8726. And gave them as heads over the people. That this signifies influx into these truths, is evident from the signification of “men of strenuousness,” who here are those whom he made heads over the people, as being truths with which good can be conjoined (of which just above, n. 8725); from the representation of Moses, as being the truth immediately from the Divine (of which frequently above); and from the signification of “giving them as heads,” as being to flow in, and thus to give quality to, in order that the truth immediately from the Divine may through them lead the man of the church by means of good. How this is, can be seen from what has been before set forth, namely, that the man who is being regenerated is at first led by means of the truth which is of faith; but when he has been regenerated he is led by means of the good which is of charity (n. 8643, 8648, 8658, 8685, 8690, 8701); and that in the first state, namely, when he is led by means of truth, the Lord flows in through the truth Divine which proceeds immediately from Him; but in the other state, namely, when he is led by means of good, the Lord flows in through both the truth which proceeds immediately, and that which proceeds mediately, from Him (n. 8685, 8701); and that the mediate influx is equally from the Lord as is the immediate (n. 8717). These are the things described in this verse in the internal sense. The very mediate influx of truth from the Divine is signified by the words, “Moses gave them as heads over the people.”

8690. And all the people standing over thee from the morning until the evening. That this signifies that at that time this was the source of everything of will with those who were of the spiritual church, in every state, is evident from the representation of Israel, who is here “the people,” as being those who are of the spiritual church (see above, n. 8645); from the signification of “standing over” Moses, as being obedience in conformity with truth Divine (as also above, n. 8686), and because it denotes obedience, it is of the will, for obedience is of the will, but it is the will to do truth by reason of command, not by reason of affection, and this will is obedience; and from the signification of “from the morning until the evening,” as being in every state, interior and exterior (of which above, n. 8687). The first state, in which man is before regeneration, is here treated of, which is that he does good from obedience, and not yet from affection; but this good is the truth which he does, because it is done only from command, thus as yet from compulsion, but not from freedom. He does good from freedom when he does it from affection; for everything that flows from the affection which is of love is free. When man is in the former state, then the Lord flows in and leads immediately; but the immediate influx of the Lord does not come to perception, because it is into the inmosts of the man; whereas the influx of the Lord which is immediate and at the same time mediate, does come to perception, and gives affection, for it is not only into man’s inmosts, but also into his mediates and outmosts. This latter state is treated of in what follows in this chapter; the former is described in these verses, where it is said of Moses that he judged alone (see what has been said above, n. 8685).