1685. 'With Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar' means truths and goods in the External Man. This is clear from the meaning of the same four in verse 1 of this chapter.
[l685a] That 'Chedorlaomer king of Elam' means truths and 'Tidal king of Goiim' goods, and the other two those that are derivatives from these, is clear from the fact that the same kings are listed here in a different order from what they are in verse 1 above. There Chedorlaomer king of Elam stands in third position but here in first, while Tidal king of Goiim stands in fourth position there but in second here. It is truth that goes into battle first, for the battle is fought from truth since it is from the truth that a person recognizes what falsity is and what evil is. Such conflicts never arise therefore until a person has been endowed with knowledge and cognitions of truth and good. Hence 'Chedorlaomer', who is here mentioned first, means the truth that resided with the Lord. The same is also clear from the meaning of 'Elam' as faith deriving from charity, which amounts to the same thing as truth, as shown already at Chapter 10:22. From this it follows that 'Tidal king of Goiim (or Nations)' means good, and that the other two kings mean truths and goods that derive from the good and truth meant by Chedorlaomer and Tidal.