8587. And he called the name of the place Massah. That this signifies the quality of the state of the temptation, is evident from the signification of “name” and of “calling by name,” as being the quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2628, 2724, 3006, 3421, 6674, 6887); and from the signification of “the place,” as being the state (n. 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387, 4321, 4882, 5606, 7381). That the quality of the state of the temptation is meant, is because temptation is the subject treated of; the quality of the state of it is signified by “Massah.” Moreover in the original tongue “Massah” means “temptation.” Its quality will be described in what now follows.
Arcana Coelestia # 9003
9003. Her food, her raiment, and her conjugial due, he shall not diminish. That this signifies no deprivation of the interior life which is “food,” nor of the exterior life which is “clothing,” thus no deprivation of conjunction which is the “conjugial due,” is evident from the signification of “food,” as being the sustenance of the interior life, for in the spiritual sense “food,” or meat and drink, denote the knowledges of good and truth, “meat,” the knowledges of good (n. 5147), and “drink,” the knowledges of truth (n. 3168, 3772); and therefore “food” denotes the things which nourish the spiritual life of man (n. 5293, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562); from the signification of “covering,” or “clothing,” as being the sustenance of the exterior life, for in the spiritual sense “covering,” or “clothing,” denotes lower memory-knowledges, because these are what sustain the external life of man (n. 5248, 6918); from the signification of the “conjugial due,” as being conjunction; and from the signification of “not to diminish,” as being not to deprive of.
[2] The case herein is that natural affection conjoined with spiritual truth, which is signified by “a maidservant betrothed to a son,” requires continual sustenance of life from the spiritual truth with which it has been conjoined; for affection without sustenance therefrom perishes. It is with the affection of man as it is with man himself-unless it is sustained with food it dies. Moreover in respect to his interiors man is nothing but affection; a good man the affection of good and the truth thence derived; but an evil man the affection of evil and the falsity thence derived. This is especially evident from a man when he becomes a spirit, for the sphere of life which then flows forth from him is a sphere either of the affection of good, or of the affection of evil. His nourishment or sustenance then is not from natural food and drink, but from spiritual food and drink, which are falsity from evil to an evil spirit, and truth from good to a good spirit. The nourishments of human minds during their life in the body in the world, are no other, and from this it is that all things which relate to food, such as bread, flesh, wine, water, and many other things, in the spiritual sense in the Word signify such things as belong to spiritual nourishment.
[3] From this it is also plain what is meant by these words of the Lord:
Man doth not live by bread alone, but by every word that goeth forth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).
Ye shall eat and drink upon My table in My kingdom (Luke 22:30).
I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this product of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom (Matthew 26:29);
saying these words after He had instituted the Holy Supper, in which “the bread and the wine” denote those things which are of love and faith; in like manner also “the flesh and the blood.” From this it may be clearly known what is meant by “the flesh and blood” of the Lord in John 6:49-58; and also by these words in the same chapter:
My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed (John 6:55).
(That “flesh” in the Word denotes the good of love, see n. 3813, 7850 also that “blood” denotes the good of faith, n. 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7846, 7850, 7877; in like manner “bread and wine,” n. 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976, 5915, 6118, 6377)
Exodus 17
1
All the congregation of the children of Israel traveled from the wilderness of Sin, by their journeys, according to Yahweh's commandment, and encamped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.
2
Therefore the people quarreled with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test Yahweh?"
3
The people were thirsty for water there; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?"
4
Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, "What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me."
5
Yahweh said to Moses, "Walk on before the people, and take the elders of Israel with you, and take the rod in your hand with which you struck the Nile, and go.
6
Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb. You shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
7
He called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because the children of Israel quarreled, and because they tested Yahweh, saying, "Is Yahweh among us, or not?"
8
Then Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
9
Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us, and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God's rod in my hand."
10
So Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
11
It happened, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
12
But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. His hands were steady until sunset.
13
Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
14
Yahweh said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky."
15
Moses built an altar, and called its name Yahweh our Banner.
16
He said, "Yah has sworn: 'Yahweh will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'"
