600. And he set his right foot upon the sea, and the left upon the earth.- That this signifies the sense of the letter, which is natural, in which are all things of heaven and the church, is evident from the signification of feet, when used in reference to the angel, who means the Lord as to the Word, as denoting the Divine Truth in ultimates, or the Word in the natural sense, which is the sense of the letter (see above, n. 65, 69); feet, in a general sense (communi sensu), signify natural things, because man, from the head to the soles of the feet, corresponds to heaven, which in its whole compass has reference to one Man (unum Hominem); the head corresponds to the inmost or third heaven, the angels of which are celestial; the breast even to the loins corresponds to the middle or second heaven, the angels of which are called spiritual, while the feet correspond to the ultimate or first heaven, the angels of which are celestial-natural and spiritual-natural; but the soles of the feet correspond to the world, in which everything is natural; the reason why the feet signify natural things, is evident from these facts. More may be seen concerning this correspondence, in Heaven and Hell 59-86, and 87-102).

[2] It is therefore evident, why the feet of the angel, by whom the Lord as to the Word is represented, signify the natural sense of the Word which is the sense of its letter; and from the signification of his right foot upon the sea, and the left foot upon the earth, as denoting all things of heaven and the church; for by the right are signified all things of good from which is truth, and by the left, all things of truth from good, and by the sea and the earth are signified all things exterior and interior, pertaining to heaven and the church, by the sea, exterior things, and by the earth, interior things. And because all things of heaven and the church have reference to good and to truth, and also to things exterior and interior, therefore these words signify generally all things pertaining to heaven and the church. The reason why the angel was seen to stand upon the sea, and upon the earth, is, that the outward appearance of things, in the spiritual world, is similar to that of things in the natural world; for example, in the former as in the latter there are seas, and also lands, circumflowing seas, and lands between them (see above, n. 275, 342, 538). From this fact it is clear, that by sea and earth are signified all things of heaven, and also of the church.

[3] Since right and left are mentioned in the Word throughout, and in some places, the right alone, or the left alone is named, I desire to explain, in a few words, the signification of each used separately, and of both together. This may be known by the position of the quarters in the spiritual world, where to the right is the south, to the left the north, in front the east, and behind the west. For an angel is continually turned to the Lord as the Sun, therefore before him is the Lord as the east, and behind him is the Lord as the west, and at his right hand is the south, and at his left hand the north. It is in consequence of this turning, that the right signifies truth in light, and the left, truth in shade; or, what is the same thing, that the right signifies spiritual good, which is truth in light, and the left spiritual truth, which is truth in shade; thus also the right signifies good from which is truth, and the left, truth from good. Such things are signified by all the right and left parts of the body, and also by the right and left parts of the head; as by the right and left eye, the right and left hand, the right and left foot, and so on, the signification peculiar to each member or part being still retained. The general and particular signification of right and left, in the Word of both the New and the Old Testaments, is clear from these few observations, as in the following places.

[4] Thus in Matthew:

"When thou doest thine alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth; that thine alms may be in secret" (6:3, 4).

These words signify that good must be done from good, and for the sake of good, and not for the sake of self and the world in order to be seen; by alms is meant every good work; and let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, signifies that good must be done from good itself, and not without good, for otherwise it is not good. The right hand signifies good from which [is truth], and the left hand, truth from good, as stated above; these act as one with those who are in the good of love and charity, but not so with those who in their good actions consider themselves and the world, therefore the left hand here means to know, and to act without good. That thine alms may be in secret, signifies that it may not be for the sake of appearance.

[5] Again:

"And" the king "shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. And he shall say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And he shall say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (25:33, 34, 41).

He who does not know the signification of sheep and goats in the proper sense, may suppose, that sheep mean all the good, and goats all the evil; but in the proper sense, the sheep mean those who are in the good of charity towards their neighbour, and consequently in faith, and the goats those who are in faith separated from charity, thus all those upon whom judgment is to take place in the last time of the church.

For all those who were in the good of love to the Lord, and therefore in the good of charity and faith, were taken up into heaven before the Last Judgment, and all those who were not in the good of charity, and therefore not in faith, consequently all those who were interiorly and at the same time exteriorly evil, were cast down into hell before the Last Judgment; but those who were interiorly good and not equally so exteriorly, also those who were interiorly evil but exteriorly in good, were all left till the Last Judgment, then those who were interiorly good were taken up into heaven, and those who were interiorly evil were cast down into hell. See what is said upon this fact, from things heard and seen, in the small work on the Last Judgment. From these things it is evident, that goats mean those who were in faith separated from charity, and this is also meant by the he-goat in Daniel (8:5-25); and in Ezekiel (34:17). It is therefore evident, that by the right hand, where the sheep are, is meant the good of charity and of faith therefrom, and the left hand, where the goats are, means faith separated from charity. The reason why it is said to the sheep, that they should inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world, is, that, in the heavens, at the right hand is the south, where are all those who are in truths from good, for in the southern part the proceeding Divine itself is of such a quality, as is meant by the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world, therefore they are also called "the blessed of my Father." By the Father is meant the Divine Good, from which are all things of heaven. It is not said of the goats at the left hand, "prepared from the foundation of the world," but "eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels," because the evil make hell for themselves. They are called cursed, because the cursed in the Word mean all those who turn themselves away from the Lord, for such reject the charity and faith of the church. The signification of eternal fire may be seen in Heaven and Hell 566, 575).

[6] The two robbers who were crucified, one on the right, and the other on the left of the Lord, have a similar signification to the sheep and the goats; therefore it was said to the one who acknowledged the Lord, that he should be with Him in paradise (Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27; Luke 23:39-43). And in John,

Jesus said to His disciples who were fishing, "Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and were no longer able to draw it for the multitude of fishes" (21:6).

[7] Since fishing, in the Word, signifies the instruction and conversion of men who are in external or natural good, in which good most of the Gentiles were at that time, for fish signify the things pertaining to the natural man, and a ship signifies doctrine from the Word, therefore the right side of the ship signifies the good of life. It is therefore evident that the signification of the Lord's commanding them to cast the net on the right side of the ship, is, that they should teach the good of life. That thus they would convert the Gentiles to the church, is signified by their finding in such abundance that they could not draw the net for the multitude of fishes. It must be clear to every one, that the Lord would not have commanded them to cast the net on the right side of the ship, if the right side had not been significative.

[8] Again, in Matthew:

"And if thy right eye hath caused thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. And if thy right [hand] hath caused thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee" (Matthew 5:29, 30).

That by the right eye and the right hand the Lord did not mean the right eye and the right hand, every one can see from this fact, that the eye was to be plucked out, and the hand to be cut off, if they caused to stumble. But because the eye, in the spiritual sense, signifies everything pertaining to the understanding and thought therefrom, and the right hand everything pertaining to the will and affection thence, it is obvious that by plucking out the right eye, if it caused to stumble, is signified, that if evil be thought, it must be rejected from the thought; and that by cutting off the right hand, if it caused to stumble, is signified, that if evil be willed, it must be shaken off from the will. For neither the eye nor the right hand can cause to stumble, but the thought of the understanding and the affection of the will to which they correspond, can cause to stumble. The reason why the right eye and the right hand are mentioned, and not the left eye and the left hand, is, that by the right is signified good, and in the opposite sense evil, but by the left is signified truth, and, in the opposite sense falsity, and every cause of stumbling is from evil, but not from falsity, unless the falsity be the falsity of evil.

That these things are said concerning the internal man, whose function is to think and will, and not concerning the external, whose function is to see and act, is evident also from the words which immediately precede concerning the woman of another, that merely to look upon her to lust after her is to commit adultery.

[9] In the Gospels, the mother of the sons of Zebedee asked Jesus that one of her sons should sit on His right hand and the other on the left in His kingdom; "Jesus said, Ye know not what ye ask, to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, except to those whom it is granted by the Father" (Matthew 20:20-23; Mark 10:35-40).

The reason why the mother of Zebedee's children, James and John, made this request was, that by mother is meant the church, by James, charity, and by John, the good of charity in act. These two, or those who are in them, in heaven are at the right and left hand of the Lord. There to the right hand is the south, to the left the north, and in the south are those who are in the clear light of truth from good, while in the north are those who are in the obscure light of truth from good. The Divine itself, proceeding from the Lord as the Sun, produces a Divine sphere of such a nature in those quarters, on which account none can possibly dwell there but those who are in such truths from good. This is signified by its being said, that to sit on the right hand, and on the left hand of the Lord, is only for those to whom it is given or prepared by the Father. By the Father is meant the Divine Good of the Divine Love, from which is heaven, and everything pertaining to heaven. These words of the Lord therefore mean, that the Lord gives to sit on His right hand and on His left in the heavens to those for whom an inheritance in the south and north has been prepared from the foundation of the world.

[10] That the right hand means the south in the heavens, is evident in David:

"The heavens are thine, and the earth is thine; thou hast founded the world, and the fulness thereof. The north and the right hand thou hast created them" (Psalm 89:11, 12).

The heaven and the earth mean the higher and lower heavens, and also the internal and external church. The world and the fulness thereof, mean the heavens, and the church in general as to good and truth, the world means heaven and the church as to good, and the fulness thereof, heaven and the church as to truth. And because these, or those who are in them, are in the north and in the south, and the south is at the right hand of the Lord, therefore it is said, the north and the right hand; and since such is the quality of Divine Truth united to Divine Good in those quarters from the foundation of the world, as said above, it is therefore said, "thou hast founded" and "thou hast created."

[11] And in Isaiah:

"The Lord gave you the bread of adversity, and the waters of affliction, but shall not thy teachers be forced to fly away any more, and thine eyes shall again look to thy teachers; and thine ears shall hear the word saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye go to the right hand, and when ye go to the left" (30:20, 21).

These words treat of the state of those who are in temptations, and who, by means of temptations, and after they are past, admit and receive instruction in the truths of doctrine. The temptations themselves are signified by the bread of adversity, and the waters of affliction; by the bread of adversity are signified temptations as to the good of love, and by waters of affliction are signified temptations as to the truths of faith.

For temptations are of two kinds, as to good which is of love, and as to truth which is of faith; bread signifies the good of love, and waters signify the truths of faith, while adversity and affliction signify states of temptation. Instruction in the truths of doctrine is signified by, thine eyes shall again look to thy teachers, eyes denoting understanding and faith, and teachers doctrine. The good of life according to truths of doctrine is signified by, thine ears shall hear the word, ears denoting obedience, and since obedience is of the life, therefore by hearing the word is signified a life according to the truths of doctrine. Instruction and obedience are further described by the words, "saying, This is the way, walk, ye in it, when ye go to the right hand, and when ye go to the left;" by way is signified truth leading; truth leading to the south in heaven is meant by going to the right, and truth leading to the north there is signified by going to the left.

[12] Again, in the same prophet:

"Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations; hinder not, lengthen thy cords, and make firm thy nails; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the nations, and they shall cause the desolate cities to be inhabited" (54:2, 3).

The subject here treated of is the establishment of the church among the Gentiles. To enlarge the place of the tent, signifies the increase of the church in regard to worship from good. To stretch forth the curtains of the habitations, signifies the increase of the church as to truths of doctrine. To lengthen the cords, signifies the extension of those doctrines; to make firm the nails, signifies confirmation from the Word. By breaking forth on the right and on the left, is signified amplification as to the good of charity, and the truth of faith, on the right denoting as to the good of charity, and on the left, as to the truth of faith from that good. By the seed which shall inherit the nations, is signified truth by means of which there are goods, seed denoting truth, and nations goods; and by the desolate cities, which the nations shall cause to be inhabited, are signified truths from the goods of life, desolate cities denoting truths of doctrine, where truths did not exist before, nations denoting the goods of life from which are truths, and to dwell denoting to live.

[13] So again:

"In the wrath of Jehovah of hosts is the land darkened, and the people are become as fuel for the fire; they shall not spare a man (vir) his brother. And if he cut off on the right hand, he shall yet be hungry; and if he eat on the left hand, they shall not be satisfied; they shall eat a man (vir) the flesh of his own arm" (9:19-21).

These words describe the extinction of good by falsity, and of truth by evil; the extinction of all good and truth, however they may be enquired for, is signified by, if he cut off on the right hand, he shall yet be hungry, and if he eat on the left hand, they shall not be satisfied. The right hand denotes good from which truth comes; the left hand denotes truth from good; to cut and to eat towards those, signify inquiry; to be hungry and not to be satisfied, denotes not to be found, and if found, still not to be received. The rest of the passage is explained above (n. 386:2).

[14] And in Ezekiel:

"The likeness of the faces" of the cherubim, "they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side; and the face of an ox on the left side, and they four had the face of an eagle" (1:10).

The signification of the cherubim, and of their faces, which were as the face of a man, of a lion, of all ox, and of an eagle, may be seen above (n. 277-291). The reason why the face of a man and the face of a lion were seen on the right side, is, that by man is signified Divine Truth in light and intelligence, and by the lion, Divine Truth thence in power, such as it is in heaven in the south; and the face of the ox seen on the left side, signifies the good of truth in obscurity, for an ox signifies the good of the natural man, which is in obscurity with those who dwell in heaven to the north.

[15] So in Zechariah:

"In that day will I make the governors of Judah like a furnace of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they may devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left; that Jerusalem may yet dwell under herself in Jerusalem" (12:6).

The subject here treated of is the establishment of the celestial church, or the church which will be in the good of love to the Lord, and which is meant by the house of Judah. Her governors mean the goods together with the truths of that church; the dispersion of evils and falsities by these is signified by their being made like a furnace of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in the sheaf, and by their devouring all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left. The evils that shall be dispersed by that church are signified by the words, "like a furnace among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf;" and the falsities that shall also be dispersed, are signified by the people round about, whom they shall devour or consume. That that church shall be safe from the infestation of evils and falsities, and shall live in the good of life according to truths of doctrine, is signified by the words, "that Jerusalem shall yet dwell under herself in Jerusalem." To dwell is used in reference to the good of life, and Jerusalem signifies the church as to the truths of doctrine.

[16] Again, in Ezekiel:

"I will set the point of the sword against all their gates; it is made into lightning, it is sharpened for the slaughter. Gather thyself, turn to the right hand, arrange thyself, turn to the left hand, whither thy faces nod" (21:15, 16).

These words describe the destruction of truth by deadly falsities. The sword signifies such falsity destroying truth, while the deadly character and enormity of such falsity is denoted by the sword made into lightning, sharpened for the slaughter. That those who are in such falsity are destitute of any good and truth, although they may make diligent enquiry, is signified by, Gather thyself, turn to the right hand, arrange thyself, turn to the left hand, whither thy faces nod.

[17] And in Zechariah:

"Woe to the worthless shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword upon his arm, and upon his right eye; his arm shall be clean dried up, and the eye of his right side shall be utterly darkened" (11:17).

By the worthless shepherd that leaveth the flock, are meant those who do not teach truth and by it lead to the good of life, and who do not care, whether that which they teach be true or false. By the sword being upon his arm is signified falsity destroying all the good of the will, and by its being upon the eye of his right side falsity destroying all the truth of the understanding. That they shall be deprived of all good and truth is signified by, his arm shall be clean dried up, and the eye of his right side shall be utterly darkened. These words are further explained (n. 131[b], 152).

[18] Since the right side of the body, and the members of the right side, signify good by means of which there is truth, therefore when Aaron and his sons were inaugurated into the priesthood, it was commanded, that the blood of the ram should be taken, and put upon the tip (auricula) of their right ear, upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot (Exodus 29:20).

This was commanded, because blood signified Divine Truth, by means of which is the good of love, for the latter was represented by Aaron, and the former by his sons; and because for the purpose of representing the Divine Good of love, all inauguration is effected by Divine truth, therefore blood was put upon the tip of the right ear, upon the thumb of the right hand, and upon the great toe of the right foot. The tip of the right ear signifies obedience from perception; the thumb of the right hand signifies good in the will, and the great toe of the right foot, good in act.

[19] Since leprosy signifies good consumed by falsities, the way in which this evil can be remedied by Divine means is described by the process of the cleansing of the leper, understood according to the spiritual sense. We shall give only a brief summary of this. The priest was to take of the blood of the offering for sin and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that was to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, and the priest was to take of the oil from the log and pour it upon the palm of his left hand, and the priest was to dip his right finger in the oil which was in his left palm and sprinkle of the oil with his right finger seven times before Jehovah (Leviticus 14:14-17, 24-28). Similar things to those above are here signified by the tip of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot. The same is also signified by the blood, that is, the Divine Truth, for this purifies man from the falsities which have destroyed the goods pertaining to him; and when he is purified from these, good may be brought forth by means of truths and the man be thus cured of his leprosy.

From what has been stated then it is clear that the right and left signify good from which is truth, and truth from good, as shown above. What other reason could there be for sprinkling the blood upon the right part of those members, and for pouring the oil into the left palm, and sprinkling with the right finger?

[20] Similarly the prophet Ezekiel was commanded to lie upon his left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it (Ezekiel 4:4). A prophet signifies one who teaches, and, in the abstract sense, the doctrine of the church. The left side signifies the doctrine of truth from good, and by means of truths from good, man is purified from his iniquities.

[21] Solomon placed the lavers,

"five near the shoulder of the house on the right hand, and five near the shoulder of the house on the left hand; and he set the" brazen "sea at the right shoulder of the house eastward over against the south" (1 Kings 7:39).

The reason of this was, that the house or temple represented heaven and the church, and the lavers represented purifications from falsities and evils, and thus preparations for entrance into heaven and the church. The right shoulder of the house signified the south in the heavens, where Divine Truth is in its light, and the left shoulder signified the north, where Divine Truth is in its shade. Thus the ten lavers signified all things pertaining to purification, and all who are purified, and by five on the one side, and five on the other, were signified those, or that kind of men, with whom Divine Truth is in light, and with whom it is in shade. For ten signifies all things and all persons, and five, one part or one kind; the brazen sea represented the common purifier (purificatorium), and the reason why this was placed at the right shoulder of the house eastward over against the south, was, that the Divine Truth, which purifies, proceeds from the Divine Love of the Lord, for the east is where the Lord appears as the Sun; and the Divine Truth, which is the light of heaven from that Sun, is in its clearness and brightness in the south. This was the reason why the common purifier was placed eastward over against the south. These interior things (arcana) of the Word cannot be understood in the world, except from a knowledge of the quarters in heaven, which are different from those in the world. Concerning the quarters in heaven, see what has been said from things seen and heard, in Heaven and Hell 141-153).

[22] In the spiritual world, every one enters and walks in ways which lead to those who are in a similar ruling love, and every one is free to go which way he desires, thus in that way into which, and by which, his love leads him, and the ways to the right and the left tend to the one or to the other love, that is, to that which is implanted; for this reason therefore the right and left also signify what is pleasant, free, and desired. Thus in the book of Genesis:

Abraham said unto Lot, "Separate thyself; if to the left hand, I will go to the right; if to the right hand, I will go to the left" (Genesis 13:9).

And again, when Abraham's servant asked Rebecca as a wife for Isaac, he said to Laban:

"Tell me, that I may look to the right hand, or to the left" (Genesis 24:49).

By not departing and going to the right or to the left, is also signified not to go any other way than that in which the Lord Himself leads, and in which the good and truth of heaven and the church lead, thus not to walk erroneously, as that they should not depart from the word of the priest the Levite, and the judge, nor from the precepts in the Word, to the right hand or to the left (Deuteronomy 17:11, 20; 28:14; Joshua 1:7; 2 Sam. 14:19), and that the sons of Israel should not turn to the right hand or to the left, but should go by the way of the king when they passed through the land of Edom, (Num. 20:17); and also when they passed through the land of the king of Sihon (Deuteronomy 2:27). That the right hand signifies complete power, and, when used in reference to the Lord, the Divine Omnipotence, may be seen above (n. 298).

2702. 'And she saw a well of water' means the Lord's Word from which truths are drawn. This is clear from the meaning of 'a well of water' and of 'a spring' as the Word, also as doctrine drawn from the Word, and consequently as truth itself, dealt with in what follows immediately below; and from the meaning of 'water' as truth. That 'a well' which has water in it, and 'a spring', mean the Word of the Lord, also doctrine drawn from the Word, and so consequently truth itself, may become clear from very many places. Here because the subject is the spiritual Church the word 'well' and not spring is used in subsequent verses of this chapter,

Abraham reproached Abimelech on account of the well which Abimelech's servants had seized (verse 25).

Also in Genesis 26,

All the wells which the servants of Isaac's father had dug, in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines stopped up. And Isaac returned and dug [again] the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had been stopping them up after Abraham's death. And Isaac's servants dug in the valley and found there a well of living waters. And they dug another well and disputed over that also. And he moved on from there and dug another well, and they did not dispute over that. And it happened 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 waters (verses 15, 18-22, 25, 32).

[2] In these verses nothing else is meant by 'wells' than matters of doctrine - both those about which they disputed, and those about which they did not. Otherwise their digging of wells and their disputing so many times about them would not be important enough to be mentioned in the Divine Word.

'The well' referred to in Moses in a similar way means the Word or doctrine,

They travelled to Beer. This was the well of which Jehovah said to Moses, Gather the people and I will give them water. Then Israel sang this song: Spring up, O well! Answer from it! The well which the princes dug, which the willing ones ¹ of the people dug out, as directed by the law-giver, with their staves. Numbers 21:16-18.

Because 'a well' meant the Word, doctrine drawn from it, and truth itself, this prophetic song therefore existed in Israel - a song in which the doctrine of truth is the inner theme, as is clear from everything contained in the internal sense. From this the name Beer is derived, and the name Beersheba, ² and its meaning in the internal sense as doctrine itself.

[3] Doctrine however that has no truths in it is called 'a pit', or a well with no water in it, as in Jeremiah,

Their illustrious ones sent their lesser ones to the water; they came to the pits; they found no water; they returned with their vessels empty. Jeremiah 14:3.

Here 'waters' stands for truths, 'the pits in which they found no waters' for doctrine that has no truth within it. In the same prophet,

My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the source of living waters, to hollow out pits for themselves, broken pits, which cannot hold water. Jeremiah 2:13.

Here in a similar way 'pits' stands for doctrines that are not true, 'broken pits' for matters of doctrine that have been ravaged.

[4] As regards 'a spring' meaning the Word, also doctrine, and therefore truth, this is seen in Isaiah,

The afflicted and the needy were seeking water, and there was none; their tongue was parched with thirst. I Jehovah will hearken to them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the sloping heights, and springs in the midst of valleys; I will make the wilderness into a pool of water, and the dry land into streams of water. Isaiah 41:17-18.

In the first place this refers to the desolation of truth, which is meant by the statements that 'the afflicted and needy sought water and there was none', and that 'their tongue was parched with thirst'. Then it refers, as in the present verses in Genesis where Hagar is the subject, to the comfort, renewal, and instruction following desolation, which are meant by the promise that 'Jehovah will open the rivers on the sloping heights, will place springs in the midst of valleys, make the wilderness into a pool of water, and the dry land into streams of water', all of which have to do with the doctrine of truth and the affection acquired from this.

[5] In Moses,

Israel dwelt securely, alone at Jacob's spring, in a land of corn and new wine; even his heavens distil the dew. Deuteronomy 33:28.

'Jacob's spring' stands for the Word and the doctrine of truth drawn from it. It was because Jacob's spring meant the Word, and the doctrine of truth drawn from it, that when the Lord came to Jacob's spring He talked to the woman from Samaria and taught what is meant by the spring and by water. The incident is described in John as follows,

Jesus came to a city of Samaria called Sychar. Jacob's spring was there. Jesus therefore, weary from the journey, sat thus by the spring. A woman from Samaria came to draw water, to whom Jesus said, Give Me a drink. Jesus said, If you knew the gift of God and who it is who is saying to you, Give Me a drink, you would ask of Him to give you living water. Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but he who drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up into eternal life. John 4:5-7, 10, 13-14.

Because 'Jacob's spring' meant the Word, 'water' truth, and 'Samaria' the spiritual Church, as is the case many times in the Word, therefore the Lord talked to the woman from Samaria and taught that the doctrine of truth is derived from Himself, and that when it is derived from Himself, or what amounts to the same, from His Word, it is 'a spring of water welling up into eternal life'; also that the truth itself is 'living water'.

[6] Similar teaching occurs in the same gospel,

Jesus said, If anyone thirsts let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the scripture says, Out of his belly will flow rivers of living water. John 7:37-38.

And in the Book of Revelation,

The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and will guide them to living springs of water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Revelation 7:17.

In the same book,

To him who thirsts I will give from the spring of living water without price. Revelation 21:6.

'Rivers of living water' and 'living springs of water' stand for truths which are derived from the Lord, that is, from His Word, for the Lord is the Word. The good of love and charity which comes solely from the Lord is the life of truth. The expression 'he who thirsts' is used of one who is stirred by a love and affection for truth; no other can so thirst.

[7] These truths are also called 'the springs of salvation' in Isaiah,

With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation, and you will say on that day, Confess Jehovah, call on His name. Isaiah 12:3-4.

That 'a spring' means the Word, or doctrine drawn from it, is also evident in Joel,

It will happen on that day, that the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will run with milk, and all the streams of Judah will run with water, and a spring will come forth from the house of Jehovah and will water the river of Shittim. Joel 3:18.

Here 'water' stands for truths, 'a spring from the house of Jehovah' for the Word of the Lord.

[8] In Jeremiah,

Behold I am bringing them from the north land, and I will gather them from the extremities of the earth, among them the blind one and the lame. With weeping they will come, and with supplications I will bring them to springs of water in a straight path on which they will not stumble. Jeremiah 31:8-9.

'Springs of water in a straight path' plainly stands for matters of doctrine concerning truth. 'The north land' stands for the lack of knowledge or the desolation of truth, 'weeping and supplications' for their state of grief and despair. 'Being brought to springs of water' stands for renewal and instruction in truths, as in this chapter of Genesis where Hagar and her son are the subject.

[9] The same matters are presented in Isaiah as follows,

The wilderness and the dry land will be glad for them; and the lonely place will rejoice and blossom like the rose. It will bud prolifically, and will rejoice also with rejoicing and singing. The glory of Lebanon has been given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of Jehovah, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees. The eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Waters will break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the lonely place; and the dry place will become a pool and the thirsty ground wellsprings of water. Isaiah 35:1-3, 5-7.

Here 'a wilderness' stands for a desolation of truth. 'Waters', 'streams', 'a pool', 'wellsprings of water' stand for truths which serve to renew and give joy to people who have experienced vastation and whose joys are described in many ways here.

[10] In David,

Jehovah sends forth springs in the valleys; they will go among the mountains.

They will give drink to every wild beast of the fields; the wild asses will quench their thirst. He waters the mountains from His chambers. Psalms 104:10-11, 13.

'Springs' stands for truths, 'mountains' for the love of good and truth, 'giving drink' for giving teaching, 'wild beasts of the fields' for people who live by that teaching, see 774, 841, 908, 'wild asses' for those who have none but rational truth, 1949-1951.

[11] In Moses,

The son of a fruitful one is Joseph, the son of a fruitful one beside a spring. Genesis 49:22.

'A spring' stands for doctrine from the Lord. In the same author,

Jehovah your God will bring you into a good land, a land of rivers, waters, springs, depths gushing out in valleys and mountains. Deuteronomy 8:7.

'A land' stands for the Lord's kingdom and Church, 662, 1066, 1067, 1262, 1413, 2571, which is called 'good' from the good of love and charity. 'Rivers', 'waters', 'springs', and 'depths' stand for the truths derived from that good. In the same author,

The land of Canaan, a land of mountains and valleys, on the arrival of the rain of heaven it drinks water. Deuteronomy 11:11.

[12] That 'waters' means truths, both spiritual and rational, and also factual, is evident from the following places: In Isaiah,

Behold, the Lord Jehovah Zebaoth is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah the whole staff of bread and the whole staff of water. Isaiah 3:1.

In the same prophet,

To the thirsty bring water; meet with his bread the fugitive. Isaiah 21:14.

In the same prophet,

Blessed are you who sow beside all waters. Isaiah 32:20.

In the same prophet,

He who walks in righteous ways and speaks upright words will dwell on the heights; his bread will be given to him, his water will be sure. Isaiah 33:15-16.

In the same prophet,

At that time they will not thirst; in the wilderness He will lead them; He will make water flow for them from the rock. And He cleaves the rock and the water flows out. Isaiah 48:21; Exodus 17:1-8; Numbers 20:11, 13.

In David,

He split rocks in the wilderness and caused them to drink abundantly like the depths. He brought streams out of the rock and caused waters to descend like a river. Psalms 78:15-16.

Here 'rock' stands for the Lord, 'water, streams, and the depths from it' for truths derived from Him.

[13] In the same author,

Jehovah turns rivers into a wilderness, and streams of waters into a dryness. He turns a wilderness into a pool of water, and parched land into streams of waters. Psalms 107:33, 35.

In the same author,

The voice of Jehovah is upon the waters; Jehovah is upon many waters. Psalms 29:3.

In the same author,

There is a river whose streams will make glad the city of God, the holy place of the dwellings of the Most High. Psalms 46:4.

In the same author,

By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all their host by the spirit of His mouth. He gathered the waters of the sea together as a heap; He placed the depths in storehouses. Psalms 33:6-7.

In the same author,

You visit the earth and delight in it, You enrich it very greatly; the river of God is full of water. Psalms 65:9.

In the same author,

The waters have seen You, O God, the waters have seen You. The depths trembled, the clouds poured out water. Your way was in the sea, and Your path in many waters. Psalms 77:16-17, 19.

It is evident to anyone that 'waters' here do not mean waters, and that 'the depths trembled' and 'Jehovah's way was in the sea and His path in the waters', are not meant literally, but that spiritual waters are meant, that is, things of a spiritual kind, which are matters of truth; otherwise it would all be just a heap of meaningless words. In Isaiah,

Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters, and he who has no money, come, buy! Isaiah 55:1.

In Zechariah,

It will happen on that day, that living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. Zechariah 14:8.

[14] Furthermore when the Church which is about to be established or which has been established is the subject in the Word and it is described by a paradise, a garden, a grove, or by trees, it is usual for it to be described also by waters or rivers running through, which mean things of a spiritual, rational, or factual kind, which are matters of truth. Paradise as described in Genesis 2:8-9, for example, is also described by the rivers there, verses 10-14, which mean things that are attributes of wisdom and intelligence, see 107-121. Similar examples occur many times elsewhere in the Word, as in Moses,

Like valleys that are planted, like gardens beside a river, like aloes Jehovah has planted, like cedars beside the waters. Waters will flow from his buckets, and his seed will be in many waters. Numbers 24:6-7.

In Ezekiel,

He took some of the seed of the land and planted it in a seed field; he took it to be beside many waters. It sprouted and became a spreading vine. Ezekiel 17:5-6.

'A vine' and 'a vineyard' mean the spiritual Church, see 1069. In the same prophet,

Your mother was like a vine in your likeness, planted beside the waters; fruitful, and made full of branches by reason of many waters. Ezekiel 19:10.

[15] In the same prophet,

Behold, Asshur [was a cedar] in Lebanon; the waters caused it to grow, the depth made it high, with its rivers going round about the place of its planting; and he sent out his lines of water to all the trees of the field. Ezekiel 31:3-4.

In the same prophet,

Behold, on the bank of the river were very many trees, on this side and on that. He said to me, These waters are going out towards the eastern boundary, and they go down over the plain, and they go towards the sea, having been sent away into the sea; and the waters are fresh. And it will be that every living creature that creeps, in every place which the two rivers come to, will live; and there will be very many fish, for these waters go there, and become fresh, so that everything may live where the river goes. Its swamps and its marshes are not healed; they will be given up to salt. Ezekiel 47:7-9, 11.

This refers to the New Jerusalem or Lord's spiritual kingdom. 'Waters going out towards the eastern boundary' means things that are spiritual flowing from those which are celestial, or truths derived from a celestial source, that is, faith springing from love and charity, 101, 1250. 'Going down into the plain' means matters of doctrine belonging to the rational, 2418, 2450. 'Going towards the sea' means towards factual knowledge, 'the sea' being a gathering together of facts, 28. 'The living creature that creeps' means the delights which go with these, 746, 909, 994, which will receive their life from 'the waters of the river', that is, from spiritual things derived from a celestial source. 'Many fish' stands for an abundance of appropriate facts, 40, 991, while 'swamps and marshes' stands for such as are inappropriate and impure. 'Turning into salt' stands for becoming vastated, 2455. In Jeremiah,

Blessed is the man who trusts in Jehovah. He will be like a tree planted beside the waters, which sends out its roots beside the stream. Jeremiah 17:7-8.

In David,

He will be like a tree planted beside streams of water, which will yield its fruit in its season. Psalms 1:3.

In John,

He showed me a pure river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and of the river, on this side and on that, was the tree of life bearing twelve fruits. Revelation 22:1-2.

[16] Now because 'waters' means truths in the internal sense of the Word it was therefore commanded in the Jewish Church, for the sake of representation before the eyes of the angels who beheld ritual acts in a spiritual way, that the priests and Levites should wash themselves with water when they came to perform their duties, and that they should do so with water from the layer placed between the tent and the altar, and later on with water from the bronze sea and all the other lavers around the temple, which were there in place of a spring. In a similar way for the sake of representation the ritual involving the water of sin or of expiation which was to be sprinkled over the Levites was established, Numbers 8:7, also the ritual involving the water of separation from the ashes of the red cow, Numbers 19:2-19, as well as the requirement that spoils taken from the Midianites were to be cleansed with water, Numbers 31:19-25.

[17] The water provided out of the rock, Exodus 17:1-8; Numbers 20:1-13, represented and meant an abundance of spiritual things, that is, of truths of faith from the Lord. The bitter waters which were made drinkable by means of the wood, Exodus 15:22-25, represented and meant that truths, from being unpleasant, are made acceptable and gratifying by virtue of good, that is, of the affection for it - 'wood' meaning good which constitutes affection or the will, see 643. From these considerations one may now see what 'water' means in the Word, and from this what the water used in baptism means, regarding which the Lord says the following in John,

Unless a person has been born from water and the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. John 3:5.

That is to say, 'water' means the spiritual constituent of faith, and 'the spirit' the celestial constituent of it, so that baptism is the symbol of man's regeneration by the Lord by means of the truths and goods of faith. Not that a person's regeneration is accomplished in baptism, but by the life, the sign of which life is denoted in baptism, and into which life Christians who possess the truths of faith because they have the Word must enter.

Bilješke: