Swedenborg says that 80, like 40, can represent a state of temptation, when we face and battle our desires for evil – and that it can also be looked at as the product of eight and 10, combining the meanings of those two numbers. Eight generally represents a beginning state (the eighth day is the first of a new week) and 10 can represent either a state of fullness or what Swedenborg calls “remains” or “remnants” – true ideas and desires for good implanted deep within us by the Lord in infancy, which can react with other goods and truths as we grow.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 1963
1963. ‘Abram was a son of eighty-six years’ means the Lord’s state as regards celestial goods acquired through the conflicts brought about by temptations. This is clear from the meaning of ‘eighty’, a number that is similar to forty in what it embodies, which, as shown already in 730, 862, means temptations; from the meaning of ‘six’ as conflict, also dealt with already in 720, 737, 900; as well as from the meaning of ‘ten’ as remnants, dealt with in 576. With the Lord these remnants were acquisitions of celestial goods by which He united the Human Essence to the Divine Essence; see 1906 (end). These three numbers go to make up the number of eighty-six, which embodies such matters within it, and so means the Lord’s state as regards celestial goods that had been acquired through the conflicts brought about by temptations; for all numbers in the Word mean real things, as shown already in 482, 487, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4617
4617. ‘A hundred and eighty years’ means the nature of this state. This becomes clear from the fact that all numbers in the Word have spiritual realities as their meaning, see 482, 487, 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4264, 4495. ‘A hundred and eighty years’ accordingly means the nature of the reality, that is, of the state, which is being dealt with. ‘A hundred’ means a complete state, see 2636, and ‘eighty’ temptations, 1963, here by means of temptations – in addition to many other things which cannot be known. Numbers obtain their meanings from the simpler numbers of which they are the products when the simpler are brought together or multiplied, as with the number here which is the product of twelve and fifteen and also of others yet simpler than these.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7284
7284. ‘And Moses was a son of eighty years’ means the state and essential nature of the law from God. This is clear from the representation of ‘Moses’ as the law from God, dealt with in 6771, 6827; and from the meaning of ‘eighty years as the state and essential nature of the law from God, that is to say, among those who belonged to the spiritual Church, at the first time of visitation. What is meant specifically by ‘eighty’ cannot be stated because it entails the entire state and nature of the law from God among them at that time. ‘Eighty’ can mean a state of temptations, see 1963, and when it does so it entails the same meaning as forty. But because it is also the product of ten multiplied by eight, the meaning of eighty must be sought from these numbers as well. For what is meant by ten, see 576, 1906, 1988, 2284, 3107, 4638; and for what is meant by eight, 2044, 2866.