9553. And its flowers. That this signifies the memory-knowledges of truth, is evident from the signification of “flowers,” as being the memory-knowledges of truth. “Flowers” have this signification, because flowers are growths which precede, and in their manner produce, the fruits and seeds; for, as is known, trees and plants blossom before they bear fruit. The case is the same with man in respect to intelligence and wisdom. The memory-knowledges of truth precede, and in their manner produce with man, the things of wisdom; for they serve as objects to his rational, and thus as means for growing wise. It is for this reason that the memory-knowledges of truth are as flowers; and the good of life, which is the good of wisdom, is as fruit. As all things in the spiritual world bear relation to such things as are in man, for the reason that heaven bears relation to a man, and corresponds to each and all things with man, therefore also all things in the natural world have a correspondence, a representation, and a signification in accordance with their agreement with such things as are in man (see n. 9496). From this it can now be seen why “flowers” signify the memory-knowledges of truth, and in general truths; and why “fruits,” and likewise “seeds,” signify goods.

[2] That “flowers” denote the memory-knowledges of truth, and in general truths, is evident from Isaiah:

Their root shall be as rottenness, and their flower as dust; because they have rejected the law of Jehovah Zebaoth, and despised the discourse of the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 5:24).

Jacob shall cause those to come to take root; Israel shall blossom and flower; so that the faces of the world shall be filled with produce (Isaiah 27:6).

Woe to the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower of his glory and comeliness (Isaiah 28:1).

“Drunkards” denote those who reason from falsities (see n. 1072); “Ephraim” denotes the intellectual of the church, here perverted (n. 5354, 6222, 6234, 6238, 6267); “glory,” truth Divine (n. 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429); from which it is plain that a “flower” denotes the memory-knowledge through which is truth. Again:

The grass is withered, the flower faded, the people is grass; but the word of our God abideth forever (Isaiah 40:7-8).

The flower of Lebanon languisheth (Nah. 1:4); where also “the flower” denotes memory-knowledges as means for growing wise.

[3] In Daniel:

Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, the height thereof great, the leaf thereof beautiful, and the flower thereof much; the beast of the field had shade under it, and the birds of heaven dwelt in the branches thereof, and all flesh was fed. But the Holy One from heaven, crying aloud, said, Hew down the tree, cut off his branches, shake off his leaf, scatter his flower; let the beast of the field flee from under it, and the birds from its branches (Daniel 4:10, 12-14).

By “the tree” and “the height thereof” is signified the increase of the religiosity signified by “Babel,” which is holy in externals, but profane in internals (n. 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326); “the leaf” denotes memory-truth in general (n. 885); “the flower,” the memory-knowledge of truth insofar as it serves as a means for growing wise, but here insofar as it serves as a means for growing insane, because it is said that “the flower shall be scattered;” “the beast of the field” denotes those who are in affections of good; and in the opposite sense, those who are in affections of evil (n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 719, 776, 1823, 2179, 2180, 3218, 3519, 5198, 7523, 9090, 9280); but “the birds of heaven” denotes those who are in affections of truth, and in the opposite sense those who are in affections of falsity (n. 3219, 5149, 7441); therefore it is said that “under the shade of that tree dwelt the beast of the field,” and that “in its branches dwelt the birds of heaven,” and that “all flesh was fed;” and afterward that “the beast of the field should flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.”

7523. And it shall be upon man and upon beast. That this signifies which are from evil interior and exterior, is evident from the signification of “man,” as being the affection of good, and in the opposite sense the cupidity of evil; in like manner “beast;” but when “man and beast” are mentioned, then by “man” is signified interior affection or cupidity, and by “beast” exterior (see n. 7424). The interior good and also the interior evil which are signified by “man” are those which are of the intention or end, for the intention or end is the inmost of man; but the exterior good and also the exterior evil which are signified by “beast” are those which are of the thought, and of the consequent action when nothing stands in the way. That what is exterior is signified by “beast” is because in respect to his external or natural man, a man is nothing else than a beast, for he takes delight in the like cupidities and pleasures, as also in the like appetites and senses. And the reason why that which is interior is signified by “man” is that man is man in respect to the internal or spiritual man, taking delight there in the affections of good and truth, such as belong to the angels in heaven, and also because through this he rules his natural or animal man, which is a beast. (That a “beast” denotes the affection of good, and in the opposite sense the yearning of evil, see n. 45-46vvv3, 142-143, 246, 714-715, 719, 776, 2179-2180, 3218, 3519, 5198)

[2] Such is the signification of “man and beast” also in the following passages, in Jeremiah:

Mine anger and My wrath have been poured out upon this place, upon man and upon beast (Jeremiah 7:20).

I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; they shall die of a great pestilence (Jeremiah 21:6).

It shall make her land a desolation, that none shall dwell therein; from man even to beast they have scattered, they have gone away (Jeremiah 50:3).

When a land sinneth against Me by trespassing a trespass, I will cut off from it man and beast (Ezekiel 14:13, 19, 21).

I will stretch out My hand upon Edom, and will cut off from it man and beast; and I will make it a waste (Ezekiel 25:13).

I will consume man and beast, I will consume the bird of the heavens and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks together with the wicked; and I will cut off man from the surfaces of the land (Zeph. 1:3).

[3] “Man and beast” denote interior and exterior good in the following passages, in Jeremiah:

I have made the earth, the man and the beast, by My great power (Jeremiah 27:5).

Behold the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast (Jeremiah 31:27).

The earth shall be a desolation, so that there is no man or beast (Jeremiah 32:43).

In the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are laid waste, no man and no inhabitant and no beast (Jeremiah 33:10; 51:62).

Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God; Thy judgments are a great deep; O Jehovah, Thou preservest man and beast (Psalms 36:6).

Because such things were signified by “man and beast,” therefore the firstborn of the Egyptians died, both of men and of beasts (Exodus 12:29); and therefore the firstborn were sanctified, both of man and of beast (Numbers 18:15); and therefore also from a holy rite it was commanded by the king of Nineveh, that both man and beast were to fast, and were also to be covered with sackcloth (Jonah 3:7-8).