Unsurprisingly, “voices” in the Bible generally stand for expressions of what is true, though the precise meaning varies according to context.
One common and significant use is the “voice of Jehovah,” or in some other form the voice of God; Swedenborg says that in these cases it refers to a direct expression of Divine Truth. This is also generally the case when voices are attributed to inanimate objects, generally a sign, prophecy or miracle.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 219
219. ‘Jehovah God’s voice going to and fro in the garden’ means a dictate which filled them with fear. This becomes clear from the meaning of ‘voice’ in the Word where ‘Jehovah’s voice’ stands for the Word itself, for the doctrine of faith, for conscience, which is inward mindfulness, and also for every expression of disapproval resulting from these.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3563
3563. ‘And said, The voice is Jacob’s voice, and the hands Esau’s hands’ means that the understanding consists in this case of truth existing inwardly, while the will consists in this case of good existing outwardly, so that an inversion of order exists with them. This is clear from the use of ‘voice’ to refer to truth and of ‘hand’ to refer to good. For ‘voice’ is used in reference to truth, as is evident from the places introduced in Volume One, in 219, 220, and from the fact that the actual words used are ‘thevoice is Jacob’s voice’, Jacob representing natural truth, as shown in various places above.
Arcana Coelestia n. 6971 ; 3
As regards the meaning of ‘the voice’ as that which is declared by the Word, it should be recognized that frequent use is made of the expression ‘the voice’. It is also linked to other things that have nothing to do with a voice, such as the linking of it here to ‘the sign’ – ‘If they do not hear the voice of the former sign they will believe the voice of the latter sign’ – and also elsewhere, for example in Nahum,
The voice of the whip and the voice of the sound of the wheel. Nahum 7:2.
And in David,
The rivers have lifted up their voice, more than the voices of many mighty waters. Ps. 93:3-4.
[4] The fact that ‘the voice’ means a declaration, in the good sense a declaration by the Word, when it is called ‘the voice of Jehovah’, is clear in David,
The voice of Jehovah is powerful; the voice of Jehovah is glorious; thevoice of Jehovah breaks the cedars; the voice of Jehovah flashes forth flames of fire; the voice of Jehovah causes the wilderness to shake; thevoice of Jehovah causes the hinds to calve, and strips the forests bare. Ps. 29:3-5; 7-9.
And elsewhere in the same author,
. . . to Him who rides above the heavens of heavens of old. Behold, He will put forth His voice, a mighty voice. Ps. 68:33.
Here ‘voice’ stands for Divine Truth, and so for the Word and a declaration made by it. For what more is meant by ‘voice’, see 219; and for its use in reference to truth, 3563.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7095
7095. ‘Who is Jehovah whose voice I am to hear’ means regarding the Lord whose admonition they should listen to, that is to say, thinking that was of a contrary nature regarding Him. This is clear from the meaning here of the word ‘voice’ as an admonition, for it is used to refer to what Moses and Aaron said to Pharaoh, dealt with in 7090; and from the meaning of ‘hearing’ as obeying, dealt with in 2542, 3869, 5017, so that ‘hearing thevoice’ means obeying or listening to an admonition.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7573
7573. ‘And Jehovah gave forth voices’ means the departure and severance of communication with those governed by good and guided by truth. This is clear from the meaning of ‘voices’, which are claps of thunder, as God’s truths which enlighten and perfect those in heaven, but frighten those in hell and subject them to vastation; and since they devastate the latter they mean the departure and severance of communication with those governed by good and guided by truth, this being the way in which they are devastated.