2463. And he dwelt in a cave. That this signifies the good of falsity, is evident from the signification of a “cave.” A cave is a kind of dwelling in a mountain, but a dark one; and as all dwellings whatever, like “houses,” signify goods (n. 2233, 2234), but goods of such sort as are the dwellings; here the “cave,” being a dark dwelling, signifies the good of falsity. “Caves of mountains” are often mentioned in the Word, and in the internal sense have such a signification, as in Isaiah (2:19; 32:14), and in the historical books, as when Elijah, escaping from Jezebel,

Came to a cave in Mount Horeb, and spent the night there; and there the word of Jehovah came to him, and He said unto him, Go forth and stand on the mount before Jehovah; and he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood at the entrance of the cave (1 Kings 19:9, 13); where in the internal sense by a “cave” is signified obscure good, but such as exists in temptations; and as this could not endure the Divine, he wrapped his face in his mantle. So too elsewhere in the historical books, as that the sons of Israel made for themselves caves in the mountains on account of Midian (Judges 6:2); also on account of the Philistines (1 Samuel 13:6). These historical facts, like those now explained in the books of Moses, have a different meaning in the internal sense.