165. The nakedness of which they were not ashamed means innocence. This is quite clear from what follows. When integrity and innocence left them they were then ashamed of their nakedness, and it seemed disgraceful to them, and so they hid themselves. It is additionally clear from the things represented in the world of spirits that the nakedness of which they were not ashamed means innocence. Indeed when spirits wish to exonerate themselves and prove that they are blameless they present themselves naked to witness their innocence. This is particularly clear with the innocent in heaven, who look like young children, naked, and wearing garlands round them that accord with their particular variety of innocence. But those who do not possess so much innocence appear clothed in splendid and shining clothes - you might call them brightest silk - like angels when seen from time to time by the prophets.

5156. 'And will hang you on wood' means a casting aside and condemnation. This is clear from the meaning of 'being hanged on wood' as a casting aside and condemnation; for hanging someone on wood was a curse, and a curse is being cast aside from the Divine and consequently is condemnation. The fact that hanging someone on wood was a curse is clear in Moses,

If a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he has been slain, so that you hang him on wood, his dead body shall not remain all night on the wood, but you must bury him the same day, for the one hanged is the curse of God. For you shall not defile the land which Jehovah your God is giving you for an inheritance. Deuteronomy 21:22-23.

'It shall not remain all night on the wood' meant casting aside for ever. For in the evening a new day began; therefore if those who had been hanged were not cast away before the evening, the failure to cast evil aside and consequently the failure to rid the land of that evil were represented. The land was defiled; hence the addition of the words 'You shall not defile the land which Jehovah your God is giving you for an inheritance'. They were left hanging until evening, but no later, see Joshua 8:29; 10:16. Among the Jewish nation two chief forms of punishment existed, stoning and hanging. The existence of stoning was due to falsity, that of hanging on wood to evil, for the reason that 'stone' means truth, 643, 1298, 3720, and in the contrary sense falsity, while 'wood' means good, 2784, 2812, 3720, and in the contrary sense evil. This is why frequent reference is made in the prophetical part of the Word to 'committing adultery with stone and wood', meaning the perversion of truth, which is falsity, and the adulteration of good, which is evil.