725. The reason why a male child signifies the doctrine of truth for the church which is called the New Jerusalem, is, that son signifies truth as we have just shown above, and a male child truth of doctrine from the Word, consequently the doctrine of genuine truth which is for the church. It means doctrine for the church which is called the New Jerusalem, because the woman who brought forth the male child, means that church, as also shown above. The doctrine of truth which is for the church, is also signified by male in the following passages.

In Moses:

"God created man into his image; into the image of God created he him, male and female created he them" (Genesis 1:27):

"Male and female created he them, and blessed them, and called their name man (homo), in the day in which they were created" (Genesis 5:2).

What is involved in the things that are related in the first chapter of Genesis concerning the creation of heaven and earth, paradise, and the eating of the tree of knowledge (scientia), no one can know except from the spiritual sense, for these particulars are in the form of history; still they are holy, because all the particulars contained in them are interiorly, and in their bosom, spiritual.

[2] The subject there described is the establishment of the Most Ancient Church, which was the most excellent of all the churches on this earth; its establishment is meant by the creation of heaven and earth, its intelligence and wisdom are meant by the garden of Eden, and its decline and fall by eating of the tree of knowledge. It is therefore evident that man, who is called Adam and Eve, means that church, for it is said, Male and female created He them, and called their name Man; and as that church is meant by both, it follows that male means its truth, and female its good. So also male means doctrine, and female life, since the doctrine of truth is also the doctrine of love and of charity, thus the doctrine of life; and the life of good is also the life of love and of charity, thus a life of doctrine, that is, a life according to doctrine. These two are meant by male [and female], and, taken together and conjoined in marriage, they are called Man, and they also make the church, which, as said above, is meant by man. Again, Adam was so called from a word that means ground, and ground, from its reception of seeds, signifies the church as to truths of doctrine, for in the Word seeds signify truths; while Eve is from a word that means life, "Because she was to be the mother of all living" (Genesis 3:20). These two, doctrine and life, taken together and conjoined as it were in marriage, are called Man (homo), and also make the church, because man is man from the understanding of truth and from the will of good, consequently from the doctrine of life, since this is of the understanding and from the life of doctrine, because this is of the will. The case is similar with the church, for the church is in man, and is the man himself.

[3] That these two, which are signified by male and female, are not to be two but one, the Lord teaches in the Evangelists;

"Jesus said, Have ye not read, that He who made them from the beginning of creation made them male and female, and they two shall be one flesh? Therefore, they are no more two but one flesh" (Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-8).

This also, as is the case with every part of the Word, is to be understood not only naturally, but also spiritually; and unless it is understood spiritually no one can know what is signified by male and female, or husband and wife, being no more two but one flesh, as is also said in Genesis 2:24. Here, as above, male and female signify, in the spiritual sense, truth and good, consequently also the doctrine of truth, which is the doctrine of life, and the life of truth, which is the life of doctrine. These must not be two but one, since truth does not become truth in man without the good of life, nor does good become good with any one without the truth of doctrine; for good becomes spiritual good only by means of truths, and spiritual good is good, but not natural good, without it. When these are one, then truth is of good and good is of truth, and this oneness is meant by one flesh. The case is similar with doctrine and life; these also make a man of the church one, when the doctrine of life and the life of doctrine are conjoined in him, for doctrine teaches how he must live and act, and the life lives it and does it. From these things also it is evident, that a male child signifies the doctrine of love and of charity, consequently, the doctrine of life.

[4] Since the truth of doctrine, or the doctrine of truth, is signified by a male, therefore a law was made that every male opening the womb should be holy to Jehovah (Exodus 13:12, 15; Deuteronomy 15:19; Luke 2:23). For from the marriage of truth and good, meant in the spiritual sense by the marriage of man and woman, as said above, truths and goods are born, and these are consequently signified in that sense by sons and daughters, truths by sons, and goods by daughters. And as every man is reformed and regenerated by means of truths - for without truths man does not know what good is, and what its nature is, nor, consequently, the way to heaven - this is the reason why the truth which is born first from the marriage of truth and good was sanctified to Jehovah. This truth which is first born is also the doctrine of truth, for that which is first is the all in what follows, thus it is all truth, and all truth is doctrine. But it must be carefully observed that the first-born signifies truth that belongs to the good of charity, it therefore signifies the good of charity in its own form and in its own quality, therefore truth; for the form of good and the quality of good are truth. The reason why this is signified by the first-born, is, that from the good of love, which is signified by the womb and the child therein, nothing else can be born but the good of charity; and this good does not become good until it is formed and qualified, that is until it is in the form in which its quality resides, and its form is called truth, but still is good in form.

[5] From what has been said above, it is evident why it was that every male should appear three times in the year before the face of the Lord Jehovah (Exodus 23:17; 34:23; Deuteronomy 16:16), namely, at the three feasts, which signified everything of regeneration from first to last. And as everything of regeneration is effected by means of truths of doctrine that become those of life from the Lord, therefore all the males, by whom truths were signified, had to present themselves before the Lord, that they might be cleansed by Him and afterwards led by Him. By three times in the year, is also signified continually, and by the face of Jehovah, the Divine Love by which man is led. And this was done because Jerusalem signified the church as to doctrine, and thus also the doctrine of the church.

[6] Since burnt-offerings and sacrifices signified celestial and spiritual things, burnt-offerings celestial things, and sacrifices spiritual things; therefore the law was given, that burnt-offerings should be of males that were without blemish, either from the flock or from the herd; but sacrifices might be either of males or females (Leviticus 1:2, 3; 3:1, 6). The reasons were, that celestial things are those that pertain to love to the Lord, thus to the marriage of good and truth, but spiritual things are those that pertain to charity towards the neighbour, thus not to the marriage but to the consanguinity of truth with good; and truths and goods in consanguinity are like sisters and brothers, but in marriage truths and goods are like husband and wife. This is why burnt-offerings were of males that were without blemish, which signify genuine truths from the Word, or from doctrine from the Word, which have been conjoined to the good of love to the Lord, this good being signified by the altar and its fire. The sacrifices were either of males or females, because males signify truths, and females goods, not conjoined by marriage but by consanguinity; and as both of these, like brothers and sisters, are from one parent, worship from truths was accepted equally as from goods, that is, from males equally as from females.

[7] Since all spiritual nourishment is from truths that are from good, therefore there was a law that a male among the priests should eat the holy things (Leviticus 6:18, 29; 7:6). The reason of this statute was, that males signify truths of doctrine, which are doctrinals (as above) and priests the goods of love, which are goods of the life; and their eating of the holy things that belonged to Aaron and his sons, signified spiritual nourishment.

[8] In Moses:

When they draw near "unto a city to fight against it, thou shalt invite it to peace"; if it accept not, "thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword, but the women, the little ones, the beasts, and the booty, thou shalt take" (Deuteronomy 20:10-14).

Every male in a city that did not accept peace was to be smitten with the edge of the sword, but not the women, the little ones, and beasts, because a city signifies doctrine, and a city of the Gentiles in the land of Canaan, doctrine of falsity, similarly the males of that city; and not to accept peace signifies not to agree with the truths and goods of the church, which were signified by the sons of Israel. The edge of the sword, with which the males were to be smitten, signifies truth destroying falsity. And because falsities alone fight against truths and goods, and destroy them, but not evils without falsities; therefore the women, the little ones, and the beasts, which as belonging to the Gentiles signified evils, were not smitten, since evils can be subdued, amended, and reformed by means of truths.

[9] In Jeremiah:

"Cursed be the man who brought glad tidings to his father, saying, A male child is born to thee, in gladdening he hath made him glad; let that man be as the cities that Jehovah overthrew" (20:15, 16).

This is said of those who are in a devastated church, in which nothing but falsities are accepted and rule; therefore Cursed be the man who brought glad tidings to his father, saying, A male child is born to thee, signifies he who acknowledges falsity and proclaims it as truth, thus the doctrine of falsity in place of the doctrine of truth; in gladdening he made him glad, signifies acceptance from affection for falsity. Let that man be as the cities that Jehovah overthrew, signifies that it shall be with the doctrines that are from mere falsities, which the Lord exterminated from the church, and destroyed as it was with the cities of the Canaanitish race which He destroyed; comparison is made with cities, because cities also signify doctrines.

[10] In Ezekiel:

"Thou didst take the vessels of thine adorning, of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest thee images of a male with which thou hast committed whoredom" (16:17).

This treats of the abominations of Jerusalem, which signify falsifications and adulterations of the Word, resulting from the application of it to the desires of corporeal and worldly loves. Vessels of adorning from the gold and silver of the Lord, signify knowledges of good and truth, which are the goods and truths of the sense of the letter of the Word. These are called vessels, because they contain in themselves spiritual truths and goods, and vessels of adorning, because they are the manifestations (apparentiae), and thus the forms of interior things; those things which are of gold signify those that are from good, and those of silver those that are from truth. Thou madest to thee images of a male with which thou hast committed whoredom, signifies falsities appearing as truths of doctrine, which are falsified, images of a male denoting appearances of truth which are nevertheless falsities, and to commit whoredom denoting to falsify.

[11] In Malachi:

"Cursed be the defrauder in whose flock is a male, and he voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a blemished thing" (1:14).

A male in the flock signifies genuine truth of doctrine from the Word; a blemished thing signifies what is falsified; and to vow and sacrifice signifies to worship, thus from things falsified when the truth is known; that such a worship, being fraudulent worship, is infernal, is signified by Cursed be the defrauder. From what has been now shown from the Word concerning the signification of a male, and concerning the signification of a son, it is evident that the male child, which the woman encompassed with the sun, and upon whose head was a crown of twelve stars, brought forth, signifies the doctrine of truth, thus the doctrine of love and charity for the church which is called the New Jerusalem, and which is treated of in the twenty-first chapter of this book.

518. And it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. - That this signifies that thence all understanding of truth perished, and through that the doctrine of the church, is evident from the signification of falling from heaven, when stated of stars, as denoting to perish, concerning which we shall speak presently; from the signification of the third part, as denoting all; concerning which above (n. 506), here all, because it is said of the understanding of truth and of doctrine, which are signified by rivers and fountains of waters; from the signification of rivers, as denoting the understanding of truth, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of fountains of waters, as denoting the Word, and doctrine from the Word, whence fountains denote the truths of the Word and doctrinals; concerning which above (n. 483).

[2] The reason why falling, when said of stars, which signify the cognitions of good and truth from the Word, as above, signifies to perish, is, that when the Divine Truth in the spiritual world, descends out of heaven to the earth where the evil are, it is turned into falsity, and when Divine Truth is falsified, it then perishes. This also is signified by the words "the stars shall fall from heaven" (Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:25). This means, that in the last time of the church, the cognitions (cognitiones) of truth and good will perish. That when Divine Truth, in the spiritual world, descends out of heaven into the earth where the evil are, it is changed into falsity, and so perishes, may be seen above (n. 413:2, 418:1, 419:1, 489); for the Divine Truth is changed into such falsity as agrees with the evil of those into whom it flows. That this is the case, is evident from the following experience. It was granted me to see how Divine Truth is changed into falsity, when it passes deep down into hell, and I perceived that it was changed successively in its descent, and at length into the utmost falsity.

[3] The reason why rivers signify the understanding of truth, and also intelligence, is, that waters signify truths, the understanding being a receptacle and collection (complexus) of truths, as a river is of waters, and that thought from the understanding, which is intelligence, is as it were a stream of truth. From the same origin, that is, from the signification of waters, which denote truths, it is that a fountain signifies the Word, and the doctrine of truth, and that pools, lakes, and seas, signify the cognitions of truth in their entire compass.

[4] That waters signify truths, and living waters, truths from the Lord, may be seen above (n. 71, 483), and also in the following places in this article. That rivers and streams signify the understanding of truth and intelligence, is evident from the Word where rivers and streams are mentioned, as in Isaiah,

"Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and rivers in the plain of the wilderness" (Isaiah 35:6).

These things are said concerning the Lord, the reformation of the Gentiles, and the establishment of the church among them. By the lame men who shall leap as a hart, are signified those who are not in genuine good, because not in the knowledges of truth and good. By the tongue of the dumb which shall sing, is signified confession of the Lord by those who are in ignorance of truth. For in the wilderness shall waters break out, signifies that there shall be truths where there was none before; and rivers in the plain of the wilderness, signifies that there shall be intelligence where there was none before; wilderness denoting where there is no truth, and the plain of the wilderness where there is no intelligence. Waters denote truths, and rivers intelligence.

[5] Again:

"I will open rivers upon high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the desert a pool of waters, and the dry land springs of waters" (Isaiah 41:18).

This is said of the salvation of the Gentiles by the Lord. To open rivers upon high places, denotes to impart interior intelligence; and to open fountains in the midst of valleys, denotes to instruct the external man in truths; the rest may be seen explained above (n. 483).

[6] In the same:

"Behold, I do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the desert, and rivers in the wilderness. The wild beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the daughters of the owl; because I gave waters in the desert, and rivers in the wilderness, to give drink to my people, my chosen" (Isaiah 43:19, 20).

These things also said of the Lord, and of a new church from Him, are meant by, "Behold I do a new thing; now it shall spring forth." By making a way in the desert, and rivers in the wilderness, is signified that there shall be truth, and the intelligence of truth, where they did not exist before; way denotes truth leading to heaven, and rivers denote intelligence; by giving drink to the people, is signified to instruct those who desire to be instructed. By the wild beast of the field, the dragons, and the daughters of the owl, are signified those who know truths and goods from the memory only, yet do not understand and perceive them; such are those who depending entirely upon others, speak truth without any idea of truth.

[7] Again:

"I will pour waters upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry [ground]; I will pour out my spirit upon thy seed, and [my] blessing upon thine offspring" (Isaiah 44:3).

To pour waters upon him that is thirsty signifies to instruct those in truths who are in the affection for truth. To pour floods upon the dry [ground] signifies to give intelligence to those who are in the desire for truth from good; the signification of pouring out the spirit and blessing is similar; for by the Spirit of God is signified the Divine Truth, and by blessing, the multiplication and fructification thereof, thus intelligence. Who does not see that here and above, waters and streams, desert and wilderness, are not meant, but such things as pertain to the church? Therefore it is also here added, “I will pour out my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring."

[8] In Moses;

"Jehovah bringeth thee into a land of rivers of water, of fountains and abysses springing out of valley and mountain" (Deuteronomy 8:7).

The land of Canaan into which Jehovah would bring them, means the church; therefore rivers of water, fountains and depths that spring out of valley and mountain, signify such things as pertain to the church; rivers of water signify the understanding of truth, fountains doctrinals from the Word; depths that spring out of valley and mountain, the cognitions of truth and good in the natural and in the spiritual man.

[9] In Isaiah:

"Look upon Zion, and Jerusalem. There Jehovah shall be magnificent unto us, a place of rivers and streams, of breadth of spaces, a ship of oar shall not go therein, nor magnificent ship pass through it" (Isaiah 33: [20,] 21).

Here also, by a place of rivers and streams are signified wisdom and intelligence. The signification of the rest is explained above. (See n. 514:10.)

[10] In Joel:

"It shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine (mustum), and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah, and shall water the stream of Shittim" (3:18).

This passage is also explained above (n. 433:13 and 483:5). By the fountain which shall go forth out of the house of Jehovah is signified the truth of doctrine descending from the Lord out of heaven; and by the stream of Shittim which it shall water is signified to enlighten the understanding.

[11] In Ezekiel:

"Waters issued out from under the threshold of the house" of God "eastward. The man (vir) brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. When I had returned, behold, upon the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. He said every living soul which creepeth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither, and they shall be healed, in order that every thing may live whither the river cometh. By the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, cometh up every tree for food, whose leaf falleth not, neither is the fruit thereof consumed; it is reborn into its months, because its waters issue out of the sanctuary" (Ezekiel 47:1-12).

These words are also explained above (n. 422:15, 513:7); and from them it is evident that by the waters issuing out of the house of God towards the east is signified the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord and flowing in with those who are in the good of love; and that by the river, upon the banks whereof is every tree for food, and from the waters of which every soul which creepeth lives, and whence there shall be a very great multitude of fish, is signified intelligence from the reception of Divine Truth, whence are all things in man, his affections and perceptions, as well as his cognitions and scientifics, and thoughts, thence attain spiritual life.

[12] In Jeremiah:

"Blessed is the man (vir) that trusteth in Jehovah; he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out his roots by the river, nor shall he see when heat cometh, but his leaf shall be green" (Jeremiah 17:7, 8).

The tree planted by the waters means the man with whom there are truths from the Lord. By spreading out his roots by the river is meant the extension of intelligence from the spiritual into the natural man. The rest may be seen explained above (n. 481:2).

Where gardens and trees are treated of in the Word, there also irrigating waters and rivers are mentioned, and for this reason, that trees signify perceptions and cognitions; while waters and rivers denote truths, and thence the understanding [of them]. For without the understanding of truths man is like a garden where there is no water, whose trees wither away.

[13] As in Moses:

"As the valleys are they planted, as gardens by the river, as lign aloes which Jehovah hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters" (Numbers 24:6, 7).

These words are spoken of the sons of Israel, by whom the church, which was then to be planted, is signified. This church is compared to valleys that are planted, and to a garden by the river, because valleys signify the intelligence of the natural man, and a garden the intelligence of the spiritual man; and it is compared to lign aloes, and to cedar trees, because lign aloes signify those things which belong to the natural man, and cedar trees those that pertain to the rational man. Because all these live from the influx of the Divine Truth from the Lord, therefore they are said to be planted by the river and by the waters, by which is signified inflowing Divine Truth, whence there is intelligence.

[14] Since by the garden in Eden, or Paradise, are meant the wisdom and intelligence possessed by the Most Ancient people who lived before the flood, therefore where their wisdom is described, the influx of Divine Truth, and therefore of intelligence, is also described by the river which "went out of Eden to water the garden, and from thence it was parted and became into four heads" (Genesis 2:10, and following verses). The river from Eden denotes wisdom from love, which is Eden; to water the garden denotes to give intelligence, while the intelligence itself is described by the four rivers there treated of; as may be seen explained in the Arcana Coelestia 107-121).

[15] Again, in Ezekiel:

"Ashur was a cedar in Lebanon. The waters caused it to grow, the abyss made it high so that with its rivers it went round about his plant, and sent out his watercourses unto all the trees of the field" (Ezekiel 31:3, 4).

Ashur signifies the rational man, or the Rational of man; similarly the cedar in Lebanon. And because the genuine Rational is perfected by the cognitions of truth and good, it is said that the waters caused it to grow, and the abyss made it high, waters denoting truths and the abyss the cognitions of truth in the natural man. The increase of intelligence is signified by its rivers running about his plant; and the multiplication of the cognitions of truth, by sending out his watercourses unto all the trees of the field.

[16] Again, in David:

"Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt. Thou hast sent out its shoots unto the sea, and its little branches unto the river" (Psalm 80:8, 11).

By the vine out of Egypt, are meant the sons of Israel, who are called a vine because they represented the spiritual church, which is signified by a vine in the Word; their tarrying in Egypt represented their first initiation into the things of the church, for Egypt signified the scientifics which serve the things of the church. When, therefore, the vine signifies the church, and Egypt, the scientific serving it, the signification in the spiritual sense of bringing a vine out of Egypt is evident. The extension of the intelligence of the church even to things scientific and rational, is signified by, "Thou hast sent out its shoots unto the sea, and its little branches unto the river." To send out its shoots unto the sea, and its little branches unto the river, denotes multiplication and extension. The sea signifies the Scientific, and the river, which is here Euphrates, the Rational.

[17] The extension of the church, and the multiplication of its truths, and thence of intelligence, are described by the extension of the land of Canaan to the Sea Suph (Red Sea), to the sea of the Philistines, and to the river Euphrates, in Moses:

"I will set thy bounds from the Sea Suph (Red Sea) even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert even unto the river" (Exodus 23:31).

The boundaries of the land of Canaan signify the ultimates of the church, which are scientific truths, cognitions of truth, and good from the Word, and things rational. The Sea Suph (Red Sea) signifies scientific truth (scientificum verum), the sea of the Philistines, where Tyre and Sidon were, signifies the cognitions of truth and good from the sense of the letter of the Word, and by the river Euphrates is signified the Rational. For scientifics are serviceable to the cognitions of truth and good from the Word, and both these are serviceable to the Rational, and the Rational is serviceable to intelligence, and this comes to pass by means of truths conjoined to spiritual good.

[18] Expressions similar to those concerning the church and its extension, are also used concerning the power of the Lord over all things of heaven and the church in David:

"I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers" (Psalm 89:25).

This is said of David, by whom the Lord is meant. The power of the Lord, even to the ultimates of heaven and the church, thus over the whole heaven, and over every thing of the church, is signified by setting his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. Power is signified by the hand, and the right hand, and the ultimates of heaven and the church are signified by the sea and the rivers. That the ultimates of heaven are seas and rivers has been frequently shown above. These were represented by the two seas and by the two rivers which formed the boundaries of the land of Canaan. The two seas were the sea of Egypt and the sea of the Philistines, where Tyre and Sidon were; and the two rivers were Euphrates and the Jordan. But the Jordan was the boundary between the land of Canaan interior and exterior; in the latter were the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh. Similarly it is said in Zechariah:

"His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth" (Zechariah 9:10).

This also is said concerning the Lord, and similar things are meant. His dominion even to the ultimates of heaven and the church is over all things of heaven and of the church; for the ultimates are the boundaries.

[19] Again, in David:

"Thy throne is established of old; thou art from everlasting. The rivers have lifted up, O Jehovah, the rivers have lifted up their voice; the rivers have lifted up their roaring. Jehovah on high is mightier than the voices of many mighty waters, than the waves of the sea" (Psalm 93:2, 3, 4).

These things also are said concerning the Lord. His dominion from eternity to eternity over heaven and earth is signified by thy throne is established of old; thou art from everlasting. The glorification of the Lord on account of His coming, and thence the salvation of the human race, is signified by the rivers lifting up their voice and their roaring. For the rivers, here three times mentioned, signify all things of man's intelligence, both in the internal and in the external man. The Divine Truth from Him, by means of which are power and salvation, is signified by the voices of many mighty waters, than the waves of the sea. Waters denote truths, and the voices of many mighty waters Divine truths.

[20] The glorification and celebration of the Lord from joy of heart are thus described elsewhere in David:

"Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the rivers clap their hands; let the mountains be joyful" (Psalm 98:7, 8).

These words signify the glorification of the Lord by the whole heaven. Glorification from the ultimates thereof is signified by the sea roaring and the fulness thereof. The glorification from the whole heaven is signified by let the world roar and they that dwell therein, the world signifying the whole heaven as to its truths, and they that dwell therein signifying the whole heaven as to its goods. For inhabitants, in the Word, signify those who are in the goods of heaven and the church, and thus the goods of them. The glorification of the Lord by means of the truths of intelligence, and the goods of love, is signified by the rivers clapping their hands, and the mountains being joyful. Rivers denote the truths of intelligence, and mountains the goods of love.

[21] Divine Truth from the Lord, from whose reception there is intelligence, is signified by the waters from the rock in Horeb (Exodus 17:6), concerning which it is thus written in David:

"He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great abysses. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. He smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed" (Psalm 78:15, 16, 20).

And again:

"He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; rivers ran in the dry places" (Psalm 105:41).

The rock there means the Lord; and the waters which flowed thence mean the Divine Truth from Him, and the rivers mean intelligence and wisdom therefrom. By giving them drink as out of great abysses, is signified to drink in and perceive the interior things of wisdom.

[22] So in John:

Jesus said, "If any man thirst let him come unto me, and drink." He that cometh to me, "as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow streams of living water; this spake he of the spirit, which they that believe on him should receive" (John 7:37, 38, [39]).

By coming to the Lord, and drinking, is signified to receive from Him the truths of doctrine, and the faith thereof. That spiritual intelligence springs therefrom is signified by "out of his belly shall flow streams of living water," living water denoting the Divine Truth which is from the Lord alone; streams the things which are of intelligence, and the belly, thought from the memory, for to this the belly corresponds. And because streams of living water signify intelligence by means of the Divine Truth from the Lord, it is therefore added, "But this spake he of the spirit, which they that believe on him should receive." The spirit which they should receive from the Lord denotes the Divine Truth, and thence intelligence, wherefore also the Lord calls the spirit which they should receive, the spirit of truth (John 14:16-18; 16:7-15).

[23] In David,

Jehovah "hath founded" the world "upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers" (Psalm 24:2).

By the world is signified heaven and the church in their whole compass. The seas signify cognitions and knowledges (scientiae) which are the ultimates of the church, and specifically, the cognitions of truth and good, such as they are in the sense of the letter of the Word. The floods signify introduction by means of these into celestial intelligence. Hence the meaning of these words in the spiritual sense is evident, namely, that the interior things of heaven and the church, which are called celestial and spiritual, are founded upon the cognitions of truth and good, contained in the sense of the letter of the Word, rationally understood. It is said, "He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods," because seas and floods are in the boundaries of heaven, and were represented by the Sea Suph (Red Sea), the sea of the Philistines, the river Euphrates, and the river Jordan, which were the boundaries of the land of Canaan. And because ultimates, in the Word, signify lowest things, it is said that Jehovah hath founded and established the [world] upon them. That the earth is not founded upon the seas and floods, is evident.

[24] Again:

"The Lord at thy right hand hath smitten kings in the day of his wrath. He hath judged among the nations, he hath filled [the earth] with the dead bodies, he hath smitten the head over much country. He shall drink of the stream in the way; therefore shall he lift up the head" (Psalm 110:5-7).

These things are said concerning the Lord, and His combat against falsities and evils from hell, and their entire subjugation. By kings are meant falsities from hell, and by the nations are meant the evils therefrom. His Divine power is meant by "The Lord at the right hand." The subjugation and destruction of falsities and evils from the hells, is signified by His smiting them in the day of His wrath, His judging among the nations, and His filling [the earth] with dead bodies. By the head which He smote over much country, is meant the love of self, from which all evils and falsities proceed, and smiting over much country denotes total destruction and damnation. By the stream in the way, of which the head shall drink, and in consequence of which shall exalt itself, is signified the Word in the letter, to drink of it, denoting to learn something therefrom, and to lift up the head, denoting continued resistance. For none of those who are in falsities from evil, can be cast down into hell, before those things which they know from the Word are taken away from them, because all things of the Word communicate with heaven, and by that communication they lift up the head, but when those things are taken away, then they are cast down into hell. This is the meaning of those words, which no one could understand without the spiritual sense, and the knowledge therefrom of the nature of the Word.

[25] Thus also in Habakkuk:

"Was Jehovah enraged with the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea? because thou didst ride upon thy horses, thy chariots salvation" (3:8).

These words contain a supplication that the church may be guarded and not perish. The rivers and the sea signify all things of the church, because they are the ultimates thereof, as shown above. Riding upon horses, when stated of Jehovah, that is, of the Lord, signifies the Divine Wisdom which is in the Word; and chariots signify doctrinals therefrom.

[26] Again, in David:

"Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be changed, and though the mountains shake in the heart of the seas; the waters thereof shall be in tumult and be troubled, the mountains shall tremble with the swelling thereof. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the holy city of God, the dwelling places of the Most High, God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved" (Psalm 46:2-5).

These words, in the spiritual sense, mean, that although the church with all things thereof, perish, still the Word, and the Divine Truth therein, shall not perish. For the earth signifies the church, mountains signify the goods of love, and waters, truths, and by being changed, shaken, put in tumult, troubled, and trembling, are signified the states thereof, when they perish, and falsities and evils enter in their place, consequently, the states of the church when its goods are vastated and its truths desolated. The details of this passage may be seen explained above (n. 304:17 and 405:45). That the Word shall not perish, or the Divine Truth which is for the church, is signified by the river, whose streams shall make glad the city of God, it shall not be changed. A river here has the same signification as fountain, namely the Word, because its streams, which signify truths, are spoken of. The city of God signifies the church as to doctrine, to make glad, signifies influx and reception from joy of heart, and not to be changed signifies not to perish, as to any thing.

[27] Again, in Isaiah:

"Then the waters shall fail in the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up, the streams shall recede; the rivers of Egypt shall be minished and dried up, the reed and the flags shall wither. The paper reeds, near the stream, near the mouth of the stream, and all seed of the stream, shall wither, it shall be driven away, and be no more" (19:5, 6, 7).

These things are said concerning Egypt, which signifies the Scientific of the natural man. The stream signifies the cognition and perception of truth, and, in the opposite sense, the apperception of falsity. That these would perish is signified by the stream being wasted and dried up, and that thus truths would be no longer, not even natural and sensual truths, which are the lowest of all, is signified by the reed and the flags withering, the paper reeds near the stream, and all the seed of the stream withering, and being driven away, so as to be no more.

[28] Again, in the same prophet:

"I have digged, and drunk waters; and with the sole of my foot have I dried up all the rivers of Egypt" (Isaiah 37:25).

These are the words of Senacherib the king of Assyria, who signifies the Rational perverted, destroying all cognition and apperception of truth; this is signified by his drying up with the sole of his foot all the rivers of Egypt. The rivers of Egypt signify the cognitions and apperceptions of truth, because Egypt signifies the natural man as to scientifics; and cognition and perception belong to the natural man, as intelligence does to the spiritual man.

[29] So again, in Ezekiel:

"They shall draw their swords against Egypt, that they may fill the land with the slain. And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked; and I will make the land waste, and the fulness thereof, by the hand of strangers" (Ezekiel 30:11, 12).

Egypt signifies the Scientific of the natural man, serviceable to the intelligence of the rational and spiritual man. That scientific truths are destroyed, is signified by "They shall draw their swords against Egypt," swords signifying falsities destroying truths. By the slain are signified those who perish by falsities; by making the rivers dry, is signified that there shall be no more cognition and apperception of truth. To sell the land into the hand of the wicked, and to make it waste by the hand of strangers, signifies to destroy by means of evils and falsities; for strangers denote falsities.

[30] Again, in Zechariah:

"All the depths of the stream shall be dried up; and the pride of Ashur shall be brought down, and the staff of Egypt shall pass away" (Zechariah 10:11).

All the depths of the river shall be dried up (that is the Euphrates), signifies that all subtle reasonings from [man's] own intelligence shall perish. The pride of Ashur, signifies [man's] own intelligence which pertains to the perverted Rational. The staff of Egypt shall depart away, signifies that the scientifics serviceable to such reasonings shall avail nothing.

[31] Again, in Isaiah:

"I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools" (Isaiah 42:15).

I will make waste mountains and hills, signifies that the goods of love and charity will perish; and dry up all their herbs, signifies that the truths from those goods shall perish; I will make the rivers islands, and dry up the pools, signifies that intelligence and the cognition of truth shall perish.

[32] Again, in the same prophet:

"Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert; their fish shall stink, because there is no water, and shall die" (Isaiah 50:2).

This passage is explained above (n. 342:8).

Again, in Nahum:

"He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and dryeth up all the streams" (Nahum 1:4).

And in David:

Jehovah "turneth rivers into a desert, and the water-springs into dry ground" (Psalm 107:33).

And in Job:

"Man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? The waters fail from the sea, and the river is wasted and dryeth up" (Job 14:10, 11).

[33] So far it has been shown, that rivers signify the understanding of truth and intelligence. But that in the opposite sense, rivers signify the understanding of falsity, and reasoning from [man's] own intelligence, which is in favour of falsities in opposition to truths, is evident from the following passages.

Thus in Isaiah:

"He will send messengers on the sea to a nation scattered and peeled, whose land the rivers have spoiled" (Isaiah 18:2).

Rivers here signify the falsities of [man's] own intelligence, which have destroyed. The explanation of the rest may be seen above (n. 304:22 and 331:5).

So again:

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm thee" (43:2).

To pass through the waters and through the rivers, and not to be overwhelmed, signifies that falsities, and reasonings from falsities against truths, shall not corrupt.

[34] In Jeremiah:

"Behold waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing stream, and shall overflow the land, and the fulness of it" (Jeremiah 47:2).

Waters out of the north signify the falsities of doctrine from [man's] own intelligence; these are compared to a stream overflowing the land, because a stream signifies reasoning from falsities, and by the land, is meant the church, whose destruction by falsities is compared to an inundation by a stream.

[35] Again, in David:

"Had it not been Jehovah who was with us, when man rose up against us; then the waters had overwhelmed us, the river had gone over our soul; then the waters of the proud had gone over our soul" (Psalm 124:2, 4, 5).

By the waters of the proud here mentioned are signified falsities that favour the love of self and confirm it, and also falsities of doctrine from [man's] own intelligence. A river or stream signifies reasoning from these falsities against truths. It is evident therefore that these words, "Had it not been Jehovah who was with us, when man rose up against us," signify, when man from himself, from his own love and intelligence rises up and endeavours to destroy the truths of the church. For the subject treated of is Israel, by whom is signified the church. The waters that would have overwhelmed them, and the rivers that would have gone over their soul, signify falsities and reasonings from them, and consequently the destruction of spiritual life, which man receives by means of truths and a life according to them. Waters signify falsities, rivers, reasonings from them, and by overwhelming and going over the soul, is signified the destruction of spiritual life.

[36] In Isaiah:

"Behold, the Lord will bring up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, the king of Assyria, and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks; and he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow" (Isaiah 8:7, [8]).

Assyria, and the king of Assyria, in the Word, signify the Rational, here the Rational perverted. Therefore his river, which was Euphrates, means reasoning, and the waters of the river mean falsities confirmed by reasonings; these therefore are signified by the waters of the river, strong and many, which are called strong from desire, and many from falsity. The abundance of falsities from evil destroying the truths of the good of the church, is signified by the waters of the river coming up over all his channels, and going over all his banks, also, by passing through Judah and overflowing. Judah signifies the church where the Word is.

[37] So in Jeremiah:

"What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?" (Jeremiah 2:18).

By the waters of Shihor, or of Egypt, are signified false scientifics, or scientifics that confirm falsities, and by the waters of the river, are signified false reasonings from them, and thus reasonings from [man's] own intelligence. These words signify that neither the former nor the latter must be received into the mind.

[38] Again, in the same prophet:

"They have stumbled and fallen toward the north by the river Euphrates. Who is this that cometh up as a stream, [whose waters] are put in commotion like streams? Egypt cometh up as a stream, and as streams his waters are put in commotion; for he saith, I will ascend, and I will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof" (Jeremiah 46:6, 7, 8).

These words signify the destruction of the church and its truths by false reasonings from confirming scientifics. By the north are signified those with whom falsity prevails, and whence it proceeds. The river Euphrates signifies false reasonings; Egypt, confirming scientifics; the waters put in commotion signify falsities themselves; and ascending, covering the earth, destroying the city and them that dwell in it, signify the destruction of the church and of its doctrine. The earth denotes the church, city the doctrine of truth, and they that dwell in it, its goods. Similar things are signified by the Nile the river of Egypt, and by the Euphrates the river of Assyria, in other parts of the Word; as in Isaiah 7:18, 19; 11:15, 16; Ezekiel 29:3, 4, 5, 10; 31:15; 32:2; Psalm 74:14, 15; Psalm 78:44; Exodus 7:17-21; also by the rivers of Babylon (Psalm 137:1). Since all spiritual temptations are caused by falsities which break into the thoughts, and infest the interior mind, thus by reasonings from them, therefore also temptations are signified by inundations of waters, and by a bursting in of streams and torrents, as in Jonah:

"Thou didst cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas; and the stream compassed me about; all thy billows and thy waves passed over me" (Jonah 2:3).

And in David:

"The cords of death (Sheol) compassed me, and the floods of Belial made me afraid" (Psalm 18:4).

And in Matthew:

"The rain descended, and the streams came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock" (Matthew 7:25).

So in Luke:

"And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, but could not shake it; for it was founded upon a rock" (Luke 6:48).