Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8600

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8600. Verses 10-13 And Joshua did as Moses said to him, by fighting against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses raised up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. And the hands of Moses were heavy; and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and one on the other. And so it was, his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua decimateda Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

'And Joshua did as Moses said to him' means that the truth which engages in conflict acted as directed by Divine Truth. 'By fighting against Amalek' means against falsity arising from interior evil. 'And Moses, Aaron, and Hur' means levels of Divine Truth that follow one another in order. 'Went up to the top of the hill' means in the good of charity. 'And so it was, when Moses raised up his hand' means whenever the faith of those belonging to the spiritual Church looked towards the Lord. 'Israel prevailed' means that the truth engaged in conflict would then be winning. 'And when he let down his hand' means whenever their faith looked downwards or away from the Lord towards self and the world. 'Amalek prevailed' means that the falsity would then be winning. 'And the hands of Moses were heavy' means that the power to look upwards to the Lord was failing. 'And they took a stone' means the lowest level of God's truth. 'And put it under him, and he sat on it' means correspondence with the highest level of truth. 'And Aaron and Hur' means the levels of truth next in order. 'Supported his hands' means support supplied to the power of the truth engaged in conflict. 'One on one side, and one on the other' means in every direction. 'And so it was, his hands were steady' means the might which the power possessed then. 'Until the going down of the sun' means when that state was coming to an end. 'And Joshua decimated Amalek and his people' means lessening the power of those steeped in falsity arising from interior evil. 'With the edge of the sword' means by means of truth engaged in conflict.

Notes

a lit. weakened


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