537# 启9:2.“他开了无底坑”表示与地狱联系并结合，这些虚假就在地狱，并来自地狱。这从“开”和“无底坑”的含义清楚可知：“开”在此是指联系并结合(对此，我们很快就会谈到)；“无底坑”是指这些虚假所在并来自的地狱。在圣言中，这些地狱被称为“无底坑(或井)”，因为“坑(或井)”表示字义上的圣言，和由此而来的教义真理，在反面意义上表示被歪曲的圣言，和由此而来的教义虚假；“无底坑”(或深渊、海的深处)表示地狱。它之所以表示那些通过应用于生活的邪恶而歪曲圣言真理的人所在的地狱，是因为在上面的人看来，这些地狱就像海，而那些在其中的人就像在它们的深处。我也看见过这些海或地狱，以及那些在其深处的人；但那些从那里和我说话的人声称，他们不在水里，而是在干地上。这表明，这些海水是对应于其居民所处的虚假的表象。这些海水是更粗糙，还是更密集，则取决于歪曲程度，深度也照着歪曲它们的邪恶而不同。
下文会阐明，在圣言中，“无底坑”(或深渊、海的深处)表示什么。“开了无底坑”表示与这些地狱联系并结合，因为地狱不会被打开，除非当恶灵进入时，当恶灵在灵人界的时间满了时，他们就会进入地狱；因为任何恶灵一旦被投入地狱，就不允许从地狱中出来；即便出来，他也会立刻又陷回去。但每个人都与在灵人界的灵人结合，这些灵人的品质与他自己的相一致；因此，一个通过把圣言应用于生活的邪恶和确认这些邪恶的虚假而歪曲圣言的人，就与类似灵人结合，并通过他们与处于类似虚假的地狱结合。每个人死后都会变成一个灵人，那时他照着他在世上的生活而立刻要么与地狱社群，要么与天堂社群绑在一起；所有灵人，在被投入地狱，或提入天堂之前，首先在灵人界；那时，他们与活在世上的人同在，恶灵与恶人同在，善灵与善人同在；人通过这些灵人要么与地狱，要么与天堂联系并结合。这清楚表明，“开了坑”不是指打开地狱，而是指有了联系，并通过联系有了与地狱的结合。大量邪恶之虚假从所有地狱发出来，在灵人界的灵人，同时那些在我们世界上处于类似虚假的人就处于这些虚假。无论灵人还是世人，都只能在他的生命之爱所在之处，因为凡一个人所爱的，他都会意愿，思考并呼吸。关于灵人界的性质，可参看《天堂与地狱》(421–431等节)。
“坑(或井)”表示圣言和教义真理，在反面意义上表示被歪曲的圣言和由此而来的教义虚假，因为“坑”含有水，而“水”表示真理，在反面意义上表示虚假，如前所示(AE 71, 483, 518节)。“坑(或井)”具有这两种含义，这一点可从以下圣言经文清楚看出来。摩西五经：
他们起行到了比珥；从前耶和华对摩西说，召集百姓，我要给他们水，说的就是这井。当时，以色列唱这首歌，井啊，涌上来吧；你们要从它回答；这井是首领们所挖的，是百姓中愿意的通过立法者用杖所掘的。(民数记21:16–18)
这“井”表示来自圣言的教义真理，这一点从以色列所唱的关于它的歌明显看出来。“井啊，涌上来吧；你们要从它回答”表示来自圣言的教义要教导真理，他们要接受它，“井啊，涌上来吧”表示对真理的呼唤，“你们要从它回答”表示接受和教导；“这井是首领们所挖的，是百姓中愿意的通过立法者用杖所掘的”表示那些处于真理和真理之良善的人被主光照，并从祂那里通过圣言搜寻并收集教义；“首领”表示那些处于真理的人；“百姓中愿意的人”表示那些处于真理之良善的人；“挖或掘”表示搜寻并收集；“立法者”表示圣言和取自圣言的教义方面的主，“杖”表示心智的能力和力量，在此是指通过圣言来自主的心智的能力和力量，因为经上说：“通过立法者。”这清楚表明，“井”在此表示什么。以色列唱关于它的歌，是因为在原文，“比珥”是指井，“井”在灵义上表示圣言和取自圣言的教义；圣言的历史部分经常提到的“别是巴”也是。
雅各井所表相同：
主坐在这井旁，与撒玛利亚的妇人说话，说，你若知道神的恩赐，和对你说请给祂水喝的是谁，你早就会求祂，祂也早就会给了你活水；这水要成为泉源，直涌到永生。(约翰福音4:6–15)
主之所以在这井旁与撒玛利亚的妇人说话，是因为“撒玛利亚的妇人”表示要在外邦人当中建立的教会，其它经文也提到的“撒玛利亚人”表示要接受来自主并关于主的教义的外邦人。这“井”表示取自圣言的教义，“水”表示教义真理，“坐在井旁的主”表示圣言或神性真理。“祂所要赐的水要成为泉源，直涌到永生”表示拯救通过来自圣言的神性真理而来自主。
“雅各井”所表示的，也由亚伯拉罕的仆人和以撒的仆人所挖的井来表示，他们因这井而与亚比米勒的仆人争竞(创世记21:25; 26:15, 18–22, 25, 32)。亚伯拉罕的仆人和以撒的仆人所挖的井表示教义的真理，因为在圣言中，“亚伯拉罕，以撒和雅各”表示主；但基拉耳王或非利士人的王“亚比米勒”表示那些只将拯救置于没有生活良善的真理之人，如当今那些处于唯信的人。由于一切真理都来自良善，或信的一切都来自仁，还由于那些将良善与真理分离，并将良善排除在真理之外，或将仁与信分离，并将仁排除在信之外的人，没有纯正的教义真理，而与他们同在的圣言的一切真理都像是纯话语的意义，没有对事物的感知，因而像没有核仁的外壳，所以他们争论信之真理。这种争论由亚比米勒的仆人同亚伯拉罕和以撒的仆人对井的争竞来代表和表示。圣言的历史部分和预言部分一样，也有内在的灵义在里面，这一点从《属天的奥秘》可以看出来，那里从内在灵义上解释了包含在《创世记》和《出埃及记》中的历史事实，以及关于亚伯拉罕和以撒的井所说的话。要不然，圣言记载关于井的历史事实还有其它原因吗？
路加福音：
你们中间有哪一个有驴或牛在安息日掉在井里，不立时把他拉出来呢？(路加福音14:5)
这是一条因其中包含的灵义而给以色列和犹太民族规定的律例。因为赐给以色列人的一切律例、典章和诫命都表示属于天堂和教会的属灵事物。因此，这条律例表示有人若陷入虚假或邪恶，就必须通过在安息日从主所教导的真理被领出来。此处“井”表示虚假和虚假之邪恶；“驴和牛”表示属世人的真理和良善；“掉在井里”表示陷入虚假和虚假之邪恶；“在安息日被拉出来”表示被教导，因而从这些中被领出来。因为“安息日”在此表示教导和教义方面的主，故主自称“安息日的主”。“驴”表示属世人的真理(参看《属天的奥秘》，2781, 5741节)；“牛”表示属世人的良善(AC 2180, 2566, 9134节)。
537b.几乎同样的灵义包含在摩西五经的这些话中：
人若开了一个坑，或人若挖了一个坑而不盖住它，有牛或驴掉在里头，坑主要赔偿，要拿银子赔偿它的主人，死牲畜要归他。(出埃及记21:33, 34)
此处“人若开了一个坑”表示如果有人传播他所拥有的任何虚假；“或人若挖了一个坑而不盖住它”表示如果他制订或孵化出虚假；“有牛或驴掉在里头”表示对属于另一个人的属世人中的良善和真理的扭曲；“坑主要赔偿”表示虚假所来自的那个人要作出修正；“要拿银子赔偿它的主人”表示通过其属世人中的良善和真理已经被扭曲的那个人里面的真理；“死牲畜要归他”表示邪恶或虚假仍留在他身上。对这些事物的充分解释，可参看《属天的奥秘》(9084–9089节)。此处“坑”也具有相同的含义。
因此，在马太福音：
瞎子的瞎眼领路人。若是瞎子领瞎子，两个人都要掉在坑里。(马太福音15:14; 路加福音6:39)
这话是主对文士和法利赛人说的，他们虽拥有包含一切神性真理在里面的圣言，却丝毫不理解真理；由于他们教导虚假，而人们也相信他们的虚假，所以他们被称为“瞎子的瞎眼领路人”。在圣言中，那些不理解真理的人被称为“瞎子”；由于“坑”表示虚假，所以经上说：“他们都要掉在坑里。”
诗篇：
求你救我脱离泥沼，不要让我沉下去；求你使我脱离那些恨我的人，脱离深水。求你不要让洪水淹没我，不要让深渊吞灭我，也不要让深坑在我上面合口。(诗篇69:14, 15)
此处很明显，“坑”表示虚假所在并来自的地狱，因为经上说“不要让深坑在我上面合口”，也就是说，不要让虚假所来自的地狱，或来自地狱的虚假完全主宰我，以致我无法逃脱。“求你救我脱离泥沼，不要让我沉下去”表示从虚假之邪恶中出来，免得我灭亡；“求你使我脱离那些恨我的人，脱离深水”表示从来自地狱的邪恶和虚假中被释放出来，“那些恨我的人”表示由此而来的邪恶，“深水”表示由此而来的虚假；“不要让深渊吞灭我”表示不要让邪恶之虚假所在的地狱，或来自地狱的邪恶之虚假这样做。
又：
他使他的口如奶油光滑，当他接近人心时，他的话比油柔和，却拔出剑来。神啊，你必把他们投入坑井。(诗篇55:21, 23)
这些话论及那些当说用来迷惑人的虚假时，伪装良善情感的人；“使口如奶油光滑”表示通过情感伪装良善，“奶油”表示外在情感的良善。“他的话比油柔和”具有相同的含义，“油”表示内在情感的良善；“却拔出剑来”表示然而，它们却是摧毁良善和真理的虚假，“拔剑”表示进行摧毁的虚假；“神啊，你必把他们投入坑井”表示投入有这种毁灭性虚假在里面的地狱。
由于在圣言中，“坑”与“井”几乎具有一样的含义，它们就像井，所以我要引用关于它们的一些经文。耶利米书：
他们的贵胄打发他们的小子打水；他们来到坑旁，却找不到水，就拿着器皿空手而回。(耶利米书14:3)
“贵胄”表示那些引导并教导其他人的人，“小子”表示那些被引导和教导的人，“水”表示真理；这清楚表明，“他们的贵胄打发他们的小子打水”表示什么；“无水的坑”表示没有真理在里面的教义；这清楚表明，“他们来到坑旁，却找不到水”表示什么。“就拿着器皿空手而回”表示他们没有真理的知识(或科学)，或没有对真理的理解；在圣言中，“器皿”表示接受真理的事物，因而表示知识或科学和理解的事物。
撒迦利亚书：
我因与你立约的血，要从无水坑里释放被囚的人。(撒迦利亚书9:11)
这话论及主对信徒的释放，这些信徒一直留在低地，直到主降临；这话也论及对因无知而处于虚假的外邦人的光照。“你立约的血”表示从主发出的神性真理，因而表示圣言；圣言因是结合的手段而被称为约，“约”表示结合。“被囚在无水坑里的人”表示那些因无知而处于虚假的人，“坑”在此表示不属真理的教义，也表示那些因无知而处于虚假的人在主降临之前一直留在的低地，“无水”表示没有真理的地方；他们被称为“被囚的”，是因为他们不能从虚假中被释放出来，除非被主释放。
耶利米书：
我的百姓作了两件恶事，就是离弃我这活水的泉源，为自己凿出坑，是破裂不能存水的坑。(耶利米书2:13)
“凿出坑，是破裂不能存水的坑”表示从自我聪明中孵化出教义，这些教义因来自人的自我，故都是虚假；人的自我无非是邪恶，并因是邪恶，也产生虚假，因为邪恶只能产生虚假。前面解释了这段经文(参看AE 483b节)。
同一先知书：
那领我们从埃及地上来，引导我们经过旷野，沙漠和深坑之地，干旱和浓荫之地，无人经过、无人居住之地的耶和华。(耶利米书2:6)
《属天的奥秘》在解释出埃及记的地方已经说明，以色列人被领所在的“旷野”代表并表示要在那些处于对良善和真理的纯粹无知之人当中建立的教会的第一个状态。由于他们在旷野中游荡代表并表示这种状态，所以经上说：“耶和华引导他们经过旷野，沙漠和深坑之地，干旱和浓荫之地。”“沙漠和干旱之地”在此和在圣言的别处一样，表示一种对良善没有感知的状态，“深坑和浓荫之地”表示一种对真理无知的状态，因而表示一种虚假的状态。“无人经过、无人居住”表示没有对真理的理解，也没有对良善的感知；在圣言中，“人”(vir)表示对真理的理解，“人”(homo)表示对良善的感知，这两种意义的缺乏表示要么在真理上，要么在良善上没有教会。
以赛亚书：
那领出去的，必速速打开坑，叫他不死在坑里，他的饼也不缺乏。(以赛亚书51:14)
这话论及主。“领出去的，必速速”表示祂的降临；“叫他不死在坑里”表示从无知的虚假中释放出来，故此处的“坑”与前面“被囚之人所在的坑”具有相同的含义。“他的饼不缺乏”表示属灵的教导和营养必不缺乏，因为“饼”表示一切属灵的食物，属灵的食物表示在真理和良善上的教导，聪明和智慧由此而来。
以西结书：
看哪，我必使外人，就是列族中的强暴人临到你这里；他们必拔剑砍坏你智慧的美丽，亵渎你的荣光；他们必把你带下坑中，你必像被刺死在海心的人那样死。(以西结书28:7–8)
这些话论及推罗的首领，“推罗的首领”表示那些从自我聪明中孵化出虚假的人，这些虚假摧毁真理和良善的知识或认知；“看哪，我必使外人，就是列族中的强暴人临到你这里”表示他们自己的虚假对它们的摧毁，“外人”表示摧毁真理的虚假，“列族中的强暴人”表示摧毁良善的邪恶。“他们必拔剑砍坏你智慧的美丽，亵渎你的荣光”表示这些人将被他们那源于自我聪明的虚假摧毁，“剑”表示摧毁真理的虚假。“他们必把你带下坑中，你必像被刺死在海心的人那样死”表示他们沉浸于虚假，以及来自地狱的虚假所造成的毁灭和诅咒；“坑”和“井”一样，也表示地狱的虚假；“被刺死的人”表示那些因虚假而灭亡的人，“海心”和“无底坑或深渊”一样，表示这些虚假所在并来自的地狱。
他们把先知耶利米系下去，以伯米勒带领同他在一起的人用废旧衣服和破烂布把耶利米拉出来(耶利米书38:6–13)的“坑”表示被歪曲的教义真理。“先知”表示教义的真理，“他被系下坑里”表示对它的歪曲；他被拉出来所用的“废旧衣服和破烂布”表示通过诸如没有被感知到和理解，因而被忽略和弃绝的那些圣言字义的良善和真理而对教义真理的平反和恢复；这就是这些旧东西的含义；否则，神性圣言为何会提到先知是用这些东西被拉出来的呢？从这几段经文可以看出，在圣言中，“井”和“坑”表示什么，即圣言和教义的真理，在反面意义上表示被歪曲的圣言和由此而来的教义虚假。在一些经文中，“井”和“坑”，跟“泉源”具有相同的含义；关于泉源在这两种意义上的含义，可参看前文(AE 483节)。
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. 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?" (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" (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" (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 (483).
537. Verse 2. And he opened the pit of the abyss, signifies communication and conjunction with the hells where and from which are such falsities. This is evident from the signification of "to open" as here being to communicate and conjoin (of which presently); and from the signification of "the pit of the abyss" as being the hell where and from which are such falsities. These are called in the Word "pits [or wells] of the abyss" because a "pit" [or well] signifies the Word in the sense of the letter and the truth of doctrine therefrom, but in the contrary sense the Word falsified and the falsity of doctrine therefrom; and the "abyss" (or depth of the sea) signifies hell. This signifies the hell where those are who have falsified the truths of the Word by applying its truths to the evils of life, because such hells appear to those who are above like seas, and those who are in them appear to be in their depths. These seas or hells I have also seen, and also those who are in their depths; but those who spoke with me therefrom declared that they were not in waters, but on dry ground. This shows that the waters of these seas are appearances corresponding to the falsities in which those are who are in them. The waters of these seas are grosser and denser according to the falsifications, and the depths also differ in accordance with the evils that have been falsified.
[2] What "abyss" signifies in the Word will be told below. "To open the pit of the abyss" signifies communication and conjunction with such hells, because the hells are not opened except when evil spirits enter, which takes place when they have fulfilled their time in the world of spirits; for it is not allowed to any evil spirit to go out from hell when he has been once cast into it; if he goes out he nevertheless immediately falls back into it. But every man is conjoined with spirits who are in the world of spirits, who are such as he himself is; consequently a man who falsifies the Word by applying it to evils of life and to falsities confirming those evils, is conjoined with like spirits, and by them with the hells that are in like falsities. Every man after death becomes a spirit, and he then becomes at once attached either with infernal or with heavenly societies, according to his life in the world; and all spirits, before they are cast down into hell or raised up into heaven, are first in the world of spirits, and they are then with men who are living in the world, evil spirits with the evil, and good spirits with the good. Through these man has communication and conjunction either with the hells or with the heavens. This makes clear that "to open the pit" does not signify to open hell, but to have communication, and by communication conjunction with hell. From everyone of the hells falsities of evil exhale in great abundance, and in these falsities are the spirits who are in the world of spirits, and at the same time the men who are in like falsities in our world. No spirit or man can be anywhere else than where the love of his life is, for that which a man loves, that he wills, that he thinks, and that he breathes. (What the world of spirits is, see in the work on Heaven and Hell 421-431, et seq.)
[3] A "pit" [or well] signifies the Word and the truth of doctrine, and in the contrary sense the Word falsified and the falsity of doctrine therefrom, because "pits" contain waters, and "waters" signify truths, and in the contrary sense falsities (as shown above, n. 71, 483, 518). That a "pit" [or well] has these two meanings can be seen from the following passages in the Word. In Moses:
They journeyed to Beer; this is the well whereof Jehovah said unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give it 1waters. Then Israel sang this song, Come up, O well; answer ye from it; the princes digged the well, the willing ones of the people delved it, through the lawgiver, with their staves (Numbers 21:16-18).
That this "well" signifies the truth of doctrine from the Word is evident from the song that Israel sang respecting it: "Come up, O well, answer ye from it," signifies that doctrine from the Word should teach truth and that they should receive it, "Come up, O well," signifying the calling forth of truth, and "answer ye from it" reception and instruction; "the princes digged the well, the willing ones of the people delved it, through 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 by means of the Word search out and collect doctrine; "princes" signifying those who are in truths; "the willing ones of the people" those who are in the goods of truth; "to dig" to search out and gather up; "lawgiver" the Lord in respect to the Word and the doctrine from the Word, and "staves" the potency and powers of the mind, here from the Lord by means of the Word, because it is said, "by the lawgiver." This makes clear what "well" here signifies. "Israel sang a song" respecting it, because "Beer," in the original, means a well, and in the spiritual sense "a well" signifies the Word, and doctrine from the Word; likewise "Beersheba," which is often mentioned in the historical parts of the Word.
[4] The same is meant by:
Jacob's well, at which the Lord sat and spoke with the Samaritan woman, and said, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, thou wouldest ask water of Him, and He would give thee living water; and this should become a fountain of water springing up unto everlasting life (John 4:6-15).
The Lord spoke with the Samaritan woman at that well, because "the Samaritan woman" meant the church to be established with the Gentiles, and "the Samaritans" who are also mentioned in other passages, mean the Gentiles that were to receive doctrine from the Lord and respecting the Lord. This "well" signifies doctrine from the Word, the "water" the truth of doctrine, and "the Lord sitting at that 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 should become a fountain of water springing up unto everlasting life."
[5] Something similar to what is signified by "the well of Jacob" is signified also by:
The wells that the servants of Abraham and the servants of Isaac dug, respecting which they strove with the servants of Abimelech (Genesis 21:26; 26:1, 15, 18-22, 25, 32).
The wells that the servants of Abraham and the servants of Isaac dug signify the truths of doctrine, because by "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," in the Word, the Lord is meant; but "Abimelech" king of Gerar, or of the Philistines, means those who place salvation in truths alone without the good of life, as those do at the present day who are in faith alone. And as every truth is from good, or everything of faith from charity, and as those who separate and exclude good from truth, or charity from faith, possess no genuine truth of doctrine, but every truth of the Word with them is like the meaning of the mere words with no perception of the thing, thus like a shell without a kernel, so they dispute about the truths of faith; this was represented and signified by the strifes of the servants of Abimelech with the servants of Abraham and of Isaac respecting the wells. There is an internal spiritual sense in the historical parts as well as in the prophetical parts of the Word, as can be seen from the Arcana Coelestia, where the histories that are contained in Genesis and Exodus are explained in respect to the internal spiritual sense; so, too, what is said about the wells of Abraham and Isaac, as may be seen. Why else should there be historical statements respecting wells in the Word?
[6] In Luke:
Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a well; and will not straightway draw him out on a Sabbath day? (Arcana Coelestia 2781, 5741; and that an "ox" signifies the good of the natural man, n. 2180, 2566, 9134.)
[7] Nearly the same spiritual sense is contained in these words in Moses:
When a man shall open a pit, or when a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall into it, the owner of the pit shall requite and shall return silver unto the owner 2of it; and the dead beast shall be his (Arcana Coelestia 9084-9089). Here "pit" has the same signification as well.
[8] So in Matthew:
Blind leaders of the blind. When the blind leads the blind, both fall into the pit (Matthew 15:14; Luke 6:39).
This the Lord said to the scribes and Pharisees, who understood nothing of truth, although they had the Word, in which are all Divine truths; and because they taught falsities and their falsities were also believed by the people, they are called "blind leaders of the blind;" those are called in the Word "blind" who do not understand truth; and because "pit" signifies falsity, it is said that "they both fall into it."
[9] 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 depths of waters. Let not the billows of waters overwhelm me, neither let the abyss swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me (Psalms 69:14, 15).
Here very evidently the "pit" signifies the hell where and from which are falsities, for it is said, "let not the pit shut her mouth upon me," that is, let not the hell from which are falsities, or falsities from hell, wholly possess me, that I may not escape; "deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink," means out of the evil of falsity, lest I perish; "let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the depths of waters," signifies to be delivered from evils and falsities that are from the hells, "them that hate" meaning evils therefrom, and "depths of waters" falsities therefrom; "neither let the abyss swallow me up" signifies, let not the hell where are the falsities of evil, or the falsities of evil from hell, do this.
[10] In the same:
They make their mouth smooth as butter, and when one's heart draweth near, his words are softer than oil, yet are they drawn swords. But Thou, O God, wilt cast them down into the well of the pit (Psalms 55:21, 23).
This is said of those who simulate good affections when they utter falsities by which they lead astray; "to make the mouth smooth as butter" signifies a simulation of good by means of affections, "butter" signifying the good of external affection. "Their words are softer than oil" has a like signification, "oil" meaning the good of internal affection; "yet are they drawn swords" signifies, and yet they are falsities destroying good and truth, "drawn swords" meaning falsities destroying; "but Thou, O God, wilt cast them down into the well of the pit," signifies into the hell where there are destructive falsities of that kind.
[11] As "pits" have nearly the same signification in the Word as "wells," for they are like wells, I will also quote some passages respecting them. In Jeremiah:
Their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters; they came to the pits, they found no waters; they returned with their vessels empty (Jeremiah 14:3).
"Nobles" mean those who lead and teach others, "little ones" those who are led and taught, and "waters" truths; this makes evident what is signified by "Their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters;" "the pits in which there were no waters" signify doctrinals in which there are no truths; this makes evident what is signified by "they came to the pits, they found no waters;" that they had no knowledge [scientia] or understanding of truth is signified by "they returned with their vessels empty," "vessels" signifying in the Word things recipient of truth, and thus things of knowledge and understanding.
[12] In Zechariah:
By the blood of thy covenant I will send forth the bound out of the pit wherein is no water (Zechariah 9:11).
This is said of the deliverance of the faithful by the Lord, who were detained in the lower earth until His coming; and also of the enlightenment of the Gentiles who were in falsities from ignorance. "The blood of thy covenant" signifies Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, thus the Word, which is called a covenant because it is the means of conjunction, "covenant" signifying conjunction. "The bound in the pit in which there is no water" mean those who are in falsities from ignorance, "pit" here meaning doctrine not of truth, and also the lower earth where those who were in falsities from ignorance were detained until the Lord came, "wherein is no water" means where there is no truth; they are called "bound" because they could not be delivered from falsities except by the Lord.
[13] In Jeremiah:
My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew out for themselves pits, broken pits, that cannot hold waters (483.)
[14] In the same:
Jehovah, who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of the desert and the pit, in a land of drought and of dense shade, through a land that no man [vir] passed through, and where no man [homo] dwelt (Jeremiah 2:6).
It has been shown in the Arcana Coelestia, where Exodus is explained, that "the wilderness in which the sons of Israel were led," represented and signified the first state of the church that is to be established with those who are in mere ignorance of good and truth; and as that state was represented and signified by their wanderings in the wilderness, it is said that "Jehovah led them in a land of the desert and the pit, in a land of drought and of dense shade;" "a land of the desert and of drought" means here, as elsewhere in the Word, a state of non-perception of good, and "a land of the pit and of dense shade" means a state of ignorance of truth, and thus of falsity; "that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt," signifies where there is no understanding of truth nor perception of good, "man" [vir] in the Word meaning the understanding of truth, and "man" [homo] the perception of good, and the absence of both meaning no church either in respect to truth or to good.
[15] In Isaiah:
He that leadeth forth shall hasten that it may be opened, that he may not die in the pit, and that his bread fail not (Isaiah 51:14).
This is said of the Lord. His coming is meant by "he that leadeth forth shall hasten;" deliverance from the falsities of ignorance is signified by "that he die not in the pit," thus "pit" here has a similar signification as "the pit in which were the bound," above; that spiritual instruction and nourishment shall not fail is signified by "that his bread fail not," for "bread" means all spiritual food, and spiritual food means instruction in truths and goods, from which come intelligence and wisdom.
[16] In Ezekiel:
Behold, I bring strangers upon thee, the violent of the nations; and they shall draw their swords upon the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall profane thy radiance; they shall bring thee down into the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the heart of the seas (Ezekiel 28:7, 8).
This is said of the prince of Tyre, by whom are meant those who hatch out falsities from self-intelligence, which destroy the knowledges of truth and good; their destruction by their own falsities is signified by "Behold, I bring strangers upon thee, the violent of the nations," "strangers" signifying the falsities that destroy truths, and "the violent of the nations" the evils that destroy goods; that such will be destroyed by their falsities that are from self-intelligence is signified by "they shall draw their swords upon the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall profane thy radiance," "swords" meaning falsities destroying truths; "they shall bring thee down into the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the heart of the seas," [signifies their immersion in falsities and destruction and damnation by falsities from hell, ] 3"pit," in like manner as "well," signifying infernal falsity; "them that are slain" those who perish by falsities, and "the heart of the seas," in like manner as "abyss," the hell where and from which are such falsities.
[17] The "pit:"
Into which they let down Jeremiah the prophet, and out of which Ebed-melech and the men with him drew Jeremiah by means of old cast off and old worn out things (483.
Footnotes:
1. Latin "it," Hebrew "them," as we also find in Arcana Coelestia 2702, 2781.
2. Latin "the owner," Hebrew "to the owner," as we also find in Arcana Coelestia 9064, 9088.
3. The words in brackets are supplied essentially from 315.
537. [Vers. 2.] "Et aperuit puteum abyssi" - Quod significet communicationem et conjunctionem cum infernis ubi et unde talia falsa sunt, constat ex significatione "aperire", quod hic sit communicare et conjungere (de qua sequitur); et ex significatione "putei abyssi", quod sit infernum ubi et unde talia falsa sunt. Quod illa dicantur "putei abyssi", est quia "puteus" significat Verbum in sensu litterae, et inde verum doctrinae, at in opposito sensu Verbum falsificatum et inde falsum doctrinae, ac "abyssus" ac "profundum maris" significat infernum: quod significet infernum ubi illi qui falsificaverunt vera Verbi applicando ad mala vitae, est quia illa inferna apparent illis qui supra sunt sicut maria, ac illi ibi in fundis eorum. Illa maria seu inferna etiam mihi visa sunt, et quoque visi qui in fundis; et inde quoque mecum locuti sunt, qui dixerunt quod non in aquis sint, sed in sicco: inde patuit quod aquae illorum marium sint apparentiae correspondentes falsis in quibus sunt; aquae illorum marium sunt crassiores et densiores secundum falsificationes, et quoque profunditates variae secundum mala quae falsificaverunt.
[2] Sed de significatione "abyssi" in Verbo dicetur infra.
Quod "aperire puteum abyssi" significet communicationem et conjunctionem cum talibus infernis, est quia inferna non aperiuntur nisi quando intrant spiritus mali, quod fit cum tempus in mundo spirituum egerunt: non enim licet alicui malo spiritui ex inferno exire postquam semel illuc conjectus est; si exit, usque illuc actutum relabitur. At unusquisque homo conjunctus est spiritibus qui in mundo spirituum sunt, talibus qualis ipse est; quare homo qui falsificat Verbum, applicando ad mala vitae et ad falsa confirmantia illa; conjungitur similibus spiritibus, et per illos conjungitur infernis quae in similibus falsis sunt. Unusquisque homo post mortem fit spiritus, et tunc alligatur statim vel societatibus infernalibus vel societatibus caelestibus, secundum vitam suam in mundo; et omnes spiritus, antequam in infernum dejiciuntur vel in caelum elevantur, sunt primum in mundo spirituum, et tunc apud homines qui in mundo vivunt; mali spiritus apud malos, ac boni apud bonos: per hos habet homo communicationem et conjunctionem vel cum infernis vel cum caelis. Inde patet quod per "aperire puteum" non significetur aperire infernum, sed communicationem, et per communicationem habere conjunctionem cum inferno. Ex singulis infernis etiam exhalantur falsa mali in multa copia, in quibus sunt spiritus qui in mundo Spirituum sunt, et simul homines qui in similibus falsis in nostro mundo sunt: non alibi potest spiritus et homo esse quam ubi ejus vitae amor est; quod enim homo amat hoc vult, hoc cogitat, et hoc spirat. (Quid mundus spirituum, videatur in opere De Caelo et Inferno 421-431, seq.)
[3] Quod "puteus" significet Verbum et verum doctrinae, et in opposito sensu Verbum falsificatum et inde falSum doctrinae, est quia putei continent aquas; et "aquae" significant vera, et in opposito sensu falsa, ut supra (n. 71, 483, 518) ostensum est.
Quod "puteus" haec et illa significet, constare potest ex sequentibus locis in Verbo: Apud Mosen,
"Profecti sunt in Beer; hic puteus de quo dixit Jehovah Mosi, Collige populum et dabo 1
illis aquas. Tunc cecinit Israel canticum hoc, Ascende, putee, respondete ex eo: puteum foderunt eum principes, effoderunt spontanei populi per Legislatorem baculis suis" (Numeri 21:16-18):
quod hic "puteus" significet verum doctrinae ex Verbo, constare potest ex cantico quod Israel de eo cecinit; quod "ascenderet puteus", et "responderent ex eo", significat quod doctrina ex Verbo doceret verum, et quod illi reciperent id; evocatio veri significatur per "Ascende, putee"; ac receptio et instructio per "Respondete ex eo": "puteum foderunt principes, effoderunt spontanei populi per Legislatorem baculis suis", significat quod illi qui in veris et in bonis veri sunt illustrentur a Domino, et ex Ipso per Verbum pervestigent et colligant doctrinam; "principes" significant illos qui in veris sunt, "spontanei populi" illos qui in bonis veri; "fodere" significat pervestigare et colligere; "Legislator" significat Dominum quoad Verbum et quoad doctrinam ex Verbo, et "baculi" significant potentiam et vires mentis; hic a Domino per Verbum, quia dicitur "per Legislatorem": inde patet quid "puteus" ibi significat. Quod de eo cecinerit Israel canticum, erat quia Beer in lingua originali significat puteum, et "puteus" in spirituali sensu significat Verbum et doctrinam ex Verbo; similiter "Beerscheba", quae in historicis Verbi pluries nominatur.
[4] Simile significat
Puteus Jacobi, ad quem Dominus consedit, et locutus est cum muliere Samaritide, et dixit, "Si scires donum Dei, et quis sit qui dicit tibi, .... tu peteres ab Eo" aquam, "et daret aquam viventem quae fiet.. fons aquae salientis in vitam aeternam" (Johannes 4:6-15):
quod Dominus ibi locutus sit cum muliere Samaritide ad illum puteum, erat quia per "mulierem Samaritidem" intelligebatur ecclesia instauranda apud gentes; et per "Samaritas", qui etiam alibi memorantur, intelliguntur gentes quae recepturae doctrinam ab Ipso et de Ipso: per "puteum" illum significatur doctrina ex Verbo, per "aquam" verum doctrinae, et per "Dominum sedentem ad illum "puteum" Verbum seu Divinum Verum: quod per Divinum Verum ex Verbo a Domino sit salus, significatur per quod "aqua quam Ipse daret, fiet fons aquae salientis in vitam aeternam."
[5] Simile quod per "puteum Jacobi", etiam significatur per
Puteos quos foderunt servi Abrahami et servi Isaci, de quibus rixati sunt cum servis Abimelechi (Genesis 21:25; 26:15, 18-22, 25, 32):
per "puteos" quos foderunt servi Abrahami et servi Isaci significantur vera doctrinae, quia per "Abrahamum", "Isacum" et "Jacobum" in Verbo intelligitur Dominus; per "Abimelechum" autem, regem Geraris seu Philisthaeorum, intelliguntur qui in solis veris absque bono vitae ponunt salutem, similiter ac faciunt hodie qui in sola fide. Et quia omne verum est ex bono, seu omne fidei est ex charitate, et illi qui separant et excludunt bonum a vero, seu charitatem a fide, non aliquod verum genuinum doctrinae possident, sed est omne verum Verbi apud illos sicut sensus vocum absque perceptione rei, ita sicut putamen absque nucleo, ideo de veris fidei rixantur: hoc repraesentatum et significatum est per rixationes servorum Abimelechi cum servis Abrahami et Isaci de puteis. Sensus internus spiritualis est aeque in historicis Verbi ac in propheticis ejus, ut constare potest ex Arcanis Caelestibus, ubi historica, quae continentur in Genesi et in Exodo, quoad sensum internum spiritualem explicata sunt, etiam de puteis Abrahami et Isaci, quae videantur. Ad quid alioqui historica de puteis in Verbo?
[6] Apud Lucam,
"Cujus vestrum aut asinus aut bos in puteum incidit, quem non statim extrahitis in die Sabbathi?" (14:5):
quod hoc statutum fuerit apud gentem Israeliticam et Judaicam, erat propter sensum spiritualem qui illi inest; omnia enim statuta, judicia et praecepta data filiis Israelis significabant spiritualia quae sunt caeli et ecclesiae; hoc itaque statutum significabat quod si aliquis labitur in falsum et in malum, educendus sit per verum quod docetur die Sabbathi a Domino: per "puteum" ibi significatur falsum et malum falsi; per "asinum" et "bovem" significatur verum et bonum naturalis hominis; per "incidere in puteum" significatur in falsum et in malum falsi; per "extrahi in die Sabbathi" significatur instrui et sic ab illis educi: "dies" enim "Sabbathi" significat ibi Dominum quoad instructionem et doctrinam; quare Se vocat "Dominum Sabbathi."
(Quod "asinus" significet verum naturalis hominis, videatur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 2781, 5741; et quod "bos" significet bonum naturalis hominis, n. 2180, 2566, 2
9134, ibi.)
[7] Similem paene sensum spiritualem continent haec apud Mosen,
"Cum aperuerit vir foveam, vel cum foderit vir foveam et non operuerit eam, et ceciderit in illam bos aut asinus, dominus foveae rependet, argentum reddet 3
domino ejus, et mortuum erit sibi" (Exodus 21:33, 34):
"cum aperuerit vir foveam" significat si quis falsum, quod apud se, propalaverit; "vel cum foderit vir foveam" significat si vel falsum finxerit aut excluserit; "et ceciderit illuc bos vel asinus" significat quod pervertit bonum et verum in naturali quod apud alterum; "dominus foveae rependet" significat quod is a quo falsum emendabit; "argentum reddet 4
domino ejus" significat per verum apud illum cujus et verum et bonum in naturali perversum est; "et mortuum erit sibi" significat quod malum aut falsum apud eum maneat: (sed haec plenius explicata videantur in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 9084-9089): hic "fovea" simile significat quo "puteus."
[8] Similiter apud Matthaeum,
"Duces caeci caecorum; quando caecus caecum ducit, ambo in foveam incidunt" (15:14; Luca 6:39):
haec Dominus dixit ad Scribas et Pharisaeos, qui tametsi habebant Verbum, ubi omnia Divina vera sunt, usque nihil veri intellexerunt; et quia docebant falsa, et quoque a populo credebantur falsa, vocantur "duces caeci caecorum": " in Verbo dicuntur qui non intelligunt verum; et quia "fovea" significat falsum, dicitur quod ambo in illam incidant.
[9] Apud Davidem,
"Eripe me e luto ne submergar; eripiar ab osoribus meis, et e profunditatibus aquarum; ne obruat me fluctus aquarum, neque absorbeat me profunditas, nec claudat super me puteus os suum" (Psalms 69:15, 16 [B.A. 14, 15]):
quod "puteus" significet infernum ubi et unde falsa, hic manifeste patet; nam dicitur "ne claudat super me puteus os suum", hoc est, ne infernum unde falsa, seu ne falsa ab inferno me totum occupet, ut non evadam: per "eripere e luto ne submergar" significatur e malo falsi ne peream: "eripiar ab osoribus, et e profunditatibus aquarum", significat liberari a malis et falsis quae ab infernis; "osores" sunt mala inde, et "profunditas aquarum" sunt falsa inde: "ne absorbeat me profunditas" significat ne infernum ubi falsa mali, seu ne falsa mali quae ab inferno.
[10] Apud eundem,
"Blandum faciunt ut butyra os suum, et cum appropinquat cor cujusvis, mollia sunt verba ejus prae oleo, cum illa stricti gladii;.... et Tu, Deus, dejicies eos in puteum foveae" (Ps. 55:22-24 5
21, [23]):
haec dicta sunt de illis qui simulant affectiones bonas, dum loquuntur falsa per quae seducunt: "blandum facere sicut butyra os suum" significat simulatum bonum per affectiones; "butyra" significat bonum affectionis externae: "mollia sunt verba ejus prae oleo" significant similia; "oleum" est bonum affectionis internae: "cum illa stricti gladii" significant cum tamen sunt falsa destruentia bonum et verum; "gladii stricti" sunt falsa destruentia: "Tu, Deus, dejicies eos in puteum foveae", significat in infernum ubi falsa destructiva illius generis.
[11] Quoniam "foveae" in Verbo paene similia cum "puteis" significant, sunt enim sicut putei, velim aliqua loca etiam de illis adducere: Apud Jeremiam,
"Magnates illorum miserunt minorennes suos ad aquas; Venerunt ad foveas, non invenerunt aquas, reversi sunt vasis suis vacuis" (14:3)
per "magnates" intelliguntur qui alios ducunt et docent, per "minorennes" qui ducuntur et docentur, et per "aquas" vera; inde constat quid significatur per quod "magnates illorum miserint minorennes ad aquas": per "foveas in quibus non aquae" significantur doctrinalia in quibus non vera; inde constat quid significatur per quod "venerint ad foveas, non invenerunt aquas": quod illis non aliqua scientia nec intellectus veri, significatur per quod "reversi sint vasis suis vacuis"; "vasa" in Verbo significant recipientia veri, et inde scientifica et intellectualia.
[12] Apud Sachariam,
"Per sanguinem foederis tui emittam vinctos e fovea, in qua non aqua" (9:11):
haec dicta sunt de liberatione fidelium a Domino, qui in terra inferiore usque ad adventum Ipsius detenti sunt; et quoque de illustratione gentium quae in falsis ex ignorantia fuerunt: per "sanguinem foederis tui" significatur Divinum Verum procedens a Domino, ita Verbum; hoc "foedus" vocatur quia per id est conjunctio; "foedus" significat conjunctionem: per "vinctos in fovea in qua non aqua" intelliguntur illi qui in falsis ex ignorantia sunt; "fovea" est doctrina non veri, et quoque est terra inferior ubi illi qui in falsis ex ignorantia usque ad adventum Domini detenti fuerunt; "ubi non aqua" est ubi non verum; illi "vincti" dicuntur quia a falsis non liberari potuerunt quam a Domino.
[13] Apud Jeremiam,
"Duo mala fecit populus meus; Me deseruerunt, fontem aquarum Vivarum, ad excidendum sibi foveas, foveas fractas quae non continere possunt aquas" (2:13):
per "excidere foveas, foveas fractas quae non continent aquas", significatur excludere doctrinalia ex propria intelligentia, quae quia ex proprio sunt, falsa sunt; nam proprium hominis non est nisi quam malum; et quia est malum, ex eo etiam producitur falsum, malum enim non producere potest nisi quam falsum; sed haec videantur explicata supra (n. 483 [b]).
[14] Apud eundem,
"Jehovah, .... qui ascendere fecit nos e terra Aegypti, qui duxit nos in deserto, in terra solitudinis et foveae, in terra siccitatis et umbrae densae, per quam non transiit vir nec habitavit homo" (2:6):
quod per "desertum", in quo ducti sunt filii Israelis, repraesentatus et significatus sit primus status ecclesiae instaurandae apud illos qui in mera ignorantia boni et veri sunt, ostensum est in Arcanis Caelestibus, in quibus explicata est Exodus; et quia ille status per errores illorum in deserto repraesentatus et significatus est, ideo dicitur quod "Jehovah duxerit illos in terra solitudinis et foveae, in terra siccitatis et umbrae densae": per "terram solitudinis et siccitatis" intelligitur hic ut alibi in Verbo status non perceptionis boni; et per "terram foveae et umbrae densae" intelligitur status ignorantiae veri, et inde falsitatis: "per quam vir non transiit, neque homo habitavit", significat ubi non aliquis intellectus veri nec aliqua perceptio boni; per "virum" in Verbo significatur intellectus veri, et per "hominem" perceptio boni, et per utrumque non ecclesia quoad verum nec quoad bonum.
[15] Apud Esaiam,
"Festinabit educens ut aperiatur; non autem moriatur in fovea, nec deficiat panis ejus" (51:14):
hic de Domino; adventus Ipsius intelligitur per "festinabit educens"; liberatio a falsis ex ignorantia significatur per "ne moriatur in fovea"; quare simile per "foveam" hic intelligitur quod supra per "foveam in qua vincti": quod non deficiet instructio et nutritio spiritualis, significatur per "ne deficiat panis ejus"; per "panem" enim intelligitur omnis cibus spiritualis, et per cibum spiritualem intelligitur instructio in veris et bonis, unde intelligentia et sapientia.
[16] Apud Ezechielem,
"Ecce Ego adducens super te alienos, violentos gentium, qui evaginabunt gladios suos super pulchritudinem sapientiae tuae, et profanabunt splendorem tuum, in foveam demittent te, et morieris mortibus confossorum in corde marium" (28:7, 8):
haec de principe Tyri, per quem intelliguntur illi qui ex propria intelligentia excludunt falsa, per quae cognitiones veri et boni destruuntur; illorum interitus per sua falsa significatur per "Ecce Ego adducens super te alienos violentos gentium"; "alieni" significant falsa quae destruunt vera, et "violenti gentium" mala quae destruunt bona: quod destruentur per sua falsa quae ex propria intelligentia, significatur per quod "illi evanginabunt gladios suos super pulchritudinem sapientiae tuae, et profanabunt splendorem tuum"; "gladii" sunt falsa destruentia vera: [ 6
immersio illorum in falsa infernalia, ac interitus et damnatio per falsa in inferno, significatur per] "in foveam demittent te, et morieris mortibus confossorum in corde marium"; "fovea" significat falsum infernale, simile quod "puteus"; "confossi" significant illos qui pereunt per falsa, et "cor marium" significat infernum ubi et unde illa falsa, simile quod "abyssus."
[17] Per "foveam"
In quam demiserunt Jeremiam prophetam, et e qua Ebed-melech et viri cum illo per veteramenta extractorum et veteramenta detritorum extraxerunt illum (Jeremias 38:6-13),
significatur verum doctrinae falsificatum; per "prophetam" verum doctrinae, et per "demitti in foveam" falsificari: per "veteramenta extractorum et veteramenta detritorum", quibus extraxerunt illum, significatur vindicatio veri doctrinae et restitutio per talia bona et vera sensus litterae Verbi quae non percepta et intellecta sunt, et ideo neglecta et rejecta; haec per "veteramenta" illa significantur; quid alioqui foret quod in Verbo Divino memoraretur quod per talia extractus sit? Ex his paucis constare potest quid per "puteum" et per "foveam" in Verbo significatur; quod nempe Verbum ac verum doctrinae, ac in opposito sensu Verbum falsificatum et inde falsum doctrinae. Aliquibus in locis etiam simile significatur per "puteum" et "foveam" quod per "fontem", de cujus significatione in utroque sensu videatur supra (n. 483).
Footnotes:
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