6087. 'Then set them as the chief men over the livestock belonging to me' means that they are the first and foremost among known facts. This is clear from the meaning of 'chief men' or princes as features that are first and foremost, dealt with in 1482, 2089, 5044; and from the meaning of 'the livestock' as truths from which good springs, dealt with in 6016, 6045, 6048, at this point factual knowledge that has those truths within it, since the expression used is 'over the livestock belonging to me', that is, to Pharaoh, who does not represent truths that have good within them but factual knowledge that has truths within it.

1307. 'And its head in heaven' means to the extent of their ruling over things in heaven. This follows from what is said above, for 'having one's head in heaven' is being exalted even as far as that, as is also clear from the description of Babel in other parts of the Word and from what has been stated already in 257 about 'lifting up the head'. Self-love is the love which agrees least of all with heavenly life. Indeed it is the source of every form of evil, not only of hatred but also of revenge, cruelty, and adultery. It agrees still less when it enters into worship and profanes it. The hells therefore consist of such persons who, the more they wish to rear their heads up into heaven, the more deeply they force themselves down into hell and the harsher the punishments they plunge themselves into.