9416. And I will give thee the tables of stone. That this signifies the book of the law, or the Word in the whole complex, is evident from the signification of “the tables,” as being that whereon were written the things which are of doctrine and of life, here the things which are of heavenly doctrine and of a life in accordance therewith. That these tables signify the book of the law, that is, the Word in the whole complex, is because the things which were inscribed on them contained in general all things that belong to heavenly life and doctrine. Wherefore also those things which were inscribed on them are called “the ten words” (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 10:4); for by “ten” in the internal sense are signified all; and by “words” are signified the truths of doctrine, and the goods of life. (That “ten” denotes all, see n. 3107, 4638, 8468, 8540; that “words” denote the truths and goods of life and doctrine, n. 1288, 4692, 5272.) For this reason these tables signify the Word in the whole complex; in like manner as the law, which in a close sense signifies what was inscribed on these tables; in a less close sense the Word written by Moses; in a wide sense the historic Word; and in the widest sense the Word in its whole complex; as may be seen above (n. 6752). Moreover, the things inscribed on these tables were the first of the revelation of Divine truth, and were proclaimed by the Lord before all the people of Israel with a living voice. The things which are first signify all the rest in their order; and their being proclaimed by the Lord with a living voice signifies immediate Divine inspiration in the rest also. The reason why these tables were of stone was that “stone” signifies truth (n. 643, 1298, 3720, 6426), properly truth in ultimates (n. 8609); truth Divine in ultimates is the Word in the letter, such as it is on this earth (n. 9360).

[2] The reason why there was not one table, but two, was that there might be represented the conjunction of the Lord through the Word with the church, and through the church with the human race. Therefore they are also called “the tables of the covenant” (Deuteronomy 9:9, 11, 15); and the words inscribed are called “the words of the covenant” (Exodus 34:27-28), and also “the covenant” (Deuteronomy 4:13, 23); and the ark itself, in which the tables were placed, was called “the ark of the covenant” (Numbers 10:33; 14:44; Deuteronomy 10:8; 31:9, 25-26; Josh. 3:3, 6, 8, 1, 11, 14, 17; 4:7, 9, 18; 6:6, 8; 8:33; Judges 20:27; 1 Samuel 4:3-5; 2 Samuel 15:24; 1 Kings 3:15; 6:19; 8:1, 6; Jeremiah 3:16); for a “covenant” denotes conjunction (n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021, 6804, 8767, 8778, 9396). Wherefore these tables were divided the one from the other; but were joined together by attachment; and the writing was continued from one table on to the other, as though it was upon one table; but not according to the common opinion, some commandments upon one table, and some upon the other. For by one being divided into two, and by the two being thus joined together, or placed beside each other, is signified the conjunction of the Lord with man. For this reason covenants were entered into in a similar way; as with Abraham by a she-calf, a she-goat, and a ram divided in the middle, and by one part being placed opposite the other (Genesis 15:9-12); in this chapter also by the blood being put in basins, and half of it being sprinkled on the altar, and half upon the people (verses 6, 8); and in general by all the sacrifices, a part of which was burnt upon the altar, and a part was given to the people to eat. The like was also represented by the breaking of bread by the Lord (Matthew 14:19; 15:36; 26:26; Mark 6:41; 8:6; 14:22; Luke 9:16; 22:19; 24:30, 35). Hence also it is that by “two” in the Word is signified conjunction (n. 5194, 8423), here, that of the Lord and heaven, or of the Lord and the church, thus also of good and truth, which conjunction is called the heavenly marriage. From this it can be seen why there were two tables, and why they were written on the two sides, on the one side and on the other (Exodus 32:15-16).

[3] Moreover, “writing” and “engraving” on “tables” signify in the Word those things which must be impressed on the memory and on the life, and which are therefore to be lasting; as in Isaiah:

Write it before them on a table, and impress it on a book, that it may be for the latter day forever even to eternity (Isaiah 30:8).

The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, with a point of a diamond; it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars (Jeremiah 17:1).

Jehovah said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; though it tarry, wait for it; because coming it will come (Hab. 2:2-3).

8540. And an omer is the tenth part of an ephah. That this signifies the amount of the good then, is evident from the signification of “an omer is the tenth part of an ephah,” as being as much as is sufficient, for by “ten” is signified what is full (see n. 3107), and therefore by “a tenth part” is signified as much as is sufficient (n. 8468) and from the signification of “an ephah,” as being good. That “an ephah” denotes good is because by it and by an omer were measured dry things that served for food, such as wheat, barley, fine flour; and by things that are used for food are signified goods: and by “a bath” and by “a hin” were measured liquids, which served for drink; consequently by these measures were signified truths. The containant receives this signification from the contents.

[2] That the ephah was a measure is plain from the following passages:

An ephah of justice, and a hin of justice, shall ye have (Leviticus 19:36).

The ephah and the bath shall be one measure, because the ephah is the tenth of a homer (Ezekiel 45:11).

Ye shall have balances of justice, and an ephah of justice, and a bath of justice (verse 10).

It is in like manner a measure in Amos 8:5.

[3] That “an ephah” denotes good is plain from the passages where the “meat-offering” is treated of, for which meal or fine flour was measured by an ephah (Leviticus 5:11; Numbers 5:15; 28:5; Ezekiel 45:24; 46:7, 11). The “meat-offering” signifies good. And also from this passage in Zechariah:

The angel speaking in me said unto me, Lift up I pray thine eyes, What is this that goeth forth? and I said, What is it? He said, This is the ephah that goeth forth; he said moreover, This is their eye in all the earth. And behold there was lifted up a talent of lead, and at the same time this woman sitting in the midst of the ephah. Then he said, She is evil, and he cast her into the midst of the ephah, and he cast a stone of lead upon the mouth thereof. And I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, when behold there came forth two women, and the wind was in their wings; they had two wings like the wings of a stork; and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven; and I said unto the angel that spake in me, Whither do these carry off the ephah? who said unto me, To build her a house in the land of Shinar; and it shall be prepared, and she shall abide there upon her seat (5:5-11).

[4] What these things signify it is impossible for anyone to know except from the internal sense, and unless he thereby knows what is meant by “the ephah,” what by “the woman in the midst of it,” what by “the stone of lead upon the mouth of the ephah,” also what is meant by “Shinar.” When each detail is unfolded, it is clear that the profanation which was at that time in the church is signified; for by “the ephah” is signified good; by “the woman,” evil, as is there openly stated; by “the stone of lead,” falsity of evil shutting up, for “a stone” denotes external truth, and consequently in the opposite sense falsity (n. 643, 1298, 3720, 6426), and “lead” denotes evil (n. 8298). Thus by “the woman in the midst of the ephah, upon the mouth of which was a stone of lead,” is signified evil shut up in good by falsity, which is the same thing as profanation, for profanation is evil conjoined with good (n. 6348). “The two women lifting up the ephah between the earth and the heaven” denotes the churches (n. 252, 253) by which what was profane was rejected; “Shinar, whither the woman in the ephah was carried off” denotes external worship, within which is what is profane (n. 1183, 1292).