'Waters' particularly signify the spiritual parts of a person, or the intellectual aspects of faith, and also their opposites.

'The waters above the firmament,' as in Genesis 1:7, signify the knowledges in the internal self, and 'the waters beneath the firmament' signify the knowledges of the external self.

'Waters,' as in Ezekiel 47:9, refer to the New Jerusalem, and they signify spiritual things from a celestial origin.

'Many waters,' as in Revelation 17:1, signify truths of the Word adulterated. 'Waters' or 'rivers' signify spiritual, rational, or scientific things pertaining to truth.

'Waters … that go softly,' as in Isaiah 8:6-7, signify spiritual things, and 'waters … strong and many,' signify falsities.

'Waters,' as in Psalms 104:3, signify divine truths.

'Waters' signify truths in the natural self, and in the opposite sense, falsities.

'The waters were dried up from off the earth,' as in Genesis 8:7, signifies the apparent dissipation of falsities.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 17; Apocalypse Revealed 50; Genesis 8)

869. Verse 8 And he sent out a dove from himself to see whether the waters had abated from over the face ¹ of the ground.

'A dove' means the truths and goods of faith residing with a person who is to be regenerated. 'He sent out a dove from himself to see' means a state of receiving the truths and goods of faith. 'Whether the waters had abated' means falsities that hinder. 'The face ¹ of the ground' is those things that reside with the member of the Church. The expression 'the ground' is used because it is the first stage at which man comes to be the Church.

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