Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 16:16-18
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AC 8465. Verses 16-18. This is the word that Jehovah hath commanded, Gather ye of it everyone according to the mouth of his eating, an omer a head, according to the number of your souls, take ye everyone for him who is in his tent. And the sons of Israel did so, and they gathered, collecting for the numerous and for the few. And they measured it with the omer, and it made nothing over for the numerous; and for the few there was no lack; they gathered everyone according to his eating. "This is the word that Jehovah hath commanded," signifies a mandate about it from the Divine; "Gather ye of it everyone according to the mouth of his eating," signifies reception and appropriation according to the capacity of each one; "an omer a head," signifies enough for everyone; "according to the number of your souls," signifies enough for all in the society; "take ye everyone for him who is in his tent," signifies communication with them, and from this the general good; "and the sons of Israel did so," signifies the effect; "and they gathered, collecting for the numerous and for the few," signifies reception according to the power of each society; "and they measured it with the omer," signifies the power of the reception of good; "and it made nothing over for the numerous; and for the few there was no lack," signifies that there was a just proportion for everyone in particular and in general; "they gathered everyone according to his eating," signifies reception according to the capacity of each one.

AC 8466. This is the word that Jehovah hath commanded. That this signifies a mandate about it from the Divine, is evident from the signification of "the word," as being the thing that is treated of; and from the signification of "commanding," when by Jehovah, as being a mandate.

AC 8467. Gather ye of it every man according to the mouth of his eating. That this signifies reception and appropriation according to the capacity of each one, is evident from the signification of "gathering," when said of the good of truth that is signified by "the manna," as being to receive; and from the signification of "each one according to the mouth of his eating," as being appropriation according to the capacity of each one. For "according to the mouth of the eating," when food is treated of, denotes according to the necessity demanded for nourishment; but when said of the good of truth, it denotes according to the capacity of reception and appropriation, because by "eating" in the spiritual sense is signified to be appropriated (n. 3168, 3513, 3596, 4745).

AC 8468. An omer a head. That this signifies enough for everyone, is evident from the signification of "an omer," as being sufficient; 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 (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; in other places the "homer," which was a measure containing ten ephahs, and consequently signified what is full; as in Hosea:--

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:--

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 fulness, because by "a homer" is signified what is full.

[3] In Isaiah:--

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:--

where "the sowing of a homer," and also "fifty shekels," denote fulness of estimation. As "a homer" signifies what is full, "ten homers" signify what is too much and superfluous (Num. 11:32).

AC 8469. According to the number of your souls. That this signifies enough for all in the society, namely, of the good of truth which is signified by "the manna," is evident from the signification of "according to the number of the souls," as being sufficient for all in the society. For when by "an omer a head" is signified enough for everyone, by "according to the number of the souls" is signified enough for all in the society. The subject here treated of is the good of those who are of the Lord‘s spiritual kingdom, which good is signified by "the manna," and that sufficient of this will be given for everyone and sufficient for the society; for each house of the sons of Israel represented one society in heaven (n. 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997). As regards the societies in heaven the case is this. Heaven consists of countless societies, which are distinct one from another. Each society has a general good distinct from the good of other societies; and also each one in a society has a particular good distinct from the good of all others in the society. From the distinct goods of those who are in the society, which are thus various, but yet accordant, there is produced a form, which is called "the heavenly form." The universal heaven consists of such forms. Relatively to goods these conjunctions are called "forms," but relatively to persons they are called "societies." These things were represented by the distinctions of the sons of Israel into tribes, families, and houses.

AC 8470. Take ye everyone for him who is in his tent. That this signifies communication with them, and from this the general good, is evident from the signification of a "tent," as being a society as to good; "tent" here signifies the like as "house," for when they sojourned they were in tents. That every man should take for him who was there, signifies communication with them, thus also from this the general good. As these words involve those things which come forth in the societies in heaven (n. 8469), it shall be told further how the case is with those societies, in order that it may thereby be known what is meant by communication with those in the society, and with the general good arising therefrom, which is signified by "everyone taking for him who was in his tent." Everyone in a society in heaven communicates his good to all who are in the society, and all therein communicate with each one, whence arises the good of all in general, that is, the general good. This good is communicated to the general good of other societies, whence arises a good still more general, and finally one most general. Such is the communication in heaven, and hence it is that they are a one, just as are the organs, members, and viscera in man, which, although various and dissimilar, nevertheless by such communications form a one. Such a communication of goods is possible only through love, which is spiritual conjunction. The "universal thing that forms and brings into order all things in general and in particular is the Divine good of Divine love from the Lord.

AC 8471. And the sons of Israel did so. That this signifies the effect, is evident without explication.

AC 8472. And they gathered, collecting for the numerous and for the few. That this signifies reception according to the power of each society, is evident from the signification of "gathering," as being to receive (n. 8467); and from the signification of "collecting for the numerous and for the few," as being according to the power of each society. How these things are, must be unfolded from those which come forth in the societies in heaven; for "the manna" denotes heavenly food, and heavenly food is good and truth, and good and truth in heaven are the Lord, because from Him. From all this it can be seen that these things which were decreed about the manna, are such as come forth in the said societies. The case herein is that the Divine good which proceeds from the Lord is communicated to all in heaven universally and individually, but everywhere according to the power of receiving; for there are those who receive little, and there are those who receive much. They who receive little are in the borders of heaven, but they who receive much are in the interiors Everyone there has a power of receiving according to the nature and amount of good acquired in the world. The difference in power is what is signified by the terms "numerous" and "few."

AC 8473. And they measured it with the omer. That this signifies the power of the reception of good, is evident from the signification of "an omer," as being what is sufficient (n. 8468), thus also power.

AC 8474. And it made nothing over for the numerous; and for the few there was no lack. That this signifies that there was a just proportion for everyone in particular and in general, is evident from the signification of "making nothing over," and also of "having no lack," as being to employ a just proportion; and from the signification of "numerous" and "few," as being a difference of power (n. 8472), here according to the power of everyone in particular and in general.

AC 8475. They gathered everyone according to his eating. That this signifies reception according to the capacity of each one, is evident from what was said above (n. 8467), where are the same words.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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