537. And he opened the well of the abyss.- That this signifies communication and conjunction with the hells, where and whence such falsities are, is evident from the signification of opening, which here denotes to communicate and conjoin, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of the well of the abyss, which denotes the hell where and whence such falsities are. The reason why these hells are called in the Word wells of the abyss, is because a well signifies the Word in the sense of the letter, and the truth of doctrine thence, but in the opposite sense the Word falsified, and the falsity of doctrine thence. The abyss and the depth of the sea signify hell. The reason why this signifies the hell where those are who falsified the truths of the Word by application to evils of life, is, because to those who are above, those hells appear like seas, and those therein as if in the depths of them. I have seen those seas or hells, and also those who are in the depths of them, and also they have spoken with me therefrom, and said that they were not in waters, but on dry ground. It is therefore evident, that the waters of those seas are appearances corresponding to the falsities in which the inhabitants are. The waters of those seas are grosser and denser according to the falsifications, and also the depths are various according to the evils from which they are falsified.

[2] But the signification of abyss in the Word will be stated below. The reason why the opening of the well of the abyss signifies communication and conjunction with such hells, is, that the hells are not opened except when evil spirits enter, which takes place when they have spent their period in the world of spirits; for no evil spirit is allowed to go out from hell, after he has been once cast in thither, and if he should go out, he would presently fall back thither. But every man is conjoined with spirits who are in the world of spirits, and with spirits of a quality agreeing with his own; therefore the man who falsifies the Word, by applying it to evils of life, and to falsities confirming those evils, is conjoined with similar spirits, and through them with those hells that are in similar falsities. Every man after death becomes a spirit, and is then immediately bound either to infernal, or to heavenly societies, according to his life in the world; and all spirits, before they are cast down into hell, or raised into heaven, are at first in the world of spirits, and at that time with men who live in the world, the evil spirits with the evil, and the good with the good; by means of these man has communication and conjunction either with the hells or with the heavens. It is therefore plain, that opening the well does not signify to open hell, but communication, and by means of communication, to have conjunction with hell. From all the hells, also, falsities of evil exhale in great abundance, in which are the spirits who are in the world of spirits, and at the same time those men who are in similar falsities in our world. Neither spirit nor man can be any where else, than where the love of his life is, for that which a man loves, this he wills, thinks, and breathes. Concerning the nature of the world of spirits, see Heaven and Hell 421-431).

[3] A well signifies the Word and the truth of doctrine, and, in the opposite sense, the Word falsified, and thence the falsity of doctrine, because wells contain waters, and waters signify truths, and, in the opposite sense, falsities, as shewn above (n. 71, 483, 518). That a well signifies both the latter and the former, is clear from the following passages in the Word.

In Moses:

"They journeyed to Beer; that is the well whereof Jehovah spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them waters. Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; answer ye from it; the princes digged the well, the willing people digged it, by [the direction of] the lawgiver with their staves" (Num. 21:16, 17, 18).

That a well here signifies the truth of doctrine from the Word, is evident from the song which Israel sang concerning it. That the well should spring up, and they should answer from it, signifies that doctrine from the Word should teach truth, and that they should receive it. The calling forth of truth is signified by, "Spring up, O well," and reception and instruction by, "answer ye from it." The princes digged the well, the willing people digged it, by [the direction of] the lawgiver, with their staves, signifies that those who are in truths and in the goods of truths are enlightened by the Lord, and from Him search out and collect doctrine by means of the Word. Princes denote those who are in truths; the willing people, those who are in the goods of truth; and to dig denotes to search out and collect; lawgiver signifies the Lord as to the Word, and as to doctrine from the Word, and staves signify power and strength of mind, here, from the Lord, by means of the Word, for it is said, by [direction of] the lawgiver. It is therefore evident, what the well here signifies. Israel sang a song concerning this well, because Beer, in the original tongue signifies a well, and a well, in the spiritual sense, signifies the Word and doctrine from the Word. Similarly Beersheba, which is frequently mentioned in the historical parts of the Word.

[4] The same is meant by Jacob's well, at which the Lord sat, and conversed with the woman of Samaria, to whom He said:

"If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, [Give me to drink]; thou wouldst ask of him" water, "and he would give thee living water, which shall become a fountain of water springing up unto eternal life" (John 4:6-15).

The reason why the Lord spoke with the woman of Samaria at that well, was, that by the woman of Samaria is meant the church to be established amongst the Gentiles, and by the Samaritans, who are also mentioned in other passages, are meant the Gentiles, who would receive doctrine from Him, and concerning Him. The well signified doctrine from the Word; the water, the truth of doctrine; and the Lord sitting at the well, the Word or Divine Truth. That salvation is from the Lord by means of Divine Truth from the Word, is signified by the water which He would give becoming a fountain of water springing up unto eternal life.

[5] The same is also meant by Jacob's well as by the wells which the servants of Abraham and the servants of Isaac dug, and about which they strove with the servants of Abimelech (Genesis 21:25; 26:15, 18-22, 25, 32). The wells which the servants of Abraham and the servants of Isaac dug, signify truths of doctrine, because Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Word, mean the Lord. But Abimelech king of Gerar, or of the Philistines, means those who place salvation in truths alone without the good of life, just as those who are in faith alone do at this day. And because all truth is from good, or the all of faith is from charity, and because those who separate and shut out good from truth, or charity from faith, do not possess any genuine truth of doctrine, but all the truth of the Word with them is as the meaning of the words merely without any perception of the thing, thus like a shell without a kernel, therefore they quarrel about the truths of faith. This was represented and signified by the strifes of the servants of Abimelech with the servants of Abraham and Isaac concerning the wells. There is an internal spiritual sense in the historical parts of the Word, as well as in the prophetical parts of it, as is evident from the Arcana Coelestia, where the historical facts contained in Genesis and Exodus are explained in regard to their internal spiritual sense, and also the circumstances related concerning the wells of Abraham and Isaac. For what other reason would historical facts regarding wells be related in the Word?

[6] In Luke:

"Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a well, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?" (14:5).

The reason why there was a statute to this purpose enjoined on the Israelites and Jewish nation, was, on account of the spiritual sense contained in it. For all the statutes, judgments, and precepts, given to the children of Israel, signified spiritual things pertaining to heaven and the church. This statute therefore signified that if any one falls into falsity and evil, he must be brought out of it by the truth taught from the Lord on the sabbath day. A well, in the above passage, signifies falsity and the evil of falsity. An ass and an ox signify the truth and good of the natural man; by falling into the well is signified falling into falsity and the evil of falsity; by being drawn out on the sabbath day, is signified to be instructed and consequently led out of these. For the sabbath day there signifies the Lord as to instruction and doctrine, therefore He calls Himself Lord of the Sabbath. That an ass signifies the truth of the natural man, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 2781, 5741); and that ox signifies the good of the natural man (n. 2180, 2566, 9134), in the same.

[7] Nearly similar is the spiritual sense contained in these words of Moses:

"And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; the owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of it; and the dead beast shall be his" (Exodus 21:33, 34).

Here, by a man opening a pit, is signified if any one shall propagate any falsity which he possesses; or if a man shall dig a pit, signifies if he shall frame or hatch falsity; and an ox or an ass fall therein, signifies the perversion of good and truth in the Natural pertaining to another. The owner of the pit shall make it good, signifies that he with whom the falsity originates, shall amend it; and give money to the owner of it, signifies, by means of truth in him whose good and truth in the Natural has been perverted; and the dead beast shall be his, signifies that the evil, or the falsity, remains with him. These things are more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia 9084-9089). Here a pit (fovea) has a similar signification to well (puteus).

[8] Thus also in Matt.:

"Blind leaders of the blind. If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into a pit" (15:14; Luke 6:39).

This the Lord said to the scribes and Pharisees, who, although they had the Word, in which all Divine truths are, yet understood nothing of truth; and because they taught falsities, which were also believed by the people, they are therefore called blind leaders of the blind. The blind in the Word denote those who do not understand truth; and because a pit signifies falsity, it is said that they shall both fall into it.

[9] So in David:

"Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the well shut her mouth upon me" (Psalm 69:14, 15).

That well here signifies the hell where and whence falsities are, is clear, for it is said, "let not the well shut her mouth upon me," that is, let not the hell whence falsities are, or the falsities from hell, wholly possess me, so as to prevent my escape. The mire, out of which it is said, "deliver me, and let me not sink," denotes from the evil of falsity, lest I perish; let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters, signifies to be liberated from the evils and falsities that are from the hells, haters denoting evils thence, and deep waters denoting falsities therefrom; neither let the deep swallow me up, signifies let not the hell where the falsities of evil are, or the falsities of evil from hell.

[10] Again:

"They make their mouth smooth as butter, and when he draws near the heart of anyone, his words are softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords. Thou, O God, shalt cast them down into the well of the pit" (Psalm 55:21, 23).

These things are said of those who pretend to have good affections while they speak falsities by means of which they entice. To make the mouth soft as butter, signifies good simulated by the affections, butter denoting the good of external affection. Their words being softer than oil, has a similar signification, oil denoting the good of internal affection; yet are they drawn swords, signifies when yet they are falsities which destroy good and truth, drawn swords denoting falsities destroying. Thou, O God, shalt cast them down into the well of the pit, signifies into the hell where destructive falsities of that kind exist.

[11] Because pits (foveoe) have nearly the same signification in the Word as wells (putei), for they are like wells, I will also adduce some passages concerning them.

In Jeremiah:

"Their nobles have sent their little ones to no waters; they came to the pits, and found no waters; they returned with their vessels empty" (14:3)

Nobles signify those who lead and teach others, little ones, those who are led and taught, and waters, truths; the signification of their nobles sending their little ones to the waters is therefore evident. By the pits in which there were no waters are signified doctrinals in which there were no truths, whence the signification of their coming to the pits and finding no water is evident. That they had no knowledge (scientia) or understanding of truth, is signified by their returning with their vessels empty, vessels denoting in the Word things recipient of truth, consequently scientifics and intellectual things.

[12] So in Zechariah:

"By the blood of thy covenant I will send forth the bound out of the pit wherein is no water" (9:11).

This is spoken respecting the liberation of the faithful by the Lord, who were detained in the lower earth until His coming; and also concerning the enlightening of the Gentiles who were in falsities from ignorance. The blood of thy covenant signifies the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, consequently the Word, which is called a covenant, because there is conjunction by means of it, a covenant denoting conjunction. The bound in the pit where there is no water, mean those who are in falsities from ignorance; pit here denoting doctrine not of truth, and also the lower earth where those who were in falsities from ignorance were detained until the coming of the Lord; wherein is no water, denotes where there is no truth. They are called bound, because they could not be liberated from falsities except by the Lord.

[13] In Jeremiah:

"My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters; and have hewed them out pits, broken pits that can hold no water" (2:13).

By hewing out pits, broken pits that can hold no water, is signified to hatch doctrinals from [their] own intelligence, and because these are from the proprium, they are falsities; for the proprium of man is nothing but evil, and being evil it also produces falsity, for evil cannot produce anything else but falsity. This passage is explained above (n. 483:8).

[14] Again, in the same prophet:

"Jehovah who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of solitude and of the pit, in a land of drought and of thick shade, through a land that no man (vir) passed through, and where no man (homo) dwelt?" (2:6).

That the wilderness in which the sons of Israel were led, represented and signified the first state of the church to be established with those who are in mere ignorance of good and truth, has been shown in the Arcana Coelestia, in which the book of Exodus is explained. And because that state was represented and signified by their wanderings in the wilderness, it is therefore said that Jehovah led them in a land of solitude and of the pit, a land of drought and of thick shade. The land of solitude and drought means here, as elsewhere in the Word, a state of non-perception of good, and a land of pits and of thick shade, a state of ignorance of truth, and thence a state of falsity. No man passing through, and no man dwelling therein, signifies where there is no understanding of truth, and no perception of good, man (vir) in the Word denoting the understanding of truth, and man (homo), the perception of good, and by their being neither one nor the other, is signified no church either as to truth or as to good.

[15] Again, in Isaiah:

"He who leadeth out shall hasten that it may be opened, but he shall not die in the pit, neither shall his bread fail" (51:14).

This is said concerning the Lord; His advent is understood by "He who leadeth out shall hasten." Liberation from the falsities of ignorance is signified by not dying in the pit, wherefore the same is here meant by pit as by the pit mentioned above in which were the bound. That spiritual instruction and nourishment shall not fail, is signified by his bread not failing; for by bread is meant all spiritual food, and spiritual food means instruction in truths and goods, whence come intelligence and wisdom.

[16] In Ezekiel:

"Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the violent of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall profane thy brightness. They shall let thee down into the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the heart of the seas" (28:7, 8).

These things are spoken of the prince of Tyre, by whom are meant those who from their own intelligence hatch falsities, which destroy the cognitions of truth and good. Their destruction by their own falsities, is signified by, behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the violent of the nations, strangers denoting falsities which destroy truths, and the violent of the nations, evils which destroy goods. That they shall be destroyed by the falsities which originate in [their] own intelligence, is signified by the words, they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall profane thy brightness. Swords denote falsities which destroy truths. They shall let thee down into the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the heart of the seas; [here] the pit, like a well, signifies infernal falsity, and by them that are slain, are signified those who perish by falsities, the heart of the seas like the abyss signifying the hell where and whence those falsities are.

[17] By the pit into which they cast the prophet Jeremiah and out of which Ebed-melech and his men drew him by means of old cast-off clouts and rotten rags (Jeremiah 38:6-13), is signified the truth of doctrine falsified. The prophet signifies the truth of doctrine, and his being cast into the dungeon, signifies its falsification. The old cast clouts and the rotten rags, by means of which they drew him out, signify the vindication of the truth of doctrine, and restitution, by means of such goods and truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, as were not perceived and understood, and therefore were neglected and rejected; these things are signified by the old things. What other object could there be in mentioning in the Divine Word, that the prophet was drawn out by such things? From these few passages it is evident that a well and a pit in the Word, signify the Word and the truth of doctrine, and, in the opposite sense, the Word falsified, and thence the falsity of doctrine. In some passages also a well and a pit, have the same signification as a fountain, the signification of which in both senses may be seen above (n. 483).

483. And shall lead them unto living fountains of waters.- This signifies, in Divine truths, as is evident from the signification of living fountains of waters, which denote Divine truths. By living is signified living from the Divine; by a fountain is signified the Word, and by waters are signified truths thence. Mention is frequently made of living waters in the Word, and by these are meant truths, which come from the Lord and are received. The reason why they are said to be living, is that the Lord is Life Itself, as He Himself teaches, and that which comes from Life Itself is alive; but that which comes from man is dead. The Lord, in order to give life to truths, flows into them, by means of good, and the good vivifies them. He also flows in from the higher or interior, opens the spiritual mind, and gives to it the affection for truth; and the spiritual affection for truth is the very life of heaven in man. This is the life which the Lord instils into man by means of truths. Hence it is evident what living waters and living fountains of waters mean in the following passages.

[2] Thus in Isaiah:

"The poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst. I will open rivers on the heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness (desertum) a pool of waters, and the dry land springs of waters" (41:17, 18).

The subject here is the salvation of the Gentiles by the Lord, and they are here called poor and needy from a want of and ignorance of truth; their desire to know truths from those who are in the church, where no truths existed, is described by their seeking water when there is none, and their tongue failing for thirst, water denoting truth, and thirst the desire thereof. That they shall be instructed by the Lord, is signified by, "I will open rivers on the heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys." To open rivers denotes to impart intelligence; on the heights denotes in the interior man; in the midst of the valleys denotes in the exterior man, and to make fountains signifies to instruct in truths. To make the wilderness a pool of waters, and the dry land springs of waters, signifies abundance of truth with those who were before in want of and in ignorance [of truth]. The wilderness denotes where there is no good because no truth, and the dry land, where there is no truth and thence no good; a pool of water and springs of water denote abundance of the knowledges of truth. From this it is evident that waters, fountains, springs, rivers, and pools of water, are not here meant, but the knowledges of truth, and thence intelligence, whence comes salvation.

[3] In the same prophet:

"Behold, your God will come with vengeance, and will save you. Then shall the parched place become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of waters" (35:4, 7).

These things also are said concerning the instruction of the Gentiles in truths, and their reformation by the Lord when He should come into the world. By the parched place becoming a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of waters, are signified things similar to those mentioned above, by which the wilderness shall become a pool or collection of waters, and the dry land springs of waters.

[4] In Jeremiah:

"They shall come with weeping; and with prayers will I bring them; I will lead them to fountains of waters in a straight way, let them not stumble in it" (31:9).

Here also the subject is the reception of the Lord by the Gentiles. That he would instruct them in genuine truths is signified by his leading them in a straight way, let them not stumble in it.

In Isaiah:

"They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the fountains of water shall he guide them" (49:10).

Here also the instruction of the Gentiles by the Lord is treated of. Instruction in truths is meant by leading them by the springs of water.

[5] The signification of hungering and thirsting, may be seen above (n. 480), and also of heat and of sun (481).

In Joel:

"And it shall come to pass in that day that the mountains shall drop down new wine (mustum), and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth out of the house of Jehovah, and shall water the stream of Shittim" (3:18).

The signification of "the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters," is explained above (n. 433:13). A fountain shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah, and shall water the river of Shittim, signifies truth out of heaven from the Lord illustrating the scientifics and knowledges which are in the natural man.

[6] In David:

"Thou bringest forth, O earth, at thy presence, at the presence of the God of Jacob; who turned the rock into a lake of waters, the flint into a fountain of waters" (Psalm 114:7,8).

The lake of waters, and the fountain of waters here also mean truths in abundance, by which the church is formed; for by the earth bringing forth is signified the commencement of the church, which is said to bring forth, when truths are produced there, the earth denoting the church.

[7] So again:

Jehovah "who sendeth forth fountains into rivers; let them run between the mountains. They give drink to the beast of the fields; the wild asses quench their thirst. By them the fowl of the heavens have their habitation" (Psalm 104:10-12).

To send forth springs into the rivers signifies to give intelligence by means of truths from the Word; their going between the mountains, signifies that they are from the good of love; fountains denoting truths from the Word, rivers the things which pertain to intelligence, and mountains the goods of love. The instruction of those who are in the good of the church is signified by the words they give drink to the beast of the fields; and the instruction of those in the church who desire truths is signified by the wild asses quench their thirst; that thence the understanding is perfected, is signified by the fowl having their habitation near them. The beasts of the fields, in the spiritual sense, mean the Gentiles who are in the good of life, and wild asses, natural truth. Thirst means a desire for truths; and by the bird of the heavens are meant thoughts from the understanding.

[8] That a fountain, in the highest sense, means the Lord as to Divine Truth, or Divine Truth from the Lord, consequently the Word, is evident from the following passages.

In Jeremiah:

"My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, to hew them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water" (2:13).

Here Jehovah, that is, the Lord, calls Himself a fountain of living waters, by which is signified the Word, or Divine Truth, consequently the Lord Himself, who is the Word; for it is said, "they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, to hew them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water," which signifies that they had framed to themselves doctrinals from their own intelligence, in which there are no truths. Cisterns denote doctrinals, broken cisterns denote doctrinals that are not consistent. That can hold no water, signifies in which there are no truths. Such are the doctrinals that are not from the Word, that is from the Lord through the Word (for the Lord teaches by means of the Word), but they are from man's own intelligence. That they were not taught by the Lord by means of the Word, is meant by the words they have forsaken the fountain of living waters.

[9] Again,

"All that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken Jehovah, the fountain of living waters" (17:13).

Here similarly Jehovah, that is, the Lord, calls Himself a fountain of living waters from the Divine Truth, which is from Himself. To be written in the earth signifies to be condemned, concerning which see above (n. 222:6).

[10] Again, in David:

"They shall be filled with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt cause them to drink of the stream of delights. For with thee is the fountain of life; in thy light we see light" (36:8, 9).

Fatness signifies the good of love, and the stream of delights, truth from that good; to cause them drink denotes to teach. With thee is the fountain of life, signifies that Divine Truth is with the Lord and from Him; because this is signified by the fountain of life, it is therefore added, "in thy light we see light," for the light of the Lord signifies Divine Truth.

[11] In Zechariah:

"In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land" (13:1, 2).

Here also the subject is the coming of the Lord. That those who are in the kingdom of the Lord shall then understand the Word, or the Divine Truth contained therein, is signified by, "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem," a fountain signifying the Word, the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spiritual kingdom of the Lord with those in the heavens and on the earth who are in Divine Truths; for sin and for uncleanness, signifies the removal of evils and falsities by means of truths from the Word. Because a fountain means the Word or the Divine Truth therein, it is therefore said, "I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land." False religion is signified by idols, false doctrine by prophets, and the evils flowing from falsities of doctrine by the unclean spirit; for when man lives according to the falsities of religion and of doctrine, he becomes an unclean spirit.

[12] That Divine Truth from the Lord is meant by a fountain, the Lord Himself plainly teaches in John.

When He sat at Jacob's well in the land of Samaria, He said to the Samaritan woman, "Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life" (4:6, 13, 14).

Here it is evident that the water which the Lord gives, does not mean water, but Divine Truth, for it is said from the water which the woman of Samaria came to draw, that a man thirsts again, but not so from the water which the Lord gives. That there is life in that truth, is meant by that water becoming in him a well of water springing up unto eternal life. That there is life in truths when the Lord gives them, may be seen in this article above. The reason why the Lord said these things to the woman of Samaria, when He sat at the well of Jacob, was, that by the Samaritans the Lord meant the Gentiles, who would receive Divine truths from Him; and by the woman of Samaria, the church from them; and by Jacob's well He meant Divine Truth from Himself, or the Word.

[13] In Moses:

"Thus Israel dwelleth in safety alone at the fountain of Jacob" (Deuteronomy 33:28).

These words form the conclusion of the prophecy of Moses concerning the sons of Israel. Because in that prophecy Israel signifies the church which is in Divine truths from the Word, therefore it is said at the fountain of Jacob, which means the Word, and thus also the Lord as to the Word; for He is the Word, because He is the Divine Truth, as He teaches in John (chap. 1:1-3). These things are said at the end of that prophecy, because in it the Word is treated of. The same is meant by that fountain in the prophecy of the patriarch Israel concerning Joseph:

"The son of a fruitful one is Joseph, the son of a fruitful one near a fountain" (Genesis 49:22).

A fountain here means the fountain of Jacob, for the field in which that fountain was situated, was given to Joseph by his father (John 4:5, 6). What is signified by Joseph being the son of a fruitful one near a fountain, may be seen above (n. 448:6). By a fountain is also meant the Word, and by fountains Divine truths therefrom, as in David:

"Bless ye God in the congregations, the Lord, from the fountain of Israel" (Psalm 68:26).

In the Apocalypse:

"I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely" (21:6).

In Isaiah:

"Therefore with joy shall ye draw waters out of the fountains of salvation" (12:3).

In David:

"All my fountains are in thee," O Jehovah (87:7).

[14] Since most things in the Word have an opposite sense, and so also have the words fountain and fountains, in which sense they signify the doctrine of falsities, and the falsities of doctrine, as in Jeremiah:

"I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry" (51:36).

This is spoken of Babylon; and by her sea are signified her falsities in their entirety, and by her fountain the doctrine of falsity.

[15] So in Hosea:

"An east wind shall come, the wind of Jehovah shall come up from the wilderness, and his fountain shall become dry, and his spring shall be dried up" (13:15).

This is spoken of Ephraim, who there signifies the perverted understanding of the Word, by which falsities are confirmed by means of the Word; the destruction thereof is signified by his fountain becoming dry, and his spring being dried up by the east wind, the wind of Jehovah from the wilderness. A fountain denotes the doctrine of falsity, a spring, the false thereof, and the east wind from the desert the destruction of it from fallacies which are from sensual externals. For sensual external things, when they are not illustrated from things internal, destroy the understanding of man, because all fallacies are thence derived.

[16] Again, in David:

"Thou didst break up the sea by thy strength; thou brakest the heads of the sea monsters in the waters. Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people of Tziim. Thou didst break through the fountains and the river; thou driedst up mighty rivers" (Psalm 74:13-15).

Here also, by fountains and rivers are signified the falsities of doctrine from man's own intelligence; the mighty rivers are confirmed principles of falsity thence. The sea monsters and leviathan signify the scientifics which pertain to the sensual and natural man, from which all falsity springs when the spiritual man above them is closed. Man's proprium resides in the sensual and natural man, therefore conclusions formed from these alone are formed from the proprium, or from man's own intelligence; for the Divine flows in through the spiritual man into the natural, but not into the natural when the spiritual above it is closed, whereas the spiritual man is opened by means of truths, and by a life according to them. The people Tziim to whom leviathan is said to be given for meat, signify those who are in infernal falsities.