{"id":11643,"date":"2016-04-24T21:16:33","date_gmt":"2016-04-25T01:16:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordstudy.newchurch.org\/?page_id=11643"},"modified":"2016-04-24T21:16:33","modified_gmt":"2016-04-25T01:16:33","slug":"rod-staff","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/bible-keywords\/rod-staff\/","title":{"rendered":"Rod, Staff"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/b>Swedenborg<\/a> says that in a general sense, \u201crod\u201d and \u201cstaff\u201d both represent power, in particular the power of true ideas<\/a> coming from the Lord<\/a>. There are a number of reasons for this. For one thing, rods and staves were typically branches of trees, and trees represent thoughts<\/a> and ideas coming from the Lord. For another, they are held in the hand, which also represents power. Finally, it\u2019s not hard to see how sticks gave people power in primitive times.<\/span><\/p>\n

To some extent \u201crod\u201d and \u201cstaff\u201d are interchangeable, but there is a shade of meaning; \u201cstaff\u201d in the original language meant more of a stick to lean on, and \u201crod\u201d meant more of a stick to hit things with. When they\u2019re used together, then, \u201crod\u201d represents power from a higher level of truth and \u201cstaff\u201d the power of a lower, more external<\/a> truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4876<\/b><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. ‘And your\u00a0rod\u00a0which is in your hand’ means through the power of this, that is, of this truth. This is clear from the meaning of ‘a\u00a0rod’ as power, dealt with below; and from the meaning of ‘the hand’ too as power, dealt with in 876, 3091, 3387, 3563. The phrase ‘which is in your hand’ is used because the power of that truth, namely lowest truth, is meant, like that present with the semblance of religion among the Jewish nation, meant here by ‘Judah’. Regarding the attribution of power to truth, see 3091, 3563. Frequent mention is made in the Word of ‘a\u00a0rod’, yet surprisingly few at the present day know that something in the spiritual world was represented by it, as for instance when Moses was commanded, every time a miracle was performed, to lift up hisrod\u00a0and so it was accomplished. The existence of such knowledge even among gentiles may be recognized from their myths in whichrods\u00a0are assigned to magicians. The reason ‘a\u00a0rod’ means power is that it is a support, for it gives support to the hand and arm, and through these to the whole body. This being so, a\u00a0rod\u00a0takes on the meaning of the part to which it immediately gives support, namely that of the hand and the arm, both of which mean in the Word the power of truth. Also, the hand and arm correspond to that power in the Grand Man, as will be seen at the ends of chapters.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>[2] That ‘a\u00a0rod’ represented power is evident, as has been stated, from what is recorded about Moses,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>He was commanded to take a\u00a0rod\u00a0and use it to perform miracles; so he took the\u00a0rod\u00a0of God in his hand. Exod. 4:17, 20.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>When the waters in Egypt were struck with the\u00a0rod, they turned to blood.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>Exod. 7:15, 19.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0When the\u00a0rod\u00a0was stretched out over the streams, frogs came forth. Exod. 8:5-15.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0When the dust was struck by the use of the\u00a0rod, it turned into lice. Exod. 8:16-20.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0When the\u00a0rod\u00a0was stretched out towards heaven, hail fell. Exod. 9:23.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0When the\u00a0rod\u00a0was stretched out over the earth, locusts came forth. Exod. 10:3-21.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0Since ‘the hand’, which means power, comes first, while ‘a\u00a0rod’ is merely its instrument, the following references to ‘the hand’ also occur:<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0The miracles happened when Moses’ hand was stretched out. Exod. 10:12, 13. When he stretched out his hand towards heaven, thick darkness came over the land of Egypt. Exod. 10:21, 22. When he stretched out his hand over the Sea Suph, an east wind made the sea dry land; and when again he stretched out his hand, the waters returned. Exod. 14:21, 26, 27.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>[3] Reference is in addition made to the\u00a0rod\u00a0being used to strike the rock at Horeb, after which water flowed out, Exod. 17:5, 6; Num. 20:7-10. Also, when Joshua was about to fight against Amalek,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0Moses said to Joshua, Choose men for us, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill, with God’srod\u00a0in my hand. And it happened, that when Moses lifted up his hand, Israel prevailed, and when he let down his hand Amalek prevailed. Exod 17:9-11.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0From these references it is quite plain that ‘a\u00a0rod’, like the hand, represented power, and in the highest sense the Lord’s Divine almighty power. It is also evident that at that time representatives constituted the external features of the Church, and that its internal features – which were spiritual and celestial realities such as exist in heaven – corresponded to those external ones, which owed their efficacy to that correspondence. From this it is also evident how crazy those people are who believe that power had been infused into and therefore dwelt in Moses’\u00a0rod\u00a0or hand.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>[4] The meaning in the spiritual sense of ‘a\u00a0rod’ as power is also evident from many places in the Prophets, as in Isaiah,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0Behold, the Lord Jehovah Zebaoth is taking away from Jerusalemrod\u00a0and stay, the whole\u00a0rod\u00a0of bread, and the whole\u00a0rod\u00a0of water. Isa. 3:1.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0‘The\u00a0rod\u00a0of bread’ stands for the support and power provided by the good of love, ‘the\u00a0rod\u00a0of water’ for the support and power provided by the truth of faith. For ‘bread’ means the good of love, see 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735; and ‘water’ the truth of faith’ 28, 680, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424. ‘The\u00a0rod\u00a0of bread’ is used with a similar meaning in Ezekiel 4:16; 5:16; 14:13; Ps. 105:16.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>[5] In addition to this, in Isaiah,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0The Lord, Jehovih Zebaoth, said, Do not be afraid – O My people, inhabitant of Zion – of Asshur, who will smite you with a stick and will lift up the\u00a0rod\u00a0over you in the way of Egypt. Jehovah will lift up the scourge against him, as when Midian was smitten in the rock of Oreb, and his\u00a0rod\u00a0will be over the sea, which he will lift up in the way of Egypt. Isa. 10:24, 26.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0Here ‘the\u00a0rod’ stands for power provided by reasoning and knowledge, like that which those people possess who, with ideas based on factual knowledge, reason against the truths of faith and pervert these or else treat them as worthless. This is what is meant by ‘the stick with which Asshur will smite’ and by ‘the\u00a0rod\u00a0which he will lift up in the way of Egypt’. For ‘Asshur’ means reasoning, see 1186, and ‘Egypt’ knowledge, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>[6] Similarly in Zechariah,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0The pride of Asshur will be thrown down, and the\u00a0rod\u00a0of Egypt will depart. Zech. 10:11.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0In Isaiah,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0You relied on the\u00a0rod\u00a0of a bruised reed, on Egypt, which, when anyone leans on it, goes into his hand and pierces it. Isa. 36:6.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0‘Egypt’ stands for factual knowledge, as above; and power in spiritual things which is received from that knowledge is meant by ‘the\u00a0rod\u00a0of a bruised reed’. By ‘the hand which it enters and pierces’ is meant power received from the Word. In the same prophet,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0Jehovah has broken the\u00a0rod\u00a0of the wicked, the stick of those who have dominion. Isa. 14:5<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0‘The\u00a0rod’ and ‘the stick’ plainly stand for power.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>[7] In Jeremiah,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0Grieve, all regions surrounding Moab; say, How is the\u00a0rod\u00a0of strength, the\u00a0rod\u00a0of beauty, broken! Jer 48:17.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0‘The\u00a0rod\u00a0of strength’ stands for power received from good, and ‘therod\u00a0of beauty’ for power received from truth.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>[8] In Hosea,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0My people enquire of their piece of wood, and their\u00a0rod\u00a0gives them a reply, for the spirit of whoredom has led them astray. Hosea 4:12.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0‘Inquiring of a piece of wood’ stands for consulting evils, ‘the\u00a0rodgives reply’ for the fact that falsity results from these, its power being derived from the evil to which they give support. ‘The spirit of whoredom’ stands for the life of falsity resulting from evil. In David,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0Even when I walk in the valley of the shadow I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your stick and Your\u00a0rod\u00a0comfort me. Ps. 23:4.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0‘Your stick and your\u00a0rod’ stands for Divine truth and good, which have power. In the same author,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0The\u00a0rod\u00a0of the wicked will not rest on the lot of the righteous. Ps. 125:3.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>[9] In the same author,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0You will break them in pieces with a stick of iron, you will dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. Ps. 2:9.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0‘A stick of iron’ stands for the power of spiritual truth within the natural, for all natural truth that has spiritual truth present within it possesses power. ‘Iron’ means natural truth, 425, 426. Similarly in John,<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0He who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations to rule* them untie a stick of iron as when earthen pots are broken in pieces. Rev. 2:26, 27. (Also Rev. 12:5; 19:15.)<\/span>
    \n<\/span>
    \n<\/span>\u00a0[10] Because ‘a\u00a0rod’ represented the power of truth, that is, the power of good expressed by means of truth, kings therefore had sceptres; and those sceptres were shaped like short\u00a0rods. For kings represent the Lord as regards truth, while kingship itself means Divine Truth, 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3670, 4581. The sceptre means the power which is theirs not by virtue of their high position but of truth which must reign. Nor must this be any other kind of truth than that which is grounded in good, and so is primarily Divine Truth, and among Christians is the Lord, the source of all Divine Truth.<\/span>
    \n<\/span>* lit. pasture<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7026<\/b><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. ‘And Moses took the\u00a0rod\u00a0of God in his hand’ means that those things were from Divine power. This is clear from the meaning of ‘the\u00a0rod’ as power, dealt with in 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, so that ‘the\u00a0rod\u00a0of God’ is Divine power. As may be seen above in 7011, ‘the\u00a0rod’ means natural power while ‘the hand’ means spiritual power, and the natural derives its power from the spiritual; and this being so ‘the\u00a0rod’ means power when it is being held in the hand. The origin of the meaning of ‘the\u00a0rod’ as power lies in representatives in the next life, for there those who practise magic are seen with\u00a0rods\u00a0which also serve to provide them with power. This also explains why the magicians of Egypt had\u00a0rodswhich they used in performing what seemed to be miracles, and why everywhere in their writings the ancients give magicians\u00a0rods. From these considerations it may be recognized that ‘a\u00a0rod’ is an emblem representing power, and also has a direct correspondence with it since\u00a0rods\u00a0are instruments through which power is actually exercised. But among magicians this involves a misuse of correspondence and is altogether ineffective except within the hells where they are, and then only within these because trickery and false impressions reign. Since there is a direct correspondence between a\u00a0rod\u00a0and power, Moses was commanded to take the\u00a0rodin his hand and use it to do the signs. For the same reason kings have a sceptre, which is a short\u00a0rod\u00a0and serves as a sign of royal power. The correspondence of\u00a0rod\u00a0and power derives from the fact that a\u00a0rod\u00a0or staff supports the hand and arm, and so at the same time the body, and the hand and arm correspond to power in the Grand Man, see 878, 3387, 4931-4977, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6947, 7011.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4013<\/b><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. ‘Jacob took for himself fresh\u00a0rods\u00a0of poplar’ means the power proper to natural good. This is clear from the meaning of ‘a\u00a0rod’ as power, and from the meaning of ‘poplar’ as the good of the natural, dealt with below. ‘A\u00a0rod’ is referred to in various places in the Word, and in every case it means power, for one reason because of its use by shepherds in the exercise of power over their flocks, and for another because it served to support the body, and existed so to speak for the sake of the right hand – for ‘the hand’ means power, 878, 3387. And because it had that meaning a\u00a0rod\u00a0was also used in ancient times by a king; and the royal emblem was a short\u00a0rod\u00a0and also a sceptre. And not only a king used a\u00a0rod, but also a priest and a prophet did so, in order that he too might denote by means of hisrod\u00a0the power which he possessed, as Aaron and Moses did. This explains why Moses was commanded so many times to stretch out his\u00a0rod, and on other occasions his hand, when miracles were performed, the reason being that ‘a\u00a0rod’ and ‘the hand’ means Divine power. And it is because ‘a\u00a0rod’ means power that the magicians of Egypt likewise used one when performing magical miracles. It is also the reason why at the present day a magician is represented with a\u00a0rod\u00a0in his hand.<\/span>
        \n<\/span>
        \n<\/span>[2] From all these considerations it may be seen that power is meant by ‘rods’. But in the original language the word used for therod\u00a0that a shepherd, or else a king, or else a priest or a prophet possessed, is different from that used for the\u00a0rods\u00a0which Jacob took. The latter were used by wayfarers and so also by shepherds, as becomes clear from other places, such as Gen. 32:10; Exod. 12:11; 1 Sam. 17:40, 43; Zech. 11:7, 10. In the present verse, it is true, the\u00a0rod\u00a0is not referred to as one supporting the hand but as a stick cut out from a tree, that is to say, from the poplar, hazel, or plane, to be placed in the troughs in front of the flock. Nevertheless the word has the same meaning, for in the internal sense it describes the power of natural good and from that the good that empowers natural truths.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Apocalypse Explained (Tansley) n. 727<\/b><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. A\u00a0rod\u00a0and staff signify power, and indeed the power of Divine Truth, chiefly for the reason that they were branches or boughs of trees, and these signify the knowledges of truth and good, which are the truths of the natural man; and as they were used to support the body, they signified power. This is yet more true with a\u00a0rod\u00a0of iron, because iron also signifies the truth of the natural man, and because of its hardness it signifies power that cannot be resisted. That\u00a0rods\u00a0and staves signify the power of Divine Truth is from correspondence. It is from this fact that the use of staffs, in the spiritual world – where all things that appear are correspondences – is representative of the power of those [who use them]; similarly in the Jewish church, which, like the ancient churches, was a representative church. This is why Moses wrought miracles and signs in Egypt, and afterwards in the wilderness, by stretching forth his staff. For instance, the waters smitten by the staff were turned into blood (Exod. vii. 1-21). Frogs came up from the rivers and pools, over which the staff was stretched forth (Exod. viii. 1, and following verses). From the dust smitten with the staff there came forth lice (Exod. viii. 12, and following verses). When the staff was stretched out towards heaven there came thunders and hail (Exod. ix. 23). Locusts came forth (Exod. x. 12, and following verses). The sea Suph (Red Sea), when the staff was stretched over it, was divided and afterwards returned (Exod. xiv. 16, 21, 26). From the rock in Horeb, smitten with the staff, waters came forth (Exod. xvii. 5, and following verses; Numb. xx. 7-13). Joshua prevailed against Amalek when Moses lifted up his hand with the staff, and Amalek prevailed when Moses let it down (Exod. xvii. 9-12); also, fire went out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes which Gideon offered, when the angel of Jehovah touched them with the end of his staff (Judg. vi. 21). These miracles were wrought by the stretching out of the staff, because the staff signified, from correspondence, the power of the Lord by means of Divine Truth; this power was treated of in the preceding article.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[2] That Divine Truth as to power is also signified in other parts of the Word by\u00a0rods\u00a0and staves, is evident from the following passages.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>In David:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>“Yea, when I shall walk in the shady valley I will fear no evil, thyrod\u00a0and thy staff shall comfort me; thou wilt set before me a table in the presence of mine enemies; and thou wilt make fat my head with oil, my cup shall run over” (Psalm xxiii. 4, 5).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0To walk in a shady valley, signifies, in the spiritual sense, an obscure understanding, which does not see truths in their light, Thyrod\u00a0and thy staff shall comfort me, signifies that spiritual Divine Truth, together with natural Divine Truth, shall protect, because these have power,\u00a0rod\u00a0denoting spiritual Divine Truth, staff natural Divine Truth, the two together meaning these as to the power of protecting; for to comfort means to protect. As\u00a0rod\u00a0and staff signify Divine truth as to power, these words follow: “Thou wilt set before me a table, thou wilt make fat my head with oil, my cup shall run over,” this signifies spiritual nourishment through Divine Truth; for to set a table signifies to be spiritually nourished, to make fat the head with oil signifies through the good of love, while the cup signifies truth of doctrine from the Word, the cup being used here for wine.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[3] In Ezekiel:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Thy mother was like a vine planted near the waters, whence she had\u00a0rods\u00a0of strength for sceptres of them that rule; but she lifted herself up in her stature among the interwoven boughs, therefore she was overturned in anger, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind withered up her fruit; the\u00a0rods\u00a0of her strength were broken off and dried up, the fire consumed them all. Now she is planted in the wilderness, in a land of drought and thirst; a fire hath gone out from the\u00a0rod\u00a0of her branches, and hath consumed her fruit, so that there is not in her a\u00a0rod\u00a0of strength, a sceptre of them that rule” (xix. 10-14).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0This describes the desolation of all truth in the Jewish church; the princes, against whom the lamentation is taken up, signify truths, and the mother who became a lioness signifies the church; about these the above is said. Thy mother was like a vine planted near the waters, signifies that the spiritual church, from its establishment, had been instructed in truths, mother denoting the church in general, a vine the spiritual church, in particular, waters truths, while to be planted denotes to be established. Whence she had\u00a0rodsof strength for sceptres of them that rule, signifies that the church had Divine Truth in its power, and thus dominion over the falsities of evil which are from hell,\u00a0rods\u00a0of strength denoting Divine Truth as to power, and sceptres Divine Truth as to dominion; for the sceptres of kings were short staves, from a significative tree, here, from the vine. But she lifted herself up in her stature among the thick boughs, signifies the pride of [their] own intelligence from the knowledges (scientifica) of the natural man; such pride is signified by She lifted herself up in her stature, and the knowledges of the natural man are signified by the interwoven boughs. She was overturned in anger, thrown to the ground, signifies its destruction by falsities of evils; the east wind withered her fruit, signifies the destruction of its good, the east wind signifying destruction, and fruit good; that good remaining from the Word with those who are in falsities of evil is meant; and its destruction is signified by the drying up of the fruit by an east wind. The\u00a0rods\u00a0of her strength were broken off and dried up, signifies that all Divine Truth was dissipated, consequently that the church had no power against the hells. The fire hath consumed them all, signifies pride from the love of self, which destroyed. Now she is planted in the wilderness, in a land of drought and thirst, signifies desolation, until there is no good of truth or truth of good left. A fire hath gone out from therod\u00a0of her branches, signifies pride in every particular of it; it hath consumed her fruit, signifies the consumption of good; so that there is not in her a\u00a0rod\u00a0of strength, a sceptre of them that rule, signifies the desolation of Divine Truth as to power and as to dominion, as above.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[4] In Jeremiah:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Say ye, How is the staff of strength broken, the staff of beauty; come down from thy glory and sit in thirst, O thou daughter that dwellest in Dibon; for the spoiler of Moab hath come up against thee, and hath destroyed thy strongholds” (xlvii. 17, 18).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0The daughter of Dibon signifies the external of the church, and thus the external of the Word, which is the sense of its letter, and the spoiler of Moab signifies its adulteration. This makes it clear what is signified by The staff of strength is broken, the staff of beauty – namely, that they no longer possessed Divine Truth in its power, which, as it is in the natural sense of the Word, is signified by the staff of strength, and in the spiritual sense by the staff of beauty, Come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst, O thou daughter that dwellest in Dibon, signifies the deprivation and want of Divine Truth; to come down from glory denoting the deprivation thereof, glory meaning Divine Truth in light, and thirst the want of it; for the spoiler of Moab hath come up against thee, signifies the adulteration of the Word as to its literal sense; and hath destroyed thy strongholds, signifies the taking away of defence, a stronghold denoting defence against falsities and evils; the literal sense of the Word is that defence.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[5] In David:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Jehovah shall send the staff of thy strength out of Zion” (Psalm cx. 2).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0The staff of strength here also signifies Divine Truth in its power, and Zion the church which is in love to the Lord, and is therefore called a celestial church.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[6] In Micah:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Tend (pasce) thy people with thy\u00a0rod, the flock of thine inheritance; they shall feed in Bashan and Gilead according to the days of an age” (vii. 14).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0Tend thy people with thy\u00a0rod, signifies the instruction of those who are of the church in Divine truths from the Word, to tend signifying to instruct; people mean those of the church who are in truths, and the\u00a0rod\u00a0means there the Word, because it is Divine Truth. The flock of heritage signifies those of the church who are in the spiritual things of the Word, which are the truths of its internal sense; they shall feed in Bashan and Gilead, signifies instruction in the goods of the church and in its truths from the natural sense of the Word.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[7] In Isaiah:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“He shall smite the earth with the\u00a0rod\u00a0of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the impious” (xi. 4).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0Here also the\u00a0rod\u00a0of the mouth of Jehovah signifies Divine Truth or the Word in the natural sense; and the breath of his lips signifies Divine Truth or the Word in the spiritual sense, both of these destroying the falsities of evil in the church, which is signified by smiting the earth and slaying the impious. “To smite with a\u00a0rod” (Micah v. 1), and “to pierce through with staves the head of the unfaithful” (Habak. iii. 14), have a similar signification.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[8] In Moses:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Israel sang a song” concerning the fountain in Beer; “O fountain, the princes digged, the chiefs of the people digged out, by [command of] the lawgiver with their staffs” (Numb. xxi. 17, 18).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0The fountain in Beer here signifies doctrine from the Word, “Beer” in the original meaning a fountain; the princes who digged, and the chiefs of the people who digged, signify those who are intelligent, and wise from the Lord, who is meant by the lawgiver. The staves with which they digged and digged out, signify the understanding enlightened in Divine truths.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[9] In Zechariah:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and a man in whose hand is a staff (scipio) by reason of the multitude of days” (viii. 4).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0Old men and old women, signify those who are intelligent from doctrine and from affection for truth; the man in whose hand is a staff by reason of the multitude of days, signifies the wise who trust not to themselves but to the Lord alone; that these will be in the church, where there is the doctrine of genuine truth, is signified by In the streets of Jerusalem – Jerusalem denoting the church as to doctrine, and streets truths of doctrine, here genuine truths.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[10] In Jeremiah:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Every man is become foolish by knowledge (scientia), every goldsmith is made ashamed by the graven image; the part of Jacob is not like these; but he is the Former of all things, and Israel is the staff of his inheritance, Jehovah Zebaoth is his name” (x. 14, 16; chap. li. 19).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0Every man is become foolish by knowledge, signifies by the knowledges (scientifica) of the natural man separated from the spiritual; every goldsmith is made ashamed by the graven image, signifies by falsities from [their] own intelligence. But He is the Former of all things, signifies the Lord from whom is all understanding of truth; Israel is the staff of his inheritance, signifies the church that has Divine Truth, and its power against falsities; and because the subject here treated of is intelligence through Divine Truth, it is said, “Jehovah Zebaoth is his name.” The Lord is called Jehovah Zebaoth from Divine truths in their whole extent, for Zebaoth means armies, and armies signify all the truths and goods of the church and heaven.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[11] When the sons of Israel murmured in the wilderness against Moses and Aaron on account of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, because they were swallowed up by the earth, it was commanded that<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“the princes of the twelve tribes should place their staves in the tent of assembly, before the testimony; and when this was done, the staff of Aaron blossomed, and brought forth almonds” (Numb. xvii. 2-10).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0This happened, because they murmured against Jehovah, that is, against the Lord, and indeed against Divine Truth, which is from Him; for Moses and Aaron represented the Lord as to the law, which is the Word; for this reason it was commanded that the princes of the twelve tribes should place their staves in the tent of assembly, before the testimony. For the twelve tribes, and in particular their princes, and also their twelve staves signified the truths of the church in their whole extent, while the tent of assembly represented and thus signified heaven, from which are the truths of the church; and the testimony represented the Lord Himself. The staff of Aaron blossomed and produced almonds, because his staff represented and thus signified truth from the good of love; and because truth from the good of love is the only truth that brings forth fruit, which is the good of charity, therefore it was his staff that blossomed, and brought forth almonds, almonds signifying that good, the same as the tribe of Levi, as may be seen above (n. 444). It must be observed that tribe (tribus) and staff (baculus) are expressed by the same word (as in Numb. i. 16; chap, ii. 5, 7); therefore the twelve staves have a similar signification to that of the twelve tribes, namely, the Divine truths of the church in their whole extent. Concerning the twelve tribes, see above (n. 39, 430, 431, 657).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[12] As a staff signifies the power of Divine Truth, it signifies also the power to resist evils and falsities.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0In Isaiah:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Behold, the Lord Jehovah Zebaoth doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the staff and the stay (scipio), the whole staff of bread, and the whole staff of water, the mighty man and the man of war, the judge and the prophet” (iii. 1, 2).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0To remove the whole staff of bread and the whole staff of water, signifies here to take away all the good and truth of the church, and when these are taken away there is no longer any power to resist evils and falsities, so as to hinder their free entrance. Bread signifies the good of the church, water its truth, and staff good and truth as to their power to resist evils and falsities; the words therefore follow that the mighty man and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, will also be removed, and the mighty man and the man of war signify truth fighting against evil and falsity, and the judge and prophet the doctrine of good and truth.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[13] In Ezekiel:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Behold I break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, that they may eat bread by weight and in carefulness, and drink waters by measure and with astonishment” (iv. 16).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0To break the staff of bread, signifies that good and truth shall fail in the church, for bread here signifies good and truth, therefore the words follow, “They shall eat bread by weight and in carefulness, and drink waters by measure,” which signifies a deficiency of good and truth, and thus of the power to resist evils and falsities. To break the staff of bread and of water (Ezek. v. 16; xiv. 13; Psalm cv. 16; Levit. xxvi. 26) has a similar signification.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[14] As\u00a0rod\u00a0and staff signify the power of Divine Truth, and thus Divine Truth as to power, therefore in the opposite sense they also signify the power of infernal falsity, and thence infernal falsity as to power. In this sense\u00a0rod\u00a0and staff are named in the following passages.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0In Isaiah:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the\u00a0rod\u00a0of them that rule” (xiv. 5).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0To break the staff of the wicked signifies to destroy the power of falsity from evil; and to break the\u00a0rod\u00a0of them that rule, signifies the rule of falsity.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[15] In David:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“The staff of impiety shall not rest upon the lot of the just, that the just may not put forth their hands to perversity” (Psalm cxxv. 3).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0The staff of impiety, signifies the power of falsity from evil; upon the lot of the just, signifies over truths from good, which the faithful have, and especially those who are in love to the Lord, for these, in the Word, are called the just; lest the just put forth their hands to perversity, signifies lest they falsify truths.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[16] In Lamentations:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“I am the man that hath seen misery by the\u00a0rod\u00a0of his fury; he hath led me into darkness, and not into light” (iii. 1, 2).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0This is said of the devastation of the church; and by the\u00a0rod\u00a0of fury is signified the rule of infernal falsity; He hath led me and brought me into darkness, and not into light, signifies into mere falsities, and thus not into truths.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[17] In Isaiah:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the\u00a0rod\u00a0of his oppressor” (ix. 4).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0This is said of the nations who were in falsities from ignorance, because they had not the Word, and to whom therefore the Lord was not known. The evil with which they were oppressed, and the falsity by which they were infested, are signified by the yoke of the burden, the staff of the shoulder, and the\u00a0rod\u00a0of the oppressor; to break signifies to destroy these, for to break is said of a yoke, a staff, and a\u00a0rod, but to destroy is said of evil and falsity, which heavily weigh upon, powerfully persuade and compel to obedience.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[18] In the same:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“At the voice of Jehovah, Asshur shall be dismayed, he shall be smitten with a staff; then every passage of the\u00a0rod\u00a0of foundation, upon which Jehovah shall cause to rest, shall be with timbrels and harps” (xxx. 31, 32).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0This treats of the time of a last judgment, when there shall be a new church. Asshur who shall be dismayed at the voice of Jehovah, and shall be smitten with a staff, signifies reasoning from falsities, which shall be dispersed by Divine Truth. That then the truths of the literal sense of the Word will be understood and received with joy, is signified by the words, “Then the passage of the\u00a0rod\u00a0of the foundation shall be with timbrels and harps,” passage signifying opening and free reception, and timbrels and harps signifying the delights of the affection for truth. The truths of the literal sense of the Word are signified by the\u00a0rod\u00a0of the foundation, because that sense is a foundation for the truths of its spiritual sense; and as the spiritual sense rests upon the literal sense, it is said, “Upon which Jehovah shall cause to rest.”<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[19] In Zechariah:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“The pride of Asshur shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart” (x. 11).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0The pride of Asshur signifies the pride of [man’s] own intelligence, and the staff of Egypt signifies the power arising from the confirmation of its falsities by the knowledges (scientifica) of the natural man.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[20] In Isaiah:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Woe to Asshur, the\u00a0rod\u00a0of mine anger and the staff of mine indignation, which is in their hand. O my people, inhabitant of Zion, be not afraid of Asshur, that he smite thee with a\u00a0rod, and lift up his staff upon thee in the way of Egypt” (x. 5, 24, 26).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0Here also Asshur signifies reasonings from [man’s] own intelligence, by which truths are perverted and falsified; the consequent falsities, and perversions of truth, are signified by therod\u00a0of mine anger, and by the staff of mine indignation, which is in their hand. That truths will not be perverted with those of the church who are in celestial love and in truths therefrom, is signified by Fear not, O inhabitant of Zion. That he smite thee with a\u00a0rod, and lift up a staff upon thee in the way of Egypt, signifies that falsity urges, excites, and strives to pervert by means of such things as pertain to the natural man, the way of Egypt denoting the knowledges (scientifica) of the natural man from which reasonings arise. Since Egypt signifies the natural man with the things that are in it, and, the natural man separated from the spiritual is in mere falsities, therefore Egypt is called the staff of a bruised reed, which entereth into and pierceth the hand, when one leaneth upon it (Ezekiel xxix. 6, 7; Isaiah xxxvi. 6). This may be seen explained above (n. 627:10).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[21] In Isaiah:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Rejoice not, O Philistia, that the\u00a0rod\u00a0of him that smiteth thee is broken; for out of the serpent’s root shall go forth a basilisk, whose fruit is a fiery flying serpent (prester volans)” (xiv. 29).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0That Philistia signifies a religion of faith separated from charity, the serpent’s root that false principle, the basilisk the destruction of the good and truth of the church, and the fiery flying serpent reasonings from the falsities of evil, may be seen above (n. 386:3). Thus these serpents have a similar signification to that of the dragon in this chapter of the Apocalypse. That Philistia should not rejoice that the\u00a0rod\u00a0of him that smiteth her is broken, signifies that she should not boast that the dominion of that falsity is not yet destroyed.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[22] In Hosea:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“My people ask questions of wood, and their staff answereth them, for the spirit of whoredoms hath seduced them, and they have committed whoredom under their god” (iv. 12).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0This treats of the falsification of the Word. To ask questions of wood, or of an idol of wood, signifies to consult the intelligence which is from their proprium which favours its loves. The staff answereth them, signifies falsity in which confidence is reposed, for when the proprium is consulted falsity replies; the proprium is of the will, thus of the love, and its falsity is of the understanding, thus of the thought. The spirit of whoredoms that has seduced them, signifies the desire to falsify; to commit whoredom under their god, signifies to falsify the truths of the Word.<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>[23] From these things it is now evident what\u00a0rod\u00a0and staff signify in both senses; and also the meaning of the\u00a0rod\u00a0of iron, with which the male child is to tend all nations, can be seen; and also of these words in the Apocalypse, “Out of the mouth” of him who sat upon the white horse proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he may smite the nations; and he shall tend (pascet) them with a\u00a0rod\u00a0of iron (xix. 15).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0Also by these words above,<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“To him that overcometh will I give power over the nations, that he may rule them with a\u00a0rod\u00a0of iron, as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken” (ii. 26, 27).<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0The explanation of this may be seen above (n. 176). The signification of the following words in David is similar:<\/span>
          \n<\/span>
          \n<\/span>\u00a0“Thou shalt break them with a\u00a0rod\u00a0of iron, as the vessel of a potter thou shalt scatter them” (Psalm ii. 9).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8599<\/b><\/p>\n

            \n
          1. ‘With the\u00a0rod\u00a0of God in my hand’ means that this will be a source of power. This is clear from the meaning of ‘the\u00a0rod\u00a0of God’ as Divine power, dealt with in 4013, 4015, 4876, 4936, 7026; and from the meaning of ‘hand’ also as power, 8595 (end). The reason why he says that the\u00a0rod\u00a0of God would be in his hand is that ‘therod’ means outward power and ‘hand’ inward power, or ‘the\u00a0rod’ means natural power and ‘hand’ spiritual power, 6947, 7011. The expression a source of power is used because truth engaged in conflict has power within it, derived from good; for all the power that truth possesses is derived from the good within it. The reason for this is that the Divine is within good, and through good He is within truth; but He is not within truth devoid of good. For the fact that all the power truth possesses is derived from good, see 3563, 4931; and the fact that all the power good possesses is derived from the Divine is self-evident.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

             <\/p>\n

            Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9028<\/b><\/p>\n

              \n
            1. ‘If he rises up and walks outside on his staff’ means strength of life in that truth. This is clear from the meaning of ‘rising up’ as implying some kind of raising up, at this point of spiritual truth to agreement with factual truth; from the meaning of ‘walking’ as living, dealt with in 519, 1794, 8417, 8420; and from the meaning of ‘staff’ as strength. For ‘rod’ means the power that truth possesses, and so means strength, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026; and ‘staff’ has a similar meaning, though it is used in reference to those who are not strong and well. The word is also used in this way in David,<\/span>
              \n<\/span>
              \n<\/span>They confronted me on the day of my ruin, but Jehovah was my staff and brought me out into a broad place. Ps. 18:18, 19.<\/span>
              \n<\/span>
              \n<\/span>‘The day of ruin’ stands for a state when the belief in truth is weak; ‘Jehovah was a staff’ stands for power then; and ‘bringing out into a broad place’ stands for leading into the truths of faith, for which meaning of ‘bringing out into a broad place’, see 4482. In Isaiah also,<\/span>
              \n<\/span>
              \n<\/span>\u00a0The Lord Jehovah Zebaoth is taking away from Jerusalem and Judah\u00a0rod\u00a0and\u00a0staff, the whole\u00a0rod\u00a0of bread, and the whole rod of water. Isa. 3:1.<\/span>
              \n<\/span>
              \n<\/span>\u00a0‘Taking away\u00a0rod\u00a0and\u00a0staff’ stands for removing the power and strength of life received from truth and good, ‘the rod of bread’ standing for the power received from good, and ‘the rod of water’ for the power received from truth. In the original language the noun ‘staff’ is derived from a verb meaning to lean on and be supported by, which is done in the spiritual world by means of truth and good.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

               <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Swedenborg says that in a general sense, \u201crod\u201d and \u201cstaff\u201d both represent power, in particular the power of true ideas coming from the Lord. There are a number of reasons for this. For one thing, rods and staves were typically branches of trees, and trees represent thoughts and ideas coming from the Lord. For another, […]<\/p>\n

              Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":0,"parent":10645,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-article.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11643","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-r","blog-style1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11643","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11643"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11643\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11643"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/societies.newchurch.org\/wordstudy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}