330. Out of every tribe and tongue. That this signifies from all those who are in truths as to doctrine and as to life, is clear from the signification of a tribe, as denoting all truths and goods in the aggregate (concerning which see above, n. 39); for those things are signified by the twelve tribes, and hence by every tribe is signified something of truth and good, therefore by out of every tribe is signified from all those who are in any kind of truth and good; and from the signification of tongue as denoting the doctrine of life and faith. That tribes signify all truths and goods in the aggregate, will be shown more fully in its proper article below. Similarly, that tongue signifies the doctrine of life and faith, thus religion. (Those [passages] only shall be adduced here that are shown in the Arcana Coelestia concerning the signification of the tribes, namely, the twelve tribes of Israel represented, and thence signified, all truths and goods in the aggregate, n. 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335; similarly the twelve apostles of the Lord the like, n. 2129, 3354, 3488, 6397. There were twelve, because twelve signifies all, n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913. Because the twelve tribes represented, and thence signified, all truths and goods in the aggregate, therefore they represented heaven and the church, n. 6337, 6637, 7836, 7891, 7996. The twelve tribes signify various things according to the order in which they are named, and thus also all things of heaven and the church with variety, n. 3862, 3926, 3939, 4603 et seq., 6337, 6640, 10335; therefore, replies could be given and were given by the Urim and Thummim, on which the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were engraven in precious stones, n. 3858, 6335, 6640, 9863, 9865, 9873, 9874, 9905.)

7326. 'And they will be blood' means that they will falsify truths. This is clear from the meaning of 'blood' as the falsification of truth, dealt with above in 7317. In the genuine sense 'blood' means the holiness of love, as a consequence of which it means charity and faith, since they are holy attributes of love, and as a consequence of which again it means holy truth coming forth from the Lord, tool, 4735, 6978. In the contrary sense however 'blood' means violence done to charity and also violence done to faith, thus to holy truth coming forth from the Lord. And since violence is done to it when it is falsified the falsification of truth is meant by 'blood'; or when there is a greater degree of violence, the profanation of truth is meant by 'blood'. Such profanation was meant by 'the eating of blood', which was why that practice was so strictly forbidden, 1003.