793. 'And every craftsman of every craft shall not be found in thee any more' signifies that those who are in that form of religion by virtue of doctrine and a life in accordance with it do not have any understanding of spiritual truth, and consequently neither any thought of spiritual truth, so far as this is of themselves. By 'a craftsman' in the spiritual sense of the Word is signified being intelligent, also thinking out of the understanding; in a good sense thinking truths out of the understanding, which are heavenly; and in a bad sense thinking untruths out of the understanding, which are infernal. And as the latter and the former are of many kinds, and each kind of many species, and each species again of many kinds and species, which, however, are called particulars and details (singularia), therefore it is said 'craftsman of every craft'. By 'craftsman' also by virtue of their skills and crafts are signified from correspondence such things as are of wisdom, intelligence and knowledge. It is said 'from correspondence' because every work of man, likewise every operation if only it be of some use, corresponds to such things as are of angelic intelligence. But there are some matters or subjects of angelic intelligence pertaining to the works of craftsmen in gold, silver and precious stones; others pertaining to those of craftsmen in bronze, iron, wood and stone; and others pertaining to those of the craftsmen of other desirable uses, such as cloths, linens, garments and clothing of various kinds. All of these correspond, as has been said, because they are works. From these considerations it can be established that by the 'craftsman of every craft' who 'shall not be found' in Babylon, it is not understood that there shall be no craftsman there but that there will not be any understanding of spiritual truth, and consequently not any thought of spiritual truth either. But this is the case only with those who are in that form of religion by virtue of its doctrine and a life in accordance therewith, and also so far as this is of themselves. [2] That 'a craftsman' signifies those who are in the understanding of truth and consequently in the thought of truth can be established from these passages:-
Bezaleel and Ohohiab the craftsmen shall make the tabernacle because they are filled with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge Exod. xxx 13; xxxvi 1, 2.
Every one wise-hearted among those doing the work made the dwelling- place, the work of the craftsman Exod. xxxvi 8.
Thou shalt make the dwelling-place of fine twined linen, and hyacinthine and purple, and double-dyed scarlet, and cherubs, with the work of the craftsman thou shalt make them Exod. xxvi 1.
Thou shalt make the veil likewise with the work of the craftsman Exod. xxvi 31; xxxv 35.
Likewise the ephod with the work of the craftsman; as also the breastplate Exod. xxviii 6; xxxix 8.
The 'craftsman' there is named by a word that also signifies a designer.
Thou shalt engrave two stones, which thou shalt put upon the shoulders of the ephod, with the work of a craftsman in gems Exod. xxviii 11.
[3] In the opposite sense by 'the work of a craftsman' is signified the kind of work that is derived from self-intelligence, out of which only what is false can be produced. This is understood by 'the work of the craftsman' in these places:-
They shall make a molten image out of their silver in their own intelligence, all of it the work of craftsmen Hosea xiii 2.
The craftsman casts the graven image, and the founder spreads it over wills gold and forges silver chains; he seeks for a wise craftsman Isa. xl 19, 20.
He cuts wood from the forest, the work of the hands of the workman. Silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz, the work of the craftsman; hyacinthine and purple, their clothing, all of them the work of wise ones Jer. x 3, 9.
Also Deut. xxvii 15. That 'idols' signify the untruths of worship and religion derived from self-intelligence may be seen above (n. 459, 460).
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