8587. And he called the name of the place Massah. That this signifies the quality of the state of the temptation, is evident from the signification of “name” and of “calling by name,” as being the quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2628, 2724, 3006, 3421, 6674, 6887); and from the signification of “the place,” as being the state (n. 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387, 4321, 4882, 5606, 7381). That the quality of the state of the temptation is meant, is because temptation is the subject treated of; the quality of the state of it is signified by “Massah.” Moreover in the original tongue “Massah” means “temptation.” Its quality will be described in what now follows.

10690. 'And the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses' hand' means a representative sign of the Word. This is clear from the meaning of 'the two tablets of the Testimony' as the Law in its entirety, thus the Word, dealt with in the places referred to above in 10687; and from the meaning of 'in Moses' hand' as a representative sign of it, that is to say, of the Word. For Moses represented the Word, see in the places referred to in 9372; the presence therefore of the tablets, by which the Word was meant, in his hand was a sign serving to represent it.