1710. And pursued even to Dan. That this signifies a state of purification, is evident from the connection of the things in the internal sense. To "pursue the enemies" is here to expel the evils and falsities which were with the goods and truths, and that caused them to merely appear to be goods and truths, and thus to liberate and purify them. "Even to Dan," signifies to the farthest limit of Canaan, thus to the uttermost boundaries whither they had fled. That "Dan" signifies the farthest limits, or the extreme boundaries of Canaan, is evident in many places in the Word. As in Samuel:
To transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba (2 Sam. 3:10). Again:
In gathering, all Israel shall be gathered together, from Dan even to Beersheba (2 Sam. 17:11). Again:
David said to Joab, Go now to and fro through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba (2 Sam. 24:2, 15). In the book of Kings:
Judah and Israel dwelt in safety, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba (1 Kings 4:25). From these passages it is evident that Dan was the farthest boundary of Canaan, whither the enemies were pursued which infested the goods and truths of the external man. But as Dan was a boundary of Canaan, and therefore within Canaan, lest they should stay there, they were driven further, namely, "to Hobah on the left of Damascus," as is evident from the things stated in the verse next following, and in this way purification was effected. By the land of Canaan, in a holy sense, as before said, is signified the Lord's kingdom, thus the celestial of love, or good; primarily, the good with the Lord.
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