2351. 'They cried out to Lot, and said to him' means anger directed against good on the part of falsity deriving from evil. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'crying out', also of 'Lot', and so from the feeling that is being expressed. The expression 'cry out' has reference to what is false, as shown in 2240, while 'Lot' represents members of the Church with whom good exists, and so represents good itself, 2324. From this meaning of 'cry out' and this representation of 'Lot', and from the feeling of anger which these words hold within them, it is clear that anger directed against good on the part of falsity deriving from evil is meant. There are many kinds of falsity, but they all fall into two general categories - either into falsity which is a product of evil, or into falsity which is a producer of evil, see 1188, 1212, 1295, 1679, 2243.

[2] Falsity from evil, within the Church, is in particular that falsity which looks favourably on evils of life, such as the falsity that good, or charity, does not make anyone a member of the Church, but truth, or faith; and that a person is saved, no matter whether throughout the whole course of his life he has led a life of evil deeds, provided that when the desires and sensations of the body decline - as usually happens shortly before death - he utters some profession of faith with apparent affection. This is the falsity which in particular has its anger directed against good and which is meant by the words 'they cried out to Lot'. The cause of anger exists in everything that endeavours to destroy the delight that belongs to any love. It is termed 'anger' when evil attacks good, but 'zeal' when good reproves evil.

1188. 'Nineveh' means falsities contained in those teachings, as do 'Rehoboth and Calah' though falsities from a different source. This is clear from the meaning of 'Nineveh' in the Word, dealt with below. Falsities of this kind arise from three sources. The first source is the illusions of the senses - when the understanding, being in obscurity, is unenlightened - and also ignorance. This is the source of the falsity meant by 'Nineveh'. The second source is the same, but with some predominating desire present, for innovation or pre-eminence. This is the source of the falsities meant by Rehoboth. And the third is that of the will, and so of evil desires. In this case people are unwilling to acknowledge anything as true except that which is favorable to evil desires. This is the source of the falsities called Calah. All of these falsities arise through Asshur, or reasonings concerning the truths and goods of faith.

[2] That 'Nineveh' means falsities arising from the illusions of the senses when the understanding, being in obscurity, is unenlightened, and also from ignorance, is clear in the case of Jonah, who was sent to Nineveh, a city that was pardoned because they were such. It is clear also from the facts recorded in the Book of Jonah regarding Nineveh, which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be discussed elsewhere. Though the details there are historical they are nevertheless prophetical, embodying and representing such arcana, in the way every other historical part of the Word does.

[3] Similarly in Isaiah, when the king of Asshur is referred to as remaining in Nineveh, and, when he bowed down in the house of Nisroch his god, is referred to as slain by his sons with a sword, Isaiah 37:37-38. Although these details are historical they are nevertheless prophetical, embodying and representing arcana of a like nature. 'Nineveh' in this case means external worship that has falsities within it which, being idolatrous, 'is slain by his sons with a sword', 'sons' meaning falsities, as shown already. 'A sword' is the punishment of falsity, as everywhere else in the Word. In Zephaniah also,

Jehovah will stretch out His hand over the north, and will destroy Asshur, and He will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like a desert. Flocks will lie down in the midst of her, every wild beast of that nation. The spoonbill also and the duck will lodge in its pomegranates. ¹ A voice will sing in the window, vastation will be on the threshold, for her cedar has been laid bare. Zephaniah 2:13-14.

This describes Nineveh, though in the prophetical style, and falsity itself meant by 'Nineveh'. Because that falsity is worshipped it is called 'the north, a wild beast of the nation, the spoonbill and the duck in pomegranates' and is expressed as 'a voice singing in the window and a cedar laid bare', which is intellectual truth. Every one of these expressions is used to mean such falsity.

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