'Skins' or 'hides' signify external things, because the hide is the outermost organ of an animal where its interiors extend, the same as with a person's dermis or skin. 'Skin' corresponds to truth or to falsity in the extremes. See Arcana Coelestia 1835, 10036, and Apocalypse Explained 386. 'Skin,' as in Job 19:26, means the natural degree a person has with him after death.

In Exodus 22:27, this signifies things that are relatively external. (Arcana Coelestia 9215)

In Exodus 34:29, this signifies the internal of the Word shining from the external. (Arcana Coelestia 10691)

In Job 19:20, this signifies being not entirely in falsities. (Apocalypse Explained 556[11])

In Jeremiah 13:23, this signifies that evil cannot change its nature. (Apocalypse Explained 780[5])

In Genesis 3:21, this signifies that the Lord instructed them in spiritual and natural good. (Arcana Coelestia 292)

In Genesis 27:16, this signifies the external truths of domestic good. (Arcana Coelestia 3540)

5552. CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE GRAND MAN - continued

IN THIS SECTION THE CORRESPONDENCE OF THE SKIN, HAIR, AND BONES WITH IT

Correspondence is by nature such that the parts in the human being which possess the greatest amount of life correspond to those communities in heaven which possess the greatest amount of life and consequently the greatest amount of happiness there, such as those communities to which a person's external and internal sensory powers correspond, and which have a link with his understanding and his will. But parts in the human being which possess less life correspond to the kinds of communities where less life is present, such as the layers of the skin which cover the whole body, also the cartilages and the bones which hold together and support everything within the body, as well as the hairs that grow out of the skin. The identity and nature of those communities to which all these parts of the body correspond must also be stated.