Arcana Coelestia # 5369
5369. And the famine was over all the faces of the earth. That this signifies when there was desolation even to despair, is evident from the signification of “famine,” as being desolation (of which above, n. 5360, 5362, 5364); and from the signification of the “earth,” as being the natural. When famine is said to be “over all the faces” of this, despair is signified, because the desolation is then everywhere; for the height and extremity of desolation is despair (see n. 5279, 5280).
Arcana Coelestia # 798
798. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail, and covered the mountains. That this signifies that nothing of charity remained; and that “fifteen” signifies so few as to be scarcely any, is evident from the signification of the number “five” (of which above, chapter 6, verse 15), where it was shown that in the style of the Word, or in the internal sense, “five” signifies a few; and since the number “fifteen” is composed of five, signifying a few, and of ten, which signifies remains (as was shown above, chapter 6, verse 3), therefore “fifteen” signifies remains, which with this people were scarcely any. For so many were the persuasions of falsity that they extinguished every good. As for the remains with man, the fact was, as already said, that principles of falsity, and still more, persuasions of falsity, such as were with these antediluvians, had so entirely shut in and hidden away the remains that these could not be brought out, and if brought out they would forthwith have been falsified. For such is the life of persuasions that it not only rejects every truth and absorbs every falsity, but also perverts every truth that comes near.