3079. With her pitcher upon her shoulder. That this signifies receptions of truth, and endeavor, is evident from the signification of a "pitcher," as being memory-knowledge, and thus a receptacle of truth (see n. 3068); and from the signification of the "shoulder," as being all power, and thus endeavor (see n. 1085). That "pitchers" or "water-jars," also vessels in general, signify in the internal sense things which are in the position of being a receptacle (as are memory-knowledges and knowledges in relation to truths, and as are truths themselves in relation to good), may be seen from many passages in the Word. The "vessels" of the temple and of the altar have no other signification, and because they signified such things they were also holy, their holiness being from no other source.
[2] And when Belshazzar, with his great men and his wives, was drinking wine out of the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had brought from the temple of Jerusalem, and they were praising the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone, it was because of such signification of the vessels that the writing then appeared on the wall of his palace (Dan. 5:2, etc.). The "vessels of gold and of silver" denote the knowledges of good and truth, which were profaned; for the Chaldeans denote those who are in knowledges, but such as have been profaned by the falsities that are in them (n. 1368); so that the knowledges serve them to worship gods of gold and silver; for Belshazzar is called king of the Chaldeans in this same chapter (verse 30).
[3] That "vessels" signify the externals of spiritual things, is also plain from other passages in the Word, as in Isaiah:
As the sons of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into the house of Jehovah (Isa. 66:20);
where the Lord's kingdom is treated of. The "offering in a clean vessel" is representative of the external man relatively to the internal; that which brings the gift is the internal man; the "clean vessel" is the external man that is in agreement, thus it denotes the things in the external man, which are memory-knowledges, knowledges, and doctrinal things.
[4] In Jeremiah:
The cry of Jerusalem is gone up, and 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, they are ashamed (Jer. 14:2-3);
"empty vessels" denote knowledges wherein there is no truth, and also truths wherein there is no good. Again:
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, hath devoured me, he hath troubled me, he hath made me an empty vessel (Jer. 51:34);
where an "empty vessel" has a similar meaning. That it is Babel that lays waste, may be seen above (n. 1327, at the end). In Moses:
As the valleys are they planted, as gardens by the river's side; waters shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be at many waters (Num. 24:6-7).
This is Balaam's parable concerning Jacob and Israel; "waters flowing from his buckets," signify that truths flow from knowledges.
[5] In the parable of the ten virgins, five of whom took oil in their vessels with their lamps, while the foolish did not (Matt. 25:4), by the "virgins" are signified affections. That the wise "took oil in their vessels," denotes that there was good in truths, and thus charity in faith. That "oil" denotes good, may be seen above (n. 886); "lamps" denote love.
