9023. Verses 18-21. And when men shall dispute, and a man shall smite his companion with a stone or with his fist, and he dieth not, and lieth down in bed; if he rise and walk abroad upon his staff, the smiter shall be guiltless; only he shall give his cessation, and healing he shall heal him. And when a man shall smite his manservant, or his maidservant, with a rod, and he die under his hand; in being avenged he shall be avenged. Nevertheless if he shall stand for a day or two, he shall not be avenged, because he is his silver.
"And when men shall dispute," signifies contention among themselves about truths; "and a man shall smite his companion with a stone, or with his fist," signifies the invalidating of some one [truth of the church] by reason of some memory or general truth; "and he dieth not," signifies and it is not extinguished; "and he lieth down in bed," signifies what is separate in the natural; "if he rise and walk abroad upon his staff," signifies the strength of life therein; "the smiter shall be guiltless," signifies not to be guilty of evil; "only he shall give his cessation," signifies indemnification; and "healing he shall heal him," signifies restoration; "and when a man shall smite his manservant, or his maidservant, with a rod," signifies if anyone within the church ill-treats the truth of memory or its affection from his own power; "and he die under his hand," signifies so that it is extinguished under his view; "in being avenged he shall be avenged," signifies the punishment of death; "nevertheless if he shall stand for a day or two," signifies a state of life abiding even to fullness; "he shall not be avenged," signifies no punishment of death; "because he is his silver," signifies what is acquired from one's own.