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522. Because they were made bitter. - That this signifies, because the truths of the Word were falsified, is evident from the signification of the waters in the rivers and in the fountains, which denote truths of the understanding and truths of doctrine; see above (n. 518); and from the signification of bitter and bitterness, which denote what is falsified by an intermingling of truth with the falsities of evil. For bitter here means the bitter of wormwood, and wormwood, on account of its bitterness, signifies truth mingled with the falsity of evil, thus truth falsified, as explained above (n. 519). Bitter, in the Word, signifies what is undelightful, but the bitter of wormwood signifies one kind of undelightfulness, the bitter of gall another, the bitter of hemlock another, and the bitter of unripe fruit another, while the bitter which is neither from herbs nor fruit, another; the latter signifies a grief of mind and anxiety arising from various causes.
[2] From these things the signification of bitternesses in the following passages is evident; as in Isaiah:
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine (vinum), and men of strength to mingle strong drink (sicera)" (5:20, 22).
Again, in the same prophet:
"The new wine (mustum) mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merry-hearted do sigh. They shall not drink wine (vinum) with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it" (24:7, 9).
Again in Moses:
"The waters in Marah, which they could not drink on account of their bitterness, were healed by wood cast into them (Exodus 15:23-25).
At the time of the passover they ate unleavened bread with bitter herbs (Exodus 12:8; Num. 9:11).
Again, waters that caused the curse were given to a woman accused of adultery by her husband, and, if she was guilty, those waters became changed into bitterness in her, and her belly swelled and her thigh fell away (Num. 5:12-29).
The little book which the prophet was told to eat, was sweet as honey in his mouth, but his belly was made bitter by it (Apocalypse 10:9, 10), similarly elsewhere.
But here where it is said that many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter, the bitter of wormwood is meant, the signification of which bitterness has just been explained.
522. Because they were made bitter, signifies because the truths of the Word were falsified. This is evident from the signification of "the waters in the rivers and in the fountains," as being the truths of the understanding and the truths of doctrine (of which above, n. 518; also from the signification of "bitter" and "bitterness," as being what is falsified by the mingling of truth with the falsities of evil; for "bitter" here means the bitter of wormwood, and "wormwood" by reason of its bitterness signifies truth mixed with the falsity of evil, thus truth falsified (of which above, n. 519. "Bitter" signifies in the Word what is undelightful, but one kind of undelightfulness is signified by the bitter from wormwood, another by the bitter from gall, another by the bitter of hemlock, another by the bitter from unripe fruit, another by the bitter that is neither from herbs nor fruit; this bitter signifies grief of mind and anxiety from various causes.
[2] This makes evident the signification of "bitterness" in the following passages. In Isaiah:
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe unto the mighty in drinking wine, and unto men of strength in mingling strong drink (Isaiah 5:20, 22).
In the same:
The new wine shall mourn, the vine shall languish, all the glad of heart shall sigh. They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it (Isaiah 24:7, 9).
In Moses:
That the waters in Marah, which they were not able to drink because of their bitterness, were healed by the wood that was cast into them (Exodus 15:23-25);
That at the time of the Passover they ate unleavened bread with bitter herbs (Exodus 12:8; Numbers 9:11).
In the same:
That the waters of the curse should be given to a wife accused by her husband of adultery, and if she was guilty these waters would become bitternesses in her, and her belly would swell and her thigh would fall in (Numbers 5:12-29).
In Revelation:
The little book that the prophet ate by command was in his mouth sweet like honey, but the belly was made bitter by it (Revelation 10:9, 10).
So in other passages. But here, where it is said that "many men died of the waters because they were made bitter," the bitter of wormwood is meant, and the signification of this bitterness has been explained just before.
522. "Quia amarae factae sunt." - Quod significet quia vera Verbi falsificata sunt, constat ex significatione "aquarum" in "fluviis" et in "fontibus", quod sint vera intellectus et vera doctrinae (de qua supra, n. 518 [a]); et ex significatione "amari" et "amaritudinis", quod sit falsificatum per commixtionem veri cum falsis mali; per "amarum" enim hic intelligitur amarum absinthii, et "absinthium" ex sua amaritudine significat verum mixtum falso mali, ita verum falsificatum (de quo supra, n. 519). "Amarum" in Verbo significat injucundum; sed aliud injucundum significat amarum ex absinthio, aliud injucundum amarum ex felle, et aliud injucundum amarum cicutae; aliud injucundum significat amarum fructus immaturi; et aliud injucundum significat amarum quod non ex herbis nec ex fructibus; hoc amarum significat dolorem mentis et anxietatem ex pluribus causis.
[2] Ex his constare potest quid in Verbo "amaritudines" significant in sequentibus locis:
Apud Esaiam,
"Vae dicentibus de malo bonum et de bono malum, ponentibus tenebras in lucem et lucem in tenebras, ponentibus amarum in dulce et dulce in amarum:.... vae heroibus ad potandum vinum, et viris roboris ad miscendum siceram" (5:20, 22);
apud eundem,
"Lugebit mustum, languescet vitis, gement omnes laeti corde;.... cum cantu non bibent vinum, amara erit sicera bibentibus eam" (24:7, 9);
apud Mosen,
Quod aquae in Marah, quae non bibi poterant prae amaritudine, sanatae sint per lignum eis injectum (Exodus 15:23-25);
Quod tempore Paschatis comederent azyma super amaroribus (Exodus 12:8; Num. 9:11 1
);
apud eundem,
Quod aquae maledictae darentur uxori accusatae adulterii a marito, quae si rea fuerit, aquae illae fierent in illa in amaritudines, ac tumesceret venter, et concideret femur (Numeri 5:12-29);
in Apocalypsi,
Quod libellus ex mandato devoratus a Propheta, in ore ejus fuerit dulcis instar mellis, sed ex illo venter redditus amarus (10:9, 10):
praeter alibi. Hic autem, ubi dicitur quod "multi homines mortui sint ex aquis quae amarae factae sunt", intelligitur amaritudo absinthii, per quam amaritudinem quid significatur, explicatum est in nunc praecedentibus.
Footnotes:
1. The editors made a correction or note here.