6975. 'You are to take some of the water of the river' means factual knowledge that has falsities in it. This is clear from the meaning of 'the water of the river' - the river of Egypt, or the Nile - as factual knowledge that has falsity in it. 'Water' means truths, see 2702, 3424, 4976, and in the contrary sense falsities, 790, while 'the river of Egypt' means the falsity within factual knowledge, 6693.

4418. Those in hell are said to be in darkness, but they are said to be in darkness because they dwell in falsities. For just as light corresponds to truths so darkness corresponds to falsities; and those in hell dwell in an inferior light, as stated above, like the yellow light of burning coal and sulphur. This light is what 'darkness' is used to mean, for their understanding is dependent on the light and therefore the sight this gives them, since that darkness and their understanding correspond to each other. The word darkness is used because light like this turns into darkness at the approach of heavenly light.