6122. 'If the silver is lacking' means if truth could no longer be seen by them. This is clear from the meaning of 'the silver lacking' as a lack of truth, thus that truth is no longer to be seen, dealt with above in 6116, 6119. Truth is said not to be seen because in a state of desolation truth seems to have fled. But it is in fact present, for all truth and good that the Lord ever grants man, spirit, or angel remains. None is ever taken away from them, but in a state of desolation they become so obscured by the person's selfhood that they cannot be seen. Once a state of light returns however, they are made present and to be seen. This shows what is meant by truth's inability to be seen.

6116. 'And when the silver had been used up in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan' means that factual knowledge that held truth in it and was appropriate could be seen no longer in the natural or within the Church on account of the desolation. This is clear from the meaning of 'being used up' as being seen no longer; from the meaning of 'silver' as factual knowledge that holds truth in it and is appropriate, dealt with above in 6112; from the meaning of 'the land of Egypt' as the natural where factual knowledge resides, dealt with above in 6111; and from the meaning of 'the land of Canaan' as the Church, also dealt with above, in 6067. The fact that it was on account of the desolation is evident from what has gone before, see 6110.