952. [verse 15] 'For outside are dogs, and enchanters, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and everyone loving and doing a lie' signifies that no one is received into the New Jerusalem who makes the precepts of the Decalogue of no account, and does not flee from any evils there named as sins, and therefore lives in them. These things in general are signified by all those expressions, because they are the precepts of the Decalogue that are understood there, as can be seen from the exposition above (n. 892) where there are similar words; except that here 'dogs' are also named, by which are signified those who are in the lusts that are treated of in the ninth and tenth precepts of the Decalogue. [2] By 'dogs' in general are signified those who are in lusts of every kind and indulge them, specifically those who are in purely bodily pleasures, especially those who are in the pleasure of feasting, in which they take special delight. For this reason dogs appear in the spiritual world derived from those who have satisfied their appetite and palate, who are there called bodily appetites. Such, because they are mentally dull, make no account of the things that are of the Church. Therefore it is said that they shall stand outside', that is, will not be received into the Lord's New Church. [3] Similar things are signified by 'dogs' in these passages in the Word:-
His watchmen are blind, they are all dumb dogs, looking on, lying down, loving to sleep, dogs hardened in soul, they know not satiety Isa. lvi 10, 11.
They are making a noise like dogs and going about in the city, they are wandering for something to eat; if they are not satisfied they pass the night like that Ps. lix 6, 14, 15 [H.B. 7, 15, 16].
By 'dogs' are understood the most worthless men (Job xxx 1; Sam. xxiv 14 [H.B. 15]; 2 Sam. ix 8; 2 Kings viii 13); and also the unclean. Therefore it is said in Moses:-
Thou shalt not bring the reward of a harlot and the price of a dog into the house of Jehovah for any vow whatever, because both are abomination unto Jehovah thy God Deut. xxiii 18 [H.B. 19].