4481. En het doortrekken handel drijvende; dat dit betekent ten aanzien van de leer, staat vast uit de betekenis van het land doortrekken handel drijvende, namelijk binnentreden in de erkentenissen van het goede en het ware, waarover nr. 4453, dus in de leer, want deze bevat en leert die erkentenissen.

In general, measurements of dry food – omers, ephahs, etc. – relate to good, and measurements of liquids relate to truth. A “bath” in Biblical times was a measurement of liquid – most authorities put it between six and eight gallons. We would expect it to relate to truth, then. The bath, however, was also used to measure oil, a liquid which was not a drink, and which represents the very highest and most holy states of love and caring. So the “bath” generally represents “truth from good,” worthy ideas inspired by a genuine desire to be good and loving. Varieties of food in the Bible represent the many ways we experience a desire for good; varieties of drink represent the many ways we can gain knowledge and understanding. Measurements in the Bible are a way of showing the quality of a spiritual state – six omers of barley, for instance, would apply the meaning of “six” to the spiritual value represented by “barley.” In Isaiah 5:10, bath specifically represents truth from good. (Apocalypse Explained 675[11])