5480. 'And wept' means mercy. This is clear from the meaning of 'weeping', when used in reference to the Lord, who is represented here by 'Joseph', as showing mercy. It is well known that weeping is an expression of grief and love; it is consequently an expression of mercy since mercy is love that is grieving. Divine love therefore is called mercy because left by itself the human race is in hell; and when a person recognizes within himself that this is the case he prays for mercy. Since in the internal sense 'weeping' also implies mercy, there are many occasions in the Word when Jehovah or the Lord is spoken of as weeping, as in Isaiah,
I shall weep with weeping over Jazer, the vine of Sibmah. I will seek you with My tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh. Isa 16:9.
And in Jeremiah,
I know, says Jehovah, the indignation of Moab, that he is not right. Therefore I will howl over Moab and will cry out because of the whole of Moab. Above the weeping of Jazer I will weep because of you, O vine of Sibmah. Jer 48:30-32.
'Moab' stands for those who are governed by natural good and allow themselves to be led astray; and once led astray they adulterate what is good, 2468. 'Howling, crying out, and weeping over Moab' stands for feelings of mercy and grief. Similarly in Luke,
As He drew near, Jesus saw the city and wept over it. Luke 19:41.
The Jerusalem over which Jesus wept, that is, for which He had feelings of mercy and grief, was not only the actual city of Jerusalem but also the Church, whose last day, when there will no longer be any charity or consequently any faith, is meant in the internal sense. His feelings of mercy and grief led Him to weep. As regards 'Jerusalem' being the Church, see 2117, 3654.
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