8286. And with the wind of Thy nostrils the waters were heaped up. That this signifies that falsities were gathered together into a one through the presence of heaven, is evident from the signification of “the wind of Thy nostrils,” as being heaven (of which in what follows); from the signification of “to be heaped up,” as being to be gathered together into a one; and from the signification of “waters,” as being falsities (see n. 7307, 8137, 8138). (That damnation and casting into hell is a gathering together of all falsities derived from evil and an environment by them, see n. 8146, 8210, 8232; and that this is effected by the mere presence of the Lord, n. 8265.) That “the wind of the nostrils of Jehovah,” or of the Lord, denotes heaven, is because by it is meant the breath of life, thus the Divine life, and as this makes the life of heaven, by “the wind of the nostrils of Jehovah” is signified heaven; hence also it is that the same word in the original tongue means both “wind” and “spirit.”

[2] That by “the wind of Jehovah,” or “His breath,” is signified the life that belongs to heaven, and that belongs to the man who is in heaven, that is, to one who is regenerate, is evident in David:

By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the army of them by the breath [wind] of His mouth (Psalms 33:6).

Thou gatherest their breath, they expire, and return to their dust; Thou sendest forth Thy spirit [wind], they are created (Psalms 104:29-30).

Jehovah said unto me, Will these bones live? Then said He, Prophesy upon the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus said the Lord Jehovih, Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live; and the breath came into them, and they revived (Ezekiel 37:3, 9-10).

I saw four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow upon the earth, nor upon the sea, nor upon any tree (Revelation 7:1);

“the wind” here denotes the life of heaven, that is, Divine life, as also in Job:

The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of Shaddai hath vivified me (33:4).

[3] As “wind” signifies life, therefore, when the Lord teaches about the regeneration of man, He also says:

The spirit (or wind) bloweth where it willeth, and thou hearest the voice thereof, yet knowest not whence it cometh, or whither it goeth; so is everyone that is begotten of the spirit (John 3:8).

And because by the “wind of Jehovah,” or “His breath,” was signified life from the Divine, therefore where the new life of Adam is treated of, it is said:

Jehovah breathed into his nostrils the breath of lives, and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7);

it is said “through the nostrils,” because through them respiration is effected, and through respiration, life, as in Isaiah:

Cease ye from man, in whose nose is breath (Isaiah 2:22).

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; of whom we had said, In his shadow we shall live among the nations (Lam. 4:20);

“the anointed of Jehovah” denotes the Lord; “the breath of our nostrils,” life from Him.

In Job:

As long as my breath (anima) is in me, and the wind of God is in my nose (27:3).

[4] As, then, by “the wind of the nostrils of Jehovah” is signified the life which is from the Lord, and thus in the universal sense, heaven; and as by the presence of the Lord, or by the presence of heaven where the Lord is, evils and falsities are cast into hell (n. 8265); therefore also this effect is signified by “the wind of the nostrils of Jehovah” in David:

The channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were revealed, at the rebuke of Jehovah, at the blast of the breath of His nose (Psalms 18:8, 15; 2 Samuel 22:16).

The blast of Jehovah, like a stream of sulphur, doth kindle it (Isaiah 30:33).

Nay, they are not planted; nay, they are not sown; nay, their trunk is not rooted in the earth; and He even bloweth on them, and they wither, that the whirlwind may take them away like stubble (Isaiah 40:24).

He sendeth His word, and melteth them; He causeth His wind to blow, the waters flow (Psalms 147:18).

Hence also it is, that by “the nose,” when predicated of Jehovah or the Lord, is also signified wrath, thus the punishment, vastation, and damnation of those who are in evils and falsities (as in Numbers 25:4; Deuteronomy 7:4; Judges 2:14Isaiah 9:21; Jeremiah 4:8; Hosea 14:4; Psalms 6:1; 86:15; 103:8; 145:8; and in many other passages); and also by “blowing with the nostrils,” or “breathing,” is signified to be angry (Deuteronomy 4:21; Isaiah 12:1; Psalms 2:12 6:1; 60:3; 79:5; 85:5).

790. That the “waters” here and in the following verses signify falsities, is evident from the passages of the Word adduced at the beginning of this chapter, and at verse 6, where a “flood” or inundation of waters is treated of. It is there shown that inundations of waters signify desolations and temptations, which involve the same as falsities; for desolations and temptations are nothing else than inundations of falsities that are excited by evil spirits. That such “waters” signify falsities, is because in the Word “waters” in general signify what is spiritual, that is, what is of understanding, of reason, and of memory-knowledge [intellectuale, rationale, et scientificum]; and as they signify these they also signify their contraries, for every falsity is a something pertaining to memory-knowledge, and appears as a thing of reason and understanding, because it is of the thought.

[2] That “waters” signify spiritual things, is evident from many passages in the Word; and that they also signify falsities, let the following passages, in addition to those already cited, serve for confirmation.

In Isaiah:

This people hath refused the waters of Shiloah that go softly; therefore behold the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, and he shall go over all his banks (Isaiah 8:6-7)

The “waters that go softly” here denote things spiritual, “waters strong and many” falsities. Again:

Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia; that sendeth ambassadors upon the sea, and in vessels of papyrus upon the waters. Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers have spoiled (Isaiah 18:1-2),

denoting the falsities which are of the “land shadowing with wings.”

[3] Again:

When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee (Isaiah 43:2).

The “waters” and “rivers” denote difficulties, and also falsities.

In Jeremiah:

What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? And what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? (Jeremiah 2:18),

where “waters” denote falsities from reasonings. Again:

Who is this that riseth up as a river? as the rivers his waters are in commotion. Egypt riseth up as a river, and as the rivers his waters toss themselves; and he said, I will rise up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof (Jeremiah 46:7-8),

where again “waters” denote falsities from reasonings.

[4] In Ezekiel:

Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and the great waters shall cover thee, then will I bring thee down with them that descend into the pit (Ezekiel 26:19-20).

“Waters” here denote evils and the falsities therefrom.

In Habakkuk: Thou didst tread the sea with thine horses, the mire of many waters (Habakkuk 3:15), where “waters” denote falsities.

In John:

And the serpent cast forth after the woman, out of his mouth, water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream (Revelation 12:15-16).

Here “waters” denote falsities and lies.

In David:

Send Thine hand from above, rescue me and deliver me out of great waters, out of the hand of the sons of the stranger, whose mouth speaketh a lie, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood (Psalms 144:7-8).

“Great waters” here manifestly denote falsities; the “sons of the stranger” also signify falsities.