2943. 'To all entering into the gate of his city, saying' means matters of doctrine through which one comes to faith. This is clear from the meaning of 'a gate' as a place of entry and so as that which, in the same way as a door, leads in, dealt with in 2145, 2152, 2356, 2385, and from the meaning of 'a city' as truth, which constitutes faith, dealt with in 402, 2268, 2449, 2451, 2712. In the Ancient Church a city was not like the city of later or of modern times. That is to say, a city did not consist of a collection or gathering together of individuals but of separate families living side by side. A family descended from the same forefather constituted a city. The city of Nahor, for example, to which Abraham's servant went to betroth Rebekah to Isaac, Genesis 24:10, consisted of the family of Nahor which was there. And Shalem, the city of Shechem, to which Jacob came after his departure from Paddan Aram, Genesis 33:18 and the whole of Chapter 34, consisted of the family of Hamor and Shechem which was there. And the same was so with all other cities in those times.

[2] And as it had come down to them from the most ancient people that nations and families represented heavenly communities, and so the things of love and charity, 685, 1159, therefore when a city is mentioned instead of a family, and a people instead of a nation, truth that constitutes faith is meant. It is also why in the genuine sense the city of God and the holy city mean faith in the Lord. And as 'a city' meant faith, 'the gate of the city' means matters of doctrine through which one comes to faith. The same was also meant in the Jewish representative Church by the judges and elders sitting in the gate of the city and giving judgement there, as is evident from historical sections of the Word, and also in Zechariah,

These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth, everyone to his companion; judge in your gates the truth and the judgement of peace. Zechariah 8:16.

And in Amos,

Hate evil, and love good, and establish judgement in the gate. Amos 5:15.

'A gate' also means the place of entry into the rational mind, and the rational mind is compared to a city, see 2851.

1205. That 'the Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites' were just so many nations, who also mean just so many different forms of idolatry, and that those nations mean forms of idolatry, is clear from many places in the Word, for they were inhabitants of the land of Canaan who on account of their idolatry were rejected and partially destroyed. In the internal sense of the Word however it is not those nations that are meant but the forms of idolatry themselves - in general as they exist anywhere at all, and in particular among the Jews. For people who make worship consist solely in externals and have no wish at all to learn of internals, and who when instructed reject them, incline very much to all these forms of idolatry, as is all too clear in the case of the Jews. internal worship alone holds within it the bonds that keep a person back from idolatry, and once those bonds cease to exist there is nothing to hold him back. There are however not only external forms of idolatry but also interior. Into external forms of idolatry rush those people who possess external worship devoid of internal, and into interior forms those people rush possessing external worship whose interiors are foul. These forms of idolatry are likewise meant by these nations. Interior forms of idolatry are just so many falsities and evil desires which they love and adore and which thus take the place of the gods and idols which existed among gentile nations. It would take too long to explain here however which particular falsities and evil desires they are that people adore and which are meant by these nations - by the Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites. In the Lord's Divine mercy this will be discussed in the places where these names occur.