3765. 'Behold, a well' means the Word. This is clear from the meaning of 'a well' as the Word and also as doctrine drawn from the Word, dealt with in 2702, 3096, 3424. The Word is called 'a well' here because the subject is the natural, which by itself can do no more than understand the literal sense of the Word. But the Word is called 'a spring' when the subject is the rational, by which one is able to see the internal sense of the Word.

3423. Verses 19-21 And Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found there a well of living water. And the herdsmen of Gerar disputed with Isaac's herdsmen, saying, The water is ours. And he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. And they dug another well and disputed over that also; and he called the name of it Sitnah. 'Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found there a well of living water' means the Word as regards the literal sense, which holds the internal sense within it. 'And the herdsmen of Gerar disputed with Isaac's herdsmen' means that those who taught did not see anything of the sort there, because things in the internal sense appear contrary to those in the literal. 'Saying, The water is ours' means that they possess the truth. 'And he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him' means an attitude of denial on account of those things, and also of others, as being contrary to those persons, and on account of more things besides. 'And they dug another well and disputed over that also' means whether the internal sense of the Word even exists. 'And he called the name of it Sitnah' means their essential nature.