Many people were nomadic in Biblical times, especially the times of the Old Testament, and lived in tents that could be struck, moved and re-raised quickly. Others, of course, lived in houses, generally made of stone and wood and quite permanent. In between the two were larger, more elaborate tent-style structures called tabernacles or dwellings; the tabernacle Moses built for the Ark of the Covenant is on this model.
To “dwell” somewhere, then, is significant – it’s much more than just visiting – but is less permanent than living there. And indeed, Swedenborg says that when the Bible describes someone “dwelling” in a particular place, it symbolizes entering the spiritual state represented by that place and engaging it, but not necessary permanently.
A structure called a “dwelling,” meanwhile, represents the various loves that inspire the person who inhabits it, from the most evil – “those dwelling in the shadow of death” in Isaiah 9, for example – to the exalted state of the tabernacle itself, which was built as a dwelling-place for the Lord and represents heaven in all its details.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 2712
2712. ‘He dwelt in the wilderness of Paran’ means the life of the spiritual man as regards good. This is clear from the meaning of ‘dwelling’ as being used in reference to good residing in truth, which is spiritual good, that is, good present with the spiritual man. The essential nature of that good is described by his dwelling in the wilderness of Paran, dealt with immediately below. That ‘dwelling’ is used in reference to good residing in truth, or to the affection for truth, is clear from many places in the Word where it is said of cities, which mean truths, that they will be without any inhabitant, by whom good is meant, 2268, 2449, 2451; for truths are inhabited by good, and truths devoid of good are like a city that has no one dwelling in it, as in Zephaniah,
I have laid their streets waste, so that none passes through; their cities are desolate, so that there is no one dwelling in them. Zeph. 3:6.
[2] In Jeremiah,
Jehovah was leading us through the wilderness. No man passed through in that [land], and no one dwelt there. They have turned his land into a solitary place, his cities have been burned, so that none is dwelling there. Jer. 2:6, 15.
In the same prophet,
Every city has been forsaken, with no one dwelling in them. Jer. 4:29.
In the same prophet,
In the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate there is no human being, no inhabitant, no beast. Jer. 33:10.
‘Streets’ stands for truths, 2336, ‘no human being’ for no celestial good, ‘no inhabitant’ for no spiritual good, ‘no beast’ for no natural good. In the same prophet,
The cities of Moab will become a desolation, with no one dwelling in them. Jer. 48:9.
[3] With each particular expression in the Prophets there exists the marriage of truth and good. Consequently when ‘a city’ is said to be desolate, the phrase ‘no one dwelling in it’ is also added, the reason being that ‘a city’ means truths and ‘one dwelling in it’ good. Otherwise it would be superfluous to say ‘no one dwelling in it’ when it has been stated that the city is desolate. In a similar way certain terms occur consistently to mean things that belong to celestial good, others that belong to spiritual good, and others also that belong to truths, as in Isaiah,
Your seed will possess the nations, and they will dwell in the desolate cities. Isa. 54:3
Here ‘possessing’ has reference to celestial good, ‘dwelling in’ to spiritual good. In the same prophet,
My chosen ones will possess it, and My servants will dwell there. Isa. 65:9.
Here the meaning is similar.
[4] In David,
God will save Zion and will build the cities of Judah; and they will dwell there and possess it, and the seed of His servants will inherit it, and those loving His name will dwell in it. Ps. 69:35, 36.
‘Dwelling there’ and at the same time ‘possessing’ has reference to celestial good, ‘dwelling in’ to spiritual good. In Isaiah,
He who says to Jerusalem, You will be dwelt in; and to the cities of Judah, You will be built. Isa. 44:26.
Here ‘dwelling in’ has reference to the good of the spiritual Church, which is Jerusalem. To such an extent do the terms used in the Word have reference to their own goods and their own truths that simply from a knowledge of that usage of terms one may recognize what the subject is in general that is being dealt with.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3384
3384. ‘Isaac dwelt in Gerar’ means the Lord’s state as regards matters of faith in respect to the rational concepts which were to be allied. This is clear from the meaning of ‘dwelling in Gerar’ as possessing what are matters of faith, and so a state as regards those things, since ‘dwelling in’ means living, 1293, and ‘Gerar’ matters of faith, 1209, 2504, 3365; and from the representation of ‘Isaac’ as the Lord as regards the Divine Rational, dealt with in 1893, 2066, 2072, 2083, 2630. Their being matters of faith in respect to the rational concepts that were to be allied is clear from what comes before and after, for in the whole of this chapter those things are the subject, that is to say, rational concepts which, when enlightened from the Lord’s Divine, are appearances of truth.
[2] That ‘dwelling in’ means one’s being and life, and so one’s state, is evident from very many places in the Word, as in David,
I will dwell in the house of Jehovah for the length of days. Ps. 23:6.
One thing have I asked from Jehovah, that will I seek: I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of the my life. Ps. 27:4
He shall not dwell within My house who practices deceit. Ps. 101:7.
Here ‘dwelling in the house of Jehovah’ stands for one’s being and life residing in good that stems from love, for this good is ‘the house of Jehovah’. In Isaiah,
Those dwelling in the land of the shadow of death, upon them has the light shone out. Isa. 9:2.
‘Those dwelling in the land of the shadow of death’ stands for the state of those who have no knowledge of good and truth. In the same prophet,
Babel will not be dwelt in for ever. Isa. 13:20.
This stands for the state of condemnation of those meant by ‘Babel’.
[3] In the same prophet,
O Jehovah God of Israel, dwelling among the cherubim. Isa. 37:16.
O Shepherd of Israel, dwelling among the cherubim, shine forth. Ps. 80:1.
‘Dwelling among the cherubim’ means the Lord at work in a providential state, in which He prevents anyone’s access to the sacred things of love and faith unless that person has been prepared for it by the Lord, 308. In David,
In peace I both lie down and sleep, for You, O Jehovah, alone make me dwell in safety. Ps. 4:8.
‘Making a person dwell in safety’ stands for a state of peace. In Jeremiah,
You who dwell on many waters, great in treasures, your end has come, the measure of your gain. Jer. 51:13.
This refers to Babel. ‘Dwelling on many waters’ stands for possessing cognitions concerning truth.
[4] In Daniel,
God Himself reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. Dan. 2:22.
‘Dwelling’ stands for having its being. In the same prophet,
The beast of the field had shade under that tree, and in its branches dwelt the birds of the air. Dan. 4:12.
And in Ezekiel,
Under its branches every wild beast of the field brought forth, and in its shadow dwelt all great nations. Ezek. 31:6.
‘Dwelling’ stands for one’s being and life. In Hosea,
Threshing-floor and winepress will not feed them, and new wine will be deceptive to her. They will not dwell in Jehovah’s land, but Ephraim will return to Egypt. Hosea 9:2, 3.
‘Not dwelling in Jehovah’s land’ stands for not being in a state where the good of love is present, and so for not being in the Lord’s kingdom.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3960
3960. ‘And Leah said, God has endowed me with a good dowry; once again my husband will dwell with me, because I have borne him six sons’ in the highest sense means the Lord’s Divine itself and His Divine Human, in the internal sense the heavenly marriage, and in the external sense conjugial love. This is clear from the meaning of ‘dwelling together’ and also from all the other words which Leah uttered at this point. The reason why ‘dwelling together’ in the highest sense means the Lord’s Divine itself and His Divine Human is that the Divine itself, and the Father, exists mutually and reciprocally within the Divine Human, termed the Son of God, according to the words of the Lord Himself in John,
Jesus said, Philip, he who has seen Me has seen the Father. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me. John 14:9-11; 10:38.
This union is the Divine Marriage itself, see 3211, 3952. That union is not however a dwelling together, though it is expressed as such in the sense of the letter. For things which are one present themselves in the sense of the letter as two – as the Father and the Son – or even as three, as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They do so for many reasons which will in the Lord’s Divine mercy be discussed elsewhere.
[2] Here also lies the reason why ‘dwelling together’ in the internal sense means the heavenly marriage, for it is from the Divine Marriage – the union of the Father and the Son, that is, of the Lord’s Divine itself with His Divine Human – that the heavenly marriage comes into being. The heavenly marriage exists as that which is called the Lord’s kingdom and also heaven, and it is so called because it comes into being from the Divine Marriage, which is the Lord. This then is what is meant in the internal sense by ‘dwelling together’, and is also the reason why heaven is called God’s dwelling-place, as in Isaiah,
Look out from heaven, and see from the dwelling-place of Your holiness and of Your glory. Where are Your zeal and Your might? The yearning of Your loins, and Your compassion* towards me have held themselves back. Isa. 63:15.
‘The dwelling-place of holiness’ stands for the celestial kingdom, and
‘The dwelling-place of glory’ for the spiritual kingdom. ‘Dwelling-place’ used here in Isaiah is derived from the same word as ‘dwelling together’ and ‘Zebulun’ are derived.
[3] The reason why ‘dwelling together’ in the external sense means conjugial love is that all genuine conjugial love has its origin nowhere else than in the heavenly marriage, which is a marriage of good and truth, and this in turn has its origin in the Divine Marriage, which is that of the Lord’s Divine itself and His Divine Human. See what has been stated already on these matters in the following places:
The heavenly marriage descends from Divine Good present within the Lord, and from Divine Truth proceeding from Him, 2508, 2618, 2803, 3132.
This marriage is the origin of conjugial love, 2728, 2729.
People who live in genuine conjugial love are dwelling together in the inmost things of life, 2732, and so in love for good and truth since these constitute the inmost things of life.
Conjugial love is the fundamental love of all loves, 2737-2739.
The marriage of good and truth exists in heaven, in the Church, with every member of heaven and the Church, and in every individual thing within the natural order, 718, 747, 917, 1432, 2173, 2516, 2712, 2758; it exists in every detail of the Word, 683, 793, 801, 2516, 2712; and so in the highest sense it is the Lord Himself.
The names Jesus Christ mean the Divine Marriage, 3004.
[4] These are the things meant not only by ‘dwelling together’, that is, by the words ‘once again my husband will dwell with me’ but also by those preceding them, ‘God has endowed me with a good dowry’. The former however means the truth of good whereas the latter means the good of truth, for these two constitute the heavenly marriage. And because this is a conclusion the statement ‘because I have borne him six sons’ is added; for ‘six’ here is similar in meaning to twelve. In the Word half a number, or twice that number, has the same meaning as the number itself when the subject is similar.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8269
8269. ‘[This is my God,] and I will establish a dwelling-place for Him’ means that when He is within good, which originates in Himself, He will be as if in His heaven. This is clear from the meaning of ‘a dwelling-place’, when it has reference to Jehovah or the Lord, as good. The reason why ‘the Lord’s dwelling-place’ means good is that all good has its origin in the Lord; thus good is the Lord’s, so completely that one may say it is the Lord. When the Lord dwells within it He dwells within His Divinity. Nor can He dwell anywhere else, according to the Lord’s words in John,
Jesus said, If anyone loves Me He keeps My word, and My Father loves him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. John 14:23.
Good that springs from God is what ‘loving the Lord and keeping His word’ describes here; for good comes from love. ‘With him’, it says, ‘They would make Their home’, which means within good residing with him. The expression ‘as in His heaven’ is used because heaven is called God’s dwelling-place; and it is called this because good, which originates in the Lord, exists there and constitutes heaven. The Lord is also within the individual person as in His heaven when He is within good there; for the heaven within a person is good, and through good a person is present with angels in heaven. From all this it is now evident that ‘I will establish a dwelling-place for Him’ means that when He is within good, which originates in Himself, He will be as if in His heaven.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9345
9345. ‘They shall not dwell in your land’ means that evils must not exist together with the Church’s forms of good. This is clear from the meaning of the inhabitants, to whom the words ‘they shall not dwell in your land’ refer, as evils, dealt with above in 9342; from the meaning of ‘dwelling’ as living, dealt with in 1293, 3384, 3613, and of ‘dwelling with someone’ as living or existing together, 4451; and from the meaning of ‘land’ as the Church in respect of good, thus also the Church’s good, dealt with in 9325.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9481
9481. ‘In accordance with all that I show you, the pattern of the dwelling-place’ means a representative of heaven where the Lord is. This is clear from the meaning of ‘the pattern of the dwelling-place’ as a representative of heaven; for ‘the pattern’ means a representative, and ‘the dwelling-place’ means heaven. The reason why ‘the pattern’ means a representative is that Divine realities in heaven are also manifested in visible shapes, which are representatives. For the meaning of ‘the dwelling-place’ as heaven where the Lord is, see 8269, 8309. What the representatives that appear in heaven are like is clear in the prophets, for example in John’s Book of Revelation, in which he describes lampstands, Chapter 1:12ff; a throne with twenty-four thrones around it, and four living creatures before the throne, Chapter 4:2ff; a book sealed with seven seals, Chapter 5; horses going out when the seals were opened, Chapter 6; angels who are clothed in various ways and have bowls, Chapters 9, 10, 15, 16; a white horse, Chapter 19; and at length a new Jerusalem, its walls, gates, foundations, height, breadth, and length, Chapters 21, 22. Similar sights are also described by other prophets.
[2] All those sights are representatives such as appear unceasingly in heaven before angels’ eyes, manifesting in visible shapes the Divine celestial realities that belong to the good of love and the Divine spiritual realities that belong to the good of faith. Such realities taken all together were represented by the tabernacle and its contents, that is, the ark itself, the table on which loaves were laid, the altar of incense, the lampstand, and everything else. Therefore when these objects, being outward forms of Divine celestial and spiritual realities, were beheld by the people while they were engaged in holy acts of worship, such realities as were represented by those objects were brought to notice in heaven. These, as stated above, were the Divine celestial realities that belong to the good of love to the Lord and the Divine spiritual realities that belong to the good of faith in the Lord. All the representatives of that Church had that kind of effect in heaven. It should be realized that a person always has spirits and angels present with him and that a person cannot live without them. It should likewise be realized that through them the person is linked to the Lord, and that in this way the human race, and heaven too, is kept in being. From this one can see what purpose was served by the representatives and also the ritual observances of the Church established among the Israelite nation. One can also see what purpose is served by the Word, in which all things mentioned in the sense of the letter correspond to Divine realities that exist in heaven, thus in which all the objects mentioned are representative and all the words used carry a spiritual meaning. This is what brings about the linking of a person to heaven, and through heaven to the Lord. Without that link the person would have no life whatever, for without being linked to the actual Essential Being (Esse) of life, from which the Coming-into-Being (Existere) of life emanates, no one has life.
[3] But these considerations are unintelligible to those who think that life exists essentially in a person himself and that a person lives without spirits or angels, thus without influx from the Divine by way of heaven. But in actual fact anything that is not linked to the Divine perishes and ceases to exist. Indeed nothing can ever come into being without that which is prior to itself, thus without the Divine, who is the First and is self-existent Being (Esse) or Jehovah; nor consequently can it remain in being, for remaining in being is constant coming-into-being. Because ‘the dwelling-place’ means heaven where the Lord is, it also means the good of love and faith, since these compose heaven; and because all good comes from the Lord, and heaven is called heaven by virtue of its love to and faith in the Lord, ‘the dwelling-place’ also means in the highest sense the Lord, as is evident in Isa. 63:15; Jer. 25:30; Ezek. 37:26, 27; Ps. 26:8; 43:3; 90:1; 91:9; Exod. 15:13; Deut. 12:5, 11; and other places. From this it is clear that the tabernacle was called Jehovah’s sanctuary and dwelling-place for the reason that it represented the realities mentioned above.
Apocalypse Revealed (Rogers) n. 380
380. “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. (7:15) And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.” This symbolically means that they are in the Lord’s presence, and live constantly and faithfully in His church in accordance with the truths that they receive from Him, and that the Lord continually implants goodness in their truths.
Their being therefore before the throne of God means, symbolically, that they are in the Lord’s presence; and their serving Him day and night means, symbolically, that they constantly and faithfully live in accordance with the truths they receive from Him, which is to say, His commandments. Serving the Lord has no other symbolic meaning. To be in His temple means, symbolically, to be in His church (no. 191). “He who sits on the throne will dwell among them” means, symbolically, that the Lord continually implants goodness in the truths that they receive from Him. Dwelling among them has this symbolic meaning because in the Word, dwelling is predicated of goodness, and serving of truth.