562. Verse 11. And they had over them a king, the angel of the abyss, signifies that they received influx from the hell where those are who are in the falsities of evil and are merely sensual. This is evident from the signification of a "king," as being truth from good, and in the contrary sense, as here, falsity from evil (see above, n. 31); and from the signification of "the angel of the abyss," as being the hell in which there are the falsities of evil; for "angel" here does not mean a single angel, but the hell in which such are. That an "angel" means in the Word entire angelic societies which are in like good, may be seen above (n. 90, 302, 307); therefore also an "angel" in the contrary sense signifies the infernal societies which are in like evil. The hells where those are who are in the falsities of evil and who are merely sensual are here meant, because the angel is called "the angel of the abyss," the "abyss" meaning the hell where such are (see above, n. 538), also because this is said of the "locusts," which signify men who have become merely sensual through infernal falsities (see above, n. 543). "To have this angel as a king over them" signifies to receive influx from hell, because all evils and all falsities therefrom are from hell, and because all who are in evils and in falsities therefrom are ruled and led by the hells, therefore hell is to such as a king who rules over them, and to whom they yield obedience; and because this, while they are living in the world, is effected by influx, and efflux from hell is what leads; thence "to have a king over them" signifies to receive influx.