The Bible

 

Genesis 2:10

Study

       

10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.

Commentary

 

Beast

  
"Noah and His Ark" by Charles Willson Peale

In Genesis 1:24, beasts signify the things of man's will or loves. (Arcana Coelestia 44, 46)

In Genesis 9:10, beasts signify all that was living in the man of the Ancient Church, and also what belonged to his new will; likewise the lower things of his understanding and the will therefrom. (Arcana Coelestia 1026-1029)

In Psalm 104:20, beasts signify affections longing to be instructed, or spiritually nourished. (Apocalypse Explained 650[10])

In Luke 10:35, since the beast was a donkey, this signifies to instruct another according to his capability. (Apocalypse Explained 1154)

The beast of the south (Isaiah 30:6) signifies people who are principled in the knowledges of good and of truth, but do not apply them to life and instead to science.

Every beast and creeping thing (Genesis 8:19) signifies the goodnesses of the internal and external man.

"Beasts" represent the affection for doing good things, a true desire to do them from the heart. In the negative sense, "beasts" stand for the lust to do evil.

The beast ascending out of the sea (Revelation 13:1) signifies reasonings from the natural man confirming the separation of faith from life.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 13, 773; Revelation 13:11)


Commentary

 

Rain

  

'To rain' signifies influx. In Genesis 2:5-6, Exodus 34:25-27, and Hosea 6:3, 'rain' signifies the tranquility of peace when the combat of temptation ceases. 'An inundating rain' signifies the vastation of truth, as in Ezekiel 3:11-14. 38:23, and temptation, as in Matthew 7:24-27. In Genesis 7:4, 'rain' signifies temptation and vastation. 'Rain,' in a positive sense, denotes blessing, but in the opposite sense, damnation

(References: Arcana Coelestia 2443; Leviticus 25)