As with many common verbs, the meaning of “to say” in the Bible is highly dependent on context. Who is speaking? Who is hearing? What is it about? Is it a command, a message, an apology, instruction? All these things enter into the meaning of “say.” In general, though, “saying” has to do with sharing truth at various levels -- from the most exalted power people can have to perceive the Lord's desires directly to the most basic of orders issued to people at their lowest.

534. Verse 1. And the fifth angel sounded, signifies influx out of heaven manifesting the state of the church, that it was wholly changed. This is evident from the signification of "sounding with a trumpet," as being influx out of heaven, and a change of the state of the church (of which above, n. 502; here that the state of the church was wholly changed, since it was said just above respecting these last three times the angels sounded, "Woe, woe, woe, to those that dwell on the earth, from the remaining voices ¹ of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound." The change described in what now follows is that all truth was destroyed, and that the falsity that took its place opened the hells, from which falsities flow forth.

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