453. Which no man could number.- That this signifies that the quality and measure of good and truth with them are known to the Lord alone, is evident from the signification of number, which denotes the quality of a thing; and of numbering, which denotes to know the quality of a thing, in the present case, the quality of good and truth with those who are now treated of. That it also signifies that the Lord alone knows this, is meant by no man being able to number them. For no man, or angel, knows what the quality of good and truth is with another, in their entire series and connexion, but merely something of it appearing in externals; and yet every quality is of infinite extension, for it is united and associated with innumerable things which lie interiorly concealed, which exist exteriorly, and are extended on all sides. None sees these things but the Lord alone. And therefore the Lord alone arranges and disposes all according to their quality, for He sees the nature and quality of every one, and what will happen to him to eternity, because the Lord's sight, which is called Omniscience, foresight, and providence, is eternal. For this reason no one knows the quality of good and truth with another, but the Lord alone. It appears to be a strange thing that to know the quality of good and truth is signified by numbering, for he who reads these words, remaining merely in the sense of the letter, cannot see any other meaning in them than that the multitude was so great that it could not be numbered; when nevertheless number, in the spiritual sense, signifies quality, and therefore numbering signifies to know the quality, and to arrange and dispose in agreement with it.

[2] On account of this signification of numbering punishment was inflicted, because David numbered the people, concerning which it is thus written in the second book of Samuel:

"The anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, therefore he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. And the king said to Joab, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people." Joab dissuaded him, but the word of the king prevailed. "And David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people; and David said, I have sinned greatly in what I have done; and now I beseech thee, O Jehovah, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly." Wherefore the prophet Gad was sent to David, offering him three punishments, of which he chose the pestilence, and of this seventy thousand men died" (2 Samuel 25:1 to end).

Who cannot see that no sin is committed in numbering a people, but that the sin was so great that a choice of one of three punishments was given to David, and he chose the pestilence of which seventy thousand men died? The reason of this was, that Israel and Judah represented, and thence signified, the kingdom of the Lord in the heavens and in the world, and numbering signified to know their quality, and to arrange and dispose accordingly, and this belongs to the Lord alone. It is therefore evident that to number, in the Word, has such a signification.

[3] Similarly in Moses:

"When thou takest the sum of the sons of Israel according to those that are numbered, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto Jehovah, in numbering them; that there be no plague among them in numbering them" (Exodus 30:12).

Numbering here also signifies to know their quality, or the quality of the church with them, and to arrange and dispose according to it; and because this belongs to the Lord alone, it is therefore said, "Every man shall give a ransom for his soul unto Jehovah, in numbering them; that there be no plague among them in numbering them." This passage is more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia 10216-10232).

[4] In Daniel:

Because Belshazzar drank wine out of the vessels of gold and silver which were brought from the temple at Jerusalem, a hand went forth and wrote on the wall, "Thou art numbered, thou art weighed and art divided, God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it" (5:2, 5, 25, 26).

In this passage, by being numbered is signified to be seen and explored in regard to the quality of good and truth; and he hath numbered the kingdom signifies to be arranged and disposed. What is signified by the rest may be seen above (n. 373:3).

Again, in Isaiah:

"By the cutting off my days, I shall go to the gates of hell (the grave) ¹ ; I am numbered, the residue of my years" (38:10).

These are the words of Hezekiah the king, when he was sick, and by being numbered is signified, explored and concluded.

[5] That to number, and to be numbered, have a different signification in the spiritual sense of the Word from that which appears in the letter or in its natural sense, is also evident from this fact, that with the angels in heaven, numbers and measures have no place in their spiritual ideas, that is to say they do not think from number or measurement, but from the quality of a thing, and such thought falls into numbers and measures when it descends thence into the natural sphere. And yet the Word is written equally for angels as for men, wherefore angels by numbers and by numbering, in the Word, perceive the quality of the thing treated of, while men understand numbers and numbering. This is still further evident from this fact, that every number in the Word signifies something connected with a thing or state. Concerning this see above (n. 203, 336, 429, 430).

[6] Since in some places in the Word the expression "to number" is used, which signifies to know the quality of a thing, and to arrange and dispose according to it I will also adduce the following by way of confirmation.

In Isaiah:

"A tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together; Jehovah Zebaoth numbering the host of war" (13:4).

The kingdoms of the nations gathered together, of which there is a tumult, do not mean nations gathered together from kingdoms, for this is purely prophetical and not historical; but the kingdoms of the nations gathered together, signify the falsities of evil which they have made to cohere; and by their tumult is meant their threats, and their eagerness to fight against truths. For the term "kingdoms" is used of truths, and in the opposite sense of falsities, and nations signify goods, and in the opposite sense evils, as may be seen above (n. 175, 331). Tumult is stated of the eager desire to fight, in the present case, against truths; Jehovah Zebaoth numbering the host of war, signifies the arrangement by the Lord of truths from good against the falsities from evil. The Lord in the Word is called Jehovah Zebaoth, from truths and goods fighting against falsities and evils, for Zebaoth signifies hosts, and hosts signify the truths and goods of heaven and of the church; and to number signifies to arrange them, and war signifies spiritual combat.

[7] Again, in the same prophet:

"Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, who bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by name" (40:26).

The host of heaven, in the sense of the letter, means the sun, moon, and stars, for these in the Word are called the host of Jehovah; but, in the spiritual sense, host signifies all the goods and truths of heaven, and of the church in their entirety, for the sun signifies the good of love, the moon the good of faith, while the stars signify the knowledges of good and truth. It is therefore evident what is signified by, "Lift up your eyes, and behold who hath created these things." By creating, when used of goods and truths, is signified to form these in man, and to regenerate him; by leading out the host by number, is signified to arrange goods and truths according to their quality in those who possess them; to call them all by name, signifies to know the quality of all and to dispose according to it.

[8] For name in the Word signifies the quality of a thing and state, as in John:

"The sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out" (10:3).

In this passage, by leading out and calling by name are signified similar things to those contained in the words above quoted from Isaiah. That name signifies the quality of a thing and state, see above (n. 102, 135, 148).

In David:

Jehovah "who numbereth the host of the stars; he calleth them all by names" (Psalm 147:4).

To number the host of the stars, and call them all by their names, signifies to know all goods and truths, and to dispose them according to their quality in heaven and the church. What other object could there be in saying, that Jehovah numbereth the stars, and calleth them by their names?

[9] In Jeremiah:

"In the cities of the mountain, in the cities of the plain, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the circuit of Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that numbereth" (33:13).

What is signified in this passage, in the spiritual sense, by the mountains, the plain, the south, the land of Benjamin, the circuit of Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, may be seen explained above (n. 449:6); by the flocks passing under the hands of him that numbereth them, are signified interior goods and truths according to their order and quality in the church. For by flocks are signified interior goods and truths, interior and spiritual goods and truths being meant by the animals of the flock, as lambs, sheep, she-goats, rams, and kids; but exterior or natural goods and truths, are meant by those of the herd, as calves, heifers, cows, and oxen. That this is the case may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 1565, 2566, 5913, 6048, 8937, 10609).

[10] Again, in David:

"Mount Zion shall be glad, the daughters of Judah shall exult, because of thy judgments. Walk about Zion, go round about her; number the towers thereof. Set your heart to her bulwarks, distinguish her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following" (Psalm 48:11-13).

Mount Zion, which shall be glad, signifies the celestial church, in which those are who are in love to the Lord; the daughters of Judah, who shall exult, signify the affections for good and truth with those who are of that church. Because of thy judgments signifies because of the Divine truths which they have from the Lord. Walk about Zion, and go round about her, signifies to embrace the things of that church from love. Number the towers thereof, signifies to meditate on the higher or interior truths of that church; to number means to see and meditate on their quality, and towers denote higher or interior truths. Set your heart to her bulwarks, signifies to love the exterior truths which defend that church against falsities. Distinguish her palaces, signifies to perceive the goods of truth, for houses denote goods, and palaces the nobler goods of truth; That ye may tell it to the generation following, signifies the permanence of them to eternity.

[11] In Isaiah:

"He that walketh in justice, and speaketh uprightly; shall see the king in his beauty; they shall behold the land that is far off. Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is he that weighs? where is he that counted the towers? Thou shalt not see an obdurate people, a people of depths of lip" (Isaiah 33:15-19).

To walk in justice and speak uprightly, signifies to live in the good of love and charity, and to think and perceive truths. For to walk signifies to live, while the term "justice" is used in reference to good, and uprightness, in reference to truth. He shall see the king in his beauty, signifies that they shall become wise, for king signifies truth from good, and beauty its wisdom, for in this, Divine Truth is in its own beautiful form; They shall behold the land that is far off, signifies the extension of wisdom into heaven, for land signifies the church, and also heaven, and far off signifies extension there. Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is he that weighs? where is he that counted the towers? signifies remembrance of the state of the church when there is neither intelligence nor wisdom, and when there is falsification of interior truths. Terror denotes that state, scribe denotes intelligence, he that weighs denotes wisdom, towers denote interior truths, and to destroy their quality by falsifications is here signified by numbering them. Thou shalt not see an obdurate people, signifies those who are in falsities of evil, and in the abstract, those falsities; A people of depths of lip, signifies falsities of doctrine confirmed even until they appear as truths; lip signifies the truth of doctrine, here, the falsity which they shall not see.

[12] That to number also signifies to dispose wickedly, consequently to destroy by falsifications, is evident in the same prophet:

"Ye have seen the breaches of the house of David, that they are many; and ye have gathered together the waters of the lower pool. And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, in order that ye may break down the houses to fortify the wall" (Isaiah 22:9, 10).

The house of David means the church in regard to truths of doctrine; and the breaches thereof signify falsities breaking in. To gather together the waters of the lower pool, signifies to collect many things from the sense of the letter of the Word, and from the natural man. The pools in Jerusalem signified truths, such as they are in the exterior and interior senses of the Word; the waters of the higher pool, truths in the interior sense of the Word; and the waters of the lower pool, those in the exterior sense, which is the sense of the letter of the Word. For waters denote truths, and the pools in Jerusalem have a signification similar to that of the lakes and the seas outside Jerusalem, that is to say, the gathering together of truths. To number the houses of Jerusalem, signifies to falsify the goods of truth; for the houses of Jerusalem signify the goods of the truth of the church, and to number signifies to apprehend them perversely; and to dispose wickedly, that is to interpret falsely, or to falsify. In order that ye may break down the houses to fortify the wall, signifies, to destroy those goods in order to build up a doctrine in which are pure falsities, a wall denoting the truth of doctrine defending, in the present case, falsified, because destitute of good.

[13] From these things the signification of "the days are numbered," "steps," and "hairs," in the following passages is evident.

In David:

"To number our days" (Psalm 90:12).

In Job:

"Thou numberest my steps" (14:16).

And again:

"Doth he not see my ways, and number all my steps?" (31:4).

In Luke:

"The hairs of your head are all numbered" (12:7).

In all these passages, to number signifies to know the quality from the least to the greatest, and to arrange and dispose, that is, to provide in agreement with it. The signification of days, steps, and hairs, has been stated and shown elsewhere.

脚注:

331. And people and nation. That this signifies those who belong to the Lord's spiritual church, and to His celestial church, is clear from the signification of people and nation in the Word. That by people are signified those who are in spiritual good, and by nation those who are in celestial good; thus those who belong to the Lord's spiritual church, and to His celestial church. That there are two kingdoms into which the heavens are divided, namely, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom, and that in the celestial kingdom are those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in the spiritual kingdom those who are in the good of charity towards the neighbour, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 20-28). But those two kingdoms are not only in the heavens, they are also on the earth, and they are called there the celestial church and the spiritual church. Few know what is specifically signified in the Word by a people or peoples, and what specifically by a nation or nations; therefore I wish to adduce some passages from the Word where they are named together, from which it will be clear that "people" and "nations " have a distinct signification, for unless this were the case they would not be named together, as in the following passages:

[2] In Isaiah:

"The strong people shall honour thee, the city of the powerful nations shall fear thee. Jehovah will swallow up in this mountain the faces of the covering, the covering upon all peoples, and the veil spread over all nations" (25:3, 7, 8).

Here a distinction is made between peoples and nations, because peoples signify those who belong to the Lord's spiritual kingdom, and nations those who belong to His celestial kingdom; thus, those who are in spiritual good, and those who are in celestial good. Spiritual good is the good of charity towards the neighbour, and hence the good of faith, and celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, and hence the good of mutual love. The truth of this good is what is meant by the city of powerful nations, for a city signifies the doctrine of truth, or truths of doctrine. By swallowing up the covering cast over all peoples, and the veil spread over all nations, is signified that the shade which covers the understanding shall be dispersed lest the truths be seen and the goods perceived that pertain to heaven and the church.

[3] In the same:

"Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye peoples; let the earth hear, and the fulness thereof" (34:1).

Because nations signify those who are in the good of love, and peoples those who are in the good of charity and thence in the truths of faith, it is therefore said of the nations, that they should come near, and of the peoples, that they should hearken; to come near signifies to be conjoined by love, and to hearken signifies to obey, and to be instructed; therefore it is also said, let the earth hear, and the fulness thereof. By the earth is signified the church as to good, and by the fulness thereof are signified truths.

[4] In the same:

"I Jehovah have called thee, in justice, and will hold thine hand, and will give thee for a covenant to the people, for a light of the nations" (42:6).

In the same:

"Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people assemble" (43:8, 9).

In the same:

"I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a prince and law-giver to the nations" (55:4).

In the same:

"Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Behold, I will lift up mine hand towards the nations, and lift up my standard towards the peoples" (49:22).

In the same:

"The peoples that walked in darkness have seen a great light. Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast restored to it great joy" (9:2, 3).

And in the same:

"In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for a standard of the peoples, to it shall the nations seek. And he shall lift up a standard for the nations, and shall gather together the outcasts of Israel" (11:10, 12).

The statements contained in these passages are spoken concerning the Lord; and by peoples and nations are meant all who belong to His church; for all who belong to the Lord's church are either of His celestial kingdom or of His spiritual kingdom; besides those who are in those two kingdoms, there are no others who belong to the church. There are also two things which constitute the church, good and truth, both from the Lord; by nations those who are in good are meant, and by peoples those who are in truth; and, apart from persons, by nations are signified the goods of the church, and by peoples the truths thereof. Peoples signify the truths of the church, because spiritual good, or the good of charity towards the neighbour, in which those are who are meant by people, in its essence is truth. (As may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 8042, 10296; the reason of its being so, n. 863, 875, 895, 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 1555, 2256, 4328, 4493, 5113, 9596. The nature, consequently, of the distinction between those who belong to the celestial kingdom, and those who belong to the spiritual kingdom, n. 2088, 2669, 2709 ¹ , 2715, 3235, 3240, 4788, 7068, 8521, 9277, 10295.)

[5] In the same:

"At that time a gift shall be brought unto Jehovah Zebaoth; a people divided and pillaged; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of Jehovah, to mount Zion" (18:2, 7).

The subject here treated of is the invitation of all to the church, therefore also people and nation are named. Mount Zion signifies the church, to which they are invited; by a people divided and pillaged, are signified those with whom truths are taken away, altered, or perverted by those who are in falsities of doctrine; by a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, are signified those among whom goods are treated in like manner, rivers denoting falsities and reasonings therefrom.

[6] In Zechariah:

"As yet the peoples shall come, and the inhabitants of great cities to entreat the faces of Jehovah, and so shall come many peoples and numerous nations to seek Jehovah Zebaoth in Jerusalem" (8:20-22).

By peoples and nations are also here signified all those who belong to the Lord's church; by peoples, those who belong to His spiritual church, and by nations, those who belong to His celestial church. Jerusalem, to which they shall come, denotes the church.

[7] In David:

"Thou wilt set me for the head of the nations, a people I had not known shall serve me" (Psalms 18:43).

In the same:

Jehovah "shall subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. God reigneth over the nations. The willing of the people are gathered together" (47:3, 8, 9).

In the same:

"That thy salvation may be known on the earth, among all nations. The peoples shall confess thee, O God; the nations shall be glad and shout for joy; for thou shalt judge the peoples in uprightness, and shalt lead the nations upon earth" (Psalms 67:2-5).

In the same:

"Remember me, O Jehovah, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people; that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nations" (106:4, 5).

In the same:

"I will confess thee, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing praises unto thee among the peoples" (Psalms [57]:7-9 ² ; 108:1-3).

In these passages also peoples and nations are mentioned, by whom are meant all those who are in truths and goods; the very expressions also that are used of peoples are expressions that are predicated of truths, and the expressions that are used of nations those that are predicated of goods. That no others are meant by nations, is clear also from this, that those things were said by David, who was the enemy of the Canaanitish nations.

[8] In Luke:

"Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; a light in revelation of the nations" (2:30-32).

In Zephaniah:

"The remnant of my people shall spoil them, and the residue of my nation shall inherit them" (2:9).

In Moses:

When the two sons struggled together in the womb; Rebecca went to enquire of Jehovah, unto whom Jehovah said, Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels (Genesis 25:22, 23).

And in the same:

"Remember the days of the age, when the Most High gave to the nations the inheritance; when he separated the sons of man, he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel" (Deuteronomy 32:7, 8).

By the sons of man are signified the same as by peoples, namely, those who are in spiritual truths and goods; therefore it is said concerning them, "When he separated the sons of man, he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel"; the sons of Israel signifying the spiritual church, and the number of them, or of the twelve tribes named from them, signifying all the truths and goods therein (see just above, n. 330); they therefore are called peoples. To separate them and to set their bounds, signifies to remove from falsities and to gift with truths; and to give the inheritance to the nations, signifies heaven and conjunction with those who are in the good of love.

[9] In Daniel:

"All peoples, nations, and tongues shall worship him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" (7:14).

This is spoken of the Lord; and by peoples and nations are meant all those who are in truths and goods; and by all tongues are meant, of whatever doctrine or religion; for the Lord's church is universal, as it exists with all those who are in the good of life, and who from their doctrine look to heaven, and thereby conjoin themselves with the Lord (as to whom see the work concerning Heaven and Hell 318-328). Because nations signify those who are in the good of love, and peoples those who are in the good of charity and the truths of faith thence, therefore it is said, "His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom shall not pass away"; dominion in the Word being predicated of good, and kingdom of truth; therefore the Lord is called Lord from Divine good, and King from Divine truth. Besides these passages, there are also others which might be adduced to confirm [the statement], that people signify those who belong to the spiritual church, and nations those who belong to the celestial church; but here those only have been adduced in which people and nations are mentioned together. To these some shall be added in which nations are mentioned alone.

[10] In Isaiah:

"Open the gates, that the just nation which keepeth faithfulness may enter in. Thou hast added to the nation, O Jehovah, thou hast added to the nation; thou art glorified; thou hast removed all the ends of the earth" (26:2, 15).

In David:

"All the ends of the earth shall be turned towards Jehovah; and all the families of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is Jehovah's; and he is the ruler among the nations" (Psalms 22:27, 28).

In Isaiah:

"The nations shall walk to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Thy heart shall enlarge itself, that the multitude of the sea may be turned towards thee; the hosts of the nations shall come unto thee" (60:3, 4).

In the same:

"All nations shall see thy justice, and all kings thy glory" (62:2).

In these passages nations and peoples are not mentioned together, but still in the two last nations and kings [are], because by kings are signified the same as by people, namely, those who are in truths (see above, n. 31). And because by nations are signified those who are in good, and by kings those who are in truths, therefore it is said concerning nations, that they shall see Thy justice, and concerning kings that they shall see Thy glory, justice in the Word being predicated of good, and glory of truth. (That justice in the Word is predicated of Divine good, may be seen, n. 2235, 9857; and glory of Divine truth, n. 4809, 5922, 8267, 8427, 9429.)

[11] From the opposite sense it is further evident that peoples signify those who are in truths, and nations those who are in good; for, in that sense, peoples signify those who are in falsities, and nations those who are in evils; as in the following passages.

In Isaiah:

"Asshur, the rod of mine anger. I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge" (10:5, 6).

In the same:

"The voice of a multitude in the mountains; a voice of the tumult of the kingdoms of the nations gathered together. They come from a land of remoteness, from the end of the heavens. Jehovah, with the vessels of his indignation, to destroy the whole land" (13:4, 5).

In the same:

"Jehovah smiting the peoples with a plague not curable, ruling the nations with anger" (14:6).

In the same:

"By the noise of the tumult the peoples shall wander to and fro; before thy loftiness the nations shall be dispersed (33:3).

In Jeremiah:

"Behold, a people cometh from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. They lay hold on bow and spear; it is cruel, and it has no mercy" (6:22, 23).

In Ezekiel:

"Neither will I cause thee to hear the calumny of the nations any more, and thou shalt not bear the reproach of the peoples any more" (36:15).

In David:

"Thou makest us a by-word among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples" (Psalms 44:14).

And in the same:

"Jehovah hath made void the counsel of the nations; he hath overthrown the thoughts of the peoples" (Psalms 33:10).

In these passages peoples signify those who are opposed to the truths of the spiritual church, thus those who are in falsities; and nations those who are opposed to the goods of the celestial church, thus those who are in evils. These things are also signified by the peoples and nations who were driven out of the land of Canaan. To these observations may be added what was said above, n. 175.

脚注: