756、“大深渊的所有泉源都裂开了”表示涉及意愿事物的试探的顶点，这从刚才关于试探的阐述清楚可知：试探有两种，第一种涉及理解力的事物，第二种涉及意愿的事物，并且相对于前者，后者是严厉的。这从以下事实也清楚可知：到目前为止，所论述的主题一直是涉及理解力事物的试探。这从“深渊”的含义同样清楚可知：“深渊”表示恶欲和由此衍生的虚假，如前所示（18节）；这还可从以下圣言经文清楚可知，以西结书：
主耶和华如此说，我使你变为荒凉的城邑，如无人居住的城邑，我使深渊上升漫过你，多水覆盖你。（以西结书26:19）
此处“深渊”和“多水”表示试探的顶点。约拿书：
诸水包围我，直至我的灵魂，深渊围住我。（约拿书2:5）
此处“诸水”和“深渊”同样表示试探的顶点。诗篇：
你的海龙卷发出响声，深渊就与深渊响应，你所有的洪涛和所有的波浪都漫过我。（诗篇42:7）
这明显表示试探的顶点。又：
祂斥责红海，海便干了；祂使他们走过深渊，如同走过旷野，祂拯救他们脱离恨他们之人的手，从仇敌手中救赎他们。诸水覆盖他们的敌人。（诗篇106:9-11）
此处“深渊”表示旷野中的试探。
古时，“深渊或深处”表示地狱；幻想和虚假的说服好比诸水和河流，还好比从深渊冒出的烟。有些人的地狱看上去就是这样，也就是说，看似深渊和海。对此，蒙主的神性怜悯，容后再述（8099:2-3）。使人荒废的恶灵和试探人的恶灵就来自这些地狱；他们所灌输的幻想和用来激怒人的欲望，就像洪水和由此涌出的蒸汽。因为如前所述（50，687节），人通过恶灵与地狱联结，通过天使与天堂联结。因此，当经上说，“深渊的所有泉源都裂开了”时，所表示的就是这类事物。地狱被称为“深渊”，由此而来的污秽之物被称为“河流”，这一点清楚可见于以西结书：
主耶和华如此说，他下地狱（经上或译为阴间）的那日，我便使他悲哀，我使深渊遮盖他，拦住河流，大水停流。（以西结书31:15）
约翰也称地狱为“深渊或深处”（启示录9:1-2，11；11:7；17:8；20:1，3）。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]756. The symbolism of all the springs of the great abyss burst as the climax of their struggles over the intentions of the will can be established by statements just above about two kinds of trial. One kind involves activity in the intellect, the other the activity of the will, the latter being much more severe than the former. It can also be established by the fact that up to this point the discussion has centered on challenges to the workings of the intellect. More evidence for this meaning comes from the symbolism of the abyss as corrupt desires and the falsities that spring from them, as before (18), and from the following passages in the Word. In Ezekiel:
This is what the Lord Jehovih says: "When I turn you into a ruined city, like cities that are not inhabited; when I bring up over you the abyss, and many waters cover you ..." (Ezekiel 26:19)
The abyss and the many waters stand for the climax of struggles. In Jonah:
The waters circled me right to my soul; the abyss surrounded me. (Jonah 2:5)
The waters and the abyss here again stand for the extremity of the trials. In David:
Abyss is shouting to abyss at the sound of your watercourses. All your breakers and all your waves go over me. (Psalms 42:7)
Clearly these things stand for a low point in the struggles. In the same author:
He rebuked the Suph Sea{*1} and it dried up, and he took them through the abysses as if through the desert. And he saved them from the hand of the one who hated them and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. And water covered their foes. (Psalms 106:9, 10, 11)
The abysses stand for their trials in the wilderness.
[2] The people of ancient times used an abyss to symbolize hell, and they compared delusional thinking and persuasive lies to water, rivers, and smoke pouring out of an abyss. The hells of some spirits look this way too, like an abyss or like the oceans (to be described later [8099:2-3], by the Lord's divine mercy).
The evil spirits who carry out a person's devastation and also those who put a person through trial come from such hells. Their fantasies, which they pour into us, and the desires that they use to inflame us are like inundations and vapors coming from such places. (As was noted [50, 687], evil spirits connect us with hell, and angels with heaven.) So when all the springs of the abyss are said to burst, these are the things symbolized.
In Ezekiel one can see that hell is called an abyss and that its loathsome discharges are called rivers:
This is what the Lord Jehovih has said: "On the day that he went down into hell, I caused him to mourn; I made the abyss cover him and held back its rivers, and great waters were shut in." (Ezekiel 31:15)
John too calls hell an abyss in Revelation 9:1-2, 11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1, 3.
Footnotes:
{*1} Suph (סוּף [sûṕ]) is a Hebrew word for "reed," and the name of the sea is usually rendered either "Sea of Reeds" or "Red Sea." Swedenborg, though, consistently uses the transliteration. [LHC]
Potts(1905-1910) 756
756. That "all the fountains of the great deep were broken up" signifies the extreme of temptation as to things of the will, is evident from what has been said just above respecting temptations, that they are of two kinds, one as to things of the understanding, the other as to things of the will, and that the latter relatively to the former are severe; and it is evident likewise from the fact that up to this point temptation as to things of the understanding has been treated of. The same is evident from the signification of the "deep" namely, cupidities and the falsities thence derived (as before at n. 18), and it is evident also from the following passages in the Word. In Ezekiel:
Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and many waters shall cover thee (Ezek. 26:19), where the "deep" and "many waters" denote the extreme of temptation. In Jonah:
The waters compassed me about, even to the soul; the deep was round about me (Jonah 2:5), where likewise the "waters" and the "deep" denote the extreme of temptation. In David:
Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of Thy water-spouts; all Thy breakers and all Thy waves are over me (Ps. 42:7), where also the "deep" manifestly denotes the extreme of temptation Again:
He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it was dried up; and He made them go through the deeps as in the wilderness, and He saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy, and the waters covered their adversaries (Ps. 111:9-11), where the "deep" denotes the temptations in the wilderness. [2] In ancient times, hell was meant by the "deep;" and phantasies and persuasions of falsity were likened to waters and rivers, as also to a smoke out of the deep. And the hells of some appear so, that is, as deeps and as seas; concerning which, of the Lord's Divine mercy hereafter. From those hells come the evil spirits that devastate, and also those that tempt man; and their phantasies that they pour in, and the cupidities with which they inflame a man, are as inundations and exhalations therefrom. For as before said, through evil spirits man is conjoined with hell, and through angels with heaven. And therefore when it is said that "all the fountains of the deep were broken up" such things are signified. That hell is called the " deep" and that the foul emanations therefrom are called "rivers" is evident in Ezekiel:
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, In the day when he went down into hell I caused a mourning, I covered the deep above him, and I restrained the rivers thereof, and the great waters were stayed (Ezek. 31:15). Hell is also called the "deep" or "abyss" in John (Rev. 9:1-2, 11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1, 3).
Elliott(1983-1999) 756
756. 'All the fountains of the great deep were split open' means the full extent of temptation involving things of the will. This becomes clear from what has been stated already about temptations being of two kinds, the first involving things of the understanding, the second those of the will, and about the latter being severe in comparison with the former. It is clear as well from the fact that up to now temptation involving things of the understanding has been the subject. It is similarly clear from the meaning of 'the deep' as evil desires and derivative falsities, as shown already in 18, and also in the following in the Word: In Ezekiel,
Thus says the Lord Jehovah, When I make you a city laid desolate, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I shall cause the deep to come up over you, and many waters have covered you. Ezek 26:19.
Here 'the deep' and 'many waters' stand for the full extent of temptation. In Jonah,
The waters closed around me, even to my soul, the deep surrounded me. Jonah 2:5.
Here similarly 'the waters' and 'the deep' stand for the full extent of temptation. In David,
Deep is calling to deep at the noise of Your waterspouts; all Your breakers and all Your waves have gone over me. Ps 42:7.
This plainly stands for the full extent of temptation. In the same author,
He rebuked the Sea Suph and it became dry; He caused them to go through the deeps, as in a desert, and He saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and He delivered them from the hand of the enemy. And the waters covered their adversaries. Ps 106:9-11.
Here 'the deep' stands for temptations in the wilderness.
[2] In early times 'the deep' meant hell, and delusions and persuasions of falsity were likened to waters and streams, and also smoke, pouring out of it. This is also what the hells of some people look like, that is to say, like deeps and like seas. These in the Lord's Divine mercy will be described later on. The evil spirits who are responsible for man's vastation, and also for temptation, come from these places. And their delusions which they infuse, and the desires with which they inflame man, are like deluges and vapours pouring out of there. For, as has been stated, man is joined to hell through evil spirits, and to heaven through angels. Consequently when 'all the fountains of the deep' are said to have been 'split open' matters of that kind are meant. The fact that hell is called the deep, and the foul things that come from there are called streams, is clear in Ezekiel,
Thus said the Lord Jehovih, On the day he went down into hell, I made him mourn, I covered the deep over him, and I restrained its streams, and the great waters were stayed. Ezek 31:15.
Hell is also called 'the deep' in John, in Rev 9:1, 2, 11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1, 3.
Latin(1748-1756) 756
756. Quod 'disrupti sint omnes fontes abyssi magnae' significent extremum tentationis quoad voluntaria, constare potest ex illis quae dicta sunt mox prius de tentationibus, quod duplicis generis sint, unum quoad intellectualia, alterum quoad voluntaria, et quod hoc grave sit respective ad illud; tum ex eo quod huc usque de tentatione quoad intellectualia actum sit: similiter constat ex significatione 'abyssi,' quod sint cupiditates et falsitates inde, ut prius n. 18, tum etiam ex his in Verbo: apud Ezechielem, Sic dicit Dominus Jehovih, Cum dedero te urbem desolatam, sicut urbes quae non habitantur, cum ascendere fecero supra te abyssum, et obtexerint te aquae multae, xxvi 19;ubi 'abyssus et aquae multae' pro tentationis extremo: apud Jonam, Circumcinxerunt me aquae, usque ad animam, abyssus circumdedit me, ii 6 [A.V. 5];
ubi 'aquae et abyssus' similiter pro extremo tentationis: apud Davidem, Abyssus ad abyssum clamans, ad vocem aquae canalium Tuorum, omnes confractiones Tuae, et omnes fluctus Tui supra me, Ps. xiii 8 [A.V. 7];
ubi manifeste pro extremo tentationis: apud eundem, Increpavit mare Suph, et exsiccatum est, et ire fecit eos per abyssos, sicut in deserto, et servavit eos e manu osoris, et redemit eos e manu inimici; et obtexerunt aquae hostes eorum, Ps.cvi 9-11;
ubi 'abyssus' pro tentationibus in deserto. Per 'abyssum' antiquitus significatum est infernum, et phantasiae et persuasiones falsi assimilatae sunt aquis et fluminibus, tum fumo, inde; ita quoque apparent quorundam inferna, nempe sicut abyssi et sicut maria, de quibus, ex Divina Domini Misericordia, in sequentibus: spiritus mali qui devastant hominem, tum etiam qui tentant, inde sunt; et phantasiae eorum quas infundunt, et cupiditates quibus incendunt hominem, sunt sicut inundationes et exhalationes inde; nam ut dictum, homo per malos spiritus conjunctus est inferno, et per angelos caelo; quare cum 'disrupti' dicuntur 'omnes fontes abyssi' (x)significant talia. Quod infernum vocetur abyssus, et foeda quae inde, vocentur flumina, constat apud Ezechielem, Sic dixit Dominus Jehovih, In die descendere eum in infernum, lugere feci, obtexi super eum abyssum, et inhibui flumina ejus, et occlusae sunt aquae magnae, xxxi 15:
infernum vocatur quoque 'abyssus' apud Johannem, Apoc. ix 1, 2, 1; xi 7; xvii 8; xx 1, 3.