338. Hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, signifies that they were now in evils and in the falsities of evil. "To hide themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains," signifies to be in evils and in the falsities of evil, because they who pretended before the world that they were in the good of love, and yet were in evil, after death hide themselves in caves; and they who have pretended that they were in the truths of faith, and yet were in the falsities of evil, hide themselves in the rocks of the mountains. The entrances appear like holes in the earth, and like clefts in the mountains, into which they betake themselves like serpents, and there hide themselves. That such are their abiding places I have frequently seen. Hence it is that by "caves" are signified the evils with such, and by "holes" and "clefts" the falsities of evil, in the following passages:
In that day they shall go into the caves of the rocks and into the fissures of the cliffs when Jehovah ariseth to terrify the earth (Isa. 2:19). In that day they shall go into the clefts of the rocks and into the fissures of the cliffs for dread of Jehovah (Isa. 2:21). To dwell in the fissures of the valleys, in holes of the earth, and in the rocks (Job 30:6). The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, who dwellest in fissures (Obad. 3). In that day they shall come and shall rest in the rivers of desolation, and in the fissures of the rocks (Isa. 7:19). The palace shall be a desert, the hillside and towers shall be for caves forever (Isa. 32:14). The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, that dwellest in the holes of the rock (Jer. 49:16). And they shall hunt them from upon every mountain and hill, and out of the holes of the rocks; they shall not be hidden before Me, neither is their iniquity hidden (Jer. 16:16-17). In that day the suckling shall play on the hole of the viper, and the weaned shall put his hand on the cave of the basilisk (Isa. 11:8).
This page is part of 
© 2000-2001 The Academy of the New Church