4744.“那坑是空的，里头没有水”表那时根本没有真理。这从“坑”、“空”和“水”的含义清楚可知：“坑”是指虚假（参看4728节）；“空”是指根本真理的地方，因为根本没有良善，如下文所述；“水”是指真理（680，739，2702，3058，3424节）。“空”表示根本没有真理的地方，这一点从圣言中的其它经文明显看出来，如耶利米书：
他们的贵胄打发家僮打水，他们来到池边，见没有水，就拿着空器皿，蒙羞惭愧，抱头而回。（耶利米书14:3）
“空器皿”表示其中没有源于良善的真理之真理。又：
巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒吞灭我，使我混乱，又使我成为空虚的器皿。他将我吞下。（耶利米书51:34）
“空虚的器皿”表示没有真理的地方；“巴比伦”表示那些损毁，也就是剥夺他人真理的人（1327e节）。又：
我观看地，不料，地是空虚混沌；我观看天，天也无光。（耶利米书4:23）
以赛亚书：
鹈鹕、箭猪却要得为业；猫头鹰、乌鸦要住在其间，他们必将空虚的准绳、混沌的线铊拉在其上。（以赛亚书34:11）
又：
空虚的城破毁了；各家关门闭户，使人都不得进去。街上因无酒而有呼喊之声，地上的喜乐消逝，城中只有荒凉。（以赛亚书24:10-12）
此处原文用另一个词来表示“空”，但它具有同样的含义。“空”是指因没有良善而没有真理之地，这层含义从此处细节的内义，也就是说，从“城”、“家”、“呼喊”、“酒”和“街”的含义明显看出来。以西结书：
主耶和华如此说，祸哉！这流人血的城，我也必大堆火柴。把锅倒空坐在炭火上，使锅烧热，使铜烧红，熔化其中的污秽，除净其上的锈。（以西结书24:9，11）
此处显而易见“倒空”表示什么；经上说“锅”被“倒空”，是因为它有污秽和锈，也就是邪恶与虚假在里面。
在马太福音也一样。
污灵从人里面出来，走遍干旱之地，寻求安歇，却寻不着。于是说，我要回到我所出来的屋里去。到了，就看见里面空闲，打扫干净，为他修饰好了，便去另带了七个比自己更恶的灵来，都进去住在那里。（马太福音12:43-45）
“污灵”表示人所过的不洁生活，以及与他同居的污灵，因为污灵就住在人的不洁生活中；“干旱之地”或无水之地表示没有真理之地；“空屋”表示人的内层再次充满不洁，也就是源于邪恶的虚假。路加福音：
神叫饥饿的得饱美食，叫富足的空手回去。（路加福音1:53）
“富足的”表示那些知道很多的人；因为“富足”在灵义上表示记忆知识，教义事物和对良善与真理的认知。那些知道这些事，却不行出来的人就被称为“富而空”；因为对他们来说，真理并非真理，因为它们缺乏良善（参看4736节）。
Potts(1905-1910) 4744
4744. And the pit was empty, there was no water in it. That this signifies that there was then nothing true, is evident from the signification of a "pit," as being falsities (see n. 4728); from the signification of "being empty, "as being where there is nothing true because nothing good (of which hereafter); and from the signification of "water," as being truth (n. 680, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424). That "being empty" denotes where there is nothing true because nothing good, is evident from other passages in the Word, as in Jeremiah:
Their great ones have sent their little ones for waters; they came unto the pits, and found no waters; they returned with their vessels empty; they were affected with shame and ignominy, and covered their head (Jer. 14:3);
where "empty vessels" denote truths in which there is no truth from good. Again:
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath troubled me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up (Jer. 51:34);
where an "empty vessel" denotes where there is no truth; and "Babylon," those who vastate, that is, deprive others of truths (n. 1327e). Again:
I beheld the earth, and lo it was void and empty; and the heavens, and they had no light (Jer. 4:23). In Isaiah:
The cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; and the owl and the raven shall dwell therein; and they shall stretch over it the line of a void, and the plummet of emptiness (Isa. 34:11). [2] Again:
The city of emptiness shall be broken; every house shall be shut up, that no one may come in. There is a cry in the streets upon the one, the joy of the land shall be exiled, what is left in the city shall be a waste (Isa. 24:10-12);
here "emptiness" is expressed by another word in the original tongue, which, however, involves a similar meaning. That "emptiness" is where there is no truth because no good, is evident in the internal sense from the particulars mentioned, as from the signification of a "city," of a "house," of a "cry," of "wine," and of "streets." In Ezekiel:
Hath said the Lord Jehovih, Woe to the city of bloods! I will also make the hearth great, setting the pot empty upon the coals that it may be hot, and the brass thereof may be heated, and that the uncleanness thereof may melt therein, the scum thereof be consumed (Ezek. 24:9, 11);
it is evident here what "being empty" signifies; an "empty pot" is that in which there is uncleanness and scum, that is, evil and falsity. [3] So in Matthew:
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, but findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and prepared for him. Then goeth he, and joineth to himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there (Matt. 12:43-45);
the "unclean spirit" denotes uncleanness of life in man, and also the unclean spirits with him, for unclean spirits dwell in the uncleanness of man's life; "dry places," or where there is no water, denote where there are no truths; the "empty house" denotes the interiors of man again filled with uncleanness, that is, with falsities from evil. In Luke:
God hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away (Luke 1:63);
"the rich" denote those who know many things; for "riches" in the spiritual sense are memory-knowledges, doctrinal things, and the knowledges of good and truth. They are called the "empty rich" who know these things, and do not do them; for truths to them are not truths, because without good (see n. 4736).
Elliott(1983-1999) 4744
4744. 'And the pit was empty, there was no water in it' means that at that time there was no truth at all. This is clear from the meaning of 'the pit' as falsities, dealt with in 4728; from the meaning of 'empty' as a place where there is no truth at all because there is no good at all, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'water' as truth, dealt with in 680, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424. The meaning of 'empty' as a place where there is no truth at all because there is no good at all is clear from other places in the Word, as in Jeremiah,
The nobles sent their inferiors for water, they came to the pits, and they found no water; they resumed with empty vessels, they were subjected to shame and ignominy, and they covered their heads. Jer 14:3.
'Empty vessels' stands for truths in which there is no truth derived from good In the same prophet,
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel has devoured me, he has troubled me, he has made me an empty vessel, he has swallowed me up. Jer 51:34.
'An empty vessel' stands for where there is no truth, 'Babel' for those who lay waste, that is, divest others of truths, 1327 (end). In the same prophet,
I looked to the earth, and behold, it was volt and empty; and towards the heavens, and they had no light. Jer 4:23.
In Isaiah.
The spoonbill and the duck will possess it, and the owl and the raven will dwell in it; and they will stretch over it the line of a void and the plumb-line of emptiness. Isa 34:11.
[2] In the same prophet,
The city of emptiness will be broken down, every house will be shut up so that no one may enter in. There is an outcry in the streets over [the lack of] wine. The joy of the earth will be banished; what is left in the city will be a waste. Isa 24:10-12.
In this case a different word is used in the original language to denote that which is 'empty', but it carries a similar meaning. The meaning of 'empty' as a place where there is no truth because there is no good is evident from the particular expressions here in the internal sense, that is to say, from the meaning of 'city', 'house', 'outcry', 'wine' and 'streets'. In Ezekiel,
The Lord Jehovih said, Woe to the city of bloodshed!a I too will make the hearth great, placing the pot empty on the burning coals, so that it is heated and is bronze becomes hot and is filthiness in it may be melted, its scum consumed. Ezek 24:9, 11.
Here it is quite plain what 'empty' means - 'the pot' is said to be 'empty', having filthiness and scum, that is, evil and falsity, inside it.
[3] Similarly in Matthew,
When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person he goes through dry places seeking rest, but does not find it. Then he says, I will return into my house from which I came out; and when he comes and finds it empty, and swept, and prepared for him, he goes away and links to himself seven other spirits more evil than himself; and they enter and dwell there. Matt 12:43-45.
'The unclean spirit' stands for the unclean life led by a person and also for the unclean spirits that reside with him, for unclean spirits dwell in a person's unclean life. 'Dry places', or places where there is no water, stands for where there are no truths. 'The house that is empty' stands for that person's interiors which have been filled again with forms of uncleanness, that is, with falsities that are the products of evil In Luke,
God has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. Luke 1:53.
'The rich' stands for those who know a great deal, for in the spiritual sense factual knowledge, matters of doctrine, and cognitions of good and truth are meant by 'riches'. People are called 'rich' but 'empty' if they know these things but do not carry them out; for with them truths are not truths because these are devoid of good, 4736.
Latin(1748-1756) 4744
4744. `Et fovea vacua, nulla in illa aqua': quod significet quod tunc nihil verum, constat ex significatione `fovea-' quod sint falsa, de qua n. 4728; ex significatione `vacuae' quod sit ubi nihil verum {1} quia nihil bonum {2}, de qua sequitur; et ex significatione `aquae' quod sit verum, de qua n. 680, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424. Quod `vacuum' sit ubi nihil verum {1} quia nihil bonum {2}, constat ex Verbo etiam alibi, ut apud Jeremiam, Magnates miserunt minorennes propter aquas, venerunt ad foveas, (o)et non invenerunt aquas; reversi sunt vasis vacuis, pudore et ignominia affecti sunt, et obtexerunt caput suum, xiv 3;`vasa vacua' pro veris in quibus non verum ex bono: apud eundem, Comedit me, conturbavit (o)me Nebuchadnezzar rex Babelis, constituit me vas vacuum, deglutivit me, li (x)34;
`vas vacuum' pro ubi nullum verum; `Babel' pro illis qui vastant:
hoc est, deprivant illos veris, n. 1327 f: apud eundem, Vidi terram, et ecce vacua et inanis; et ad caelos, et nulla lux eorum, iv 23:
apud Esaiam, Possidebunt eam platea, et anataria, et noctua, et corvus, habitabunt in ea, et extendent super eam lineam vacuitatis, et perpendiculum inanitatis, xxxiv 11:
[2] apud eundem, Frangetur urbs vacuitatis, claudetur omnis domus, ut nemo intret, clamor super vino in plateis,... exsulabit gaudium terrae, reliquum in urbe vastitas, xxiv (x)10-12;
hic `vacuum' exprimitur alia voce in lingua originali, quae tamen simile involvit; quod `vacuum' sit ubi non verum quia non bonum, a singulis ibi in sensu interno patet, nempe a significatione `urbis, domus, clamoris, vini, platearum': apud Ezechielem, Dixit Dominus Jehovih, Vae urbi sanguinum, etiam Ego magnum faciam focum,... collocando ollam super prunas vacuam, ut incalescat et fervescat aes ejus, et liquescat in ea immundities ejus, consumatur spuma ejus, xxiv 9, 11;
hic patet quid vacuum; `olla vacua' est in qua `immundities et spuma,' hoc est, malum et falsum: [3] similiter apud Matthaeum, Quando immundus spiritus exierit ex homine, perambulat loca arentia quaerens requiem, sed non invenit; tunc dicit, Revertar in meam domum, unde exivi, cumque venit et reperit eant vacuam et scopis purgatam, et paratam sibi, tunc abit et adjungit sibi septem alios spiritus pejores illo, et ingressi habitant ibi, xii 43-45;
`immundus spiritus' pro immunditie vitae apud hominem, et quoque pro immundis spiritibus qui apud eum, nam spiritus immundi habitant in immunditie vitae hominis; `loca arentia' seu ubi non aquae, pro ubi non vera; `domus vacua' pro interioribus hominis iterum repletis immunditiis, hoc est, falsis ex malo: apud Lucam, Deus esurientes implevit bonis, et divites emisit vacuos, i 53;
`divites' pro illis qui plura sciunt, `divitiae' enim in spirituali sensu sunt scientifica, doctrinalia, cognitiones boni et veri; illi vocantur `divites vacui,' qui {3} sciunt illa, et non faciunt, nam vera illis non sunt vera quia absque bono, n. 4736. @1 veri$ @2 boni$ @3 i modo$