The Bible

 

Genesis 8:3

Study

       

3 And the waters went slowly back from the earth, and at the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters were lower.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #879

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

879. Verses 10-11. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; and the dove came back to him at eventide; and lo in her mouth an olive leaf plucked off; so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. “And he stayed yet other seven days” signifies the beginning of the second state of regeneration; “seven days” signify what is holy, because now charity is treated of; “and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark” signifies a state of receiving the goods and truths of faith; “and the dove came back to him at eventide” signifies that little by little they began to appear; “eventide” means as in the twilight before morning; “and lo in her mouth an olive leaf plucked off” signifies some little of the truth of faith; “a leaf” is truth; “olive” the good of charity; “plucked off” means that the truth of faith is therefrom; “in her mouth” means that it was shown; “so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth” signifies that these things were so because the falsities that impeded were less abundant than before.

  
/ 10837  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.