9313. 'I will act as enemy to your enemies' means that the Lord will turn away all falsities arising from evil. This is clear from the meaning of 'acting as enemy', when it refers to Jehovah or the Lord, as turning away, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'your enemies' as falsities arising from evil. These are 'enemies' in the spiritual sense, because they constantly molest, attack, and try to destroy truths springing from good; for they are opposites. The reason why 'acting as enemy', when it refers to Jehovah or the Lord, means turning away - turning away falsities arising from evil - is that the Lord never acts as enemy. For He is Mercy itself and Goodness itself, and enmity finds no place for itself in Mercy itself and Goodness itself, not even enmity against falsity and evil. But falsity and evil act in enmity against goodness and truth, that is, those ruled by falsity and evil do so against those governed by truth and good. And since they destroy themselves when they try to destroy those governed by truth and good it seems as though the Lord acts as their enemy, when in fact He is simply keeping safe His own. This shows how to understand the explanation that 'acting as enemy', when it refers to the Lord, means turning away falsities arising from evil. For more about the nature of this arcanum, see what has been shown in 4299, 7643, 7679, 7710, 7926, 7989, 8137, 8146, 8265, 8945, 8946.