genuine and the opposite; in the genuine the places in question denote the Lord’s Human Essence; in the opposite, the love of self. The Lord’s Human Essence is celestial love itself, and the opposite to celestial love is the love of self. So the Horites here signify the persuasions of falsity from the love of self.

[7] There are persuasions of falsity from the love of self, and there are persuasions of falsity from the love of the world; the persuasions that are from the love of self are most foul; but the persuasions from the love of the world are not so foul. The persuasions of falsity from the love of self are opposite to the celestial things of love; but the persuasions of falsity from the love of the world are opposite to the spiritual things of love. Persuasions from the love of self carry with them a desire to exercise command over all things; and so far as restraints are relaxed to them, they rush on, even to desire to exercise command over the universe, and even over Jehovah Himself, as has been shown. Therefore persuasions of this kind are not tolerated in the other life. But persuasions from the love of the world do not rush on so far; but only to the insanity of not being contented with one’s lot. They vainly affect a heavenly joy, and desire to appropriate the goods of others, but not so much with the disposition to exercise command. But the differences that exist among these persuasions are innumerable.