7719. 'And all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings' means that those belonging to the spiritual Church had enlightenment throughout their mind. This is clear from the representation of 'the children of Israel' as those belonging to the spiritual Church, dealt with in 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223; from the meaning of 'light' as enlightenment, for light flowing from the Lord enlightens the understanding since that light holds intelligence and wisdom within it, see 1521, 1524, 1619-1632, 2776, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3123, 3339, 3636, 3643, 3997, 4302, 4408, from the meaning of 'dwellings' as parts of the mind. For 'house' means the human mind, 3538, 4973, 5023, 7353, and 'rooms' its inner parts, 7353; but 'dwellings' means all the parts of the mind. Furthermore 'dwelling in' means in the internal sense living, 1293, 3384, 3613, 4451, 60511 and therefore 'dwellings' are parts in which the elements of life reside, namely aspects of intelligence and wisdom, which - as is well known - belong to the mind. Also, in the next life, the exact nature of the light shining in angels' dwellings or habitations is determined by the intelligence and wisdom present in the angels' minds. And in the same measure that they have light, those who are their opposites, that is, those who engage in molestation, have thick darkness.

2268. 'Will You for five destroy the whole city?' means, Will mankind perish for the small amount that is lacking? This is clear from the meaning of 'five' as small, referred to immediately above, and from the meaning of 'a city' as truth, also dealt with already. The human mind as regards truths is in the Word compared to and also called 'a city', and as regards the goods that are present within truths is there compared to and also called 'the inhabitants'. For a similarity indeed exists, in that if the truths in a person's two memories ¹ and in the thoughts of his mind are devoid of goods, they are like a city that has no residents and so is vacant and empty. Indeed it can also be said of angels that they dwell so to speak in a person's truths and implant affections for good from the Lord when that person leads a life abiding in love to the Lord and in charity towards the neighbour, for they are delighted so to dwell, that is, to live, with such persons. It is different in the case of those with whom some truths exist but no goods that flow from charity.

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