As with many common verbs, the meaning of “say” in the Bible (according to Swedenborg) is highly dependent on context. Who is speaking? Who is hearing? What is it about? Is it a command, a message, an apology, instruction? All these things enter into the meaning of “say.”
In general, though, “saying” has to do with sharing truth at various levels – from the most exalted power people can have to perceive the Lord’s desires directly to the most basic of orders issued to people at their lowest.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 2842
- ‘And he said, By Myself I have sworn, says Jehovah’ means unchangeable confirmation from the Divine, that is to say, regarding the things that follow. This becomes clear from the meaning of ‘saying, by Myself I have sworn’ and of ‘says Jehovah’, all of which imply confirmation, and indeed from the Divine, that is, from Himself. The Divine is unable to confirm from any other source than Himself, and that which He confirms is unchangeable because it is eternal truth. Whatever Jehovah or the Lord utters is eternal truth, Matt. 24:35, since it comes from the very Being (Esse) itself of truth. But He confirms a thing seemingly with an oath, as He does here and elsewhere in the Word, not because that thing is then more true, but because He addresses Himself to persons who do not accept Divine truth unless it is confirmed in that way. For such persons do not have any other idea of Jehovah or the Lord than of a human being who is able to declare a thing and to change his mind, as one reads of many times in the Word; but in the internal sense the situation is altogether different. Anyone may recognize that Jehovah or the Lord never confirms anything with an oath, but when Divine Truth itself, and the confirmation of it, passes down to that kind of person it is converted into the semblance of an oath.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4184
- ‘Laban answered and said to Jacob’ means an obscure state of perception. This is clear from the meaning of ‘answering and saying’ as perception; for ‘saying’ in historical narratives of the Word means perceiving, see 1898, 1919, 2080, 2862, 3395, 3509.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 5473
- ‘Did I not say to you, saying’ means the degree of perception from there. This is clear from the meaning of ‘saying’ in the historical narratives of the Word as perception, dealt with in 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 3509. And since the verb ‘say’ is used twice here, as well as immediately before this, it is the degree of perception that is meant.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6902
- ‘And you are to say to him’ means influx. This is clear from the meaning of ‘saying’ as influx, dealt with in 5743, 6152, 6291. The reason why ‘saying’ here is influx is that the communication dealt with in 6901 – the communication of such truths as belong to the law from God, and to intelligence acquired from that source – is effected by means of influx.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7291
- ‘You shall say to Aaron’ means influx and communication – of the law of God, represented by Moses, with the doctrinal teachings, represented by ‘Aaron’. This is clear from the meaning of ‘saying’, when done by Moses to Aaron, as influx and communication, as in 6291. Here ‘saying’ is similar in meaning to ‘speaking’, namely both influx and communication, which is meant by ‘speaking’, see 7270. The only way that this influx and communication can be expressed in the historical narratives of the Word is by the words ‘saying and ‘speaking’. The reason why the law of God, represented by ‘Moses’, was to flow into the doctrinal teachings, represented by ‘Aaron’, is that the law of God is internal truth, while doctrinal teachings are external truth; and it is a general rule that internal things flow into external, not the other way round, for the reason that internal things are more refined than external, whereas external things are grosser, being generalized expressions of the internal ones.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7937
- ‘That you shall say’ means thought. This is clear from the meaning of ‘saying’ as thought, dealt with in 3395, 7094. The reason why ‘saying’ here means thought is that ‘saying’ just above in 7935 meant perception belonging to conscience; but here it introduces a reply, which in relation to the perception belonging to conscience is thought.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8041
- ‘And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying’ means instructions given by the Divine. This is clear from the meaning of ‘speaking’ and ‘saying’, when Jehovah talks about things of the Church that are to be observed, as instructions, dealt with in 7769, 7793, 7825, and – since Jehovah is the speaker – as instructions given by the Divine; and from the representation of ‘Moses’ as God’s truth, dealt with in 6771, 7014, 7382. So it is that ‘Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying’ means instructions given by the Divine through Divine Truth.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8438
- ‘Say to all the assembly of the children of Israel’ means instruction. This is clear from the meaning of ‘saying’ – when done by God’s truth addressing members of the Church regarding things to be carried out by Divine command – as instruction, as also in 7186, 7267, 7304, 7380, 7517, 8127; and from the meaning of ‘the assembly of the children of Israel’ as those who belong to the spiritual church, dealt with in 7843.