9634. And thou shalt make the planks for the Habitation. That this signifies the good which supports this heaven is evident from the signification of “the planks” as being the good which supports (of which below); and from the signification of “the Habitation” as being the middle or second heaven (see n. 9594). That “the planks” denote the good which supports, is because they were of wood, and supported the curtains of both the Habitation and the Tent, and also the two coverings over them. Consequently by “the planks” are signified supports, and because they were of wood, they signified supports which are from good; for everything that is of wood signifies good, even to the very houses that are of wood (n. 3720); the quality of the good is signified by the “shittim wood” of which the planks were made. As all the representatives in nature bear relation to the human form, and have a signification in accordance with this relation (n. 9496), so also do the planks of the Habitation. These planks correspond to the muscular or fleshy part in man, which supports the encompassing membranes and skins; by “flesh” also is signified good (n. 7850, 9127). From this it is that the planks were of shittim wood, by which is signified the good which supports heaven (n. 9472, 9486); also that they were overlaid with gold, by which also is signified good.