3254, 3356, 3404, 3827, 3938, 4814, 4882, 4901, 4916, 6110, 7381), hence in its season, or at its stated time, means in that state; and from the signification of year, as an entire period from beginning to end (n. 2906), thus from year to year means continually.

8071. Verses 11-16. And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee into the land of the Canaanite, as He sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall have given it thee, that thou shalt cause to pass over unto Jehovah all that openeth the womb, and all that openeth, the offspring of a beast, which shall be to thee males, shall be Jehovah's. And all that openeth of an ass thou shalt redeem with one of the flock; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck: and every firstborn of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem. And it shall be when thy son asketh thee to-morrow, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand Jehovah brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondmen: and it came to pass, when Pharaoh hardened against sending us away, that Jehovah slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man even to the firstborn of beast; therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that openeth the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem. And it shall be for a sign upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand Jehovah brought us forth out of Egypt. "And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee into the land of the Canaanite" signifies the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity; "as He sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall have given it thee" signifies which was promised by the Divine to those who are in good and truth; " that thou shalt cause to pass over unto Jehovah all that openeth the womb " signifies the faith of charity which is of regeneration, that it is the Lord's; "and all that openeth, the offspring of a beast, which shall be to thee" signifies all charity which is of the

new birth; "males" signifies which is of the truth of faith; "shall be Jehovah's " signifies that it is the Lord's. "And all that openeth of an ass thou shalt redeem with one of the flock" signifies that faith merely natural shall not be ascribed to the Lord, but the truth of innocence which is therein; "and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck" signifies that if the truth of innocence be not therein, it is to be separated and rejected; "and every firstborn of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem " signifies that the truths of faith are not to be ascribed to the Lord, but the goods thereof. “And it shall be when thy son asketh thee" signifies perception from truth which is of conscience; "to-morrow" signifies always when it is done; "saying, What is this?" signifies inquiry why it is so; "that thou shalt say unto him" signifies answer; "By strength of hand Jehovah brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondmen " signifies that by the Divine power of the Lord they were liberated from spiritual captivity; "and it came to pass, when Pharaoh hardened against sending us away" signifies when they who infested by falsities made themselves obstinate that these should not be liberated: "that Jehovah slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt" signifies that all were damned who were in faith separate from charity; "from the firstborn of man even to the firstborn of beast" signifies the falsity of faith separate interior and exterior ; "therefore I sacrifice to Jehovah all that openeth the womb, being males" signifies that therefore the faith of charity, which is of the new birth, is to be ascribed to the Lord; "but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem " signifies that the truths of faith are not to be ascribed to the Lord, but the goods thereof. "And it shall be for a sign upon thine hand" signifies that it shall be perpetually in the will; "and for frontlets between thine eyes" signifies that it shall be perpetually in the understanding; "for by strength of hand Jehovah brought us forth out of Egypt " signifies that by the Divine power of the Lord they were liberated.

8072. And it shall be when Jehovah shall have brought thee into the land of the Canaanite. That this signifies the region of heaven occupied by those who are in evil and falsity, is evident from what was stated above (n. 8054).

8073. As He sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall have given it thee. That this signifies which was promised by the Divine to those who are in good and truth, is evident from what was said above (n. 8055), where similar words occur.

8074. That thou shalt cause to pass over unto Jehovah all that openeth the womb. That this signifies that the faith of charity which is of regeneration is the Lord's, is evident from the signification of causing to pass over, as ascribing, in like manner as of sanctifying (see above n. 8042) and sacrificing (see below n. 8088); and from the signification of that openeth the womb, as faith from charity, which is the faith of the regenerate man shown above (n. 8042, 8043). That Jehovah is the Lord may also be seen above (n. 8046).

as

8075. And all that openeth, the offspring of a beast. That this signifies all charity which is of the new birth, is evident from the signification of all that openeth the womb, as faith from charity, which is of the new birth (as above n. 8043); and from the signification of the offspring of a beast, as affection for good (n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 719, 776, 1823, 2179, 2180, 3218, 3519, 5198), thus the good of charity.

8076. Which shall be to thee males. That this signifies which is of the truth of faith, is evident from the signification of male, as the truth of faith (see n. 2046, 4005, 7838).

8077. Shall be Jehovah's. That this signifies that it is the Lord's, since by Jehovah in the Word no other is meant than the Lord, may be seen above (n. 1343, 1736, 2921, 3023, 3035, 5041, 5663, 6281, 6303, 6905, 6945, 6956). The contents of these two verses are not further explained

here, because they were before explained in the second. verse of this chapter (n. 8042-8045).

8078. And all that openeth of an ass thou shalt redeem with one of the flock. That this signifies that faith merely natural shall not be ascribed to the Lord, but the truth of innocence which is therein, is evident from the signification of all that openeth, as what is first produced from the regenerate state, or the firstborn, thus faith-that the firstborn is faith has been shown heretofore; and from the signification of an ass, as the natural, for by an ass is signified knowledge (n. 5492, 5741), also service (n. 5958, 6389), thus also the natural, for knowledges are of the natural, and the natural in respect to the spiritual is service, therefore by the firstling of an ass is signified faith merely natural- of which presently; and from the signification of redeeming, as giving another thing in its place. That redeeming has this signification, is plain from the full meaning of the words, namely, of these the firstling of an ass thou shalt not cause to pass over to Jehovah, but shalt redeem with one of the flock. That causing to pass over 2 to Jehovah means ascribing to the Lord, in like manner as sanctifying and sacrificing, has been shown just above (n. 8074); thus not causing to pass over, but redeeming, means not ascribing, but giving another thing in its place. The meaning is further evident from the signification of one of the flock, as the truth of innocence. That one of the flock is the truth of innocence, is because by one of the flock is meant a lamb or a kid, and by these is signified innocence (n. 3519, 3994, 7840), here, the truth of innocence, because it is not said a lamb or a kid, but one of the flock. From all this it is plain that by all that openeth of an ass thou shalt redeem with one of the flock, is signified that faith merely natural is not to be ascribed to the Lord, but the truth of innocence which is therein. Faith merely 3 natural is the faith which is introduced by an external and not an internal way, as sensuous faith, which consists in be

lieving a thing to be so, because the eye hath seen, and the hand hath touched. This is the faith concerning which the Lord said to Thomas, Because thou hast seen [Me], thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed (John xx. 29); also as the faith of miracles, which consists in believing a thing to be so merely from the miracles, concerning which faith see above (n. 7290), also as the faith of authority, which consists in believing a thing to be so, because another, to whom credence is 4 given, has said it. But spiritual faith is faith which is introduced by an internal and at the same time an external way; the introduction by an internal way causes it to be believed, and then what is introduced by an external way causes it to be confirmed. The spiritual of faith is affection for charity, and from this affection for truth for the sake of good use and for the sake of life; these make faith to be spiritual. The introduction of faith by an internal way is effected by the reading of the Word, and by enlightenment at the time from the Lord, which is granted according to the quality of the affection, that is, according to the 5 end sought in learning the truth. From these things it may now be evident what faith merely natural is, and that this faith, because it is not spiritual, cannot be ascribed to the Lord, that is, be acknowledged and believed to be from the Lord; for the Lord flows in through affection for truth and good. That faith is internal affection may be seen above (n. 8034). The truth of innocence, which may be in that faith and be accepted by the Lord, is what is believed to be so from innocence. From these things it is now plain how it is to be understood that faith merely natural shall not be ascribed to the Lord, but the truth of innocence which is therein.

8079. And if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck. That this signifies that if the truth of innocence be not therein, it is to be separated and rejected, is evident from the signification of not redeeming, as not