Arcana Coelestia #2685
2685. 'Withdrawing herself about a bowshot' means the extent to which the state was away from the doctrine of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'being withdrawn from' as being away from, and from the meaning of 'a bow' as the doctrine of truth, dealt with in the next paragraph. 'Shot' means that it was as far away as possible, as far away as an arrow could be shot from a bow. Here the expression 'a bowshot' is used because the bow is used in reference to the spiritual man, who is also called 'an archer', as he is in verse 20 - 'and he dwelt in the wilderness, and was an archer'.
Numbers 21:27-30
27
Therefore those who speak in proverbs say, "Come to Heshbon. Let the city of Sihon be built and established;
28
for a fire has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon.
29
Woe to you, Moab! You are undone, people of Chemosh! He has given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, to Sihon king of the Amorites.
30
We have shot at them. Heshbon has perished even to Dibon. We have laid waste even to Nophah, Which reaches to Medeba."
