As with most common verbs, the spiritual meaning of “crying” or “crying out” (meaning a shout or wail, not weeping) is highly dependent on context. Who is crying out? To whom? Why? In most cases, though, crying has to do with speaking falsely, and of the emotions arising from the conflict between truth and falsity. When people cry out in distress it is most often an indication that they are being overwhelmed by false ideas. In other cases – especially regarding more joyful cries – it is a celebration of the triumph of truth.

642. These considerations make clear what is embodied in this first description of the ark which shows that it was constructed from 'planks of gopher', had 'rooms', and was 'bitumened with bitumen outside and in', namely that the second part, which is that of the will, was preserved from the deluge, and that the only part open was that of the understanding, which is described in verse 16 by the window, the door, and the lowest, second, and third storeys. These matters are perhaps hard to believe because they have not as yet entered anybody's thinking, and because people have no such conception of the Word of the Lord. Nevertheless they are absolutely true. Yet these are the least and most general of the arcana that mankind does not know. If the details were told them they would not grasp a single one.