652. And their bodies [are] upon the street of the great city.- That this signifies their extinction by evils and falsities of doctrine, is evident from the signification of bodies, as denoting that the good of love and the truth of doctrine, signified by the two witnesses, were extinguished; for to be killed signifies to be extinguished, in this case spiritually, because with those who have altogether destroyed those things in themselves. Similarly it is said concerning the Lord that He is slain and dead, which signifies that the Divine proceeding from Him, which is the Divine Good and Divine Truth, is rejected; thus the Lord, with those by whom it is rejected, is slain and dead, as may be seen above (n. 83); and from the signification of the street of the great city, as denoting the truth and good of doctrine, and, in the opposite sense, the falsity and evil of doctrine. For by street is signified, in a good sense, truth leading and, in the opposite sense, falsity leading, of which we shall speak presently, and by city is signified doctrine, concerning which see above (n. 223). It is said "the great city," because great is said of good, and, in the opposite sense, of evil; and many is said of truth, and, in the opposite sense, of falsity, as may be seen above (n. 223, [336], 337). From these things it is now evident that by the bodies of the two witnesses upon the street of the great city is signified the extinction of the good of love and of charity, and of the truth of doctrine and of faith, by falsities and evils of doctrine. Because evils and falsities of doctrine are signified, these words follow, "which great city is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt," and by Sodom are signified evils of the love, and by Egypt falsities thence, each of these pertaining to doctrine, which destroy the church at its end, concerning which we shall speak further in the articles that follow.

[2] The reason why street signifies the truth of doctrine, and, in the opposite sense, its falsity, is, that way in the spiritual sense signifies truth leading to good, and, in the opposite sense, falsity leading to evil, as may be seen above (n. 97); and streets are ways in a city. And because city signifies doctrine, therefore by street is signified the truth and falsity of doctrine. In the spiritual world also there are cities, and streets in them as in the cities of the world; and the quality of every one as to the affection for truth and thence intelligence is known merely from the places where they dwell, and also from the streets in which they walk. Those who are in a clear perception of truth dwell in the southern quarter of the city, and also walk there; those who are in a clear affection for the good of love dwell in the eastern quarter, and also walk there; those who are in an obscure affection for the good of love dwell in the western quarter, and also walk there; and those who are in an obscure perception of truth dwell in the northern quarter, and also walk there; but it is the contrary in the cities where those have their abode who are in the persuasion of falsity from evil. From these things it is evident whence it is that street signifies truth or falsity leading.

[3] That such things are signified by streets is evident from the following passages.

In Jeremiah:

"Run ye through the streets of Jerusalem, and see, I pray, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man that doeth judgment, seeking truth; then will I pardon her" (5:1).

Since the streets in Jerusalem, and the broad places thereof, signify truths of doctrine, according to the states of the affection and perception of those who are of the church, and as by Jerusalem is signified the church as to doctrine, therefore it is said, "Run ye through the streets of Jerusalem, and see and know, and seek in the broad places thereof." And since judgment is said of truths, because all judgment is effected from laws and precepts, which are truths, and because by truth is signified the truth of doctrine and of faith, therefore it is said, "If ye can find a man that doeth judgment and that seeketh truth." The broad places specifically signify the corners of the city, thus the quarters where they dwell; and because every one dwells in the cities in the spiritual world according to clear and obscure affection for good and perception of truth, therefore by broad places are signified truths and goods according to every one's affection and perception.

[4] In Isaiah:

"Judgment hath been driven back, and justice stood afar off; for truth hath stumbled in the street, and rectitude cannot enter" (59:14).

By judgment and justice, in the Word, are signified truth and good; that these are no longer is signified by judgment being driven back and justice standing afar off, that they wandered from the truths of doctrine, and that thence there was no truth in the life, which is good of life, is signified by, truth hath stumbled in the street, and rectitude cannot enter. For all of the good of life is procured by means of truths of doctrine, as man learns from these how he ought to live. Because street signifies where truth leads, therefore it is said, truth hath stumbled in the street.

[5] In Nahum:

The chariots raged in the streets, they ran in the broad places (2:4).

Because chariots signify doctrinals of truth, and streets and broad places, according to every one's affection and perception, as above, therefore it is said, "The chariots raged in the streets, they ran in the broad places"; to rage signifies, to call falsities truths, and to run signifies to wander.

[6] In the book of Judges:

"In the days of Jael the ways ceased, they that go in paths went crooked ways, they ceased, the broad places in Israel ceased" (5:6, 7).

These words are in the song of Deborah and Barak, in which the desolation of truth in the church is treated of, and afterwards its restitution; the desolation is described by the words, "The ways ceased, they that go in paths went crooked ways, the broad places in Israel ceased." Ways and paths have a similar signification to streets and broad places, namely, truths of doctrine leading; and to go crooked ways signifies wandering from truths.

[7] In Isaiah:

"The city of emptiness shall be broken down, every house shall be shut that no one may enter; there shall be a cry over wine in the streets, all joy shall be mingled together; the gladness of the earth shall be banished" (24:10, 11).

By the city of emptiness is signified doctrine in which there is no truth but falsity; by house is signified good of the will and thence of the life. It is therefore evident what is signified by the city of emptiness shall be broken down, every house shall be shut that no one may enter. By a cry over wine in the streets is signified lamentation on account of the defect of truth and of the intermingling of it with falsity, wine signifying the truth of the church from the Word; therefore it is said, "in the streets," because a street also signifies truth, and where truth is sought. Joy and gladness are named, because joy is said of delight from the affection for good, and gladness of the delight from the affection for truth; that those delights will cease is signified by, all joy shall be mingled together, the gladness of the earth shall be banished, earth denoting the church.

[8] Again in Jeremiah:

"How is the city of glory [not] forsaken, the city of my joy wherefore the young men shall fall in the streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off" (49:25, 26; 50:30.).

The city of glory signifies the doctrine of Divine Truth, and the city of joy signifies delight from affection for good and truth therein; by the young men are signified those that have become intelligent through truths and that the understanding of truth would perish is signified by, the young men shall fall in the streets. By the men of war are signified truths combating against falsities; and that there would be no defence of truth against falsities is signified by, all the men of war shall be cut off.

[9] Again in Ezekiel:

"Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, so that you have filled the streets thereof with the slain" (11:6).

The slain, in the Word, mean those who perish by falsities, for the sword with which they are slain signifies falsity destroying truth; the city signifies here, as above, the doctrine of truth; the signification of the slain in the city is therefore evident. By filling the streets with the slain is signified the devastation of truth by falsities.

[10] In Lamentations:

"They that did eat delicacies are devastated in the streets; and they that were brought up in crimson (purpura) have embraced dunghills. The form" of the Nazarites "is darker than blackness, they are not known in the streets. They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood. They have hunted our steps so that we cannot go in the streets" (4:5, 8, 14, 18).

Streets here also signify truths of doctrine leading to the good of life, or truths according to which the life is to be formed. This treats of the church where the Word is, and its devastation as to truths; therefore they that did eat delicacies are devastated in the streets signifies that those who have imbibed genuine truths from the Word have no longer any truths, delicacies denoting genuine truths from the Word. By they that were brought up in crimson have embraced dunghills is signified that those who received genuine goods from the Word have nothing but falsities of evil, crimson denoting the genuine good of the Word, specifically the celestial love for truth, and dunghills signifying falsities of evil. By the form of the Nazarites is darker than blackness, they are not known in the streets, is signified that Divine Truth is in such obscurity that it does not appear to any one; for the Nazarites represented the Lord as to Divine Truth, therefore they signify Divine Truth from the Lord. By they wandered as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, is signified that the truths of the Word are no more seen, because they are falsified, the blind signifying those who do not see truths. By they have hunted our steps, so that we cannot go in the streets, is signified to lead astray, so that it is not known how to live, to hunt the steps denoting to lead astray by means of falsities, and to go denoting to live, therefore to go in the streets signifies to live according to truths.

[11] In Zephaniah:

"I will cut off the nations; their corners shall be devastated; I will lay waste their streets, that none shall pass through; their cities shall be devastated, that there shall be no man (vir), and no inhabitant" (3:6).

The nations which shall be cut off signify the goods of the church; the corners which shall be devastated signify its truths and goods in their whole compass; that these are signified by corners, may be seen above (n. 417). The streets which shall be desolate, that no one shall pass through, signify truths of doctrine; for the cities which shall be devastated, that there shall be no man and no inhabitant, signify doctrinals, while man and inhabitants, in the spiritual sense of the Word, mean all who are in truths and in goods, thus, in an abstract sense, truths and goods.

[12] In Zechariah:

"I will return to Zion, and I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, whence Jerusalem shall be called the city of truth; old men and women shall yet dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and the streets shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof" (8:3-5).

These things are said concerning the coming of the Lord, and concerning a new church to be established by Him. Zion means the church as to the good of love, and Jerusalem the church as to the truths of doctrine, therefore Jerusalem is called the city of truth. By the old men and women who shall dwell in the streets of Jerusalem are meant those that are intelligent and wise by means of truths of doctrine; by the boys and girls playing in the streets, with whom the streets of the city shall be filled, are signified affections for truth and good and their delights, in which those shall abound who live in truths of doctrine.

[13] In Jeremiah:

"According to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to shame, altars to burn incense to Baal" (11:13).

According to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah, signifies that there were as many falsities as doctrinals, cities denoting doctrinals, and gods the falsities of religion. According to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to shame, signifies as many kinds of worship as falsities of doctrine, streets here signifying falsities of doctrine, and altars worship. Worship from falsities is here understood, because by altars are meant altars of incense, for it is said, altars to burn incense to Baal, for incense signifies spiritual good, which, in its essence, is truth from good, and in the opposite sense, falsity from evil. That incense and altar signify these things may be seen above (n. 324, 491, 492, 567).

[14] In the same:

"Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? the sons gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, the women knead the mass to make cakes to the queen of the heavens, at the same time to pour out drink-offerings to other gods; I will cause to cease in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness" (7:17, 18, 34).

The signification of these words in the spiritual sense may be seen fully explained above (n. 555:17); and that the cities of Judah signify the doctrinals of the church, and the streets of Jerusalem the truths of its doctrine.

[15] Again:

"Have ye forgotten the evils which they did in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?" (44:9).

The land of Judah signifies the church as to good, here as to evil; and the streets of Jerusalem signify the truths of doctrine, here the falsities of its doctrine.

[16] In Ezekiel:

"With the hoofs of his horses shall" Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, "tread down all thy streets; he shall slay thy people with the sword, and he shall bring down the statues of strength to the earth; they shall plunder thy wealth" (26:11, 12).

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, signifies the profanation of truth and its consequent destruction. With the hoofs of his horses he shall tread down all thy streets signifies that he will destroy all the truths of the church by the fallacies of the sensual man; he will slay the people with the sword signifies that he will destroy truths by falsities; that so also he will destroy all worship from truths, is signified by, he shall bring down the statues of strength to the earth, for statues signify holy worship from truths, and because all power belongs to truth from good, they are called statues of strength; that knowledges of truth also would be destroyed is signified by, they shall plunder thy wealth. That wealth and riches denote knowledges of truth may be seen (n. 236).

[17] In the same:

"Thou hast built thee a lofty place, and thou hast made thee a high place in every street; upon every head of the way thou hast made thee thy lofty place, and thou hast made thy beauty abominable" (16:24, 25, 31).

High and lofty places, with the ancients, signified heaven, whence came the rite of sacrificing upon high mountains, and instead of these upon lofty structures, therefore worship from evils and falsities of doctrine is signified by making a lofty and high place in every street, and upon every head of the way. And because that worship became idolatrous, it is said that they made their beauty abominable; by beauty is meant truth and intelligence thence, for every one in the spiritual world is beautiful according to truths from good, and intelligence thence.

[18] In Amos:

"In all the streets shall be wailing and in all the broad places they shall say, Alas, alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning" (5:16).

In all the streets mourning, and in all the broad places they shall say, Alas, alas! signifies grief on account of truth and good everywhere devastated; and they shall call the husbandman to mourning signifies the grief of the men of the church on account thereof, husbandman signifies the man of the church, because a field signifies the church as to the implantation of truth.

[19] Again in David:

"Our garners are full, yielding from food to food, our flocks are thousands and ten thousands in our streets; our oxen are laden, no breach or fleeing away, or outcry in our broad places" (Psalm 144:13, 14).

The garners full of food signify doctrinals from the Word, thus the Word where are all the truths of doctrine from which are instruction and spiritual nourishment. By the flocks being thousands and ten thousands in the streets are signified spiritual goods and truths; by thousands of flocks goods, and by ten thousands truths; by oxen laden are signified natural goods and their affections; by no breach is signified their coherence. By none fleeing away is signified no loss of any; by no outcry in the broad places is signified no lamentation anywhere over the want of them.

[20] In Job:

God "who giveth rain upon the faces of the earth, and who sendeth waters upon the faces of the streets" (5:10).

To give rain upon the faces of the earth signifies the influx of Divine Truth into all things with those who are of the church; and to send waters upon the faces of the streets signifies the Divine influx into truths of doctrine in order to render man spiritual by means of them.

[21] In Isaiah:

"In her streets they have girded themselves with sackcloth, upon her roofs and in her streets he shall howl, going down into weeping" (15:3).

The things are said of the city of Ar in the land of Moab, by which is signified the doctrine of those who are in truths from the natural man; grief over the falsities of their doctrine, from primaries to ultimates, is signified by girding on sackcloth, and by howling upon the roofs and in the streets, roofs denoting interior things, and streets exterior things with them.

[22] In Jeremiah:

"Upon all the roofs of Moab, and in the streets thereof, a general lamentation" (48:38).

Similar things are here signified as by those above.

In Daniel:

"Know and perceive from the going forth of the word even to restoring and building of Jerusalem, unto Messiah the Prince, [seven weeks]; after sixty and two weeks the street and ditch shall be restored and built, but in straitness of times" (9:25).

He who is not acquainted with the spiritual sense of the Word may suppose that by Jerusalem is here signified Jerusalem, and that this is to be restored and built; also that by the street and ditch, of which it is likewise said that it shall be restored and built, is understood the street and ditch of that city. But by Jerusalem is meant the church which will be established by the Lord, and by the street and ditch is meant the truth of doctrine; by street truth, and by ditch doctrine. This is not the place to explain the signification of the number of weeks.

[23] From these considerations it is now evident that the signification of the street of the New Jerusalem in the following passages in the Apocalypse is similar:

"The twelve gates were twelve pearls, and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass" (21:21);

and afterwards:

"He shewed me a pure river of water of life, bright as crystal, going forth out of the throne of God and of the Lamb; in the midst of the street thereof and of the river, on either side, was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits" (22:1, 2):

but these passages will be explained hereafter.

[24] In Isaiah:

"Thy sons have fainted, they have lain at the head of all the streets, as an antelope in a net" (51:20).

These things also are said of Jerusalem, that is, of the church vastated as to doctrine. Sons mean those who are in truths of doctrine; to faint and to lie at the head of all the streets signifies to be deprived of all truth, the head or beginning of the streets denoting the entrance to truth, consequently all truth.

[25] In Lamentations:

"The infant and suckling faint in the streets of the city; lift up thy hands to" the Lord "over the souls of thine infants, who have fainted through hunger at the head of all the streets" (2:11, 19).

The infant and the suckling signify innocence, and also the goods and truths which are first born and vivified by knowledges from the Word with men who are being regenerated, and which, being the first, are also guiltless and harmless; the complete defect of them is signified by, they have fainted in the streets of the city, and at the head of all the streets. It is said through hunger because hunger signifies deprivation, defect, ignorance, and at the same time the desire for knowledges (see above, n. 386).

[26] In Nahum:

"Her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets, and over her honourable ones they cast lots, and all her great men were bound in chains" (3:10).

Infants, here also mean truths which are first born and vivified; and by being dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets is signified to be dispersed and to perish. By the honourable ones are signified the goods of love; by casting lots over them is signified to be dissipated; by great men are signified the truths of good; and by being bound in chains is signified to be bound by falsities, so that truths cannot come forth. These things are said concerning the city of bloods, which signifies doctrine in which the truths of the Word are falsified.

[27] In Jeremiah:

"Death is come up through our windows, it is come into our palaces, to cut off the infant from the street, the young men from the broad places" (9:21).

Death here means spiritual death, which takes place when falsity is believed to be truth, and the truth to be falsity; and the life is according to such belief. Windows signify thoughts from the understanding; palaces the interior and thence more sublime things of the human mind (mens); the signification of death ascending through the windows and coming into the palaces is therefore evident. Infant signifies here, as above, the truths which are first born through knowledges from the Word; the young men signify truths acquired, from which comes intelligence; while streets and broad places signify truths of doctrine and truths of life, which lead to intelligence and wisdom. The signification therefore of cutting off the infant from the street, the young men from the broad places, is evident.

[28] In the same:

"I am full of the anger of Jehovah, I am weary with holding in; pour out upon the infant in the street, and upon the assembly of young men; for even the man (vir) with the woman shall be taken, the old man with him that is full of days" (6:11).

Here by the infant in the street and by the young men similar things to those above are signified. Man and woman signify truth conjoined to good and thence intelligence, and by the old man and him that is full of days is signified wisdom.

[29] Since street signifies the truth of doctrine leading, and, in the opposite sense, falsity, therefore in the following passages mire of the streets, dirt and dung, signify falsity of the love of evil.

In Isaiah:

"Their carcase has become dung of the streets" (5:25).

In the same:

"He shall make him a treading down like the mire of the streets" (10:6).

In Micah:

"She shall be for a treading down like the mire of the streets" (7:10).

In David:

"I will beat them small as the dust before the faces of the wind, like the dirt of the streets I will spread them out" (Psalm 18:42).

These things are also from appearances in the spiritual world; in the cities there in which falsities from evil reign, the streets appear full of dung, dirt, and mire. It is evident from these things what is signified by "The Lord commanding the seventy, whom he sent to preach the Gospel, into whatever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go out into the streets thereof, and say, Even the dust of your city, that cleaveth unto us, do we shake off against you" (Luke 10:10, 11).

[30] Because the streets of a city signify truths of doctrine, according to which man should live, therefore it was customary to teach and to pray in the streets.

Thus in the Second Book of Samuel:

"Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon, lest peradventure the daughters of the Philistines rejoice" (1:20).

In Matthew:

"When thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and in the broad places, that they may have glory of men. And if thou pray thou shalt not be as the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, where they may be seen of men" (6:2, 5).

And in Luke:

"Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets; but he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are" (13:26, 27).

[31] From the signification of street, as denoting the truth of doctrine, it is also clear why the Lord said in the parable that the householder commanded his servants, that they should go quickly into the streets and broad places of the city, and bring in the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind (Luke 14:21).

The poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind, do not mean such in a natural sense, but such in a spiritual sense, namely, those who, not having the Word, were in ignorance of truth, and therefore in want of good, but who still desired truths by means of which they might attain to good; such were the nations of whom the church of the Lord was afterwards established.

[32] Since the street of a city signified truth as well as falsity teaching and leading, therefore the angels who came to Sodom, said that they would tarry all night in the street (Genesis 19:2). And therefore, also, it was commanded that if the sons of Israel observed that those in any city served other gods, they should smite the inhabitants of the city with the sword, utterly destroying the city, and that they should bring all the spoil of it into the midst of the street, and burn the city and all the spoil with fire (Deuteronomy 13:14, 16, 17). By other gods are signified the falsities of worship; by the sword, the destruction of falsity by truths; by the spoil, the falsification of truth; and by fire, the punishment of the love of evil and its destruction.

[33] From these passages cited from the Word it is evident what is signified by the bodies of the two witnesses being cast upon the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, and afterwards by their not being permitted to be laid in the tombs. For it was a custom with the Jewish and Israelitish nation to cast out their enemies that were slain into the ways and streets, and not to bury them, as a sign of their hatred; but this represented that they were infernal evils and falsities which could not be raised again to life, that is, those who were in evils and falsities.

[34] This is also evident in Jeremiah:

The prophets prophesy, saying, "Sword and famine shall not be in this land; by the sword and famine shall these prophets be consumed, and the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem, and there shall be none to bury them" (14:15, 16).

A prophet means the doctrine of truth, but here the doctrine of falsity, because they prophesied falsities and because streets signified where falsities are, therefore it is said that they shall be cast out into the streets of Jerusalem.

3708. 'And you will break forth towards the sea, and towards the east' means infinite extension of good, while 'towards the north, and towards the south' means infinite extension of truth - thus every state of good and truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'breaking forth' as extension, here infinite extension since it has reference to the Lord; from the meaning of 'the sea' or the west as good which is as yet obscure and so at only an initial stage; from the meaning of 'the east' as bright and so perfected good; from the meaning of 'the north' as truth which is still shrouded in obscurity; and from the meaning of 'the south' as truth bathed in light.

[2] Many references are made in the Word to the sea or west, the east, the north, and the south. But because nobody up to now has known that, as with every other single expression, these possessed an internal sense in which they did not mean things to do with the world, as they do in the sense of the letter, but spiritual and celestial things, and that in the highest sense those expressions meant Divine things belonging to the Lord Himself, what else could people have known therefore other than that west, east, north, and south are used in the Word simply to mean the four quarters? What else other than that 'breaking forth' towards those four quarters means a multiplying? But the fact that they do not mean the four quarters or the multiplying of any group of people, but states of good and truth, and the extension of these, may become clear from all the places in the Word, especially those in the Prophets, where reference is made to them. For what west, east, north, or south are is totally unknown in heaven. There the Sun, which is the Lord - unlike the sun of this world which rises and sets, reaching its highest point at midday and its lowest at night - is visible all the time, though how visible depends on the states of those receiving its light; for the light from it holds wisdom and intelligence within it, see 1619-1632, 2776, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3339, 3341, 3485, 3636, 3643. Consequently it is visible to each individual according to the wisdom and intelligence existing with him. Among those with whom good and truth are present - which are warmth and light, but of the celestial and spiritual kind - the sun is as it is when rising and at midday; but among those with whom good and truth are not present the sun is as it is when setting and at night. From this it is evident that in the internal sense of the Word 'east, south, west, and north' means states of good and truth.

[3] It should be recognized that the Word does not use only the four quarters, as indicated, to describe states of good and truth. It also uses both the annual seasons or states of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and the daily times or states of morning, midday, evening, and night. These are used for a similar purpose; but when the subject is the extension of good and truth, the four quarters are employed to describe it. What each one means specifically however may be seen from the places where they are mentioned in the Word. 'East' means the Lord and also the good of love and charity, which comes from the Lord, as shown already in 101, 1250, 3249, and 'south' means the truth bathed in light, in 1458, 3195.

[4] But what 'west' and what 'north' mean in the genuine sense, and what they mean in the contrary sense, may be seen from the following places: In Isaiah,

Fear not, for I am with you; from the east I will bring your seed, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not withhold. Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the end of the earth. Isaiah 43:5-6

This refers to a new spiritual Church, meant here by Jacob and Israel. 'Bringing the seed from the east and gathering from the west' stands for people governed by good; 'saying to the north, Give up; and to the south, Do not withhold' stands for those governed by truth.

[5] In David,

The redeemed of Jehovah will speak, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy and gathered together out of the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the sea. They wandered in the wilderness, in a desolate way; they did not find an inhabited city. ¹ Psalms 107:2-4.

This refers to people who are without knowledge of good and truth. 'From the east and from the west' stands for those without knowledge of good, 'from the north and from the sea' for those without knowledge of truth. Those without knowledge of good are referred to as 'wandering in the wilderness', and those without knowledge of truth as doing so 'in a desolate way'. And those without knowledge of both are referred to as their not finding an inhabited city - 'a city' meaning doctrinal teaching consisting of truth, see 402, 2449, 2943, 3216, and 'a habitation' being used in reference to good, 268, 2451, 2712.

[6] In Isaiah,

Behold, these will come from afar, and behold, those from the north and from the west, and those from the land of Sinim. Isaiah 49:12.

'The north' stands for people in obscurity as regards truth, 'the west' for those in obscurity as regards good. They are said 'to come from afar' because they are remote from the light which flows from the Lord.

[7] In Amos,

Behold, the days are going to come in which I will send a famine on the land. And they will wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east they will run to and fro to seek the Word of Jehovah, and will not find it. Amos 8:11-12.

'A famine' stands for a lack and absence of cognitions, 1460, 3364. 'Wandering from sea to sea' stands for searching for the place where cognitions may be found - 'seas' meaning cognitions in general, 28, 2850. 'Running to and fro from the north even to the east' stands for going from those cognitions that are in obscurity to cognitions that are in the light. As regards cognitions being meant, this is evident because the words 'to seek the Word of God and will not find it' are used.

[8] In Jeremiah,

Proclaim these words towards the north, and say, Return, backsliding Israel; I will not cause My face to fall upon you, for I am merciful. In those days the house of Judah will go to the house of Israel, and together they will come out of the north land over the land I gave as a heritage to your fathers. Jeremiah 3:12, 18.

This refers to the restoration of the Church from among the gentiles. 'The north' stands for people without knowledge of truth but who lead a good life. It is evident that neither the north nor the north land is meant here for the reason that Israel did not exist any longer.

[9] In the same prophet,

The living Jehovah who caused the children of Israel to come up out of the north land. Jeremiah 16:15.

'North' in a similar way stands for being without knowledge of truth. In the same prophet,

Behold, I am bringing them from the north land, and I will gather them from the furthest parts of the earth, among them the blind one and the lame. Jeremiah 31:8.

The 'north land' stands for no knowledge of good because of no knowledge of truth. Now because the land of Canaan represented the Lord's kingdom - and therefore also represented good, see above in 3705 - and places within that land, such as Zion and Jerusalem, represented inmost good to which truth was joined, the places which lay away from that land consequently represented obscurity so far as good and truth were concerned. Everything that lies in obscurity is called 'the north land' and also 'the furthest parts of the earth'.

[10] In addition to this, since all good that flows in with light from the Lord is confined within man's obscurity, the north is also called 'an assembly' as in Isaiah,

You said in your heart, I will go up the heavens, above the stars of God I will raise my throne, and I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the furthest parts of the north. Isaiah 14:13.

In the same prophet,

Wail, O gate; cry, O city; you have melted away, O Philistia, all of you, for smoke comes from the north, and not a solitary person in the assemblies. Isaiah 14:31.

In David,

Great is Jehovah and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, the mountain of His holiness - the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, the furthest parts of the north, the city of the great King. Psalms 48:1-2.

And again in the same author,

The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours. The world and the fullness of it You have founded; the north and the right hand ² You have created. Psalms 89:11-12.

'The north' here stands for those who are more remote from the light of good and truth, 'the right hand' for those who are closer to them. For the latter are on the Lord's right hand, see 1274, 1276.

[11] In Zechariah,

He saw four chariots coming out between two mountains of bronze. The horses coupled to them were reddish, black, white, and mottled - strong ones. The angel said, These are the four winds of heaven, which go forth from standing before the Lord of the whole earth, the black horses going into the north land; and the white have gone out after them, and the mottled have gone out into the south land. Those going towards the north land have caused My spirit to rest on the north land. Zechariah 6:1-8.

'Chariots coming out between two mountains of bronze' stands for matters of doctrine concerning good. For 'chariots' means matters of doctrine, as will be shown elsewhere, while 'a mountain' means love, see 795, 1430, 2722, and two mountains therefore two kinds of love - celestial love, which is love to the Lord, and spiritual love, which is love towards the neighbour. 'Bronze' is good originating in those loves as it exists within the natural, 425, 1551; 'horses' things of the understanding, and so an understanding of matters of doctrine concerning good, 2760-2762, 3217; 'the south land' stands for people who possess cognitions of good and truth, 1458, 3195, 'the north land' for those who are without knowledge of good and truth but who lead a good life, as upright gentiles do among whom, when a new Church is established, God's Spirit is said to rest.

[12] In Jeremiah,

Jehovah who brought up and led back the seed of the house of Israel out of the land towards the north and out of all the lands to where I have driven them, so that they might dwell on their own land. Jeremiah 23:8.

'Out of the land towards the north' stands for away from the obscurity that is due to a lack of knowledge about what is good and true. In the same prophet,

Can one break iron, iron from the north, and bronze? Jeremiah 15:12.

'Iron' stands for natural truth, 425, 426, 'bronze' for natural good, 425, 1551. These are said to come 'from the north' because they derive from the natural which, though lying in obscurity compared with other degrees, serves as the outer limit of these. It is evident without explanation that this prophetic utterance does not mean the use of iron and bronze from the north, for what would be Divine about that, indeed what connection would it have with what goes before and after if no more than iron and bronze from there were meant?

[13] In Matthew,

I tell you that many will come from the east and from the west and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Matthew 8:11; Luke 13:29.

'Many from the east and from the west' stands for those who possess cognitions and lead a good life, and also for those who are in obscurity and have no knowledge of such cognitions; and so it stands for people inside the Church and those outside it. It has been stated above that states of good are meant by the east and the west. 'Reclining with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob' means being with the Lord, see 3305 (end). And the Prophets in a similar way speak of people coming from east and west who are going to be with the Lord in His kingdom or Church, as in Isaiah,

From the east I will bring your seed, and from the west I will gather you. Isaiah 43:5.

Elsewhere in the same prophet,

They will fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and His glory from the east. Isaiah 59:19.

Elsewhere in the same,

From the rising of the sun and from its setting they will know that there is none besides Me; I am Jehovah and there is no one else. Isaiah 45:6.

Elsewhere in the same,

I will stir up one from the north, and he will come; from the rising of the sun he will call on My name. Isaiah 41:25.

[14] In addition one may see that east, west, south, and north have these meanings from the following: The Construction of the Tabernacle; The Children of Israel when they were encamped and when they journeyed; The Description of the Land of Canaan; also, The Description of the New Temple, New Jerusalem, and New Land:

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE

Everything in it was positioned according to the four quarters, see Exodus 38 - what went on the east and west sides, and what on the south and north, is stated in Exodus 26:18, 20, 22, 27; 27:9, 12, 13; and the requirement that the lampstand was to be placed towards the south across from the table, the table itself being on the north side, Exodus 26:35; 40:22.

[15] THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WHEN THEY WERE ENCAMPED AND WHEN THEY JOURNEYED

Here also positions were determined according to the four quarters. That is to say, they encamped around the Tent of Meeting, with the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun towards the east; the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad towards the south; the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin towards the west; and the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali towards the north, Numbers 2:1- end. In addition to this, the Levites encamped with the Gershonites towards the west, the Kohathites towards the south, the Merarites towards the north; and Moses, Aaron and his sons in front of the Tabernacle towards the east, Numbers 3:23-38. In this way the heavenly order which in the Lord's kingdom exists in accordance with states of good and truth was represented. Towards the south side also they were to sound the call for them to begin their journeys, Numbers 10:6. And even as they took up specific positions when they encamped, so they did when they journeyed, Numbers 2:34.

[16] THE DESCRIPTION OF THE LAND OF CANAAN

First Moses described its border lands - those indeed in the south, those in the west, those in the north, and those in the east, Numbers 34:2-12, as they were again described when the land had been apportioned to the tribes by lot, in Joshua 15 Chapters-19 of Joshua. From these circumstances, and also from the most ancient people who dwelt in the land of Canaan, all places in that land became representatives and meaningful signs determined by their position, distance, and boundaries in relation to the four quarters, 1607, 1866.

[17] THE DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW TEMPLE, NEW JERUSALEM, AND NEW LAND

These also are described in Ezekiel in relation to the four quarters. The structure of the city, for example, started from the south. When dealing with the gateway to the building he says that its sides faced towards the east, towards the north, and towards the south, Ezekiel 40:2, 6, 19, 20-46. When dealing with the measurement of the Temple, he says that its doors looked towards the north and the south, Ezekiel 41:11, while the outer court looked towards the north, the east, the south, and the west, Ezekiel 42:1, 4, 11, 16-19. He also says that the glory of Jehovah the God of Israel came in from the way of the east, Ezekiel 43:1-2, 4. The gates to the outer court are dealt with in Ezekiel 44:1-2, 4; 46:1, 9, 10, 19, 20; and the boundaries of the Holy Land in Chapter 47 - towards the north in verses 15-17, towards the east in verse 18, towards the south in verse 19, towards the west in verse 20; while Chapter 48 specifies in relation to the four quarters the territories allotted to each tribe. And in the description of the Holy Jerusalem it is said that the gates were on the east, north, south, and west, Revelation 21:13. From these references it is quite evident that the four quarters of the world in relation to which those holy things, or representatives of what is holy, were arrayed do not mean in the internal sense the four quarters but states of good and truth within the Lord's kingdom.

[18] In the contrary sense 'the north' and 'the west' mean falsity and evil, as may be seen from the following places: In Jeremiah,

The word of Jehovah came to me a second time, saying, What do you see? I said, I am seeing an open pot with it's face towards the north. And Jehovah said, From the north evil will be opened over all the inhabitants of the land. Lo, I am calling all the families of the north to come. Jeremiah 1:13-15.

In the same prophet,

Set up a standard towards Zion; assemble, stay not, for I am bringing evil from the north, and a great destruction. Jeremiah 4:6.

In the same prophet,

The sound of crashing; behold, it is coming, and a great commotion out of the land of the north to reduce the cities of Judah into a waste. Jeremiah 10:22.

In the same prophet,

In Tekoa sound the trumpet, for evil stares from the north, and great destruction. Behold, a people coming from the land of the north, a mighty nation will be stirred up from the furthest parts of the earth. Jeremiah 6:1, 22.

In the same prophet,

I took the cup from Jehovah's hand and made all the nations drink it - Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, and its kings, Pharaoh king of Egypt, and the whole western crowd; all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the west, dwelling in the wilderness, and all the kings of the north, far and near. Jeremiah 25:17-26.

[19] In the same prophet,

The swift will not flee away, nor the strong man escape. Northwards on the bank of the River Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen. Who is this coming up like a river? Egypt comes up like the river, for he said, I will go up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and those who dwell in it. But that day is to the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth a day of vengeance - for the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth holds a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates. A very beautiful heifer is Egypt, but destruction from the north has come. The daughter of Egypt has been put to shame; she has been delivered into the hand of a people from the north. Jeremiah 46:6-10, 20, 24.

In the same prophet,

Thus said Jehovah, Behold, waters rising out of the north which are like a deluging stream, and they will deluge the land and all that fills it, the city and those who dwell in it. Jeremiah 47:2.

[20] In the same prophet,

[The word which] Jehovah spoke against Babel: There will come up against her a nation from the north, which will make her land a desolation so that none may dwell in it. Jeremiah 50:1, 3.

In the same prophet,

Behold, I am stirring up and bringing up against Babel an assembly of great nations out of the north land, and they will array themselves against her; from there she will be taken. Behold, a people coming out of the north, a mighty nation, and many kings will be stirred up from the furthest parts of the earth. Jeremiah 50:9, 41.

In the same prophet,

Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, will sing over Babel, because those who lay waste will come out of the north. Jeremiah 51:48.

In Ezekiel,

Say to Gog, You will come out of your place from the furthest parts of the north, you and many peoples with you. You will come up against My people Israel, like a cloud to cover the land. Ezekiel 38:14-16.

In the same prophet,

Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince. I will make you turn back and will split you into six, and make you come up from the furthest parts of the north and bring you onto the mountains of Israel. On the mountains of Israel you will fall. On the surface of the field you will fall. Ezekiel 39:1-2, 4-5.

In Zechariah,

Ho! Flee from the land of the north, says Jehovah, for like the four winds of the heavens I will spread you abroad. Ho, Zion! escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babel. Zechariah 2:6-7.

[21] These quotations show what 'the north' means in the contrary sense, namely falsity which is the source of evil, or falsity which is the result of evil. Because falsity which is the source of evil originates in reasoning about Divine things and against Divine things, which reasoning is based on factual knowledge belonging to the natural man, it is called 'a people from the north out of Egypt' - 'Egypt' meaning such factual knowledge, see 1164, 1165, 2588 (end). And because falsity which is the result of evil originates in worship which to outward appearance is holy but interiorly is unholy, it is called 'a nation from the north out of Babel' - 'Babel' meaning such, see 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304, 1306-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326, as well as that which lays waste, 1327. Both types of falsity - that which is the source of evil, and that which is the result of evil - are said to come out of Gog, for 'Gog' is worship consisting in external observances devoid of anything internal, which is idolatrous worship, as at all times was that of the Jews. That 'Gog' means such worship, see 1151.

[22] Out of the obscurity in which the natural man dwells either truth can arise or falsity can do so. When anyone allows himself to be enlightened by means of the Word from the Lord his obscurity is turned into brightness, for the internal path is opened and so influx and communication from the Lord by way of heaven takes place. But when he does not allow himself to be enlightened by means of the Word from the Lord, but by his own intelligence, his obscurity is turned into darkness and so into falsity, for the internal path is closed and no influx and communication from the Lord by way of heaven takes place, apart from such as enables him to be seen outwardly to be human, when he thinks and so speaks from evil and falsity. This is why 'the north' means truth with those who allow themselves to be enlightened, falsity with those who do not. For the former come up from obscurity, that is, they are raised up to light, but the latter go down from obscurity, that is, remove themselves from light. The former are accordingly brought into [the light of] the south, the latter into [the gloom of] Tartarus.

[23] The fact that 'the north' means the thick darkness of falsity and 'the south' the light of truth is quite evident in Daniel where the ram and the he-goat are the subject, and also where the king of the south and the king of the north are. Referring to the ram and the he-goat it is said that the ram butted with his horns towards the west and towards the north and towards the south, so that none of the beasts could stand before him, and that a he-goat came from the west across the surface of the whole earth, and out of one of his horns there came forth a [little] horn which grew exceedingly towards the south, and towards the east, and towards the glorious [land], Daniel 8:4-5, 9. And referring to the king of the south and the king of the north in the place where 'the king of the south' means those possessing cognitions of truth, and 'the king of the north' those who are governed by falsity, it is said that

After some years they will make an alliance, as a result of which the daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north to negotiate equitable terms but her arm will not gain strength. One will rise from that stem who will enter into the fortress of the king of the north and will prevail and will carry [the gods] they have captured into Egypt. The king of the south will come into the kingdom and fight with the king of the north, and the king of the north will return and raise a multitude greater than the former. Many will stand up against the king of the south. The king of the north will come and take the fortified city and destroy much. The king of the south will be stirred up to battle with a great army, but he will not stand, for they will devise plots against him. After that he will return, but it will not be as previously. The people consisting of those who know their God will stand firm. At length, at the time of the end, the king of the south will clash with him; therefore the king of the north will rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen. In the glorious land many will fall. But rumours will terrify him from the east and from the north, so that he goes forth with great fury. He will come to his end, with none to help him. Daniel 11:1-end.

The fact that 'the king of the south' means those who dwell in the light of truth, 'the king of the north' those who first dwell in shade and then in the thick darkness of falsity, may become clear from the details in that chapter. So it is a description of how the state of the Church is in course of time perverted. They are called kings of the south and of the north because 'kings' in the internal sense of the Word means truths, and in the contrary sense falsities, 1672, 2015, 2069, while 'kingdoms' means things that belong to truth, and in the contrary sense those that belong to falsity, 1672, 2547.

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