LEVITICUS 11
Other translations  -  previous  -  next  -  notes  -  discussion  -  Leviticus  -  BM Home  -  Full Page

Leviticus Chapter 11

Summary of the Spiritual Sense

1. Instruction concerning good affections that may be appropriated by the man of the church, and evil affections that may not be appropriated on account of their impurity, vers. 1-8.
2. Also concerning the truths of the Word in the memory that may be appropriated or not, vers. 9-12.
3. The evil thoughts that ought not to be appropriated are next particularized, vers. 13-19.
4. Then the appropriation of sensual and corporeal things is considered, vers. 20-23.
5. Certain other causes of spiritual impurity are specified which ought to be avoided, vers. 24-28.
6. And sensual and corporeal affections of the lowest kind, which are causes of impurity, ought not to be appropriated, vers. 29-38 and 41-43.
7. Also every affection which, in its orderly state, may be appropriated, becomes impure if it be vastated of good and truth, and contact therewith produces impurity which must be removed by a change of state, vers. 39-40.
8. For the Lord is holiness and purity in themselves, and by delivering mankind has made it possible for every one who chooses to become holy and pure, vers. 44-45.
9. These are the laws of Divine Order relating to purity and impurity in the feeling's and thoughts; and also to the appropriation or non-appropriation of good or evil, vers. 46-47.

1.  This is evident, because by Jehovah is denoted the Divine Being as to His love, 2001; by speaking is denoted influx, 2951; by Moses is represented Divine Truth, or the Word, 7010; by Aaron is denoted Divine Good, 9946; and by saying is denoted perception, 1791, 1822.

   [Back to 1]

2.  Speaking to the children of Israel denotes revelation to the man of the Spiritual Church, 10355, 3654; the living things and beasts to be eaten denote good affections to be appropriated, 44, 2187; and the earth denotes the external man, 27, 913.

   [Back to 2]

3.  Whatsoever parts the hoof denotes affections having correspondence with spiritual affections, because the animals signify affections, 44, the hoof denotes lowest affections of truth, 7729, and parting, or dividing, denotes correspondence with higher affections, 1832; what is cloven-footed denotes natural affections having correspondence with spiritual affections, because the foot denotes natural affections, 2162, and being cloven also means division, 1832, 4171, chap 1:17; what is lowest, or the sensual, and what is natural, are respectively as what is external and internal; and what chews the cud, or brings it up, denotes every natural affection of truth appropriated by due reflection, 3171, 7607, 6183, 6844, 3661, 5508, 2187. We see here that three things are really involved, correspondentially, in "chewing the cud," namely, the elevation of knowledge or truth from the external memory into the understanding, denoted by "bringing up the cud "; its reconsideration by reflection upon it denoted by the remastication of the food; and its full appropriation, denoted by again eating what was thus remasticated.

   [Back to 3]

4.  Some of those animals that chew the cud or part the hoof not being eaten, denote certain affections which cannot be appropriated, either because they are not associated with truths by reflection, or are not in correspondence with spiritual affection, ver. 3; the camel denotes the merely selfish love of knowledge, or the love of knowledge for the sake of reward, 3048, 3816, 3956; and being unclean denotes impurity in consequence of not corresponding with spiritual affection, 10130.

   [Back to 4]

5.  By the coney, or according to the now prevailing opinion, by the Hyrax Syriacus, or rock-badger (in the Hebrew Shaphan), is denoted the merely intellectual love of knowledge, because it follows, in order, the merely selfish love of knowledge; and by chewing the cud, but not parting the hoof, is denoted that it indeed reflects, but lacks correspondence with the Spiritual, ver. 3; while by its being unclean is denoted that such love of knowledge is impure, 10130.

   [Back to 5]

6.  By the hare is denoted the merely sensual love of knowledge, because it is the third in the series; by its chewing the cud, but not parting the hoof, is denoted that this love of knowledge indeed reflects but is not in correspondence with spiritual love, ver. 3; and by its being unclean is denoted that it is impure, 10, 130. But a difficulty is presented in this verse and that preceding which needs to be removed. It is that neither the rock-badger nor the hare are ruminating animals, or chew the cud like the camel, and yet we are here told that they both do so. The explanation, however, is that, in all probability, the term "bringing up the cud" is applied to these animals as well as the camel, because they have the habit of remasticating some small portion of the food reserved in the hollow of the cheek, and also, when in repose, of working their incisor teeth one upon another, through which they are kept fit for the purpose of nibbling; and that therefore they were reckoned, by the sacred writer, among animals that really chew the cud, all of which, we are told, with the exception of the camel, are bisulca, or have the hoof divided. Nor does this supposition at all weaken the literal statement in the Word, as we know that its ultimate sense contains appearances of truth, and also that the correspondential value of an expression is not any the less because the literal statement is not historically true, as, for example, when it is said that the sun stood still, or that the Lord, in His temptations, was carried to an exceedingly high mountain to see all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. But see, for further particulars, Kitto's Encyclopedia, under the articles "Shaphan" and "Hare," and then this matter will be more fully understood.

   [Back to 6]

7.  The swine denotes the greedy love of acquiring wealth, which is avarice, or covetousness, simply corporeal, 1742; parting the hoof and being cloven-footed denotes the capacity for being brought into correspondence with spiritual love; and not chewing the cud denotes not reflecting upon truths, ver. 3; while being unclean denotes spiritual impurity, 10130.

   [Back to 7]

8.  Not eating of their flesh denotes that the spiritual man may not appropriate such affections, 2187; not touching their carcases denotes not the least indulgence in them, 4404, 10199, 3900; and being unclean denotes spiritual impurity, 10130.

   [Back to 8]

9.  All that are in the waters denote the truths of the Word, 2702; eating denotes appropriation, 2187; fishes denote scientifics, 40, 991; the fins of fishes, like the feet and legs of man or of animals, denote the natural powers by which progress in spiritual life is made, 4381, 4382, 4383; the scales denote those things which are only external, and in this case ultimate truths expressed in good works, 6693; and inmost truths respectively, 2702.

   [Back to 9]

10.  All that have not fins and scales denote truths that are not cultivated with a view to spiritual progress, and that are not embodied in ultimates for that purpose, ver. 9; in the seas, rivers and waters denotes whether interior, inmost or external, ver. 9; those things that move in the waters, and the living creatures that are in the waters, denote things sensual and corporeal, 40, 41; and their being an abomination denotes that they are infernal and defiled, 6052, 7454.

    [Back to 10]

11.  Their being an abomination, repeated, denotes that such things are perpetually infernal and defiled, 618, 5253; not eating of their flesh denotes not to be appropriated, 2187; and to have their carcases in abomination denotes non-indulgence in the least, 3900, 6052.

    [Back to 11]

12.  Not having fins nor scales denotes not having regard to spiritual progress and to the uses of life, ver. 9; being an abomination denotes that such things are infernal and defiled, and therefore cannot be appropriated, 6052; and it is said "acquired in the external memory," because the two verses immediately preceding clearly have reference, respectively, in the spiritual sense, to what is interior and internal.

    [Back to 12]

13.  By birds or birds are denoted what has relation to things rational and intellectual, and thus to the thoughts, 40; an abomination is what is infernal and defiled, 6052; by not being eaten is denoted non-appropriation, 2187; by the eagle are denoted inmost falsities arising from the abuse of the rational faculty as to the will, 3901; by the gier-eagle are denoted similar falsities as to the understanding, 3901; and by the ospray are denoted similar falsities as to life or action, because it also was an eagle, 3901. Kitto, are. "Ozniyah."

    [Back to 13]

14.  The kite denotes interior falsities of the same kind, because it is a bird of prey of an inferior order compared with the eagles; and the same remark may be applied to the falcon, the former denoting what is of the will and the latter what is of the understanding, 778, 866, 988; Job 28:7.

    [Back to 14]

15.  And every raven after its kind, denotes ultimate falsities in the interior degree of the mind, 866, "after its kind" evidently denoting, in this verse and the preceding, "according to its nature " spiritually, that is, there are various species of affections and thoughts, even as there are various species of animals and birds, Gen 1:11, 12; 775.

    [Back to 15]

16.  As the previous three verses refer to whatever has relation to the abuse of the rational powers, so this and the following verse describe abuses of the natural powers, while verses 18 and 19 treat of the abuses of the sensual powers, as is clear from the series, there being really three divisions of birds named, each consisting of seven, both here and in Deut 14:12-18, with the exception that in this series, in ver. 14, only two are named instead of three in the parallel passage of the latter book; but of this we shall speak further on, now merely observing that three sevens, or twenty-one, correspond to completeness and holiness in the best sense, and to completeness of vastation and profanity in the opposite sense, 2788, 433, 5268. Hence, then, the ostrich denotes inmost falsities from evil in the natural mind, Sum. Exp. under Lam 4:3, the night-hawk denotes interior falsities from evil, and the sea-mew denotes external falsities from evil, all of the first degree there, according to the series; and the hawk denotes inmost falsities from evil, Job 39:26.

    [Back to 16]

17.  The little owl denotes interior falsities from evil, 866, 4967, and the cormorant denotes external falsities from evil, of the second degree there, according to the series; and the great owl denotes ultimate or lowest falsities, of the third degree there, according to the series, 866, 4967, Isaiah 34:11.

    [Back to 17]

18.  The horned owl, 866, 4967, the pelican, Ps 102:6, and the vulture, denote falsities inmost, interior and external respectively in the first degree of the sensual affections, according to the series.

    [Back to 18]

19.  The stork, Zec 5:9, the heron and the hoopoe denote falsities inmost, interior and external respectively in the second degree there, according to the series; and the bat denotes falsities of the lowest kind in the third degree there, according to the series, Isaiah 2:20, 8932, 10582.

    [Back to 19]

20.  All winged creeping things denote every thought and feeling of the unregenerate will, having the appearance of spiritual life, 9331, 8764; going upon all four denotes what is degraded and defiled, 247, 248; and an abomination denotes the same degraded and defiled state confirmed, 6052.

    [Back to 20]

21.  Winged creeping things that go upon all four, here denote lower affections which can be elevated above what is merely sensual, and corporeal, 994; having legs above their feet denotes communication with higher good and truth than the merely natural, 10050; leaping upon the earth, like walking, denotes activity and progress in spiritual life, 8420; and to eat denotes to appropriate, 2187.

    [Back to 21]

22.  By the various kinds of locusts here named are signified the lowest good affections of the will and understanding, interior and exterior, each according to its nature, 7643, 775. But see Kitto, Encyclopaedia, are. "Chagab."

    [Back to 22]

23.  All winged creeping things which have four feet, denote sensual and corporeal delights and pleasures which are not in subordination to the spiritual life, because there is with them the conjunction of falsity with evil, 9331, 1686; and an abomination denotes what is infernal and defiled, 6052.

    [Back to 23]

24.  "By these you shall become unclean" evidently denotes certain practices that are impure, 10130; touching denotes contact or indulgence spiritually, 10130; and until evening denotes until the end of one state and the commencement of another, 7844.

    [Back to 24]

25.  Hence by bearing of the carcase is denoted to think from what is void of spiritual life, that is, from evil, 8764, 3900; by washing the clothes is denoted the purification of the external, 3147, 1073; and by being unclean until the evening is denoted impurity until a change of state, 10130, 7844.

    [Back to 25]

26.  Beasts parting the hoof denote affections corresponding with spiritual affections externally, 44, 7729, 1832; not cloven footed denotes not corresponding with spiritual affections internally, 2162, 1832, 4171, ver. 3; not chewing the cud denotes not leading to reflection upon truth with a view to good, ver. 3; what is unclean denotes what is impure spiritually, 10130; and touching denotes contact spiritually, 10130.

    [Back to 26]

27.  Whatsoever goes upon its paws denotes every affection which is grossly natural, 2162, 4403; animals going upon all four denote affection which conjoin evil with falsity, and therefore do not admit of conjunction with spiritual affections in the course of life, 9331, 1686, 8420; what is unclean denotes spiritual impurity, 10130; and touching the carcase denotes contact with affections void of spiritual life, 10130, 3900; while being unclean until evening denotes impurity until a change of state, 7844.

    [Back to 27]

28.  Bearing or carrying the carcase denotes merely thinking of such evils in the ordinary course of life, 8764, 3900; washing the clothes denotes the purification of the external man, 3147, 1073; being unclean until the evening denotes impurity until a change of state, 10130, 7844; and "they are unclean to you" denotes evidently confirmation of the truth concerning the things impure both as to the internal and external of the Natural, and as to the will and under-standing, 3388, 6663. Observe also that the states of contact with the "carcases" of the old and dead states continues, with the good, through life, and more or less through the process of judgement; and that this also is denoted by being unclean until the evening, the washing of the clothes denoting the continual course of purification.

    [Back to 28]

29.  Creeping things that creep upon the earth denotes sensual and corporeal affections, 9231; the weasel or mole denotes wilful ignorance of the truth through sensual love, Kitto, are. " Choled Weasel," 1994; the mouse denotes avarice, 938, 954; and the great lizard denotes the delights of merely corporeal affections, according to their nature, 994, 775. Kitto, are. " Isab."

    [Back to 29]

30.  The animals here named denote various evils and falsities derived from corporeal affection, since four of them are supposed to have been lizards of some kind, and the chameleon is a lizard. Hence the interpretation given, namely, the perversion of good by falsities interiorly; the corruption of truth by evils interiorly; the perversion of good exteriorly; the corruption of truth exteriorly; and the delusions of the senses arising from fallacious appearances, 994. Kitto, arts. "Anakah," "Coach," " Letaah," " Chomet " and " Tinshemeth," or "Chameleon."

    [Back to 30]

31.  Unclean creeping things denote impure affections of the lowest character, 994, 10130; touching denotes contact spiritually, 10130; a carcase, or what is dead denotes what is void of spiritual life, 3900; and being unclean until the evening denotes impurity until a change of state, 7844.

    [Back to 31]

32.  In this verse and the previous, being dead also denotes complete vastation, 6119; a dead thing therefore falling upon another thing denotes accidental indulgence in evil, because it is accidental contact, 10130; uncleanness denotes spiritual impurity, 10130; a vessel of wood denotes the will as a receptacle, 643; clothing denotes the understanding as a receptacle, 2189; skin denotes, like clothing, also truth as a receptacle, 9215, and sack also denotes the same, 5489, and thus again the former has relation to the understanding and the latter to the will, 683, while the first pair of terms denotes what is relatively external, and the second what is relatively internal, 9215; whatever vessel by which any work is done denotes a receptacle that can be applied to some use, 1472; putting it into water denotes purification by the truth, 3147; being unclean until the evening denotes impurity until a change of state, 10130, 7844; and being then clean denotes, evidently, a state in which the external faculty, signified by the vessel, can serve its appointed use, because it is brought into harmony with the internal, 1487.

    [Back to 32]

33.  Here an earthen vessel denotes a merely natural receptacle defiled by falsity not cohering with good, 10105; " whereinto any of them falls " denotes what is contaminated by sensual affections, vers. 29, 30; being unclean denotes spiritual impurity, because the good or use of that receptacle is vitiated, 10130; and the vessel being broken denotes that the receptacle is to be separated, 9163.

    [Back to 33]

34.  Food therein which may be eaten denotes the good of the receptacle which may be appropriated, 1480, 2187; water here denotes falsities, 10130; drink denotes truth, 3168; and what is unclean denotes spiritual impurity, 10130.

    [Back to 34]

35.  By "everything" is denoted what is external, as is clear from what follows, and a carcase denotes what is void of spiritual life, 3900; what is unclean denotes impurity, 10130; by an oven is denoted natural or external delight or love, good or bad, 7356; to be broken in pieces denotes separation, 9163; and "shall be unclean" evidently denotes the continuance of impurity.

    [Back to 35]

36.  By a fountain or a pit, wherein is a gathering of water, is denoted a general receptacle of good or truth, namely the memory, or the Word, 3424, 679; and to be clean denotes purity, as is evident, while the water touching a carcase denotes truth brought into contact, or contaminated, with what is void of spiritual life, 2702, 3900, and therefore unclean.

    [Back to 36]

37.  Seed which is to be sown denotes a state of instruction in truths, 932; a carcase, or a part of it, falling upon it, denotes the contamination of truth by evil in the thought, 3900, ver. 32; and being clean denotes freedom from impurity, 10130.

    [Back to 37]

38.  Here by water being put upon the seed is denoted falsity mixed with truth deliberately, 10130, ver. 34, 932; a carcase denotes evil also defiling the truth, 3900; and uncleanness denotes impurity, 10130.

    [Back to 38]

39.  A beast that may be eaten denotes an affection that may be appropriated, 44, 2187; dying denotes spiritual death, or vastation, 6119; touching the carcase denotes indulgence in that dead affection, 10130, 3900; being unclean denotes impurity, 10130; and until evening denotes until a change of state, 7844, ver. 28, note.

    [Back to 39]

40.  Eating of the carcase denotes the appropriation of that affection in its dead state, 2187, 3900; being unclean until the evening denotes impurity until a change of state, 10130, 7844; washing the clothes denotes the purification of the external man, 3147, 1073; and bearing the carcase denotes to think with favour of that dead state, 8764, 3900.

    [Back to 40]

41.  The creeping thing that creeps upon the earth denotes a sensual and corporeal affection, 9331; an abomination denotes what is infernal and defiled, thus what is impure, 6052; and its not being eaten denotes that it may not be appropriated, 2187.

    [Back to 41]

42.  What goes upon its belly denotes a merely sensual affection, 247, 248; what goes upon all four, what is disposed, in the course of life to the conjunction of falsity with evil, 1686; having many feet clearly denotes what is intensely natural or sensual, 2162; not eating denotes non-appropriation, 2187; and an abomination is what is infernal and defiled, 6052.

    [Back to 42]

43.  Not making oneself abominable with any creeping thing denotes not deliberately indulging in merely sensual affections, 6052, 9331; rind not making oneself unclean denotes not deliberately becoming impure and defiled, 10130.

    [Back to 43]

44.  " I am the Lord your God " denotes that the Lord is good itself and truth itself united, 2001; to be sanctified and to be holy denotes I hat the man of the church should be holy by the conjunction of these in himself, since the Lord is holiness itself by that union, 4211, 8887; and not being defiled with the creeping thing denotes that the spiritual man should not defile himself with any sensual affections separated from the higher life, 9331, 10130.

    [Back to 44]

45.  The Lord God bringing the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, denotes the deliverance of the spiritual from the bondage of the merely natural man, 8866; and the outward holiness of the Israelites denotes genuine holiness from the Lord, 8788.

    [Back to 45]

46.  The law of the beast and the bird, and of every living creature that moves in the waters and on the earth, denotes the laws of Divine Order concerning natural affections of the will and understanding, and concerning sensual and corporeal affections, 44, 40, 991, 9331

    [Back to 46]

47.  To make a difference between the unclean and the clean is to distinguish what is impure from what is pure in man's affections and thoughts, 10130; and to make a difference between the living thing that may be eaten and the living thing that may not be eaten, is to distinguish between good affections from the Lord that may be appropriated, and evil affections from man, or from the hells, that may not be appropriated, 2187.

    [Back to 47]

This interesting chapter, regarded as a whole, clearly demonstrates the absolute necessity of particular and continual purification from evil and falsity in the course of regeneration. And it also shows especially that good and truth cannot be appropriated from the Lord through the internal man in the natural man in all fullness without such purification. Well, therefore, may the spiritual man exclaim in the language of the Word, " Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Ps 139:23, 24).

But the Lord knows the particular state of every man without any searching. It is we ourselves who require to search our affections, our thoughts and our actions every day by the light of truth from the Word, in order that we may see ourselves and co-operate with the Lord in the process of our purification. And how very precise we must be is evident not only from the words just quoted, but from all the particulars of the internal sense of this part of the Word.

In reviewing it, therefore, we may be, at the same time, examining ourselves. And first of all it is remarkable that this description of what we are to appropriate, and of what we are not to appropriate, follows what is said on this subject at the close of the previous account of corrupted worship where the loss of the good of innocence in the natural man, and of worship from that good, are considered. And why? Because unless we are purified in the particular ways now described we cannot receive the kingdom of God as little children, and appropriate that good of innocence in all fullness.

To appropriate is to incorporate in our life what comes from another source, as in eating and drinking we make those things a part of our bodies which are supplied by natural laws. And as we cannot eat and drink anything not properly adapted as food, so we cannot appropriate discordant affections. That is, the spiritual man cannot do this. We see from the series that two things are necessary for us in this respect. As regards the affections we may make our own, they must be in harmony with what comes from the Lord, and must be the result of due reflection at the same time. For example, a disposition naturally kind agrees with love to the Lord and love to the neighbour, but if it is simply natural, and acts without discrimination and reflection, it cannot, and ought not, to become a substantial part of our life. And on the other hand, we may cultivate an affection by very careful thought, and yet it may not be good for us because it does not agree with genuine good from the Lord. Hence, then, we learn how important it is in taking our spiritual food to combine good with genuine truth, and truth with genuine good. Thoughtless charity is very bad for us, and deliberated selfishness is a great deal worse; for the former does not spiritually "chew the cud," and the latter does not "divide the hoof."

Hence, then, as the series shows, a selfish love of knowledge, an intellectual love of knowledge merely, and still worse a sensual love of knowledge, do not truly nourish the man, nor, on the other hand, does covetousness, which is altogether opposed to the life of good from our heavenly Father.

And the same thing holds good in respect to truths even acquired from the Word. The Word is the great ocean of spiritual truth, which is without limit because it is from a Divine source; and the living principles of truth are the fishes therein. But they must be acquired for the sake of spiritual progress, and for the sake of usefulness, that is, for the sake of truth and goodness. But the study of the Word for any other reason results in impurity.

Also as it is with the great ocean of merely natural knowledge in the Word, so it is with those things to which the birds of the air correspond. We are not indeed told so in this account, but nevertheless it is true that of all clean birds we may eat (Deut. xiv. n). That is to say, we may appropriate freely the pure truths of the Word. But falsified truths of all kinds, and falsities merely we may not assimilate, because they are impure.

The next paragraph is very important, as relating to the sensual affections, and as indicating a distinction most carefully to be observed in actual life. It is often erroneously thought that the lowest affections of man, called sensual and corporeal, are altogether to be rejected in order to live truly the higher life. But a just consideration of this matter shows that man is not really endowed with any faculty or function by the reception of life which is evil in itself, but that it only becomes evil by abuse. For to eternity man, as an angel, will not be without those ultimate affections and delights which are necessary to make up the perfect human life. Hence, then, the particular distinction in regard to the creeping things going upon all four, or having four feet. Wherever in sensual delights, therefore, there is the conjunction of evil with falsity there is impurity; but if, on the contrary, there is due subordination, and the harmony of sensual and corporeal delights with celestial and spiritual delights, there is the true appropriation of ultimate truth and good which renders man full and perfect. For is it not written, "Seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you"? (Matt 6:33).

Then from what immediately follows we learn that there may be external correspondence without internal and without proper reflection, that is, there may be the outward appearance of good without good and truth internally; and it must be evident that this is hypocrisy and deceit. Hence, therefore, the very particular caution to avoid the slightest impurity from contact with such wickedness, which is signified by touching the carcase; and also, if such contact should be even accidental, impurity would follow, which could not be removed until evening, that is, until a change of state. Consider now, in this connection, how evil thoughts are stirred up in us by evil spirits, and how necessary it is, in regeneration, to reject such thoughts at once as no part of our life, lest by the encouragement we accord to them greater evil and impurity should be the result; for although we are not responsible for having such evil thoughts, which are, as it were, like the dead bodies of past evil states, yet we are responsible for the attitude we assume towards them. And we know, besides, that both the tares and the wheat in us are to grow together until the harvest, which is the evening in reality of our probationary state; and (hat then only will they disappear before the glorious dawn of the heavenly life in its freedom and its peace.

And now, lastly, let us very carefully reflect upon the nice distinctions that are made in the spiritual sense of the latter part of this description of what may, and what may not, be incorporated in our eternal spiritual life. For very truly genuine good and truth cannot be contaminated; nor can real wickedness and profanity be converted into what is holy and pure, while yet this may appear to be the case in the individual who is not, as yet, so fully purified that he can realize the angelic life. And let us remember with gratitude, and not with fear, that of every idle word that man shall speak he shall give an account thereof in the day of Judgement (Matt 12:36). And also let us not forget that even to eternity, in heaven itself, will there be left some room for the improvement of our state, and thus for the extension of our usefulness, although we shall never depart from our allotted function in the Grand Man, 1276, 1377.

LEVITICUS 11    Other translations  -  previous  -  next  -  notes  -  discussion  -  Leviticus  -  BM Home  -  Full Page