THE EXPLANATION of Isaiah Chapter 55

(Note: Rev. Smithson's translation of the Isaiah text is appended below the explanation.)

1. Ho! everyone that thirsts, come you to the waters! and he who has no silver: come you, buy, and eat! yea, come, buy you without silver, and without price, wine and milk.

VERSE 1. That "wine" and "milk", which were to be bought without silver, are not here understood, but things spiritual, to which they correspond, must be obvious to every one; wherefore, by "wine" is signified spiritual Good, which in its essence is Truth, and by "milk" the Good of that Truth. That these are given gratis by the Lord to such as are in ignorance of Truth and of Good, but nevertheless are in the desire thereof, is understood by their being bid "to come, to buy and eat without silver"; to "buy" signifies to procure to themselves, and to "eat" is to appropriate, which is done by application as of themselves. That they who are in ignorance of Truth and of Good, but in the desire thereof, are here meant, is evident; from its being said, "Everyone that thirsts, come you to the waters!" To "thirst" signifying to desire, and "waters" Truths - in the present case the Word, where Truths are. Apocalypse Explained 376 Apocalypse Explained 376[1-40]. See also Arcana Coelestia 8568, 8976.

"He who has no silver", signifies those who "are in ignorance of Truth, and yet in the Good of charity, as is the case with many in the church, and also with many Gentiles out of the church. Arcana Coelestia 1551.

Verses 1, 2. That to "eat" here signifies to appropriate to one's self from the Lord, is evident, for, it is said "Everyone who thirsts, come you to the waters! and he who has no silver; come you, buy, and eat"; by which is understood that everyone who desires Truth, and who had not Truth before, may procure and appropriate it to himself from the Lord. To "thirst" signifies to desire, "water" Truth, and "silver" the Truth of Good; wherefore, by "him who has no silver", is signified him who before had no Truth of Good; to "come" denotes to come to the Lord; to "buy" is to procure for himself; and to "eat" denotes to appropriate. "Come, buy you without silver, and without price, wine and milk", signifies to procure Divine Truth spiritual and Divine Truth natural without self-derived intelligence; "wine" denoting Divine Truth spiritual, and "milk" Divine Truth spiritual-natural. "Wherefore do you weigh out silver for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which will not satisfy?" signifies that it is in vain to endeavour, from the proprium to procure the Good of love, and that which nourishes the soul; "silver" here denoting Truth from the proprium, or self-derived intelligence, and, in like manner, "labour"; by "bread" is understood the Good of love; and "that which satisfies" denotes that which nourishes the soul, - in the present case, that which does not nourish. "Hearken diligently unto Me", signifies that those things are from the Lord alone; and "eat you that which is good, and your soul shall delight itself in fatness", signifies that they may appropriate to themselves celestial Good, from which is all delight of life; to "delight in fatness" denoting to be delighted from Good, and the "soul" signifying life. Apocalypse Explained 617.

That to "buy" and "sell" signifies to procure knowledges and to teach them, see Chapter 24:2; also Isaiah 52:3, the Exposition.

Verses 1-4. That to "drink" and to "eat"; is here to be informed concerning the Lord; and that "waters", "wine", "milk"; "bread", and "fatness", signify the things which are of the Truth and Good of Faith from Him; is evident. Arcana Coelestia 9412.

2. Wherefore do you weigh out silver for that which is no bread? and your labour for that which will not satisfy? hearken diligently unto Me, and eat you that which is good; and your soul shall delight itself in fatness.

Verse 2. Hearken diligently unto Me, and eat you that which is good; and your soul shall delight itself in fatness. - By "eating Good" is signified to appropriate Good to themselves; whence, by "delighting in fatness", is signified to be in a state of satisfaction and blessedness. Apocalypse Explained 1159.

3. Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hearken, that your soul may live: and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, even the sure mercies of David.

Verse 3. "David" signifies the Lord; the "everlasting covenant" is conjunction with Him; the "sure mercies of David" are the things which are of the Lord; and the procuring of which is understood by "going to Him", and by "hearkening that their soul may live." A "covenant" in this; and in many other passages, as in Isaiah 42:6; 49:8 (see the Exposition), signifies the Lord's conjunction with the human race by His Divine Human. That the Lord, as to His Divine Human, is the Mediator, and that no one can come to the Divine Itself, which is in the Lord; and which is called the "Father", except by the "Son", : that is, by the Divine Human, is known in the church; thus it is the Lord, as to His Divine Human, who is the Conjunction [or the Covenant]. Who can comprehend the Divine Itself by any thought? and, if not by any thought, who can be conjoined with Him in love? But everyone can comprehend the Divine Human in thought, and be conjoined with Him in love. Arcana Coelestia 6804.

4. Behold, for a Witness to the peoples I have given Him; a Prince and a Lawgiver to the nations.

5. Behold; the nation whom You knew not You shalt call; and the nations who knew not You shall run unto You, for the sake of Jehovah Your God; and for the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified You.

Verse 4. A Prince and a Lawgiver to the nations. - What is meant by these words, when applied to the Lord, see above, Chapter 33:22, the Exposition.

Verses 4, 5. A Witness to the peoples; - Behold, the nation whom You knew not You shalt call; and the nations who knew not You shall run unto You, etc. - These words treat of the Lord's kingdom, "Peoples" are those who are in Truths, and "'nations" those who are in Goods. Arcana Coelestia 1259.

6. Seek you Jehovah, while He may be found; call you upon Him, while He is near.

7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts: and let him return unto Jehovah, for He will have mercy upon him; and unto our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

8. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says Jehovah.

9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth; so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

Verses 6-8. As these words treat of turning to the Lord, and of repentance, we will here adduce the Doctrine of Repentance.

He who would be saved must confess his sins, and do the work of repentance. To "confess sins" is to know evils, to perceive them in one's own heart, to charge one's self with their guilt, and to condemn one's self on account of them. When this is done in the presence of God, it constitutes the confession of sins. To "perform the work of repentance" is to abstain from sins after they have been confessed, and supplication has been made for their remission, from humility of heart; and to live in newness of life, according to the precepts of charity and faith. The man who makes only a general acknowledgement that he is a sinner, charging himself as guilty of all evils, and yet does not explore himself, that is, does not really see his own sins, may, indeed, make confession, but not the confession of repentance; for such a person, because he does not know his own evils, lives in the practice of them afterwards, just as he had done before.

Repentance which consists merely in words, and does not affect the life, is not repentance; neither are sins remitted by such repentance, but only by repentance of life. Sins are, indeed, continually remitted to man by the Lord, for the Lord is Mercy itself; but still they adhere to man, however he may think they are remitted; nor are they removed from him but by a life according to the precepts of true faith. So far as a man lives according to those precepts, so far his sins are removed, and so far as they are removed, so far they are remitted. The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 159-162, 165. See also the Exposition of Isaiah 34.

10. For as the rain descends, and the snow, from the heavens, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater;

11. So shall My Word be which goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in that] for which I have sent it.

Verses 1011. Here "the Word which goes forth out of the mouth of God" is compared to the "rain" and "snow" from heaven, because by the "Word" is meant the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, which flows in with us by the Word; in like manner, also, by "as the rain descends, and the snow, from the heavens." By the "rain" is signified spiritual Truth, which is appropriated to man; and by "snow", natural Truth, which is as snow when it is only in the memory, but becomes spiritual by love, as snow becomes rain-water by heat.

By "watering the earth, that it may bring forth and bud", is signified to vivify the church, that it may produce the Truth of doctrine and of faith, and the Good of love and of charity; the Truth of doctrine and of faith is understood by "the seed which it giveth to the sower", and the Good of love and of charity by "the bread which it giveth to the eater." "It shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please [or have willed]", signifies that it shall be received, and that man shall be led by it to look to the Lord. Apocalypse Explained 644.

12. For with joy shall you go forth, and you shall be led out with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into song; and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Verse 12. The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into song; and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. - And in David:

"Praise Jehovah, you mountains and hills; fruit-trees, and all cedars", (Psalm 148:9)

In these words is described the joy of heart originating in the Good of love and charity; and "mountains", "hills", "trees", and "cedars" are said to "break forth in to singing", to "clap their hands", and to "praise", because thereby are signified the Goods and Truths which cause joys in man; for man does not rejoice from himself, but from the Goods and Truths which are in him; these are the things which rejoice, because they are the ground of man's rejoicing. Apocalypse Explained 644.

Because "mountains" and "hills" signified such things in the ancient church, divine worship was performed on mountains and hills; and afterwards the Hebrew nation placed altars upon mountains and hills, and there offered sacrifices and incense; and where there were no hills, they made high places; and as this worship became idolatrous, because they considered the "mountains" and the "hills" themselves holy, and thought nothing at all of the holy things which they signified, therefore. that worship was prohibited to the Israelitish and Jewish people, because that people was more prone than any other to idolatrous worship. In order, however, that this representative, which had been in ancient times, might be retained, "Mount Zion" was chosen, and by it, in the supreme sense, is represented the Divine Good of the Divine Love of the Lord, and in a respective sense, the Divine-Celestial and the Divine-Spiritual [principle] of His kingdom. Arcana Coelestia 6135.

13. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle: and it shall be unto Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off.

Verse 13. That "thorns" and "briers" signify evils and falsities, see Chapter 5:6; 7:23, 24, 25, the Exposition; and as to the signification of the "myrtle" and the "fir-tree", see Chapter 41:19, the Exposition.

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Isaiah Chapter 55.

1. Ho! everyone that thirsts, come you to the waters! and he who has no silver: come you, buy, and eat! yea, come, buy you without silver, and without price, wine and milk.

2. Wherefore do you weigh out silver for that which is no bread? and your labour for that which will not satisfy? hearken diligently unto Me, and eat you that which is good; and your soul shall delight itself in fatness.

3. Incline your ear, and come unto Me; hearken, that your soul may live: and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, even the sure mercies of David.

4. Behold, for a Witness to the peoples I have given Him; a Prince and a Lawgiver to the nations.

5. Behold; the nation whom You knew not You shalt call; and the nations who knew not You shall run unto You, for the sake of Jehovah Your God; and for the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified You.

6. Seek you Jehovah, while He may be found; call you upon Him, while He is near.

7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the man of iniquity his thoughts: and let him return unto Jehovah, for He will have mercy upon him; and unto our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

8. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says Jehovah.

9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth; so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

10. For as the rain descends, and the snow, from the heavens, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater;

11. So shall My Word be which goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in that] for which I have sent it.

12. For with joy shall you go forth, and you shall be led out with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into song; and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

13. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree; and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle: and it shall be unto Jehovah for a name, for an everlasting sign which shall not be cut off.

538. The "abyss" signifies the hells where and from which are falsities, because those hells where the falsities of evil have rule appear like seas, in the depths of which is the infernal crew, which is in the falsities of evil. These hells appear like seas because falsities continually flow out from them, and falsities appear like waters; this is why "waters" in the Word also signify falsities. Moreover, from the waters themselves the quality of the falsity there is known, for falsities are of many kinds, as many as there are evils. Falsities that are from grievous evils appear over those hells like dense and black waters, and falsities from the evil of the love of self like ruddy waters, the density and color making evident the kind of falsity. It must be remembered that in the spiritual world truths also appear like waters, but like limpid and pure waters. This is because there are three degrees of man's life, as there are three heavens. Those in whom the third degree is opened are in an atmosphere pure like ether; those who are in the third or inmost heaven are in such an atmosphere; those in whom only the second degree is opened are in an atmosphere as it were aerial; those who are in the second or middle heaven are in such an atmosphere: but those in whom the first degree only is opened are in a kind of watery, rare, and pure atmosphere; those who are in the first or ultimate heaven are in such an atmosphere. This is because interior perceptions and thoughts, as being more perfect, correspond to a purity of atmosphere like that in which they are, for they pour themselves forth from every angel and still more from every angelic society, and present a corresponding sphere, which sphere is manifested in a purity like that of the perceptions and thoughts of the angels, that is, of their intelligence and wisdom. This sphere appears, as has been said, like an atmosphere, like an ethereal atmosphere in the inmost heaven, like an aerial atmosphere in the middle heaven, and like a rare watery atmosphere in the ultimate heaven. This makes evident that a kind of watery atmosphere corresponds to natural thought and perception, but a rare watery atmosphere corresponds to spiritual-natural thought and perception in which are the angels of the ultimate heaven; but a dense watery atmosphere, approaching either to black or ruddy, corresponds to natural thought in which there is nothing spiritual, and natural thought in which there is nothing spiritual those have who are in the hells where falsities prevail, for all who are there are merely natural and sensual. (That man has three degrees of life, like the three heavens, and that they differ in purity, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 33, 34, 208, 209, 211.) This makes evident why such hells are called in the Word "seas" and "abysses," "seas" because they appear like seas, and "abysses" from their depth.

[2] That "seas," "depths," and "abysses" signify the hells where and from which are the falsities of evil, can be seen in the following passages of the Word. In Moses:

Pharaoh's chariots and his army hath He cast into the sea. The abysses have covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone. From the wind of Thy nostrils the waters were piled up, the floods stood upright as a heap, and the abysses were congealed in the heart of the sea (Exodus 15:4, 5, 8).

This is from the song of Moses respecting Pharaoh and his army after they were drowned in the Sea Suph. "Pharaoh and his army" signifying those who are in falsities from evil, and the "Sea Suph" the hell where those falsities are; from which it is evident that "the abysses covered them" signifies that the hells covered them. (What the rest signifies in the spiritual sense, see Arcana Coelestia 8272-8279, and 8286-8289, where it is explained.)

[3] These things have a like signification in David:

He rebuked the Sea Suph that it might be dried up, and He led them through the abysses as in the wilderness. The waters covered his ¹ adversaries (Psalms 106:9, 11).

In Isaiah:

Art Thou not He who dried up the sea, the waters of the great abyss; who made the depths of the sea for a way that the redeemed might pass over? (Isaiah 51:10, 15).

Who divided the waters before them, who led them through the abysses like a horse in the wilderness; they stumbled not (Isaiah 63:12, 13).

The "sons of Israel" before whom the Sea Suph was dried up, and through which, when dried up, they passed safely, mean all who are in truths from good, whom the Lord protects, lest the falsities of evil that continually rise up from the hells should harm them; this is the meaning of "He dried up the sea, the waters of the great abyss," and of "He made its depths for way that the redeemed might pass over," also of "He led them through the abysses;" for falsities that are exhaled from the hells, consequently the hells, continually surround man (for it is the same whether you say falsities from the hells, or the hells), but the Lord continually disperses them with those who are in truths from good from Him; so this is what is signified by "drying up the sea," and "leading them through the abysses." Those who are in truths from good from the Lord are meant by the "redeemed."

[4] "To dry up the abyss" and "to make dry the rivers" have the same signification in Isaiah:

Jehovah saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof; saying to the abyss, Be dry; and I will make dry thy rivers (Isaiah 44:26, 27).

"Jerusalem" signifies the Lord's church, and "the cities of Judah" signify the goods and truths of doctrine; the restoration of the church and of doctrine is signified by "to be inhabited" and "to be built;" the dispersion of evils and falsities that are from the hells and protection from them, are signified by "drying up the abyss and making dry the rivers" (as above).

[5] The same is signified in Zechariah:

Israel shall pass through the sea of distress, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the depths of the river shall be dried up; and the pride of Assyria shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart (Zechariah 10:11).

That those who are protected by the Lord in truths from good shall live, although falsities from the hells encompass them, is signified by "Israel shall pass through the sea and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the depths of the river shall be dried up," for "Israel" means those who are in truths from good; the "sea" signifies hell and all falsity therefrom; the "waves of the sea" signify reasonings from falsities against truths; "to dry up all the depths of the river" signifies to disperse all the falsities of evil, even the deeper, the "river Nile" signifying false knowledge [scientificum]; therefore it follows "the pride of Assyria shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart," "Assyria" signifying reasoning from falsities against truths, and "Egypt" knowledge [scientificum] applied to confirm falsities; "the pride of Assyria which shall be cast down" signifies self-intelligence from which comes reasoning; and "the staff of Egypt which shall depart" signifies the power that is added to reasoning by knowledges that are applied for confirmation.

[6] In Ezekiel:

In the day when he shall go down into hell, I will cause to mourn, I will cover the abyss over him (Ezekiel 31:15).

This is said of Pharaoh and Assyria; and "Pharaoh" has a similar signification as "Egypt," namely, knowledge destroying the truth of the church by application to falsities, and "Assyria" signifies reasoning from falsities; that those who are such are cast down into hell, where such falsities and reasonings from falsities are, is signified by "he shall go down into hell, and shall be covered with the abyss;" from which it is evident that the "abyss" means the hell where and from which are the falsities of evil.

[7] In Micah:

God will turn back, He will have compassion upon us, He will subdue our iniquities, and He will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19).

Because "the depths of the sea," the same as "abysses," mean the hells where and from which are evils and falsities, it is said, "He will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea."

[8] In Ezekiel:

When I shall make thee a desolate city like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall make the abyss to come up against thee, and many waters shall cover thee; then will I make thee to go down with them that go down into the pit, to the people of an age, and I will make thee to dwell in the land of the lower parts, in the desolations from an age, with them that go down into the pit, that thou have no habitation (Ezekiel 26:19, 20).

This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of truth and good, or in respect to the truths of the natural man, for the truths of the natural man are the knowledges of truth and good; this treats of the vastation of the church in respect to these; to make Tyre "a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited," signifies its doctrine without truths, and like the doctrines that are without good, for the truths of doctrine without good are not truths, since all truths are of good; "to make the abyss to come up against Tyre, that many waters may cover her," signifies immersion in falsities from hell in great abundance, the "abyss" meaning hell, and "many waters" falsities in great abundance; "with them that go down into the pit, to the people of an age," signifies to those in hell who were there from the most ancient church just before the flood; these are called "the people of an age, because they were from ancient time, and were, above others, in direful falsities. This shows what is signified by "making to dwell in the land of the lower parts, in the desolations from an age, with them that go down into the pit, that thou have no habitation," "to have no habitation" signifying here not to be in any truths, because not in good, for such do not dwell in houses but in pits.

[9] Like things are signified in Zechariah:

Behold, Jehovah ² will impoverish Tyre, and smite her wealth in the sea; and she herself shall be devoured by fire (Zechariah 9:4).

"To smite her wealth in the sea" signifies to cast falsities into hell, "the sea" meaning the hell in which are the falsities of evil, and "wealth" meaning the falsities themselves.

[10] In Ezekiel:

Those that despise thee have brought thee into many waters; the east wind hath broken thee in the heart of the seas. Thy riches, thy tradings, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, they that caulked thy chinks, and they who trade thy trading, and all thy men of war that are in thee, and in all thine assembly which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the heart of the seas in the day of thy fall (Ezekiel 27:26, 27).

This treats of Tyre, and is said of her ships, which signify the knowledges of good and truth, or the truths of the natural man that they acquire and trade in, but here they mean falsities; "the heart of the seas in which the east wind hath broken her, and into which they shall fall in the day of her fall," has a similar signification as the "abyss," namely, the hell from which are the falsities of doctrine; "the east wind" meaning influx out of heaven, and the "day of her fall" the Last Judgment. "Riches" signify falsities; "tradings and merchandise" the acquisition and communication of falsities; "mariners" signify those who minister, and "pilots" the religious leaders who lead and teach; "men of war" those who defend, and "the assembly" false doctrinals.

[11] In Jonah:

Out of the belly of hell have I cried; Thou hast heard my voice. Thou hadst cast me into the depth, even into the heart of the seas; and the river was round about me; all Thy billows and Thy waves passed over me. The waters enclosed me about even to the soul; the abyss encompassed me round about, the sedge was wrapped about my head. I went down to the cuttings off of the mountains; the bars of the earth are upon me forever; yet Thou hast made my life to come up out of the pit (Jonah 2:2, 3, 5, 6).

The Lord teaches in Matthew (Matthew 12:39, 40; 16:4; Luke 11:29, 30), that Jonah's being in the whale three days and three nights represented that the Lord would thus be in the heart of the earth; and these words of Jonah describe the Lord's direful temptations. And because it is by the overflow of evils and falsities that come up out of hell, and as it were overwhelm, that temptations exist, it is said that "out of the belly of hell he cried," and that "he was cast into the depth, even into the heart of the seas," which signifies hell; "the river and the waters that enclosed him," and "the billows and waves that passed over," signify the evils and falsities from hell; "the abyss that encompassed round about," signifies the hells where and from which are the falsities; "the cuttings off of the mountains to which he went down," signify the hells where and from which are evils; that the Lord was as it were bound by these is signified by "the sedge wrapped about the head," and "the bars of the earth that were upon him," "wrapped by sedge" signifying to be bound as it were by falsities, and "the bars of the earth" signifying to be bound as it were by evils; victory over these from His own power is signified by "yet hast Thou made my life to come up out of the pit." It is said, "Thou hast made to come up," but in reference to the Lord this means that He made Himself to come up by His Divine, that is, by His own power.

[12] The following passages in David have a like signification:

Abyss calleth unto abyss at the voice of Thy waterspouts; all Thy breakers and Thy waves have passed over me (Psalms 42:7).

The waters are come even to my soul. I have sunk in mire of depths, there is no standing; I have come into depths of waters, and the billow overwhelms me. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the depths of waters. Let not the flood of waters overwhelm me, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me (Psalms 69:1, 2, 14, 15).

In the same:

Return, quicken me; return and make me to come up out of the depths of the earth (Psalms 71:20).

In the same:

I have been counted with them that go down into the pit; neglected among the dead, like the slain that lie down in the grave, whom Thou rememberest no more; and from Thy hand they are cut off. Thou hast laid me in the pit of the lower parts, in dark places, in the depths (Psalms 88:4-6).

These passages in David describe the Lord's temptations when He was in the world, by which He subjugated the hells and glorified His Human; "waves" and "billows" signify evils and falsities; and "abysses" and "depths of the sea," likewise "the pit" signify the hells where and from which are evils and falsities; for as was said above, temptations are like immersions in the hells and obsessions by evils and falsities. This is signified by the lamentations in David in many places, and also in the Prophets; for in the spiritual sense of the Word there is much that treats of the Lord's temptations by which He subjugated the hells and arranged all things in order in the heavens and in the hells, and by which He glorified His Human; these things are especially meant in Luke (Luke 24:44) by the things predicted "in the Prophets and in the Psalms of David," respecting the Lord, and fulfilled by Him.

[13] "The abyss" and "the sea" and "its depths" also signify the hells in the following passages. In Jeremiah:

Flee ye, they have turned themselves away, they have cast themselves down into the deep, the inhabitants of Dedan, and of Hazor (Jeremiah 49:8, 30).

In the same:

The sea has come up upon Babylon; she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof (Jeremiah 51:42).

In Amos:

The Lord Jehovih hath made me to see; and behold, the Lord Jehovih calleth to devour ³ by fire; it hath devoured the great abyss (Amos 7:4).

In David:

The waters saw Thee, O God, the waters saw Thee, they were afraid; the abysses also trembled (Psalms 77:16).

In the same:

We will not fear when the earth shall be changed, and when the mountains shall be moved in the heart of the sea; the waters thereof shall be in tumult, shall be made turbid (Psalms 46:2, 3).

In Moses:

On the same day were all the fountains of the great abyss broken up, and the floodgates of heaven were opened (Genesis 7:11).

And again:

The fountains also of the abyss and the flood gates of heaven were stopped (Genesis 8:2).

In Job:

Where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of intelligence? Man knoweth not the price thereof. The abyss saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me (Job 28:12-14).

In the same:

Hast thou entered into the weepings of the sea, and hast thou walked in search of the abyss? Have the gates of death been revealed unto thee, and hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death? (Job 38:16, 17).

In the Gospels:

Whoso shall cause one of these little ones that believe in Me to stumble, it is profitable for him that an ass-millstone be hanged about his neck, and that he be sunk in the depths of the sea (Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42; Luke 17:2).

The demons that had possession of the man besought Jesus that He would not command them to depart into the abyss, therefore He suffered them to enter into the swine (Luke 8:31, 33; Matthew 8:31, 32).

And in the following passages of Revelation:

The beast that came up out of the abyss and made war (Revelation 11:7).

The beast that thou sawest was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss (Revelation 17:8).

I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss, and a great chain upon his hand. And he bound the dragon a thousand years, and cast him into the abyss (Revelation 20:1-3).

In these passages, also, "the abyss" and "the depth of the sea" signify the hell where and from which are the falsities of evil; for the reason that the evil spirits who are there, and who while they lived as men in the world were in the falsities of evil, seem to dwell as it were in the bottom of the seas, and this the more deeply according to the grievousness of the evil from which was their falsity.

[14] As "abysses" signify the hells, where and from which are falsities, so "abysses" signify also the ultimates of heaven, where and from which are the knowledges of truth, which are the truths of the natural man. This is because the ultimates of heaven appear to be in waters, but such as are limpid and clear; for, as was said above, the atmosphere of the highest heaven is like an ethereal atmosphere, that of the middle heaven like an aerial atmosphere, and that of the lowest heaven like a watery atmosphere; this is like a watery atmosphere because the truths with those who are in it are truths of the natural man, and the atmosphere of the natural man is as it were watery. This is what gives rise to the appearances of rivers, lakes, and seas, in the spiritual world; consequently "seas" signify also cognitions and knowledges [cognitiones et scientifica] in general, or in the whole complex (See above, n. 275, 342).

[15] "Abysses" also have a like signification in the following passages. In Moses:

Jehovah thy God bringeth thee to a good land, a land of rivers of waters, of fountains and abysses going forth from valley and mountain (Deuteronomy 8:7).

(This may be seen explained above, n. 518.) In the same:

God will bless Joseph with the blessings of heaven from above, with the blessings of the abyss that coucheth below (Genesis 49:25; Deuteronomy 33:13). (This, too, is explained above, n. 448.)

In David:

By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made; and all the hosts ⁴ of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathered the waters of the sea together as a heap; He giveth the abysses in storehouses (Psalms 33:6, 7). (See above, n. 275), where this is explained.)

In the same:

Thou hast covered the earth with the abyss as with a garment (Psalms 104:6). (See above, n. 275.)

In the same:

Praise Jehovah from the earth, ye whales and all abysses (Psalms 148:7).

"Abysses" in these passages signify the ultimates of heaven, in which are spiritual-natural angels.

In Ezekiel:

The waters made thee ⁵ to grow, the abyss made it high (Ezekiel 31:4). (See also above, n. 518.)

[16] Furthermore "abysses" signify Divine truths in abundance and the arcana of Divine wisdom. Thus in David:

He clave the rock in the desert, and made them to drink out of great abysses (Psalms 78:15).

In the same:

Jehovah, Thy righteousness is like a great abyss (Psalms 36:6; also elsewhere).

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