THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 29

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation)

1. WOE to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add year to year; let the festivals go round.

VERSES 1-4. [The term "Ariel", in Hebrew, signifies the lion of God, and is an appellation given to the city Jerusalem to signify the Lord in His Divine Human, and also the doctrine of celestial Truth, The "city" itself signifies the doctrine of spiritual Truth, but when called "Ariel" it denotes as above. The doctrine of celestial Truth is the doctrine of love to God and of charity to the neighbour, whereas the doctrine of spiritual Truth is the doctrine of Faith. The subject, therefore, treated of in these verses, is specifically the destruction of the celestial doctrine of the church, and the judgment upon those who have perverted it. This perversion consists chiefly in removing love and goodness, embodied in good works, from the church as the essential means of salvation, as is done by the doctrine of Justification by Faith only, or of Faith separate from Charity. It is also perverted by reducing the good of the church to what is merely moral, and thus depriving it of a spiritual principle, derived from love and charity, as the means of salvation. The doctrine of celestial Truth is also perverted by these who assume what is good in the external, as a means of promoting the merely selfish interests of the natural man, and not for the sake of securing the eternal interests of the soul. A "woe" is consequently pronounced upon all such as pervert and destroy this most holy doctrine, which is called the "Lion of God" because of its great power, signified by a "Lion", in removing, when properly applied, everything evil and false from the church, and from the human mind. The Lord, as "the Lion of the tribe of Juda, opens the seals of the book", [Revelation 5:5) and executes Judgment, which is effected by this celestial doctrine of His Divine Truth. See above, Chapter 21:8, the Exposition.]

Verse 1. Add year to year, let the festivals go round. - [This celestial doctrine will perish successively, not all at once, and it will perish although external worship (the festivals) continues to be observed at the appointed times. It is entirely destroyed when external worship is separated from internal, as was the case with the Pharisees, described in Matthew 23, and with those of the church at this day who are in external good, without internal or spiritual good, See Chapter 1:11-19, the Exposition.]

2. Yet will I distress Ariel; and there shall be mourning and sorrow: and it shall be unto Me as Ariel.

3. And I will encamp against you round about; and I will lay siege against you with a mound; and I will erect forts against you.

Verses 2, 3. [It does not appear that Swedenborg has quoted these verses and explained them; but from correspondences their meaning may be easily seen. "Ariel" thus perverted, or rather those who have perverted this celestial doctrine, will be besieged and destroyed, at the period of Judgment, by every species of falsity from evil, denoted by "encamping", by "laying siege with a mound", and by "erecting forts against her." See the Exposition of Isaiah Chapter 1:8.]

4. And you shalt be brought low; you shalt speak out of the earth: and out of the dust shall your speech feebly sound; and your voice shall come out of the ground, like as of one that has a familiar spirit: and out of the dust shall your speech mutter.

Verse 4. [That to "speak out of the dust, and the voice coming out of the ground, like as of one that has a familiar spirit", signifies communication with the hells, and influx thence, may be seen above, Isaiah 8:19, 20, the Exposition.]

5. But the multitude of your strangers shall be like the small dust; and the multitude of the terrible ones like the chaff that passes away: yea, it shall be suddenly, in a moment.

Verse 5. [The dispersion of false principles of doctrine, denoted by "strangers", and of the falsities of evil, signified by the "terrible ones", is here described. See the Exposition of Isaiah Chapter 1:7.]

6. From Jehovah of Hosts you shalt be visited with thunder, and with earthquake, and with a great voice; with storm, and with tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire.

Verso 6. "Devouring fire" is the fire of cupidities which arises from the love of self and of the world, because it is this fire which consumes man and devastates the church. This also was represented by "the fire from before Jehovah" which consumed the sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, because they had "put strange fire into their censers." (Leviticus 10:1, 2)

To "put strange fire into their censers", is to perform worship from some other love than from that which is heavenly. That such "strange fire" is the love of self and of the world, and the cupidities hence arising, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 1297, 1861, 5071. Arcana Coelestia 9434.

As to the meaning of "storms" and "tempests", by which the wicked, at the time of Judgment, are taken away, see above, Chapter 17:13, the Exposition.

7. And as a dream, a vision of the night shall be the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel; even all that fight against her and her ramparts, and they that distress her.

8. It shall be as when a hungry man dreameth, and lo! he eats: but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: and as when a thirsty man dreameth, and lo! he drinketh; but he awaketh, and lo! he is faint, and his soul craveth: thus shall it be with the multitude of all the nations which fight against Mount Zion. "

Verses 7, 8. [These words imply that, in this perverted state of the church, at the period of its judgment, what is false will appear as true, and that there will be no spiritual nourishment for the soul.]

Verse 8. These things are said concerning those who are in falsities from evil, and yet suppose them to be truths from good. The false from evil combating against the goods of the church, are signified by "The multitude of all the nations which fight against Mount Zion; "multitude" being predicated of truths; "nations" signifying evils; and "Mount Zion", the church as to the good of love. The belief that evils are good, when notwithstanding they are evils of the false, is signified by "It shall be as when a hungry man dreameth, and lo! he eats; but he awaketh, and his soul is fasting"; the "hungry dreaming as if he were eating", signifies the opinion and erroneous faith conerning good; to "dream" denoting such opinion and erroneous faith, and to be "hungry, and as if he were eating", denoting, as it were, desire for good, and to be nourished thereby; but when "he awaketh", signifies when it is discovered what good is; "his soul is fasting", signifies that there is no understanding of good. Similar things are said concerning truth, which are signified by "When the thirsty man dreameth, and lo! he drinketh; but he awaketh, and lo! he is faint, and his soul craveth"; to be "thirsty, and as If he were drinking whilst he dreameth", signifying the opinion and faith, as it were, of Truth; but when "he awaketh, and lo! he is faint, and his soul craveth", signifies that still it is not Truth but the false; the "soul" there signifying the faith of the false, by reason of Truth not being understood, for both evil and the false, as well as Good and Truth, are predicated of faith and understanding, when they are of the thought alone; for man can think so as it were to understand, and thence believe that evil is good, as well as that the false is true. Such are all those who are in falsities of doctrine, and have faith only in their teachers and books, and never think whether what they are taught may not be falsities and evils, but believe them to be truths and goods, because they can be confirmed; not knowing that the false and evil may be equally confirmed as Truth and Good. Apocalypse Explained 750.

9. Stand you amazed, and wonder; be you astonished, and cry out! they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

10. For Jehovah has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep: and He has closed up your eyes, the prophets; and your heads, the seers has He covered,

Verses 9, 10. Speaking of those who see nothing at all of the Truth when they hear and read it from the Word. Such persons are said to be "drunken, but not with wine; and to stagger, but not with strong drink"; "wine" signifying specifically the Truth of the spiritual and hence of the rational man; and "strong drink", the Truth of the natural man thence derived. Because such are understood, it is therefore said, "Jehovah has poured out" upon you the spirit of deep sleep; and He has closed up your eyes; the "spirit of deep sleep" denoting no perception, and the "eyes closed" denoting no understanding of Truth. "The prophets, and your heads, the seers has He covered", signifies those who were in the doctrine of Truth, and thence wise and intelligent; "prophets" signifying those who are in the doctrine of Truth, and, abstractedly, doctrine itself; the "heads", the wise, and, abstractedly, wisdom; and the "seer", the intelligent, and, abstractedly, intelligence. Wonder at the greatness of their stupidity is described by "Stand you amazed, and wonder; be you astonished"; and lamentation on all account thereof, by a "cry out!" Such are they who are in a life of evil, and at the same tirne in principles of the false, howsoever learned they are supposed to be; for a life of evil shuts out the perception of Good, from which the life and light of thought is derived, and principles of the false shut out the understanding of Truth, whence they see only from the sensual man, and nothing from the spiritual. Apocalypse Explained 376.

Prophets are here called "eyes", and seers are called "heads", because by eyes is signified the understanding of Truth as to doctrine, and by "seers" intelligence, the same as by "heads." Apocalypse Explained 577.

Verses 10, 11. By "prophets" are meant those who teach Truth and by them that see, or the "seers", are meant those who see Truth who are said to be "covered" when they know nothing of Truth, and see nothing of Truth. Inasmuch as in old times they were called prophets who taught, therefore also they were called "seeing" [or seers], because to "see" signifies to understand, see Arcana Coelestia 2150, 2325.

That they were called "seeing" [or seers], may be seen, 1 Samuel 9:9; 2 Samuel 24:11; they were also called "men of God", from the signification of man [vir], see Arcana Coelestia 158, 265; that they were called "men of God", may be seen, 2 Kings 1:9-16.

That by "prophets", in an Internal sense, are signified those who teach, appears from Jeremiah 23, throughout, and from Ezekiel 13 throughout, where the subject particularly treated of is concerning "prophets".

The same appears also from many other places where mention is made of "prophets." Hence also by "false prophets" are signified those who teach what is false as in Matthew;

"In the consummation of the age, many false prophets shall arise, and shall seduce many; false Christs shall arise, and false prophets shall glve great signs, and shall deceive, if possible, even the elect; (Matthew 24:11, 24)

where, by "false prophets", are meant those who teach what is false. The same is understood by the "false prophet" in the Revelation. (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10)

Hence also it may appear how much the internal sense of the Word is obscured by the ideas which are conceived from the representatives of the Jewish church; for wheresoever "prophet" is mentioned in the Word there instantly occurs the idea of prophets such as existed at that time, which idea is a great hindrance to the perception of what is signified by them. But in proportion to man's increase in wisdom, the Idea conceived from those representatives is more easily removed as for example, where mention is made of "temple", they who think from a deeper ground of wisdom do not perceive the temple which was at Jerusalem, but the temple of the Lord; so in the case of the "mountain of Zion", or of "Zion" itself, they have no perception of that which was at Jerusalem, but of the Lord's kingdom, and where "Jerusalem" occurs, they do not think of that city which was in the tribe of Benjamin and Judah, but of the holy and heavenly Jerusalem. Arcana Coelestia 2534.

11. So that all the vision is to you as the words of a sealed book; which, if it is given to one that knows letters, saying, Read this, I pray you: he says, I cannot; for it is sealed.

12. Or should the book be given to one that knows not letters, saying, Read this, I pray you: he says, I know not letters.

Verses 11, 12. [The "Book" or the Word is sealed, when its genuine doctrines and its interior truths are not understood by the church. To "know letters", or to be learned, is to know the science of correspondences, according to which the Word is inspired and written, which science constituted. the learning of ancient times. Unless this science is understood, the Word is, for the most part, as a "sealed book"; but it is opened by this science, as by the "key of knowledge". The intelligence of the church as to everything spiritual and heavenly can thus be immensely increased, and genuine truths can be seen in clear light by the rational mind. The blessings to the Church of the New Jerusalem, arising from the discovery of the spritual sense of the Word, will be great indeed!]

13. Wherefore Jehovah says, Forasmuch as this people draw near [to Me] with their mouth, and honour Me with their lips but have removed their heart far from Me; and their fear of Me is taught by the precept of men:

14. Therefore, behold, I will again deal with this people", in a manner so wonderful astonishing, that the wisdom of their wise shall perish, and the understanding of their intelligent shall be hid.

15. Woe unto them that deeply conceal their counsel from Jehovah; whose works are in the dark, and who say, Who seeth us? and who knows us?

Verse 13. In respect to external worship when sopnrato from internal, see above, Chapter 1:11-19, the Exposition.

Their fear of me, etc. - As to what understood in the Word by "fearing God", see above, Chapter 11:3, Exposition.

16. Your perverseness is as if the potter should be esteemed as the clay. Shall the work say of the maker of it, He has not made me? and shall the thing formed say of the former of it, He has no understanding?

Verse 16. That a "potter's vessel" signifies, in a good sense, what is true and in a bad sense, what is false, may be proved from the Word. When a man himself forms the "vessel", it signifies what is false; but when the Lord forms it in man, it signifies Truth. Hence it is that in the Word a "potter's vessel" signifies either what is false or what is true, and the "potter" is the former. The Lord Himself, from the formation of man by truths, is called in the Word a "Potter", as in Isaiah:

"O Jehovah, Our Father! we are the clay, and You our Potter; and all we are the work of Thine hands." (Isaiah 64:8; and Isaiah 29:16)

In a bad sense, as in Psalm 2:9:

"As a potter's vessel shalt You break them in pieces."

By the "potter's vessel is signified what is false from man's own or self-intelligence, and not from the Word. (See also Isaiah 30:10-14; 45:9) Apocalypse Explained 177.

17. Shall it not be but a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?

Verse 17. "Lebanon" [as a forest] signifies the truths of the church in the natural man, consequently the church as to the rational understanding of Good and Truth. (Apocalypse Explained 654, 730.)

As a "fruitful field", it signifies the Good and Truth of faith. (Apocalypse Explained 328)

The "cedars" and "firs of Lebanon" signify the internal and the external truths of the spiritual church. Apocalypse Explained 405.

18. And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book; and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity; and out of darkness.

Verse 18. The restoration of the church is here treated of. By "the deaf who will hear the words of the book", are understood those who will obey truths and hence lead a good life; and by "the blind whose eyes will see out of obscurity and darkness", are understood those who are not in the understanding of Truth, because in ignorance, who will then understand. That the deaf and the blind [in a literal sense] are not understood, is evident. Apocalypse Explained 239.

To "open the eyes of the blind", is to instruct those who as yet are ignorant of truths, and nevertheless desire them, who are signified by the Gentiles. Apocalypse Explained 152.

19. The miserable shall increase their joy in Jehovah, and the needy amongst men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.

Verse 19. By the "miserable" and "needy" are here also signified those with whom there is a defect of Truth and Good, and who nevertheless are in the desire of those principles. Concerning these it is said that "they shall increase their joy in Jehovah, and shall exult in the Holy One of Israel", and not concerning those who are miserable and needy as to worldly wealth. Apocalypse Explained 238.

The needy amongst men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. In this and in other passages where "the Holy One of Israel" is mentioned, the Lord with respect to His Divine Humanity is signified. True Christian Religion 93.

20. For the terrible one ceases, the scoffer is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:

21. Who cause a man to offend in a word, and lay snares for him that reproveth in the gate, and with emptiness turns aside the just.

Verses 20, 21. That "the terrible [or violent] one" is he who offers violence to charity, is signified by "causing a man to offend [or to sin] in a word", and by "laying snares for him that pleads in the gate", etc. Arcana Coelestia 6353.

22. Therefore thus says Jehovah to the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham: Jacob shall not now be ashamed; his face shall not now turn pale.

Verse 22. Jacob shall not now be ashamed; his face shall not now turn pale. - By "Jacob" are understood those who are of the church: and by "his face not turning pale" is signified that they shall not be in evils and falsities, but in Goods and Truths. That "paleness" signifies the absence and deprivation of spiritual life, which is when there is no Good and Truth, but evil and the false, is grounded in this circumstance, that when a man is deprived of vital heat, he then becomes pale and an image of death, as is the case in extreme terror, and in like manner when he dies; but when a man is spiritually dead, then his face either becomes red like a coal fire, or pale like a corpse. In such a manner do the infernals appear, when viewed in the light of heaven. Apocalypse Explained 381.

23. But when he seeth his children, the work of Mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify My name, and they shall sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.

Verse 23. "The Holy One of Jacob and the God of Israel" is the Lord. "His children" signify the regenerate, who will have the intelligence of Good and of Truth, as is explained in verse 24. Arcana Coelestia 489.

24. They also that erred in spirit shall know intelligence, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

Verse 24. By "spirit" is signified the understanding, and by " heart" the will. "Spirit" is literally the breath, for spirit, breath, and wind are expressed by one term in Hebrew, Hence by "loving God with all the heart and with all the soul", is meant with all the love and with all the understanding. That the term "spirit" signifies the understanding or Intelligence, may be seen from many passages, as from this, "They that erred in spirit shall know intelligence." Divine Love and Wisdom 383.

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Isaiah Chapter 29

1. WOE to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add year to year; let the festivals go round.

2. Yet will I distress Ariel; and there shall be mourning and sorrow: and it shall be unto Me as Ariel.

3. And I will encamp against you round about; and I will lay siege against you with a mound; and I will erect forts against you.

4. And you shalt be brought low; you shalt speak out of the earth: and out of the dust shall your speech feebly sound; and your voice shall come out of the ground, like as of one that has a familiar spirit: and out of the dust shall your speech mutter.

5. But the multitude of your strangers shall be like the small dust; and the multitude of the terrible ones like the chaff that passes away: yea, it shall be suddenly, in a moment.

6. From Jehovah of Hosts you shalt be visited with thunder, and with earthquake, and with a great voice; with storm, and with tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire.

7. And as a dream, a vision of the night shall be the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel; even all that fight against her and her ramparts, and they that distress her.

8. It shall be as when a hungry man dreameth, and lo! he eats: but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: and as when a thirsty man dreameth, and lo! he drinketh; but he awaketh, and lo! he is faint, and his soul craveth: thus shall it be with the multitude of all the nations which fight against Mount Zion. "

9. Stand you amazed, and wonder; be you astonished, and cry out! they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

10. For Jehovah has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep: and He has closed up your eyes, the prophets; and your heads, the seers has He covered,

11. So that all the vision is to you as the words of a sealed book; which, if it is given to one that knows letters, saying, Read this, I pray you: he says, I cannot; for it is sealed.

12. Or should the book be given to one that knows not letters, saying, Read this, I pray you: he says, I know not letters.

13. Wherefore Jehovah says, Forasmuch as this people draw near [to Me] with their mouth, and honour Me with their lips but have removed their heart far from Me; and their fear of Me is taught by the precept of men:

14. Therefore, behold, I will again deal with this people", in a manner so wonderful astonishing, that the wisdom of their wise shall perish, and the understanding of their intelligent shall be hid.

15. Woe unto them that deeply conceal their counsel from Jehovah; whose works are in the dark, and who say, Who seeth us? and who knows us?

16. Your perverseness is as if the potter should be esteemed as the clay. Shall the work say of the maker of it, He has not made me? and shall the thing formed say of the former of it, He has no understanding?

17. Shall it not be but a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?

18. And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book; and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity; and out of darkness.

19. The miserable shall increase their joy in Jehovah, and the needy amongst men shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.

20. For the terrible one ceases, the scoffer is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:

21. Who cause a man to offend in a word, and lay snares for him that reproveth in the gate, and with emptiness turns aside the just.

22. Therefore thus says Jehovah to the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham: Jacob shall not now be ashamed; his face shall not now turn pale.

23. But when he seeth his children, the work of Mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify My name, and they shall sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.

24. They also that erred in spirit shall know intelligence, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

577. And the heads of the horses as the heads of lions, signifies knowledge (scientia) and thought therefrom destructive of truth. This is evident from the signification of "the heads of horses," as being knowledge [scientia] and thought therefrom (of which presently); and from the signification of "the heads of lions," as being the consequent destruction of truth. "The heads of lions" signify here the destruction of truth, because a "lion" in the highest sense signifies Divine truth in respect to power, and in the contrary sense falsity destroying truth, consequently the destruction of truth, and "the head of a lion" signifies the powers of the mind through which it destroys, which are reasonings from falsities. (That a "lion" signifies Divine truth in respect to power, and in the contrary sense falsity destroying truth, may be seen above, n. 278.) The "heads of horses" signify knowledge [scientia] and thought therefrom, because "head" signifies intelligence, and "the horse" the understanding; and as the sensual man and here his reasoning from falsities are treated of, and the sensual man who reasons from falsities has no intelligence, but only knowledge [scientia] and thought therefrom, therefore these are here signified by "the heads of the horses." (That those who are in falsities have no intelligence, but instead of intelligence only knowledge, may be seen in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 33.)

[2] The "head" signifies intelligence, because the understanding and the will of man have their seat in the interiors of his head; consequently in the front part of the head, which is the face, are the senses of sight, hearing, smell, and taste, into which the understanding and the will flow from the interior and vivify them, and also cause them to enjoy their sensations; this is why the "head" signifies in the Word intelligence. But as those only who receive influx from heaven are intelligent, for all intelligence and wisdom flow in out of heaven from the Lord, it follows that they who are in the falsities of evil have no intelligence; for in them the higher and spiritual mind is closed, and only the lower mind, which is called the natural mind, is opened; and when the higher mind is closed the lower receives nothing of truth and good, consequently no intelligence from heaven, but only from the world. Such, therefore, in place of intelligence have mere knowledge [scientia] and thought from it, and from this proceeds reasoning, and by means of it the confirmation of falsity and evil against truth and good.

[3] That the "head" signifies in the Word intelligence and wisdom, and in the contrary sense knowledge [scientia] and fatuous thought therefrom, can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In Ezekiel:

I put a jewel upon thy nose, and ear-rings in thine ears, and a crown of adorning upon thy head (Ezekiel 16:12).

This is said of Jerusalem, which signifies the church, here such as it was in the beginning; "a jewel upon the nose" signifies the perception of truth from good; "the ear-rings in the ears" signify hearkening and obedience, and "a crown upon the head" signifies wisdom; for intelligence, which is from Divine truth, becomes wisdom from the good of love, and this is signified by "a crown of gold."

[4] In Revelation:

A woman encompassed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars (Revelation 12:1).

The "head" upon which was a crown of twelve stars, signifies intelligence, as will be seen in the explanation hereafter.

That the Jews placed a crown of thorns upon the Lord's head, and that they smote His head (Matthew 27:29, 30; Mark 15:17, 19; John 19:2);

signifies that they treated with such contumely Divine truth itself and Divine wisdom; for they falsified the Word, which is Divine truth and in which is Divine wisdom, and adulterated it by their traditions and by applying it to themselves; thus they desired a king who would exalt them over all in the whole earth. And as the Lord's kingdom was not earthly but heavenly, they perverted everything that was said respecting Him in the Word, and mocked at what was foretold of Him. This is what was represented by "their placing a crown of thorns upon His head, and smiting His head."

[5] Where the statue of Nebuchadnezzar seen in a dream is described, it is said in Daniel:

Its head was of pure gold, its breast and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of brass, its legs of iron, its feet part of iron and part of clay (Daniel 2:32, 33).

That statue represented the successive states of the church; "the head of gold" represented and signified the Most Ancient Church, which was in celestial wisdom, and thus in intelligence above the churches that followed; this wisdom and its intelligence are meant by the "head of gold." That the other parts of that statue signified the states of subsequent churches may be seen above (176, 411).

In David:

Thou hast brought us into the net; thou hast laid oppressions ¹ upon our loins. Thou hast caused man to ride over our head (Psalms 66:11, 12).

"To cause man to ride over our head" signifies that there is no intelligence (See above, n. 355), where this is more fully explained).

[6] In Moses:

These blessings shall come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the crown of the head of the Nazirite of his brethren (Genesis 49:26; Deuteronomy 33:13-16).

That "blessings shall come upon the head of Joseph" signifies that all the things that had just been mentioned, that are blessings of heaven, should take place in the interiors of his mind, which are the lives of the understanding and will, for these are the interiors of the mind. That they shall come upon "the crown of the head of the Nazirite of his brethren" signifies that they should also take place in the exteriors of his natural mind, for the "Naziriteship" signifies the exteriors of the natural mind, since it means the hairs, or the hair of the head. (But these words may be seen further explained above, n. 448; and in (Arcana Coelestia 6437, 6435) the Arcana Coelestia 6437, 6438.) In the same:

Take you wise men and intelligent, and I will put them as your heads (Deuteronomy 1:13).

It is said "as your heads" because wisdom and intelligence, in which they should excel all others, are meant; therefore it is said, "Take you wise men and intelligent."

[7] In Isaiah:

Jehovah hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes, the prophets; and your heads, the seers, hath He covered (Isaiah 29:10).

"Prophets" signify those who teach truths and are intelligent, and in an abstract sense, the doctrine of truth and intelligence; therefore it is said, "Jehovah hath closed your eyes, the prophets, and your heads, the seers," where the prophets are called "eyes," and the seers "heads," because "eyes" signify the understanding of truth in respect to doctrine, and "seers" like as "heads" signify intelligence.

[8] In the same:

Jehovah will cut off from Israel ² head and tail, branch and rush. The old man and the honorable will make the head, and the prophet, the teacher of lies the tail (Isaiah 9:14, 15).

In the same:

Neither shall there be for Egypt any work which will make the head or tail, branch or rush (19 Isaiah 19:15).

"He will cut off from Israel head and tail," and "neither shall there be for Egypt head or tail," signify that all the intelligence and knowledge [scientia] of truth they have shall perish (as may be seen above, n. 559, where these passages are more fully explained). In the same:

In that day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired in the crossings of the river, by the king of Assyria, the head and the hairs of the feet; and shall also consume the beard (Isaiah 7:20).

That this signifies that reasonings from falsities will deprive the men of the church of all wisdom and spiritual intelligence, may be seen above n. 569, where this is explained in particular; it is said "in the crossings of the river," because "the river Euphrates" signifies the reasonings from falsities, therefore here attack by these upon the truths of the church which are destroyed by reasoning from falsities.

[9] In Ezekiel:

Son of man, take thee a sharp sword, a barber's razor, and cause it to pass over ³ the head and over the beard; a third part thou shalt burn with fire, a third part thou shalt smite with the sword, and a third part thou shalt disperse in the wind (Ezekiel 5:1, 2).

Here also "to cause a razor to pass over the head" signifies to deprive of all intelligence of truth; for the reason that intelligence perishes when there are no ultimates of intelligence, which are signified by "the hairs of the head, which should be shaved with a razor by causing it to pass over the head;" for when ultimates are taken away it is as when the base is taken away from a column, or the foundation from a house. This is why it was unlawful in the Jewish Church, which was a representative church, to shave the hairs of the head and induce baldness, in like manner the beard; so also those who are without intelligence appear bald in the spiritual world.

[10] From all this the signification of "a bald head" and "baldness" in the following passages can be seen. In Isaiah:

On all their heads is baldness, every beard is cut off (Isaiah 15:2);

in other words, there is no intelligence. In Ezekiel:

Shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all heads (7 Ezekiel 7:18).

In the same:

Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled (2 Ezekiel 29:18).

These words have a similar meaning. So Aaron and his sons were forbidden to shave their heads and the corner of the beard, of which it is said in Moses:

That Aaron and his sons shall not shave their heads nor rend their clothes, lest they die, and lest Jehovah be angry in consequence with the whole congregation (Leviticus 10:6).

And in the same:

That the sons of Aaron should not make baldness upon their head, nor shave the corner of the beard (Leviticus 21:5).

The "beard" signifies the ultimate of the rational man, and "not shaving the beard" signifies not to be deprived of the rational, by taking away its ultimate; for, as was said above, when the ultimate is taken away the interior also perishes. What is meant by:

When a woman taken captive from the enemy is desired for a wife she must shave her head and pare her nails (Deuteronomy 21:11, 12);

may be seen explained above n. 555.

[11] Because shame was represented by the hands upon the head, it is said in Jeremiah:

Thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt also, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria. From her also thou shalt go forth with thy hands upon thy head (Jeremiah 2:36, 37).

And in the same:

They were ashamed and put to confusion and covered their heads (Jeremiah 14:3-4).

Because this was a representative of shame:

Tamar, after she had been ravished by her brother Amnon, put her hand on her head, and went weeping ⁴ and crying (2 Samuel 13:19).

To "put the hand upon the head" signified that no intelligence remained. Also grief for sin in having acted insanely and foolishly was represented by sprinkling dust upon the head, and by bowing the head down even to the earth; and by this cursing also was signified. As in Ezekiel:

They shall cast up dust upon thy head, they shall roll thee in ashes (Ezekiel 27:30).

In Lamentations:

The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the earth, they keep silence; they have cast up dust upon their head; they have girded themselves with sackcloth; the virgins of Jerusalem have made their head to hang down to the ground (Lamentations 2:10).

[12] But in the contrary sense the "head" signifies the craftiness that those have who are in the love of ruling. This is meant by the "head" in Moses:

The seed of the woman shall trample upon the head of the serpent, and the serpent shall hurt the heel (Genesis 3:15).

In David:

The Lord at thy right hand hath stricken through kings in the day of His anger; He hath judged among the nations; He hath filled with dead bodies; He hath stricken through the head over many a land; He shall drink out of the brook in the way; therefore shall He exalt the head (Psalms 110:5-7).

(This passage may be seen explained above, n. 518.) In the same:

God shall strike through the head of His enemies, the hairy scalp of such as go on in guilt (Psalms 68:21).

That the craftiness by which they purpose and contrive evil against others returns upon themselves is signified by:

Bringing their way upon their own head (Ezekiel 9:10; 11:21; 16:43; 17:19; 22:31; Joel 3:4, 7).

What is signified in Revelation by:

The seven heads upon which were seven diadems (Revelation 12:3; 13:1, 3; 17:3, 7, 9);

will be seen hereafter. Moreover, the "head," as what is highest and primary in man, has also many other meanings; as the peak of a mountain, the top of anything, what is primary, the beginning of a way, of a street, of a month, and the like.

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