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?

6348. Because thou wentest up on thy father’s bed. That this signifies, because when separated from the good of charity it has a foul conjunction, is evident from the signification of “going up on a father’s bed,” as being to have a foul conjunction, namely, that faith separated from the good of charity has this. For if faith in doctrine or in the understanding, here represented by Reuben, is not initiated into good and conjoined therewith, it is either dissipated and made null, or is initiated into and conjoined with what is evil and false, which is the foul conjunction that is signified, for it then becomes profane. That this is so may be seen from the fact that faith can have a dwelling-place nowhere else than in good, and if it has no dwelling-place there, it must either become null, or be conjoined with evil. This is very evident from those in the other life who have been in faith alone and in no charity, in that their faith is there dissipated; but if it has been conjoined with evil, their lot is with the profane.

[2] In the Word, “adulteries” in the internal sense signify adulterations of good, and “whoredoms” signify falsifications of truth (see n. 2466, 3399); but the foul conjunctions called the forbidden degrees (see Leviticus 18:6-24), signify various kinds of profanation. That here also profanation is signified, is plain, for it is said “thou wentest up on thy father’s bed, then profanedst thou it; he went up on my couch.” That this means the profanation of good by faith separated, may be seen above (n. 4601), where this wicked deed of Reuben is treated of.

[3] With faith alone, or separated from charity, the case is this. If it is conjoined with evil (which takes place when anyone first believes the truth that is of faith, and especially when he first lives according to it, and afterward denies it and lives contrary to it), it then becomes profane; for thus the truth that is of faith and the good that is of charity are first inrooted in the interiors by means of doctrine and life, and afterward are called forth thence and conjoined with evil. In the other life the worst lot of all awaits the man with whom this takes place; for with such a man good cannot be separated from evil, and yet in the other life they are kept separate; neither has such a man any remains of good stored up in his interiors, because they have utterly perished in evil. The hell of such is to the left in front at a great distance, and those who are there appear to the angelic sight like skeletons, with scarcely any life. In order therefore to prevent the profanation of good and truth, a man who is such that he does not suffer himself to be regenerated (which is foreseen by the Lord) is withheld from faith and charity, and is permitted to be in evil and from this in falsity, for then he cannot profane. (See what has been said and shown before about profanation, n. 301-303vvv2, 571, 582, 593, 1001, 1008, 1010, 1059, 1327, 1328, 2051, 2426, 3398, 3399, 3402, 3489, 3898, 4289, 4601)