8976. 'And in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing' means a state of strengthened truth without its works. This is clear from the meaning of 'the seventh year' as a state in which goodness and truth have been joined together ('the seventh year' is similar in meaning to the seventh day or the sabbath, by which goodness and truth joined together or the heavenly marriage is meant, thus a state of peace which comes after a state of servitude, see 8494, 8495, 8510, 8888, 8890, 8893), though here - since the subject is those imbued with truth and not with the complementary goodness of life - 'the seventh year' means a state of strengthened truth (the reason why this is meant is that with them goodness and truth are not joined together as they are with those who are imbued with the good of charity and who are meant in the representative sense by 'the children of Israel'; instead of those two joined together there is strengthened truth); and from the meaning of 'for nothing' as without their works, for when they endure labour and some conflict, the truth of faith with them is strengthened by the Lord without any works of theirs. The same thing is meant by 'for nothing' in John,
To him who thirsts I will give from the spring of the water of life for nothing. Rev 21:6.
In the same book,
Let him who hears say, Come! And let him who thirsts come. And let him who wishes take the water of life for nothing. Rev 22:17.
And in Isaiah,
Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, I say, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Isa 55:1.
'Waters' stands for truths from the Word, 'wine' for the truth of good from there, and 'milk' the good of truth.
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