4677. And he made him a tunic ¹ of various colors. That this signifies the appearances of truth thence, whereby the spiritual of the natural is known and distinguished, is evident from the signification of a “tunic,” as being the truth of the natural, of which hereafter; and from the signification of “various colors,” as being the appearance of truth by which the spiritual of the natural is known and distinguished. That these are signified by “various colors” cannot be known by anyone unless he knows that colors appear in the other life equally as in the world-colors which in beauty and variety far surpass those in this world-and unless he knows what is the source of these colors. The colors seen in the other life are from the variation of the light there, and are so to speak modifications of intelligence and wisdom; for the light which appears there is from the Divine truth that is from the Lord, or is the Divine spiritual from Him, or what is the same, is Divine intelligence and wisdom, which appears as light before the eyes of angels and spirits. Hence it is evident what is signified by the colors from that light, namely, qualities of truth, thus its appearances, and that they appear from the affections of good and truth. (Concerning the colors in the other life see n. 1042, 1043, 1053, 1624, 3993, 4530)

[2] That a “tunic” is the truth of the natural was said above (n. 3301), but as it was not there shown, I may now confirm it here from other passages in the Word. As the kings in the Jewish Church represented the Lord as to the Divine spiritual, or Divine truth (n. 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670), therefore their daughters were clothed in tunics of various colors, for by “daughters” were signified affections of good and truth, and therefore churches (see n. 2362, 3963); of whom we read in the second book of Samuel:

There was upon Tamar, David’s daughter, a tunic of various colors, for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins appareled (2 Samuel 13:16).

[3] And because the high priests represented the Lord as to the Divine celestial or Divine good, Aaron was clothed in garments that represented the Divine truth which is from the Divine good of the Lord; for Divine good is in the Lord, but Divine truth proceeds from Him, and is what was represented by these garments. So also when the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, the Divine good appeared as the sun, and the Divine truth was presented as raiment which appeared as the light (Matthew 17:2).

[4] The garments in which Aaron and his sons were clothed are thus described in Moses:

Thou shalt make for Aaron a tunic of fine linen, and a miter of fine linen, and thou shalt make a belt, the work of the embroiderer. And for Aaron’s sons thou shalt make tunics, and thou shalt make for them belts, and headtires shalt thou make for them, for glory and for adornment (Exodus 28:39-40).

Every particular here signified something pertaining to the Divine truth from the Divine good of the Lord, the “tunic of fine linen” specifically signifying the Divine spiritual. So also in another place:

Thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the tunic, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and shalt clothe him with the girdle of the ephod; afterwards thou shall cause his sons to approach, and put tunics upon them (Exodus 29:5, 8; 40:14).

What these particulars signify will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be shown when they come to be treated of. (That “garments” in general are truths, see n. 297, 1073, 2576, 4545.)

[5] The prophets also were clothed in tunics, but in tunics of hair; because by the prophets the Lord was represented as to truths of doctrine, and because these are of the natural or external man, the prophets had tunics of hair, for “hair” signifies what is natural (n. 3301).

[6] That a “tunic” signifies Divine truth from the Lord, is still more obvious from those passages in the New Testament in which “tunic” is mentioned, as in John:

The soldiers took His garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part, and also the tunic; now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore one to another, Let us not divide it, that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith, They divided my vestments among them, and upon my tunic did they cast a lot (John 19:23-24);

one who reads these words supposes that they involve no greater mystery than that the vestments were divided among the soldiers, and that a lot was cast upon the tunic, and yet every particular was representative and significative of something Divine, as well that the vestments were divided into four parts, as that the tunic was not divided, but upon it was cast a lot, especially that the tunic was without seam and woven from the top throughout; for by the “tunic” was signified the Lord’s Divine truth, which as being one only and from good, was represented by the tunic being without seam and woven from the top throughout

[7] The like was signified by the “tunic of Aaron,” which was woven, or the work of the weaver, as is evident from Moses:

They made the tunics of fine linen, the work of the weaver, for Aaron and for his sons (Exodus 39:27).

There was also represented that the Lord did not suffer Divine truth to be rent into parts, as was done by the Jews with the lower truths of the church.

[8] Because Divine truth which is from Divine good is one only, the twelve disciples when sent to preach the gospel of the kingdom were commanded not to have two tunics; as in Luke:

Jesus sent the twelve disciples to preach the kingdom of God; and He said unto them, Take nothing for the way, neither staves, nor bag, nor bread, nor silver; neither have two tunics apiece (Luke 9:2-3);

and in Mark:

He commanded them that they should take nothing for the way save a staff only, no bag, no bread, no brass in their belt; but be clad with shoes; and put not on two tunics (Mark 6:8-9);

And in Matthew:

Possess neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your belts, nor bag for the way, nor two tunics, nor shoes, nor staves (Matthew 10:9-10).

[9] All the particulars herein are representative of the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord’s kingdom which the disciples were sent to preach. That they were not to take with them gold, silver, brass, bag, nor bread, was because these things signified goods and truths which are from the Lord alone—“gold” signifying good (n. 113, 1551, 1552); “silver,” truth therefrom (n. 1551, 2954); “brass,” natural good (n. 425, 1551); “bread,” the good of love or celestial good (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3478, 3735, 4211, 4217). But the “tunic” and “shoe” signified the truths with which they were clothed, and the “staff” the power of truth from good. (That a “staff” is this power may be seen above, n. 4013, 4015; and that a “shoe” is the lowest natural, n. 1748, here as to truth.) A “tunic” is interior natural truth, and because these things ought not to be double, but single, it was forbidden to have two staves, two pairs of shoes, or two tunics. These arcana are within this command of the Lord, and cannot possibly be known except from the internal sense.

[10] All and each of the things the Lord said were representative of Divine things, consequently of the celestial and spiritual things of His kingdom, and thus were adapted to the apprehension of men, and at the same time to the understanding of spirits and angels; wherefore those things which the Lord said, filled and continue to fill the whole heaven. From this it is evident of what use and importance it is to know the internal sense of the Word. Moreover, without this sense anyone can confirm from the Word whatever dogma he pleases; and because such is the appearance of the Word to those who are in evil, they therefore deride it, and are ready to believe anything rather than that it is Divine.

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1551. In silver. That this signifies truths, is evident from the signification of “silver,” as being truth. The most ancient people compared the goods and truths in man to metals; the inmost or the celestial goods, which are of love to the Lord, to gold; the truths which are from these, to silver; but the lower or natural goods, to copper; and the lower truths, to iron; nor did they simply compare them, but they likewise called them so. Hence periods of time were also likened to the same metals, and were called the golden, the silver, the copper, and the iron ages; for the ages followed one another in this order. The golden age was the time of the Most Ancient Church, which was a celestial man; the silver age was the time of the Ancient Church, which was a spiritual man; the copper age was the time of the succeeding church; and to this succeeded the iron age. Similar things are also signified by the statue seen by Nebuchadnezzar in a dream, whose “head was of good gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of iron” (Daniel 2:32-33). That this was to be the series, or that the periods of the church succeeded one another in this order, is evident from the same Prophet, and in the same chapter.

[2] That in the internal sense of the Word, “silver,” wherever named, signifies truth, and in the opposite sense falsity, is evident from the following passages.

In Isaiah:

For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron; I will also make thine officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness (Isaiah 60:17); where it is evident what each metal means. The Lord’s coming, and His celestial kingdom and church, are there treated of; “gold for brass,” is celestial good instead of natural good; “silver for iron,” is spiritual truth instead of natural truth; “brass for wood,” is natural good instead of corporeal good; “iron for stones,” is natural truth instead of sensuous truth. In the same:

Ho, everyone that thirsteth, go ye to the waters; and he that hath no silver; go ye, buy and eat (Isaiah 55:1);

“he that hath no silver,” is he who is in ignorance of truth, and yet in the good of charity, like many within the church, and the nations outside the church.

[3] In the same:

The isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish in the beginning, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of Jehovah thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 60:9).

Here a new church, or that of the Gentiles, is treated of specifically, and the Lord’s kingdom universally; “the ships from Tarshish” denote knowledges; “silver,” truths; and “gold,” goods; for these are the things which they shall “bring to the name of Jehovah.”

In Ezekiel:

Thou didst take the vessels of thine adorning of My gold and of My silver, which I had given thee, and madest for thee images of a male (Ezekiel 16:17).

Here “gold” denotes the knowledges of celestial things; “silver,” those of spiritual things. In the same:

Thou wast adorned with gold and silver, and thy raiment was fine linen and silk, and broidered work (Ezekiel 16:13).

This is said of Jerusalem, by which the Lord’s church is signified, and the adornment of which is thus described. Again:

Behold, thou art wise, there is no secret that they have hidden from thee; in thy wisdom and in thine intelligence thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures (Ezekiel 28:3-4

This is said of Tyre, and it is plain that here “gold” is the wealth of wisdom, and “silver” the wealth of intelligence.

[4] In Joel:

Ye have taken My silver and My gold, and have carried into your temples My goodly desirable things (Joel 3:5).

This is said concerning Tyre, Zidon, and Philistia; by which are signified knowledges, which are “the gold and the silver” that they have carried into their temples.

In Haggai:

The choice of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory; the silver is Mine and the gold is Mine; the glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former (Haggai 2:7-9); where the Lord’s church is treated of, concerning which “gold” and “silver” are predicated.

In Malachi:

He shall sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and shall purify the sons of Leviticus (Malachi 3:3); where the Lord’s coming is treated of.

In David:

The discourses of Jehovah are pure discourses, silver smelted in a crucible of earth, smelted seven times (Psalms 12:6).

The “silver purified seven times,” denotes Divine truth. In respect to the command given to the sons of Israel, when they were to go out of Egypt:

Every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, and of her that is a guest in her house, vessels of silver and vessels of gold, and garments; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters, and shall spoil the Egyptians (Exodus 3:22; 11:2-3; 12:35-36);

everyone can see that the sons of Israel would by no means have been told thus to steal, and to spoil the Egyptians, unless some arcana were thus to be represented; but what the arcana are may be seen from the signification of “silver,” of “gold,” and of “garments,” and of “Egypt;” and it may also be seen that much the same was there represented as is here represented by Abram, who was rich in silver and gold from Egypt.

[5] As “silver” signifies truth, so in the opposite sense it signifies falsity; for they who are in falsity think that falsity is truth; as is also evident in the Prophets.

In Moses:

Thou shalt not covet the silver and the gold of the nations, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein; for it is an abomination to Jehovah thy God; detesting thou shalt detest it (Deuteronomy 7:25-26);

“the gold of the nations” denotes evils, and their “silver” falsities. Again:

Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver, and gods of gold shall ye not make unto you (Exodus 20:23);

by which in the internal sense nothing else is signified than falsities and cupidities; “gods of silver” are falsities; and “gods of gold” are cupidities.

In Isaiah:

In that day shall they cast away every man his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin (Isaiah 31:7);

“idols of silver and idols of gold,” denote similar things as before; “your own hands have made them,” means that they are from man’s Own.

In Jeremiah:

They are become brutish and foolish; a teaching of vanities is that stock; silver beaten out is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the founder; blue and crimson are their clothing, it is all the work of the wise (Jeremiah 10:8-9);

denoting the like things, as is very evident.