2975. 'Before the eyes of the sons of Heth' means according to their understanding, that is to say, the understanding of those who belong to the new spiritual Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'the eyes' as the understanding, dealt with in 212, 2701, and from the meaning of 'the sons of Heth' as those who belonged to the new spiritual Church, dealt with in 2913, 2928. In verse 16 above it was said that 'Abraham spoke in the ears of the sons of Heth', which meant according to their ability, 2965, 2967. Here however the words 'before the eyes of the sons of Heth' are used, which mean according to their understanding. The first statement implies that which conformed to their will, the second that which conformed to their understanding, for a person is reformed as to both these parts. Indeed unless will and understanding are in agreement so as to make one a person remains unregenerate, that is, unless good and truth, or what amounts to the same, charity and faith, make one; for charity belongs to the will but faith to the understanding. This explains why earlier on the words 'in the ears of the sons of Heth' are used, but here 'before the eyes of the sons of Heth'.

212. That 'the eyes becoming opened' means a dictate coming from within is clear from similar usages in the Word, such as that which Balaam adopts when speaking about himself. Because he had visions he calls himself' a man who has had his eyes opened', Numbers 24:3-4. And in the case of Jonathan when on tasting from the honeycomb he experienced a dictate from within indicating that doing so was evil, it is said that his eyes saw, that is, they were enlightened for him to see the thing he had not known up to then, 1 Samuel 14:27, 29. Also, many times in the Word, the eyes stand for the understanding, and so for an inner dictate from the understanding, as in David,

Lighten my eyes, lest I sleep [the sleep of] death. Psalms 13:3.

'Eyes' here stands for the understanding. In Ezekiel,

They have eyes to see but they see not. Ezekiel 11:2.

Here they stand for those who do not wish to understand. In Isaiah,

Plaster over their eyes, lest they see with their eyes. Isaiah 6:10.

This stands for their being blinded to prevent their understanding. Through Moses the people were told,

Jehovah has not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear. Deuteronomy 29:4.

'Heart' stands for the will, and 'eyes' for the understanding. It is said of the Lord in Isaiah 42:7 that He will open eyes that are blind; and in the same prophet,

Out of thick darkness and out of darkness the eyes of the blind will see. Isaiah 29:18.