5997. And came to Beersheba. That this signifies charity and faith, is evident from the signification of "Beersheba," as being the doctrine of charity and of faith (see n. 2858, 2859, 3466), but here, charity and faith, and not their doctrine, for it is predicated of spiritual good, which is "Israel." Spiritual good is more than doctrine, doctrine being from this good; and therefore he who has arrived at spiritual good has no more need of doctrinal things, which are from others; for he is in the end whither he was tending, and is no longer in the means thereto; and doctrinal things are nothing but the means of arriving at good as the end. This is the reason why by "Beersheba" is signified charity and faith.
