. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan. That this signifies that the internal man was in the celestial things of love, is evident from the signification of "the land of Canaan," as being the celestial things of love, spoken of several times before.
. And Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain. That this signifies that the external man was in memory-knowledges, is evident from the representation of Lot, as being the external man; and from the signification of a "city," or "cities," as being doctrinal things, which in themselves are nothing but memory-knowledges when predicated of the external man while this is separated from the internal. That "cities" signify doctrinal things, both true and false (n. 402).
. And pitched his tent as far as Sodom. That this signifies extension to cupidities, is evident from the signification of "Sodom", explained above at (verse 10), as being cupidity. These things correspond to those in the preceding (verse 10)--that "the plain of Jordan was all well watered, like the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt in coming to Zoar;" where the external man when united to the internal was treated of; and by "the land of Egypt in coming to Zoar" was signified memory-knowledges from the affections of good. But here, that "Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent as far as Sodom," signifies the external man when not united to the internal; and by these things is signified memory-knowledges from the affections of evil, or from cupidities. For there was described the beauty of the external man when united to the internal; but here, its deformity when not united; and still more is this deformity described in the verse that follows, where it is said, "and the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners against Jehovah exceedingly." What the deformity of the external man is when separated from the internal, may be seen by every one from what has been said concerning the love of self and its cupidities, which are what principally disunite. As great as is the beauty of the external man when united to the internal, so great is its deformity when disunited. For considered in itself the external man is as nothing else than a servant to the internal; it is a kind of instrumentality by means of which ends may become uses, and uses be presented in effect, so that there may thus be a perfection of all things. The contrary takes place when the external man separates itself from the internal, and desires to be of service to itself alone and still more is this the case when it desires to rule over the internal man, which is principally the case from the love of self and its cupidities, as has been shown.
. The men of Sodom were wicked and sinners against Jehovah exceedingly. That this signifies the cupidities to which the memory-knowledges extended themselves, is evident from the signification of "Sodom," explained before, as being cupidities; and from the signification of "the men (viri)," as being intellectual and rational things, here, memory-knowledges, because they are predicated of the external man when separated from the internal. That "men" signify intellectual and rational things, was also shown above (n. 265, 749, 1007). Memory-knowledges are said to extend themselves to cupidities, when they are learned with no other end than that the man may become great; not that they may serve him for use, that he may thereby become good. All memory-knowledges are for the end that a man may become rational, and thus wise; and that thereby he may serve the internal man.
GENESIS 13:12-13previous
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