AC 2606-2607 - The Word

AC 206-2607

The Word of the Old Testament
was formerly called the "Law and the Prophets."
By the "Law" were meant all the historical books,
which are the five books of Moses,
and those of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings:
by the "Prophets" were meant all the prophetical books,
which are those of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel,
Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum,
Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zephaniah, Malachi;
and also the Psalms of David.
The historical books of the Word are also called "Moses;"
so it is occasionally said, "Moses and the Prophets,"
instead of the "Law and the Prophets;"
and the prophetical books are called "Elias".

As regards the historical narratives,
they are all historically true,
except those in the first chapters of Genesis,
which are made up history, as shown in volume 1.
Yet although they are historically true,
they nevertheless have an internal sense;
and in that sense, like the propheticals,
treat solely of the Lord.
They do indeed treat of heaven and the church,
and of what belongs to heaven and the church,
but as these are of the Lord,
through these the historicals look to the Lord,
and therefore are the Word.
The historic events are all representative,
and every word by which they are described is significative.
That the historic events are representative
is evident from what has been unfolded thus
far concerning Abraham,
and will be further evident from what
of the Lord's Divine mercy is to be explained
concerning Isaac, Jacob, and his twelve sons;
concerning Egypt,
the sojourning of the people in the wilderness,
their entrance into the land of Canaan, etc.

That every word
by which these historicals are described is significative,
is also evident from what has been shown
for instance in regard to the names as signifying actual things;
thus "Egypt" signifies memory-knowledge,
"Asshur" the rational,
"Ephraim" the intellectual,
"Tyre" knowledges,
"Zion" the celestial church,
"Jerusalem" the spiritual church, and so on.
The same has been shown in regard to the words;
as that "king" signifies truth,
"priest" good,
and that all other words
have their respective internal significance;
such as "kingdom," "city," "house," "nation," "people,"
"garden," "vineyard," "oliveyard," "gold," "silver,"
"brass," "iron," "birds," "beasts," "bread," "wine,"
"oil," "morning," "day," "light;"
and this uniformly
in both the historical and the prophetical books,
although they were written by various individuals,
and at different times --
a uniformity that would not be possible
unless the Word had come down from heaven.
From this it may be known
that there is an internal sense in the Word;
as well as from the fact that
the Divine Word cannot treat of mere men,
such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
and their posterity (which was the worst of nations);
of their kings, their wives, sons, and daughters;
of harlots, plunderings, and such things,
which, considered in themselves,
are not worthy to be even mentioned in the Word,
unless by them are represented and signified
such things as are in the Lord's kingdom:
it is these things that are worthy of the Word.