Water is the basis of life, the essential ingredient in all drinks, and in the form of rivers, lakes and oceans supports life in myriad ways. The spiritual meaning of water is similarly basic: It represents truth in general, the ideas and concepts that guide us to do good things in our lives. In a more specific sense, it represents truth at its simplest level: the ideas we learn from the Bible and simply believe. Swedenborg refers to this as “natural” truth or “truths of faith.” They are not things we have explored, figured out or confirmed through life; rather they are things that we accept to be true because we’ve been told they are true. Like water, these ideas flow to us from other sources. And like water, they are ever-changing; to build something permanent we might look to the more permanent ideas represented by stones. But water is crucial to life, and so are these accepted ideas. Water can also, of course, be threatening. Rivers, lakes and oceans are inherently dangerous, and flooding was an ever greater threat in Biblical times than it is now. These aspects represent the opposite meaning – water as falsity, twisted ideas which support evil and can overwhelm and destroy us if we’re not careful.

5668. 'And gave them water' means a general influx of truth from the internal. This is clear from the meaning of 'water' as truth, 2702, 3058, 3414, 4976, in this case truth in general. This is why 'giving water' means a general influx of truth; and the reason it comes from the internal is that this took place in Joseph's house, 5667. A general influx of truth is enlightenment that makes it possible for truth to be discerned and understood. This enlightenment is provided by the light of heaven which flows from the Lord, a light which is nothing else than Divine Truth, 2776, 3138, 3167, 3195, 3222, 3339, 3485, 3636, 3643, 3993, 4302, 4413, 4415, 5400.