4921. 'And the midwife took' means the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'the midwife' as the natural, dealt with in 4588. The implications of this will be evident from the following considerations. In the spiritual world 'midwife' means something different from what the word means in the natural world, as may be recognized from the consideration that in the spiritual world there is no such thing as childbirth or consequently midwifery. From this it is evident that when a person reads the words used here, the angels present with him do not perceive a midwife but instead something completely different; indeed they perceive something spiritual. Consequently because angels concentrate their ideas on things to do with a spiritual childbirth, their perception of 'the midwife' is therefore that which assists and receives this offspring - that which assists and receives it being the natural, see what has been shown in 4588.

3340. Existing as the opposite of that light is thick darkness, and as the opposite of that warmth is coldness. Within that thick darkness and that coldness dwell those in hell. Their thick darkness is the product of the falsities in which they are immersed, and their coldness the product of evils. And the further away they are from truths the thicker is their darkness; and the further away they are from good the more intense is their coldness. When one is allowed to see into the hells where such beings exist the very dark mist in which they live is visible. And when there is any exhalation from that mist the insane ideas flowing from falsities, and the forms of hatred from evils, are detected. They are also provided sometimes with a light, but this is the feeble light from an ignis fatuus, which however goes out on them and becomes thick darkness as soon as they look at the light of truth. In addition they are sometimes provided with warmth, but this warmth is like that of a filthy bathhouse, which however turns into coldness with them as soon as they detect any hint of good. A certain spirit was sent into that dark mist which envelops those in hell so that he might discover for himself what it is like with those who are there. But the Lord protected him by means of angels. From there he spoke to me and said that the maniacal rage against what is good and true, and above all against the Lord, was so great that he was astounded that it could ever be withstood. For those in hell were breathing out nothing else but all kinds of hatred, revenge, and murder, and doing so with such vehemence that they wanted to destroy everybody throughout the universe. Consequently if the Lord was not constantly driving back that rage the entire human race would perish.