721. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth, signifies the hatred of those who are meant by "the dragon" against the church with those who will be in the doctrine, and thence in the light of love and charity from the Lord. This is evident from the signification of the "dragon," as being those who have a knowledge [scientia] of the cognitions of truth from the sense of the letter of the Word, and are not in a life according to it (See above, n. 714); and from the signification of "the woman," as being the church that is in the doctrine and thence in the life of love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor (See above, n. 707). The hatred of those who are signified by "the dragon" against that church and its doctrine, is meant by "standing before the woman about to bring forth and wishing to devour the offspring." Also from the signification of "bringing forth," as being to bring forth such things as pertain to the church, which are doctrinals, here respecting love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor, for "the son, a male" that the woman brought forth signifies the doctrine of that church. Such things are signified by "bringing forth," because generations, births, and nativities mean in the Word spiritual generations, births, and nativities, which are effected by truths and a life according to them.

[2] For this reason where spiritual generation, which is called regeneration, is treated of in the Word it is described by natural generation and birth. As in John:

Jesus said to Nicodemus, Except one be begotten anew he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said, How can a man be begotten when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be begotten? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except one be begotten of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, but that which is begotten of the spirit isspirit. (John 3:3-6).

As Nicodemus did not understand the spiritual sense of the Lord's words "that a man must be begotten anew," the Lord explained that "to be begotten" means "to be begotten of water and of the spirit," thus to be regenerated, that is, by means of truths from the Word and a life according to them, for "water" signifies truths, and "spirit" a life according to them. But elsewhere in the Word, where "to travail," "to bring forth," "to produce," and "to beget" are mentioned, there is no explanation, and yet spiritual travail, birth, nativity, and generation are meant, since the Word in the letter is natural, but in its bosom is spiritual. "To bring forth" signifies to bring forth spiritually, because when a man is regenerating he is likewise as it were conceived, carried in the womb, born, and educated, as a man is conceived of his father, carried in the womb and born of his mother, and afterwards educated.

[3] To confirm that births and nativities signify in the Word spiritual births and nativities, some passages shall be cited from it. In Isaiah:

Be ashamed, O Zidon, the sea hath said, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not travailed, neither brought forth, I have not trained up young men, I have not brought up virgins; when the report comes from Egypt they shall be seized with pain as at the report respecting Tyre (Isaiah 23:4, 5).

"Zidon" and "Tyre" signify the knowledges of good and truth from the Word; that the church has not acquired through these anything of intelligence and wisdom, and has not done any uses, is signified by "not travailing," "not bringing forth," "not training up young men," "not bringing up virgins," "young men" meaning the truths of the church, and "virgins" its goods. (But this may be seen explained above, n. 275.)

[4] In the same:

Thy chastening is upon them, as a woman with child that draweth near to her delivery; she crieth out in her pangs; so have we done ¹ before Thee, O Jehovah; we have conceived, we have travailed, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought salvation to the earth, neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen; thy dead shall live (Isaiah 26:16-19).

This is said of the last times of the church, when falsities and evils so far increase that there can be no reformation and regeneration; this state is meant by "the chastening of Jehovah upon them;" that it will then be difficult to perceive and acquire any truth is signified by "as a woman with child that draweth near to her delivery; she crieth out in her pangs;" that in the place of truths they imbibe vanities in which there are no truths is signified by "we have conceived, we have travailed, we have as it were brought forth wind," "wind" signifying such vanities; that from these no uses of life come is signified by "we have not wrought salvation" to Jehovah; ² that still, when the Lord shall come into the world they are to be taught and regenerated by truths from Him is signified by "thy dead shall live," and by the words that follow.

[5] In the same:

Sing aloud O barren, thou that didst not bear, break forth into singing and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail, for more are the sons of the desolate than the sons of the married one (Isaiah 54:1).

This treats of the Lord's coming and of the New Church to be established by Him with the Gentiles; these are signified by "the barren that did not bear," and by "the desolate" who shall have many sons; they are called "barren" because they did not know the Lord, and did not have the Word where truths are, and therefore could not be regenerated, "sons" meaning truths from the Lord through the Word. The church that has the Word, from which the Lord is known, is meant by "the married one" that has no sons; the joy of those who are of the New Church that before had no truths, is signified by "break forth into singing and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail," "to travail" meaning to bear in the womb.

[6] In the first book of Samuel:

They who have been driven away have been girded with strength; they that are sated, have hired themselves for bread, and they that are hungry have ceased, even until the barren hath borne seven, and she that hath many sons languisheth (1 Samuel 2:4, 5).

This is the prophetic song of Hannah, the mother of Samuel. "Those driven away that are to be girded with strength" mean the Gentiles with whom the church is to be, who are called "driven away" from a lack of the knowledges of truth, and who are therefore rejected by those of the church, at that time the Jewish church; "to be girded with strength" signifies that such have truth from good, and thence power; "they that are sated, who have hired themselves for bread;" and "they that are hungry who have ceased," mean those who were of the Jewish Church, who are said to be "sated" because they had truths in abundance, and "to be hired for bread" because they could only be led to learn truths and do them as hirelings; that they did not desire to know them is signified by "they that are hungry have ceased." The same church is also meant by "she that hath many sons languisheth." But the Gentiles that are to acknowledge the Lord and receive the Word, and thus suffer themselves to be regenerated into the church, are meant by "the barren that shall bear seven;" "seven" signifies all and many, and is predicated of the holy things of the church.

[7] In Jeremiah:

She that hath borne seven shall languish, she shall breathe out her soul; her sun shall go down while it is yet day (Jeremiah 15:9).

This signifies that a church that has all truths because it has the Word shall perish, even so that nothing of truth and good will remain; "to bear seven" signifies to be gifted with all truths from the Word; "to languish, and to have the sun go down," signifies to perish successively and at length wholly; "to breathe out the soul" signifies to perish in respect to all truths, and "the sun going down" signifies to perish in respect to all the goods of love; "while it is as yet day" signifies while the Word is still acknowledged.

[8] In Isaiah:

Before she travailed she brought forth; before her pangs came she was delivered of a male child. Who hath heard a thing like this? Who hath seen a thing like this? Hath the earth travailed in one day? Shall a nation be begotten at once? As soon as Zion travailed she brought forth her sons. Shall I break and not bring forth, saith Jehovah, shall I that cause to bring forth restrain? Rejoice with Jerusalem, exult in her, all ye that love her, that ye may suck and be satisfied from the breast of her consolations (Isaiah 66:7-11).

This, too, treats of the Lord's coming and of the establishment of a church with the Gentiles. Their reformation and regeneration are described by "travailing," "bringing forth," "being delivered of a male child," and by "breaking the matrix" and "begetting;" for, as has been said above, a man who is begotten anew is likewise as it were conceived, carried in the womb, born, educated, and grows up, as from a father and mother.

"Zion" and "Jerusalem" mean the church and its doctrine; and "to suck and be satisfied with the breast of her consolations" signifies to be fully instructed in truths from good from the delight of love according to desire; the "one day" in which these things shall take place signifies the Lord's coming.

[9] In David:

From before the Lord thou art in travail, O earth, from before the God of Israel ³ (Psalms 114:7).

"Thou art in travail, O earth," signifies the establishment of the church, or the reformation of those who will be of the church, "to travail" meaning to receive truths and be reformed, and "the earth" meaning the church. It is said "from before the Lord" and "from before the God of Jacob," because reformation in respect to good and truth is meant, for the Lord is called "Lord" from good, and "God" from truth.

[10] In Jeremiah:

Behold, I bring them from the land of the north, and I will gather them together from the sides of the earth; among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child, and she that is bringing forth together, a great assembly shall they return hither (Jeremiah 31:8).

This, again, treats of the restoration of the church with the Gentiles by the Lord. The Gentiles who are in falsities and in the appearances of truth such as the truths of the Word are in the sense of its letter, are meant by "the land of the north" and by "the sides of the earth," the "north" signifying falsities, and "the sides of the earth" such ultimate truths; therefore it is also said, "among them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and she that is bringing forth," the "blind" meaning those who are not in truths, and the "lame" those who are not in goods, "the woman with child" those who receive truths, and "she who is bringing forth" those who do them. That from such the church will be established is signified by "Behold, I bring them, I will gather them together and a great assembly shall they return hither."

[11] In Isaiah:

Look unto the rock out of which ye were hewn, and to the digging out of the pit out of which ye were digged; look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah that bare you; for I called him alone, and I will bless him and will multiply him; for Jehovah will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places, and He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her solitude like the garden of Jehovah (Isaiah 51:1-3).

This, too, is said of the Lord, and of the New Church from Him. The Lord in relation to Divine truth and in relation to the doctrine of truth is meant by "the rock out of which they were hewn and the pit out of which they were digged" (See above, n. 411). But the Lord in relation to the Divine, from which is reformation, is meant by "Abraham" to whom they shall look, and by "Sarah" that bare them; for by "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," in the Word, those persons are not meant, but the Lord in relation to the Divine Itself and the Divine Human, as may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 1893, 2833, 2836, 3245, 3251, 3305, 3439, 3703, 4615, 6098, 6095, 6185, 6276, 6804, 6847); but the heavenly marriage which is that of Divine good and Divine truth, from which is all reformation and thus the church, is signified by "Abraham" and by "Sarah that bare them." Because the Lord is meant by "Abraham" it is said, "I called him alone, and I will bless him and will multiply him," and afterwards that "Jehovah will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places," "Zion" meaning the New Church, "waste places" truths destroyed, and "to comfort" to restore the church. That those who will be of that church will acknowledge the Lord, and will receive love to Him and thence wisdom, is signified by "her wilderness shall be made like Eden, and her solitude like the garden of Jehovah," "Eden" signifying love to the Lord, and "the garden of Jehovah" wisdom therefrom.

[12] In Micah:

O height of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall come and shall return the kingdom, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem. Now why dost thou shout in shouting? Is there no king in thee; hath thy counselor perished, that pangs take hold of thee as a woman in travail? Be in travail and bring forth, O daughter of Zion, for now thou shalt go out from the city and shalt dwell in the field (Micah 4:8-10).

This treats of the spiritual captivity in which the faithful are when they remain in a church in which there is no more truth and good; their lamentation that they are in that church is signified by "why dost thou shout in shouting?" Also by "that pangs take hold of thee as a woman in travail;" when yet they have truths of doctrine and also the understanding of them, which is signified by "Is there no king in thee; hath thy counselor perished?" "king" signifying the truth of doctrine from the Word, and "counselor" the understanding of it. That with those who are in the good of charity and thence in the truths of doctrine there will be a church is signified by "the daughter of Zion to whom the kingdom shall come," and by "the daughter of Jerusalem," "kingdom" also signifying the church. The establishment of the church and reformation of those who are of the church is meant by "be in travail, bring forth, O daughter of Zion;" "for now thou shalt go out from the city and shalt dwell in the field" signifies that they will withdraw from a doctrine in which there is no longer any truth or good, and will abide where these abound; "city" meaning the doctrine from which they will withdraw; "field" meaning where truths and goods abound, and "to go out" meaning to withdraw, namely, from that doctrine, and to be thus delivered from spiritual captivity.

[13] In David:

Jehovah raiseth the crushed out of the dust, He lifteth up the needy from the dunghill, to place him with princes, with the princes of His people; He maketh the barren to dwell in a house, to be a glad mother of sons (Psalms 113:7-9).

That those who are in falsities from ignorance, and thus are not in goods, are to be instructed by the Lord in truths, is signified by "Jehovah raiseth the crushed out of the dust, He lifteth up the needy from the dunghill," "the crushed" and "the needy" meaning those who are in falsities from ignorance, and thus not in goods. The primary truths of the church in which they must be instructed are signified by "the princes, the princes of the people," with whom they are to be placed. That those who did not before have life from the marriage of truth and good will have it is signified by "making the barren to dwell in a house, to be a glad mother of sons;" "to dwell" signifying to live; "the house of the barren" signifying where there is no marriage of truth and good, and "a glad mother of sons" the church where there are nascent truths from good.

[14] In Hosea:

As to Ephraim, as a bird shall his glory fly away, from the birth and from the belly and from conception (Hosea 9:11).

That this signifies that all understanding of truth from ultimates to firsts will perish, may be seen above n. 710, where it is explained. In Luke:

Woe to them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days; for there shall be great anguish and anger upon this people (Luke 21:23).

And in the same:

Behold the days shall come in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren and the bellies that have not borne, and the breasts that have not given suck (Luke 23:29; also in Matthew 24:19; Mark 13:17).

That this is said of those who live at the end of the church, when there are no genuine truths to be received that are not falsified, may be seen above n. 710.

[15] In Jeremiah:

The partridge gathereth but bringeth not forth; he that maketh riches but not with judgment, in the midst of his days he forsaketh them, and in his latter end he shall become foolish (Jeremiah 17:11).

A "partridge" means such as learn many things from the Word and from the doctrines of the church, but not for the sake of the uses of life, "to bring forth" means to perform uses, that is, to live and thus to be reformed; the "riches" that he maketh not with judgment signify spiritual riches, which are the knowledges of truth and good; to acquire these not for the sake of uses of life is "to make riches not with judgment;" that such knowledges as are not made to be of the life perish is signified by "in the midst of his days he shall forsake them;" that finally they will have no knowledges of truth that are not falsified is signified by "in his latter end he shall become foolish."

[16] Since a "mother" signifies the church, and "sons and daughters" its truths and goods, and in the ancient churches, and afterwards in the Jewish church, all things were representative and thence significative, it was a reproach and disgrace for women to be barren, therefore:

Rachel was angry with Jacob that she bare no children, and when she brought forth Joseph she said, God hath gathered up my reproach (Genesis 30:1, 23).

For the same reason, when Elizabeth had conceived she said:

Thus hath the Lord done unto me, in the days wherein He looked upon me to take away my reproach among men (Luke 1:24, 25).

Thus it is evident that "to travail," "to bring forth," and "to beget," signify the procreation of such things as pertain to the church.

[17] In Isaiah:

Woe to him that saith unto the father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, With what travailest thou? (Isaiah 45:10)

This is said of man's reformation, that it is from the Lord and not from man. In the same:

King Hezekiah said, when he heard the words of Rabshakeh, This day is a day of distress, and of reproving, and of reproach, and the sons are come to the mouth of the matrix and there is not strength to bring forth (Isaiah 37:3).

That truths from the Word will be heard and known, and yet reformation will not be effected by them, is signified by "the sons are come to the matrix and there is not strength to bring forth," "to bring forth" signifying to make truths fruitful by doing them, from which comes reformation. That this was a grief of heart and mind, and a reproach to the church, is signified by "a day of distress, of reproving and of reproach."

[18] In Ezekiel:

I will pour out my wrath upon Sin, the strength of Egypt, and will cut off the multitude of No; I will set a fire in Egypt; Sin shall travail, and there shall not be ⁴ for the breaking through (Ezekiel 30:15, 16).

"Egypt," "Sin," and "No," signify the knowledges and fallacies of the natural man, which hinder the reformation of man by means of truths from the Word; that truths will be known and yet will not be received in the life, and thus there can be no reformation, is signified by "Sin in travailing shall travail, but there shall not be for the breaking through," that is, of the matrix. Since "to travail" signifies to receive the truths of the Word by hearing or reading, and "to bring forth" signifies to make them fruitful and bring them forth in act, which is to live according to them, and thus be reformed, so when these things are done with distress and difficulty because of the falsities and evils that rule in the church, and that hinder and which pervert its truths and goods, then it is said that "they are seized with pangs as of a woman in travail;" and as this takes place at the end of the church, therefore it is said in the Word of those who live at that time, as in this chapter of Revelation:

That a woman being with child, cried out, travailing, and pained to be delivered (verse 2); which signifies that spiritual truths and goods, which are from the Word, can be received only with the greatest difficulty and with distress, because of the opposing evils and falsities that then exist in the church and occupy the minds of those who are devoted to religion.

[19] This is signified by "the pangs as of a woman in travail" in Jeremiah:

I have heard a voice as of one sick, as of one in travail with her first born, the voice of the daughter of Zion; she sigheth, she spreadeth forth her hands. Woe to me now, for my soul is made desolate by the slayers (Jeremiah 4:31).

"The daughter of Zion" means the church that is in the truths of doctrine from the good of love; this is said "to sigh and to spread forth the hands, because her soul is made desolate by the slayers," "slayers" meaning those who destroy man's spiritual life by falsities and evils; and because on this account spiritual truths and goods can be received only with distress and difficulty, there is said to be lamentation "as of one sick and in travail with her firstborn," "firstborn" signifying the first thing of the church, from which the rest flow as from their beginning.

[20] In the same:

We have heard the fame of a people coming from the land of the north, our hands are slackened, distress has taken hold of us, pangs as of one in travail; go not forth into the field, and go not in the way, for there is the sword of the adversary, terror on every side (Jeremiah 6:24, 25).

"A people coming from the land of the north" means those who are in the falsities of evil, and in an abstract sense the falsities of evil that are in the church at that time vastated. That truths will then be received in faith and in love with the greatest difficulty, because of the opposing falsities of evil, and that there will be in consequence torment and pain of mind and heart, is signified by "the hands are slackened, distress has taken hold of them, and pangs as of one in travail;" that at such a time the things of the church and of its doctrine will not be considered, in taking thought for oneself, is signified by "Go not forth into the field, go not in the way," "field" meaning the church, and "way" doctrine; and this for the reason that falsity from hell rushes in, by which truth is falsified and extinguished, which is signified by "the sword of the adversary, terror on every side," "sword" meaning falsity destroying truth, "adversary" hell, and "terror" spiritual death.

[21] From this it is evident what is meant by the Lord's words in Matthew:

Then let him that is on the house not come down to take anything out of the house, and let him that is in the field not return back. Woe to them that bear in the womb and to them that give suck in those days. Then shall be great affliction, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now (Matthew 24:17-19, 21).

This, too, is said of the state of the church near its end, when falsities of evil and evils of falsity have rule, and the truths of the Word are not received except when falsified and adulterated; this is meant by "Woe to them that bear in the womb and to them that give suck in those days," and also by "great affliction." (But this with the rest of that chapter may be seen explained consecutively in Arcana Coelestia.)

[22] In Jeremiah:

Ask and see whether a male doth bring forth. Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? For that day is great, so that none is like it (Jeremiah 30:6, 7).

This also is said of the last state of the church, when the Last Judgment takes place; "the great day" is the Lord's coming and judgment by Him at that time; "ask and see whether a male doth bring forth" signifies whether the truth of the Word without the good of life can bring forth anything of the church, since everything of the church is brought forth by the marriage of good and truth, "the male" signifying the truth of the church, and "the wife" the good of the church; "wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins as a woman in travail?" signifies why is it thought that truth without good will bring forth such things as belong to the church? "Loins" signify marriage, in the spiritual sense the marriage of truth and good, but "the loins of a man as of a woman in travail" signify, as if there could be a marriage of truth alone without good; "all faces are turned into paleness" signifies that there is nothing of good because there is nothing of love and charity; the "face" means the affections that are of the love of good, therefore "paleness" signifies those affections extinguished.

[23] In Isaiah:

My loins are filled with great pain, pains seize upon me as the pains of a woman in travail (Isaiah 21:3).

This, too, is said of the last state of the church, when its truths and goods can be received only with the most painful effort, because of the evils and falsities that then oppose; "the loins that are said to be filled with pain," signify the marriage of good and truth from which is heaven and the church, and these are said to be "filled with pain" when truth cannot be conjoined with good; therefore this is the signification of "the pains as of a woman in travail," that seize.

[24] "Pain as of a woman in travail" is also said of those who are unable anymore to receive truths because of the falsities conjoined with evils of life, and yet they wish to receive them when destruction threatens, especially in the spiritual world, when the Last Judgment is at hand, but with a fruitless endeavor and effort; this is signified by "the pains of a woman in travail" in the following passages. In Isaiah:

Howl ye, for the day of Jehovah is nigh. Therefore all hands are slackened, and every heart of man doth melt, and they are dismayed; throes and pangs seize upon them, they are in travail like a woman bringing forth, a man is amazed at his companion, their faces are faces of flames (Isaiah 13:6-8).

"The day of Jehovah" that is near signifies the Last Judgment which the Lord accomplished when He was in the world; their terror at that time on account of threatening destruction is signified by "all hands are slackened, and every heart of man doth melt, and they are about to perish;" ⁵ that their ability to receive the truths and goods of heaven and the church is then in vain because of the falsities of evil in which they have been and then are in, is signified by "throes and pangs seize upon them, they are in travail like a woman bringing forth;" that they are in the evils of hatred and anger is signified by "their faces are faces of flames."

[25] In Jeremiah:

She that dwelleth in Lebanon, having her nest in the cedars, what grace wilt thou find when pangs come upon thee, pain as of a woman in travail? I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy soul (Jeremiah 22:23, 25).

This treats of those that have the Word, and thus truths and the understanding of them, who are said "to dwell in Lebanon and to have a nest in the cedars;" their destruction at the Last Judgment, and their effort then to receive truths, but in vain, because of the opposing falsities of evil, is signified by "what grace wilt thou find when pangs come upon thee, pain as of a woman in travail;" that they will then be carried away by the falsities of evil from hell is signified by "I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy soul."

[26] In the same:

Damascus is become feeble, she hath turned herself to flee, and horror hath taken hold of her, distress and pangs have seized her as of a woman in travail (Jeremiah 49:24).

The king of Babylon heard the fame of the people coming from the north; thence his hands are relaxed, distress hath taken hold of him, pain as of a woman in travail (Jeremiah 50:43).

In Moses:

The peoples heard, the pain of a travailing woman hath seized upon the inhabitants of Philistia (Exodus 15:14).

"The pains of a woman in travail" have a similar signification as in the passages above. In Hosea:

The pangs of a woman in travail shall come upon Ephraim, he is a son not wise, for he doth not stay his time in the womb of sons (Hosea 13:13).

This may be seen explained above n. 710. In Moses:

Jehovah God said to the woman, In multiplying I will multiply thy pain and thy conception; in pain shalt thou bring forth sons; and thy obedience shall be to thy man, and he shall rule over thee (Genesis 3:16).

This does not mean that women are to bring forth sons in pain, but "the woman" means the church that from celestial has become natural; "eating of the tree of knowledge" signifies this. That the man of the church cannot easily be regenerated by means of truths and a life according to them, and that he must endure temptations that truths may be implanted and conjoined to good, is signified by "pain and conception shall be multiplied," and by "she shall bring forth sons in pain," "conception" signifying the reception of truth that is from good, and "to bring forth sons" signifying to bring forth truths from the marriage of truth and good. Because the natural man is full of lusts from the love of self and of the world, and these can be removed only by means of truths, therefore it is said "thy obedience shall be to thy man, and he shall rule over thee," "man" signifying here as elsewhere in the Word the truth of the church. That man is reformed and regenerated by means of truths and a life according to them has been shown above. From this it can now be seen that conceptions, births, nativities, and generations signify in the Word spiritual conceptions, births, nativities, and generations.

Фусноте:

444. Of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand sealed, signifies good works. This is evident from the representation and consequent signification of "Levi" and his tribe, as being spiritual love, which is called charity towards the neighbor. "The tribe of Levi" here signifies good works because spiritual love or charity consists in doing things that are good, and these are good works. Charity, itself, viewed in itself, is the affection of truth and good, and where that affection is, there is a life according to truths and goods, for there is no affection without a life according to the truths and goods for which there is affection. If such affection is thought to be possible and to be present, it is a natural not a spiritual affection. These two kinds of affection differ in this, that natural affection has self and the world for an end; thus the truths and goods by which it is affected are loved ¹ for the sake of reputation, that honors and wealth may be acquired, and then a life according to the doctrinals that have been learned is put on merely from self for the sake of appearance, which is thus a feigned life and inwardly hypocritical; while spiritual affection has the Lord, heaven, and eternal life for an end, and has regard to these in truths and goods; thus it loves truths and goods spiritually. When this affection is with man he loves to think and to will these truths and goods, and consequently to live according to them. To live according to truths and goods is what is meant in the Word by "doing," and the life itself is meant by "deeds" and "works" which are so often mentioned in the Word; these, therefore, are what were represented and signified by "Levi" and his tribe in the church with the Jews.

[2] Because this affection is the very essential of the church, the tribe of Levi was assigned to the priesthood; this, too, is why Levi's staff in the tent of meeting blossomed with almonds; and this is why no inheritance was given to that tribe as to the other tribes, but among them all. It is known that the tribe of Levi was appointed to the priesthood; for not only was Aaron made high priest, but also his sons after him, and all the Levites were made ministers to them. That Moses and Aaron were of the tribe of Levi may be seen in Exodus 6:20; Numbers 18:2; and that the Levites were made ministers to Aaron and his sons, in Moses:

The tribe of Levi was taken for the priesthood, to keep the charge of the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to serve the service of the tabernacle. And the Levites were given to Aaron, and accepted in place of all the firstborn; and further respecting their ministries and functions (Numbers 3 end).

[3] The priesthood was given to this tribe because it represented and thence signified love and charity. Love and charity are the spiritual affection of good and truth; since affection is predicated of love in its continuity, for affection is the continuation of love. This, too, is what the priesthood and its ministry signify in the Word, for this affection is the essential of the church, for where it is there the church is, and where it is not there the church is not; for the affection of good and truth is the very spiritual life of man, and when man is affected by good and truth he is in good and truth in respect to his life, and his thought itself is nothing but affection in a different form, for whatever a man thinks he derives from affection; no one can think without affection. This is why the tribe of Levi was appointed to the priesthood. The like is said of the Levites in Ezekiel, where a new land, a new city, and a new temple are treated of (Ezekiel 40:46; 43:19; 44:15; 48:11, 12).

[4] Because the tribe of Levi represented and thence signified charity in act, thus the goods of charity, which are good works, therefore:

The rod of Levi, upon which was written the name of Aaron, when placed in the tent of meeting before the testimony, blossomed with almonds (Numbers 17:2-11);

"almonds" signifying the goods of charity, since by these all things of the church flourish in man, for when the goods of charity are with man there are also intelligence and faith, for man is then in the affection of understanding what he knows from the Word, and in the will to do according to what he knows. Because the good of charity must be in all things of the church that the church may be in them, and because the affection itself of good and truth, which is charity, is what gives understanding and instruction to all, so not only was the tribe of Levi appointed to the priesthood, but there was no lot and inheritance granted to that tribe like that granted to the other tribes, but was among them all (as is evident in Moses, Numbers 35 to the end; and in Joshua 21:1 to the end). So it is said in Moses:

Therefore no part or inheritance with his brethren fell to Levi; Jehovah Himself is his inheritance (Deuteronomy 10:9).

[5] And because (as has been said) every man acquires knowledge (scientia), intelligence, and wisdom, according to the affection of good and truth that is in him, it is said in Moses:

Jehovah God hath chosen the sons of Levi to minister unto Him and to bless in His name, and according to their mouth shall be every controversy and every stroke (Deuteronomy 21:5).

This signifies in the spiritual sense that the affection of good and truth, which is charity, ministers to the Lord, and teaches those things that are of the church and worship, and discerns between falsities and truths, and between evils and goods; for "the sons of Levi" signify in the spiritual sense the affection of good and truth, which is charity. From this it can be seen that the tribe of Levi was chosen for the priesthood, and an inheritance was given to it among all the tribes, not because that tribe was better than the others, but because it represented charity in act, and good works, which are the effects of all good and truth in man.

[6] That "the tribe of Levi" signifies in the Word the goods of charity, which are good works, can be seen also from the following passages. In Jeremiah:

In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous shoot to sprout up unto David; and He shall do judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem ² shall dwell safely; and this is the name whereby He shall be called, Jehovah our righteousness. There shall not be cut off from David a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, and from the priests the Levites there shall not be cut off a man from before My faces to offer up the burnt-offering and to burn the meal-offering, and to do sacrifice all the days. If ye shall have rendered void My covenant of the day and My covenant of the night, My covenant also with David My servant shall become void that he shall not have a son to reign, and with the Levites, the priests My ministers. As the host of the heavens is not numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured, ³ so will I multiply the seed of David My servant and the Levites My ministers (Jeremiah 33:15-18, 20-22).

This treats of the coming of the Lord, who is "the shoot of David," and who shall be called "Jehovah our Righteousness." "Judah shall then be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely," signifies that then those who are in love to the Lord shall be saved; "Israel shall dwell safely" signifying that those who are in charity towards the neighbor shall not be infested by evils and falsities; "there shall not be cut off from David a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel" signifies that Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is then to reign perpetually in the church, "the throne of the house of Israel" meaning the church wherein Divine truth reigns; "and from the priests the Levites there shall not be cut off a man from before My faces to offer up the burnt-offering and to burn the meal-offering, and to do sacrifice" signifies that then there shall be worship perpetually from the good of love and charity, and from the truths of faith; "Levites" signifying those who are in such worship; "burnt-offering" the worship from the good of love, "meal-offering" worship from the good of charity towards the neighbor; and "sacrifice" worship from the truths of faith.

[7] "If ye shall have rendered void My covenant of the day and My covenant of the night," signifies if they did not observe the two things, love and faith, that effect conjunction with the Lord; "covenant" meaning conjunction; "covenant of the day" conjunction by love, and "covenant of the night" conjunction by faith; "My covenant also with David My servant shall become void, that he shall not have a son to reign, and with the Levites the priests, My ministers," signifies that they shall then have neither Divine truth nor Divine good; "Levites, priests, ministers," are such as are in the good of love to the Lord and in worship therefrom; "as the host of the heavens is not numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured," signifies the knowledges of truth and good in the spiritual and in the natural man; "host of the heavens" meaning such knowledges in the spiritual man, and "sand of the sea" meaning such knowledges in the natural man; "so will I multiply the seed of David My servant, and the Levites My ministers," signifies the multiplication of Divine truth, and the fructification of Divine good in those who have conjunction with the Lord; here as elsewhere "the Levites, the priests," signify those who are in the good of love and charity, and in an abstract sense, that good itself.

[8] In Malachi:

Behold I send My messenger, and He shall prepare the way before Me; and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple, even the angel of the covenant, whom ye desire. For He is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap; and He shall sit refining and purifying silver, and shall purify the sons of Levi, and shall purge them as gold and silver, that they may bring to Jehovah an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be sweet unto Jehovah; according to the days of an age and according to former years (Malachi 3:1-4).

What this signifies in the spiritual sense may be seen explained above (n. 242, and ⁴ 433); and that "the sons of Levi" here mean all who are in the good of charity, and thence in the good of faith. This treats of the Lord who was to come; His Divine Human is what is meant by "His temple" to which Jehovah the Lord was to come; that He will purify those who are in the good of charity, and thence in the good of faith, is meant by "He shall purify and purge the sons of Levi." Evidently the sons of Levi are not meant, for it is said that "He shall then purify and purge them," and that "the offering of Judah and Jerusalem shall then be sweet unto Jehovah," and it is known that the Lord did not purify and purge the Levites, and that the offering of Judah and Jerusalem was not sweet to the Lord, for they were utterly opposed to the Lord, and worship by sacrifices and offerings was then abrogated. For "Judah" here means all who are in the good of love to the Lord, and "Jerusalem" the church that is in the truths of doctrine (See above, n. 433).

[9] In Moses:

Moses said of Levi, Thy Thummim and Thy Urim for Thy holy man, whom thou didst tempt in Massah, with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; who said to his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; ⁵ and his brethren he did not recognize, and his sons he did not know; they shall keep Thy word and they shall observe Thy covenant. They shall teach Jacob Thy judgments, and Israel Thy law; they shall put incense in Thy nostrils, and whole burnt offering upon Thine altar, and accept the work of his hands; smite through the loins of them that rise against him and of them that hate him, that they rise not again (Deuteronomy 33:8-11).

This is in the blessing of the sons of Israel by Moses, which treats of the Word, because this is signified in the representative sense by "Moses;" and "Urim and Thummin" signify the Divine truth shining forth from Divine good, thus the Word; and "Levi" here means the spiritual affection of truth; the "holy man whom they tempted in Massah and at the waters of Meribah" means the Lord in respect to Divine truth, for the "rock" at which that temptation took place signifies the Lord, and the "waters" from it signify Divine truths; "the father and mother to whom he said I have not seen you" signify the Israelitish church, which did not acknowledge the Lord; the church is called "father" from good, and "mother" from truth; "his brethren whom he did not recognize, and his sons whom he did not know," mean the goods and truths of the church, which were not with them, "brethren" meaning goods, and "sons" truths.

[10] But as "the sons of Levi" signify the goods and truths of the church, and in general the spiritual affection of truth and good, it is said of them "they shall keep Thy Word, they shall observe Thy covenant; they shall teach Jacob Thy judgments, and Israel Thy law," which signifies that those who are in the spiritual affection of truth do the Word and teach the goods and truths of the church, for the spiritual affection of truth is what does and teaches, since it is into that affection that the Lord flows, doing the good with man and teaching the truth with him; "the Word" here means Divine truth, and "to keep it" means to do it; "covenant" means conjunction thereby with the Lord; "judgments" mean the truths of doctrine from the Word; the "law" means the good of truth; "Jacob and Israel" mean the church; "to put incense in the nostrils" signifies worship from the truths of doctrine, and "to put whole burnt offering upon the altar" signifies worship from the good of love. The dispersion of falsities by truth is signified by "smiting through the loins of them that rise against him;" and the dispersion of evils by "smiting through the loins of them that hate him, that they rise not again." This is said of Levi, because Divine truth, which is the Word, can only be with those who are in the spiritual affection of truth. The spiritual affection of truth consists in loving the truth itself, and esteeming it above every good of the world, because through it man has eternal life, and the only means by which eternal life is implanted in man are truths, consequently the Word, for through the Word the Lord teaches truths. The spiritual affection of truth, which is to love truths above every good of the world, is thus described by the Lord in Matthew:

The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking beautiful pearls; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, going away, sold all that he had and bought it (Matthew 13:45-46);

"pearl" signifying truth. (That man has eternal life from no other source than through truths from good, which is from the Lord, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 24 at the end.)

[11] That "Levi" signifies love and charity is evident from the words of his mother Leah when she bare him, which are these:

Leah conceived again and bare a son, and said, Now this time will my husband (vir) cleave unto me, because I have borne him three sons; therefore she called his name Levi (Gen. 29:34).

"She conceived again and bare a son" signifies spiritual conception and birth; "and said, Now this time will my husband (vir) cleave unto me," signifies spiritual love, that is charity, by which conjunction is effected; "because I have borne him three sons" signifies what is successive; "therefore she called his name Levi" signifies conjunction by love, and its quality. (For a further explanation of this see Arcana Coelestia 3873-3877.) "Levi" means a cleaving, and "to cleave" signifies conjunction by spiritual love. The three sons of Leah born in succession, "Reuben, Simeon, and Levi" signify in series the first and chief essentials of the church, namely, truth in the understanding, truth in the will, and truth in act; the same as the three disciples of the Lord, "Peter, James, and John," "Peter" signifying truth in the understanding, "James" truth in the will, and "John" truth in act, which is the good of life or the good of charity. In the original tongue Levi means a cleaving, which signifies conjunction through love and charity. (That this is the signification of "cleaving," see Arcana Coelestia 3875.)

[12] That "Levi" in the highest sense signifies the Lord in relation to love and mercy, is evident in Malachi:

That ye may know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that My covenant may be with Levi. My covenant with him was of life and peace; which I gave to him in fear, that he might fear Me, therefore because of My name he was dismayed. The law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and did turn many away from iniquity. The priest's lips, they shall seek the law from his mouth, for he is the messenger of Jehovah of Hosts. But ye have turned aside out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble in the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi (Malachi 2:4-8).

Here "Levi" in the highest sense means the Lord in respect to His Divine Human, for it is said of Levi, that "the law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was not found in his lips," and that "the priest's lips they shall seek the law from his mouth, for he is the messenger of Jehovah of Hosts;" therefore "the covenant of Levi" means conjunction with the Lord through love and charity; "the covenant of life and peace" signifies that conjunction; "fear," which is also predicated of Him, signifies love. "The priest's lips they shall seek the law from his mouth" signifies that all truth of doctrine is from the Lord, and is with such as are in love to Him. He is called "the messenger of Jehovah" because of the Divine truth that the Lord teaches in the Word and through the Word; "they turned aside out of the way and caused many to stumble in the law, they corrupted the covenant of Levi," signifies that the church that was among the Israelites perverted the truths of the Word and the goods of life therefrom, and thus destroyed conjunction with the Lord; "way" signifying the truths of doctrine, "law" its goods, and the "covenant of Levi" conjunction with the Lord. From this what is signified in the representative sense by Levi and his tribe can be seen, namely, the good of charity, which is the good of life, also the spiritual affection of good and truth, and in the highest sense, the Lord in relation to spiritual love.

[13] As most things in the Word have also a contrary sense, so has "Levi" and his tribe; and in this sense "Levi" signifies the evil of falsity, which is the opposite of the good of charity; also life apart from charity, consequently no charity towards the neighbor. This is signified by "Levi" in the prophecy of Israel the father respecting his sons:

Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of violence are their swords; into their secret let not my soul come; unto their assembly let not my glory be united; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their good pleasure they houghed an ox. Accursed be their anger, for it is strong, and their fury, for it is hard. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel (Genesis 49:5-7).

For the explanation of this see the article above n. 443, where "Simeon" is treated of.

[14] Again, the "Levite" in the Lord's parable of the man wounded by robbers has this contrary signification; and that parable shall here be explained, because it treats of charity towards the neighbor, and because the Lord there spoke from beginning to end by correspondences, which have heretofore been unknown. In Luke:

The lawyer wishing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor? And Jesus continuing said, A certain man was going down from Jerusalem into Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and smote him, and departed leaving him half dead. And by chance a certain priest was going down that way; and seeing him he passed by. And in like manner a Levite, when he was at the place, came and saw and passed by. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to him; and when he saw him he was moved with compassion, and coming near he bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and then setting him on his own beast he led him to an inn and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed he took out two denaries and gave them to the host, and said to him, Take care of him, and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come back again I will repay thee. Which now of these three seems to thee to have been a neighbor unto him that fell among the robbers? He said, He that showed mercy unto him. And Jesus said unto him, Go, and do thou likewise (Luke 10:29-37).

This treats of charity towards the neighbor, and of good works by which charity is in its effect and in its fullness.

"Jerusalem" here signifies the church where there is true doctrine, and "Jericho" the church where there are knowledges of truth and good; so the "priest" signifies those who have no love to the Lord, and the "Levite" those who have no charity towards the neighbor, such as those were who were in Jerusalem at that time; but the "Samaritan" signifies the nations that were in the good of charity; the "man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho" signifies those who wished to be instructed in the truths and knowledges of the church; the "robbers among whom he fell" signify those in the perverted church, such as the Jewish church was at that time; "they stripped him and smote him, and left him half dead," signifies that they deprived him of truths and imbued him with falsities, and thus doing injury to spiritual life to such a degree that scarcely any spiritual life remains; "to strip" signifying in the Word to deprive of truths, "to smite" signifying to injure the mind and spiritual life by falsities, and "to be half dead" signifying to be almost destitute of that life; "to be moved with compassion" signifies mercy and charity from within, mercy and charity also forming a one; "to bind up the wounds and to pour in oil and wine" signifies providing a remedy against the falsities that have injured his life, by instructing him in the good of love and the truth of faith, "oil" in the Word signifying the good of love, and "wine" the good and truth of faith; "to set him on his own beast" signifies according to his understanding so far as he was able, "horse" (in like manner as beast), signifying the understanding; "to lead him to an inn and to take care of him" signifies to lead him to those who are better instructed in the knowledges of good and truth, an "inn" being a place where foods and drinks are bought, which signify the knowledges of good and truth, thence spiritual nourishment which is communicated by instruction; "he gave to the host two denaries, and said to him, Take care of him, and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come back again I will repay thee," signifies all things of charity in the measure of his ability and capacity. From this it can now be seen what "Levi," "his tribe," and "the Levites" signify in each sense. (More respecting what is represented and thence signified by "Levi," and the tribe named from him, may be seen in Arcana Coelestia 3875-3877, 4497, 4502, 4503, 6352, 10017.)

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