8540. And an omer is the tenth part of an ephah. That this signifies the amount of the good then, is evident from the signification of “an omer is the tenth part of an ephah,” as being as much as is sufficient, for by “ten” is signified what is full (see n. 3107), and therefore by “a tenth part” is signified as much as is sufficient (n. 8468) and from the signification of “an ephah,” as being good. That “an ephah” denotes good is because by it and by an omer were measured dry things that served for food, such as wheat, barley, fine flour; and by things that are used for food are signified goods: and by “a bath” and by “a hin” were measured liquids, which served for drink; consequently by these measures were signified truths. The containant receives this signification from the contents.

[2] That the ephah was a measure is plain from the following passages:

An ephah of justice, and a hin of justice, shall ye have (Leviticus 19:36).

The ephah and the bath shall be one measure, because the ephah is the tenth of a homer (Ezekiel 45:11).

Ye shall have balances of justice, and an ephah of justice, and a bath of justice (verse 10).

It is in like manner a measure in Amos 8:5.

[3] That “an ephah” denotes good is plain from the passages where the “meat-offering” is treated of, for which meal or fine flour was measured by an ephah (Leviticus 5:11; Numbers 5:15; 28:5; Ezekiel 45:24; 46:7, 11). The “meat-offering” signifies good. And also from this passage in Zechariah:

The angel speaking in me said unto me, Lift up I pray thine eyes, What is this that goeth forth? and I said, What is it? He said, This is the ephah that goeth forth; he said moreover, This is their eye in all the earth. And behold there was lifted up a talent of lead, and at the same time this woman sitting in the midst of the ephah. Then he said, She is evil, and he cast her into the midst of the ephah, and he cast a stone of lead upon the mouth thereof. And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, when behold there came forth two women, and the wind was in their wings; they had two wings like the wings of a stork; and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven; and I said unto the angel that spake in me, Whither do these carry off the ephah? who said unto me, To build her a house in the land of Shinar; and it shall be prepared, and she shall abide there upon her seat (5:5-11).

[4] What these things signify it is impossible for anyone to know except from the internal sense, and unless he thereby knows what is meant by “the ephah,” what by “the woman in the midst of it,” what by “the stone of lead upon the mouth of the ephah,” also what is meant by “Shinar.” When each detail is unfolded, it is clear that the profanation which was at that time in the church is signified; for by “the ephah” is signified good; by “the woman,” evil, as is there openly stated; by “the stone of lead,” falsity of evil shutting up, for “a stone” denotes external truth, and consequently in the opposite sense falsity (n. 643, 1298, 3720, 6426), and “lead” denotes evil (n. 8298). Thus by “the woman in the midst of the ephah, upon the mouth of which was a stone of lead,” is signified evil shut up in good by falsity, which is the same thing as profanation, for profanation is evil conjoined with good (n. 6348). “The two women lifting up the ephah between the earth and the heaven” denotes the churches (n. 252, 253) by which what was profane was rejected; “Shinar, whither the woman in the ephah was carried off” denotes external worship, within which is what is profane (n. 1183, 1292).

3720. This is none other than the house of God. That this signifies the Lord’s kingdom in the ultimate of order, is evident from the signification of the “house of God.” Mention is made of the “house of God” in many passages of the Word, and in the external sense, or according to the letter, it signifies a consecrated building where there is holy worship; but in the internal sense it signifies the church; and in a more universal sense, heaven; and in the most universal sense, the Lord’s universal kingdom; in the supreme sense, however, it signifies the Lord Himself as to the Divine Human. In the Word we sometimes read of the “house of God,” sometimes of the “temple,” both having the same signification, but with this difference-that the “house of God” is mentioned where good is treated of; but the “temple” where truth is treated of. From this it is manifest that by the “house of God” is signified the Lord’s celestial church, and in a more universal sense the heaven of the celestial angels, and in the most universal sense the Lord’s celestial kingdom, and in the supreme sense the Lord as to Divine good; and that by the “temple” is signified the Lord’s spiritual church, and in a more universal sense the heaven of the spiritual angels, in the most universal sense the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, and in the supreme sense the Lord as to Divine truth (see n. 2048). The reason why the “house of God” signifies the celestial which is of good, and the “temple” the spiritual which is of truth, is that in the Word a “house” signifies good (n. 710, 2233, 2234, 2559, 3128, 3652), and also because among the most ancient people the houses were constructed of wood, for the reason that “wood” signifies good (n. 643, 1110, 2784, 2812); whereas “temple” signifies truth, because the temples were constructed of stones; and that “stones” signify truths, may be seen above (n. 643, 1296, 1298).

[2] That “wood” and “stone” have such a signification, is not only evident from the Word where they are mentioned, but also from the representatives in the other life; for they who place merit in good works, appear to themselves to cut wood; and they who place merit in truths, in that they have believed themselves to have been better acquainted with truth than others, and yet have lived evilly, appear to themselves to cut stones; which things have often been seen by me. From this I was assured what is the signification of wood and stone, namely that “wood” signifies good, and “stone” truth; and also from the experience that when a wooden house was seen, there was instantly presented an idea of good; but when a house of stone was seen, there was presented an idea of truth; concerning which I was instructed by angels. For this reason, when mention is made in the Word of the “house of God,” there is presented to the angels the idea of good, and good of such a quality as is treated of in that connection; and when mention is made of a “temple,” there is presented to them the idea of truth, and truth of such a quality as is treated of in that connection. From this again we can infer how deep and utterly hidden are the heavenly arcana in the Word.

[3] The reason why by the “house of God” is here signified the Lord’s kingdom in the ultimate of order, is that Jacob is treated of, by whom is represented the Lord’s Divine natural, as frequently shown above. The natural is in the ultimate of order, for in this all the interior things are terminated and are together; and because they are together, and thus things innumerable are viewed together as a one, there is relative obscurity there. This relative obscurity has been spoken of several times before.