10262. A hin. That this signifies the amount sufficient for conjunction, is evident from the signification of a “hin,” which was a measure of liquids, here of oil, as being the amount sufficient for conjunction; for by “oil” is signified the Lord’s Divine celestial good, which is the very conjunctive of all in the heavens; hence by its measure is signified the amount sufficient for conjunction, and everything of conjunction. The Lord’s Divine celestial good is the very conjunctive of all, because it is the very being of the life of all; for it vivifies all things by means of the Divine truth that proceeds from this Divine good, and it vivifies them according to the quality of the reception. Angels are receptions, and so also are men; the truths and goods with them afford the quality according to which is effected the reception, thus the conjunction.

[2] Two measures are mentioned in the Word, which were in holy use, one for liquids, which was called the “hin,” the other for dry things, which was called the “ephah;” by the hin were measured oil and wine, and by the ephah, meal and fine flour; the measure hin, which was for oil and wine, was divided into four parts, but the measure ephah was divided into ten. The reason why the measure hin was divided into four, was that it might signify what is conjunctive, for “four” denotes conjunction; but that the measure ephah was divided into ten was that it might signify what is receptive, the quality whereof was marked by the numbers, for “ten” signifies much, all, and what is full. (That “four” denotes conjunction, see n. 8877, 9601, 9674, 10136, 10137; and that “ten” denotes much, all, and what is full, the same as a “hundred,” n. 1988, 3107, 4400, 4638, 8468, 8540, 9745, 10253)

[3] (That the measure “hin” was for oil and wine in the sacrifices, and that it was divided into four; but that the measure “ephah” was for meal and fine meal, which were for the meat-offering in the sacrifices, and that this was divided into ten, can be seen in Exodus 29:40; Leviticus 5:11; 23:13; Numbers 15:3-10; 28:5, 7, 14.) From all this it is evident that by a “hin” is signified the amount sufficient for conjunction, and by an “ephah” the amount sufficient for reception. Moreover, the oil conjoined the fine flour, and the flour received it, for in the meat-offering there were oil and fine flour.

[4] There were other measures besides, which were in common use both for dry things and for liquids; the dry measures were called the “homer” and the “omer,” and the liquid measures the “cor” and the “bath.” The homer contained ten ephahs, and the ephah ten omers; but the cor contained ten baths, and the bath ten lesser parts (concerning which see Exodus 16:36; Ezekiel 45:11, 13, 24).

[5] But in Ezekiel, where the new temple is treated of, there appears a different division of the ephah and the bath; the ephah and the bath not being there divided into ten, but into six; and the hin there corresponds to the ephah, as is plain in this prophet (Ezekiel 45:13-14, 24; 46:5, 7, 11, 14). The reason is that the subject there treated of is not celestial good and its conjunction, but spiritual good and its conjunction; and in the spiritual kingdom the corresponding numbers are twelve, six, and three, because by these numbers are signified all things, and when they are predicated of truths and goods, all things of truth and of good in the complex. (That these things are signified by “twelve,” see n. 3272, 3858, 3913, 7973; also by “six,” n. 3960, 7973, 8148, 10217; in like manner by “three,” by which is signified from beginning to end, thus what is full, and in respect to things, everything, n. 2788, 4495, 5159, 7715, 9825, 10127) That these numbers involve similar things is because the greater numbers have a like signification with the simple ones from which they arise by multiplication (see n. 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973).

[6] As by the “hin” is signified the amount sufficient for conjunction with spiritual truth also, therefore likewise for the meat-offering in the sacrifices from the ram, there was taken a third part of a hin of oil, and for the drink-offering a third part of wine (Numbers 15:6-7); for by the “ram” is signified spiritual good (n. 2830, 9991). From all this it is now again clearly evident that by the numbers mentioned in the Word are signified real things; otherwise to what purpose would have been so frequent a designation of quantity and measure by means of numbers in Moses, in Ezekiel, and elsewhere?

3720. This is none other than the house of God. That this signifies the Lord’s kingdom in the ultimate of order, is evident from the signification of the “house of God.” Mention is made of the “house of God” in many passages of the Word, and in the external sense, or according to the letter, it signifies a consecrated building where there is holy worship; but in the internal sense it signifies the church; and in a more universal sense, heaven; and in the most universal sense, the Lord’s universal kingdom; in the supreme sense, however, it signifies the Lord Himself as to the Divine Human. In the Word we sometimes read of the “house of God,” sometimes of the “temple,” both having the same signification, but with this difference-that the “house of God” is mentioned where good is treated of; but the “temple” where truth is treated of. From this it is manifest that by the “house of God” is signified the Lord’s celestial church, and in a more universal sense the heaven of the celestial angels, and in the most universal sense the Lord’s celestial kingdom, and in the supreme sense the Lord as to Divine good; and that by the “temple” is signified the Lord’s spiritual church, and in a more universal sense the heaven of the spiritual angels, in the most universal sense the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, and in the supreme sense the Lord as to Divine truth (see n. 2048). The reason why the “house of God” signifies the celestial which is of good, and the “temple” the spiritual which is of truth, is that in the Word a “house” signifies good (n. 710, 2233, 2234, 2559, 3128, 3652), and also because among the most ancient people the houses were constructed of wood, for the reason that “wood” signifies good (n. 643, 1110, 2784, 2812); whereas “temple” signifies truth, because the temples were constructed of stones; and that “stones” signify truths, may be seen above (n. 643, 1296, 1298).

[2] That “wood” and “stone” have such a signification, is not only evident from the Word where they are mentioned, but also from the representatives in the other life; for they who place merit in good works, appear to themselves to cut wood; and they who place merit in truths, in that they have believed themselves to have been better acquainted with truth than others, and yet have lived evilly, appear to themselves to cut stones; which things have often been seen by me. From this I was assured what is the signification of wood and stone, namely that “wood” signifies good, and “stone” truth; and also from the experience that when a wooden house was seen, there was instantly presented an idea of good; but when a house of stone was seen, there was presented an idea of truth; concerning which I was instructed by angels. For this reason, when mention is made in the Word of the “house of God,” there is presented to the angels the idea of good, and good of such a quality as is treated of in that connection; and when mention is made of a “temple,” there is presented to them the idea of truth, and truth of such a quality as is treated of in that connection. From this again we can infer how deep and utterly hidden are the heavenly arcana in the Word.

[3] The reason why by the “house of God” is here signified the Lord’s kingdom in the ultimate of order, is that Jacob is treated of, by whom is represented the Lord’s Divine natural, as frequently shown above. The natural is in the ultimate of order, for in this all the interior things are terminated and are together; and because they are together, and thus things innumerable are viewed together as a one, there is relative obscurity there. This relative obscurity has been spoken of several times before.