Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8079

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8079. 'And if you do not redeem it you shall break its neck' means that if the truth of innocence is not present within it, it is to be separated and cast aside. This is clear from the meaning of 'not redeeming' as not ascribing it to the Lord but giving something else instead, as immediately above in 8078; and from the meaning of 'breaking the neck' as separating and casting aside. The reason why 'breaking the neck' has this meaning is that 'the neck' means a joining together of interior and exterior things, 3542, 3603, 3695, 3725, 5320, 5328, 5926, 6033, so that 'breaking the neck' is separating and casting aside, that is to say, doing so to merely natural faith if the truth of innocence is not present within it.


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