4790. Prince of the guards. That this signifies things which are primary for interpretation, is evident from the signification of "prince," as being what is primary (n. 1482, 2089). That the "prince of the guards" here denotes things primary for interpretation, is because the subject treated of is Divine truth, which was sold by those who were in the truth of simple good by their consulting memory-knowledges; whence came a wandering and estrangement from Divine truth, and hence interpretations from the sense of the letter of the Word (see n. 4783); and by "guards" are signified those things which minister.
