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410. Hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. That this signifies those things destroyed by evils of life and by the falsities thence, is plain from the signification of hiding themselves as denoting their being destroyed, namely, internal and external goods and truths, or those that are in the natural and spiritual man, these being signified by the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the chief captains, the mighty men, and by every bondservant and every freeman, as has been shown above. Hence it follows that by they hid themselves is signified that those things were destroyed, the things which are destroyed being also in concealment. From the signification of caves, as denoting evils of life, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of the rocks of the mountains, as denoting the falsities thence; for rocks signify the truths of faith, and in an opposite sense the falsities of faith; here the falsities from evils, for mountains signify evils flowing from the loves of self and of the world (as was shown just above, n. 405); but the signification of rocks will be seen in the article immediately following; here, [however, the signification] of caves.
[2] It was stated above, that in the spiritual world there are mountains, hills, rocks, valleys, and lands, as in our world, and that angels and spirits dwell on them; but in the spiritual world they have everywhere another appearance; on the mountains there those who are in the greatest light dwell; below them, on the same mountain, dwell those who are in less light; and beneath these, those who are in still less; and in the lowest parts dwell those who are in darkness and thick darkness respectively to the light which those possess who are above. The heavens, consequently, are in the higher part of the mountains, and the hells are in the lowest parts, thus the expanses of the mountain succeed each other as strata. The reason is, that the lower parts may be governed by the higher from the Lord; for the Lord flows in immediately from Himself into all things of the spiritual world, and mediately through the higher heavens into the lower, and through these into the hells. The reason for this arrangement is, that all may be kept in connection by influx; such a co-ordinate and sub-ordinate arrangement exists through the whole spiritual world.
Into the hells which are under the mountains and in the rocks, entrances open either in the lowest part of their sides, or through caverns from the valleys; and the entrances in the lower parts of the sides appear like entrances into caves where there are wild beasts, altogether dark, which are opened when evil spirits are let in, but are closed when they have been let in. These entrances are called in the Word the gates of hell. In the rocks, however, these entrances appear as clefts in the rock, and in some places as openings of differing magnitude. The darkness in those gates or doors appears as darkness to good spirits and angels, but as full of light to evil spirits; the reason is, that there is no light of heaven there, but a fatuous light, which is natural light without spiritual. Their light, however, is not like the light of the world in the day-time, but like the nocturnal light, which is for horned owls, moles, night owls, and bats, which see nothing in the light of day, and hence the light of day is darkness to them, whilst the darkness of the night is their light. Their sight is of such a nature, because it is formed of falsities and evils, which in themselves are darkness and thick darkness; wherefore also by darkness in the Word are signified falsities of every kind, and by thick darkness the falsities of evil. From these things it is evident what is signified by their hiding themselves in caves, namely, that [they were] in evils of life, goods with them having been destroyed. Evils of life are signified by caves, for the same reason that mountains signify goods of life, namely, because such is the quality of those who are there; for the spiritual sense regards only evils or goods apart from places and persons, such as they are in themselves and in those [persons], as has also been frequently shown above.
[3] From these things it is evident what is signified in the Word by caves, caverns, hollows, openings, clefts, and chinks of rocks and mountains, in the following passages.
In Isaiah:
"Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of Jehovah, and for the glory of his majesty. For the day of Jehovah of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and brought low; and upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, and upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all the images of desire. And the pride of man (hominis) shall be bowed down, and the loftiness of men (virorum) shall be brought low; and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols shall go away into smoke. And they shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the clefts of the dust, for fear of Jehovah, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to terrify the earth. In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made for themselves, to bow down to the moles and to the bats; to go into the rents of the rocks, and into the clefts of the rocks" (403). By the tower and the wall are signified falsities of doctrine confirmed. By the ships of Tarshish and the images of desire are signified knowledges and perceptions of falsity from evil; their worship from evils and falsities is signified by the idols which they made each one for himself to bow down to the moles and the bats. Worship from such things as are from one's own intelligence is signified by the idols which they made for themselves to bow down unto; the evils and falsities from which such worship springs are signified by the moles and the bats, because their sight is in the darkness, and they shun the light. The judgment upon them is described by, they shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the clefts of the dust, likewise into the rents of the rocks, and into the clefts of the rocks; also by entering into the caves of the rocks and into the clefts of the dust, is signified the damnation of those who are in evils and falsities from the love of self and of the world, and in the pride of one's own intelligence; for the hells of such appear as caves in rocks, and the entrances into them as the rents of rocks and clefts of rocks; rocks (petroe et rupes) also signify the falsities of faith and doctrine, and dust signifies what is cursed.
[4] In Jeremiah:
"Thy dread hath deceived thee, the pride of thine heart, thou that dwellest in the openings of the rocks, that holdest the height of the hill; if thou shouldst exalt thy nest as the eagle, thence will I cast thee down" (49:16).
These things are said concerning Esau and Edom; and by Esau are here signified the love of self and the evil thence destroying the church, and by Edom the pride of man's own intelligence and the falsity thence destroying the church. That the love of self and such pride are meant, is evident from its being said, "the pride of thine heart hath deceived thee; if thou shouldst exalt thy nest as the eagle, thence will I cast thee down." Those who are in falsities from one's own intelligence, dwell in rocks below, and entrances to them appear as openings therein, which have also been seen by me; within, however, there are cells and chambers hollowed out, where they sit in their fantasies; but before they are cast in thither they appear above the mountains and hills, for they raise themselves into heights by fantasies, and not being in truths they suppose that they are there as to the body, when nevertheless they are as to the body in the caverns of the rocks; this, therefore, is what is meant by dwelling in the openings of the rocks, and holding the height of the hill. Hence it is plain what the quality of the Word is, namely, that in many places [it is written] according to aspects and appearances in the spiritual world, which are unknown to man, but known to spirits and angels; whence it is evident that the Word is written for them also.
[5] In Obadiah:
"The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, in the height of thy seat; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? If thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and if thou set thy nest amongst the stars, thence will I bring thee down" (verses 3, 4).
These words also are said concerning Edom, by whom is here signified the pride of erudition which is from man's own intelligence, and the falsity thence destroying the church. Nearly similar things being here mentioned as just above, like things also are signified; by the clefts of the rock are signified the falsities of faith and of doctrine, because those dwell there who are in them [i.e. in falsities]; they are compared to an eagle, because by an eagle from its flight into the heights, is signified the pride of man's own intelligence; because also it is said a nest for habitation. To place it among the stars, signifies on the heights where they dwell who are in the knowledges of truth, for the knowledges of truth are signified by stars. In Job:
"To dwell in the clefts of the valleys, in the openings of the earth, and in the rocks" (30:6).
Here also by the clefts of the valleys, the openings of the earth, and the rocks, are signified the falsities of evil, for the falsities of evil are here treated of.
[6] In Isaiah:
"It shall come to pass in that day that Jehovah shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria; which shall come, and shall rest all of them in the rivers of desolations, and in the clefts of the rocks, and on all the shoots, and in all the conduits" (7:18, 19).
Thus is described the church, vastated by scientifics falsely applied, and by the reasonings thence, by which the very knowledges of truth from the Word are perverted. The fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, signifies falsity in the extremes of the natural man; the extremes of the natural man are what are called sensual things, for the natural man is interior, middle, and exterior; the interior communicates with the spiritual man by the Rational, but the exterior with the world by the senses of the body, and the middle conjoins both. The exterior is what is called the Sensual, because it depends upon the senses of the body, and thence draws all that belongs to it. The falsities there and thence, are signified by the flies that are in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt. By the bee, however, in the land of Assyria are signified false reasonings thence; for by Assyria is signified the Rational, and by Egypt the scientific of the natural man; and because the Rational derives all that it has from the scientifics of the natural man, hence its reasonings are signified by bees, because bees suck out and derive their store from the flowers, so does the Rational from the scientifics of the natural man. Here, however, by bees are signified false reasonings, because the Rational collects what belongs to it from scientifics falsely applied. That these things are likened to flies and bees is also from correspondence; for in the spiritual world there appear flying things of various kinds, but they are appearances from the ideas of the thoughts of spirits, and the noxious flying things among them are flies and bees of such a kind. The flies in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt derive their correspondence from their birth out of the filth of rivers. It is said that they shall come and rest in the rivers of desolations, and in the clefts of the rocks, which signifies that the falsities of scientifics and the reasonings thence shall reside where there are no truths, and where there is a faith of falsity; the rivers of desolations denoting where there are no truths, and the clefts of the rocks where there is a faith of falsity. That [they shall rest] on all shoots and in all conduits, signifies that the knowledges and perceptions of truth are falsified by them; the shoots denoting the knowledges of truth, and conduits denoting the perceptions which become falsified by the falsities above mentioned, when they flow in. No one can see and know that these arcana are contained in these words, except from the internal sense, and at the same time from the spiritual world.
[7] In the same:
"The palace shall be a wilderness; the multitude of the city shall be forsaken; a summit and a beacon tower shall be upon the caves even for ever, a joy of wild asses and a pasture of flocks" (32:14).
By these words is described the total vastation of the church where there is no longer any good of life and truth of doctrine. No one, however, can know what those things involve, but him who knows the state of things in the spiritual world, and at the same time the internal sense. The devastation of the whole church is meant by, "The palace shall be a wilderness, and the multitude of the city forsaken." A palace signifies the whole church as to truths from good, and a wilderness signifies [where there is] no good because no truth; hence by, the palace shall be a wilderness, is signified the church devastated. The multitude of the city signifies all the truths of doctrine, for a city denotes doctrine, and multitude is said of truths, which are called forsaken when they do not exist. That a summit and a beacon tower shall be upon the caves for ever, signifies that the church shall no longer exist with them, because there is nothing but evil of life and falsity of doctrine. Caves signify such things, because such persons dwell in caves, as said above; and because such persons dwell in deep places in the spiritual world, and are covered above by summits and beacon towers, thus hidden from those who dwell upon lands there, therefore it is not only said that "a summit and a beacon tower shall be upon the caves," but also that [they shall be] "a joy of wild asses and a pasture of flocks." In that world also there are many hells in deep places altogether hidden by the earths, rocks, and hills above, or by summits and beacon towers, where there is grass, like a pasture for flocks; whence it is that they are unknown to those who dwell there upon the land. A joy of wild asses also signifies the affection or love of falsities, and a pasture of flocks, the nourishment of evils from falsities; and both the devastation of truth by falsities. From these things it may be seen what all arcanum lies hid in these words.
[8] In Jeremiah:
"Is this house, upon which my name is named, become a den of robbers?" (325; that to be called signifies the same as above; [by] to name my name upon them, in the Arcana Coelestia. n. 3421.)
[9] In Isaiah:
"The sucking child shall play on the hole of the adder, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the den of the basilisk" (430, 3183; and what adders and other poisonous serpents signify, n. 9013.)
[10] In Jeremiah:
"Take the girdle that thou hast bought thee, which is upon thy loins, and arise and go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock."
That he also did this:
And afterwards at the end of many days, he went there, and took it again, "and lo the girdle was marred, and was profitable for nothing" (Jeremiah 13:4-17).
By this was represented the quality of the Jewish Church, that it was without all good of life and truth of doctrine. For the girdle upon the loins of the prophet signified the conjunction of the Lord with the church by means of the Word; by Euphrates is signified the all of the church as to good, here, as to evil; and by the rock, the all of the church as to truth, here, as to falsity, for it is said, a hole of the rock. That the girdle was marred, so as to be profitable for nothing, signified that there was not any conjunction whatever of the church with the Lord, consequently, that there was no church.
[11] The same is signified by a cave in the prophetical parts of the Word as in the historical parts; for the historical parts of the Word equally with the prophetical parts of the Word contain an internal sense. Thus it is recorded of Lot, that after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire,
He dwelt in a cave of the mountain, with his two daughters, who made him drunk, and lay with him; whence were born Moab and Ammon (Genesis 19:30-33 at the end).
By this was represented and signified the same as by Moab and Ammon in the Word, for by Moab is signified the adulteration of the good of the church, and by Ammon the falsification of the truth of the church (as may be seen, n. 18:6-30), are signified various kinds of adulterations and falsifications of good and truth. And hence it is, that Lot is then called a dweller in a cave; such abominable [wickedness] also is signified here by a cave of the mountain. In the book of Judges it is said:
The sons of Israel did evil in the eyes of Jehovah: and therefore they were delivered into the hand of Midian. And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of Midian they made for themselves dens in the mountains, and caverns, and stronghold (6:1, 2).
By the evil which the children of Israel did, is meant the perversion of good and truth, as is evident from the following verses there, and also from the signification of Midian (see n. 3242); on account of whom they made for themselves dens in the mountains, and caverns; for the sons of Israel were possessed by the evil which is signified by Midian; for, because of Midian, signifies, on account of that evil. Similar was the case when the sons of Israel fled on account of the Philistines (1 Sam. 13:6).
410. Hid themselves in caves and in the rocks of the mountains, signifies truths and goods destroyed by evils of life and falsities therefrom. This is evident from the signification of "hiding themselves," as meaning that they were lost, namely, internal and external goods and truths, or those in the natural and in the spiritual man, which are signified by "the kings of the earth," "the great ones," "the rich," "the commanders of thousands," "the mighty," and by "every servant and every freeman," as has been shown above. From this it follows that "they hid themselves" signifies that these were lost, the things lost being also in a hidden place. It is evident also from the signification of "caves," as meaning evils of life (of which presently); and from the signification of "the rocks of the mountains," as meaning the falsities therefrom; for "rocks" signify the truths of faith, and in the contrary sense the falsities of faith, here the falsities from evils, for "mountains" signify evils springing from the loves of self and of the world (as was shown just above, n. 405). But on the signification of "rocks" see in the article immediately following; here the signification of "caves" will be treated of.
[2] It was said above that in the spiritual world there are mountains, hills, rocks, valleys, and lands, as on our globe, and that angels and spirits dwell on them; but yet in the spiritual world they have a different appearance; upon the mountains those dwell who are in the greatest light, below these on the same mountain those dwell who are in less light, and beneath these those who are in still less, and in the lowest parts those dwell who are in darkness and thick darkness as compared to the light the higher ones have; accordingly the heavens are in the higher part of the mountains, and the hells are in the lowest parts, thus the expanses of the mountains succeed each other as strata. This is so in order that the lower may be governed by the Lord through the higher; for the Lord flows in immediately from Himself into all things of the spiritual world, and mediately through the higher heavens into the lower, and through these into the hells. The reason for this arrangement is that all may be held in connection by influx; such a coordinate and subordinate arrangement exists through the whole spiritual world. Into the hells, which are under the mountains and in the rocks, entrances lie open either in the lowest parts of their sides or through caverns from the valleys; and the entrances in the lower parts of the sides appear like entrances into caves where there are wild beasts, altogether dark; these are opened when infernal spirits are let in, but are shut when they have been let in. These entrances are called in the Word "the gates of hell." But among the rocks these entrances appear like clefts in a cliff, and in some places like holes with various openings. The darkness in these gates or doors appears densely dark to good spirits and angels, but as if luminous to evil spirits; the reason is that there is no light of heaven there, but a fatuous lumen, which is natural lumen apart from the spiritual. The light of those there is not like the light [luminosum] of the world in the daytime, but like the nocturnal light that is suitable for owls, moles, birds of night, and bats, which see nothing in the light of day, and therefore the light of day is thick darkness to them, while the darkness of the night is their light. Their sight is such because it is formed of falsities and evils, which in themselves are darkness and thick darkness; for this reason "darkness" in the Word signifies falsities of every kind, and "thick darkness" the falsities of evil. From this it can be seen what is signified by "they hid themselves in caves," that is, in evils of life, the goods in them having been destroyed. Evils of life are signified by "caves" for the same reason that "mountains" signify the goods of life, namely, because those who are in them are such; for the spiritual sense is concerned solely with evils or with goods regarded apart from places and persons, that is, with the kinds of evils or goods in the places and in the persons, as has also been several times said above.
[3] From this it can be seen what is signified in the Word by "caves," "caverns," "hollows," "holes," "clefts," and "chinks of rocks and mountains," in the following passages. In Isaiah:
Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for the dread of Jehovah and for the glory of His magnificence. For there shall be a day of Jehovah of Hosts upon everyone that is proud and exalted, and upon everyone that is lifted up, and that is brought low; and upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are exalted and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, and upon all the exalted mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fenced wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all images of desire; that the haughtiness of man [hominis] may be bowed down, and the loftiness of men [virorum] be brought low, and Jehovah alone be exalted in that day. And the idols shall go away into smoke. And they shall enter into the caves of the rocks, and into the clefts of the dust, for dread of Jehovah and for the glory of His magnificence when He shall arise to terrify the earth. In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold which they made for themselves to bow down to the moles and to the bats, to go into the rents of the rocks and into the clefts of the cliffs (405); "tower" and "wall" signify the falsities of doctrine confirmed, "the ships of Tarshish" and "the images of desire" signify the knowledges and perceptions of falsity from evil; their worship from evils and falsities is signified by "the idols which they made for themselves, to bow down to the moles and the bats;" worship from such things as are from self-intelligence is signified by "the idols which they made for themselves to bow down unto;" the evils and falsities of doctrine from which such worship springs are signified by "moles and bats," because these have sight in the dark and shun the light; judgment upon such is described by "they shall enter into the caves of the rocks and into the clefts of the dust," also "into the rents of the rocks and into the clefts of the cliffs;" "to enter into the caves of the rocks and into the clefts of the dust" signifies the damnation of those who are in evils and falsities from the loves of self and of the world, and from the pride of self-intelligence; for the hells of such appear as caves in rocks, and the entrances into them as rents in rocks and clefts in cliffs; "rocks" and "cliffs" signifying the falsities of faith and doctrine, and "dust" signifying what is damned.
[4] In Jeremiah:
Thy horror hath deceived thee, the presumption of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the holes of the cliff, that holdest the height of the hill; if thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the eagle, thence would I cast thee down (Jeremiah 49:16).
This is said of Esau and Edom; and "Esau" here signifies the love of self and the evil therefrom destroying the church, and "Edom" the pride of self-intelligence and the falsity therefrom destroying the church. That the love of self and such pride are meant is evident from its being said "the presumption of thine heart hath deceived thee; if thou shouldst make thy nest as high as the eagle, thence would I cast thee down." Those who are in falsities from self-intelligence dwell in rocks below, and the ways of approach to them appear like holes therein. These have also been seen by me. Within, however, there are rooms hollowed out and arched chambers where they sit in their fantasies. But before they are cast into these they are seen on mountains and hills, for they raise themselves into high places by fantasies, and as they are not in truths they think they are there bodily, and yet bodily they are in the caves of the rocks; this, therefore, is what is meant by "dwelling in the holes of the rocks, and holding the height of the hill." This makes clear the nature of the Word, namely, that in many places it conforms to the aspects and appearances in the spiritual world, which are unknown to man but known to spirits and angels; from which it is evident that the Word is written for them also.
[5] In Obadiah:
The presumption of thy heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the cliff, in the height of thy seat; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the earth? Though thou shalt mount on high like the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, I will bring thee down from thence (Obadiah 1:3-4).
This, too, is said of Edom, who signifies here the pride of learning which is from self-intelligence, and falsity therefrom destroying the church. As almost similar things are said here as above, so the signification is similar; "the clefts of the rock" signify the falsities of faith and of doctrine, because those dwell there who are in such falsities; these are compared to an eagle because the eagle from its lofty flights signifies the pride of self-intelligence; so, too, "a nest for habitation" is mentioned, and "to set it among the stars" signifies in the heights where those dwell who are in the knowledges of truth, for the knowledges of truth are signified by "stars."
In Job:
To dwell in the clefts of the valleys, in the holes of the earth, and in the rocks (Job 30:6).
Here, too, "clefts of the valleys," "holes of the earth," and "rocks" signify the falsities of evil, for the falsities of evil are here treated of.
[6] In Isaiah:
It shall come to pass in that day, Jehovah shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria, which shall come and shall rest, all of them, in the brooks of desolations, and in the clefts of the cliffs, and in all thickets, and in all courses (Isaiah 7:18-19).
This describes the church laid waste by knowledges [scientifica] falsely applied, and by reasonings therefrom, by which the very knowledges of truth from the Word are perverted; "the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt" signifies the falsity in the outermost parts of the natural man; the outermost parts of the natural man are what are called sensual things, for the natural man is interior, middle, and exterior; the interior communicates with the spiritual man through the rational, the exterior with the world through the bodily senses, and the middle conjoins the two; the exterior is what is called the sensual, because it depends upon the bodily senses, and draws therefrom what belongs to it. The falsities that are in this and from it are signified by "the flies in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt;" but "the bee in the land of Assyria" signifies false reasonings therefrom, for "Assyria" signifies the rational, and "Egypt" the knowing faculty of the natural man; and because the rational derives all it has from the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man, its reasonings are signified by "bees," for as bees suck out and derive their store from flowers, so the rational does from the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man. Here, however, "bees" signify false reasonings, because the rational gathers what belongs to it from knowledges [scientifica] falsely applied. It is from correspondences that these are likened to flies and bees; for in the spiritual world flying things of various kinds appear, but they are appearances from the ideas of the thoughts of spirits, and the noxious flying things among them are flies and bees of such a kind; "the flies in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt" have their correspondence from their springing out of the filth of rivers. It is said "which shall come and shall rest in the brooks of desolations and in the clefts of the cliffs," which signifies that the falsities of knowledges [scientifica] and of reasonings therefrom have their seats where there are no truths and where there is the faith of falsity, "the brooks of desolations" meaning where there are no truths, and "the clefts of the cliffs" where there is the faith of falsity; "in all thickets and in all courses" signifies that the knowledges and perceptions of truth are falsified by such things; "thickets" meaning the knowledges of truth, and "courses" the perceptions, and these are falsified by the above-mentioned falsities when they flow in. No one can see and know that these arcana are contained in these words except from the internal sense, and at the same time from the spiritual world.
[7] In the same:
The palace shall be abandoned, the multitude of the city forsaken, the height and the watch-tower shall be over the caves even forever, a joy of wild asses and a pasture for droves (Isaiah 32:14).
This describes the total vastation of the church, where there is no longer any good of life or truth of doctrine; yet no one can know what is involved in it unless he knows the state of things in the spiritual world, and at the same time the internal sense. The devastation of the whole church is meant by "the palace shall be abandoned, and the multitude of the city forsaken;" "palace" signifying the whole church in respect to truths from good, and "abandoned" where there is no good because there is no truth; therefore "the palace shall be abandoned" signifies the church devastated; "the multitude of the city" signifies all truths of doctrine, for "city" means doctrine, and "multitude" is predicated of truths, which are said to be "forsaken" when they cease to be; "the height and the watch-tower shall be over the caves even forever" signifies that a church shall no longer exist with them, because there is nothing but the evil of life and the falsity of doctrine; "caves" signifying such things because such persons dwell in caves, as was said above; and because such persons dwell in deep places in the spiritual world, and are covered over by heights and watch-towers, thus hidden from those who abide on the lands there, therefore it is said not only that "the height and the watch-tower shall be over the caves," but also that they shall be "a joy of wild asses and a pasture for droves." Moreover, in that world there are many hells in deep places wholly hidden by the lands, rocks, and hills above, or by the heights and watch-towers, where there is grass like a pasture for flocks; for which reason these hells are unknown to those who dwell there upon the land. "A joy of wild asses" signifies also the affection or love of falsities; and "a pasture for droves" the nourishing of evils from falsities; and both of these signify the devastation of truth by falsities. From this it can be seen what an arcanum lies hidden in these words.
[8] In Jeremiah:
Is this house, upon which My name is named, become a den of robbers? (3720; that "prayers" signify worship, see above, n. 325; that "to be called" has a similar signification as "to name My name upon them," see above, Arcana Coelestia, n. 3421.)
[9] In Isaiah:
The suckling shall play on the hole of the adder, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the basilisk's den (Arcana Coelestia 430, 3183; and what "adders" and other poisonous serpents signify, n. 9013)
[10] In Jeremiah:
Take the girdle that thou hast bought for thyself, which is upon thy loins, and arise and go to Euphrates, and hide it in a cleft of the cliff. This he also did; and afterwards at the end of many days he went there and took it again, and behold the girdle was marred and was not profitable for anything (Jeremiah 13:4-7).
This represented the quality of the Jewish Church, namely, that it was destitute of all the good of life and the truth of doctrine. For "the girdle" upon the loins of the prophet signified the conjunction of the Lord with the church by means of the Word; "Euphrates" signifies everything of the church in respect to good, here in respect to evil; and "the cliff" everything of the church in respect to truth, here in respect to falsity, for it is said "a cleft of the cliff;" that "the girdle was marred so as not to be profitable for anything" signified that there was no conjunction whatever of the church with the Lord, consequently that there was no church.
[11] "Cave" has a like significance in the histories of the Word as in the prophesies of the Word; for the histories of the Word, the same as the prophesies of the Word, contain an internal sense. Thus it is related of Lot, that after the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah:
He dwelt in a cave of the mountain with his two daughters, who made him drunk and lay with him; whence were born Moab and Ammon (Genesis 19:30-33).
The representation and signification of this occurrence is similar to that of Moab and Ammon in the Word, for "Moab" signifies the adulteration of the good of the church, and "Ammon" the falsification of the truth of the church (See Leviticus 18:6-30), signify the various kinds of adulterations and falsifications of good and truth; and this is why Lot is here said to have "dwelt in a cave;" such an abomination being signified here by "the cave of the mountain." In the book of Judges it is said:
That the sons of Israel did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and therefore were given into the hand of Midian; and because of Midian they made for themselves caves in the mountains and dens and strongholds (Judges 6:1-2).
The "evil" which the sons of Israel did means the perversion of good and truth, as can be seen from what follows there, and also from the signification of "Midian" (See 1 Samuel 13:6).
410. Absconderunt se ipsos in speluncis et in petris montium." - Quod significet illa deperdita per mala vitae et per falsa in de, constat ex significatione "abscondere se", quod sit quod deperdita sint, nempe bona et vera interna et externa, seu quae in naturali et spirituali homine, quae significantur per "reges terrae", "magnates", "divites", "chiliarchos", "potentes" et per "omnem servum et omnem liberum", ut supra ostensum est; inde sequitur quod per quod "hi absconderint se" significetur quod illa deperdita sint; quae deperdita sunt etiam in abscondito sunt: ex significatione "speluncarum", quod sint mala vitae (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "petrarum montium", quod sint falsa inde; "petrae" enim significant vera fidei, et in opposito sensu falsa fidei, hic falsa ex malis, nam "montes" significant mala ex amoribus sui et mundi scaturientia (ut mox supra, n. 405 (g-i), ostensum est); sed de significatione "petrarum" in mox sequente articulo videbitur;
[2] hic nunc de "speluncis." Supra dictum est quod in mundo spirituali sint montes, colles, petrae, valles, terrae, sicut in tellure nostra, et quod super illis habitent angeli et spiritus: sed in mundo spirituali usque est alia facies illorum; super montibus ibi habitant qui in summa luce sunt, infra illos in eodem monte habitant qui in minore luce, et infra hos qui in adhuc minore, et in infimis habitant qui in tenebris et caligine respective ad lucem quae est superioribus; proinde caeli sunt in superiore parte montium, ac inferna sunt in infimis, ita stratim succedunt montium expansa. Causa est, ut inferiores regantur per superiores a Domino; influit enim Dominus immediate a Se in omnia mundi spiritualis, ac mediate per caelos superiores in inferiores, et per hos in inferna; haec ordinatio est ob illam causam, ut omnes teneantur in nexu per influxum: talis est dispositio coordinata et subordinata per totum mundum spiritualem. In inferna quae sub montibus et in petris sunt, patent aditus vel in imis lateribus vel per cavernas e vallibus; ac aditus in imis lateribus apparent sicut aditus in speluncas ubi ferae, prorsus caliginosi, qui aperiuntur quando immittuntur infernales spiritus, at occluduntur quando immissi sunt; aditus illi in Verbo vocantur "portae inferni": in petris autem apparent aditus illi sicut fissurae in rupe, et in quibusdam locis sicut foramina variae aperturae. Caliginosum in portis illis seu ostiis apparet caliginosum bonis spiritibus et angelis, sed ut luminosum malis spiritibus; causa est quia non lux caeli ibi est, sed lumen fatuum, quod est lumen naturale absque spirituali: at luminosum illorum non est sicut luminosum in mundo interdiu, sed sicut nocturnum pro bubonibus, talpis, noctuis et vespertilionibus, quae in luce diei nihil vident, et inde illis lux diei caligo est, sed tenebrae noctis lumen; visus illorum talis est quia formatus ex falsis et malis, quae in se sunt tenebrae et caligo; quapropter etiam per "tenebras" in Verbo significantur falsa omnis generis, et per "caliginem" falsa mali. Ex his constare potest quid significatur per quod "absconderint se in speluncis", quod nempe in malis vitae, bonis apud illos deperditis. Quod mala vitae per "speluncas" significentur, est ex eadem causa ex qua "montes" significant bona vitae, nempe quia tales sunt qui ibi; nam sensus spiritualis modo spectat mala aut bona abstracte a locis et personis, qualia sunt in illis et apud illos, ut quoque supra aliquoties dictum est.
[3] Ex his constare potest quid in Verbo significatur per "speluncas", "cavernas", "cryptas", "foramina", "fissuras et rimas petrarum et montium", in sequentibus locis:
Apud Esaiam,
"Intra in petram, et absconde te in pulvere, propter pavorem Jehovae, et prae gloria magnificentiae Ipsius... nam dies Jehovae Zebaoth super omnem magnificum et altum, et super omnem elatum et humilem, et super omnes cedros Libani altas et elatas, et super omnes quercus Baschanis, et super omnes montes altos, et super omnes colles elatos, et super omnem turrim excelsam, et super (omnem) murum munitum, et super omnes naves Tharschisch, et super omnes imagines desiderii, ut deprimatur superbia hominis, et humilietur altitudo virorum, et exaltetur Jehovah solus in die illo; et idola in fumum abibunt, et intrabunt in speluncas petrarum, et in fissuras pulveris, propter pavorem Jehovae, et prae gloria magnificentiae Ipsius, quando surget ad terrendum terram: in die illo projiciet homo idola argenti et idola auri sui, quae fecerunt sibi ad incurvandum se talpis et vespertilionibus, ad intrandum in scissuras petrarum, et in fissuras rupium" (2:10-21):
haec omnia non intellecturus est quisquam nisi ex sensu interno, et nisi sciat qualis est facies rerum in mundo spirituali; nam quis absque sensu interno sciturus est quid sit quod "dies Jehovae erit super cedros Libani et quercus Baschanis, super montes et colles, super turrim et murum, super naves Tharschish et imagines desiderii?" et quid sit "incurvare se talpis et vespertilionibus?" Et quis nisi ex cognita facie rerum in mundo spirituali sciturus est quid sit quod "intrarent in petram, et absconderent se in pulvere", "intrarent in speluncas petrarum et in fissuras pulveris", tum "in scissuras petrarum et fissuras rupium"? At ex sensu interno scitur quod per illa omnia describatur status illorum qui in amore sui et mundi sunt et inde in malis et falsis tempore ultimi judicii. Quare dicitur quod "dies Jehovae erit super omnem magnificum et altum, et super omnem elatum et humilem"; "dies Jehovae" est ultimum judicium, "omnis magnificus et altus" sunt qui in amore sui et mundi; et "omnis elatus et humilis" sunt qui in amore propriae intelligentiae. Hoc describitur amplius per quod "dies Jehovae erit super omnes cedros altas et elatas, et super omnes quercus Baschanis, super omnes montes altos et colles elatos, super omnem turrim excelsam, et murum munitum, et super omnes naves Tharschisch et imagines desiderii": per "cedros Libani" et per "quercus Baschanis" significatur fastus ex propria intelligentia, fastus interior per "cedros Libani" et exterior per "quercus Baschanis"; per "montes" et "colles" significantur amores sui et mundi, et inde scaturientia mala et falsa (ut supra, n. 405 (g-i) ostensum est); per "turrim" et "murum" significantur falsa doctrinae confirmata; per "naves Tharschisch" et "imagines desiderii" significantur cognitiones et perceptiones falsi ex malo; cultus eorum ex malis et falsis significatur per "idola quae fecerunt sibi ad incurvandum se talpis et vespertilionibus", cultus ex talibus quae sunt ex propria intelligentia significatur per "idola quae fecerunt sibi ad incurvandum se", mala et falsa doctrinae ex quibus cultus significantur per "talpas et vespertiliones", quia visus eorum est in tenebris et fugiunt lucem; judicium super illos describitur per quod "intrabunt in speluncas petrarum et in fissuras pulveris", tum "in scissuras petrarum et in fissuras rupium", ac per "intrare in speluncas petrarum et fissuras pulveris significatur damnatio illorum qui in malis et falsis ex amoribus sui et mundi, et ex fastu propriae intelligentiae sunt, inferna enim eorum apparent ut speluncae in petris, ac aditus in illa ut scissurae petrarum et fissurae rupium; "petrae" et "rupes" etiam significant falsa fidei et doctrinae, ac "pulvis" significat damnatum.
[4] Apud Jeremiam,
"Terror tuus decepit te, superbia cordis tui, habitans in foraminibus petrarum, tenens altitudinem collis; si exaltares sicut aquila nidum tuum, inde dejicerem te" (49:16):
haec dicta sunt de Esavo et Edomo, et per "Esavum" hic significatur amor sui et inde malum perdens ecclesiam, et per "Edomum" fastus propriae intelligentiae et inde falsum perdens ecclesiam: quod amor sui et fastus ille intelligatur, patet ex eo, quod dicatur, "Superbia cordis tui decepit te;... si exaltares sicut aquila nidum tuum, inde dejicerem te." Illi qui in falsis ex propria intelligentia sunt infra in petris habitant, et aditus ad illos apparent sicut foramina ibi, quae etiam mihi quoque visa sunt; intus tamen sunt cellae lacunatae et camerae, ubi sedent in phantasiis suis; sed antequam illuc injiciuntur, apparent illi supra montes et colles, evehunt enim se in altitudines per phantasias; et quia non in veris sunt, putant quod corpore ibi sint, cum tamen corpore sunt in cavernis petrarum: hoc itaque est quod intelligitur per "habitans in foraminibus petrarum, tenens altitudinem collis." Inde constat quale est Verbum, quod nempe multis in locis secundum facies et apparentias in mundo spirituali ignotas homini, sed notas spiritibus et angelis; ex quo patet quod Verbum etiam sit pro illis scriptum.
[5] Apud Obadiam,
"Superbia cordis tui decepit te, qui habitans in fissuris petrae, altitudine sedis tuae, qui dicit corde suo, Quis detrahet me in terram? Si exaltaveris te sicut aquila, et si inter stellas ponis nidum tuum, inde detraham te" (vers. 3 [, [4]):
haec quoque de Edomo, per quem hic significatur fastus eruditionis quae est ex propria intelligentia, et inde falsum perdens ecclesiam. Quia paene similia hic dicuntur ut mox supra, etiam similia significantur: per "scissuras petrae" significantur falsa fidei et doctrinae, quoniam ibi habitant qui in illis; comparantur aquilae, quia per "aquilam", ex volatu in altis, significatur fastus propriae intelligentiae; ex eo etiam dicitur "nidus pro habitatione"; "ponere illum inter stellas" significat in altis ubi habitant qui in cognitionibus veri, nam per "stellas" significantur cognitiones veri.
Apud Hiobum,
"In fissura vallium ad habitandum, in foraminibus terrae et petris" (30:6):
etiam hic per "fissuras vallium", "foramina terrae", et "petras" significantur falsa mali, agitur enim ibi de falsis mali.
[6] Apud Esaiam,
"Fiet in die illo, sibilabit Jehovah muscae quae in extremitate fluviorum Aegypti, et api quae in terra Aschuris, quae venient et quiescent omnes in fluviis desolationum et in fissuris petrarum, et in omnibus virgultis et in omnibus ductibus" (7:18, 19):
ita describitur ecclesia vastata per scientifica false applicata et per ratiocinia inde, per quae ipsae cognitiones veri ex Verbo pervertuntur. "Musca in extremitate fluviorum Aegypti" significat falsum in extremis naturalis hominis: extrema naturalis hominis sunt quae vocantur sensualia; est enim naturalis homo interior, medius et exterior; interior communicat cum spirituali homine per rationale, exterior autem cum mundo per sensus corporis, ac medius conjungit utrumque; exterior est qui vocatur sensualis quia a sensibus corporis pendet et sua haurit; falsa ibi et inde significantur per "muscas in extremitate fluviorum Aegypti." Per "apem" autem "in terra Aschuris" significantur ratiocinia falsa inde; per "Aschurem" enim significatur rationale, et per "Aegyptum" scientificum naturalis hominis; et quia rationale omne suum haurit ex scientificis naturalis hominis, inde ratiocinia ejus significantur per "apes", quia apes exsugunt et trahunt sua ex floribus, ita rationale ex scientificis naturalis hominis; hic autem per "apes" significantur ratiocinia falsa, quia rationale colligit sua ex scientificis false applicatis: quod illa assimilentur muscis et apibus, est etiam ex correspondentia, apparent enim in mundo spirituali varii generis volatilia, sed sunt apparentiae ex ideis cogitationum spirituum, et volatilia noxia inter illa sunt talis generis muscae et apes; "muscae in extremitate fluviorum Aegypti", trahunt correspondentiam ex enascentia eorum ex foetore fluviorum. Quod dicatur quod "venient et quiescent in fluviis desolationum et in fissuris petrarum" significat quod falsa scientificorum et inde ratiociniorum resideant ubi nulla vera sunt et ubi fides falsi; "fluvii desolationum" sunt ubi nulla vera, et "fissurae petrarum" ubi fides falsi: quod "in omnibus virgultis et in omnibus ductibus" significat quod per illa falsificatae sint cognitiones et perceptiones veri; "virgulta" sunt cognitiones veri, et "ductus" sunt perceptiones, quae falsificantur ex falsis supra memoratis dum influunt. Quod haec arcana illis verbis insint, nemo nisi ex sensu interno, et simul ex mundo spirituali, videre et scire potest.
[7] Apud eundem,
"Palatium erit desertum, multitudo urbis derelicta, clivus et specula erunt super speluncis in aeternum usque, gaudium onagrorum et pascuum gregum" (32:14):
per haec describitur ecclesiae vastatio totalis, ubi non amplius aliquod bonum vitae ac verum doctrinae; sed usque nemo scire potest quid illa involvunt, nisi qui scit statum rerum in mundo spirituali, et simul sensum internum. Devastatio totius ecclesiae intelligitur per "Palatium erit desertum, et multitudo urbis derelicta"; "palatium" significat totam ecclesiam quoad vera ex bono, ac "desertum" significat non bonum quia non verum; inde "palatium erit desertum" significat ecclesiam devastatam: "multitudo urbis" significat omnia vera doctrinae, "urbs" enim est doctrina, et "multitudo" dicitur de veris, quae "derelicta" dicuntur quando non sunt: quod "clivus et specula erunt super speluncis in aeternum usque" significat quod amplius nulla ecclesia apud illos erit, quia non nisi quam malum vitae ex falsum doctrinae; "speluncae" significant illa ex causa quia tales habitant in speluncis, ut supra dictum est; et quia tales in mundo spirituali in profundis habitant, et supra teguntur a clivis et speculis, ita absconditi ab illis qui supra terris ibi commorantur; ideo non modo dicitur quod "clivus et specula erunt super speluncis", sed etiam quod "gaudium onagrorum et pascuum gregum"; in illo mundo etiam sunt inferna plura in profundis prorsus abscondita per terras, petras et colles supra, seu per clivos et speculas, ubi gramen sicut pascuum gregibus; unde fit quod ignota sint habitantibus super terra ibi: "gaudium onagrorum" etiam significat affectionem seu amorem falsorum, ac "pascuum gregum" nutritionem mali ex falsis, ac utrumque devastationem veri per falsa: ex his videri potest quodnam arcanum in his Verbis latet.
[8] Apud Jeremiam,
"Num spelunca latronum facta est domus haec, super qua nominatur nomen meum?" (7:11):
per "speluncam latronum" significatur malum vitae ex falsis doctrinae, et per "domum super qua nominatur nomen meum" significatur ecclesia ubi cultus ex bonis vitae per vera doctrinae; "domus" est ecclesia, "nomen Jehovae" est omne per quod colitur, ita bonum et verum, hoc doctrinae et illud vitae: quod ecclesia ubi malum vitae ex falsis doctrinae dicatur "spelunca latronum", est quia "spelunca" significat illud, et "latrones" dicuntur qui furantur ex Verbo vera, ac illa pervertunt et applicant falsis et malis, et sic exstinguunt illa. Ex his patet quid intelligitur per Domini verba apud Evangelistas,
"Scriptum est quod domus mea domus precum vocabitur, vos autem fecistis eam speluncam latronum" (Matthaeus 21:13; Marcus 11:17; Luca 19:46):
per "domum" ibi in universali sensu significatur ecclesia; et quia in Templo Hierosolymae peragebatur cultus, ideo vocatur "domus precum."
(Quod "Templum" significet ecclesiam, videatur n. 3720; quod "preces" significent cultum, supra, n. 325; quod "vocari" significet simile quod supra "nominare nomen meum super illa", in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 3421.)
[9] Apud Esaiam,
"Ludet sugens super foramine viperae, et super speluncam basilisci ablactatus manum suam impellet" (11:8):
haec nec intelliguntur, nisi ex illis, quae in mundo spirituali apparent, sciatur quid "foramen viperae" et quid "spelunca basilisci": supra dictum est quod aditus ad inferna appareant sicut foramina in petras, et sicut hiatus patentes ad speluncas quales sunt feris in silvis; illi qui inibi sunt, dum spectantur in luce caeli, apparent sicut monstra varii generis, et quoque sicut ferae; illi qui in infernis sunt ubi tales qui contra innocentiam dolose agunt, apparent sicut viperae, et illi qui contra bonum amoris sicut basilisci; et quia "sugens" seu infans lactens significat bonum innocentiae, ideo dicitur, "Ludet sugens super foramine viperae"; et quia "ablactatus" seu infans cessans lactare significat bonum amoris, ideo dicitur, "et super speluncam basilisci ablactatus manum suam impellet"; inde per illa significatur quod illis qui in bono innocentiae ac in bono amoris in Dominum sunt, prorsus nihil timoris sit a malis et falsis, quae ab inferno, quia tuti a Domino. (Quod per "infantes" in Verbo significetur bonum innocentiae, et quoque per "lactantes", videatur n. 430, 3183: quid "viperae", et quid serpentes alii venenati significant, n. 9013.)
[10] Apud Jeremiam,
"Sume cingulum quod emisti tibi, quod super lumbis tuis, et surge et abi ad Euphratem, et absconde illud in foramine petrae": quod etiam fecit; et postea a fine dierum multorum abiit et recepit id ibi, "et ecce corruptum erat, et non proderat ad quicquam" (13:4-7):
per haec repraesentabatur qualis Ecclesia Judaica erat, quod nempe absque omni bono vitae et vero doctrinae: "cingulum" enim super lumbis Prophetae significabat conjunctionem Domini cum ecclesia per Verbum; per "Euphratem" significatur omne ecclesiae quoad bonum, ibi quoad malum; et per "petram" omne ecclesiae quoad verum, ibi quoad falsum, nam dicitur "foramen petrae": quod "cingulum corruptum esset ut non prodesset ad quicquam" significabat quod prorsus non aliqua conjunctio ecclesiae cum Domino, proinde quod non ecclesia.
[11] Simile quod per "Speluncam" in propheticis Verbi, etiam per illam in historicis Verbi, significatur; nam historicis Verbi aeque ac propheticis Verbi sensus internus inest:Ut quod memoratur de Lotho, quod post combustionem Sodomae et Gomorrhae
Habitaverit in spelunca montis cum duabus filiabus suis, quae inebriaverunt illum, et cubuerunt cum illo; unde nati sunt Moab et Ammon (Genesis 19:30-33):
per haec repraesentatum et significatum est simile quod per Moabum et Ammonem in Verbo, per "Moabum" enim significatur adulteratio boni ecclesiae, et per "Ammonem" falsificatio veri ecclesiae (videatur n. 2468, 8315); per "adulteria" enim et per "scortationes" significantur in genere adulterationes boni et falsificationes veri (videatur supra, n. 141, 161); et per varia genera adulteriorum et scortationum (quae recensentur Leviticus 18:6-30), significantur varia genera adulterationum et falsificationum boni et veri; et inde est quod Lothus tunc dicatur commoratus in spelunca: tale etiam nefandum per "speluncam montis" ibi significatur. In Libro Judicum dicitur
Quod filii Israelis fecerint malum in oculis Jehovae, et quod ideo dati sint in manum Midianis, et quod propter Midianem fecerint sibi speluncas in montibus et antra et munitiones (6:1, 2):
per "malum", quod filii Israelis fecerunt, intelligitur perversio boni et veri, ut constare potest ex sequentibus ibi, et quoque ex significatione "Midianis" (videatur n. 3242), propter quem fecerunt sibi speluncas in montibus et antra; a malo enim quod per "Midianem" significatur, erant filii Israelis occupati; nam "propter Midianem" significat propter illud malum. Similiter cum filii Israelis fugerunt propter Philisthaeos (1 Samuelis 13:6).