7871. And I will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. That this signifies the damnation of those who are in faith separate from charity, is evident from the signification of "smiting," as being damnation; for to smite is to kill or put to death, and by "death," in the spiritual sense, is signified damnation (see n. 6119); and from the signification of "the firstborn," when predicated of the Egyptians, by whom are represented those who are in falsities from evil, as being faith separated from charity (n. 3325, 7039, 7766, 7778, 7779). That "firstborn," in the genuine sense, when said of the spiritual church, denotes the faith which is of charity (see n. 367, 2435, 3325, 3494, 6344, 7035); consequently in the opposite sense the "firstborn" denotes faith without charity.
