10553. 'And all the people rose, and they bowed down, each at the door of [his] tent' means that nation's holy regard for and adoration of what was external with them. This is clear from the meaning of 'rising and bowing down' as having a holy regard for something and adoring it; and from the meaning of 'at the door of [his] tent' as the external aspect of the Word, the Church, and worship, dealt with above in 10549. These words describe the genius or disposition of that nation. Although they stand outside the true meaning of the Word and the visibility so far as the Word with them is concerned is so extremely poor they nevertheless have a holy regard for it and adore it. But that holy regard is an idolatrous holiness arising out of self-love, altogether different from any Divine holiness. Regarding the existence of such holiness with that nation when they engage in worship, see 3479, 4281, 6588, 9377, 10430, 10500.

10549. 'And so it was, when Moses went out to the tent, that all the people rose and stood, [each] at the door of [his] tent' means that that nation did not abide in the external aspect of the Word, the Church, and worship, but outside it. This is clear from the representation of 'Moses' as the Word, dealt with in the places referred to in 9372; from the meaning of 'the tent' as the holiness of worship, the Church, and the Word, dealt with above in 10545; and from the meaning of 'rising and standing in front of the door of the tent' as standing outside it. For 'the door' means entrance, introduction, and communication, 2145, 2152, 8989, and therefore 'standing in front of it' means not going in, being introduced, and being communicated.