220. 'His voice going to and fro' means that only a residue of perception was left, so small as to be solitary and inaudible, so to speak. This is also clear from the next verse in which it is said that Jehovah called out to the man. A similar usage occurs in Isaiah,

The voice of one crying in the wilderness; the voice said, Cry! Isaiah 40:3, 6.

'Wilderness' stands for a Church where no faith exists; 'the voice of one crying stands for the declaration of the Lord's coming, in general for every declaration of His coming, as is made to regenerate persons who have this dictate residing in them.

770. 'Noah's wife' means the Church itself, and 'the three wives of his sons with them' the derivative Churches themselves. This is clear from what has been stated, that is to say, when the member of the Church is mentioned by name, the all of the Church is meant, or as it is called, the head of the Church. 'Wife' in that case is the Church, as shown already in 252, 253. It is different when 'man and wife' or 'male and female' are mentioned in the Word. In that case 'man' and 'male' mean things of the understanding, which are the truths of faith, while 'wife' and 'female' mean things of the will, which are the goods of faith.