423. 'And the sun was darkened and the air by reason of the smoke of the pit' signifies that as a consequence the light of truth became thick-darkness. By 'sun' and 'air' here is signified the light of truth, for by the sun is signified love and by the light therefrom Divine Truth; and therefore when it is said that 'the sun was darkened' and at the same time 'the air', it is signified that Divine Truth became thick-darkness. That this results from the untruths of lusts is signified by its being 'by reason of the smoke of the pit'.