Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 17:1-3
[2] That temptation as to truth is now treated of, is because temptation as to good was treated of just before, after which temptation they received the manna, by which is signified good. For when man is endowed with good by the Lord, he comes into a longing for truth, and this longing is kindled according to the lack of truth, because good continually strives after truth. All the genuine affection of truth is from good. The case herein is like food, which without drink cannot nourish the natural life; and it is also like it in that food longs for drink, with which it may be conjoined so as to serve for use. This then is the reason why temptation as to truth follows immediately after temptation as to good. Temptation attacks that which a man loves and longs for (n. 4274, 4299).
. And the people quarreled with Moses. That this signifies a grievous complaining against truth Divine, is evident from the signification of "to quarrel," as being a grievous complaining, for he who quarrels in temptation grievously complains; and from the representation of Moses, as being truth Divine (n. 6723, 6752, 6771, 6827, 7010, 7014, 7089, 7382). . And they said, Give ye us water and we will drink. That this signifies an ardent longing for truth, is evident from what was shown just above (n. 8562) on the signification of "water" and of "drinking." . And Moses said to them. That this signifies an answer by influx into the thought, is evident from the signification of "saying," when by the truth Divine which is represented by Moses, as being an answer; and as all answer from the Divine is effected by means of influx, and that indeed into the thought, therefore this is the signification. . Why quarrel ye with me? That this signifies that they should be more moderate in their complaining, is evident from the signification of "to quarrel," as being a grievous complaining (n. 8563); and that they should be more moderate is also involved, for it is said that thereby they "tempt Jehovah." . Why do ye tempt Jehovah? That this signifies that it was against the Divine, of whose aid they despair, is evident from the signification of "tempting Jehovah," as being to complain against the Divine; that it denotes even to despairing of His aid, is because complaints in temptations involve such despair. For temptations are continual despairings of salvation, in the beginning slight, but in course of time grievous, until at last there is doubt, almost denial, of the presence of the Divine and of His aid. In temptations the spiritual life is for the most part brought to this extremity; for in this way the natural life is extinguished, because then, in the midst of the despair, the inmost is kept by the Lord in combat against falsity; and therefore this despair is soon dissipated by comfortings that are in the next place insinuated by the Lord; for after every spiritual temptation there is consolation, and as it were newness of life. Temptations are carried even to despair, (n. 1787, 2694, 5279, 5280, 7147, 7155, 7166, 8165), and after temptations there is consolation, (n. 3696, 4572, 5246, 6829, 8367, 8370). . And the people thirsted there for the waters. That this signifies an increase of longing for truth, is evident from the signification of "thirsting," as being to strive after and long for, and as being predicated of truth, as "hungering" is predicated of good; and from the signification of "water," as being the truth of faith (n. 8562). That "to thirst" denotes to strive after and long for the truth which is signified by "water," is very plain from many passages in the Word, as in Amos:--Behold the days come wherein I will send a famine into the land, not a famine for bread, nor a thirst for waters, but for hearing the words of Jehovah; and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they shall run to and fro to seek the word of Jehovah, and shall not find it; in that day shall the beautiful virgins and the young men faint with thirst (Amos 8:11-13);
a longing to know truth is here described by "thirsting;" the longing for truth is signified by "I will not send a thirst for waters, but for hearing the words of Jehovah;" the lack of truth and the consequent privation of spiritual life are described by, "in that day shall the beautiful virgins and the young men faint with thirst;" "beautiful virgins" denote those who are in affections of good, and "young men" those who are in affections of truth.
[2] In Isaiah:--
No, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy, eat, come ye and buy wine and milk without silver and without price (Isa. 55:1);
"everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters," manifestly denotes one who longs for the truths of faith; "to buy wine and milk without price" denotes to procure the truth and good of faith for themselves from the Lord, thus gratuitously. "Waters" denote the truth of faith (n. 8562); "wine" denotes the good of faith, (n. 6377), and also "milk," (n. 2184). Everyone can see that by "coming to the waters and buying wine and milk," is not here meant wine and milk, but such things as are of heaven and the church.
[3] In like manner in John:--
I will give to him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life free (Rev. 21:6);
where "the fountain of the water of life" denotes the truth and good of faith; "he that is athirst" denotes one who longs from affection, according to the Lord‘s words in John:--
Jesus said to the woman of Samaria, Everyone that drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but he that drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life (John 4:13, 14);
here "water" plainly denotes the truth of faith from the Word, thus from the Lord; "never thirsting" here denotes that truth shall no longer fail him.
[4] In like manner elsewhere in John:--
Jesus said, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to Me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in Me shall never thirst (John 6:35).
Jesus cried, saying, If anyone thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink; whosoever believeth in Me, as the Scripture hath said, Out of his belly shall flow streams of living water (John 7:37, 38).
In these passages "to thirst" denotes to long for truth; "to drink" denotes to be instructed; "streams of living water" denote Divine truth, which is from the Lord alone.
[5] In Isaiah:
Bring ye waters to meet him that is thirsty; O ye inhabitants of the land of Tema, come before the wanderer with his bread (Isa. 21:14);
where "bringing waters to meet him that is thirsty" denotes instructing in truths him who longs for them, and thus refreshing the life of his soul. In the same:--
The fool will speak folly, and his heart will do iniquity, to do hypocrisy, and to utter error against Jehovah, to make empty the soul of the hungry one, and he will make the drink of the thirsty one to fail (Isa. 32:6);
"the hungry one" denotes him who longs for good; and "he that thirsteth for drink," him who longs for truth.
[6] Again:--
The poor and needy seek water but there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I will open rivers upon the hillsides, and I will put fountains in the midst of the valleys, the wilderness for a pool of waters, and the dry land for springs of waters (Isa. 41:17, 18);
everyone can plainly see that "seeking water" denotes seeking truth; that "failing for thirst" denotes being deprived of spiritual life from a lack of truth; that "rivers," "fountains," "a pool," and "springs of waters" denote the truths of faith in which they were to be instructed.
[7] Again:--
Say ye, Jehovah hath redeemed his servant Jacob; then shall they not thirst, He shall lead them in the wastes; He shall cause the waters to flow out of the rock for them, and He will cleave the rock that the waters may flow out (Isa. 48:20, 21);
"they shall not thirst" denotes that truths shall not fail them; "waters" here manifestly denote the truths of faith. Again:--
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, so that even upon the springs of waters He will lead them (Isa. 49:10);
"they shall not hunger" denotes that good shall not fail them; "they shall not thirst" denotes that truth shall not fail them; "springs of waters" denote the knowledges of truth from the Word.
[8] In like manner in Moses:--
Jehovah leadeth thee through the great and fearful wilderness, of the serpent, of the fire-serpent, and of the scorpion, and of thirst, where are no waters; who bringeth forth for thee waters out of the stone of the crag (Deut. 8:15).
Again in Isaiah:--
Behold your God will come; then in the wilderness shall waters break out, and rivers in the plain of the desert; and the dry place shall become a pool, and the thirsty one for springs of waters (Isa. 35:4, 6, 7);
"the waters in the wilderness that shall break out," "rivers," "a pool," "springs of waters," plainly denote the truths of faith and the knowledges of them, which would be given from the Lord when He should come into the world.
[9] In David:--
O God, my God, in the morning do I seek Thee; my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee, in a land of drought, and weary without waters (Ps. 63:1);
where "thirsting" is predicated of truth; "weary without waters" denotes that there are no truths. "Thirst" denotes a lack of truth and the consequent privation of spiritual life, in Isaiah:--
Therefore My people will go into exile, for not acknowledging, and their glory are men of famine, and their multitude are parched with thirst (Isa. 5:13).
I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh because there is no water, and dieth for thirst (Isa. 50:2).
[10] From these passages it can now be seen what is signified in this chapter by there being "no water for the people to drink" (verse 1); by their saying, "Give us water and we will drink" (verse 2); by "the people thirsting there for waters" (verse 3); by that "there shall come waters out of the rock" (verse 6). Consequently by their murmuring on account of the lack of water is signified temptation from the lack of truth; for when a man comes into temptation from the lack of truth, he is kept in a vehement longing for it, and at the same time in despair of eternal salvation on this account: these things then cause suffering, and complaint.
. And the people murmured against Moses. That this signifies a greater degree of suffering, is evident from the signification of "murmuring," as being suffering from the bitterness of the temptation (n. 8351); that it denotes a greater degree of suffering is evident from the words of Moses when he cried to Jehovah, "a little more and they stone me" (verse 4). . And said, Wherefore is this, that thou hast made us come up out of Egypt? That this signifies, Why have we been liberated from infestations? is evident from the signification of "making to come up," or "bringing out," as being liberating; and from the signification of "Egypt," as being infestations (n. 7278); for by "the Egyptians are signified those who infest those who are of the church in the other life (n. 6854, 6914, 7474, 7828, 7932, 8018, 8099, 8159, 8321). . To make me die, and my sons, and my cattle, with thirst. That this signifies that from the lack of truth everything of spiritual life is expiring, is evident from the signification of "dying," as being to expire, here in respect to the spiritual life; from the signification of "me, my sons, and my cattle," as being all things of spiritual life; for by "me," or the man of the church, is signified the good of charity and of faith; by "sons," the interior truths of faith; and by "cattle," the exterior truths from which is good; thus all things which are of the spiritual life. For spiritual life consists of the good of charity and of faith, and of the truth of faith internal and external. "Man" denotes good, (n. 4287); "sons" denote the truths of faith, (n. 489, 491, 533, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3372, 3704); and "cattle" denote the truths from which is good, (n. 6016, 6045, 6049). And from the signification of "thirst," as being a lack of truth (n. 8568). EXODUS 17:1-3 - next - text - summary - Exodus - Full Page
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