3436. 'And he went up from there to Beersheba' means that the Divine doctrine of faith came from there. This is clear from the meaning of 'Beersheba' as the Divine doctrine of faith, dealt with in 2723, 2858, 2859. The doctrine of faith, which is meant by Beersheba here, is the literal sense itself of the Word, for the Word is doctrine itself. And although the literal sense of the Word is such that people are able to draw truths from it, it is also such that they are able to confirm from it things that are not true, as is well known from heresies. But anyone who reads the Word with the intention of being wise, that is, of doing good and understanding truth, gains instruction according to his intention and affection. In fact without his knowing it the Lord flows in and enlightens the mind, and when he cannot grasp what is said in one place in the Word the Lord imparts to him understanding from others.

[2] Furthermore anyone in whom simple good is present and who in simplicity believes the Word according to its literal sense is granted the ability to perceive truths when he is taught by angels in the next life. In the meantime the few truths that do reside with him are given life by charity and innocence. And when the latter are present in him the falsities which have also infiltrated the darkness of his ignorance do no harm. For these do not become allied to the good there but are held back from it so to speak on the boundaries and so can be removed without difficulty. But things are different in the case of those who are not leading a good life. With them the falsities which by wrong interpretation they hatched out of the Word occupy the middle or so to speak the centre, while truths are in the surrounding areas or boundaries. They are as a consequence falsities which do become allied to the evil life they are leading, and truths are scattered.

2723. As regards Beersheba however, 'Beersheba' means the state and the essential nature of the doctrine, that is to say, it is Divine doctrine to which merely human rational ideas have been allied. This becomes clear from the train of thought in verse 22 to the present verse, 2613, 2614, and also from the meaning of the actual expression in the original language as 'the well of the oath' and 'the well of seven'. 'A well' means the doctrine of faith, see 2702, 2720, 'an oath' means a joining together, 2720, as does 'the covenant established with an oath', 1996, 2003, 2021, 2037; and 'seven' means that which is holy and so that which is Divine, 395, 433, 716, 881. From these meanings it may become clear that 'Beersheba' means doctrine which in itself is Divine together with merely human rational ideas or appearances allied to it.

[2] The fact that this is how the name Beersheba was derived is evident from Abraham's words,

Abraham said, Because you will take the seven ewe-lambs from my hand, that they may be a witness for me that I dug this well. Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them swore an oath. And they made a covenant in Beersheba (verses 30-32).

Similarly from Isaac's words recorded in Chapter 26,

So it was on that day, that Isaac's servants came and pointed out to him the reasons for the well which they had dug, and they said to him, We have found water. And he called it Shibah ('an oath' and 'seven'); therefore the name of the city is Beersheba even to this day. Genesis 26:32-33.

This too has to do with wells, about which there was disagreement with Abimelech, and with a covenant made with him. 'Beersheba' means merely human rational ideas which were again allied to the doctrine of faith, and because they were allied to it again and the doctrine was in that way made such that the human mind could grasp it, it is called 'a city' - 'a city' being doctrine in its entirety, see 402, 2268, 2449, 2451. What is more, the name Beersheba is used with a similar meaning in the internal sense in Genesis 22:19; 26:23; 28:10; 46:1, 5; Joshua 15:28; 19:1-2; 1 Samuel 8:2; 1 Kings 19:3, and in the contrary sense in Amos 5:5; 8:13-14. The whole range of celestial and spiritual things taught by doctrine is meant in the internal sense where the land of Canaan is said to range from 'Dan even to Beersheba'; for the land of Canaan means the Lord's kingdom, also the Church, and therefore means the celestial and spiritual things taught by doctrine, as in the Book of Judges.

All the children of Israel came out, and the congregation assembled as one man from Dan even to Beersheba. Judges 20:1.

In the Book of Samuel,

All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba. 1 Samuel 3:20.

Elsewhere in Samuel,

To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba, 2 Samuel 3:10.

Elsewhere in Samuel,

Hushai said to Absalom, Let all Israel be assembled together, from Dan even to Beersheba. 2 Samuel 17:11.

Elsewhere in Samuel, David told Joab to go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan even to Beersheba. 2 Samuel 24:2, 7.

Elsewhere in Samuel,

There died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. 2 Samuel 24:15.

In the Book of Kings,

Judah dwelt under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. 1 Kings 4:25.