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.

487. That by “days” are signified times and states in general, was shown in the first chapter, where the “days” of creation have no other signification. In the Word it is very usual to call all time “days” as is manifestly the case in the present verse, and in those which follow, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 27, 31 (5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23, 27, 31); and therefore the states of the times in general are likewise signified by “days;” and when “years” are added, then by the seasons of the years are signified the qualities of the states, thus states in special. The most ancient people had their numbers, by which they signified various things relating to the church, as the numbers “three” “seven” “ten” “twelve” and many that were compounded of these and others, whereby they described the states of the church; wherefore these numbers contain arcana which would require much time to explain. It was an account or reckoning of the states of the church. The same thing occurs in many parts of the Word, especially the prophetical. In the rites of the Jewish Church also there were numbers, both of times and measures, as for instance in regard to the sacrifices, meat-offerings, oblations, and other things, which everywhere signify holy things, according to their application. The things here involved, therefore, in the number “eight hundred” and in the next verse, in the number “nine hundred and thirty” and in the numbers of years in the verses following-namely, the changes of state of their church as applied to their own general state-are too many to be recounted. In a future part of this work, of the Lord’s Divine mercy we shall take occasion to show what the simple numbers up to “twelve” signify, for until the signification of these is known, it would be impossible to apprehend the signification of the compound numbers.