873. Verse 9 And the dove found no rest for the sole of its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for the waters were over the face' of the whole earth. And he put out his hand, and took hold of it, and brought it in to himself into the ark.

'The dove found no rest for the sole of its foot' means that no good and truth of faith at all had as yet been able to take root. 'It returned to him to the ark' means good and truth appearing to be the good and truth of faith with him. 'For the waters were over the face ¹ of the earth' means that falsities were still there to overflowing. 'He put out his hand' means his own power. 'And he took hold of it, and brought it in to himself into the ark' means that self was the source of the good he did and of the truth he thought.

Footnotes:

'Kaphtor' denotes vastation of the church.

(References: Arcana Coelestia 9340)