4213. 'And stayed the night in the mountain' means serenity. This is clear from the meaning of 'staying the night' as having peace, dealt with in 3170, and so as serenity. It was also the practice for those who entered into a covenant to spend the night together in one place, because staying the night in one place meant that no enmity existed any longer. The meaning in the internal sense is the existence of serenity and peace, for those who have been joined together as regards good and truth experience serenity and peace. The expression 'in the mountain' is therefore used here because 'a mountain' means good stemming from love and charity, 4210, it being this good that confers peace. What peace and serenity are, see 92, 93, 1726, 2780, 3170, 3696, 3780.

92. None but the person who is acquainted with the state of peace is capable of knowing about the serenity of the peace of the external man, which ensues when conflict, the unrest caused by evil desires and by falsities, comes to an end. That state is so joyful that it transcends every idea of joy. It is not just an end of conflict; it is also life coming from an inward peace, influencing the external man in a way that defies description. At that point truths of faith and goods of love are born, which draw their life from the joy that peace brings.