8496. 'Bake what you will bake' means preparing good to be joined; 'and boil what you will boil' means preparing truth to be joined. This is clear from the meaning of 'baking', since it was done by means of fire, as preparing good to be joined; and from the meaning of 'boiling', since it was done by means of water, as preparing truth to be joined - 'water' meaning the truth of faith, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668, and 'fire' meaning the good of love, 934, 5215, 6314, 6832, 6834, 6849, 7324, 7852. The fact that preparing them to be joined is meant is self-evident, for what was being baked and boiled was being prepared for the following sabbath day, by which a joining together is meant, as shown immediately above. They were forbidden to kindle fire on the sabbath day, Exodus 35:3, so they could not bake or boil anything then. The word 'bake' is used in connection with bread and the minchah, which was made by means of fire, see Isaiah 44:15, 19; 1 Samuel 28:24; Ezekiel 46:20; Leviticus 6:17; while 'boil' is used in connection with flesh, which was cooked in water, Exodus 29:31; Leviticus 6:28; 1 Samuel 2:13, 15.

3058. The reason 'drawing water' means instruction and also consequent enlightenment, as in later verses of this chapter, is that 'water in the internal sense means the truths of faith, 2702. Thus 'drawing water' is nothing else than receiving instruction in the truths of faith and so being enlightened, as is also the meaning elsewhere in the Word, as in Isaiah,

With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation, and [you will say] or that day, Confess Jehovah. Isaiah 12:3-4.

'Drawing water' stands for receiving instruction, having intelligence, and being wise. In the same prophet,

To the thirsty bring water, O inhabitants of the land of Tema. Isaiah 21:14.

'Bringing water to the thirsty' stands for giving instruction. In the same prophet,

The wretched and the needy are seeking water, and there is none; their tongue is parched with thirst. Isaiah 41:17.

'Those seeking water' stands for those desiring instruction in truths, 'and there is none' stands for the fact that nobody had any. In addition 'drawers of water' in the Jewish Church represented those who constantly seek to know truths but to no other end than just knowing them, and who consequently pay no attention to their purpose. Such persons were rated among the lowest of all. The Gibeonites mentioned in Joshua 9:21, 23, 27, represented them.