10546. And stretched it for himself without the camp, afar off from the camp. That this signifies remote from the external things in which the nation itself was, is evident from the signification of "stretching the tent," as being to provide, dispose, and set in order the things which are of the church and of worship; for by the "tent" is signified what is holy of the church, of worship, and of the Word (see just above, n. 10545), consequently by "stretching it" is signified to provide, dispose, and set in order these things; and from the signification of "the camp," as being the heavenly order from which and according to which are heaven and the church; and as all the truths and goods of heaven and of the church belong to this order, there is consequently signified their containant also. The reason why these things are signified by "the camp," is that by "the sons of Israel," who formed the camp, are signified all truths and goods in the complex. But when the sons of Israel worshiped the calf instead of Jehovah, then by their "camp" was signified the opposite, thus infernal order, and also the containant of falsity and evil, which make hell. Whether you say "the external of worship and of the church without the internal," or "hell," it is the same thing; for they who are in the external of worship without the internal are in the loves of self and of the world, and the loves of self and of the world are from hell. From this it is evident why Moses took his tent and stretched it without the camp afar off from the camp; for as before said, by the "tent" was signified what is holy of worship, of the church, and of the Word; and also why by these words is signified what is remote from the external things in which the Israelitish nation was.
[2] (That by "the camp" is signified heavenly order, and by "encamping" the disposing of good and truth according to heavenly order, see n. 4236, 8103, 8130, 8131, 8155, 8193, 8196; and that consequently by "the camp" is signified heaven and the church insofar as they are the containant of these, n. 10038; and in the opposite sense hell, n. 10458; moreover, that the external of worship and of the church separate from what is internal is hell, see n. 10483, 10489; for the reason that those who are in external things separate from what is internal never receive any Divine influx, n. 10429, 10472; and consequently have nothing of faith in and of love to the Lord, n. 10396, 10400, 10411; because they look solely to their own loves, thus to hell, n. 10422; and consequently worship themselves for a god, n. 10407, 10412; that the Israelitish nation was in external things separate from what is internal, may be seen at the places cited in n. 9380, and also in n. 9373, 9391, 10396, 10401, 10407, 10492, 10498, 10500, 10533.)