9372. And He said unto Moses. That this signifies that which concerns the Word in general, is evident from the representation of Moses, as being the Word (of which below); and from the signification of “He said,” as involving those things which follow in this chapter, thus those which concern the Word (see n. 9370). (That Moses represents the Word, can be seen from what has been often shown before about Moses, as from the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 4859, 5922, 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382, 8601, 8760, 8787, 8805.) Here Moses represents the Word in general, because it is said of him in what follows, that he alone should come near unto Jehovah (verse 2); and also that, being called unto out of the midst of the cloud, he entered into it, and went up the mount (verses 16-18).

[2] In the Word there are many who represent the Lord in respect to truth Divine, or in respect to the Word; but chief among them are Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and John the Baptist. That Moses does so, can be seen in the explications just cited above; that so do Elijah and Elisha, can be seen in the preface to Genesis 18; and n. 2762, 5247; and that John the Baptist does so is evident from the fact that he was “Elias who was to come.” He who does not know that John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, cannot know what all those things infold and signify which are said about him in the New Testament; and therefore in order that this secret may stand open, and that at the same time it may appear that Elias, and also Moses, who were seen when the Lord was transfigured, signified the Word, some things may here be quoted which are spoken about John the Baptist; as in Matthew:

After the messengers of John had departed, Jesus began to speak concerning John, saying, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken by the wind? But what went ye out to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft things are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, even more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send Mine angel before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say unto you, Among those who are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist; nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye are willing to believe, he is Elias who was to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 11:7-15; and also Luke 7:24-28).

No one can know how these things are to be understood, unless he knows that this John represented the Lord as to the Word, and unless he also knows from the internal sense what is signified by “the wilderness” in which he was, also what by “a reed shaken by the wind,” and likewise by “soft raiment in kings’ houses;” and further what is signified by his being “more than a prophet,” and by “none among those who are born of women being greater than he, and nevertheless he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he,” and lastly by his being “Elias.” For without a deeper sense, all these words are uttered merely from some comparison, and not from anything of weight.

[3] But it is very different when by John is understood the Lord as to the Word, or the Word representatively. Then by “the wilderness of Judea in which John was” is signified the state in which the Word was at the time when the Lord came into the world, namely, that it was “in the wilderness,” that is, it was in obscurity so great that the Lord was not at all acknowledged, neither was anything known about His heavenly kingdom; when yet all the prophets prophesied about Him, and about His kingdom, that it was to endure forever. (That “a wilderness” denotes such obscurity, see n. 2708, 4736, 7313.) For this reason the Word is compared to “a reed shaken by the wind” when it is explained at pleasure; for in the internal sense “a reed” denotes truth in the ultimate, such as is the Word in the letter.

[4] That the Word in the ultimate, or in the letter, is crude and obscure in the sight of men; but that in the internal sense it is soft and shining, is signified by their “not seeing a man clothed in soft raiment, for behold those who wear soft things are in kings’ houses.” That such things are signified by these words, is plain from the signification of “raiment,” or “garments,” as being truths (n. 2132, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 6914, 6918, 9093); and for this reason the angels appear clothed in garments soft and shining according to the truths from good with them (n. 5248, 5319, 5954, 9212, 9216). The same is evident from the signification of “kings’ houses,” as being the abodes of the angels, and in the universal sense, the heavens; for “houses” are so called from good (n. 2233, 2234, 3128, 3652, 3720, 4622, 4982, 7836, 7891, 7996, 7997); and “kings,” from truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148). Therefore by virtue of their reception of truth from the Lord, the angels are called “sons of the kingdom,” “sons of the king,” and also “kings.”

[5] That the Word is more than any doctrine in the world, and more than any truth in the world, is signified by “what went ye out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet;” and by, “there hath not arisen among those who are born of women a greater than John the Baptist;” for in the internal sense “a prophet” denotes doctrine (n. 2534, 7269); and “those who are born,” or are the sons, “of women” denote truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3704, 4257).

[6] That in the internal sense, or such as it is in heaven, the Word is in a degree above the Word in the external sense, or such as it is in the world, and such as John the Baptist taught, is signified by, “he that is less in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he;” for as perceived in heaven the Word is of wisdom so great that it transcends all human apprehension. That the prophecies about the Lord and His coming, and that the representatives of the Lord and of His kingdom, ceased when the Lord came into the world, is signified by, “all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” That the Word was represented by John, as by Elijah, is signified by his being “Elias who is to come.”

[7] The same is signified by these words in Matthew:

The disciples asked Jesus, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? He answered and said, Elias must needs first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, that Elias hath come already, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished. Even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them. And they understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist (Matthew 17:10-13).

That “Elias hath come, and they knew him not, but did unto him whatsoever they wished” signifies that the Word has indeed taught them that the Lord is to come, but that still they did not wish to comprehend, interpreting it in favor of the rule of self, and thus extinguishing what is Divine in it. That they would do the same with the truth Divine itself, is signified by “even so shall the Son of man also suffer of them.” (That “the Son of man” denotes the Lord as to truth Divine, see n. 2803, 2813, 3704)

[8] From all this it is now evident what is meant by the prophecy about John in Malachi:

Behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh (Malachi 4:5).

Moreover, the Word in the ultimate, or such as it is in the external form in which it appears before man in the world, is described by the “clothing” and “food” of John the Baptist, in Matthew:

John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, had His clothing of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:1, 4).

In like manner it is described by Elijah in the second book of Kings:

He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins (2 Kings 1:8).

By “clothing,” or a “garment,” when said of the Word, is signified truth Divine there in the ultimate form; by “camel’s hair” are signified memory-truths such as appear there before a man in the world; by the “leathern girdle” is signified the external bond connecting and keeping in order all the interior things; by “food” is signified spiritual nourishment from the knowledges of truth and of good out of the Word; by “locusts” are signified ultimate or most general truths; and by “wild honey” their pleasantness.

[9] That such things are signified by “clothing” and “food” has its origin in the representatives of the other life, where all appear clothed according to truths from good, and where food also is represented according to the desires of acquiring knowledge and growing wise. From this it is that “clothing,” or a “garment,” denotes truth (as may be seen from the citations above; and that “food” or “meat” denotes spiritual nourishment, n. 3114, 4459, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915, 8562, 9003; that “a girdle” denotes a bond which gathers up and holds together interior things, n. 9341; that “leather” denotes what is external, n. 3540; and thus “a leathern girdle” denotes an external bond; that “hairs” denote ultimate or most general truths, n. 3301, 5569-5573; that “a camel” denotes memory-knowledge in general, n. 3048, 3071, 3143, 3145, 4156; that “a locust” denotes nourishing truth in the extremes, n. 7643; and that “honey” denotes the pleasantness thereof, n. 5620, 6857, 8056). It is called “wild honey,” or “honey of the field,” because by “a field” is signified the church (n. 2971, 3317, 3766, 7502, 7571, 9139, 9295). He who does not know that such things are signified, cannot possibly know why Elijah and John were so clothed. And yet that these things signified something peculiar to these prophets, can be thought by everyone who thinks well about the Word.

[10] Because John the Baptist represented the Lord as to the Word, therefore also when he spoke of the Lord, who was the Word itself, he said of himself that he was “not Elias, nor the prophet,” and that he was “not worthy to loose the latchet of the Lord’s shoe,” as in John:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. The Jews from Jerusalem, priests and Levites, asked John who he was. And he confessed, and denied not, I am not the Christ. Therefore they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? But he said, I am not. Art thou the prophet? He answered, No. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. They said therefore, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? He answered, I baptize with water; in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not; He it is who is to come after me, who was before me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose. When he saw Jesus, he said, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who was before me; for he was before me (John 1:1, 14, 19-30).

From these words it is plain that when John spoke about the Lord Himself, who was Truth Divine itself, or the Word, he said that he himself was not anything, because the shadow disappears when the light itself appears, that is, the representative disappears when the original itself makes its appearance. (That the representatives had in view holy things, and the Lord Himself, and not at all the person that represented, see n. 665, 1097, 1361, 3147, 3881, 4208, 4281, 4288, 4292, 4307, 4444, 4500, 6304, 7048, 7439, 8588, 8788, 8806.) One who does not know that representatives vanish like shadows at the presence of light, cannot know why John denied that he was Elias and the prophet.

[11] From all this it can now be seen what is signified by Moses and Elias, who were seen in glory, and who spoke with the Lord when transfigured, of His departure which He should accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:29-31); namely, that they signified the Word (“Moses” the historic Word, and “Elias” the prophetic Word), which in the internal sense throughout treats of the Lord, of His coming into the world, and of His departure out of the world; and therefore it is said that “Moses and Elias were seen in glory,” for “glory” denotes the internal sense of the Word, and the “cloud” its external sense (see the preface to Genesis 18, and n. 5922, 8427).

537. And he opened the well of the abyss.- That this signifies communication and conjunction with the hells, where and whence such falsities are, is evident from the signification of opening, which here denotes to communicate and conjoin, concerning which we shall speak presently; and from the signification of the well of the abyss, which denotes the hell where and whence such falsities are. The reason why these hells are called in the Word wells of the abyss, is because a well signifies the Word in the sense of the letter, and the truth of doctrine thence, but in the opposite sense the Word falsified, and the falsity of doctrine thence. The abyss and the depth of the sea signify hell. The reason why this signifies the hell where those are who falsified the truths of the Word by application to evils of life, is, because to those who are above, those hells appear like seas, and those therein as if in the depths of them. I have seen those seas or hells, and also those who are in the depths of them, and also they have spoken with me therefrom, and said that they were not in waters, but on dry ground. It is therefore evident, that the waters of those seas are appearances corresponding to the falsities in which the inhabitants are. The waters of those seas are grosser and denser according to the falsifications, and also the depths are various according to the evils from which they are falsified.

[2] But the signification of abyss in the Word will be stated below. The reason why the opening of the well of the abyss signifies communication and conjunction with such hells, is, that the hells are not opened except when evil spirits enter, which takes place when they have spent their period in the world of spirits; for no evil spirit is allowed to go out from hell, after he has been once cast in thither, and if he should go out, he would presently fall back thither. But every man is conjoined with spirits who are in the world of spirits, and with spirits of a quality agreeing with his own; therefore the man who falsifies the Word, by applying it to evils of life, and to falsities confirming those evils, is conjoined with similar spirits, and through them with those hells that are in similar falsities. Every man after death becomes a spirit, and is then immediately bound either to infernal, or to heavenly societies, according to his life in the world; and all spirits, before they are cast down into hell, or raised into heaven, are at first in the world of spirits, and at that time with men who live in the world, the evil spirits with the evil, and the good with the good; by means of these man has communication and conjunction either with the hells or with the heavens. It is therefore plain, that opening the well does not signify to open hell, but communication, and by means of communication, to have conjunction with hell. From all the hells, also, falsities of evil exhale in great abundance, in which are the spirits who are in the world of spirits, and at the same time those men who are in similar falsities in our world. Neither spirit nor man can be any where else, than where the love of his life is, for that which a man loves, this he wills, thinks, and breathes. Concerning the nature of the world of spirits, see Heaven and Hell 421-431).

[3] A well signifies the Word and the truth of doctrine, and, in the opposite sense, the Word falsified, and thence the falsity of doctrine, because wells contain waters, and waters signify truths, and, in the opposite sense, falsities, as shewn above (n. 71, 483, 518). That a well signifies both the latter and the former, is clear from the following passages in the Word.

In Moses:

"They journeyed to Beer; that is the well whereof Jehovah spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them waters. Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; answer ye from it; the princes digged the well, the willing people digged it, by [the direction of] the lawgiver with their staves" (Num. 21:16, 17, 18).

That a well here signifies the truth of doctrine from the Word, is evident from the song which Israel sang concerning it. That the well should spring up, and they should answer from it, signifies that doctrine from the Word should teach truth, and that they should receive it. The calling forth of truth is signified by, "Spring up, O well," and reception and instruction by, "answer ye from it." The princes digged the well, the willing people digged it, by [the direction of] the lawgiver, with their staves, signifies that those who are in truths and in the goods of truths are enlightened by the Lord, and from Him search out and collect doctrine by means of the Word. Princes denote those who are in truths; the willing people, those who are in the goods of truth; and to dig denotes to search out and collect; lawgiver signifies the Lord as to the Word, and as to doctrine from the Word, and staves signify power and strength of mind, here, from the Lord, by means of the Word, for it is said, by [direction of] the lawgiver. It is therefore evident, what the well here signifies. Israel sang a song concerning this well, because Beer, in the original tongue signifies a well, and a well, in the spiritual sense, signifies the Word and doctrine from the Word. Similarly Beersheba, which is frequently mentioned in the historical parts of the Word.

[4] The same is meant by Jacob's well, at which the Lord sat, and conversed with the woman of Samaria, to whom He said:

"If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, [Give me to drink]; thou wouldst ask of him" water, "and he would give thee living water, which shall become a fountain of water springing up unto eternal life" (John 4:6-15).

The reason why the Lord spoke with the woman of Samaria at that well, was, that by the woman of Samaria is meant the church to be established amongst the Gentiles, and by the Samaritans, who are also mentioned in other passages, are meant the Gentiles, who would receive doctrine from Him, and concerning Him. The well signified doctrine from the Word; the water, the truth of doctrine; and the Lord sitting at the well, the Word or Divine Truth. That salvation is from the Lord by means of Divine Truth from the Word, is signified by the water which He would give becoming a fountain of water springing up unto eternal life.

[5] The same is also meant by Jacob's well as by the wells which the servants of Abraham and the servants of Isaac dug, and about which they strove with the servants of Abimelech (Genesis 21:25; 26:15, 18-22, 25, 32). The wells which the servants of Abraham and the servants of Isaac dug, signify truths of doctrine, because Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Word, mean the Lord. But Abimelech king of Gerar, or of the Philistines, means those who place salvation in truths alone without the good of life, just as those who are in faith alone do at this day. And because all truth is from good, or the all of faith is from charity, and because those who separate and shut out good from truth, or charity from faith, do not possess any genuine truth of doctrine, but all the truth of the Word with them is as the meaning of the words merely without any perception of the thing, thus like a shell without a kernel, therefore they quarrel about the truths of faith. This was represented and signified by the strifes of the servants of Abimelech with the servants of Abraham and Isaac concerning the wells. There is an internal spiritual sense in the historical parts of the Word, as well as in the prophetical parts of it, as is evident from the Arcana Coelestia, where the historical facts contained in Genesis and Exodus are explained in regard to their internal spiritual sense, and also the circumstances related concerning the wells of Abraham and Isaac. For what other reason would historical facts regarding wells be related in the Word?

[6] In Luke:

"Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a well, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?" (14:5).

The reason why there was a statute to this purpose enjoined on the Israelites and Jewish nation, was, on account of the spiritual sense contained in it. For all the statutes, judgments, and precepts, given to the children of Israel, signified spiritual things pertaining to heaven and the church. This statute therefore signified that if any one falls into falsity and evil, he must be brought out of it by the truth taught from the Lord on the sabbath day. A well, in the above passage, signifies falsity and the evil of falsity. An ass and an ox signify the truth and good of the natural man; by falling into the well is signified falling into falsity and the evil of falsity; by being drawn out on the sabbath day, is signified to be instructed and consequently led out of these. For the sabbath day there signifies the Lord as to instruction and doctrine, therefore He calls Himself Lord of the Sabbath. That an ass signifies the truth of the natural man, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 2781, 5741); and that ox signifies the good of the natural man (n. 2180, 2566, 9134), in the same.

[7] Nearly similar is the spiritual sense contained in these words of Moses:

"And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; the owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of it; and the dead beast shall be his" (Exodus 21:33, 34).

Here, by a man opening a pit, is signified if any one shall propagate any falsity which he possesses; or if a man shall dig a pit, signifies if he shall frame or hatch falsity; and an ox or an ass fall therein, signifies the perversion of good and truth in the Natural pertaining to another. The owner of the pit shall make it good, signifies that he with whom the falsity originates, shall amend it; and give money to the owner of it, signifies, by means of truth in him whose good and truth in the Natural has been perverted; and the dead beast shall be his, signifies that the evil, or the falsity, remains with him. These things are more fully explained in the Arcana Coelestia 9084-9089). Here a pit (fovea) has a similar signification to well (puteus).

[8] Thus also in Matt.:

"Blind leaders of the blind. If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into a pit" (15:14; Luke 6:39).

This the Lord said to the scribes and Pharisees, who, although they had the Word, in which all Divine truths are, yet understood nothing of truth; and because they taught falsities, which were also believed by the people, they are therefore called blind leaders of the blind. The blind in the Word denote those who do not understand truth; and because a pit signifies falsity, it is said that they shall both fall into it.

[9] So in David:

"Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the well shut her mouth upon me" (Psalm 69:14, 15).

That well here signifies the hell where and whence falsities are, is clear, for it is said, "let not the well shut her mouth upon me," that is, let not the hell whence falsities are, or the falsities from hell, wholly possess me, so as to prevent my escape. The mire, out of which it is said, "deliver me, and let me not sink," denotes from the evil of falsity, lest I perish; let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters, signifies to be liberated from the evils and falsities that are from the hells, haters denoting evils thence, and deep waters denoting falsities therefrom; neither let the deep swallow me up, signifies let not the hell where the falsities of evil are, or the falsities of evil from hell.

[10] Again:

"They make their mouth smooth as butter, and when he draws near the heart of anyone, his words are softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords. Thou, O God, shalt cast them down into the well of the pit" (Psalm 55:21, 23).

These things are said of those who pretend to have good affections while they speak falsities by means of which they entice. To make the mouth soft as butter, signifies good simulated by the affections, butter denoting the good of external affection. Their words being softer than oil, has a similar signification, oil denoting the good of internal affection; yet are they drawn swords, signifies when yet they are falsities which destroy good and truth, drawn swords denoting falsities destroying. Thou, O God, shalt cast them down into the well of the pit, signifies into the hell where destructive falsities of that kind exist.

[11] Because pits (foveoe) have nearly the same signification in the Word as wells (putei), for they are like wells, I will also adduce some passages concerning them.

In Jeremiah:

"Their nobles have sent their little ones to no waters; they came to the pits, and found no waters; they returned with their vessels empty" (14:3)

Nobles signify those who lead and teach others, little ones, those who are led and taught, and waters, truths; the signification of their nobles sending their little ones to the waters is therefore evident. By the pits in which there were no waters are signified doctrinals in which there were no truths, whence the signification of their coming to the pits and finding no water is evident. That they had no knowledge (scientia) or understanding of truth, is signified by their returning with their vessels empty, vessels denoting in the Word things recipient of truth, consequently scientifics and intellectual things.

[12] So in Zechariah:

"By the blood of thy covenant I will send forth the bound out of the pit wherein is no water" (9:11).

This is spoken respecting the liberation of the faithful by the Lord, who were detained in the lower earth until His coming; and also concerning the enlightening of the Gentiles who were in falsities from ignorance. The blood of thy covenant signifies the Divine Truth proceeding from the Lord, consequently the Word, which is called a covenant, because there is conjunction by means of it, a covenant denoting conjunction. The bound in the pit where there is no water, mean those who are in falsities from ignorance; pit here denoting doctrine not of truth, and also the lower earth where those who were in falsities from ignorance were detained until the coming of the Lord; wherein is no water, denotes where there is no truth. They are called bound, because they could not be liberated from falsities except by the Lord.

[13] In Jeremiah:

"My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters; and have hewed them out pits, broken pits that can hold no water" (2:13).

By hewing out pits, broken pits that can hold no water, is signified to hatch doctrinals from [their] own intelligence, and because these are from the proprium, they are falsities; for the proprium of man is nothing but evil, and being evil it also produces falsity, for evil cannot produce anything else but falsity. This passage is explained above (n. 483:8).

[14] Again, in the same prophet:

"Jehovah who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of solitude and of the pit, in a land of drought and of thick shade, through a land that no man (vir) passed through, and where no man (homo) dwelt?" (2:6).

That the wilderness in which the sons of Israel were led, represented and signified the first state of the church to be established with those who are in mere ignorance of good and truth, has been shown in the Arcana Coelestia, in which the book of Exodus is explained. And because that state was represented and signified by their wanderings in the wilderness, it is therefore said that Jehovah led them in a land of solitude and of the pit, a land of drought and of thick shade. The land of solitude and drought means here, as elsewhere in the Word, a state of non-perception of good, and a land of pits and of thick shade, a state of ignorance of truth, and thence a state of falsity. No man passing through, and no man dwelling therein, signifies where there is no understanding of truth, and no perception of good, man (vir) in the Word denoting the understanding of truth, and man (homo), the perception of good, and by their being neither one nor the other, is signified no church either as to truth or as to good.

[15] Again, in Isaiah:

"He who leadeth out shall hasten that it may be opened, but he shall not die in the pit, neither shall his bread fail" (51:14).

This is said concerning the Lord; His advent is understood by "He who leadeth out shall hasten." Liberation from the falsities of ignorance is signified by not dying in the pit, wherefore the same is here meant by pit as by the pit mentioned above in which were the bound. That spiritual instruction and nourishment shall not fail, is signified by his bread not failing; for by bread is meant all spiritual food, and spiritual food means instruction in truths and goods, whence come intelligence and wisdom.

[16] In Ezekiel:

"Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the violent of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall profane thy brightness. They shall let thee down into the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the heart of the seas" (28:7, 8).

These things are spoken of the prince of Tyre, by whom are meant those who from their own intelligence hatch falsities, which destroy the cognitions of truth and good. Their destruction by their own falsities, is signified by, behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the violent of the nations, strangers denoting falsities which destroy truths, and the violent of the nations, evils which destroy goods. That they shall be destroyed by the falsities which originate in [their] own intelligence, is signified by the words, they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall profane thy brightness. Swords denote falsities which destroy truths. They shall let thee down into the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the heart of the seas; [here] the pit, like a well, signifies infernal falsity, and by them that are slain, are signified those who perish by falsities, the heart of the seas like the abyss signifying the hell where and whence those falsities are.

[17] By the pit into which they cast the prophet Jeremiah and out of which Ebed-melech and his men drew him by means of old cast-off clouts and rotten rags (Jeremiah 38:6-13), is signified the truth of doctrine falsified. The prophet signifies the truth of doctrine, and his being cast into the dungeon, signifies its falsification. The old cast clouts and the rotten rags, by means of which they drew him out, signify the vindication of the truth of doctrine, and restitution, by means of such goods and truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, as were not perceived and understood, and therefore were neglected and rejected; these things are signified by the old things. What other object could there be in mentioning in the Divine Word, that the prophet was drawn out by such things? From these few passages it is evident that a well and a pit in the Word, signify the Word and the truth of doctrine, and, in the opposite sense, the Word falsified, and thence the falsity of doctrine. In some passages also a well and a pit, have the same signification as a fountain, the signification of which in both senses may be seen above (n. 483).