8975. Six years he shall serve. That this signifies a state of labor and of some combat and of the consequent confirmation of truth, is evident from the signification of “six years,” as being states of labor and combat (that “six” signifies labor and combat see n. 737, 900, 8888; and that “years” signify states, n. 487, 488, 493, 893, 7839). That the confirmation of truth is also signified, is because spiritual truth, which is called the truth of faith, is confirmed by labor and combat. It is said “somewhat of combat,” because they who are in the truth of faith and not in the corresponding good of life are not admitted into any grievous combat, that is, into temptation, because they would yield. For the Lord cannot flow in with them by means of good, and thus defend them against the evils and falsities which assail in temptations. They are only external men, and whatever flows in from the Lord must flow in through the internal man into the external. When men are not in the good of charity, the internal man is not open, for good is that which opens the internal man, and which dwells there.

493. That by “days” and “years” are signified times and states needs no further explication, except to say that in the world there must needs be times and measures, to which numbers may be applied because they are in the ultimates of nature; but whenever they are applied in the Word, the numbers of the days and years, and also of the measures, have a signification abstractedly from the times and measures, in accordance with the signification of the number; as where it is said that there are six days of labor, and that the seventh is holy, of which above; that the jubilee should be proclaimed every forty-ninth year, and should be celebrated in the fiftieth; that the tribes of Israel were twelve, and the apostles of the Lord the same; that there were seventy elders, and as many disciples of the Lord; and so in many other instances where the numbers have a special signification abstractedly from the things to which they are applied; and when thus abstracted, then it is states that are signified by the numbers.