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TEN >> Remains of affection of Good and Truth
>> All things, Persons >> Much, Many, Some >> Sufficiency
 That the number "ten", and also "tenths", signify remains, is evident from the following passages of the Word: -
Many houses shall be a desolation, great and fair, without an inhabitant; for ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of a homer shall yield an ephah (Isa. 5:9, 10),
speaking of the vastation of things spiritual and celestial: "ten acres of vineyard making a bath", signifies that the remains of things spiritual were so few; and "the seed of a homer yielding an ephah", signifies that there were so few remains of things celestial. In the same: -
And many things are forsaken in the midst of the land, yet in it shall be a tenth part, and it shall return, and nevertheless it shall be consumed (Isaiah 6:12, 13);
where the "midst of the land" signifies the internal man; a "tenth part" signifies the smallness of the remains. In Ezekiel: -
Ye shall have balances of justice, and an ephah of justice, and a bath of justice: the ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, the bath to contain the tenth of a homer, and an ephah the tenth of a homer; the measure thereof shall be after the homer; and the ordinance of oil, a bath of oil, the tenth of a bath out of a kor, ten baths to the homer, for ten baths are a homer (Ezekiel 14:10, 11, 14);
in this passage the holy things of Jehovah are treated of by measures, whereby are signified the kinds of the holy things; by "ten" are here signified the remains of celestial and of the derivative spiritual things; for unless such holy arcana were contained herein, what could be the use or intent of describing so many measures determined by numbers, as is done in this and the former chapters in the same Prophet, where the subject is the heavenly Jerusalem and the New Temple?
[2] In Amos: -
The virgin Israel is fallen, she shall no more rise. Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, The city that went out a thousand shall have a hundred remaining, and that which went out a hundred, shall have ten remaining to the house of Israel (Amos 5:2, 3),
where, speaking of remains it is said that very little would be left, being only a "tenth part", or remains of remains. Again:-
I abhor the pride of Jacob and his palaces, and will shut up the city, and its fullness, and it shall come to pass if there shall be left ten men in one house they shall even die (Amos 6:8, 9),
speaking of remains which should scarcely remain. In Moses: -
An Ammonite or Moabite shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah, even the tenth generation of them shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah to eternity (Deut. 23:3);
"an Ammonite and a Moabite", signify the profanation of the celestial and spiritual things of faith, the "remains" of which are spoken of in what precedes.
[3] Hence it appears also that "tenths" represent remains. And so in Malachi: -
Bring ye all the tithes (tenths) into the treasure-house, that there may be booty in My house, and let them prove Me, bestir ye in this, if I will not open for you the cataracts of heaven, and pour you out a blessing (Malachi 3:10);
"that there may be booty in My house", signifies remains in the internal man, which are compared to "booty", because they are insinuated as by stealth among so many evils and falsities; and it is by these remains that all blessing comes. That all man's charity comes by the remains which are in the internal man, was also represented in the Jewish Church by this statute:
that when they had made an end of tithing all the tithes, they should give to the Levite, to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow (Deut. 26:12).
[4] Inasmuch as remains are of the Lord alone, therefore the tenths are called "holiness to Jehovah"; as in Moses: -
All the tenths of the land, of the seed of the land, of the fruit of the tree, they are Jehovah's, holiness to Jehovah: all the tenths of the herd and of the flock, whatsoever passeth under the (pastoral) rod, the tenth shall be holiness to Jehovah (Lev. 27:30, 31).
That the Decalogue consisted of "ten" precepts, or "ten" words, and that Jehovah wrote them on tables (Deut. 10:4), signifies remains, and their being written by the hand of Jehovah signifies that remains are of the Lord alone; their being in the internal man was represented by the tables. [AC 576]
After ten years of Abram's dwelling in the land of Canaan. That this signifies the remains of good and of the derivative truth which the Lord procured to Himself, and by means of which that rational was conceived, is evident from the signification of "ten", as being remains, spoken of before (n. 576). What remains are, has been stated and shown above (n. 468, 530, 560, 561, 660, 661, 798, 1050), namely, that they are all the states of the affection of good and truth with which a man is gifted by the Lord, from earliest infancy even to the end of life; which states are stored up for him for the use of his life after death; for in the other life all the states of his life return in succession, and are then tempered by the states of good and truth with which he has been gifted by the Lord. The more remains therefore that a man has received in the life of the body, that is, the more of good and truth, the more delightful and beautiful do the rest of his states appear when they return. That this is really so may be evident to every one, if he will consider. When a man is born he has not a particle of good of himself, but is wholly defiled throughout with hereditary evil, and all that is good flows in, such as his love for his parents, his nurses, his companions; and this from innocence. Such are the things that flow in from the Lord through the heaven of innocence and peace, which is the inmost heaven, and thus is man imbued with them in his infancy.
[2] Afterwards, when he grows up, this good, innocent, and peaceful state of infancy recedes little by little and so far as he is introduced into the world, he comes into its pleasures, and into cupidities, and thus into evils and so far the celestial or good things of the age of infancy begin to disappear; but still they remain, and the states which the man afterwards puts on or acquires are tempered by them. Without them a man can never be a man, for the states of the cupidities, or of evil, if not tempered by states of the affection of good, would be more atrocious than those of any animal. These states of good are what are called remains, given by the Lord and implanted in one's natural disposition, and this when the man is not aware of it.
[3] In after life he is also gifted with new states; but these are not so much states of good as states of truth, for as he is growing up he is imbued with truths, and these are in like manner stored up in him in his interior man. By these remains, which are those of truth, born of the influx of spiritual things from the Lord, man has the ability to think, and also to understand what the good and the truth of civic and moral life are, and also to receive spiritual truth or faith; but he cannot do this except by means of the remains of good that he had received in infancy. That there are remains, and that they are stored up in a man in his interior rational, is wholly unknown to man; and this because he supposes that nothing flows in, but that everything is natural to him, and born with him, thus that it is all in him when an infant, when yet the real case is altogether different. Remains are treated of in many parts of the Word, and by them are signified those states by which man becomes a man, and this from the Lord alone.
[4] But the remains that appertained to the Lord were all the Divine states which He procured for Himself, and by which He united the Human Essence to the Divine Essence. These cannot be compared to the remains that pertain to man, for the latter are not Divine, but human. It is the remains appertaining to the Lord that are signified by the "ten years in which Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan". When angels hear the Word, they do not know what the number ten is, but as soon as it is named by man the idea of remains occurs to them; for by "ten" and "tenths" in the Word are signified remains, as is evident from what was shown above (n. 576, 1738); and when a perception comes to them based on the idea of the end of the ten years that Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, the idea of the Lord comes to them, and at the same time innumerable things that are signified by the remains in the Lord during the time that He was in the world. [AC 1906]
The Lord's perception concerning the human race, that it was in evil and falsity, "Sodom" being the love of self and the derivative cupidity of exercising command from what is evil, and "Gomorrah" being the same from what is false (verses 16, 20). That this could not be concealed from the Lord in that state, because by Him and from Him is all salvation (verses 17 to 19); that is to say, they were to be visited when their wickedness reached its height (verses 20, 21). That when He was in this perception (verse 22), He interceded for them; first for those with whom there should be truths, and these truths full of goods, who are signified by the "fifty" (verses 23 to 26); also for those with whom there should be less of good, but this good nevertheless conjoined with truths, who are signified by the "forty-five" (verses 27, 28); next for those who have been in temptations, who are signified by the "forty" (verse 29); as likewise for those who have been in some combats against evils, who are signified by the "thirty" (verse 30); afterwards for those with whom there should be states of the affection of good from any other source, who are signified by the "twenty" (verse 31); lastly for those with whom there should be states of the affection of truth, who are signified by the "ten" (verse 32); and the constant answer was that they should be saved (verses 26, 28 to 32). These things being accomplished, the Lord returned into His former state of perception (verse 33). These are the arcana contained in the internal sense of this chapter, which are not manifest from the letter. [AC 2141]
Then shall the kingdom of the heavens be likened unto ten virgins.
This signifies the last period of the old church and the first of the new. The church is the Lord's kingdom on earth. The "ten virgins" are all who are in the church, namely, both those who are in good and truth, and those who are in evil and falsity. "Ten" in the internal sense denotes remains, and also fullness, thus all; and "virgins" denote those who are in the church, as also elsewhere in the Word.
[2] Who took their lamps;
signifies spiritual things in which is the celestial, or truths in which there is good, or what is the same, faith in which there is charity toward the neighbor, and charity in which there is love to the Lord; for "oil" is the good of love, as shown hereafter. But lamps in which there is no oil denote the same in which there is no good.
[3] And went forth to meet the bridegroom;
signifies their reception.
And five of them were prudent, but five were foolish;
signifies a part of them in truths in which there is good, and a part of them in truths in which is no good. The former are the "prudent," and the latter the "foolish." In the internal sense "five" denotes some, here therefore a part of them.
They that were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them;
signifies not having the good of charity in their truths; for in the internal sense "oil" denotes the good of charity and of love.
But the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps;
signifies that they had the good of charity and of love in their truths; their "vessels" are the doctrinal things of faith.
[4] And while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept;
signifies delay, and hence doubt. To "slumber" in the internal sense is to grow sluggish from the delay in the things of the church, and to "sleep" is to cherish doubt - the prudent, a doubt in which there is affirmation; the foolish, a doubt in which there is negation.
But at midnight a cry was made;
signifies the time which is the last of the old church and the first of the new. This time is what is called "night" in the Word, when the state of the church is treated of. The "cry" denotes a change.
Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him;
signifies the same as the judgment, namely, acceptance and rejection.
[5] Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps;
signifies preparation of all; for those who are in truths in which there is no good are equally in the belief of being accepted as are those who are in truths in which there is good, for they suppose that faith alone saves, not knowing that there is no faith where there is no charity.
But the foolish said unto the prudent, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out;
signifies that they desire good to be communicated by others to their empty truths, or to their destitute faith. For in the other life all spiritual and celestial things are mutually communicated, but only through good.
[6] But the prudent answered, saying, Perchance there will not be enough for us and you;
signifies that it cannot be communicated, because the little of truth that they had would be taken away from them. For as to the communication of good in the other life to those who are in truths without good, these as it were take away good from those who have it, and appropriate it to themselves, and do not communicate it to others, but defile it; for which reason no communication of good to them is possible. These spirits will be described from experience at the end of the next chapter [Gen. 37].
[7] But go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves;
signifies the good of merit. They who boast of this are "they that sell." Moreover, in the other life they who are in truth in which there is no good, above all others make a merit of all they have done which appeared good in the outward form, although in the inward form it was evil, according to what the Lord says in Matthew:
"Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied by Thy name, and by Thy name have cast out demons, and in Thy name done many mighty works? But then will I confess unto them, I know you not; depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity" (Matt. 7:22, 23).
And in Luke:
"When the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, then shall ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, lord, open to us. But he shall answer and say to you, I know you not whence ye are; then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets; but he shall say, I tell you I know you not whence ye are, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity" (Luke 13:26, 27).
Such are those who are here meant by the foolish virgins, and the like is therefore said of them in these words: "they also came, saying, Lord, lord, open to us; but he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not."
[8] And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came.
This signifies their too late application.
And they that were ready went in with him to the wedding;
signifies that they who were in good and thence in truth were received into heaven. Heaven is likened to a wedding from the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and truth; and the Lord is likened to the bridegroom, because they are then conjoined with Him; and hence the church is called the bride.
And the door was shut;
signifies that others cannot enter.
[9] Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, lord, open to us;
signifies that they desire to enter from faith alone without charity, and from works in which there is not the Lord's life, but the life of self.
But be answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not;
signifies rejection. His not knowing them means in the internal sense that they were not in any charity toward the neighbor and thereby in conjunction with the Lord. They who are not in conjunction are said not to be known.
[10] Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh;
signifies an assiduous application of life in accordance with the precepts of faith, which is "to watch." The time of acceptance, which is unknown to man, and the state, are signified by their not knowing the day nor the hour in which the Son of man is to come. Elsewhere also in Matthew he who is in good, that is, he who acts according to the precepts, is called "prudent;" and he who is in knowledges of truth and does them not is called "foolish:"
Everyone that heareth My words and doeth them, I will liken him unto a prudent man; and everyone that heareth My words and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man (Matt. 7:24, 26). [AC 4638]
Half a shekel, in the shekel of holiness. That this signifies all things of truth from good, is evident from the signification of "half," as being all things; and from the signification of a "shekel," as being truth from good. That "half" signifies all things, is because half a shekel was ten gerahs, or oboli, and by "ten" are signified all things (see n. 4638), and also remains (n. 576, 1906, 1988, 2284), which are the truths and goods with man stored up in his interiors by the Lord (n. 5135, 5342, 5897, 5898, 7560, 7564). That a "shekel" denotes truth from good is because a shekel was a weight of silver and also of gold, and by "silver" is signified truth, and by "gold" good; but how much of truth from good and of good through truth, is determined by the number of gerahs or oboli in the shekel; and in itself, regarded as a weight, a "shekel" denotes the quantity; and when it is called "the shekel of holiness," it denotes the quantity of truth and good, for truth and good are what are called "holy," because they are from the Lord who alone is holy. (More may be seen concerning the shekel and its signification in n. 2959.) [AC 10221]
And ye shall have affliction ten days, signifies that this will endure its full time, that is, as long as they are willing to remain in falsities. "Affliction" here signifies infestation (of which above, n. 33, 95), thus temptation; and "ten days" signify the duration of that state to the full; therefore it follows, "Be thou faithful unto death," by which is signified the reception and acknowledgment of truths, until by their means falsities are removed, and as it were abolished. That "ten days" signify duration of state even to the full is, because "days" signify states, and "ten" what is full: for times in the Word signify states (n. 947), and numbers describe their quality (n. 9).
[2] As "ten" signify what is full, they also signify much and many, also each and all, as may appear from these passages which follow:
The men who have seen My glory, have tempted Me ten times (Num. 14:22).
These ten times have ye treated me with ignominy (Job 19:3).
Daniel was found ten times wiser than the astrologers (Dan. 1:20).
Ten women shall bake bread in one oven (Lev. 26:26).
Ten men out of all languages of the nations shall take hold of the skirt of a man a Jew (Zech. 8:23).
Because "ten" signifies many, and also all, therefore the things which were written upon the tables of the Decalogue by Jehovah, are called the "Ten Words" (Deut. 4:13; 10:4); the "Ten Words" signify all truths, for they include them. And because "ten" signifies all and all things, therefore the Lord compared the kingdom of the heavens to "ten virgins" (Matt. 25:1). Likewise in the parable He said of the nobleman, that he gave his servants "ten pounds" to trade with (Luke 19:12-27). Many are also signified by:
The ten horns of the beast which came up out of the sea (Dan. 7:7);
And by the ten horns and the ten diadems upon the horns of the beast coming up out of the sea (Rev. 13:1);
Also by the ten horns of the dragon (Rev. 12:3);
And by the ten horns of the scarlet-colored beast, upon which the woman sat (Rev. 17:3, 7, 12).
[3] By "ten horns" is signified much power. From the signification of the number "ten," as being what is full, much, and all, it may be seen why it was ordained, that:
A tenth part of all the produce of the earth was given to Jehovah, and by Jehovah to Aaron and the Levites (Num. 18:24, 28; Deut. 14:22);
also, why Abram gave Melchizedek tithes of all (Gen. 14:18, 20); for by this was signified that thus all they had was from Jehovah, and was sanctified (see Mal. 3:10). From these things, it may now appear, that by having "affliction ten days," is signified that temptation will last its full time, that is, so long as they are willing to remain in falsities; for falsities are never taken away from a man against his will, but with it. [AR 101]
And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, signifies a remarkable change of state then took place with them, and they were torn away from heaven and sank down into hell. "In that hour" signifies at the time when they saw "the two witnesses" ascend into heaven, and nevertheless they remained in their falsities as above (n. 514); for "the two witnesses prophesied," that is, taught them (verse 3), and afterwards were killed, and revived; they also saw them ascend up to heaven, and still did not recede from their falsities, then there became a great earthquake. That a similar thing happened with the Two Doctrines of the New Jerusalem, one concerning the Lord, and the other concerning the Life according to the Commandments of the Decalogue, may in some measure be seen from the Relations after each chapter. Those two doctrines are the two witnesses here treated of. By "an earthquake" is signified a change of state (n. 331), here their destruction, because in it "a tenth part of the city fell"; by "a tenth part" is signified all there, for "ten" signifies much and all (n. 101); in like manner, "the tenth part," or "a tenth," as "the fourth part," or "a fourth," signifies the same as "four" (n. 322); and "the third part" or "a third" the same as "three" (n. 400). By "falling" is signified to sink down into hell, which takes place when they are torn away from heaven; for the cities in the world of spirits which are in evils and falsities, after they that dwell therein are visited, informed, and warned, and still remain in their evils and falsities, are shaken with an earthquake, by which a gulf is opened, into which they sink down, and then their inhabitants appear to themselves to be at the bottom, as it were, in a desert, whence they are severally removed to their places in hell. That it was so done to this city, will be seen below (n. 531).[ AR 515]
Ten of gold their weight. That this signifies what is full for initiation, is evident from the signification of "ten," as being a full state, like a "hundred" (see n. 1988, 2636); and from the signification of "gold," which is here a kind of coin from the weight of which the valuation was made; and from the signification of "weight," as being the state of a thing as to good (see above, n. 3104). Hence it is evident that "ten of gold their weight" signifies a full state of what is estimated, as to good. That it is for initiation, is evident from the several particulars in this chapter in which initiation is treated of, that is, betrothal. [AC 3107]
Days, at least ten, afterwards thou shalt go. That this signifies the state for departure appearing to them full, is evident from the signification of "day," as being state (see n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788); and from the signification of "ten," as being what is full (see n. 1988, 3107); here, appearing full to the natural; and from the signification of "going," as being to depart. From this it is evident that "days, at least ten, afterwards thou shalt go," signifies the state for departure appearing to them full; wherefore it now follows, "he said to them, do not delay me," by which is signified the "will" of the affection of good. [AC 3176]
Five cubits the length, and five cubits the breadth. That this signifies equally from good and from truth, is evident from the signification of "five," as being equally; for when two things are alike, as in this case the length and the breadth, there is equality. The length and the breadth of the altar were five cubits, because "five" signifies also the same as "ten," "a hundred," and "a thousand," and by these numbers is signified much, all, what is full; and in the supreme sense which treats of the Lord, what is infinite; therefore such also is the signification of "five;" for compound numbers signify the like as the simple numbers of which they are composed, and therefore the simple numbers the like as their compounds (n. 5291, 5335, 5708, 7973). (That "ten," "a hundred," and "a thousand" denote much, all, and what is full, see n. 2636, 3107, 4400, 4638, 8715; likewise "five," n. 5708, 5956, 9102; and that "a thousand" when said of the Divine denotes what is infinite, n. 2575.)
And from the signification of "length," as being good (n. 1613, 9487); and from the signification of "breadth," as being truth (n. 1613, 3433, 3434, 4482, 9487). From this it is evident that by "five cubits the length, and five cubits the breadth" is signified equally from good and from truth. It is said "equally from good and from truth," when truth is of good and good is of truth; thus when good and truth act as one, and form a marriage, such as is in heaven from the Lord. This can be illustrated by the understanding and the will in man; when the understanding acts as one with the will, that is, when man perceives truth to be of good, and good to be of truth, then he partakes equally of good and of truth. Moreover, the understanding has been appointed for the perception of truth from good, and the will for the perception of good in truth. [AC 9716]
That the number "ten", and also "tenths", signify remains, is evident from the following passages of the Word: -
Many houses shall be a desolation, great and fair, without an inhabitant; for ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of a homer shall yield an ephah (Isa. 5:9, 10),
speaking of the vastation of things spiritual and celestial: "ten acres of vineyard making a bath", signifies that the remains of things spiritual were so few; and "the seed of a homer yielding an ephah", signifies that there were so few remains of things celestial. In the same: -
And many things are forsaken in the midst of the land, yet in it shall be a tenth part, and it shall return, and nevertheless it shall be consumed (Isaiah 6:12, 13);
where the "midst of the land" signifies the internal man; a "tenth part" signifies the smallness of the remains. In Ezekiel: -
Ye shall have balances of justice, and an ephah of justice, and a bath of justice: the ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, the bath to contain the tenth of a homer, and an ephah the tenth of a homer; the measure thereof shall be after the homer; and the ordinance of oil, a bath of oil, the tenth of a bath out of a kor, ten baths to the homer, for ten baths are a homer (Ezekiel 14:10, 11, 14);
in this passage the holy things of Jehovah are treated of by measures, whereby are signified the kinds of the holy things; by "ten" are here signified the remains of celestial and of the derivative spiritual things; for unless such holy arcana were contained herein, what could be the use or intent of describing so many measures determined by numbers, as is done in this and the former chapters in the same Prophet, where the subject is the heavenly Jerusalem and the New Temple?
[2] In Amos: -
The virgin Israel is fallen, she shall no more rise. Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, The city that went out a thousand shall have a hundred remaining, and that which went out a hundred, shall have ten remaining to the house of Israel (Amos 5:2, 3),
where, speaking of remains it is said that very little would be left, being only a "tenth part", or remains of remains. Again:-
I abhor the pride of Jacob and his palaces, and will shut up the city, and its fullness, and it shall come to pass if there shall be left ten men in one house they shall even die (Amos 6:8, 9),
speaking of remains which should scarcely remain. In Moses: -
An Ammonite or Moabite shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah, even the tenth generation of them shall not come into the congregation of Jehovah to eternity (Deut. 23:3);
"an Ammonite and a Moabite", signify the profanation of the celestial and spiritual things of faith, the "remains" of which are spoken of in what precedes.
[3] Hence it appears also that "tenths" represent remains. And so in Malachi: -
Bring ye all the tithes (tenths) into the treasure-house, that there may be booty in My house, and let them prove Me, bestir ye in this, if I will not open for you the cataracts of heaven, and pour you out a blessing (Malachi 3:10);
"that there may be booty in My house", signifies remains in the internal man, which are compared to "booty", because they are insinuated as by stealth among so many evils and falsities; and it is by these remains that all blessing comes. That all man's charity comes by the remains which are in the internal man, was also represented in the Jewish Church by this statute:
that when they had made an end of tithing all the tithes, they should give to the Levite, to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow (Deut. 26:12).
[4] Inasmuch as remains are of the Lord alone, therefore the tenths are called "holiness to Jehovah"; as in Moses: -
All the tenths of the land, of the seed of the land, of the fruit of the tree, they are Jehovah's, holiness to Jehovah: all the tenths of the herd and of the flock, whatsoever passeth under the (pastoral) rod, the tenth shall be holiness to Jehovah (Lev. 27:30, 31).
That the Decalogue consisted of "ten" precepts, or "ten" words, and that Jehovah wrote them on tables (Deut. 10:4), signifies remains, and their being written by the hand of Jehovah signifies that remains are of the Lord alone; their being in the internal man was represented by the tables. [AC 576]
An omer a head. That this signifies enough for everyone, is evident from the signification of "an omer," as being sufficient (of which presently); and from the signification of "for a head," as being for each one. That "an omer" denotes sufficient, is because it was the tenth part of an ephah, as is plain from the last verse of this chapter, and "ten" signifies what is full (see n. 3107); consequently "a tenth part" signifies what is sufficient, here for each one, that is, for a head. The "omer" is mentioned only in this chapter; but in other places, the "homer," which was a measure containing ten ephahs, and consequently signified what is full; as in Hosea:
I purchased a woman, an adulteress, for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer of barley, and a half homer of barley (3:1, 2);
where by "a woman an adulteress" is meant the house of Israel, in the spiritual sense the church there, the buying of which at a full price is signified by "fifteen pieces of silver and a homer of barley;" "fifteen pieces of silver" are predicated of truth, and "a homer of barley," of good.
[2] In Ezekiel:
Ye shall have balances of justice, and an ephah of justice, and a bath of justice: the ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, to lift the tenth of a homer to a bath, and to the tenth of a homer the ephah; according to the homer shall be thy measure: this is the heave-offering that ye shall heave, the of an ephah from a homer of wheat, from a homer of barley: and the set portion of oil, the bath for oil, shall be the tenth of a bath out of the cor, ten baths a homer, for ten baths are a homer (45:10, 11, 13, 14);
the new earth and the new temple are here treated of, by which is signified the Lord's spiritual kingdom. Everyone can see that there will not be a homer there, nor an ephah, nor a bath, nor a cor, neither will there be wheat, barley, or oil. Thus it is evident that by these things are signified such things as are in that kingdom, which plainly are spiritual things, thus things which have relation either to the good of charity or to the truth of faith. A "homer" is predicated of good, because it is the measure of wheat and of barley; in like manner an "ephah." But a "bath" is predicated of truth, because it is a measure of wine; and as it is also a measure of oil, by which is signified the good of love, it is said that a bath shall be the same part of a homer as is an ephah, which denotes in the spiritual sense that all things in that kingdom shall have relation to good, and also that the truth there will be good, and that this shall be given in fullness, because by "a homer" is signified what is full.
[3] In Isaiah:
Many houses shall be in devastation, even great and beautiful, that there be no inhabitant, for ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and a homer of seed shall yield an ephah (5:9, 10);
here "ten acres" denotes what is full, and also much, in like manner "a homer," but "a bath" and "an ephah" denote few; for when "ten" denotes much, "a tenth part" denotes a few. In Moses:
If a man shall sanctify unto Jehovah of the field of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to his sowing, the sowing of a homer of barley for fifty shekels of silver (Lev. 27:16);
where "the sowing of a homer," and also "fifty shekels," denote fullness of estimation. As "a homer" signifies what is full, "ten homers" signify what is too much and superfluous (Num. 11:32). [AC 8468].
Author: EMANUEL. SWEDENBORG (1688-1772)
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