5277. And there shall arise after them seven years of famine. That this signifies the states that follow when there is a lack of truth, is evident from the signification of "years," as being states (see n. 482, 487, 488, 493, 893); and from the signification of "famine," as being a lack of knowledges (n. 1460, 3364); and from the signification of "after them," as being those which follow.