Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1217

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1217. Verse 21 And to Shem also sons were born.a He was the father of all the sons of Eber; he was Japheth's elder brother.

'Shem' here means the Ancient Church in general. 'Sons were born to Shem' here means that from the Ancient Church a new Church arose. 'Eber' means the new Church which is to be called the second Ancient Church. 'He was the father of all the sons of Eber means that this second Ancient Church and what belonged to it arose from the previous Ancient Church as its father. 'He was Japheth's elder brother' means that its worship was external.

Notes

a Expressing the original Hebrew literally, the Latin means And to Shem there was born also.

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