357# “弓”表示争战的教义，或一个人与邪恶和虚假争战所用的教义；“箭”、“枪”和“矛”表示作战的教义真理，这一点可从以下经文看出来。撒迦利亚书：
我必剪除以法莲的战车和耶路撒冷的战马，战争的弓也必剪除，但祂必向列族讲和平。你们被囚而有指望的人，都要转回堡垒；我要为我拉弯犹大，用弓充满以法莲；锡安哪，我要激发你的众子，因为耶和华必显现在他们以上，祂的箭必射出像闪电；主耶和华必吹角，乘南方的旋风而行。(撒迦利亚书9:10, 12–14)
这论述了犹太教会的荒废，和一个教会在外邦人当中的建立。犹太教会的荒废由“我必剪除以法莲的战车和耶路撒冷的战马，战争的弓也必剪除”来描述，这句话表示教义里面将不再有任何真理，也不再有对真理的任何理解，因而不再有与虚假的争战，或对虚假的抵制；“战车”表示真理之教义，“马”表示对真理的理解，“战争的弓”表示从教义与虚假的争战；之所以说“战争的弓”，是因为所表示的是争战的教义。“以法莲”表示对真理的理解方面的教会，“耶路撒冷”表示教义方面的教会。教会在外邦人当中的建立由这些话来表示，“但祂必向列族讲和平。你们被囚而有指望的人，都要转回堡垒；我要为我拉弯犹大，使以法莲如满弓；锡安哪，我要激发你的众子”，这些话表示教会要在那些处于对主之爱的良善和由此而来的真理之人当中建立，“和平”表示那良善，“犹大”表示那些处于那良善的人，“以法莲”表示那些处于对来自它的真理的理解之人；故经上论到以法莲说“祂要用弓充满以法莲”，也就是用真理的教义充满。他们在真理上的光照由这些话来描述，“祂的箭必射出像闪电；主耶和华必吹角，乘南方的旋风而行”；“必射出像闪电的箭”表示被光照的真理，因而表示来自爱之良善的真理；“祂必吹角”表示对良善的清晰感知，“南方的旋风”表示对真理的清晰理解，“南方”表示真理之光。这论述了主，因而论述了这些事物来自主。
摩西五经：
约瑟是多结果者之子，是泉旁多结果者之子，女儿啊，她爬到墙上；她们苦害他，向他射箭，弓箭手仇恨他。约瑟要坐在他弓的力量里，他的手臂因雅各的大能者之手而强壮；以色列的牧者、石头是从那里而出的。(创世记49:22–24)
“约瑟”在至高意义上表示属灵国度方面的主。天堂有两个国度：一个被称为属天国度，一个被称为属灵国度；关于犹大的预言描述了属天国度，此处关于约瑟的预言则描述了属灵国度。那些在主的属天国度的人处于对主之爱的良善，这良善被称为属天良善；那些在主的属灵国度的人处于对邻之爱的良善，因而处于真理；正因一切真理都通过属灵国度从主发出，所以约瑟才被称为“多结果者之子，是泉旁多结果者之子”，“多结果者”表示属灵良善，也就是仁之良善，“(儿)子”表示来自那良善的真理，“泉”表示圣言；与邪恶和虚假的争战由“女儿们苦害他，向他射箭，弓箭手仇恨他”来描述，“女儿们”表示那些处于邪恶，并想利用虚假摧毁良善的人；“她们射箭”表示那些利用邪恶来攻击的人，仇恨他的“弓箭手”表示那些利用虚假来攻击的人。主战胜他们由这些话来表示，“约瑟要坐在他弓的力量里，他的手臂因雅各的大能者之手而强壮；以色列的牧者、石头是从那里而出的”；“坐在弓的力量里”表示要处于纯正真理的教义，“他的手臂因雅各的大能者之手而强壮”表示他们从主所拥有的能力，“手臂”表示能力，“雅各的大能者”表示主，主也因来自祂的仁和由此而来的信之教义而被称为“以色列的牧者、石头”。“约瑟”在至高意义上表示神性属灵层方面的主，在内义上表示祂的属灵国度(参看《属天的奥秘》，3969, 3971, 4669, 6417节)；他还表示什么(AC 4286, 4592, 4963, 5086, 5087, 5106, 5249, 5307, 5869, 5877, 6224, 6526节)。
357b. 撒母耳记下：
大卫作哀歌，吊扫罗和他儿子约拿单，并写下来把这首弓歌教导犹大人。(撒母耳记下1:17–18)
这哀歌论述了源于良善的真理与源于邪恶的虚假的争战；因为“扫罗”作为君王在此表示源于良善的真理，在圣言中，这真理由“王”来表示(参看AE 31节)；“约拿单”作为君王的儿子，表示教义之真理；因此，他写下哀歌，“把这首弓歌教导犹大人”，这表示教导他们源于良善的真理之教义。这真理与虚假和邪恶的争战在这首哀歌中以这些话来描述：
对被杀者的血、对勇士的脂肪，约拿单的弓总不退后，扫罗的剑总不空回。(撒母耳记下1:22)
“被杀者的血”表示被征服和驱散的虚假；“勇士的脂肪”表示被征服和驱散的邪恶。这些通过源于良善的真理之教义被征服和驱散，这一点由“约拿单的弓总不退后，扫罗的剑总不空回”来表示，“约拿单的弓”表示教义，“扫罗的剑”表示源于良善的真理。
诗篇：
神教导我的手能争战，将铜弓放在我的膀臂上。(诗篇18:34)
此处“争战”表示灵义上的争战，也就是与邪恶和虚假的争战；这就是神所教导的争战；“铜弓”表示仁之教义；神将这弓放在膀臂上，也就是使它得胜。
以赛亚书：
谁从日出之地激动了一个人，凭公义呼召他来跟随祂？谁将列族交在他面前，使他管辖列王，把他们如灰尘交与他的剑，如碎秸被他的弓射散？(以赛亚书41:2)
这论及主，以及祂对邪恶和虚假的掌管；“交在他面前的列族”表示邪恶；“使他管辖的列王”表示虚假；祂通过祂的神性真理和由此而来的教义驱散邪恶和虚假，仿佛它们什么都不是，这一点由“把他们如灰尘交与他的剑，如碎秸被他的弓射散”来表示，“他的剑”表示神性真理，“他的弓”表示教义。邪恶和虚假被驱散，仿佛它们什么都不是，这一点由“如灰尘”和“如被射散的碎秸”来表示。虽说邪恶和虚假被如此驱散，但其实意思是说，那些处于邪恶和由此而来的虚假之人在来世被如此驱散。
撒迦利亚书：
万军之耶和华必眷顾自己的羊群，就是犹大家，使他们如祂战争中威严的马。房角石从他而出，钉子从他而出，战争的弓也从他而出。(撒迦利亚书10:3–4)
这一点可见于前面论述“马”之含义的段落的解释；“战争的弓”表示从教义争战的真理。
哈巴谷书：
耶和华岂是不喜悦江河？你的怒气岂是向江河发作？你的烈怒岂是向海洋发作，好使你骑在你的马上？你的战车是拯救。你的弓全然显露。(哈巴谷书3:8–9)
这也在前面解释了；“你的弓显露”表示真理之教义必显露。
以赛亚书：
他们必从剑，从出了鞘的剑和拉弯的弓面前逃离；因战争的残酷，基达的一切荣耀都必消没，基达人的勇士之弓所余剩的人数必然稀少。(以赛亚书21:15–17)
这在灵义上论述了良善的知识即将灭亡，存留下来的很少；“基达”，也就是阿拉伯人，表示那些处于良善的知识之人，在抽象意义上表示这些知识本身。真理的知识因虚假的教义即将灭亡，这一点由“他们必从剑，从出了鞘的剑和拉弯的弓面前逃离”来表示，“剑”表示进行争战和摧毁的虚假，“弓”表示虚假的教义。良善的知识即将灭亡，这一点由这些话来表示，“因战争的残酷，基达的一切荣耀都必消没”，“战争的残酷”表示攻击，“基达的一切荣耀都必消没”表示荒废。存留下来的知识将很少，这一点由“基达人的勇士之弓所余剩的人数必然稀少”来描述，“勇士之弓”表示战胜虚假的来自知识的真理之教义。
同一先知书：
祂使我的口像利剑；祂使我成为磨亮的箭，把我藏在祂的箭囊中。(以赛亚书49:2)
这也论述了主；“利剑”表示驱散虚假的真理；“磨亮的箭”表示驱散邪恶的真理；“箭囊”表示圣言；这清楚表明“祂使我的口像利剑；祂使我成为磨亮的箭，把我藏在祂的箭囊中”表示什么，即神性真理在主里面并来自主，虚假和邪恶通过神性真理被驱散，圣言在祂里面并来自祂，这些真理则在圣言里面并来自圣言。
诗篇：
看哪，儿子是耶和华的产业；腹中的果子是祂的赏赐。勇士手中的箭怎样，少年时所生的儿子就怎样。；他们在城门口和仇敌说话的时候，必不至于羞愧。(诗篇127:3–5)
作为耶和华产业的“儿子”表示真理，通过真理才有聪明；作为祂赏赐的“腹中的果子”表示良善，通过良善才有幸福；如同勇士手中之箭的“少年时所生的儿子”表示纯真之良善的真理；由于没有任何邪恶或虚假能抵抗这些真理，所以经上说它们如同“勇士手中的箭”。纯真之良善是对主之爱的良善；由于这些真理具有这种能力，所以经上说“箭袋充满的人有福了”，此处“箭袋”与“弓”具有相同的含义，即都表示取自圣言的教义；“他们在城门口和仇敌说话的时候，必不至于羞愧”表示他们必不惧怕来自地狱的邪恶，“仇敌”表示邪恶，“城门口”表示地狱(参看《天堂与地狱》，428, 429, 538–585节)。
又：
带着兵器的以法莲诸子，就是弓射手，临阵之日，转身退后。他们不遵守神的约。(诗篇78:9–10)
“以法莲”在此和前面一样，表示对真理的理解，他的“诸子”表示真理本身；因此，他们也被称为“弓射手”，也就是与邪恶和虚假争战者。他们没有抵制这些，因为他们没有与主结合，这一点在此由“他们临阵之日，转身退后，因为他们不遵守神的约”来表示，“约”表示结合，“不遵守约”表示不照着进行结合的真理和良善生活。
357c. 从所引用的经文可以看出，“弓”表示与虚假和邪恶争战，并驱散它们的真理之教义。这就是“弓”的含义，这一点可从它的反面意义进一步看出来；“弓”在反面意义上表示与真理和良善争战，并摧毁它们的虚假之教义；“矛”和“箭”表示虚假本身。以下经文就提到了反面意义上的“弓”。诗篇：
看哪，恶人弯弓，使箭在弦上预备妥当，要在暗中射杀那心里正直的人。(诗篇11:2)
“恶人弯弓”表示他们制定教义；他们“使箭在弦上预备妥当”表示他们将看似真理的虚假应用于它；“在暗中射杀那心里正直的人”表示欺骗那些处于源于良善的真理之人；“弓”在此表示虚假之教义，“箭”表示虚假本身；“射杀”表示欺骗，“暗”表示表象，因为他们从世上的表象、从谬误，还通过应用圣言的字义来推理。
又：
恶人拔剑张弓，要打倒困苦穷乏的人。但他们的剑必刺入自己的心，他们的弓必被折断。(诗篇37:14–15)
“剑”表示与真理争战的虚假，“弓”表示虚假之教义；“打倒困苦穷乏的人”表示败坏那些处于对真理和良善的无知之人；“他们的剑必刺入自己的心”表示他们必因自己的虚假而灭亡；“ 他们的弓必被折断”表示他们的虚假之教义必被驱散，他们离世之后，这种情况也会发生；那时他们的虚假会毁灭他们，只要他们把真理应用于虚假，他们的教义就被驱散。
又：
他们磨舌如剑，用苦毒的话拉弯他们的箭，要在暗地里射杀完全人。(诗篇64:3–4)
由于“剑”表示与真理争战的虚假，所以经上说：“他们磨舌如剑。”由于“箭”表示教义的虚假，所以经上说：“他们用苦毒的话拉弯他们的箭。”“在暗地里射杀完全人”与刚才“在暗中射杀那心里正直的人”所表相同，即表示欺骗那些处于源于良善的真理之人。
耶利米书：
他们都是通奸者，一群奸诈之人，他们弯起舌头；他们的弓是谎言，他们也没有在真理上在这地得胜；因为他们从恶走向恶，也不认识我。(耶利米书9:2–3)
“通奸者，一群奸诈之人”表示那些歪曲真理和良善的知识之人，“通奸者”表示那些歪曲真理的知识之人，“奸诈之人”表示那些歪曲良善的知识之人；论到这些人，经上说：“他们弯起舌头；他们的弓是谎言。”“弓”表示虚假的原则所源于的教义，“谎言”表示虚假；所以经上还说“他们也没有在真理上在这地得胜”，也就是说，在纯正真理所在的教会中；“因为他们从恶走向恶，也不认识我”表示那些处于邪恶的生活，不承认主的人就具有这种品质。
耶利米书：
看哪，我要使一群大民族从北方之地上来攻击巴比伦；他的箭如同勇士的箭，一枝也不徒然返回。你们要在巴比伦的四围摆阵；所有拉弓的啊，你们要向她射箭，不要吝惜箭枝；使弓箭手听见攻击巴比伦的声音，所有张弓的，要在巴比伦四围安营，不要让她有人逃脱。(耶利米书50:9, 14, 29, 42; 51:3)
这描述了真理在巴比伦所表示的那些人中间的彻底毁灭；这些人把神性权柄硬性归于自己，虽承认主，却从祂那里夺走了拯救的一切权柄，从而亵渎神性真理。由于主尽可能地规定不可以亵渎纯正真理，所以这些真理从他们那里被完全夺走，他们转而充满纯粹的虚假。“来自北方之地的一群大民族”表示从地狱升上来的可怕邪恶，“大民族”表示可怕的邪恶，“北方之地”表示地狱，那里只有虚假；“他的箭如同勇士的箭，一枝也不徒然返回”表示他们必从那里充满纯粹的虚假；“你们要在巴比伦的四围摆阵；所有拉弓的啊，你们要向她射箭，不要吝惜箭枝”表示在一切教义上的毁灭；“所有张弓的，要在巴比伦四围安营，不要让她有人逃脱”表示真理在这些人中间的彻底毁灭。
以赛亚书：
我必激动玛代人来攻击他们，玛代人不注重银子，也不喜爱金子；他们的弓必击碎少年人，他们不怜悯子宫中的果子；巴比伦必像神所倾覆的所多玛、蛾摩拉一样。(以赛亚书13:17–19)
这些话也论及巴比伦，以及在巴比伦所表示的那些人中间的教会一切事物的毁灭，如刚才所述。“玛代人”表示那些视天堂和教会的真理和良善如无有的人；因此，经上论到他们说“不注重银子，也不喜爱金子”，“银子”表示真理，“金子”表示良善，两者都属教会。“他们的弓必击碎少年人，他们不怜悯子宫中的果子”表示从那里摧毁一切真理和一切良善的教义，“少年人”表示真理，“子宫中的果子”表示良善；由于他们身上的一切邪恶都来自自我之爱，一切虚假都来自那邪恶，还由于来自那里的邪恶和虚假都被判入地狱，所以经上说“巴比伦必像神所倾覆的所多玛、蛾摩拉一样”，“神倾覆”表示诅咒下地狱，“所多玛、蛾摩拉”表示来自自我之爱的邪恶，以及由此而来的虚假。这就是“所多玛和蛾摩拉”的含义(参看《属天的奥秘》，2220, 2246, 2322节)。
同一先知书：
到那日，凡种一千棵葡萄树、价值一千银子的地方，必是荆棘和蒺藜之地。人上那里去，必带弓箭，因为全地都是荆棘和蒺藜之地。(以赛亚书7:23–24)
经上如此描述教会在一切真理和良善上的毁灭；教会以前的品质，即纯正真理，也就是源于良善的真理，在那里很丰盛，由“凡种一千棵葡萄树、价值一千银子的地方”来描述，“一千棵葡萄树”表示丰盛的源于良善的真理，“一千银子”表示这些真理备受推崇，因为它们是纯正的，“银子”表示真理，“一千”表示许多，因而表示丰盛。教会在一切真理和良善上都荒废时，变成什么品质，由这些话来描述，“人上那里去，必带弓箭，因为全地都是荆棘和蒺藜之地”，“箭”表示摧毁真理的虚假，“弓”表示虚假之教义，“荆棘之地”表示源于邪恶的虚假，“蒺藜之地”表示源于虚假的邪恶；“地”表示教会。
耶利米书：
看哪，有一种民从北方之地而来，必有一大民族从地极被激动。他们拿弓和枪，性情残忍，毫无怜悯。他们的声音像海洋咆哮；锡安的女子哪，他们都骑马，如上战场的人摆阵攻击你。(耶利米书6:22–23)
这也描述了教会因邪恶之虚假而毁灭；前面解释了“北方之地而来的一种民”、“来自地极的一大民族”，以及“他们的声音像海洋咆哮”、“他们都骑马”表示什么；“他们拿弓和枪”表示他们从虚假的教义争战，“弓”表示摧毁真理的教义之虚假，“枪”表示摧毁良善的邪恶之虚假；“锡安的女子”表示教会。
同一先知书：
全地都是荒场；全城因马兵和弓射手的响声就都走逃跑；他们进入密云，爬上磐石；全城都被撇下，无人住在其中。(耶利米书4:27, 29)
这也可见于前面的解释。“马兵和弓射手的响声”表示来自虚假的推理和对真理的攻击；“弓射手”，也就是拿弓的人，是指那些从教义的虚假攻击真理的人；因此，经上说“全城逃跑”、“全城都被撇下”，“城”表示教会的教义。
以赛亚书：
祂必竖起大旗，召集远方的列族，看哪，敏捷的人必急速奔来。他的箭锐利，弓也都拉弯了；马蹄算如坚石，车轮像旋风。(以赛亚书5:26, 28)
“他的箭锐利”、“弓也都拉弯了”表示预备摧毁真理的教义之虚假。至于“远方的列族”、“算如坚石的马蹄”和“像旋风的车轮”表示什么，可参看刚才的内容(AE 355f节)，那里解释了它们。
阿摩司书：
拿弓的不能站立，脚快的不能使自己逃脱，骑马的也不能使他的灵魂逃脱，到那日，勇士中内心强壮者必使赤身者逃跑。(阿摩司书2:15–16)
此处描述了自我聪明和由此而来的信心，即他能从反对真理的虚假进行推理；“拿弓的不能站立，脚快的不能使自己逃脱”表示一个知道如何从教义和属于属世人的记忆轻松而巧妙地推理的人不能为自己的救赎提供任何东西，也不能在审判之日站立；“骑马的也不能使他的灵魂逃脱”所表相同；“到那日，内心强壮者必赤身逃跑”表示那时，因从虚假推理的能力而信靠自己的人必被剥夺一切真理；“内心强壮者”表示为此信靠自己的人，“赤身”表示剥夺一切真理。
357d. 诗篇：
神是公义的审判者，又是天天发怒的神；若有人不回头，祂必磨剑、张弓，预备妥当，又为他预备死亡的器械，使祂的箭燃烧。(诗篇7:11–13)
此处祂因恶人发怒、磨剑、张弓，预备妥当，又预备死亡的器械，使祂的箭燃烧，都被归于神；但灵义上的意思是，人向自己如此行。这些事在字义上被归于神，是因为字义是属世的，是给因这些原因而相信要敬畏神的属世人的；对他来说，敬畏作工，就像后来当他变得属灵时，爱作工一样。这清楚表明这些话表示什么，即：恶人因神发怒，他向自己磨剑、张弓，预备妥当，又预备死亡的器械，使他的箭燃烧。“祂磨剑”表示他为自己获得虚假，利用虚假与真理争战；“祂张弓，预备妥当”表示他从虚假中为自己制定反对真理的教义；“祂预备死亡的器械，使祂的箭燃烧”表示他出于地狱之爱为自己制定虚假的原则，利用这些虚假原则摧毁良善及其真理。
耶利米哀歌：
主张弓好像仇敌；祂站立举起右手，如同敌人；祂杀戮一切悦人眼目的。(耶利米哀歌2:4)
此处类似的事出于如前面所解释的类似原因也被归于主。“主张弓好像仇敌，站立举起右手，如同敌人”表示恶人向自己如此行，也就是说，他从他出于自我聪明为自己制定，并用圣言字义证实的教义来捍卫反对良善的邪恶和反对良善之真理的虚假；因为《耶利米哀歌》论述了一切良善和一切真理在犹太民族中间的荒废，因他们将圣言的字义用来支持自己的爱；此处“弓”表示由此而来的虚假之教义，“仇敌”表示邪恶，“敌人”表示虚假。因此，对真理和良善的一切理解都将灭亡，这一点由“主杀戮一切悦人眼目的”来表示，“悦人眼目的”表示属于聪明和智慧的一切事物。
摩西五经：
在我怒中有火点燃，把地及其出产尽都吞灭，连山的根基也烧着了。我要将祸患倒空在他们身上，把我的箭向他们射尽。(申命记32:22–23)
这些话在摩西之歌中，摩西之歌论述了以色列和犹太民族，描述了他们心里是什么样，即：他们没有教会的任何东西，因为他们只有来自邪恶的纯粹虚假。“尽都吞灭的地及其出产”表示教会及其一切真理和良善，“地”表示教会，“出产”表示教会的一切真理和良善。要烧着的“山的根基”表示爱之良善基于其上的真理，尤表圣言字义的真理，因为这些真理是根基。“祸患倒空在他们身上，箭向他们射尽”表示他们要充满一切邪恶和虚假。这个民族起初是何秉性，以及它如今是何秉性，可参看《新耶路撒冷及其属天教义》(248节)。
撒母耳记上：
勇士的弓折断，跌倒的人以力量束腰。(撒母耳记上2:4)
这是撒母耳的母亲哈拿的预言，该预言论述了那些属于教会的人被剥夺真理，因为他们没有对真理的属灵情感；该预言还论述了那些在教会之外的人的接受和光照，因为他们拥有对真理的属灵情感。“勇士的弓折断”表示那些属于教会的人所持守的虚假之教义如同无有；“跌倒的人以力量束腰”表示那些在教会之外的人的接受和光照；经上说那些被无知的虚假捆绑或压迫的人“跌倒”，“力量”论及源于良善的真理的能力和丰盛。
耶利米书：
看哪，我要折断以拦的弓，就是他权势的开始。(耶利米书49:35)
“以拦”表示属于属世人的知识，和由此而来的信心；他的“弓”表示知识，他从这些知识如同从教义作战；“他权势的开始”表示信心；因为知识若不服务于理性人和属灵人，毫无用处。“以拦”表示属于属世人的知识，这一点从圣言中那些提到“以拦”的经文(如创世记10:22; 以赛亚书21:2; 耶利米书25:24–26; 49:34–39; 以西结书32:24–25)可以看出来。
诗篇：
耶和华使战争止息，直到地极；祂折弓、断枪，把战车用火焚烧。(诗篇46:9)
由于“战争”表示属灵的争战，在此即虚假与真理、与属于教会的良善的争战，所以很明显“耶和华使战争止息，直到地极”表示什么，即一切争战和一切纷争，从教会的初至末，都要止息，“地极”表示教会的末或终端。“祂折弓”表示必没有教义与教义的争战；祂“断枪”表示必没有来自任何邪恶之虚假的争战；祂“把战车用火焚烧”表示虚假教义的一切都必被摧毁。
又：
在撒冷有耶和华的帐幕，在锡安有祂的居所。祂在那里折断弓弦、盾牌、剑和战器。(诗篇76:2–3)
这同样论述了主国度中的一切争战和一切纷争的止息。耶和华的帐幕所在的“撒冷”和祂的居所所在的“锡安”表示祂的属灵国度和祂的属天国度；“撒冷”表示纯正真理所在的属灵国度，“锡安”表示纯正良善所在的属天国度；“祂折断弓弦、盾牌、剑和战器”表示驱散教义之虚假与良善和真理的一切争战；“弓弦”表示教义的主要事物。
何西阿书：
到那日，我必为了他们与田野的野兽、空中的飞鸟、地上的爬行物立约；我必从这地折断弓、剑和战争；使他们安然躺卧。(何西阿书2:18)
此处论述了主的降临，以及那时祂与所有处于源于良善的真理之人的结合。“与田野的野兽、空中的飞鸟、地上的爬行物立约”表示与他们对良善的情感、对真理的情感、对他们所拥有的教会真理和良善的知识的情感结合；因为“田野的野兽”表示对良善的情感，“空中的飞鸟”表示对真理的情感，“地上的爬行物”表示对真理和良善的知识的情感。人人都能看出，此处所指的，不是野兽、飞鸟或地上的爬行物；因为与它们怎能立约呢？“我必从这地折断弓、剑和战争”表示由于与主结合，虚假与真理的争战将不复存在，“弓”在此表示教义，“剑”表示虚假，“战争”表示争战。
以西结书：
这就是我曾说过的日子；那时，以色列各城的居民必出来，点火焚烧武器，就是大小盾牌、弓箭、梃杖、枪矛，向它们点火，直烧七年。(以西结书39:8–9)
此处论述了“歌革”，“歌革”表示那些处于外在敬拜，并未处于内在敬拜的人；由于这些人
反对对真理的属灵情感，而属灵情感就是热爱真理，因为它们是真理，所以他们在教义上处于虚假，在生活上处于邪恶；因为若不通过真理，没有人能被改造，也就是从虚假和邪恶中退出。这就是为何经上说：“以色列各城的居民必出来，焚烧武器，就是大小盾牌、弓箭、梃杖、枪矛。”“以色列各城的居民”表示那些处于对源于良善的真理的情感，也就是处于对真理的属灵情感，因而处于纯正真理的教义之人；“焚烧武器”表示铲除各种虚假；“大盾牌”表示摧毁良善的虚假；“小盾牌”表示摧毁真理的虚假；“弓箭”表示教义及其虚假；“梃杖、枪矛”表示人自己的能力和信心。这些人就是那些将教会、因而救赎的一切都置于外在敬拜的人。他们要“向它们点火，直烧七年”表示这些虚假和邪恶必被完全摧毁，“七年”表示一切事物，完全和完整(参看AE 257, 300节)。
357. That a bow signifies doctrine fighting, or doctrine from which evils and falsities are fought against, and that arrows, javelins, and darts signify the truths of doctrine which fight, is evident from the following passages. In Zechariah:
"I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war shall be cut off. On the contrary, he shall speak peace to the nations. Return to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope, and I will bend Judah to me, and with the bow I will fill Ephraim, and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, for Jehovah shall appear over them, and his dart shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord Jehovih shall blow with the trumpet, and he shall go in the whirlwinds of the south" (9:10, 12-14).
The vastation of the Jewish church is here treated of, and the establishment of the church among the gentiles. The vastation of the Jewish church is described by, I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war shall be cut off; by which is signified that truth in doctrine would be no more, nor the understanding of truth, and thence no combat or resistance against falsity. By the chariot is signified the doctrine of truth; by the horse, the understanding thereof; by the bow of war, combat from doctrine against falsity. It is said the bow of war, because doctrine fighting is meant. By Ephraim is signified the church as to the understanding of truth, and by Jerusalem [the same] as to doctrine. And the establishment of the church among the nations, is described by these words, "On the contrary, he shall speak peace to the nations. Return to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope; and I will bend Judah to me, and with the bow I will fill Ephraim, and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion." By which is signified, that the church shall be established among those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in truths thence. By peace is signified that good; by Judah those who are in that good; and by Ephraim those who are in the understanding of truth thence; therefore it is said concerning Ephraim, "with the bow he will fill him," that is, with the doctrine of truth. Their enlightenment in truths is described by these words, "His dart shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord Jehovih shall blow with the trumpet, and he shall go in the whirlwinds of the south." The dart which shall go forth as lightning, signifies truth enlightened, thus truth from the good of love; He shall blow with the trumpet signifies the plain perception of good; and the whirlwinds of the south signify the plain understanding of truth, the south denoting the light of truth; the subject here treated of is the Lord, thus that those things are from the Lord.
[2] In Moses:
"The son of a fruitful one is Joseph, the son of a fruitful one near a fountain; the daughters, as he walketh upon the wall, shall embitter him, and shall shoot at him, the archers shall hate him; and he shall sit in the firmness of his bow, and the arms of his hands shall be strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob; thence is he the shepherd, the stone of Israel" (3969, 3971, 4669, 6417; and what [he signifies] besides, n. 4286, 4592, 4963, 5086, 5087, 5106, 5249, 5307, 5869, 5877, 6224, 6526).
[3] In the second book of Samuel:
"David lamented over Saul and over Jonathan his son; and wrote, For teaching the sons of Judah the bow" (31); and by Jonathan, as the son of a king, is signified the truth of doctrine; therefore he wrote the lamentation, For teaching the sons of Judah the bow, by which is signified to teach them the doctrine of truth which is from good. The fighting of that truth against falsities and evils is described in that lamentation by these words:
"Without the blood of the slain, without the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan returned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty" (verse 22).
The blood of the slain signifies falsities conquered and dispersed; similarly the fat of the mighty signifies evils. That these are conquered and dispersed by the doctrine of truth which is from good, is signified by, "The bow of Jonathan returned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty," the bow of Jonathan denoting doctrine, and the sword of Saul denoting truth from good.
[4] In David:
"God teacheth my hands war, and placeth a bow of brass in mine arms" (Psalm 18:34).
By war here is signified war in the spiritual sense, which is that against evils and falsities; this war God teaches; and by the bow of brass is signified the doctrine of charity, God places this in the arms, that is, that it may prevail.
[5] In Isaiah:
"Who raised up one from the east, whom in justice he called to his train, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? He gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow" (41:2).
These things are said concerning the Lord, and concerning His dominion over evils and falsities. By the nations which He gave before him are signified evils; and by the kings over whom he made Him to rule, are signified falsities. That he disperses the latter and the former as nothing by means of His Divine truth, and the doctrine thence, is signified by, "He gave them as dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow," his sword denoting Divine truth, and his bow denoting doctrine. That evils and falsities are dispersed as nothing, is signified by, "As the dust, and as driven stubble"; it is said that evils and falsities are so dispersed, and it is meant that those who are in evils and thence in falsities are so [dealt with] in the other life.
[6] In Zechariah:
"Jehovah shall visit his flock, the house of Judah, and shall place them as the horse of his glory in the battle. Out of him [shall come forth] the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the bow of war" (10:3, 4).
This may be seen explained in the article immediately preceding, where the signification of the horse is treated of"; by the bow of war is signified the truth fighting from doctrine.
[7] In Habakkuk:
"Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou ridest upon thy horses, thy chariots salvation? With bareness shall thy bow be made bare" (3:8, 9).
This was also explained in the preceding article; by, "Thy bow shall be made bare," is signified that the doctrine of truth shall be opened.
[8] In Isaiah:
"Before the swords shall they wander, before the drawn sword, and before the bended bow; and for the grievousness of the war all the glory of Kedar shall be consumed, and the remains of the number of the bow of the strong sons of Kedar shall be few" (21:15-17).
The subject here treated of, in the spiritual sense, is that the knowledges of good would perish, and that few would remain; by Kedar or Arabia are signified those who are in the knowledges of good, and abstractedly those knowledges themselves. That the knowledges of truth would perish by falsities and by the doctrine of falsity, is signified by, "Before the swords shall they wander, before the drawn sword, and before the bended bow." The sword denotes falsity combating and destroying, and the bow denotes the doctrine of falsity. That the knowledges of good would perish, is signified by these words, "for the grievousness of the war all the glory of Kedar shall be consumed," the grievousness of war denoting the state of assault, and all the glory of Kedar shall be consumed, denoting vastation. And that few knowledges of good would remain, is described by the remains of the number of the bow of the strong sons of Kedar shall be few. The bow of the mighty, denoting the doctrine of truth from the knowledges which prevail against falsities.
[9] In the same:
"He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; he hath made me a polished dart; in his quiver hath he hid me" (49:2).
The Lord is treated of here also; and by the sharp sword is signified truth dispersing falsity; by the polished dart truth dispersing evil; and by the quiver the Word. Hence it is manifest what is signified by, "He hath made my mouth as a sharp sword, and he hath made me a polished dart, and in his quiver hath he hid me," namely, that in Him and from Him is Divine truth, by which falsities and evils are dispersed, and that in Him and from Him is the Word, where and whence those truths are.
[10] In David:
"Lo, sons are the heritage of Jehovah; the fruit of the womb is his reward. As darts in the hand of a mighty man, so are the sons of youth. Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, when they speak with the enemies in the gate" (Heaven and Hell 428, 429, 583, 584, 685).
[11] In the same:
"The sons of Ephraim, who were armed, shooters of the bow, turned back in the day of battle. They kept not the covenant of God" (Psalms 78:9, 10).
By Ephraim here, as above, is signified the understanding of truth, and by his sons the truths themselves; therefore they are also called shooters of the bow, that is, combatants against evils and falsities. That in this case they did not resist these, because they were not conjoined with the Lord, is signified by, "they turned back in the day of battle, because they did not keep the covenant of God." Covenant denotes conjunction, and not to keep it, is not to live according to the truths and goods that conjoin. From the passages adduced it is evident, that by a bow is signified the doctrine of truth fighting against falsities and evils, and dispersing them.
[12] That this is signified by bow is still further evident from the opposite sense of it, in which bow signifies the doctrine of falsity fighting against truths and goods, and destroying them; and by darts and arrows the falsities themselves. The bow is mentioned in this sense in the following passages: In David:
"Lo, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the stringy, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart" (Psalms 11:2).
The wicked bending the bow, signifies that they frame doctrine; their making ready the arrow upon the string, signifies that they apply to it falsities that appear as truths; to shoot in darkness at the upright in heart, signifies to deceive those who are in truths from good. Bow here denotes the doctrine of falsity; arrow denotes falsity itself; to shoot denotes to deceive; and the darkness denotes appearances, for they reason from appearances in the world and from fallacies, by applying also the sense of the letter of the Word.
[13] In the same:
"The wicked uncover the sword, and bend their bow, to cast down the miserable and needy. Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken" (Psalms 37:14, 15).
By the sword is signified falsity fighting against truth, and by the bow is signified the doctrine of falsity. To cast down the miserable and the needy, signifies to pervert those who are in ignorance of truth and good. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, signifies that they shall perish from their own falsity; and their bows shall be broken, signifies that their doctrine of falsity shall be dissipated, which also is done after their departure out of the world; then their falsities destroy them, and their doctrine, so far as it concerns truths adjoined to falsities, is dissipated.
[14] In the same:
"Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their arrows with a bitter word; that they may shoot in the hiding places at the perfect (Psalms 64:3, 4).
Because a sword signifies falsity fighting against truth, therefore, it is said they sharpen their tongue like a sword; and because an arrow signifies falsity of doctrine, therefore it is said "they bend their bow with a bitter word; to shoot in the hiding, places at the perfect," signifies the same as above to shoot in darkness at the upright in heart, namely, to deceive those who are in truths from good.
[15] In Jeremiah:
"They are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men, who bend their tongue, their bow is a lie; neither in the truth have they prevailed in the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, neither have they known me" (9:2, 3).
By adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men, are meant those who falsify the knowledges of truth and good; adulterers denote those who falsify the knowledges of truth, and the treacherous those who [falsify] the knowledges of good; concerning, such it is said that they bend the tongue, and that their bow is a lie, the bow denoting doctrine whence come the principles of falsity, and a lie denoting falsity; and hence it is also said, "in the truth they have not prevailed in the earth," that is, in the church, where genuine truths are; that those are of such a quality who are in a life of evil, and do not acknowledge the Lord, is signified by, "for they proceed from evil to evil, neither have they known me."
[16] In Jeremiah:
"Behold, I cause to come up against Babel an assembly of great nations from the land of the north; their darts as of a mighty one, none shall return vain; set yourselves in array against Babel round about, all ye that bend the bow shoot against her, spare not the arrows; make the shooters heard against Babel, all that bend the bow encamp against her round about, let there be no escape for her" (50:9, 14, 29, 42; 51:3).
By these words is described the total devastation of truth with those meant by Babel; these arrogate to themselves the Divine power, and indeed acknowledge the Lord, but deprive Him of all power of salvation, and thence profane Divine truths. And because the Lord very carefully provides that genuine truths may not be profaned, therefore, those [truths] are entirely taken away from them, and they are imbued with absolute falsities instead. By the assembly of great nations from the land of the north, are signified direful evils rising up from hell; the great nations denoting direful evils, and the land of the north denoting hell, where there is nothing but falsity; by their darts as of a mighty man, none shall return vain, is signified that thence they shall be imbued with absolute falsities. By "Put yourselves in array against Babel round about; all ye that bend the bow, shoot against her, spare not the arrows," is signified also as to all doctrinals; the total devastation of truth with them is signified by "all ye that bend the bow, camp against her round about; let there be no escape for her."
[17] In Isaiah:
"I stir up against them the Medes, who will not esteem the silver, and in the gold they will not delight, whose bows will dash in pieces the young men, and the fruit of the belly they will not pity; so shall Babel be as the overthrowing of God, Sodom and Gomorrah" (Arcana Coelestia 2220, 2246, 2322.)
[18] In the same:
"In that day, every place where there were a thousand vines for a thousand of silver, shall even be for thorn-brake and bramble-bush. With arrow and with bow shall he come thither; because the whole land shall be thorn-brake and bramble-bush" (7:23, 24).
The church devastated as to all truth and good is thus described; the quality of the church before, when genuine truths, which are truths from good, were there in abundance, [is described] by there being a thousand vines for a thousand of silver; a thousand vines denoting truths from good in abundance, a thousand of silver denoting that they are most highly esteemed because they are genuine; silver denoting truth, and a thousand many, thus, in abundance. But what the quality of the church became when vastated as to all truth and good, is described by these words, "with arrow and with bow shall be come thither; because the whole land shall be thorn-brake and bramble-bush." Arrow denotes falsity destroying truth, and the bow denotes the doctrine of falsity. A thorn-brake signifies falsity from evil, and a bramble-bush evil from falsity; the land denotes the church.
[19] In Jeremiah:
"Behold, a people cometh from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be stirred from the sides of the earth. They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice resoundeth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, equipped as a man for war against thee, O daughter of Zion" (6:22, 23).
The devastation of the church by the falsities of evil is described here also; what a people from the land of the north signifies, and a great nation from the sides of the earth, also what their voice signifies which resoundeth as the sea, and their riding upon horses, was explained in the article just preceding. That they lay hold on bow and spear signifies falsity of doctrine destroying truth, and a spear the falsity of evil destroying good; the daughter of Zion denotes the church.
[20] In the same:
"The whole land is a desolation, for the voice of the horseman and of the archers the whole city fleeth; they have entered the clouds, they have ascended into the rocks, the whole city is deserted, no one dwelling therein" (4:27, 29).
This also may be seen explained in the article immediately preceding. The voice of the horseman and of the archers signifies reasonings from falsities, and assaults of the truth; the archers or those who bend the bow, denoting those who assault truths from falsities of doctrine; hence it is said the whole city fleeth, the whole city is deserted, city signifying the doctrine of the church.
[21] In Isaiah:
Jehovah "hath lifted up an ensign to the nations from far, and behold the swift one shall come quickly, his arrows are sharp, and all his bows bent; the hoofs of his horses are counted as rocks, and his wheels as the whirlwind" (5:26, 28).
By his arrows are sharp, and all his bows bent, are signified falsities of doctrine prepared to destroy truths; what is signified by the nations from far, and by the hoofs of the horses are counted like rocks, and by the wheels which are like a whirlwind, may be seen in the article just above, where they are explained.
[22] In Amos:
"He that handleth the bow shall not stand, neither the swift with his feet deliver himself; neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver his own soul. But the strong in his heart among the heroes shall flee naked in that day" (2:15, 16).
Man's own intelligence is here described, and confidence therefrom that he can reason from falsities against truths. By, "he that handleth the bow shall not stand, and the swift with the feet shall not deliver himself," is signified that he who knows how to reason readily and skilfully from the doctrine and the memory which belong to the natural man, cannot provide anything for his own salvation, or stand in the day of judgment. The same is signified by, he that rideth the horse shall not deliver his own soul. By the strong in heart who shall flee in that day, is signified that he who therefrom trusts in himself that he can reason from falsities, shall then be deprived of all truth; by the strong in heart is meant one who trusts in himself on that account, and by naked, is signified, deprived of all truth.
[23] In David:
"God is a just judge, God, who is angry all the day; if [the evil] will not return, he hath sharpened his sword, he hath bent his bow, and directed it, and hath prepared for him the instruments of death, he maketh his arrows burning" (Psalms 7:11-13).
It is here attributed to God, that He is angry with the wicked, that He sharpens His sword, that He bends and directs His bow, prepares instruments of death, and makes His arrows burning; but the spiritual sense means that man acts thus to himself. Those things are attributed to God in the sense of the letter, because that sense is natural, and for the natural man who believes that God is to be feared on account thereof; and fear with him operates as love does afterwards, when he becomes spiritual. It is therefore evident what is here signified by those words, namely, that the wicked man is angry with God, that he sharpens the sword against himself, and bends the bow and directs it, prepares the instruments of death, and makes his arrows burning. By, he sharpeneth the sword, is signified that he procures to himself falsity by which he fights against truths; by, he bended the bow and directs it, is signified that from falsities he makes for himself doctrine against truths; and by he prepareth the instruments of death, and maketh his arrows burning, is signified that from infernal love he makes for himself principles of falsity, by which he destroys good and its truths.
[24] In Lamentations:
The Lord "hath bent his bow like an enemy; he stood with his right hand as an adversary, he slew all the desirable things of the eyes" (2:4).
Here also similar things are attributed to the Lord, for a similar reason, as explained above. That He bends His bow like an enemy, and stands with His right hand like an adversary, signifies that the evil man does so to himself, that is, he defends evil against good, and falsity against its truths, from the doctrine which he has framed to himself from his own intelligence, and confirmed by the sense of the letter of the Word. For in the Lamentations the vastation of all good and all truth with the Jewish nation, on account of the application of the sense of the letter of the Word to favour their own loves, is treated of; the bow there denotes the doctrine of falsity thence; the enemy denotes evil, and the adversary falsity. That, consequently, all understanding of truth and good perished, is signified by the Lord shall slay all the desirable things of the eyes, the desirable things of the eyes denoting all things belonging to intelligence and wisdom.
[25] In Moses:
"A fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall consume the earth with her produce, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. I will empty out evils upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them" (Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248.
[26] In the first book of Samuel:
"The bows of the mighty are broken, and they who were smitten were girded with strength" (2:4).
This is a prophetic declaration of Hannah the mother of Samuel, in which the deprivation of truth with those who belonged to the church is treated of, because they had no spiritual affection of truth; also concerning the reception and enlightenment of those who were outside the church, because they had a spiritual affection of truth. That the doctrines of falsities in which those were who belonged to the church are as nothing, is signified by, the bows of the mighty are broken; and the reception and enlightenment of those who were outside the church, are signified by, they who were smitten were girded with strength; those are called smitten, who are bound by the falsities of ignorance; and strength is predicated of power and abundance of truth from good.
[27] In Jeremiah:
"Behold, I break the bow of Elam, the beginning of his power" (49:35).
By Elam is meant the knowledge (scientia) of the natural man, and confidence therefrom; by his bow is signified knowledge from which he fights as from doctrine; and by the beginning of his power is signified confidence; for knowledge avails nothing if it does not serve the rational and spiritual man. That by Elam is meant the knowledge which belongs to the natural man, is evident from those places where it is named in the Word (as Genesis 10:22; Isaiah 21:2; Jeremiah 25:24-26; 49:34-39; Ezekiel 32:24).
[28] In David:
Jehovah "maketh wars to cease even to the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear asunder; he burneth the chariots with fire" (Psalms 46:10).
Because by wars are signified spiritual combats, which are here those of falsity against the truth and against the good which belong to the church, it is hence evident what is signified by, Jehovah shall make wars to cease even to the end of the earth, namely, that all combat, and all disagreement [should cease] from the first to the last of the truth of the church, the end of the earth signifying its last. That there shall be no combat of doctrine against doctrine, is signified by, He shall break the bow; that there shall be no combat from any falsity of evil, is signified by, He shall cut the spear asunder; and that everything of the doctrine of falsity shall be destroyed, by, He shall burn the chariots with fire.
[29] In the same:
"In Salem is the tabernacle" of Jehovah, "and his dwelling place in Zion. There brake he the strings of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle" (Psalms 76:1-3).
The cessation of all combat and all dissension in the Lord's kingdom is here also treated of. By Salem where Jehovah's tabernacle is, and by Zion where His dwelling place is, are signified His spiritual kingdom, and His celestial kingdom; by Salem, the spiritual kingdom, where genuine truth is; and by Zion, the celestial kingdom, where genuine good is; and by, He shall break the strings of the bow, the shield, the sword, and the battle, is signified the dispersion of all combat of the falsities of doctrine against good and truth; the strings of the bow denoting the principal things of doctrine.
[30] In Hosea:
"In that day will I make a covenant for them with the beast of the field, and with the bird of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the ground; and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle from off the earth, and I will make to lie down safely" (2:18).
The Lord's advent is here treated of, and then His conjunction with all those who are in truths from good. By the covenant with the beast of the field, with the bird of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the ground, is signified conjunction with their affection of good, with their affection of truth, and with their affection for the knowledges of the truth and good that belong to the church; for the beast of the field signifies the affection of good; the bird of the heavens, the affection of truth; and the creeping thing of the ground, the affection for the knowledges of truth and good. That no beast, or bird, or reptile of the earth is here meant, every one sees; for how can any covenant be made with them? By, I will break the bow and the sword and the battle from off the earth, is signified that from conjunction with the Lord there shall exist no combat of falsity against truth; the bow here denotes doctrine, the sword denotes falsity, and the battle denotes combat.
[31] In Ezekiel:
"This is the day whereof I have spoken, then the inhabitants of the cities of Israel shall go forth, and they shall set on fire and burn the arms, and the shield and the buckler, with the bow and with the arrows, and with the handstaff, and with the spear, and they shall kindle a fire with them seven years" (257, 299).
357. That "a bow" signifies doctrine combating, or doctrine by which one fights against evils and falsities, and that "arrows," "javelins," and "darts," signify the truths of doctrine which fight, can be seen from the following passages. In Zechariah:
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations. Return to the stronghold, ye bound ones of hope; and I will bend Judah for Me, and with a bow I will fill Ephraim, and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, for Jehovah shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as lightning; and the Lord Jehovih shall blow with a trumpet, and He shall go in the storms of the south (Zechariah 9:10, 12-14).
This treats of the vastation of the Jewish Church and the establishment of a church among the Gentiles. The vastation of the Jewish Church is described by "I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the bow of war shall be cut off," which signifies that there would be no longer any truth in the doctrine nor any understanding of truth, and thus no combat or resistance against falsity, "chariot" signifying the doctrine of truth, "horse" the understanding of truth, "the bow of war" combat from doctrine against falsity; it is said "the bow of war" because doctrine combating is meant. "Ephraim" signifies the church in relation to the understanding of truth, and "Jerusalem" in relation to doctrine. The establishment of the church among the Gentiles is described by these words, "but he shall speak peace to the nations; return to the stronghold, ye bound ones of hope; and I will bend Judah for me, and with the bow I will fill Ephraim, and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion," which signifies that the church is to be established among those who are in the good of love to the Lord, and in truths therefrom, "peace" signifying that good, "Judah" those who are in that good, and "Ephraim" those who are in the understanding of truth from it; it is therefore said of Ephraim, "with the bow He will fill him," that is, with the doctrine of truth. Their illustration in truths is described by these words, "His arrow shall go forth as lightning; and the Lord Jehovih shall blow with the trumpet, and He shall go in the storms of the south;" the "arrow that shall go forth as lightning" signifies truth illustrated, thus truth from the good of love; "He shall blow with the trumpet" signifies the clear perception of good; and "the storms of the south" signify the clear understanding of truth, "the south" meaning the light of truth. This treats of the Lord, thus that these things are from the Lord.
[2] In Moses:
The son of a fruitful one is Joseph, the son of a fruitful one by the fountain; the daughters (she walketh upon the wall), they shall embitter him, and shall shoot; and the archers shall hate him; and he shall sit in the firmness of his bow, and the arms of his hands shall be strengthened by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob; thence is he the shepherd, the stone of Israel (Arcana Coelestia 3969, 3971, 4669, 6417; and what else he signifies, n. 4286, 4592, 4963, 5086, 5087, 5106, 5249, 5307, 5869, 5877, 6224, 6526)
[3] In the second book of Samuel:
David lamented over Saul and over Jonathan his son, and wrote, To teach the sons of Judah the bow (2 Samuel 1:17-18).
That lamentation treats of the combat of truth from good against the falsity from evil; for "Saul" as a king here signifies truth from good, for such truth is meant by "king" in the Word (See above, n. 2 Samuel 1:22).
"The blood of the slain" signifies the falsities conquered and dispersed; "the fat of the mighty" signifies evils conquered and dispersed. That these are conquered and dispersed by the doctrine of truth that is from good is signified by "the bow of Jonathan returned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty," "the bow of Jonathan" meaning doctrine, and "the sword of Saul" truth from good.
[4] In David:
God teacheth my hands war and placeth a bow of brass in mine arms (Psalms 18:34).
"War" here signifies war in a spiritual sense, which is war against evils and falsities; this is the war that God teaches; and "the bow of brass" signifies the doctrine of charity; God places this in the arms, that is, makes it to prevail.
[5] In Isaiah:
Who hath stirred up one from the sunrise, whom He hath called in righteousness to follow Him, hath given the nations before him, and made him to have dominion over kings, hath given them as the dust to his sword, and as stubble driven by his bow? (Isaiah 41:2).
This is said of the Lord and of His dominion over evils and falsities; the "nations that He gave before him," signify evils; and the "kings over whom He made him to have dominion," signify falsities; that He disperses evils and falsities as if they were nothing, by His Divine truth and by the doctrine therefrom, is signified by "He gave them as dust to his sword, and as stubble driven by his bow," "his sword" meaning the Divine truth, and "his bow," doctrine. That evils and falsities are dispersed as if they were nothing, is signified by "as dust," and "as driven stubble." It is said that evils and falsities are thus dispersed, but it is meant that those who are in evils and in falsities therefrom are thus dispersed in the other life.
[6] In Zechariah:
Jehovah [of Hosts] shall visit His flock, the house of Judah, and shall set them as the horse of His majesty in war. Out of him shall be the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the bow of war (Zechariah 10:3-4).
This may be seen explained in the preceding article which treats of the signification of "the horse;" "the bow of war" signifying truth combating from doctrine.
[7] In Habakkuk:
Was Jehovah displeased with the rivers? was Thine anger against the rivers? was Thy fury against the sea, that Thou dost ride upon Thine horses, Thy chariots are salvation? With bareness shall Thy bow be made bare (Habakkuk 3:8, 9).
This, too, was explained in the preceding article; "Thy bow shall be made bare" signifying that the doctrine of truth shall be laid open.
[8] In Isaiah:
Before the swords shall they flee away, before the drawn sword, and before the bended bow; and for the grievousness of the war all the glory of Kedar shall be consumed, and the remnant of the number of the bow of the mighty of the sons of Kedar shall be few (Isaiah 21:15-17).
This treats in the spiritual sense of the knowledges of good as about to perish, and that few will remain; "Kedar," that is, Arabia, signifies those who are in the knowledges of good, and in an abstract sense such knowledges themselves. That the knowledges of truth are to perish through falsities and the doctrine of falsity, is signified by, "Before the swords shall they flee away, before the drawn sword, and before the bended bow," "sword" meaning falsity combating and destroying, and "bow," the doctrine of falsity. That the knowledges of good are to perish is signified by these words, "for the grievousness of the war all the glory of Kedar shall be consumed," "the grievousness of war" meaning assault, and "all the glory of Kedar shall be consumed" meaning vastation. And that few knowledges are to remain is described by "the remnant of the number of the bow of the mighty of the sons of Kedar shall be few," "the bow of the mighty" meaning the doctrine of truth from the knowledges that prevail against falsities.
[9] In the same:
He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; He hath made me a polished arrow; in His quiver hath He hid me (Isaiah 49:2).
This also treats of the Lord; and "sharp sword" signifies the truth dispersing falsity; "the polished arrow" truth dispersing evil; and "quiver" the Word: this makes clear what is signified by "He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword," and "He hath made me a polished arrow, and in His quiver hath He hid me," namely, that in the Lord and from Him is the Divine truth, by means of which falsities and evils are dispersed, and that in Him and from Him is the Word, where and whence these truths are.
[10] In David:
Lo, sons are an heritage of Jehovah; the fruit of the belly is His reward. As arrows in the hands of a mighty one, so are the sons of youth. Happy is the man that hath filled his quiver with them; they shall not be ashamed when they speak with the enemies in the gate (428-429, 538-585).
[11] In the same:
The sons of Ephraim, who were armed, shooters of the bow, turned about in the day of battle. They kept not the covenant of God (Psalms 78:9-10).
"Ephraim" here, as above, signifies the understanding of truth, and his "sons" the truths themselves; therefore they are also called "shooters of the bow," that is, fighters against evils and falsities. That they did not resist these because they were not conjoined to the Lord, is here signified by "they turned about in the day of battle, because they did not keep the covenant of God," "covenant" meaning conjunction, and "not keeping it" meaning not to live according to the truths and goods that conjoin.
[12] From the passages cited it can be seen that a "bow" signifies the doctrine of truth combating against falsities and evils and dispersing them. That this is the signification of "bow" can be seen further from its contrary sense, in which "bow" signifies the doctrine of falsity fighting against truths and goods and destroying them; and "darts" and "arrows" its falsities themselves. In this sense "bow" is mentioned in the following passages. In David:
Lo, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart (Psalms 11:2).
"The wicked bend the bow" signifies that they frame doctrine; "they make ready the arrow upon the string" signifies that they apply into it falsities that appear as truths; "to shoot in darkness at the upright in heart" signifies to deceive those who are in truths from good; "bow" here meaning the doctrine of falsity, "arrow" the falsity itself; "to shoot" meaning to deceive, and "darkness" appearances; for such as these reason from appearances in the world and from fallacies, also by the application of the sense of the letter of the Word.
[13] In the same:
The wicked unsheathe the sword, and bend their bow, to cast down the miserable and needy. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken (Psalms 37:14-15).
"Sword" signifies falsity fighting against truth, and "bow" signifies the doctrine of falsity; "to cast down the miserable and the needy" signifies to pervert those who are in ignorance of truth and good; "their sword shall enter into their own heart" signifies that they shall perish by their own falsity; and "their bows shall be broken" signifies that their doctrine of falsity shall be dispersed, which also takes place after their departure from the world; then falsities destroy them, and so far as they have applied truths to falsities their doctrine is dispersed.
[14] In the same:
Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their arrow with a bitter word, that they may shoot in secret places at the perfect 1(Psalms 64:3-4).
Because "sword" signifies falsity fighting against truth, it is said, "who sharpen their tongue like a sword;" and because "arrow" signifies the falsity of doctrine, it is said, "they aim their arrow with a bitter word" "to shoot in secret places at the perfect" signifies the like as "to shoot in darkness at the upright in heart," just before, namely, to deceive those who are in truths from good.
[15] In Jeremiah:
They are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous ones, who bend their tongue; their bow is a lie, neither in the truth have they prevailed in the land; for they go forth from evil to evil, neither have they known Me (Jeremiah 9:2-3).
"Adulterers, an assembly of treacherous ones," mean those who falsify the knowledges of truth and good, "adulterers" meaning those who falsify the knowledges of truth, and "treacherous ones" those who falsify the knowledges of good; of these it is said that "they bend the tongue," and that "their bow is a lie," "bow" meaning the doctrine from which principles of falsity are derived, and "lie" meaning the falsity; it is therefore also said, "neither in the truth have they prevailed in the land," that is, in the church where genuine truths are; that those who are in a life of evil and do not acknowledge the Lord are such is signified by, "for they go forth from evil to evil, neither have they known Me."
[16] In Jeremiah:
Behold, I cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the land of the north; his arrows as of a mighty one, none shall return vain. Set yourselves in array against Babylon round about, all ye that bend the bow, shoot against her, spare not the arrows; make the shooters heard against Babylon, all that bend the bow encamp against her round about; let there be no escape for her (Jeremiah 50:9, 14, 29, 42; 51:3).
This describes the total devastation of truth with those who are meant by Babylon, who are those that arrogate to themselves Divine power, and who acknowledge the Lord, indeed, but take away from Him all power to save, and who thus profane Divine truths; and as the Lord as far as possible provides that genuine truths be not profaned, these truths are wholly taken away from them, and they are imbued instead with mere falsities. "An assembly of great nations from the land of the north" signifies direful evils rising up out of hell," "great nations" meaning direful evils and "land of the north" the hell where there is nothing but falsity; "his arrows as of a mighty one, none shall return vain" signifies that thence they shall be imbued with mere falsities thence; "set themselves in array against Babylon round about, all ye that bend the bow, shoot against her, spare not the arrows" signifies devastation in relation to all doctrinals; the total devastation of truth with such is signified by "all that bend the bow encamp against her round about; let there be no escape for her."
[17] In Isaiah:
I stir up against them the Medes, who will not esteem silver, and in gold they will not delight; whose bows will dash in pieces the young men, and they will have no compassion on the fruit of the womb; so shall Babylon be, as the overturning of God, Sodom and Gomorrah (Arcana Coelestia 2220, 2246, 2322)
[18] In the same:
In that day every place in which there were a thousand vines for a thousand of silver shall be a place of briers and brambles. With arrow and with bow shall one come thither, because the whole land shall be a place of briers and brambles (Isaiah 7:23-24).
The church vastated in relation to every truth and good is thus described; what the church had been before, namely, that genuine truth, which are truths from good, had been there in abundance is described by "in which there were a thousand vines for a thousand of silver," "a thousand vines" meaning truths from good in abundance, "a thousand of silver" meaning that these are most highly esteemed because they are genuine, "silver" meaning truth, and a "thousand" many, thus in abundance. But what the church became when vastated in respect to every truth and good is described by these words, "With arrow and with bow shall one come thither, because the whole land shall be a place of briers and brambles," "arrow" meaning falsity destroying truth, and "bow" the doctrine of falsity, "a place of briers" signifying falsity from evil, and "a place of brambles" evil from falsity; "land" means the church.
[19] In Jeremiah:
Behold, a people cometh from the land of the north, and a great nation shall be stirred up from the sides of the earth. They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no compassion; their voice resoundeth like the sea; and they ride upon horses arrayed as a man for war, against thee, O daughter of Zion (Jeremiah 6:22-23).
This, too, describes the devastation of the church by the falsities of evil; what "a people from the land of the north" signifies, and "a great nation from the sides of the earth," also what "their voice resoundeth like the sea," and "they ride upon horses" signify, was explained in the preceding article; "they lay hold on bow and spear" signifies [that they fight from false doctrine, "bow" signifying] the falsity of doctrine destroying truth, and "spear" the falsity of evil destroying good; "daughter of Zion" meaning the church.
[20] In the same:
The whole land is a waste; for the voice of the horseman and of the shooters of the bow the whole city fleeth; they have entered into the clouds, they have ascended into the rocks, the whole city is forsaken, no man dwelling therein (Jeremiah 4:27, 29).
This, too, can be seen explained in the preceding article. "The voice of the horseman and of the shooters of the bow" signifies the reasonings from falsities, and assaults upon truth; "the shooters of the bow," that is, those who hold the bow, are those who assault truths from the falsities of doctrine; therefore it is said "the whole city fleeth," and "the whole city is forsaken," "city" signifying the doctrine of the church.
[21] In Isaiah:
Jehovah hath lifted up an ensign to the nations from far, and behold the swift one shall come in haste, his arrows are sharp, and all his bows bent; the hoofs of his horses are reckoned as rock, and his wheels as a storm (355, where they are explained.
[22] In Amos:
He that holdeth the bow shall not stand, nor shall the swift of foot deliver himself, nor shall he that rideth upon the horse cause his soul to escape, but he that is stout in his heart among the mighty shall flee naked in that day (Amos 2:15-16).
This describes self-intelligence, and thus confidence from an ability to reason from falsities against truths; "he that holdeth the bow shall not stand, nor shall the swift of foot cause himself to escape," signifies that one who knows how to reason readily and skillfully from doctrine and from the memory that belongs to the natural man, cannot provide for his salvation, nor stand in the day of judgment; the like is signified by "he that rideth upon the horse shall not cause his soul to escape;" "he that is stout in his heart shall flee [naked] in that day" signifies that he who trusts in himself because of an ability to reason from falsities shall then be deprived of all truth; "the stout in heart" meaning him who trusts in himself on that account, and "naked" signifying deprived of all truth.
[23] In David:
God is a righteous judge, a God that is indignant all the day; if he turn not back He will whet His sword, He will bend His bow and make it ready, and hath prepared for him the instruments of death, He maketh His arrows burning (Psalms 7:11-13).
It is here attributed to God that He is indignant with the wicked, that He whets His sword, that He bends and makes ready His bow, prepares instruments of death, and makes His arrows burning; but in the spiritual sense it is meant that man does this in respect to himself. These things are attributed to God in the sense of the letter, because that sense is natural, and is for the natural man who believes that for these reasons God is to be feared; and with him fear works as love works afterwards, when he becomes spiritual. This makes clear what these words signify, namely, that it is the evil man who is indignant with God, that he whets the sword against himself, and bends the bow and makes it ready, he prepares the instruments of death, and makes his arrows burning. "He whetteth the sword" signifies that he acquires for himself falsity, by which he combats against truths; "he bendeth the bow and maketh it ready" signifies that from falsities he frames for himself doctrine opposed to truths; and "he prepares the instruments of death, and maketh his arrows burning" signifies that from infernal love he frames for himself principles of falsity by which he destroys good and its truth.
[24] In Lamentations:
The Lord hath bent His bow like an enemy; He hath stood with His right hand as an adversary; He hath slain all things desirable to the eyes (Lamentations 2:4).
Here, too, like things are attributed to the Lord, for a like reason as above; "He bends His bow like an enemy, and stands with His right hand as an adversary" signifies that the evil man does this in respect to himself, namely, he defends evil against good, and falsity against the truths of good from doctrine that he has framed for himself out of self-intelligence and confirmed by the sense of the letter of the Word; for in Lamentations the vastation of all good and all truth with the Jewish nation, from their applying the sense of the letter of the Word in favor of their own loves is treated of; "bow" here meaning the doctrine of falsity therefrom, "enemy" evil, and "adversary" falsity. That in consequence all the understanding of truth and good would perish is signified by "the Lord hath slain all things desirable to the eyes," "things desirable to the eyes" meaning all things that are of intelligence and wisdom.
[25] In Moses:
A fire hath been kindled in Mine anger, and it shall devour the earth and its produce, and shall set in flames the foundations of the mountains. I will empty out evils upon them; I will consume Mine arrows upon them (The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 248.)
[26] In the first book of Samuel:
The bows of the mighty are broken, but they who had stumbled have girded valor about them (1 Samuel 2:4).
This is the prophecy of Hannah, the mother of Samuel, which treats of the taking away of truth with those who are of the church, because they are in no spiritual affection of truth; also of the reception and illumination of those who are outside of the church, because they are in the spiritual affection of truth. That the doctrines of falsities that are held by those who are of the church are of no account is signified by "the bows of the mighty are broken;" and the reception and illustration of those who are outside of the church are signified by "they who had stumbled have girded valor about them;" those are said to "stumble," who are pressed by the falsities of ignorance, and "valor" is predicated of power and abundance of truth from good.
[27] In Jeremiah:
Behold, I break the bow of Elam, the beginning of his might (Jeremiah 49:35).
"Elam" means the knowledge [scientia] belonging to the natural man, and consequent confidence; his "bow" signifies the knowledge [scientia] from which as from doctrine he fights; and "the beginning of his might" signifies confidence; for knowledge [scientia] is of no avail if it does not serve the rational and the spiritual man. That "Elam" means knowledge belonging to the natural man can be seen from these passages in the Word in which "Elam" is mentioned (as Genesis 10:22; Isaiah 21:2; Jeremiah 25:24-26; 49:34-39; Ezekiel 32:24, 25).
[28] In David:
Jehovah maketh wars to cease even to the end of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear asunder; He burneth up the chariots with fire (Psalms 46:9).
Because "wars" signify spiritual combats, which are here those of falsity against the truth and against the good of the church, it is clear what is signified by "Jehovah will make wars to cease even to the end of the earth," namely, that from firsts to the ultimates of the truth of the church all combat and disagreement shall cease, "the end of the earth" signifying the ultimates of the church. That there shall be no combat of doctrine against doctrine is signified by "He shall break the bow;" that there shall be no combat from any falsity of evil is signified by "He shall cut the spear asunder;" and that everything of the doctrine of falsity shall be destroyed by "He shall burn up the chariots with fire."
[29] In the same:
In Salem is the tabernacle of Jehovah, and His abode in Zion. There brake He the strings of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and war (Psalms 76:2-3).
This treats likewise of the cessation of all combat and all disagreement in the Lord's kingdom; "Salem" where Jehovah's tabernacle is, and "Zion" where His abode is, signify His spiritual kingdom and His celestial kingdom; "Salem" the spiritual kingdom where genuine truth is, and "Zion" the celestial kingdom where genuine good is and "He shall break the strings of the bow, the shield, the sword, and war" signifies the dissipation of all the combat of the falsities of doctrine against good and truth; "the strings of a bow" meaning the principal things of doctrine.
[30] In Hosea:
In that day will I make a covenant for them with the wild beast of the field and with the fowl of the heavens, and with the creeping thing of the earth; and I will break the bow and the sword and war from the earth, and I will make them to lie down securely (Hosea 2:18).
This treats of the Lord's coming and His conjunction at that time with all who are in truths from good; "the covenant with the wild beast of the field, with the fowl of the heavens, and with the creeping things of the earth" signifies the conjunction with their affection of good, with the affection of truth, and with the affection of the knowledges of the truth and good of the church that they have; for "the wild beast of the field" signifies the affection of good, "the fowl of the heavens" the affection of truth, and "the creeping thing of the earth" the affection of the knowledges of truth and good. Everyone sees that no wild beast, or fowl, or creeping thing of the earth is here meant; for with these how could there be any covenant? "I will break the bow and the sword and war from the earth" signifies that because of conjunction with the Lord no combat of falsity against truth shall exist, "bow" here meaning doctrine, "sword" falsity, and "war" combat.
[31] In Ezekiel:
This is the day whereof I have spoken; then the inhabitants of the cities of Israel shall go forth, and they shall set on fire and burn the arms, both the shield and the buckler, with the bow and the arrows, and the hand staff and the spear, and they shall kindle a fire with them seven years (257, 300).
Footnotes:
1. "Perfect" ("integrum") as below, the photolithograph has "wicked" ("inpium").
357.
Quod "arcus" significet doctrinam pugnantem, seu doctrinam ex qua pugnatur contra mala et falsa, et quod "sagittae", "jacula" et "tela" significent vera doctrinae quae pugnant, constare potest a sequentibus his locis:
- Apud Sachariam,
"Exscindam currum ex Ephraimo, et equum ex Hierosolyma, et exscindetur arcus belli, contra loquetur pacem gentibus... Revertimini ad munimentum, vincti spei, ... et tendam Mihi Jehudam, et arcu implebo Ephraimum, et excitabo filios tuos, Zion, ... nam Jehovah super iis apparebit, et exibit sicut fulgur telum Ipsius, et Dominus Jehovih buccina clanget, et incedet in procellis meridiei" (9:10, 12-14):
agitur ibi de vastatione Ecclesiae Judaicae et de instauratione Ecclesiae apud Gentes: vastatio Ecclesiae Judaicae describitur per "Exscindam currum ex Ephraimo, et equum ex Hierosolyma, et exscindetur arcus belli", per quae significatur quod non verum in doctrina amplius, nec intellectus veri, et inde non pugna et resistentia contra falsum; per "currum" significatur doctrina veri, per "equum" intellectus ejus, per "arcum belli" pugna contra falsum ex doctrina ("arcus belli" dicitur quia intelligitur doctrina pugnans), per "Ephraimum" significatur ecclesia quoad intellectum veri, et per "Hierosolymam" quoad doctrinam: et instauratio Ecclesiae apud Gentes describitur per haec, "Contra loquetur pacem gentibus; revertimini ad munimentum, vincti spei, et tendam Mihi Jehudam, et arcu implebo Ephraimum, et excitabo filios tuos, Zion", per quae significatur quod ecclesia instauranda sit apud illos qui in bono amoris in Dominum sunt, et inde in veris; per "pacem" significatur id bonum, per "Jehudam" illi qui in illo bono sunt, et per "Ephraimum" illi qui inde in intellectu veri; quare dicitur de Ephraimo quod "arcu implebit illum", hoc est, doctrina veri: illustratio illorum in veris describitur per haec, "Exibit sicut fulgur telum Ipsius, et Dominus Jehovih buccina clanget, ac incedet in procellis meridiei"; "telum" quod "sicut fulgur exibit" significat verum illustratum, ita verum ex bono amoris; "buccina clanget" significat perceptionem boni manifestam; et "procellae meridiei" significant intellectum veri manifestum; "meridies" est lux veri: agitur ibi de Domino, ita quod illa a Domino.
[2] Apud Mosen,
"Filius fecundae Josephus, filius fecundae juxta fontem; filiae, incedit super murum; exacerbabunt eum, et jaculabuntur, et odio habebunt eum sagittarii; et sedebit in firmo arcus sui, et roborabuntur brachia manuum ejus a manibus fortis Jacobi; inde Pastor Lapis Israelis" (Genesis 49:22-25):
per "Josephum" in supremo sensu significatur Dominus quoad regnum spirituale. Sunt duo regna caeli; unum vocatur regnum caeleste, et alterum regnum Spirituale; regnum caeleste describitur in prophetico illo de Jehuda, et regnum Spirituale in hoc de Josepho. Illi qui in regno caelesti Domini sunt, in bono amoris in Ipsum sunt, quod vocatur bonum caeleste; et illi qui (in) regno spirituali Domini sunt, in bono amoris erga proximum sunt, et inde in veris; et quia a Domino per regnum spirituale procedunt omnia vera, inde est quod Josephus dicatur "filius fecundae, filius fecundae juxta fontem"; per "fecundam" significatur bonum spirituale, quod est bonum charitatis, per "filium" significatur verum ex illo bono, et per "fontem" significatur Verbum: pugna contra mala et falsa describitur per quod "filiae exacerbabunt eum, et jaculabuntur, et odio habebunt eum sagittarii; "filiae" significant illos qui in malis sunt et per falsa destruere volunt bona, illi qui per mala aggrediuntur significantur per "jaculabuntur", et qui per falsa mali per "sagittarios qui odio habebunt eum": victoria super eos a Domino, describitur per haec, "Et sedebit in firmo arcus sui, et roborabuntur brachia manuum ejus a manibus fortis Jacobi, inde Pastor Lapis Israelis", per "sedere in firmo arcus" significatur in doctrina genuini veri, et per "roborabuntur brachia manuum ejus a manibus fortis Jacobi" significatur potentia illis a Domino; "brachia manuum" sunt potentia, et "fortis Jacobi" est Dominus; qui etiam "Pastor Lapis Israelis" vocatur ex doctrina charitatis et inde fidei quae ab Ipso.
(Quod "Josephus" in supremo sensu significet Dominum quoad Divinum spirituale, et in sensu interno regnum spirituale Ipsius, videatur n. 3969, 3971, 4669, 6417; at quid praeterea, n. 4286, 4592, 4963, 5086, 5087, 5106, 5249, 5307, 5869, 5877, 6224, 6526.)
[3] In Libro Secundo Samuelis,
"Lamentatus est David... super Saule et super Jonathane filio ejus, et inscripsit, Ad docendum filios Jehudae arcum" (1:17, 18):
agitur in lamentatione illa de pugna veri ex bono contra falsum ex malo; per "Saulem" enim ut regem ibi significatur verum ex bono, nam id verum in Verbo intelligitur per "regem" (videatur supra, n. 31), et per "Jonathanem" ut filium regis significatur verum doctrinae; quare inscripsit lamentationem, "Ad docendum filios Jehudae arcum", per quod significatur ad docendum illos doctrinam veri quod ex bono. Pugna illius veri contra falsa et mala describitur in lamentatione illa per haec verba,
"Sine sanguine confossorum, sine adipe fortium, arcus Jonathanis non recessit retrorsum, et gladius Saulis non rediit inaniter" (vers. 22, ibi):
"sanguis confossorum" significat falsa victa et dissipata", adeps fortium significat mala similiter; quod haec victa et dissipata sint per doctrinam veri quod ex bono, significatur per quod "arcus Jonathanis non recessit retrorsum, et gladius Saulis non rediit inaniter"; "arcus Jonathanis" est doctrina, et "gladius Saulis" est verum ex bono.
[4] Apud Davidem,
"Deus... docet manus meas bellum, et ponit arcum aeneum brachiis meis" (Ps. 18 [33,] 35 [B.A. 32, 34):
per "bellum" ibi Significatur bellum in Spirituali sensu, quod est contra mala et falsa; hoc bellum "docet Deus": et per "arcum aeneum" significatur doctrina charitatis; hanc "Deus ponit brachiis", hoc est, dat ut valeat.
[5] Apud Esaiam,
"Quis excitavit ab oriente, quem in justitia vocavit ad sequelam sui, dedit coram Ipso gentes, et regibus dominari fecit, dedit sicut pulverem gladio suo, et sicut stipulam impulsam arcu suo?" (41:2):
haec de Domino, et de Ipsius dominio super mala et falsa, dicta sunt; per "gentes" quas dedit coram Ipso significantur mala, et per "reges" quibus dominari fecit significantur falsa; quod haec et illa per Divinum suum Verum et per doctrinam inde sicut nihili dissipet, significatur per "Dedit sicut pulverem gladio suo, et sicut stipulam impulsam arcu suo"; "gladius suus" est Divinum Verum, et "arcus suus" est Doctrina; quod mala et falsa dispergantur sicut nihili, significatur per "sicut pulverem, et sicut stipulam impulsam": dicitur quod mala et falsa ita dispergantur, ac intelligitur quod ita illi qui in malis et inde falsis sunt in altera vita.
[6] Apud Sachariam,
"Visitabit Jehovah (Zebaoth) gregem suum, domum Jehudae, et ponet eos sicut equum gloriae suae in bello; ex illo angularis, ex illo clavus, ex illo arcus belli" (10:3, 4):
hoc explicatum videatur in articulo mox praecedente, ubi agitur de significatione "equi"; per "arcum belli" significatur verum pugnans ex doctrina.
[7] Apud Habakuk,
"Num fluviis succensuit Jehovah? num contra fluvios ira tua? num contra mare excandescentia tua? quod equites super equis tuis, currus tui salus, denudatione denudabitur arcus tuus" (3:8, 9):
etiam hoc explicatum est in articulo praecedente; per "denudabitur arcus tuus' significatur quod aperietur doctrina veri.
[8] Apud Esaiam,
"Coram gladiis vagabuntur, coram gladio extenso et coram arcu tenso; et propter gravitatem ... consumetur omnis gloria Kedaris, et reliquiae numeri arcus fortium filiorum Kedaris paucae erunt" (21:15-17):
agitur ibi in sensu spirituali de cognitionibus boni, quod periturae sint, et quod paucae remansurae; per "Kedarem" seu Arabiam significantur illi qui in cognitionibus boni sunt, et abstracte ipsae illae cognitiones; quod cognitiones veri periturae per falsa et per doctrinam falSi, significatur per quod "coram gladiis vagabuntur, coram gladio extenso et coram arcu tenso"; "gladius" est falsum pugnans et destruens, et "arcus" est doctrina falsi: quod cognitiones boni periturae sint, significatur per haec, "propter gravitatem belli... consumetur omnis gloria Kedaris"; "gravitas belli" est impugnatio, et "consumetur omnis gloria Kedaris" est vastatio: et quod paucae cognitiones remansurae sint, describitur per quod "reliquiae numeri arcus fortium filiorum Kedaris paucae erunt"; "arcus fortium" est doctrina veri ex cognitionibus quae valent contra falsa.
[9] Apud eundem,
"Posuit os meum sicut gladium acutum, ... et posuit Me in telum expurgatum, in pharetra sua occultavit Me" ( 1
49:2):
agitur etiam ibi de Domino; et per "gladium acutum" significatur verum dispergens falsum, per "telum expurgatum" significatur verum dispergens malum, et per "pharetram" significatur Verbum; inde patet quid significatur per "posuit os meum sicut gladium acutum, ... et posuit Me in telum expurgatum, et in pharetra sua occultavit Me", quod nempe in Ipso et ex Ipso sit Divinum Verum per quod disperguntur falsa et mala, et quod in Ipso et ex Ipso sit Verbum ubi et unde illa vera.
[10] Apud Davidem,
"Ecce hereditas Jehovae filii, merces fructus Ventris; sicut tela in manu potentis, sic filii pueritiae: beatus vir qui implevit pharetram suam ex illis, non pudefient cum loquentur cum hostibus in porta" (Psalms 127:3-5):
per "filios" qui hereditas Jehovae significantur vera per quae intelligentia; per "fructus ventris" qui merces significantur bona per quae felicitas; per "filios pueritiae" qui sicut tela in manu potentis significantur vera boni innocentiae: quia illis veris non aliquod malum et falsum resistere potest, ideo dicitur quod "sint sicut tela in manu potentis": bonum innocentiae est bonum amoris in Dominum; quia illa vera talis potentiae sunt, ideo dicitur, "Beatus vir qui implevit pharetram ex illis"; per "pharetram" hic simile significatur quod per "arcum", nempe doctrina ex Verbo; "non pudefient cum loquentur cum hostibus in porta", significat quod nihil timoris erit pro malis ex infernis; "hostes" sunt mala, et "porta" est infernum (videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 428, 429, 583-585).
[11] Apud eundem,
"Filii Ephraimi, qui armati, jaculatores arcus, averterunt se in die proelii; non servarunt foedus Dei" (Psalms 78:9 [, [10]):
per "Ephraimum" hic ut supra significatur intellectus veri, et per "filios" ejus ipsa vera; quare etiam vocantur "jaculatores arcus", hoc est, pugnatores contra mala et falsa: hic quod non illis restiterint, quia non conjuncti Domino, significatur per quod "averterint se in die proelii, quia non servarunt foedus Dei"; "foedus" est conjunctio, et "non servare illud" est non vivere secundum vera et bona quae conjungunt.
[12] Ex allatis locis constare potest quod per "arcum", significetur doctrina veri pugnans contra falsa et mala ac dissipans illa; quod id per "arcum" significetur, constare adhuc potest ex sensu opposito ejus, in quo "arcus" significat doctrinam falsi pugnantem contra vera et bona ac destruentem illa, et per "tela" ac "sagittas" ipsa falsa ejus: in hoc sensu dicitur "arcus" in sequentibus his locis:
- Apud Davidem,
"Ecce impii tendunt arcum, praeparant telum suum super nervo ad jaculandum in tenebris rectos corde" (Psalms 11:2):
quod "impii tendant arcum", significat quod effingant doctrinam; quod "praeparent telum super nervo", significat quod inapplicent ei falsa apparentia sicut vera; "ad jaculandum in tenebris rectos corde", significat ad fallendum illos qui in veris ex bono sunt: "arcus" ibi est doctrina falsi, "telum" est ipsum falsum, "jaculari" est fallere, ac "tenebrae" sunt apparentiae; ratiocinantur enim ex apparentiis in mundo et ex fallaciis, applicando etiam sensum litterae Verbi.
[13] Apud eundem,
"Gladium nudant impii, et tendunt arcum suum ad dejiciendum miserum et egenum:... gladius eorum intrabit in cor eorum, et arcus eorum frangentur" (Psalms 37:14, 15):
per "gladium" significatur falsum pugnans contra verum, et per "arcum" significatur doctrina falsi; "ad dejiciendum miserum et egenum" significat ad pervertendum illos qui in ignorantia veri et boni sunt; "gladius eorum intrabit in cor eorum" significat quod perituri sint ex suo falso; et "arcus eorum frangentur significat quod doctrina falsi eorum dissipabitur, quod etiam fit post exceSsum eorum e mundo; tunc falsa perdunt eos, et doctrina quantum ad vera applicata falsis dissipatur.
[14] Apud eundem,
"Qui acuunt sicut gladium linguam suam, tendunt telum suum verbo amaro, ut jaculentur in latibulis 2
integrum" (Psalms 64:4, 5 [B.A. 3, [4]):
quia "gladius" significat falsum pugnans contra verum, ideo dicitur, "Acuunt sicut gladium linguam suam"; et quia "telum" significat falsum doctrinae, ideo dicitur "tendunt telum suum verbo amaro"; "jaculari in latibulis integrum" simile significat quod supra "jaculari in tenebris rectos corde", nempe fallere illos qui in veris ex bono sunt.
[15] Apud Jeremiam,
"Omnes moechantes, conventus perfidorum, qui tendunt linguam suam, arcus eorum mendacium, neque in veritatem praevaluerunt in terra, quia a malo in malum exeunt, nec Me noverunt" (Jer. 9:1, 2 [B.A. 2 3]):
per "moechantes, conventum perfidorum", intelliguntur qui falsificant cognitiones veri et boni; "moechantes" sunt qui falsificant cognitiones veri, et "perfidi" qui cognitiones boni; de his dicitur quod "tendant linguam", et quod "arcus eorum mendacium"; "arcus" est doctrina unde principia falsi, et "mendacium" est falsum; et inde quoque dicitur, "non in veritatem praevaluerunt in terra", hoc est, in ecclesia ubi genuina vera: quod tales sint qui in vita mali sunt, et non agnoscunt Dominum, significatur per "quia a malo in malum exeunt, nec Me noverunt."
[16] Apud Jeremiam,
"Ecce Ego... ascendere faciens contra Babelem congregationem gentium magnarum e terra septentrionis;... tela ejus sicut fortis, non revertetur ullum vanum... disponite contra Babelem circumcirca, omnes tendentes arcum, jaculamini contra eam, nec parcite telis:... audiri facite contra Babelem jaculatores, omnes tendentes arcum castrametamini contra eam circumcirca, ne sit illi evasio" (50:9, 14, 29, 42; 51:3):
per haec describitur totalis devastatio veri apud illos qui per "Babelem" intelliguntur, qui sunt qui Divinam potestatem sibi arrogant, et quidem Dominum agnoscunt sed deprivant Illum omni potentia salvandi, et qui inde profanant Divina vera; et quia quam maxime providetur a Domino ne genuina vera profanentur, ideo illa prorsus iis auferuntur, et loco eorum imbuuntur meris falsis: per "congregationem gentium magnarum e terra septentrionis" significantur dira mala assurgentia ex inferno; "gentes magnae" sunt dira mala, et "terra septentrionis" est infernum ubi nihil nisi falsum: per "tela ejus sicut fortis, non revertetur ullum vanum", significatur quod inde imbuentur meris falsis; per "disponite contra Babelem circumcirca, omnes tendentes arcum, jaculamini contra eam, nec parcite telis", significatur quod similiter quoad omnia doctrinalia; totalis devastatio veri apud illos, significatur per "omnes tendentes arcum, castrametamini contra eam circumcirca, ne sit illi evasio."
[17] Apud Esaiam,
"Ego excitans contra eos Medum, qui argentum non aestimabunt, et auro non delectabuntur, quorum arcus juvenes allident, et fructus ventris non miserebuntur;... sic erit Babel, ... sicut eversio Dei, Sodoma et Gomorrha" (13:17-19):
etiam haec de Babele, et de devastatione omnium ecclesiae apud illos qui per "Babelem" intelliguntur, de quibus mox supra: per "Medum" significantur qui nihili faciunt vera et bona caeli et ecclesiae; quare de illis dicitur, "qui argentum non aestimabunt, et auro non delectabuntur"; "argentum" significat verum, et "aurum" bonum, utrumque ecclesiae: per "illorum arcus qui juvenes allident, et fructus ventris non miserebuntur", significantur doctrinalia quae destruent omne verum et omne bonum inde; "juvenes" significant vera, et "fructus ventris" bona: et quia omne malum illis est ex amore sui, et omne falsum est ex illo malo, . et quia id malum et inde id falsum est damnatum ad infernum, ideo dicitur, "sic erit Babel, sicut eversio Dei, Sodoma et Gomorrha"; "eversio Dei" significat damnationem ad infernum, ac "Sodoma et Gomorrha" significant mala ex amore sui et inde falsa (quod haec per "Sodomam et Gomorrham" significantur, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 3
[18] Apud eundem,
"In die illo omnis locus in quo fuerunt mille vites pro mille argenti erit in senticetum et vepretum: cum telo et cum arcu veniet eo, quia senticetum et vepretum tota terra" (7:23, 24):
ecclesia vastata quoad omne verum et bonum ita describitur: ecclesia qualis fuerat prius, quod nempe ibi genuina vera, quae sunt vera ex bono, fuerint in abundantia, per quod "ubi fuerunt mille vites pro mille argenti"; "mille vites" sunt vera ex bono in abundantia, "mille argenti" sunt aestimatissima quia sunt genuina ("argentum" est verum, et "mille" sunt multa, ita in abundantia): qualis autem facta est ecclesia cum vastata quoad omne verum et bonum, describitur per haec, "cum telo et cum arcu veniet eo, quia senticetum et vepretum tota terra"; "telum" est falsum destruens verum, et "arcus" est doctrina falsi; "senticetum" significat falsum ex malo, et "vepretum" malum ex falso, "terra" est ecclesia.
[19] Apud Jeremiam,
"Ecce populus Veniens e terra septentrionis, et gens magna excitabitur a lateribus terrae; arcum et hastam prehendunt, crudelis illa, non miserantur; vox eorum sicut mare resonat, et super equis equitant; paratus ut vir ad bellum, contra te, filia Zionis" (6:22, 23):
describitur etiam hic devastatio ecclesiae per falsa mali; quid significat "populus e terra septentrionis", et "gens magna a lateribus terrae", tum quid significat quod "vox eorum sicut mare resonet, et quod "super equis equitent" explicatum est in mox praecedente articulo; quod "arcum et hastam prehendant" significat ( 4
quod pugnent ex doctrinali falso; "arcus" significat) falsum doctrinae destruens verum, et "hasta" falsum mali destruens bonum, "filia Zionis" est ecclesia.
[20] Apud eundem,
"Vastitas tota terra" prae voce equitis et sagittariorum fugit tota urbs; intrarunt nubes, in petras ascenderunt, tota urbs deserta, nec habitans in ea" (4:27, 29):
etiam hoc explicatum videatur in mox praecedente articulo; "vox equitis et sagittariorum" significat ratiocinationes ex falsis et impugnationes veri, "sagittarii" seu arcum tenentes sunt qui impugnant vera ex falsis doctrinae: inde dicitur "fugit tota urbs", et "tota urbs deserta"; "urbs" significat doctrinam ecclesiae.
[21] Apud Esaiam,
Jehovah "sustulit signum gentibus e longinquo et ecce cito velox veniet 5
cujus tela acuta, et omnes arcus ejus tensi; ungulae equorum ejus sicut rupes reputantur, et rotae ejus sicut procella" (5:26, 28):
per "tela ejus acuta", et per "arcus ejus tensos" significantur falsa doctrinae parata ad destruendum vera: quid significatur per "gentes e longinquo", per "ungulas equorum" quae sicut rupes reputantur, et per "rotas" quae sicut procella, videatur in mox superiori articulo, ubi explicata sunt.
[22] Apud Amos,
"Non tenens arcum consistet, neque celer pedibus suis eripiet se, neque equitans equo eripiet animam suam, sed fortis corde suo inter heroes fugiet nudus in die illo" (2:14-16):
hic describitur propria intelligentia, et inde fiducia ex eo quod possit ratiocinari ex falsis contra vera; per "tenens arcum non consistet, et celer pedibus non eripiet se", significatur quod qui scit alacriter et solerter ratiocinari ex doctrina et ex memoria quae naturalis hominis, nihil possit consulere saluti suae, et consistere die judicii; simile significatur per "equitans equo non eripiet animam suam"; per "fortem corde qui fugiet (nudus) in die illo", significatur quod qui fidet sibi ex eo quod ratiocinari possit ex falsis, deprivatus erit omni vero tunc; per "fortem corde" intelligitur qui sibi ex eo fidet, et per "nudum" significatur deprivatus omni vero.
[23] Apud Davidem,
"Deus Judex justus, Deus irascens tota die; si non reversus fuerit" malus, "gladium suum acuit, arcum suum tetendit, et direxit eum, et praeparavit sibi vasa mortis, tela sua ardentia facit" (Psalms 7:12-14 [B.A. 11-13]):
tribuitur hic Deo quod irascatur malo, quod gladium suum acuat, arcum suum tendat et dirigat, praeparet vasa mortis, et tela sua ardentia faciat, sed intelligitur in sensu spirituali quod homo ita faciat sibi; tribuuntur illa Deo in sensu litterae, quia is sensus est naturalis, et pro naturali homine, qui credit quod timendus sit Deus propterea, ac timor apud illum operatur quod amor postea cum fit spiritualis; inde patet quid hic per illa verba significatur, quod nempe malus irascatur Deo, gladium sibi acuat, arcum tendat et dirigat eum, praeparet vasa mortis, et tela sua ardentia faciat; per quod "acuat gladium" significatur quod comparet sibi falsum per quod pugnet contra vera; per quod "arcum tendat et dirigat eum", significatur quod ex falsis faciat sibi doctrinam contra vera; et per quod "praeparet vasa mortis, et tela sua ardentia faciat", significatur quod principia falsi sibi faciat ex amore infernali per quae destruat bonum et ejus vera.
[24] In Threnis,
Dominus "tetendit arcum suum sicut hostis, constitit dextra Ejus sicutinimicus, occidit omnia desiderabilia oculorum" (2:4):
hic quoque tribuuntur Domino similia ex simili causa de qua nunc supra; quod "tendat arcum suum sicut hostis, et consistat dextra Ejus sicut inimicus, significat quod homo malus id sibi iaciat, nempe quod defendat malum contra bonum et falsum contra verum ejus ex doctrina quam sibi finxit ex propria intelligentia et confirmavit per sensum litterae Verbi; nam in Threnis agitur de vastatione omnis boni et omnis veri apud gentem Judaicam propter applicationem sensus litterae Verbi ad favorem suorum amorum; "arcus" ibi est doctrina falsi inde, "hostis" est malum, et "inimicus" est falsum; quod inde perierit omnis intellectus veri et boni, significatur per quod "Dominus occiderit omnia desiderabilia oculorum"; "desiderabilia oculorum" sunt omnia quae sunt intelligentiae et sapientiae.
[25] Apud Mosen,
"Ignis accensus est in ira mea, ... et comedet terram et proventum ejus, et inflammabit fundamenta montium; evacuabo super illis mala, sagittas meas consumam in iis" (Deuteronomius 32:22, 23):
haec in Cantico Mosis, in quo agitur de gente Israelitica et Judaica, et describitur quales sunt corde suo, quod nempe apud illos nihil eccleSiae, quia mere falsum ex malo; per "terram et proventum ejus" quae comedentur, significatur ecclesia ac omne verum et bonum ejus, per "terram" ecclesia, et per "proventum" omne verum et bonum ejus; per "fundamenta montium" quae inflammabuntur, significantur vera super quibus fundantur bona amoris, in specie vera sensus litterae Verbi, quoniam illa sunt fundamenta; per "mala" quae super iis evacuabuntur, et per "sagittas" quae consumentur super iis, significatur quod imbuentur omnibus malis et falsis. (Qualis gens illa a principio fuerat, et quoque hodie est, videatur in Doctrina Jehovae Hierosolymae, n. 248.)
[26] In Libro Primo Samuelis,
"Arcus fortium fracti sunt; et qui impulsi erant robur circumcinxerunt" (2:4):
propheticum Channae, matris Samuelis, in quo agitur de deprivatione veri apud illos qui ab ecclesia, quia in nulla affectione veri spirituali, ac de receptione et illustratione illorum qui extra ecclesiam quia in affectione veri spirituali; doctrinae falsorum quae illis qui ab ecclesia quod nihili sint, significatur per quod "arcus fortium fracti sint"; et receptio ac illustratio illorum qui extra ecclesiam, significatur per "qui impulsi erant robur circumcinxerunt"; "impulsi dicuntur qui a falsis ignorantiae pressi, et "robur" dicitur de potentia et abundantia veri ex bono.
[27] Apud Jeremiam,
"Ecce Ego frangens arcum Elami, principium potentiae ejus" (49:35):
per "Elamum" intelligitur scientia quae naturalis hominis, et inde fiducia; per "arcum" ejus significatur scientia ex qua ut ex doctrina pugnat, et per "principium potentiae ejus" significatur fiducia; scientia enim nihili valet si non inservit rationali et spirituali homini. Quod per "Elamum" intelligatur scientia quae naturalis hominis, constare potest ex locis in Verbo ubi nominatur (Ut Genesis 10:22; Esaias 21:2; Jeremias 25:24-26; 49:34-39; Ezechiel 22:24, 25).
[28] Apud Davidem,
Jehovah "cessare facit bella usque ad extremitatem terrae, arcum frangit, et amputat hastam, currus comburit igne" (Psalms 46:10 [B.A. 9]):
quia per "bella" significantur pugnae spirituales, quae hic sunt falsi contra verum et contra bonum quae ecclesiae, inde patet quid significatur per quod Jehovah "cessare faciet bella usque ad extremitatem terrae", nempe quod omnem pugnam et omne dissidium a primis ad ultima veri ecclesiae; "extremitas terrae" significat ultima ejus: quod non erit pugna doctrinae contra doctrinam, significatur per quod "franget arcum"; quod non erit pugna ex aliquo falso mali, significatur per quod "amputabit hastam"; et quod destruetur omne doctrinae falsi, per quod "currus comburet igne."
[29] Apud eundem,
"Est in Schalem tabernaculum" Jehovae, "et habitaculum Ipsius in Zione; ibi fregit nervos arcus, scutum et gladium et bellum" (Psalms 76:3, 4 [B.A. 2, [3]):
similiter hic de cessatione omnis pugnae et omnis discidii in regno Domini agitur; per "Schalem" ubi tabernaculum Jehovae, et per "Zionem" ubi habitaculum Ipsius, significatur regnum spirituale et regnum caeleste Ipsius, per "Schalem" regnum spirituale ubi genuinum verum, et per "Zionem" regnum caeleste ubi genuinum bonum; et per quod "franget nervos arcus, scutum, gladium et bellum", significatur dissipatio omnis pugnae falsorum doctrinae contra bonum et verum; "nervi arcus" sunt principalia doctrinae.
[30] Apud Hoscheam,
"Feriam illis foedus in die illo cum bestia agri, et cum ave caelorum, et cum reptili terrae, et arcum et gladium et bellum frangam de terra, et cubare faciam eos secure" (2:18):
agitur ibi de adventu Domini, et tunc de conjunctione Ipsius cum omnibus qui in veris ex bono sunt; per "foedus cum bestia agri, cum ave caelorum et cum reptili terrae", significatur conjunctio cum affectione boni eorum, cum affectione veri, et cum affectione cognitionum veri et boni quae ecclesiae; "bestia" enim "agri" significat affectionem boni, "avis caelorum" affectionem veri, et "reptile terrae" affectionem cognitionum veri et boni; quod non aliqua bestia ac avis ac reptile terrae hic intelligatur, nullus non videt; num aliquod foedus cum illis? Quod ex conjunctione cum Domino non aliqua pugna exstitura sit falsi contra verum, significatur per quod "Arcum et gladium et bellum frangam de terra"; "arcus" ibi est doctrina, "gladius" est falsum, et "bellum" est pugna.
[31] Apud Ezechielem,
"Hic dies de quo locutus sum; tunc exibunt habitatores urbium Israelis, et incendent comburentque arma, et scutum, et clipeum, cum arcu et cum telis, et cum baculo manus, et cum hasta, et accendent illis ignem septem annis" (39:8, 9):
agitur ibi de Gogo, per quem intelliguntur qui in externo cultu sunt et in nullo interno; hi quia contra affectionem veri spiritualem sunt, quae est amare vera quia vera sunt, et inde sunt in falsis quoad doctrinam et in malis quoad vitam, nemo enim reformari potest, hoc est, et a falsis et a malis abduci, nisi per vera; inde est quod dicatur quod "exibunt habitatores urbium Israelis, et comburent arma et scutum et clipeum cum arcu et cum telis, et cum baculo manus et cum hasta"; per "habitatores urbium Israelis" intelliguntur qui in affectione veri ex bono sunt, hoc est, in affectione veri spirituali et inde in doctrina genuini veri; per "comburere arma" significatur exstirpare falsa omnis generis; per "scutum" falsum destruens bonum; per "clipeum" falsum destruens verum; per "arcum cum telis" doctrina cum suis falsis; per "baculum manus" et "hastam" significatur potentia et confidentia propria, quales sunt illis qui in externo cultu ponunt omne ecclesiae et inde salutis; quod "accendent illis ignem septem annis significat quod falSa et mala illa prorsus exstinguentur; "septem anni" significant omnia, plenum et prorsus (videatur supra, n. 257, 300 6
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