9960.“遮掩裸露的皮肉”表防止这爱的内层事物或内在欲望在污秽和属地狱的时候显露出来。这从“遮掩”、生殖器官和腰的含义清楚可知：“遮掩”是指防止它们显露出来；此处“裸露的皮肉”所指的生殖器官和腰是指婚姻之爱的内层事物或内在欲望。因为当“裤子”表示这爱的外在事物，或构成这爱的外层的事物时（参看9959节），它们所遮掩的“肉体”表示它的内层或内在事物。“腰”表示婚姻之爱（参看3021，4280，4575节）；“生殖器官”也是（4462，5050-5062节）；“皮肉”表示爱之良善（3813，7850，9127节）。由于在圣言中，绝大多数事物也有一个反面意义，所以“腰”、“生殖器官”和“皮肉”同样有一个反面意义。就反面意义而言，它们表示这爱的邪恶、污秽和地狱的事物或欲望（参看3813，5059节）。它们在此表示邪恶、污秽和地狱的事物或欲望，这一点从以下事实明显看出来：经上说“遮掩裸露的皮肉”，“裸露的皮肉”在此是指与婚姻之爱的良善对立之物，也就是奸淫的快乐，因此是地狱之物，如下文所述。
至于“裸露”，它从所裸露的身体部位获得自己的含义，正如衣服从它们所披盖的身体部位获得自己的含义一样（9827节）。因此，“裸露”在论及头，就是光秃时，是一种含义；在论及全身时，是另一种含义；而在论及腰和生殖器官时，又是一种含义。当论及头，就是光秃时，“裸露”表示丧失对真理的聪明理解和对良善的智慧洞察；当论及全身时，它表示丧失信之真理；但当论及腰和生殖器官时，它表示丧失爱之良善。
关于第一点：当论及头，就是光秃时，“裸露”表示丧失对真理的聪明理解和对良善的智慧洞察。这一点清楚可见于以赛亚书：
当那日，主必用剃头刀，就是亚述王剃头和脚上的毛，并要剃净胡须。（以赛亚书7:20）
“剃头”表示剥夺教会的内在真理；“剃脚上的毛”和“剃净胡须”表示剥夺教会的外在真理；“亚述王”表示通过基于虚假的推理。谁都能清楚看出，头、脚上的毛和胡须不会用亚述王来剃，这些话必另有所指。“头”表示智慧和聪明的内层事物（参看6292，6436，9166，9656节）；“亚述王”表示推理（119，1186节）；“毛或头发”表示教会的外在真理（3301，5247，5569-5573节）；“脚”也表示外在或属世事物（2162，3147，3986，4280，4938-4952节）；“胡须”表示感官的记忆知识或感官层的记忆知识，也就是最后和最低层的真理，这从圣言中提及“胡须”的经文明显看出来。
同一先知书：
各人头上光秃，胡须剃净。（以赛亚书15:2）
此处意思一样。耶利米书：
迦萨成了光秃；你割划自己，要到几时呢？（耶利米书47:5）
以西结书：
各人脸上羞愧，各人头上光秃。他们要将银子抛在街上，他们的金子变成可憎之物。（以西结书7:18，19）
“各人头上光秃”表示丧失对真理的聪明理解和对良善的智慧洞察。由于所表示的这一点，故经上还说“他们要将银子抛在街上，他们的金子变成可憎之物”；因为“银子”表示属于聪明的真理，“金子”表示属于智慧的良善（1551，5658，6914，6917，8932节）。显而易见，不可按字面理解为各人头上光秃，也不可按字面理解为他们要将银子抛在街上，金子变成可憎之物。
摩西五经：
摩西对亚伦和他儿子以利亚撒、以他玛说，不可剃头，也不可撕裂衣裳，免得你们死亡，又免得祂向全会众发怒。（利未记10:6）
以西结书：
祭司利未人不可剃头，也不可容发绺长长。（以西结书44:20）
由于亚伦和他儿子代表神性良善和神性真理方面的主（9806，9807节），又由于“剃头”和“撕裂衣裳”表示丧失这良善和真理，所以他们被禁止剃头、撕裂衣裳。经上还说“免得你们死亡，又免得祂向全会众发怒”，以此表示这样，神性良善和神性真理方面的主的代表，因而教会的代表就会灭亡。
由于哀恸是属灵的哀恸，也就是由于丧失教会的真理和良善而哀恸，所以当哀恸的时候，他们使头光秃；如我们在下列经文所读到的：
人必不为他们哀哭，也不为他们使头光秃。（耶利米书16:6）
阿摩司书：
我必使你们的节期变为哀恸，使光秃临到各人头上；使它如丧独生子的哀恸。（阿摩司书8:10）
弥迦书：
要为你所喜爱的儿子使自己光秃，剃头，要大大地光秃，如同秃鹰，因为他们都离开你了。（弥迦书1:16）
“喜爱的儿子”是指神之真理；“他们离开”是指丧失这些真理，“儿子”表示真理（参看9807节）。
第二点：当论及全身时，“裸露”表示丧失信之真理。这一点清楚可见于启示录：
你要写信给老底嘉教会的天使说，因为你说，我是富足，一样都不缺。却不知道你是那可怜、困苦、贫穷、瞎眼、赤身的。我劝你向我买火炼的金子，又买白衣穿上，叫你赤身的羞耻不露出来。（启示录3:14，17，18）
“教会的天使”是指那里的神之真理；“说它是富足”表示它拥有关于真理和良善的认知或知识；“困苦、贫穷、瞎眼、赤身”表示然而却没有植入生命的真理，因而没有良善；“买火炼的金子”表示为自己获得良善；“白衣”表示源于良善的纯正信之真理。由此明显可知“叫你赤身的羞耻不露出来”表示什么。
又：
看哪，我来像贼一样；那儆醒，看守衣服，免得赤身而行，叫他们见他羞耻的，有福了。（启示录16:15）
此处意思也一样。又：
这些必恨这淫妇，使她毁坏赤身。（启示录17:16）
“淫妇”表示那些歪曲神之真理的人；“使她赤身”明显表示剥夺他们的这些真理，因为经上说“毁坏赤身”，“毁坏”表示剥夺真理。
在这些经文中，“裸露（或译为裸体、赤身、露体等）”也表示没有真理的知识，穿上衣服是指被教导真理：
见赤身的给他衣服遮体，这样，你的光就必突然发出如破晓。（以赛亚书58:7，8）
马太福音：
于是王要向那右手边的说，我赤身露体，你们给我穿。祂又要向那左手边的说，我赤身露体，你们不给我穿。（马太福音25:34，36，41，43）
“赤身露体”在此表示那些没有真理，却渴慕真理的人，以及那些承认自己里面根本没有良善或真理的人（4956，4958节）。
第三点：但当论及腰和生殖器官时，“裸露”表示丧失爱之良善。这一点清楚可见于以赛亚书：
巴比伦的女儿，处女啊，要用石磨磨面；揭开你的头发，赤裸双脚，露现大腿，趟过江河；你的裸体必被露出，你的羞耻必被看见。（以赛亚书47:1-3）
“巴比伦的女儿”表示教会，或教会的表象，在那里，神圣存在于外在，亵渎存在于内在。存在于内在的亵渎是这样：他们视自己和世界，因而视权力和大量财富为目的，视圣物为达到该目的的手段。“用石磨磨面”表示从诸如用来充当达到目的的手段的那类事物中产出教义（7780节）；“揭开头发，赤裸双脚，露现大腿”表示玷辱神圣事物，无论外在的还是内在的，毫无羞耻和惧怕；因此，“露出裸体”表示使作为他们目的的污秽和地狱之物显露出来。
耶利米哀歌：
耶路撒冷大大犯罪，素来尊敬她的，见她赤露就都藐视她；她的污秽是在衣襟上。（耶利米哀歌1:8，9）
“耶路撒冷”表示教会，在此表示充满邪恶所产生的虚假的教会；“见她赤露”表示看到污秽和地狱的爱，“污秽在衣襟上”表示在最外层的那类爱，“衣襟或底边”表示最外层（参看9917节）。那鸿书：
我必揭起你的衣襟，蒙在你脸上，使列族看见你的赤体，使列国观看你的羞耻。（那鸿书3:5）
“揭起衣襟”表示夺去外在事物，好叫内层或更内在的事物显露出来；“使列族看见的赤体，使列国观看的羞耻”表示地狱的爱，也就是对自我和世界的爱，这些爱玷污内层或更内在的事物。
以西结书：
你生长，以至极其俊美，两乳成形，头发长成，你却仍然赤身露体。你行这一切可憎和淫乱的事，并未追念你幼年赤身露体滚在血中的日子。你与你所爱的行淫露出裸体。（以西结书16:7，22，36）
又：
我必将你交在你所恨恶的人手中，他们必以恨恶办你，留下你赤身露体。你淫乱的裸体，都被显露。（以西结书23:28，29）
何西阿书：
你们要与你们的母亲争论，叫她除掉脸上的淫像和胸间的淫态，免得我把她剥光，赤身露体，使她与才生的那天一样；使她如旷野，使她如干旱之地，用干渴杀死她。我必回来，将我的五谷、新酒收回；用来给她遮蔽裸体的羊毛和麻布，我也必夺回。我必在她所爱的眼前显露她的羞耻。（何西阿书2:2，3，9，10）
上述经文论述的主题是耶路撒冷，它也被称为“母亲”，表示教会。它的堕落被描述为“淫像”、“淫态”、“赤身露体”，这些无非是污秽和地狱的爱（也就是当为目的时的自我之爱和尘世之爱），一切邪恶和衍生的虚假都从这些爱中喷涌而出。因此，在圣言中，对真理的歪曲和对良善的玷污被描述为“淫乱”和“奸淫或通奸”，在那里也的确被称为“淫乱”和“奸淫或通奸”（8904节）。由此明显可知“裸体”、“赤身露体”表示什么。由于所论述的主题是被歪曲的教会真理，被玷污的教会良善，所以经上说“我使她如旷野，使她如干旱之地，用干渴杀死她”；“旷野”是指缺乏良善之物；“干渴”是指丧失信的一切。
经上还说，主要“将祂的五谷、新酒收回；用来给她遮蔽裸体的羊毛和麻布，也必夺回”，因为“五谷”表示属灵教会的内层良善或更内在的良善，“新酒”表示教会的内层真理或更内在的真理，“羊毛”表示它的外在良善或更外在的良善，“麻布”表示它的外层真理或更外在的真理。凡出于受到某种程度的光照或启示的理性读到这些事物，相信圣言中没有一句话是毫无意义的，圣言的每一部分都是完全神圣的，因为它是神性的人，都能看出，所指的不是字面上的麻布、新酒和五谷。
耶利米哀歌：
以东的女儿哪，杯子也必传到你那里；你必喝醉，以致赤身露体。（耶利米哀歌4:21）
哈巴谷书：
给邻舍酒喝，使他喝醉，好看见他们裸体的有祸了！你满受羞辱，不得荣耀。你也喝吧！显出你的包皮。（哈巴谷书2:15，16）
以西结书：
在你中间流人血的；在你中间有露父亲裸体的。（以西结书22:9，10）
没有人知道这些话表示什么，除非他知道“杯子”、“喝”、“喝醉”、“赤身”“看见裸体、露裸体”和“包皮”表示什么。显而易见，这一切要作属灵的理解。按照属灵的理解，“喝”是指在真理上接受教导，在反面意义上指在虚假上接受教导，因而是指吸收它们（3069，3168，3772，8562，9412节）；由此清楚可知人们用来喝的“杯子”表示什么（5120节）。“喝醉”表示由此变得疯狂，“赤身”表示完全剥夺真理。“露体”表示揭露爱自己爱世界的邪恶，也就是地狱的邪恶。“露父亲裸体”表示揭露那些源于遗传并存在于意愿中的邪恶。“显出包皮”表示这两种爱玷污天上的良善，“包皮”表示这种玷污（参看2056，3412，4462，7045节）；因此，“割礼”表示从这些爱中洁净（2036，2632节）。
由此可见“喝醉”和随之挪亚赤着身子表示什么，如创世记所描述的那样：
挪亚喝了酒，喝醉了，在帐棚中间赤着身子。迦南的父亲含，看见他父亲赤身，就告诉他的两个兄弟。于是闪和雅弗拿件衣服，搭在两人的肩上，倒退着进去，遮盖父亲的赤身；他们背着脸，就看不见父亲的赤身。（创世记9:21-23）
这描述了“挪亚”所代表的古教会成员。他所喝并因此喝醉的“酒”是指古教会一开始所充满的虚假。他因此“在帐棚中间赤着身子”表示在敬拜中由于缺乏真理所产生的邪恶。闪和雅弗遮盖他的赤身所拿的“衣服”是指信之真理，这些邪恶通过信之真理显露出来并得以纠正。他们把衣服在两人的肩上，倒退着进去，背着脸则描述了信之真理和良善在心智的理解力部分中的植入；因为这正是与一个属灵教会成员同在的信之真理和良善的情形。“闪和雅弗”表示那些属于属灵教会的人，他们在良善，也就是仁爱里面接受信之真理；但“迦南”表示那些不在良善，也就是仁爱里面接受信之真理的人。
挪亚代表一开始的古教会成员，他们具有所描述的那种秉性（参看736，773，788，1126节）；闪代表那些属于内在属灵教会的人，雅弗代表那些属于外在属灵教会的人（1102，1127，1140，1141，1150节）；迦南代表那些处于与仁分离之信，或处于与内在之物分离的外在敬拜的人，因而尤其代表犹太民族（参看1093，1140，1141，1167节）；对属灵教会成员来说，信之真理和良善被植入心智的理解力部分（参看9596节）；使挪亚喝醉的“酒”表示虚假（6377节）；他赤身躺卧的“帐棚”表示敬拜的神圣（2145，2152，3312，4128，4391节）；他们用来遮盖父亲赤身的“衣服”表示信之真理（5954，9212，9216节）。“赤身”本身表示占据他心智意愿部分的邪恶。这邪恶通过信之真理被遮盖，当它正在被遮盖时，真理就向后看。这些奥秘就包含在这些历史细节中，这一点从内义明显看出来。这些奥秘是涉及教会的奥秘，这一点从以下事实可以看出来：闪和雅弗，连同他们的所有后裔都被赐福，仅仅因为他们遮盖了父亲的赤身；而迦南和他的所有后裔都受到诅咒，仅仅因为他的父亲（含）将这事告诉了他的两个弟兄。
由于犹太和以色列民族的内层是污秽的，因为他们比其它所有民族都更充满对自我和世界的爱；又由于生殖器官和腰表示婚姻之爱，而这爱是一切属天和属灵之爱的基础，因而包含它们，所以必须给予警告或采取预防措施，防止当亚伦或他的儿子进行神圣敬拜时，他们的这些身体部位裸露出来，以任何方式被看见。这就是经上说他们要“给他们作亚麻布裤子，遮掩裸露的皮肉，当从腰达到大腿”；在另一处说他们“上我的坛，不可用台阶，免得你的裸体在上头露出来”（出埃及记20:23或26）的原因。犹太和以色列民族的内层是污秽的，当他们进行敬拜时，这些内层就被关闭（参看9320e，9380节所提到的地方）；生殖器官和腰表示婚姻之爱（3021，4280，4462，4575，5050-5062节）；婚姻之爱是一切属天和属灵之爱的基础，因此这些爱也可以理解为婚姻之爱（686，2734，3021，4280，5054节）。由此明显可知“裸露（或译为裸体、赤身、露体等）”表示什么，尤其当人们的内层是污秽的时，用来生殖的身体部位的裸露表示什么。
不过，当内层是贞洁的时，“裸露（或译为裸体、赤身露体等）”表示纯真，因为它表示婚姻之爱，纯真是真正的婚姻之爱必不可少的元素。真正的婚姻之爱属于纯真（参看2736节）；因此，就这层意义而言，“裸露（或译为裸体、赤身露体等）”表示纯真（参看165，8375节）；由于同样的原因，被称为属天天使的至内层天堂的天使看似赤身（165，2306，2736节）。由于创世记头几章所描述，在内义上由“人”或“亚当”及其“妻子”所表示的上古教会是一个属天教会，所以经上论到他们说，他们“赤身露体，并不羞耻”（创世记2:25）。但当教会衰落（这种衰落是由于吃知识树造成的，知识树表示基于记忆知识推理神性事物）时，经上说他们“才知道自己是赤身露体，便编织无花果树的叶子，为自己作围裙”，由此知道遮盖他们的裸体；那人来说，当耶和华呼唤他时，他“就害怕，因为他赤身露体”；然后“耶和华为他们作皮衣，给他们穿”（创世记3:6-11，21）。
他们为自己作围裙所用的“无花果叶”，以及“皮衣”表示外在人的真理和良善。他们堕落之后的状态之所以被如此描述，是因为他们从内在人变成了外在人。他们的内在人由“乐园”来表示，因为乐园是指内在人的聪明和智慧，他们被逐出乐园表示他们的内在人被关闭。“叶子”表示属世真理，也就是记忆知识（参看885节）；“无花果树”表示属世良善，或外在人的良善（217，4231，5113节）；“皮衣”也表示外在人的真理和良善（294-296节）；“皮”表示外在之物（3540节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 9960
9960. To cover the flesh of their nakedness. That this signifies lest the interior things of the love, which are filthy and infernal, should appear, is evident from the signification of "covering," as being to cause not to appear; and from the signification of "the genitals" and "the loins," which are here meant by "the flesh of nakedness," as being the interior things of conjugial love; for when by "breeches" are signified the external things of this love (see n. 9959), by "the flesh" which they cover are signified its internal things. (That "the loins" signify conjugial love, see n. 3021, 4280, 4575; as also "the genitals," n. 4462, 5050-5062; and "flesh," the good of love, n. 3813, 7850, 9127.) And as most things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so likewise have "the loins," "the genitals," and "the flesh," in which sense they signify the evil, filthy, and infernal things of this love (see n. 3813, 5059). That here they signify evil, filthy, and infernal things, is evident from the fact that it is said, "to cover the flesh of their nakedness." "The flesh of nakedness" here denotes that which is opposite to the good of conjugial love, which is the delight of adultery, thus what is infernal (of which in what follows). [2] With respect to "nakedness," it derives its signification from the parts of the body which appear naked, just as garments derive their signification from the body which they clothe (n. 9827). Therefore "nakedness" has one signification when it has reference to the head, which is baldness; another when it has reference to the whole body; and another when it has reference to the loins and genitals. When "nakedness" has reference to the head, which is baldness, it signifies the loss of the intelligence of truth and the wisdom of good; when it has reference to the whole body, it signifies the loss of the truths of faith; but when it has reference to the loins and the genitals, it signifies the loss of the good of love. [3] As regards the first point: That when "nakedness" has reference to the head, which is baldness, it signifies the loss of the intelligence of truth and the wisdom of good, is evident in Isaiah:
In that day shall the Lord shave by the king of Asshur the head and the hair of the feet, and shall consume the beard (Isa. 7:20). "To shave the head" denotes to deprive of the internal truths of the church; "to shave the hair of the feet," and "to consume the beard," denotes to deprive of its external truths; "by the king of Asshur" denotes by means of reasonings from falsities. It is plain to everyone that neither the head, nor the hair of the feet, nor the beard, was to be shaved by the king of Asshur, and yet that these expressions are significative. (That "the head" denotes the interior things of wisdom and intelligence, see n. 6292, 6436, 9166, 9656; that "the king of Asshur" denotes reasoning, n. 119, 1186; "hair," the external truth of the church, n. 3301, 5247, 5569-5573; "the feet" also denote external or natural things, n. 2162, 3147, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952.) That "the beard" denotes sensuous memory-knowledges, which are ultimate truths, is evident from those passages in the Word where "the beard" is mentioned. [4] Again:
On all the heads is baldness, every beard is cut off (Isa. 15:2);
where the meaning is the same. Again:
Baldness shall come upon Gaza; how long will thou cut thyself? (Jer. 47:5). Shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all heads. They shall cast forth their silver into the streets, and their gold shall be for an abomination (Ezek. 7:18, 19). "Baldness upon all heads" denotes the loss of the intelligence of truth and wisdom of good; and because this is signified it is also said "they shall cast forth their silver into the streets, and their gold shall be for an abomination;" for "silver" denotes the truth of intelligence, and "gold" the good of wisdom (n. 1551, 5658, 6914, 6917, 8932). It is evident that baldness upon all heads is not meant, that they were not to cast forth their silver into the streets, and that gold was not to be an abomination. [5] Again:
Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Shave not your heads, neither rip open your garments; lest ye die, and He be angry with the whole assembly (Lev. 10:6). The priests, the Levites, shall not shave the head, and shall not let down their hair (Ezek. 44:20). As Aaron and his sons represented the Lord as to Divine good and as to Divine truth (n. 9806, 9807), and as by a "shaven head," and by "ripped garments," was signified the loss of these, therefore it was forbidden to shave the head and to rip open their garments; and it is said, "lest ye die, and He be angry with the whole assembly," by which is signified that thus would perish the representative of the Lord as to Divine good and as to Divine truth, thus the representative of the church. [6] As mourning represented spiritual mourning, which is mourning on account of the loss of the truth and good of the church, therefore when mourning they made bald their heads; as we read in the following passages:
Men shall not lament for them, nor shall they make themselves bald for them (Jer. 16:6). I will turn your feasts into mourning, and I will make baldness to go up upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning for the only-begotten (Amos 8:10). Put on baldness, and shave thee for the sons of thy delights; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they have gone away from thee (Micah 1:16). "Sons of delights" denote Divine truths; their "going away" denotes the loss of these (that "sons" denote truths, see n. 9807). [7] Secondly: That when "nakedness" has reference to the whole body, it signifies the loss of the truths of faith, is evident in John:
To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and needy, and blind, and naked; I counsel thee to buy of Me gold purified in the fire, and white garments, that thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest (Rev. 3:14, 17, 18). "The angel of the church" denotes the truth Divine there; "saying that it is rich" denotes that it is in the knowledges of truth and good; "wretched, needy, blind, and naked," denotes that nevertheless it is devoid of truths implanted in the life, thus is devoid of good; "buying gold purified in the fire" denotes to procure for themselves good; "white garments" denote the genuine truths of faith from good. From this it is evident what is meant by "the shame of thy nakedness not being made manifest." [8] Again:
Behold I come as a thief, blessed is he that watcheth, and preserveth his garments, that he walk not naked, and they see his shame (Rev. 16:15);
where the meaning is similar. Again:
They shall hate the harlot, and shall make her devastate and naked (Rev. 17:16). "The harlot" denotes those who falsify truths Divine; "making her naked" plainly denotes depriving them of these truths, for it is said "devastate and naked," and "to devastate" denotes to deprive of truths. [9] By "nakedness" is also signified ignorance of truth, and by "being clothed," information, in these passages:
When thou shalt see the naked, and shalt cover him, thy light shall break forth as the dawn (Isa. 58:7, 8). The King shall say unto them on His right hand, I was naked, and ye clothed Me; and unto them on His left hand, I was naked, and ye clothed Me not (Matt. 25:34, 36, 41, 43). "Naked" here denotes those who are not in truths, and yet long for truths, and also those who acknowledge that there is nothing of good and truth in them (n. 4956, 4958). [10] Thirdly: That when "nakedness" has reference to the loins and genitals, it signifies the loss of the good of love, is evident in Isaiah:
O virgin, daughter of Babylon, take the millstone, and grind meal; uncover thy hair, make bare thy feet, uncover the thigh, pass through the streams; thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy reproach shall be seen (Isa. 47:1-3). The "daughter of Babylon" denotes the church, or a semblance of the church, where there is what is holy in externals, but what is profane in internals. That which is profane in internals is that they regard themselves and the world as their end, thus dominion and abundance of wealth; and holy things as means to this end. "Taking a millstone and grinding meal" denotes to string together doctrine from such things as will serve for means to promote the end (n. 7780); "uncovering the hair, making bare the feet, and uncovering the thigh" denotes to dishonor holy things, both external and internal, without shame and fear; thus "uncovering the nakedness" denotes to cause to appear the filthy and infernal things which are their ends. [11] In Jeremiah:
Jerusalem hath sinned a sin, all that honored her despise her, because they see her nakedness. Her uncleanness was in her skirts (Lam. 1:8, 9). "Jerusalem" denotes the church, here the church which is in falsities from evil; "seeing the nakedness" denotes filthy and infernal loves, "uncleanness in the skirts" denotes such things in the extremes (that "the skirts" denote the extremes, see n. 9917). In Nahum:
I will uncover thy skirts upon thy faces; and I will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame (Nah. 3:5). "Uncovering the skirts" denotes to take away the externals so that the interiors appear; "the nakedness which shall be shown to the nations, and the shame which shall be shown to the kingdoms," denote infernal loves, which are the loves of self and of the world, which defile the interiors. [12] Again:
Thou camest to ornaments of ornaments; thy breasts were made firm, and thy hair grew; thou wast naked and bare. With all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and stripped, trampled upon in thy blood. Thy nakedness was uncovered through thy whoredoms over thy lovers (Ezek. 16:7, 22, 36). I will give thee into the hand of those whom thou hatest, that they may deal with thee from hatred, and they shall leave thee naked and stripped; and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be uncovered (Ezek. 23:28, 29). Contend with your mother that she put away her whoredoms from her faces, and her adulteries from between her breasts; lest perchance I strip her naked, and set her according to the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and dispose of her like a land of drought, and slay her with thirst. I will return, and take My grain, My new wine, My wool, and My flax, which should have covered her nakedness. And I will uncover her baseness in the eyes of her lovers (Hos. 2:2, 3, 9 ,10). [13] In these passages the subject treated of is Jerusalem, which is also called "mother," and by which is signified the church; its perversity is described by "whoredoms, adulteries," and by "the uncovering of her nakedness," which denote nothing else than filthy and infernal loves, such as are the loves of self and of the world when they are ends, from which all evils and the derivative falsities take their rise. Consequently falsifications of truth and adulterations of good are described in the Word by "whoredoms" and "adulteries," and are also there called "whoredoms" and "adulteries" (n. 8904). From this it is evident what is meant by "nakedness," and by "the uncovering of nakedness." As the subject treated of is the truths of the church falsified, and the goods thereof adulterated, therefore it is said, "I will make her as a wilderness, and dispose of her like a land of drought, and will slay her with thirst;" "a wilderness" denotes that which is devoid of goods; "a land of drought," that which is devoid of truths; and "thirst" denotes the loss of all things of faith. [14] It is also said that He would "take away His grain, His new wine, His wool, and His flax, with which He had covered her nakedness," because by "grain" is signified the interior good of the spiritual church, by "new wine" [mustum], the interior truth thereof, by "wool," its exterior good, and by "flax," its exterior truth. That flax, wool, new wine, and grain are not meant, can be seen by everyone who reads these things from a reason in some measure enlightened, who believes that in the Word there is no word devoid of value, and that there is nothing in it anywhere that is not holy, because it is Divine. [15] Again:
O daughter of Edom, the cup shall pass through unto thee also; thou shalt be drunken, and shalt become naked (Lam. 4:21). Woe unto him that causeth his neighbor to drink, making him drunken, and looking on their nakednesses! Thou shalt be sated with shames for glory; drink thou also that thy foreskin may be uncovered (Hab. 2:15, 16). In thee they have shed blood, in thee hath he uncovered his father's nakedness (Ezek. 22:9, 10). No one can know what these words signify, unless he knows what is meant by a "cup," by "drinking," by "being drunken," by "being made naked," by "looking on nakednesses, and uncovering them," and by "the foreskin." That all these expressions are to be spiritually understood, is plain; spiritually, "drinking" denotes to be instructed in truths, and in the opposite sense in falsities, thus to imbibe them (n. 3069, 3168, 3772, 8562, 9412); from which it is evident what is meant by a "cup," out of which men drink (n. 5120); "being drunken" denotes to be insane from this; and "being made naked" denotes to be made destitute of truths; "to uncover nakedness" denotes to reveal the evils of the loves of self and of the world, which are infernal; "to uncover a father's nakedness" denotes to reveal those evils which are from inheritance and from the will; "to uncover the foreskin" denotes to defile celestial goods by these loves. (That "the foreskin" denotes this defilement, see n. 2056, 3412, 4462, 7045; consequently "circumcision" denotes purification from these loves, n. 2036, 2632.) [16] From all this it can be seen what is signified by the "drunkenness" and consequent "uncovering of the nakedness" of Noah, as described in Genesis:
Noah drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered in the midst of his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and put it upon the shoulder, both of them, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness (Gen. 9:21-23). Here is described the man of the Ancient Church, who is "Noah;" "the wine which he drank, and with which he was made drunken," denotes the falsity with which that church in the beginning was imbued; his consequent lying "uncovered in the midst of his tent" signifies evils resulting from a deficiency of truth in worship; "the garment with which Shem and Japheth covered his nakedness," denotes the truth of faith by means of which these evils were covered and amended; the implanting of the truth and good of faith in the intellectual part is described by their "laying the garment upon the shoulder, going backward, and turning the face backward," for this is exactly the case with the truths and goods of faith with the man of the spiritual church; "Shem and Japheth" signify those of the spiritual church who have received the truths of faith in good, which is charity; but "Canaan" signifies those who have not received the truths of faith in good, that is, in charity. [17] (That Noah represents the man of the Ancient Church in its beginning, and that they were of such a character, see n. 736, 773, 788, 1126; that Shem represents the man of the internal spiritual church, and Japheth the man of the external spiritual church, n. 1102, 1127, 1140, 1141, 1150; that Canaan represented those who are in faith separated from charity, or what is the same thing, in external worship separated from internal, thus specifically the Jewish nation, see n. 1093, 1140, 1141, 1167; that with the men of the spiritual church the truth and good of faith are implanted in the intellectual part, see n. 9596; moreover, that "the wine with which Noah was made drunken" signifies falsity, n. 6377; "the tent" in which he lay uncovered signifies the holiness of worship, n. 2145, 2152, 3312, 4128, 4391; "the garment" with which they covered their father's nakedness signifies the truth of faith, n. 5954, 9212, 9216.) "The nakedness" itself signifies his evil will, which is covered by means of the truths of faith; and while it is being covered the truths look backward. That these arcana are involved in these historical things is plain from the internal sense. And that these arcana are arcana of the church, can be seen from the fact that Shem and Japheth were blessed, and with them all their posterity, merely because they covered their father's nakedness; and that Canaan with all his posterity was cursed, merely because his father told this to his brothers. [18] As with the Jewish and Israelitish nation the interiors were filthy, because of their being in the loves of self and of the world more than other nations; and because the genitals together with the loins signify conjugial love, and this love is the fundamental love of all celestial and spiritual loves, and thus comprehends them; therefore a warning was given lest the nakedness of these parts with Aaron and his sons should in any manner appear while they were in holy worship, which is the reason why it is said that they should "make them linen breeches to cover the flesh of their nakedness, from the loins even to the thighs;" and in another place, that they should "not go up by steps upon the altar, that their nakedness be not uncovered thereon" (Exod. 20:23). (That with the Jewish and Israelitish nation the interiors were filthy, and that these were closed while they were in worship, see the places cited in n. 9320e, 9380; that the genitals together with the loins signify conjugial love, n. 3021, 4280, 4462, 4575, 5050-5062; and that conjugial love is the fundamental love of all celestial and spiritual loves, and consequently that these loves also are meant by conjugial love, n. 686, 2734, 3021, 4280, 5054.) From all this it is now evident what "nakedness" signifies-especially the nakedness of the parts assigned to generation-when the interiors are filthy. [19] But when the interiors are chaste, then "nakedness" signifies innocence, because it signifies conjugial love, for the reason that in its essence love truly conjugial is innocence. (That love truly conjugial belongs to innocence, see n. 2736; consequently that in this sense "nakedness" denotes innocence, n. 165, 8375; wherefore also the angels of the inmost heaven, who are called celestial angels, appear naked, n. 165, 2306, 2736.) As the Most Ancient Church, which is described in the first chapters of Genesis, and is meant in the internal sense by the "Man," or "Adam," and by his "wife," was a celestial church, therefore it was said of them, that "they were both naked, and were not ashamed" (Gen. 2:25). But when that church had fallen, which was caused by their eating of the tree of knowledge, by which was signified reasoning from memory-knowledges about Divine things, then it is said that "they knew that they were naked," and that "they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves girdles," thus that they covered their nakednesses; and that the man also said, when Jehovah called unto him, that he "was afraid because he was naked;" and that "Jehovah then made for them tunics of skin, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:6-11, 21). [20] By "the fig leaves of which they made themselves girdles," and also by "the tunics of skin," are meant the truths and goods of the external man. The reason why their state after the fall is thus described, is that from being internal men they became external; their internal is signified by "the paradise," for "the paradise" denotes the intelligence and wisdom of the internal man, and its being closed up is signified by their being cast out of the paradise. (That "a leaf" denotes natural truth, which is memory-knowledge, see n. 885; that a "fig-tree" denotes natural good, that is, the good of the external man, n. 217, 4231, 5113; and that a "tunic of skin" also denotes the truth and good of the external man, n. 294-296; that "skin" denotes what is external, n. 3540.)
Elliott(1983-1999) 9960
9960. 'To cover their naked flesh' means to prevent inner desires of that love from appearing when they are foul and hellish. This is clear from the meaning of 'covering' as preventing them from appearing; and from the meaning of the genital organs and loins, which 'naked flesh' is used to mean here, as inner desires of conjugial love. For when 'undergarment' means things composing the external level of that love, 9959, 'flesh' which they cover means those on its internal levels. Conjugial love is meant by 'the loins', see 3021, 4280, 4575, also by 'the genital organs', 4462, 5050-5062, and the good of love by 'flesh', 3813, 7850, 9127; but since most things in the Word can also have a contrary meaning, so can the loins, genital organs, and flesh. In that contrary sense they mean evil, foul, and hellish desires of that love, 3813, 5059. The fact that here they mean evil, foul, and hellish desires is evident from the consideration that the words 'to cover their naked flesh' are used, 'naked flesh' here being that which is the opposite of the good of conjugial love, namely delight that is adulterous and for that reason hellish, which will be spoken of below.
[2] As regards 'nakedness', it derives its meaning from the parts of the body that appear naked, just as garments derive theirs from the parts of the body they clothe, 9827. 'Nakedness' has one meaning therefore when it applies to the head, which is baldness; another meaning when it applies to the whole body; and yet another when it applies to the loins and genital organs. When nakedness applies to the head, which is baldness, it means the deprivation of an intelligent understanding of truth and of a wise discernment of good; when it applies to the whole body it means the deprivation of truths that belong to faith; but when it applies to the loins and genital organs it means the deprivation of the good of love.
[3] 1 When nakedness applies to the head, which is baldness, it means the deprivation of an intelligent understanding of truth and of a wise discernment of good This is clear in Isaiah,
On that day the Lord by means of the king of Asshur will shave the head and the hair of the feet, and will consume the beard. Isa 7:20.
'Shaving the head' stands for depriving of the internal truths of the Church, 'shaving the hair of the feet and consuming the beard' for depriving of its external truths, and 'by means of the king of Asshur' for by means of reasonings based on falsities. It is evident to anyone that no head, hairs of the feet, or beard was going to be shaved by means of the king of Asshur, and that those words must have some other meaning. 'The head' means more internal things that belong to wisdom and intelligence, see 6292, 6436, 9166, 9656; 'the king of Asshur' means reasoning, 119, 1186; 'hair' means the external truth of the Church, 3301, 5247, 5569-5573; 'the feet' too means external or natural things, 2162, 3147, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952, 9406; and 'the beard' means items of knowledge on sensory levels, that is, truths on last and lowest levels, as is clear from places in the Word mentioning 'the beard'.
[4] In the same prophet,
On all heads there is baldness; every beard is shaved off. Isa 15:2.
Here the meaning is similar. In Jeremiah,
Baldness will come upon Gaza. How long will you cut yourself? Jer 47:5.
In Ezekiel,
On all faces there will be shame, and on all heads baldness. They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will become an abomination. Ezek 7:18, 19.
'On all heads baldness' stands for the deprivation of an intelligent understanding of truth and of a wise discernment of good. Since this is meant it also says 'they will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will become an abomination'; for 'silver' means truth that belongs to intelligence, and 'gold' good that belongs to wisdom, 1551, 5658, 6914, 6917, 8932. The fact that baldness on all heads should not be understood literally, that they would not literally throw silver into the streets, and that gold would not literally become an abomination, is self-evident.
[5] In Moses,
Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons, You shall not shave your heads and you shall not rip apart the seams of your garments, lest you die and He is angry with the whole congregation. Lev 10:6.
And in Ezekiel,
The priests, the Levites, shall not shave their head and shall not let their hair grow long. Ezek 44:20.
Since Aaron and his sons represented the Lord in respect of Divine Good and in respect of Divine Truth, 9806, 9807, and since 'a shaved head' and 'garments ripped apart at the seams' meant the deprivation of that Good and Truth, they were forbidden to shave their heads or so rip apart their garments. It also says 'lest you die and He is angry with the whole congregation', meaning that as a consequence what was representative of the Lord in respect of Divine Good and in respect of Divine Truth, and so what was representative of the Church, would be destroyed.
[6] Since mourning represented spiritual mourning, which is mourning because of the deprivation of the Church's truth and good, those in mourning made themselves bald, as in Jeremiah,
They will not lament for them, nor will they make themselves baldNotes
a because of them. Jer 16:6.
In Amos,
I will turn your feasts into mourning, and cause baldness to come up over every head; and I will make it as the mourning for an only-begotten son. Amos 8:10.
And in Micah,
Make yourself bald,
b and shave your head for the sons of your delight; extend your baldness like an eagle, for they have departed from you. Micah 1:16.
'The sons of delight' are God's truths, and their 'departure' is the deprivation of them, 'sons' meaning truths, see 9807.
[7] 2 When nakedness applies to the whole body it means the deprivation of the truths of faith This is clear in John,
To the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write, Because you say, I am rich and in need of nothing - when you do not know that you are wretched and miserable, and needy, and blind, and naked - I counsel you to buy from Me gold purified in fire, and white garments that you may put on, that the shame of your nakedness may not be manifested. Rev 3:14, 17, 18.
'The angel of the Church' is God's truth there. 'Saying it is rich' means that it is in possession of cognitions or knowledge of truth and good. 'Wretched, needy, blind, and naked' means being nevertheless devoid of truths implanted in life, thus being devoid of good. 'Buying gold purified in fire' means acquiring good to itself, 'white garments' authentic truths of faith springing from good. From this it is evident what 'that the shame of nakedness may not be manifested' means.
[8] In the same book,
Behold, I am coming like a thief; blessed is he who is awake and keeps his garments, so that he may not walk naked and they see his shame. Rev 16:15.
Here the meaning is similar. In the same book,
They will hate the prostitute, and make her devastated and naked. Rev 17:16.
'The prostitute' stands for those who falsify God's truths. 'Making her naked' plainly stands for depriving of those truths; for the words 'devastated' and 'naked' are used, and 'devastating' means depriving of truths.
[9] Nakedness also means having no knowledge of truth and putting on clothes being taught it, in Isaiah,
When you see the naked and cover him, your light will break forth like the dawn. Isa 58:7, 8.
And in Matthew,
The King will say to those who are on the right, I was naked and you clothed Me. And He said to those on the left, I was naked and you did not clothe Me. Matt 25:36, 38, 43, 44.
'Naked' here stands for those who have no truths and still desire truths, also those who acknowledge that no good or truth at all exists within them, see 4956, 4958.
[10] 3 When nakedness applies to the loins and genital organs it means the deprivation of the good of love This is clear in Isaiah,
O virgin daughter of Babel, take a mill and grind flour, uncover your hair, bare your feet, uncover your thigh, pass through the rivers. Let your nakedness be uncovered, also let your reproach be seen. Isa 47:1-3.
'Daughter of Babel' means the Church or semblance of the Church, where holiness resides outwardly but profanity inwardly. The profanity residing inwardly is such that people have themselves and the world in mind, thus domination and abundant riches as their end in view, holy things being regarded as means to that end. 'Taking a mill and grinding flour' means producing teachings out of such matters as will serve as means to the end, 7780. 'Uncovering the hair, baring the feet, and uncovering the thigh' means prostituting without any shame or fear things that are outwardly and inwardly holy, so that 'uncovering nakedness' means causing foul and hellish things, which are the ends, to appear.
[11] In Jeremiah,
Jerusalem sinned grievously; those who honoured her despise her, because they see her nakedness, her uncleanness in her skirts. Lam 1:8, 9.
'Jerusalem' stands for the Church, in this instance for a Church that is steeped in falsities arising from evil. 'Seeing her nakedness' stands for beholding foul and hellish loves; 'uncleanness in her skirts' stands for such loves on most external levels, 'skirts' or 'hem' meaning most external levels, see 9917. In Nahum,
I will uncover your skirts upon your face,
c and I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame. Nahum 3:5.
'Uncovering skirts' stands for taking away outward things in order that more internal ones may appear. 'Nakedness' which will be shown to the nations and 'shame' to the kingdoms mean hellish kinds of love, which are self-love and love of the world, which defile the more internal things.
[12] In Ezekiel,
You reached full beauty, your breasts were formed and your hair had grown; [but] you were naked and bare. With all your abominations and your acts of whoredom you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, and were downtrodden in your blood. Your nakedness has been uncovered through your whoredoms with your lovers. Ezek 16:7, 22, 36.
In the same prophet,
I will give you into the hand [of those] whom you hate, that they may deal with you out of hatred; and let them leave you naked and bare, and let the nakedness of your whoredoms be uncovered. Ezek 23:28, 29.
In Hosea,
Contend with your mother, that she may remove her whoredoms from her sight,
d and her adulteries from between her breasts, lest perhaps I strip her naked, and present her as on the day she was born, and make her like a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst. I will return and take back My grain, My new wine, My wool, and My flax, which [I gave her] to cover her nakedness; and I will uncover her foulness in the eyes of her lovers. Hosea 2:2, 3, 9, 10.
[13] The words in the preceding as well as in this present quotation refer to Jerusalem, which is also called 'mother'; and by it the Church is meant. Its perversity is described by 'the whoredoms', 'the adulteries', and 'the uncovering of nakedness', which are nothing other than the foul and hellish kinds of love - that is, self-love and love of the world, when they are ends in view - from which all evils and derivative falsities gush out. Falsifications of truth therefore and adulterations of good are described in the Word by acts of whoredom and adultery, and are also actually called whoredoms and adulteries there, see 8904. And from this it is evident what 'nakedness' and 'uncovering of nakedness' are used to mean. Since reference is being made to the Church's truths when falsified and to its forms of good when adulterated, the verses quoted declare 'I will make her like a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with thirst'. 'A wilderness' is that which is devoid of forms of good, 'a dry land' that which is devoid of truths, and 'thirst' the deprivation of all matters of faith.
[14] It also declares that [the Lord] would take back His grain, His new wine, His wool, and His flax, with which He had covered her nakedness, because 'grain' means the spiritual Church's more internal good, 'new wine' its more internal truth, 'wool' its more external good, and 'flax' its more external truth. All who read these things with a power of reason that is to some degree enlightened, who believe that no expression used in the Word is meaningless, and that the Word is altogether holy in every part because it is Divine, can see that flax, wool, new wine, and grain are not meant literally.
[15] In Jeremiah,
O daughter of Edom, to you also the cup will pass, you will be made drunk and naked. Lam 4:21.
In Habakkuk,
Woe to him who gives drink to his companion,
e making him drunk, and looking on their nakedness! You will be sated with shame rather than glory. Drink, you also - that your foreskin may be revealed. Hab 2:15, 16.
And in Ezekiel,
They have shed blood in you; they have uncovered their father's nakedness in you. Ezek 22:9, 10.
What these statements mean no one can know unless he knows what the meaning is of 'the cup', 'drinking', 'being made drunk', 'being made naked', 'looking on their nakedness, and uncovering them', and also 'foreskin'. All these, it is self-evident, should be understood spiritually. 'Drinking' understood spiritually is receiving instruction in truths, or in the contrary sense in falsities, that is, absorbing them, 3069, 3168, 3772, 8562, 9412; and from this it is clear what 'the cup' that is drunk from means, 5120. 'Being made drunk' means becoming insane as a result, and 'being made naked' becoming completely destitute of them. 'Uncovering nakedness' means uncovering the evils of self-love and love of the world, which are hellish evils. 'Uncovering their father's nakedness' means uncovering those evils when they have a hereditary origin and are present in the will. 'Revealing the foreskin' means defiling them, 'the foreskin' meaning the defilement of heavenly forms of good by those two kinds of love, see 2056, 3412, 4462, 7045. 'Circumcision' therefore means purification from them, 2039, 2632.
[16] All this makes clear what the meaning is of Noah's drunkenness and the consequent uncovering of his nakedness, described as follows in Genesis,
Noah drank of the wine, and was drunk, and was uncovered in the middle of his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and pointed it out to his two brothers. And Shem and Japheth took a garment and both of them put it on a shoulder, and went backwards and covered their father's nakedness; and their faces were backwards, and they did not see their father's nakedness. Gen 9:21-23.
This describes members of the Ancient Church, whom Noah represents. 'The wine' which he drank and which made him drunk is the falsity which that Church was at the start imbued with. His lying as a result 'uncovered in the middle of the tent' means evils owing to the lack of truth in worship. 'The garment' with which Shem and Japheth covered his nakedness is the truth of faith, by means of which those evils were covered and corrected. An implanting of the truth and good of faith in the understanding part of the mind is described by their putting a garment on a shoulder, going backwards, and turning their faces away backwards; for this is exactly how it is with the truths and forms of the good of faith present with a member of the spiritual Church. 'Shem and Japheth' means those belonging to the spiritual Church, who received the truths of faith within good, which is charity; but 'Canaan' means those who did not receive the truths of faith in good or charity.
[17] Noah represents members of the Ancient Church at the start, who were such as has been described, see 736, 773, 788, 1126. Shem is those belonging to the internal spiritual Church, and Japheth those belonging to the external, 1062, 1127, 1140, 1141, 1150. Canaan represented those whose faith was separated from charity, or what amounts to the same thing, whose worship was external separated from anything internal, so that in particular he represented the Jewish nation, 1093, 1140, 1141, 1167. With members of the spiritual Church the truth and good of faith are implanted in the understanding part of the mind, 9596. 'The wine' that made Noah drunk means falsity, 6377. 'The tent' in which he lay uncovered means the holiness of worship, 2145, 2152, 3312, 4128, 4391. 'The garment' with which they covered their father's nakedness means the truth of faith, 5954, 9212, 9216. His actual nakedness means the evil occupying the will part of his mind. That evil is covered by means of the truths of faith, and when it is being covered truths look away backwards.
The presence of such arcana, embodied in these details of the story, is evident from the internal sense. And the fact that these arcana are arcana which have to do with the Church may be seen from the consideration that Shem and Japheth simply because they covered their father's nakedness were blessed, and all their descendants too, and that Canaan was cursed and all his descendants simply because their father had pointed it out to his brothers.
[18] Because the interiors of the Jewish and Israelite nation were foul, for they were steeped in self-love and love of the world more than all the other nations, and since conjugial love is meant by 'the genital organs and loins' and this love is fundamental to and so embraces all celestial and spiritual forms of love, precautions had to be taken to prevent the nakedness of those parts of Aaron's or his sons' bodies from being in any way visible when they were engaged in holy worship. This is the reason for its being said that linen undergarments should be made for them to cover their naked flesh, from the loins even to the thighs; and in another place for the declaration that they were not to go up by steps to the altar, in order that their nakedness should not be revealed on it, Exod 20:26.
The interiors of the Jewish and Israelite nation were foul, and when they were engaged in worship those interiors were closed off, see the places referred to in 9320 (end), 9380. Conjugial love is meant by 'the genital organs and loins', 3021, 4280, 4462, 4575, 5050-5062. Conjugial love is fundamental to all celestial and spiritual forms of love, and therefore these forms of love are understood as well by it, 686, 2739, 3021, 4280, 5054.
From all this it is now clear what 'nakedness' means, in particular nakedness of the bodily parts devoted to procreation, when people's interiors are foul.
[19] But when the interiors are chaste 'nakedness' means innocence. It does so because conjugial love is meant, and innocence is the indispensable element of truly conjugial love.
Truly conjugial love belongs to innocence, see 2736. Therefore 'nakedness' in that sense means innocence, 165, 8375. For the same reason angels of the inmost heaven, who are called celestial angels, appear naked, 165, 2306, 2736.
Since the Most Ancient Church, described in the opening chapters of Genesis and meant in the internal sense by Man or Adam and his wife, was a celestial Church, it says in Gen 2:25that both were naked, and they were not ashamed. But when that Church fell, which came about through eating from the tree of knowledge, by which reasoning about Divine matters that was based on factual knowledge was meant, it says that they knew that they were naked, and sewed fig leaves together for themselves and made themselves girdles, thus that they covered their nakedness. It also says that when Jehovah called to him the man said that he was afraid because he was naked, and further on that Jehovah God made for them tunics of skin and clothed them, Gen 3:6-11, 21.
[20] By 'fig leaves' from which they made themselves girdles, and also by 'tunics of skin' truths and forms of good belonging to the external man should be understood. The reason why their state after the fall is so described is that from being internal people they became external. Their internal is meant by 'paradise', for paradise is the intelligence and wisdom of the internal man, and the closing of their internal by being cast out of paradise.
'Leaf' means natural truth, which is factual knowledge, see 885. 'Fig' means natural good or the external man's good, 217, 4231, 5113. 'Tunic of skin' too means the external man's truth and good, 294-296. 'Skin' means what is external, 3540.
Latin(1748-1756) 9960
9960. `Ad tegendum carnem nuditatis': quod (x)significet ne interiora amoris, quae spurca et infernalia, appareant, constat ex significatione `tegere' quod sit facere ne appareant, ex significatione genitalium et lumborum, quae hic per `carnem nuditatis' significantur, quod sint interiora amoris conjugialis, nam cum per `femoralia' significantur externa illius amoris, n. 9959, per `carnem quam tegunt' significantur interna ejus; quod `lumbi' significent amorem conjugialem, videatur n. 3021, 4280, 4575, et quoque quod `genitalia,' n. 4462, 5050 5062, et quod `caro' {1} (x)significet bonum amoris, n. 3813, 7850, 9127; et quia pleraque in Verbo etiam sensum oppositum habent, ita quoque lumbi, genitalia, et caro, (d)in quo sensu significant mala, spurca, et infernalia illius amoris, n. (t)3813, 5059; quod hic significent mala, spurca, et infernalia, patet ex eo quod dicatur `ad (x)tegendum carnem nuditatis'; 'caro nuditatis' hic est quod oppositum est bono amoris conjugialis, quod est jucundum adulterii, ita infernale, de quo in sequentibus. Quod nuditatem attinet, trahit illa significationem a partibus 2 corporis quae nudae apparent, similiter ac vestes a partibus corporis {2}quas investiunt, n. 9827; ideo aliam significationem cum nuditas spectat caput quae est calvities, aliam cum spectat totum corpus, et aliam cum spectat lumbos et genitalia; cum nuditas spectat caput, quae est calvities, significat deprivationem ab intelligentia veri et a sapientia boni, cum spectat totum corpus, significat deprivationem a veris quae fidei, cum autem spectat lumbos ac genitalia, significat deprivationem a bono amoris. 3 Quod primum attinet, cum nuditas spectat caput quae calvities, quod significet deprivationem ab intelligentia veri et a sapientia boni, constat apud Esaiam, In die illo detondebit Dominus per regem Aschuris caput, et pilos pedum, et barbam consumet, vii 20;`detondere caput' {3}est deprivare veris internis Ecclesiae, `detondere pilos pedum et consumere barbam' {4} deprivare veris externis ejus; per `regem Aschuris' est per ratiocinia ex falsis; cuivis patet quod per regem Aschuris non detonderetur caput, nec pilus pedum, nec barba, {5}et quod usque significativa sint; quod `caput' {6}sint interiora quae sapientiae et intelligentiae, videatur n. 6292, 6436, 9166, 9656, quod `rex Aschuris' sit ratiocinatio, {7} n. 119, 1186, quod `pilus' sit verum externum Ecclesiae, n. 3301, 5247, 5569-5573, quod `pedes' etiam sint externa seu naturalia, n. 2162, 3147, 3986, (x)4280, 4938-4952, 9406; {8}quod `barba' sint scientifica sensualia, quae sunt vera ultima, 4 constat a locis in Verbo ubi `barba' nominatur: apud eundem, {9} in omnibus capitibus ejus calvities, omnis barba rasa, {10}xv 2;
similiter: apud Jeremiam, Veniet calvities super Gazam, quousque incides te, xlvii 5:
apud Ezechielem, Super omnibus faciebus pudor, et super omnibus capitibus calvities; argentum suum in plateas projicient, et aurum in abominationem erit, vii 18, 19;
`super omnibus capitibus calvities' pro deprivatione ab intelligentia veri et a sapientia boni; quia id significatur, etiam dicitur `argentum suum in plateas projicient, et aurum in abominationem erit,' `argentum' enim est verum quod intelligentiae, et `aurum' est bonum quod sapientiae, n. 1551, 5658, 6914, 6917, 8932; quod non intelligatur calvities super omnibus capitibus, et quod non projicerent argentum in plateas, et quod aurum non erit in abominationem, patet: apud Moschen, 5 Dixit Moscheh ad Aharonem et ad Eleazarem et ad Ithamarem filios ejus, Capita vestra non radetis, et vestes vestras non dissuetis, ne moriamini, et universae contioni irascatur, Lev. x 6:
et apud Ezechielem, Sacerdotes Levitae non radent caput, et comam suam non demittent, xliv 20;
quia Aharon et filii ejus repraesentabant Dominum quoad Divinum Bonum et quoad Divinum Verum, n. 9806, 9807, et quia per `caput rasum' (c)et per `vestes dissutas' significabatur deprivatio illorum, ideo vetitum {11}erat radere caput, et {12}dissuere vestes, et {13}dicitur `ne moriamini, et toti contioni irascatur,' per quod significatur quod sic periret repraesentativum Domini quoad Divinum Bonum et quoad Divinum Verum, ita repraesentativum Ecclesiae. Quia luctus repraesentabat luctum spiritualem, qui est luctus 6 propter deprivationem veri et boni Ecclesiae, ideo in luctu inducebant capitibus {14} calvitiem, ut apud Jeremiam, Non plangent illos, neque calvities inducetur propter illos, xvi 6:
apud Amos, Convertam festa vestra in luctum, et ascendere faciam super omne caput calvitiem; et ponam eum sicut luctum unigeniti, viii 10 et apud Micham, Calvitiem indue, et tonde de propter filios deliciarum tuarum, dilata calvitiem tuam sicut aquila, quia migrarunt a te, i 16;
`filii deliciarum' sunt vera Divina, `migratio' eorum est deprivatio; quod `filii' sint vera, videatur n. 9807. Secundo, cum nuditas spectat totum corpus quod significet 7 deprivationem {15}verorum fidei, constat apud Johannem, Angelo Ecclesiae Laodicensium scribe, Quia (x)dicis quod dives sim, et nullius rei indigeam, cum non scias quod tu sis miser et miserabilis, et egenus, et caecus, et nudus; consulo ut emas a Me aurum igne purificatum, et vestimenta alba ut induaris, ut non manifestetur pudor nuditatis tuae, Apoc. iii [14,] 17, 18;
`angelus Ecclesiae' est verum Divinum ibi, `dicere quod sit dives' est quod sit in cognitionibus veri et boni, `miser, egenus, caecus, et nudus' est quod usque absque veris implantatis vitae, {16}ita absque bono, `emere aurum igne purificatum' est comparare sibi bonum, `vestimenta alba' sunt genuina vera fidei ex bono; inde patet {17}quid sit `ne manifestetur pudor nuditatis': apud eundem, Ecce venio sicut fur; beatus qui vigilat, et servat vestimenta sua, ut nudus non ambulet, videantque pudorem ejus, Apoc. xvi 15;
similiter: apud eundem, Odio habebunt meretricem, et devastatam facient eam nudamque, Apoc. xvii 16;
`meretrix' pro illis qui falsificant vera Divina, `facere illam nudam' manifeste pro deprivare illis, nam dicitur {18}devastata et nuda'; `devastare' est deprivare veris. 9 Per nuditatem etiam significatur ignorantia veri, et per induitionem informatio: apud Esaiam, Cum videris nudum, et obtexeris eum, erumpet sicut aurora lux tua, lviii 7, 8:
et apud Matthaeum, Rex dicet iis qui a dextris, Nudus fui et non induistis me: et dixit illis a sinistris, Nudus fui et non induistis me, xxv 36, 38, 43, 44;
`nudus' hic pro illis qui non in veris, et usque desiderant vera; tum {19} qui agnoscunt quod nihil boni et veri in illis sit, videatur n. 4956, 4958. Tertio, quod nuditas {20}cum spectat lumbos (c)et genitalia significet 10 deprivationem {21}boni amoris, constat apud Esaiam, Virgo, filia Babelis, sume molam, et mole farinam; revela crines tuos, denuda pedes tuos, revela femur, transi flumina; reveletur nuditas tua, etiam videatur opprobrium tuum, xlvii (x)1-3;
`filia Babelis' est Ecclesia seu instar Ecclesiae, ubi sanctum in externis est, sed profanum in internis; profanum quod in internis est id quod spectent se et mundum pro fine, ita dominationem et abundantiam opum, et sancta {22} pro mediis ad illum finem; `sumere molam, et molere farinam' est {23}concinnare doctrinam ex talibus quae pro mediis inservitura sint fini, n. 7780, `revelare crines, denudare pedes, et revelare femur' est absque pudore et timore sancta externa et interna prostituere, {24} ita `revelare nuditatem' est facere ut spurca et infernalia, quae sunt fines, {25}appareant: apud Jeremiam, 11 Peccatum peccavit (x)Hierosolyma; qui honoraverunt eam, vilipendunt eam, quia vident nuditatem ejus, immunditiem ejus in fimbriis ejus, Threni i 8, 9;
`Hierosolyma' pro Ecclesia, hic pro Ecclesia' quae in falsis ex malo; `videre nuditatem' pro amores spurcos et infernales, `immundities in fimbriis' pro talibus in extremis; quod `fimbriae' sint extrema, (x)videatur n. 9917 apud Nahum, Retegam fimbrias tuas super facies tuas, et ostendam gentibus nuditatem tuam, et regnis ignominiam tuam, iii (x)5;
`retegere fimbrias' pro auferre externa ut appareant interiora, `nuditas quae ostendetur gentibus, et ignominia quae regnis' sunt amores infernales, qui sunt amores sui et mundi, qui {26}conspurcant interiora:
apud Ezechielem, 12 Venisti in decora (x)decorum, ubera solidata sunt, et crinis {27} crevit; eras nuda et denudata: cum omnibus abominationibus tuis et scortationibus tuis non recordata es dierum juventutis tuae, cum esses nuda et denudata, conculcata in sanguine tuo. Revelata est nuditas tua per scortationes tuas super amasiis tuis, xvi 7, 22, 36:
apud eundem, Ego daturus te in manum quod odisti, ut agant tecum ex odio; et te relinquant nudam et denudatam, et reveletur nuditas scortationum tuarum, xxiii 28, 29:
apud Hoscheam, 13 Contendite cum matre vestra ut removeat scortationes suas a faciebus suis, et adulteria sua ab inter ubera sua, ne forte exuam eam nudam, et sistam eam secundum diem pari ejus, et ponam eam sicut desertum, et disponam eam sicut terram siccitatis, et occidam eam per sitim. Revertar et accipiam frumentum Meum, mustum Meum, lanam Meam, et linum Meum, quae ad tegendum nuditatem ejus; et revelabo turpitudinem ejus in oculis amasiorum ejus, ii 2, 3, 9, 10;
agitur ibi et hic de Hierosolyma, quae {28}etiam vocatur `mater,' et per illam significatur Ecclesia; ejus perversitas describitur per `scortationes,' `adulteria,' et per `revelationem nuditatis,' quae non aliud sunt quam amores spurci et infernales, qui sunt amores sui et mundi quando sunt fines, (x)ex quibus omnia mala et inde falsa scaturiunt; inde falsificationes veri et adulterationes boni describuntur in Verbo per scortationes et per adulteria, et quoque vocantur ibi scortationes et adulteria, videatur n. 8904; inde patet quid per nuditatem et per revelationem nuditatis intelligitur; quia de veris Ecclesiae falsificatis, et de bonis ejus adulteratis agitur, ideo dicitur quod `ponam eam sicut desertum, et disponam eam sicut terram siccitatis, et occidam eam per sitim'; `desertum' est quod absque bonis, `terra siccitatis' est quod absque veris, 14 et `sitis' est deprivatio omnium fidei; dicitur etiam quod acciperet frumentum suum, mustum suum, lanam suam, et linum suum, quibus texerat nuditatem ejus, quia per `frumentum' significatur bonum interius Ecclesiae spiritualis, per `mustum' verum interius ejus, per `lanam' bonum exterius ejus, et per `linum' verum exterius ejus; quod non linum, lana, mustum, et frumentum intelligantur, quisque videre potest qui ex ratione aliquantum illustrata illa legit, et qui credit quod in Verbo nulla vox inanis sit, et quod non nisi quam sanctum ubi 15 vis, quia est Divinum: apud Jeremiam, Filia Edomi, etiam ad te transibit calix, inebriaberis et nudaberis, Threni (x)iv 21:
apud Habakuk, Vae facienti socium suum bibere, inebriando, {29}et introspiciendo in nuditates eorum! satiaberis ignominia prae gloria, bibe etiam tu, ut praeputium tuum reveletur, ii 15, 16:
et apud Ezechielem, Effuderunt sanguinem in te; nuditatem patris revelavit in te, xxii [9,] 10;
quid illa significant, nemo scire potest nisi sciat quid `calix,' quid `bibere,' quid `inebriari,' quid `nudari,' quid `introspicere nuditates, et revelare illos,' ut et quid `praeputium'; quod omnia spiritualiter intelligenda sint, patet; spiritualiter `bibere' est instrui in veris, et in opposito sensu in falsis, {30}ita haurire illa, n. 3069, 3168, 3772, 8562, 9412; inde constat quid `calix e quo bibitur,' n. 5120; `inebriari' est insanire inde, ac `nudari' est prorsus destitui illis; `revelare nuditates' est revelare mala amorum sui et mundi, quae infernalia; `revelare nuditates patris' est mala {31}illa ex hereditario et ex voluntario, `revelare praeputium' est conspurcare illa; quod `praeputium' sit conspurcatio bonorum caelestium ab illis amoribus, videatur n. 2056, (x)3412, 4462, 7045; inde circumcisio est purificatio ab illis, n. {32}2039, 2632. Ex his constare potest quid significatur per inebriationem ac inde 16 revelationem nuditatis Noachi, de qua ita in Genesi, Bibit Noach de vino, et inebriatus est, et discoopertus est in medio tentorii sui; et vidit Cham pater Canaanis nuditatem patris sui, et indicavit duobus fratribus suis; et accepit Schem et Japheth vestem, et posuerunt super umero, ambo illi, et iverunt retrorsum, et texerunt nuditatem patris sui, et facies eorum retrorsum, et nuditatem patris sui non viderunt, Gen. ix 21-23;
describitur ibi homo Antiquae Ecclesiae, qui est Noachus; `vinum quod bibit, et quo inebriatus est' est falsum quo illa Ecclesia {33} principio imbuta fuit; quod inde `discoopertus in medio tentorii jacuerit' significat mala ex defectu veri in cultu; `vestis, qua Schem et Japheth texerunt nuditatem ejus' est verum fidei, per quod illa mala tegebantur et emendabantur; implantatio veri et boni fidei {34} in parte intellectuali, describitur per quod `posuerint vestem super umero, iverint retrorsum, (c)et quod verterint faciem retrorsum,' nam ita (t)se prorsus habet cum veris et bonis fidei apud spiritualis Ecclesiae hominem: `Schem et Japheth' significat illos ab Ecclesia spirituali, qui receperunt vera fidei in bono, quod est charitas, {35}`Canaan' autem illos qui non receperunt vera fidei in bono seu in charitate; quod Noach repraesentet hominem 17 Ecclesiae Antiquae in principio, et quod hi tales fuerint, videatur n. 736, 773, 788, 1126, quod Schem hominem Ecclesiae spiritualis internae, et Japheth externae, n. (x)1062, 1127, 1140, 1141, 1150, quod Canaan repraesentaverit illos qui in fide separata a charitate, seu quod idem in cultu externo separato ab interno, ita in specie gentem Judaicam, n. 1093, 1140, 1141, 1167, quod verum et bonum fidei {36}implantentur in parte intellectuali apud homines Ecclesiae spiritualis, n. 9596; praeterea `vinum quo Noachus inebriatus est' significat falsum, n. 6377, `tentorium in quo jacuit discoopertus' significat sanctum cultus, n. 2145, 2152, (x)3312, 4128, 4391, `vestis qua texerunt nuditatem patris sui' significat verum fidei, n. 5954, 9212, 9216; ipsa nuditas, ejus malum voluntarium, quod tegitur per vera fidei, et cum tegitur spectant vera retrorsum; quod haec arcana involvantur {37}his historicis, patet ex sensu interno; (m)et quod arcana illa sint arcana Ecclesiae, videri potest ex eo quod Schem et Japheth solum propter id quod texerint nuditatem patris, benedicti fuerint, et cum illis omnis eorum posteritas, et quod Canaan cum omni sua posteritate maledictus fuerit, solum quod pater ejus indicaverit id fratribus suis.(n) 18 Quoniam apud gentem Judaicam et Israeliticam interiora erant spurca, erant enim in amoribus sui et mundi prae reliquis gentibus; et quia `genitalia cum lumbis' significant amorem conjugialem, et ille amor est fundamentalis omnium amorum, caelestium et spiritualium, et sic comprehendit {38}illos, ideo cautum fuit ne nuditates illarum partium apud Aharonem et apud filios ejus quando in sancto cultu erant, ullo modo apparerent; {39}quod causa est quod dicatur quod facerent illis femoralia lini ad tegendum carnem nuditatis, a lumbis usque ad femora; et alibi, quod non ascenderent in gradibus super ad altare, ne reveletur nuditas super illo, Exod. xx 23 [A.V.26]; quod apud gentem Judaicam et Israeliticam interiora fuerint spurca, et illa clausa cum fuerunt in cultu, videantur loca citata n. 9320 fin., 9380; quod `genitalia cum lumbis' significent amorem conjugialem, n. 3021, 4280, 4462, 4575, 5050-5062, et quod amor conjugialis sit fundamentalis omnium amorum caelestium et spiritualium, proinde quod hi amores per illum etiam intelligantur, n. 686, {40}2739, 3021, 4280, 5054. Ex his nunc constat quid `nuditas' significat, imprimis nuditas partium generationi dicatarum, quando interiora sunt spurca. 19 At vero cum interiora sunt casta, tunc 'nuditas' significat innocentiam, quia amorem {41} conjugialem, ex causa quia amor vere conjugialis in sua essentia est innocentia; quod amor vere conjugialis sit innocentiae, videatur n. 2736, proinde quod `nuditas' in hoc sensu sit innocentia, {42} n. 165, 8375, quapropter etiam angeli intimi caeli, qui angeli caelestes vocantur, apparent nudi, n. 165, 2306, 2736; quia Antiquissima Ecclesia, quae describitur in primis capitibus Geneseos, (c)ac intelligitur in sensu interno per Hominem seu Adamum, et per uxorem ejus, fuit Ecclesia caelestis, ideo de illis dicitur quod ambo essent nudi, et non erubuerunt, Gen. ii 25; at cum lapsa illa Ecclesia {43}est, quod factum est per esum ex arbore scientiae, per quod significabatur ratiocinatio ex scientificis de Divinis, tunc dicitur quod cognoverint quod nudi essent, et consuerint sibi folium ficus, et fecerint sibi cingula, ita quod texerint nuditates suas; et quoque quod dixerit homo cum clamavit ad illum Jehovah, quod timuerit quia nudus; {44} et dein quod fecerit illis Jehovah Deus tunicas pellis, et vestiverit eos, {45}Gen. iii 6-11 et 21; per `folia ficus a 20 quibus (t)fecerunt sibi cingula,' {46}et quoque per `tunicas pellis' intelliguntur vera et bona externi hominis; quod ita describatur status eorum post lapsum, erat causa quia ab internis hominibus facti sunt externi; internum eorum significatur per `paradisum,' paradisus enim est intelligentia et sapientia interni hominis, ac occlusio ejus significatur per ejectionem ex paradiso; quod `folium' sit verum naturale, quod est scientificum, videatur n. 885, quod `ficus' sit bonum naturale seu bonum externi hominis, n. 217, (x)4231, 5113, et quod `tunica pellis' etiam sit verum et bonum {47}externi hominis, n. 294-296, {48} quod `pellis' sit externum, n. 3540. @1 i in genere$ @2 quae investitae sunt$ @3 pro$ @4 i pro$ @5 sed quod alia significantur$ @6 sit intelligentia et sapientia$ @7 i videatur$ @8 exinde patet, quid per illa verba significatur$ @9 i Ejulabit Moabus,$ @10 Sch xvi$ @11 quod raderent$ @12 dissuerent$ @13 dictum$ @14 i suis$ @15 a veris$ @16 quia$ @17 quod IT$ @18 devastatum et nudum$ @19 i pro illis$ @20 quae$ @21 a bono$ @22 i externa$ @23 ex talibus concinnare doctrinam fidei, quae inservitura sint fidei$ @24 i transire flumina est vera omnis generis;$ @25 propter quos illa$ @26 faciunt$ @27 i ejus$ @28 hic$ @29 ut introspicias$ @30 et$ @31 haereditaria et voluntaria$ @32 2036 IT$ @33 i in$ @34 i et IT$ @35 Canaan, qui maledictus, significat illos in terra Canaane, qui non receperunt bona fidei$ @36 apud homines Ecclesiae spiritualis implantata sint in parte eorum intellectuali$ @37 historicis illis, constat solum ex sensu Verbi interno$ @38 in se omnes amores coelestes et spirituales$ @39 quae$ @40 2734 IT$ @41 i vere$ @42 i videatur$ @43 fuit$ @44 i Genes. iii 6, 7, 9, 10, 11;$ @45 ibid. vers. 21$ @46 intelliguntur vera boni externi hominis, et per tunicas pellis intelliguntur bona externi hominis$ @47 naturale$ @48 i et$