8537. And the sons of Israel did eat the manna forty years. That this signifies the appropriation of the good of truth in the state of all temptations, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church (see n. 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198); from the signification of “eating,” as being appropriation (n. 3168, 3513, 3596, 4745); from the signification of “the manna,” as being the good of truth (n. 8464); and from the signification of “forty years,” as being states of temptations. (That “years” denote states, see n. 4822, 487, 488, 493, 893; and that “forty” denotes temptations, n. 730, 862, 2272, 2273, 8098)