946. Because thy judgments have been made manifest. That this signifies that Divine truths are revealed to them, is evident from the signification of judgments, as denoting Divine truths, of which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of being manifested, as denoting to be revealed. That Divine truths are revealed at the end of the church, and that they have been revealed, will be shown in what follows in this chapter, because the subject there treated of is concerning them.

The reason why judgments signify Divine truths is, that the laws of government in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are called judgments; but the laws of government in the Lord's celestial kingdom are called justice. For the laws of government in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are laws from Divine truth, whereas the laws of government in the Lord's celestial kingdom are laws from Divine Good. This is why judgment and justice are mentioned in the following passages in the Word.

In Isaiah:

"There shall be no end to peace upon the throne of David, to establish it, and to uphold it in judgment and justice from now and for ever" (9:7).

This speaks of the Lord and His kingdom. His spiritual kingdom is signified by the throne of David; and because this kingdom is in Divine truths from the Divine Good, it is said, in "judgment and justice."

In Jeremiah:

"I will raise up to David a just shoot, and he shall reign a king, and he shall act intelligently, and shall execute judgment and justice" (23:5).

These words also are spoken of the Lord, and of His spiritual kingdom. And since this kingdom is in Divine truths from the Divine Good, it is said that He shall reign a King, and shall act intelligently, and that He shall execute judgment and justice. The Lord is called King from Divine truth. And whereas Divine truth is also Divine intelligence, it is said that He shall act intelligently. And because Divine truth is from the Divine Good, it is said that He shall execute judgment and justice.

[2] In Isaiah:

"Jehovah shall be exalted; for he dwelleth on high; he hath filled Zion with judgment and justice" (33:5).

By Zion is meant heaven and the church, where the Lord reigns by Divine truth. And because all Divine truth is from Divine Good, it is said, "He hath filled Zion with judgment and justice."

In Jeremiah:

"I Jehovah, doing justice and judgment in the earth; for in these I am well pleased" (9:24).

Here also by judgment and justice is signified Divine truth from the Divine Good.

In Isaiah:

"They shall ask of me the judgments of justice; they shall desire to draw near unto God" (58:2).

The judgments of justice are Divine truths from the Divine Good. Similarly judgment and justice; for the spiritual sense conjoins those things the sense of the letter separates.

In Hosea:

"I will betroth thee to me for ever; and I will betroth thee to me in justice and judgment, and in mercy and in truth" (2:19, 20).

The subject there treated of is the celestial kingdom of the Lord, which consists of those who are in love to the Lord. And because the Lord's conjunction with them is comparatively like the conjunction of a husband with a wife - for the good of love so conjoins - therefore it is said, I will betroth thee to me in justice and judgment. And justice is mentioned in the first place, and judgment in the second, because those who are in the good of love to the Lord are also in truths; for they see them from good. Because justice is said of good, and judgment of truth, therefore it is also said, in mercy and in truth; mercy being also said of good, because it is of love.

[3] In David:

"Jehovah is in the heavens; thy justice as the mountains of God, and thy judgments as a great abyss" (Psalm 36:5, 6).

Justice is said of Divine Good, therefore it is compared to the mountains of God; for by mountains of God are signified the goods of love; see above (n. 405, 510, 850). And judgments are said of Divine truths, therefore they are compared to a great abyss; for by a great abyss is signified Divine truth. From these things it is now evident that by judgments are signified Divine truths.

[4] In many passages in the Word, judgments, precepts, and statutes are mentioned. And by judgments are there signified civil laws; by precepts the laws of spiritual life; and by statutes the laws of worship. That by judgments are signified civil laws, is clear from Exodus (Exodus 21, 22, 23), where the things that are there commanded are called judgments; because from them judgments were given by judges in the gates of the city. But still they signify Divine truths, such as are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom in the heavens, for they contain them in the spiritual sense, as is evident from the explanation in Arcana Coelestia (n. 8971-9103, 9124-9231, 9247-9348).

That the laws with the sons of Israel were called judgments, precepts, and statutes, is clear from the following passages:-

In Moses:

"I will speak unto thee all the precepts, the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them" (Deuteronomy 5:31).

In the same:

"These are the precepts, the statutes, and the judgments, which Jehovah your God commanded to teach you" (Deuteronomy 6:1).

In the same:

"Therefore, thou shalt keep the precepts, the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them" (Deuteronomy 7:11).

In David:

"If his sons forsake my law and walk not in my judgments; if they profane my statutes, and keep not my precepts, I will visit their prevarication with a rod" (Psalm 89:30-32),

besides frequently elsewhere:

As Leviticus 18:5; 19:37; 20:22; 25:18; 26:15; Deuteronomy 4:1; 5:1, 6, 7; 17:19; 26:17; Ezekiel 5:6, 7; 11:12, 20; 18:9; 20:11, 13, 25; 37:24.

By precepts in these passages are meant the laws of life, especially those in the Decalogue, which are therefore called the Ten Precepts. But by the statutes are meant the laws of worship, which principally related to sacrifices, and the ministry of holy things. And by judgments are meant civil laws, which, because representative of spiritual laws, were therefore significative of Divine truths, such as those in the Lord's spiritual kingdom in the heavens.

Continuation:-

[5] When, therefore, a man shuns and turns away from evils as sins, and is raised into heaven by the Lord, it follows that he is no longer in his proprium, but in the Lord, and that consequently he thinks and wills goods. Now because a man thinks and wills, so also does he act; for every action of a man proceeds from the thought of his will, therefore again it follows, that when a man shuns and turns away from evils, he does goods, not from himself, but from the Lord. Therefore to shun evils is to do goods. The goods which a man then does are meant by good works; and good works in their whole extent are meant by charity.

Because a man cannot be reformed unless he thinks, wills, and acts as of himself, that which he does as of himself is conjoined to him, and remains with him. Because that which a man does as of himself receives no life, but flows through like ether, therefore the Lord wills that a man should not only shun and turn away from evils as of himself, but should also think, will, and act as of himself, yet still acknowledge in heart, that all these things are from the Lord. This he will acknowledge because it is the truth.

9123. Exodus 22

2. ¹ If a thief is caught digging through ² and is struck, and he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him. ³

3. If the sun has risen on him, there shall be bloodguilt for him - [the thief] must surely make repayment; if he has nothing, he shall be sold for his theft.

4. If the theft is certainly found in his hand, whether it is ox or ass, or member of the flock, ⁴ [and they are] alive, he shall repay double.

5. When a man devastates a field or a vineyard, sending in his beast of burden and causing devastation ⁵ in another's field, he shall make repayment from the best of his own field or from the best of his own vineyard.

6. When fire breaks out and catches hold of thorns, and a stack of grain is consumed, or standing grain, or a field, the one kindling what is kindled shall surely make repayment.

7. When a man delivers to his companion silver or vessels for safe keeping, and it is taken away by theft out of the man's house, if the thief is caught he shall repay double.

8. If the thief is not caught, the master of the house shall be brought to God ⁶ [to see] whether or not he has put his hand into his companion's property. ⁷

9. For every matter of transgression - [whether it is] for an ox, for an ass, for a member of the flock, for clothing, [or] for anything that is lost, about which one says, This is it - the case ⁸ of both parties shall come even to God, ⁶ and the one whom God condemns ⁹ shall repay double to his companion.

10. When a man delivers to his companion an ass, or an ox, or a member of the flock, or any beast for safe keeping, and it dies or is broken, ¹⁰ or is led away captive, and no one sees it,

11. An oath of Jehovah shall be between them both, [to see] whether or not its owner has put his hand into his companion's property ⁷ and taken it; and [the other man] shall not make repayment.

12. But if it has indeed been taken away from him by theft, he shall make repayment to its owner.

13. If it has been torn to pieces, he shall bring it [as] witness; ¹¹ he shall not make repayment for what has been torn.

14. And when a man borrows something from his companion, and it is broken ¹⁰ or dies, its owner not being with it, he shall surely make repayment.

15. If its owner is with it, he shall not make repayment; if he is a hired servant he shall come in his hire.

16. When a man persuades a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.

17. If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay silver according to the dowry of virgins.

18. A sorceress you shall not keep alive.

19. Anyone lying with a beast shall surely die.

20. He who sacrifices to the gods shall be utterly destroyed - except to Jehovah alone.

21. And a sojourner you shall not afflict and shall not oppress, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

22. Any widow or orphan you shall not afflict.

23. If you do indeed afflict him, and if he surely cries out to Me, I will surely hear his cry.

24. And My anger will blaze up, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives will become widows, and your sons orphans.

25. If you lend silver to My people, to the needy one with you, you shall not be like a money-lender to him; you shall not charge him interest.

26. If you ever take your companion's clothing as a pledge you shall restore it to him even at the going in of the sun.

27. For this is his only covering; it is his clothing for his skin, in which he may sleep; and it shall be, when he cries out to Me, that I shall hear, for I am merciful.

28. You shall not revile God, and you shall not curse a governor of your people.

29. You shall not be slow [to offer] the firstfruits of your grain and the firstfruits of your wine. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me.

30. You shall do the same with your oxen, [and] with your flock. Seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.

31. And men of holiness shall you be to Me. And you shall not eat flesh torn in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs. ¹²

CONTENTS

The internal sense of this chapter deals with different ways in which harm is done to the truth of faith and the good of charity, and with making amends and undertaking restoration for them. It also deals with the help that should be offered if they are wiped out. Later on the chapter deals with instruction in the truths of faith, and finally with a person's state of life when the good of charity is present in him.

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