NEUOFFENBARUNG← Secrets of Heaven · Volume 8 · Contents
6048. And will say, What are your works? That this signifies, and to know your goods, is evident from the signification of “works,” as being goods. That “works” are goods is because they are from the will, and things from the will are good or evil, but things from the understanding, such as discourse, are true or false. The works of the sons of Jacob, and also the works of their fathers, were to pasture cattle, thus to act as shepherds. These works also signify goods, specifically goods from truths. That they have this signification is from correspondences, for lambs, sheep, kids, and goats, which are of the flock, correspond to the goods of charity; in like manner bullocks and oxen, which are of the herd. That they correspond is evident from the fact that when from heavenly affection the angels are conversing together about the goods of charity, there appear in some places in the world of spirits, and also in the first or ultimate heaven, flocks and herds-flocks, when they are speaking of the interior goods of charity; and herds when of the exterior goods (n. 3218-3220). For this reason it is that in the Word such things are signified by “flocks and herds.” In general be it known that every significative in the Word derives its origin from representatives in the other life, and these from correspondences. The reason is that the natural world is from the spiritual world as an effect from its cause, to the end that the spiritual world may flow into the natural world and there act as the causes. In this way also all things of this world are held together in their tenor and in order. (That universal nature is a theater representative of the Lord’s kingdom, that is, of the spiritual and heavenly things therein, may be seen, n. 2758, 2987-3002, 4939, 5116.)
6049. And ye shall say, Thy servants have been men of cattle from their youth even until now. That this signifies that from the beginning and as yet they have truths from which is good, is evident from the signification of “men of cattle,” as being truths from which is good (see n. 6016, 6045); and from the signification of “from their youth even until now,” as being from the beginning and as yet. In regard to “cattle” signifying truths from which is good, be it known that “cattle” are all beasts of burden greater and less, in both the flock and the herd, and also camels, horses, mules, and asses. These latter beasts of burden signify such things as relate to truths; but the former, namely, those of the herd and the flock, signify such things as relate to good. Therefore it is that all those beasts of burden in general which are “cattle” signify truths from which is good. The term “cattle” in the original tongue is from a word which also means “acquisition,” and “acquisition” in the spiritual sense is also truth from which is good, for the reason that good is acquired by means of truth. But “small cattle” signify interior goods, for these are of the flock, such as lambs, sheep, kids, goats, and rams. “Cattle” also signify truths from which is good in other passages of the Word, as in Isaiah:
Then shall He give the rain of thy seed, wherewith thou shalt sow the land; and the bread of increase; and it shall be fat and rich: in that day shall thy cattle pasture in a broad meadow (Isa. 30:23);
“to pasture” denotes to be instructed in truths and about goods (n. 5201); a “broad meadow” denotes the doctrine of truth; it is called “broad” because “breadth” is truth (n. 3433, 3434, 4482). Thus it is plain that “cattle” are truths from which is good. In Ezekiel:
To bring back thine hand upon the wastes that are inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, working with cattle and possession, that dwell upon the navel of the earth (Ezek. 38:12);
where in like manner “cattle” denote truths through which is good; and “possession” denotes good.
6050. Both we, and our fathers. That this signifies that it was so from the first goods, is evident from the signification of “fathers,” as being goods (see n. 2803, 3703, 3704, 5581, 5902). Thus that they were men of cattle, and also their fathers, denotes from the first goods. By “fathers” also in many passages in the Word in the internal sense are not meant Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but they who were of the Ancient Church who were in good.
6051. In order that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen. That this signifies, so shall your residence be in the midst of the natural where are the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of “to dwell,” as being life, and thus the residence of life (see n. 1293, 3384, 4451); and from the signification of “Goshen,” as being the midst or inmost in the natural (n. 5910, 6028). That there are the memory-knowledges of the church which are signified by “Egypt,” is plain, for Goshen was the best tract of land in Egypt.
6052. For every shepherd of the flock is an abomination of the Egyptians. That this signifies separation thus from perverted memory-knowledges, which are opposed to the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of an “abomination of the Egyptians,” as being the separation of memory-knowledges; for the things which are an abomination are separated, because the reason of their being abominated is that they are contrary to accepted principles and loves, thus because they are opposed; in the present case, opposed to the perverted memory-knowledges which are signified by the “Egyptians” when it is said that “every shepherd of the flock is an abomination to them;” and from the signification of a “shepherd of the flock,” as being one who leads to good (of which above, n. 6044). The memory-knowledge which confirms good is that to which perverted memory-knowledge is opposed. Perverted memory-knowledges are those which destroy the truth of faith and the good of charity, and are also those which invert order, such as the magical things that existed in Egypt. For there are very many things that are in accordance with order which those magicians abused, such as correspondences and representatives, which were memory-knowledges more cultivated among them than among others. These follow from order even when the evil apply them, for in the application of them to the exercise of command over others, and to the doing of injury to others, they are perverted, because magical. In regard to their separation, which is here treated of, this is effected by means of the bringing into order that takes place when good with truths is in the midst or inmost, which is signified by “Goshen;” for then the perverted memory-knowledges which are opposed are cast out.
Up to this point the subject treated of has been the conjunction of truths with memory-knowledges, of which conjunction be it further known that the conjunction of the internal or spiritual man with the external or natural man cannot possibly be effected unless truths are insinuated into memory-knowledges. For memory-knowledges together with the delights of the natural affections constitute the external or natural man; and therefore unless conjunction is effected with memory-knowledges, it cannot be effected at all. And yet in order that a man may be regenerated, his internal and external must be conjoined together, for unless they are conjoined, all good flowing in from the Lord through the internal man into the external or natural man is either perverted, or suffocated, or rejected, and then the internal man is also closed. The method in which this conjunction is effected is what has been described in this chapter, which method is by means of the insertion of truths into memory-knowledges.
6053. On influx, and on the interaction of the soul with the body.
Nothing whatever can be known or even thought about influx, and about the interaction of the soul with the body, unless it is known what the soul is, and also something of its nature. If nothing is definitely known about the soul, nothing can be said about its influx and interaction. For how can the communication of two parts be thought of in the total absence of knowledge about the nature of one of them? That complete ignorance prevails about the nature of the soul, especially in the learned world, is evident from the fact that some believe it to be an aerial thing, others something flaming or fiery, others a purely thinking entity, others a general vital force, and others a natural activity. And what is a still further proof of the prevailing ignorance about the nature of the soul is that various places in the body are assigned it, some placing it in the heart, some in the brain and its fibers, others in the corpora striata, others in the ventricles, and others in a small gland; some in every part, but in so doing they conceive of a vitality such as is common to every living thing. From all this it is evident that nothing is known about the soul, and this is the reason why all that has been asserted on the subject is conjectural. And as in this way men could have no idea about the soul, very many have not been able to avoid the belief that the soul is a mere vital thing that is dissipated when the body dies. And this is the reason why the learned have less belief in the life after death than the simple; and because they do not believe in it, neither can they believe in the things which belong to that life, which are the heavenly and spiritual things of faith and love. This also appears from the Lord’s words in Matthew:
Thou hast hid these things from the wise and intelligent, and hast revealed them unto babes (Matt 11:25).
And again:
Seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand (Matt. 13:13).
For the simple have no such thoughts about the soul; but believe that they will have after death; in which simple faith, unknown to them, there is hidden the belief that they will live there as men, will see angels, will speak with them, and will enjoy happiness.
6054. As regards the soul of which it is said that it will live after death, it is nothing else than the man himself who lives within the body, that is, the interior man who in this world acts through the body, and who causes the body to live. This man, when loosed from the body, is called a spirit, and then appears in a complete human form; yet he cannot possibly be seen with the eyes of the body, but only with the eyes of the spirit; and before the eyes of the latter he appears like a man in this world; he has senses (namely, touch, smell, hearing, sight) much more exquisite than in this world; he has appetites, cupidities, desires, affections, loves, such as there are in this world, but in a more surpassing degree; he also thinks as in this world, but more perfectly; he converses with others; in a word, he is there just as he had been in this world, insomuch that if he does not reflect upon being in the other life, he knows no otherwise than that he is in this world (as I have sometimes heard spirits say), for the life after death is a continuation of the life in this world. This then is the soul of man which lives after death.
[2] But lest in consequence of the conjectures and hypotheses about it, the word “soul” should give rise to the idea of the unknown, it is better to say man’s “spirit,” or if you prefer it, the “interior man,” for the spirit appears there exactly like a man, with all the members and organs belonging to a man, and moreover is the man himself, even in the body. That this is so, is also evident from the angels that have been seen, as recorded in the Word, who were all seen in the human form; for all the angels in heaven have the human form, because the Lord has it, who after His resurrection appeared so many times as a man. That an angel, as well as the spirit of man, is in form a man, is because the universal heaven has from the Lord the capacity of conspiring into the human form, whence the universal heaven is called the Grand Man of which, and also of the correspondence of all things of man therewith, I have treated at the close of many chapters. And as the Lord lives in each one in heaven; and as by influx from the Lord the universal heaven acts into each one, therefore every angel is an image thereof, that is, is a form most perfectly human, and so in like manner is a man after death.
[3] All the spirits I have seen, who are thousands and thousands, have appeared to me exactly like men; and some of them have said that they are men just as in the world, and they added that in the life of the body they had never believed that it would be so. Many were sad because of the ignorance of men about their state after death; and because they think so inanely and emptily about the soul; and because most persons who have thought more deeply on the subject have supposed the soul to be a kind of thin air, which idea must needs lead into the insane error that it is dissipated after death.
6055. He who does not know the interiors of man, cannot know about influx and the interaction of the soul with the body; for the interaction and the influx are effected by means of these interiors. In order to know the interiors of man, it is necessary to know that there is an internal man and an external man, and that the internal man is in the spiritual world, and the external man in the natural world; thus that the former is in the light of heaven, and the latter in the light of the world. It is also necessary to know that the internal man is so distinct from the external man that the former, being prior and interior, can subsist without the latter; but that the latter or external man, being posterior and exterior, cannot subsist without the former. It must be known, further, that the internal man is what is properly called the intellectual or rational man, because this is in the light of heaven,” in which light are reason and understanding; whereas the external man is what is properly to be called that of memory-knowledge, because in him there are memory-knowledges, which for the most part derive their light from those things which are of the light of the world, when this light is enlightened and thus vivified by the light of heaven.
6056. It has been said that the internal man, being prior, can subsist without the external, because this is posterior; but not the converse. For it is a universal rule that nothing can subsist from itself, but from and through something else, consequently that nothing can be kept in form except from and through something else, which may also be seen from everything in nature. The case is the same with man. In respect to his external, man cannot subsist except from and through his internal. Neither can the internal man subsist except from and through heaven. And neither can heaven subsist from itself, but only from the Lord, who alone subsists from Himself. Influx is according to existence and subsistence, for all things subsist by means of influx. But that all things in general and in particular subsist by influx from the Lord, not only mediately through the spiritual world, but also immediately in both mediates and ultimates, will be shown in what follows.
6057. Before any statement can be made about influx and the operation of the soul into the body, it must be well understood that the internal man is formed according to the image of heaven, and the external man according to the image of the world; insomuch that the internal man is a heaven in the least form, and the external man is a world in the least form, thus is a microcosm. That the external man is an image of the world, may be seen from the external or bodily senses; for the ear is formed according to the whole nature of the modification of the air; the lungs according to the whole nature of its pressure, as also is the general surface of the body, which is held in its form by the circumpressure of the air; the eye is formed according to the whole nature of ether and of light; the tongue to the sense of the solvent and fluent parts in liquids; and, together with the lungs, the trachea, the larynx, the glottis, the fauces, and the lips, according to the power of suitably modifying the air, whence come articulate sounds, or words, and harmonious sounds; the nostrils are formed according to the sense of particles fluent in the atmosphere; the sense of touch, which encompasses the whole body, is according to the sense of the changes of state in the air, namely, to the sense of its cold and heat, and also to the sense of liquids and to that of weights. The interior viscera to which the aerial atmosphere cannot enter are held in connection and form by a more subtle air, which is called ether; not to mention that all the secrets of interior nature are inscribed upon and applied to the external man, such as all the secret things of mechanics, of physics, of chemistry, and of optics. From all this it is evident that universal nature has contributed to the conformation of the external of man; and hence it is that the ancients called man a microcosm.
[2] And just as the external man has been formed according to the image of all things of the world, so has the internal man been formed according to the image of all things of heaven, that is, according to the image of the celestial and spiritual things which proceed from the Lord and from which and in which is heaven. The celestial things there are all those which are of love to the Lord and of charity toward the neighbor; and the spiritual things there are all those of faith, which in themselves are so many and of such a nature that the tongue cannot possibly utter one millionth part of them. That the internal man has been formed according to the image of all these things, is strikingly shown in the angels, who when they appear before the internal sight (as they have appeared before mine), affect the inmosts by their mere presence; for love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor pour out of them and penetrate, and the derivative things of faith shine forth from them and affect. By this and other proofs it has been made plain to me that as the internal man has been created to be an angel, he is a heaven in the least form.
[3] From all this it is now evident that in man the spiritual world is conjoined with the natural world, consequently that with him the spiritual world flows into the natural world in so vivid a manner that he can notice it, provided he pays attention. All this shows the nature of the interaction of the soul with the body, namely, that properly it is the communication of spiritual things which are of heaven, with natural things which are of the world, and that the communication is effected by means of influx, and is according to the conjunction. This communication which is effected by means of influx according to the conjunction is at this day unknown, for the reason that each and all things are attributed to nature, and nothing is known about what is spiritual, which at this day is so far set aside that when it is thought of it appears as nothing.
6058. But influx is of such a nature that there is an influx from the Divine of the Lord into every angel, into every spirit, and into every man, and that in this way the Lord rules everyone, not only in the universal, but also in the veriest singulars, and this immediately from Himself, and also mediately through the spiritual world. In order to make known the existence of this influx, much has already been said about the correspondence of man’s parts with the Grand Man, that is, with heaven; and at the same time about the representation of spiritual things in natural; at the close of chapters 23 to 43, and afterward about the angels and spirits with man, at the close of chapters 44 and 45; and this is now to be followed with a specific exposition of the subject of influx and the interaction of the soul and the body. But this subject must be illustrated by experiences, for otherwise things so much unknown and rendered so obscure by hypotheses cannot be brought forth into the light. The illustrative experiences shall be presented at the close of some of the following chapters. Let what has been said thus far serve as an introduction.
Genesis 47
1. And Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold they are in the land of Goshen.
2. And from among his brethren he took five men, and set them before Pharaoh.
3. And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What are your works? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are a shepherd of the flock, both we and our fathers.
4. And they said unto Pharaoh, To sojourn in the land have we come; for there is no pasture for thy servants’ flock; for the famine is grievous in the land of Canaan; and now I pray let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.
5. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren have come unto thee:
6. The land of Egypt before thee is it; in the best of the land make thy father and thy brethren dwell; let them dwell in the land of Goshen; and if thou knowest, and there be among them, men of activity, then set them as princes over my cattle.
7. And Joseph brought Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
8. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How many are the days of the years of thy life?
9. And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my sojournings are a hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojournings.
10. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
11. And Joseph made his father and his brethren dwell, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
12. And Joseph sustained his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s house, with bread, according to the mouth of the babe.
13. And there was no bread in all the land; because the famine was very grievous, and the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan labored by reason of the famine.
14. And Joseph gathered together all the silver that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the produce which they bought; and Joseph brought the silver into Pharaoh’s house.
15. And when the silver was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all Egypt came unto Joseph, saying, Give us bread; for why should we die beside thee because the silver faileth?
16. And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if silver fail.
17. And they brought their cattle unto Joseph; and Joseph gave them bread [in exchange] for the horses, and for the cattle of the flock, and for the cattle of the herd, and for the asses; and he provided them with bread [in exchange] for all their cattle in this year.
18. And when this year was ended, they came unto him in the second year, and said to him, We will not hide from my lord how that the silver is spent; and the herd of the beast is to my lord; there is naught left before my lord besides our body and our ground.
19. Wherefore should we die before thine eyes, both we and our ground? buy us and our ground for bread, and we shall live, and our ground, servants to Pharaoh; and give seed, that we may live, and not die, and the ground be not laid waste.
20. And Joseph bought all the ground of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold everyone his field, because the famine grew strong upon them; and the land was Pharaoh’s.
21. And as for the people, he removed it to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end thereof.
22. Only the ground of the priests bought he not; because a portion was appointed for the priests by Pharaoh, and they ate their appointed portion which Pharaoh had given them; wherefore they sold not their ground.
23. And Joseph said unto the people, Behold I have bought you this day and your ground for Pharaoh; lo here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the ground.
24. And it shall be in the in-gatherings that ye shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts shall be for you, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them in your houses, and for food for your babes.
25. And they said, Thou hast made us live; let us find grace in the eyes of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.
26. And Joseph made it a statute even unto this day, concerning the ground of Egypt, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; only the ground of the priests, only theirs, was not Pharaoh’s.
27. And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they had a possession therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly.
28. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; so the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were seven years, and a hundred and forty years.
29. And the days of Israel drew near to die; and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, If I pray I have found grace in thine eyes, put I pray thy hand under my thigh, and do mercy and truth with me; bury me not I pray in Egypt.
30. And I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their sepulcher. And he said, I will do according to thy word.
31. And he said, Swear to me: and he sware to him. Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head.
6059. The Contents.
After spiritual good from the natural, which is “Israel,” has been conjoined with the internal celestial, which is “Joseph,” as described in the foregoing chapter, the subject treated of in the internal sense of this chapter is the insinuation of the truths of the church, which are in the natural, into memory-knowledge. The truths of the church which are in the natural are the sons of Jacob; general truth itself therein is “Jacob;” the memory-knowledge into which these truths are insinuated is “Pharaoh.”
6060. Afterward, memory-knowledges are treated of, how they were brought into order by the internal celestial which is “Joseph;” namely, that first the truths of memory-knowledges, then the truths of good and goods of truth, and at last the whole natural in respect to memory-knowledges, were brought under their general.
6061. Lastly is described the regeneration of spiritual good from the natural, which is “Israel.”
6062. The Internal Sense.
Verse 1. And Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold they are in the land of Goshen. “And Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said,” signifies the presence of the internal celestial in the natural where memory-knowledges are, and the consequent influx and perception; “My father and my brethren,” signifies spiritual good in the natural and the truths of the church there; “and their flocks, and their herds,” signifies the interior and exterior goods of truth; “and all that they have,” signifies whatever is thence derived; “have come out of the land of Canaan,” signifies that they are from the church; “and behold they are in the land of Goshen,” signifies that they are in the midst of the natural where are memory-knowledges.
6063. And Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said. That this signifies the presence of the internal celestial in the natural where memory-knowledges are, and the consequent influx and perception, is evident from the signification of “coming to” anyone, as being presence (see n. 5934); from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877); from the signification of “telling,” as being influx (n. 5966); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural and the memory-knowledge in general (n. 5799, 6015); and from the signification of “saying,” in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3509, 5687). Hence it is evident that by “Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said,” is signified the presence of the internal celestial in the natural where are memory-knowledges, and the consequent influx and perception.
[2] Frequent mention has already been made of the influx of the internal into the natural or external, and of the perception of the latter; and it has been shown that the natural subsists and lives by virtue of influx from the internal, that is, through the internal from the Lord. For without influx thence the natural has no life, because it is in the nature of this world, and from this derives all that it has; and the nature of this world is utterly devoid of life; and therefore in order that the natural with man may live, there must be influx from the Lord, not only immediate from Him, but also mediate through the spiritual world, consequently into man’s internal, for this is in the spiritual world; and then from this there must be influx into the natural, in order that this may live. The natural of man is formed to receive life therefrom. This then is what is meant by the influx of the internal celestial into the natural where memory-knowledges are. By virtue of influx from the internal there comes forth perception in the external or natural which is represented by Pharaoh; for influx and perception correspond to each other (n. 5743).
6064. My father and my brethren. That this signifies spiritual good in the natural, and the truths of the church there, is evident from the representation of Israel, who is here the “father,” as being spiritual good in the natural (see n. 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833); and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being the truths of the church in the natural (n. 5414, 5879, 5951). The influx and perception spoken of just above (n. 6063) have reference to these, namely, to spiritual good and the truths of the church in the natural.
6065. And their flocks, and their herds. That this signifies the interior and the exterior goods of truth, is evident from the signification of “flocks,” as being interior goods, and of “herds,” as being exterior goods (see n. 5913, 6048). The reason why the goods of truth are signified, is that spiritual good, which is represented by Israel, is the good of truth (n. 4598). The goods which are in heaven and with man are from a double origin, namely, from an origin in the will and from an origin in the understanding. In the good that originates in the will were the most ancient people who were of the celestial church, but in the good that originates in the understanding were the ancient people who were of the spiritual church. In the former good are they who are in the inmost or third heaven, but in the latter good are they who are in the middle or second heaven. What and of what nature is the difference has been frequently told in these explications. The good which originates in the will is the good from which is truth; but the good which originates in the understanding is the good which is from truth, or the good of truth. In itself this good is nothing else than truth in act.
6066. And all that they have, signifies whatever is thence derived (as above, n. 6046).
6067. Have come out of the land of Canaan. That this signifies that they are from the church, is evident from the signification of “coming out of any land,” as being to be from thence; and from the signification of the “land of Canaan,” as being the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens and the Lord’s kingdom on earth, which latter is the church (see n. 1607, 3038, 3481, 3686, 3705, 4447, 4454, 5136).
6068. And behold they are in the land of Goshen. That this signifies that they are in the midst of the natural where memory-knowledges are, is evident from the signification of “Goshen,” as being the midst or inmost in the natural (see n. 5910, 6028, 6031). As regards being in the midst of the natural, the case is this. When the goods and truths which are of the church, that is, which are from the Word of the Lord, have been acknowledged, and are received in the natural with faith, they then occupy the middle place there. For those things which are directly under the view are in the midst, but those things which are not directly under the view are at the sides. Hence those things which are in the midst appear clearly, but those which are at the sides appear obscurely. The case herein is the same as it is with the sight of the eye. Those things which are directly under the sight are in the midst, that is, in the center, and appear clearly; but those which are not directly under the sight are remote from the midst, that is, are at the sides, and appear obscurely. For the internal eye, which is the intellectual mind, and which has its sight from the light of heaven, views those things which are in the natural outside of itself, which are memory-knowledges, just as the external eye views objects or a field of objects outside of itself. The internal sight is determined to those things which afford the greatest delight and which are dear to the heart, and upon them it fixes a direct view, as also does the external sight to like things in its fields of objects. Thus the internal sight is determined to the memory-knowledges which are most in accord with the truth and good in which the man is; and then, with him, these memory-knowledges are in the midst. The reason why the internal sight looks at memory-knowledges, is that it is spiritual, and therefore is determined to spiritual things, thus to memory-knowledges, for these fall under the spiritual view.
6069. Verses 2-6. And from among his brethren he took five men, and set them before Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What are your works? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are a shepherd of the flock, both we and our fathers. And they said unto Pharaoh, To sojourn in the land have we come; for there is no pasture for thy servants’ flock; for the famine is grievous in the land of Canaan; and now I pray let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren have come unto thee; the land of Egypt before thee is it; in the best of the land make thy father and thy brethren dwell; let them dwell in the land of Goshen; and if thou knowest, and there be among them, men of activity, then set them as princes over my cattle. “And from among his brethren he took five men,” signifies from the truths of the church some; “and set them before Pharaoh,” signifies insinuation into memory-knowledges; “and Pharaoh said unto his brethren,” signifies a perception about the truths of the church in the natural; “What are your works?” signifies about services and uses; “and they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are a shepherd of the flock,” signifies that they lead to good; “both we and our fathers,” signifies that this is so from the ancients; “and they said unto Pharaoh,” signifies continuance of perception; “To sojourn in the land have we come,” signifies to seek life in memory-knowledges; “for there is no pasture for thy servants’ flock,” signifies that memory-knowledges are wanting in which are goods of truth; “for the famine is grievous in the land of Canaan,” signifies that there is a lack of such things in the church; “and now I pray let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen,” signifies that they may live in the midst of them; “and Pharaoh said unto Joseph, saying,” signifies perception in the natural where memory-knowledges are; “Thy father and thy brethren have come unto thee,” signifies with respect to the influx of the internal celestial into spiritual good from the natural, and into the truths of the church there; “the land of Egypt before thee is it,” signifies that the memory-knowledges of the natural mind are under the auspices of the internal celestial; “in the best of the land make thy father and thy brethren dwell,” signifies that they should live in the inmost of these; “let them dwell in the land of Goshen,” signifies where is the midst; “and if thou knowest, and there be among them, men of activity,” signifies the more excellent things in doctrine; “then set them as princes over my cattle,” signifies that they may be the primary things of memory-knowledges.
6070. And from among his brethren he took five men. That this signifies from the truths of the church some, is evident from the representation of the sons of Jacob, who here are the “brethren,” as being the truths of the church (see n. 5403, 5419, 5427, 5458, 5512); and from the signification of “five,” as being some (n. 4638, 5291).
6071. And set them before Pharaoh. That this signifies insinuation into memory-knowledges, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, as being memory-knowledge in general (see n. 5799, 6015). Insinuation is signified by “setting before him,” because the end in presenting them was to insinuate them, that is, the truths of the church, for these are the “sons of Jacob.” As regards truths, that they must be insinuated into the memory-knowledges of the church, see n. 6004, 6023, 6052; but as at this day this is a subject about which nothing is known, it must be illustrated further. At the present day the memory-knowledges of the church are those which belong to the literal sense of the Word. Unless truths from the internal sense are insinuated into these memory-knowledges, the mind can be drawn into every heresy; but when truths have been insinuated into them, the mind cannot be drawn into heresies.
[2] For example, he who has learned from the literal sense of the Word that God is angry, that He punishes, leads into temptations, casts into hell, and causes evil, may be drawn into false ideas about God, as that from good itself, which is God, can come forth evil, thus what is opposite to Him; when yet from good comes good, and from evil comes evil. But this memory-knowledge appears with quite another aspect if interior truths are insinuated into it, as for instance this truth: that it is the evil with man that causes him to be angry, that leads into temptations, punishes, casts into hell, and from itself is continually producing evils; and that this matter is circumstanced as are the laws in kingdoms, which laws are from the king, while the evils of penalty are not from the king, but from those who do evils.
[3] Then again this truth: that hells exist, the source of all evil, and that this is permitted because it is unavoidable for man’s sake, seeing that he is in evil and his life is thence derived, and therefore unless he is left in evil he cannot be in freedom, thus cannot be reformed. Nevertheless nothing but good comes from God, for insofar as man suffers it, God bends evil into good.
[4] Also this truth: that the most general things are to be believed first, and that they are afterward to be illustrated by individual truths; as for instance this general memory-knowledge: that all things which take place are from God, thus also the evils of penalty; but in what manner these are from God is to be learned afterward, and also the nature and origin of that which is done from permission.
[5] In like manner this truth: that all worship of God must needs begin with holy fear, within which is the thought that God will reward the good and punish the evil. The simple and little children must believe this, because they do not yet apprehend what permission is-even according to the Lord’s words, “Rather fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell” (Matt. 10:28); and when they begin by not daring through fear to do what is evil, there is gradually insinuated love together with good, and then they begin to know and perceive that nothing but good is from God, and that evil is from themselves, and at last that all evil is from hell.
[6] Moreover they who are in heaven perceive that nothing but good is from God; but they who are in hell say that all evil is from God, because He permits it, and does not remove it. But to those who are in the world of spirits it is said in reply, that if evil were taken away from them they would have no life, neither would a man who is in evil; and that the evil which is in them punishes itself according to law, and that by reason of the evils of penalty they at last abstain from doing evils; and also that the punishment of the evil is the protection of the good. Add to this that they who are in evil, and also they who are in external worship without internal, as were the Jews, must by all means be in fear of God, and believe that He punishes; for from fear of God they are able to do what is good, but in no wise from love.
[7] When these and many other truths are insinuated into the memory-knowledge above referred to, it appears in a very different aspect; for then this memory-knowledge becomes like a transparent vessel, in which the truths that shine through cause the vessel to be seen no otherwise than as one general truth.
6072. And Pharaoh said unto his brethren. That this signifies a perception about the truths of the church in the natural, is evident from the signification of “saying,” as being perception (of which above, n. 6063); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural and memory-knowledge in general (of which also above, n. 6063); and from the representation of the sons of Jacob, who here are the “brethren,” as being the truths of the church in the natural (of which above, n. 6064). From all this it is evident that by “Pharaoh said unto his brethren” is signified a perception of the natural about the truths of the church therein.
6073. What are your works? That this signifies about services and uses, is evident from the signification of “works,” as being goods (n. 6048), thus services and uses, for these are goods. All the goods which are called goods of charity are nothing but uses, and uses are nothing but works for the neighbor, for our country, for the church, for the Lord’s kingdom. Moreover regarded in itself charity itself does not become charity until it comes into act and becomes work. For to love anyone, and not do him good when we have the power, is not to love him; but to do him good when we have the power, and to do it from our hearts, this is to love him; and then all things of charity toward him are contained within the very deed or work; for a man’s works are the complex of all things of his charity and faith, and are what are called spiritual goods, and indeed become goods by exercise, that is, by means of uses.
[2] As the angels who are in heaven are in good from the Lord, they long for nothing more than to perform uses. These are the very delights of their life, and it is also according to uses that they enjoy bliss and happiness (see n. 453, 454, 696, 997, 3645), which likewise the Lord teaches in Matthew:
The Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then shall He render to everyone according to his works (Matt. 16:27);
by “works” here are not meant works such as they appear in the outward form, but such as they are in their inward form, namely, such as is the charity contained in them; the angels regard works in no other way.
[3] And because a man’s works are the complex of all things of his charity and faith, and the life causes charity to be charity and faith to be faith, thus good, therefore the Lord loved John more than the rest of His disciples, and he lay on His breast at supper (John 21:20); for by him were represented the goods or works of charity (see prefaces to Gen. 18 and 22); for which reason also the Lord said unto him, “Follow Me,” and not to Peter, by whom was represented faith (see the same prefaces). Wherefore faith, which is “Peter,” said with indignation, “Lord, what shall this man do? Jesus said unto him, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou Me” (John 21:21-23). By this was also foretold that faith would despise works, and yet that these are near the Lord, as may also be clearly seen from the Lord’s words to the sheep and to the goats (Matt. 25:34-46), wherein nothing but works are recounted. And that faith would reject the Lord is evident from the representation by Peter when he denied Him thrice; that he did this at night, signifies the last time of the church, when there is no longer any charity (see n. 6000); that he did it thrice signifies that this condition is then complete (n. 1825, 2788, 4495, 5159); that it was before the cock crew, signifies before newness of the church would arise, for the twilight and morning which follow the night signify the first of the church (n. 2405, 5962).
6074. And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are a shepherd of the flock. That this signifies that they lead to good, is evident from the signification of a “shepherd of the flock,” as being one who leads to good (see n. 6044), here the truths which lead to good, because the sons of Jacob denote the truths of the church.
6075. Both we and our fathers. That this signifies that this is so from the ancients, is evident from the signification of “fathers,” as being those who were of the ancient churches (see n. 6050). In many passages of the Word where the Jews and the Israelites are treated of, their fathers are mentioned with praise. They who abide in the sense of the letter understand by “fathers” in these passages no others than Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and also the sons of Jacob. But in the internal sense by “fathers” there, when spoken of in a good sense, are not meant these patriarchs, but they who were of the Most Ancient Church which was before the flood, and they who were of the Ancient Church which was after the flood. The men of both these churches were called “fathers” because from them the church had descended, and the things of the church had been derived.
[2] By “fathers” are meant those who were of the Ancient Churches, in Moses:
Jehovah had delight in thy fathers to love them, and He chose their seed after them (Deut. 10:15).
And again:
Remember the days of eternity, understand the years of generation and generation. When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of man, He set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. But when Jeshurun waxed fat, he forsook God, they sacrifice to demons, to gods that came from what is near, and that your fathers knew not (Deut. 32:7, 8, 15, 17).
This passage occurs in the prophetic song of Moses, in which the Ancient Church is treated of from verse seven to verse fifteen, and the posterity of Jacob from verse fifteen to verse forty-four. The state of the Most Ancient Church which was before the flood is signified by the “days of eternity;” and the state of the Ancient Church which was after the flood by the “years of generation and generation;” the state of their good by the “inheritance which the Most High gave to the nations;” and the state of their truth by the “Most High separating the sons of man, and setting the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel.” (That this number, or twelve, means all truths of faith in the complex, may be seen above, n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913.) From this it is plain that by “fathers” are signified those who were of the Ancient Churches. [3] In like manner in the following passages. In Isaiah:
Our house of holiness, and our ornament, where our fathers praised Thee, is become a burning of fire (Isa. 64:11).
In Jeremiah:
Did not thy father eat and drink? but he did judgment and justice; then it was well with him (Jer. 22:15).
Again:
They sinned to Jehovah, the habitation of justice, and the hope of their fathers, to Jehovah (Jer. 50:7).
In David:
We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, the work Thou didst in their days, in the days of antiquity (Ps. 44:1).
“Fathers” have the like signification in Daniel 11:24, 37, 38. That they who were of the Ancient Churches are meant by “fathers” in these passages, is not seen in the sense of the letter, but only from the internal sense, in which the church and its goods and truths are treated of. Moreover the church itself, being the heavenly marriage, that is, the marriage of good and truth, is called in the Word “father” as to good, and “mother” as to truth (n. 3703, 5581).
6076. And they said unto Pharaoh. That this signifies continuance of perception, is evident from the signification of “saying,” as being perception (see n. 6063); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural in general (as above). Continuance of perception by the natural is signified, because the expression “they said unto Pharaoh” was also used just above (n. 6074), and now here again.
6077. To sojourn in the land have we come. That this signifies to seek life in memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of “to sojourn,” as being to be instructed, and also to live (see n. 1463, 2025); thus “to come to sojourn” means to seek life; and from the signification of “land,” here the land of Egypt, as being where memory-knowledge is, thus as being memory-knowledge. (That “Egypt” denotes memory-knowledge has been frequently shown above.) In regard to the life of truth being in memory-knowledges, or to truths seeking their life in memory-knowledges, be it known that all things which are in the spiritual world, and hence all things which are in the natural world, seek something ulterior in which to be, and to act as cause in effect, to the end that they may continually be producing something. This ulterior thing is as it were a body, and that which seeks to be in it is as it were a soul. This effort ceases only in the ultimates of nature, where things inert have place. In the natural world this is seen in everything; and it is also seen in the spiritual world, in that good seeks to live in truths, and truths seek to live in memory-knowledges, and memory-knowledges in things of sense, and things of sense in the world.
[2] As to what specifically regards truths being in memory-knowledges, be it known that interior truths may indeed be insinuated into memory-knowledges, but the truths have no life therein until there is good in the memory-knowledges; for in good there is life, and in truths from good, and thus in memory-knowledges from good through truths. Then good is like a soul to truths, and through truths to memory-knowledges, which are like a body. In a word, charity toward the neighbor vivifies and animates faith, and through faith the memory-knowledges that belong to the natural mind.
[3] There are few at this day who know that truths and memory-knowledges are distinct from each other. The reason is that few are in the truths of faith from charity, and truths of faith in which there is not charity are nothing else than memory-knowledges, for they are in the memory exactly as are other things which are there. But when truths of faith are from charity, or when charity is in them, they then perceptibly distinguish themselves from memory-knowledges, and sometimes elevate themselves from them, and they then view the memory-knowledges as beneath them. This may be very clearly seen from the state of man after death. He can then think and speak rationally about the truths and goods of faith, and this with more perspicuity than in the life of the body, but he cannot recall any memory-knowledges from the memory, these being then with him as things forgotten and obliterated, although he has them all with him (see n. 2475-2486). From this it is evident that truths of faith, which in themselves are spiritual, and memory-knowledges, which in themselves are natural, are distinct from each other; and that truths of faith are elevated from memory-knowledges toward heaven by means of the affection of the good of charity.
6078. For there is no pasture for thy servants’ flock. That this signifies that memory-knowledges are wanting in which are the goods of truth, is evident from the signification of “pasture for a flock,” as being the memory-knowledges in which are goods of truth; thus “no pasture” is memory-knowledges in which there are no goods of truth. “Pasture” in the internal sense is that which sustains the spiritual life, and especially is it the truth of memory-knowledge, for the soul of man desires this as the body desires food. This truth nourishes, and therefore “to feed” denotes to be instructed (see n. 5201). That memory-knowledges and truths sustain the soul of man is very evident from man’s longing to know things, and also from the correspondence of food with memory-knowledges (n. 1480, 3114, 4792, 5147, 5293, 5340, 5342, 5576, 5579, 5915), which correspondence also shows itself in man when he is partaking of food, for if this is done while he is speaking and listening, the vessels which receive the chyle are opened, and he is more fully nourished than if he is alone. Spiritual truths and instructions in them would have the same effect with men if they were in the affection of good. That truths nourish the spiritual life is especially manifest with good spirits and with the angels in heaven, for both good spirits and angels have a constant longing to know things and to be wise; and when they lack this spiritual food they feel desolate, their life is languid, and they are hungry; and they are not restored and raised into the bliss of their life until their longing is satisfied. But in order that memory-knowledges may yield healthful nourishment to the soul, there must be in them life from the goods of truth. If there is no life from this source, the memory-knowledges do indeed sustain the man’s interior life, but only his natural life, and not his spiritual life.
[2] That “pasture” in the internal sense denotes that which sustains man’s spiritual life, is also evident from other passages in the Word; as in Isaiah:
I gave thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the land; to say to them that are bound, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Be ye revealed. They shall feed upon the ways; and on all hillsides shall be their pasture (Isa. 49:8, 9);
“to feed upon the ways” denotes to be instructed in truths (that “ways” are truths, see n. 627, 2333; and that “to feed” is to be instructed, n. 5201); “pasture on all hillsides” denotes to be sustained from good, for “hills,” like “mountains,” are the goods of love (n. 795, 796, 1430, 2722, 4210).
[3] In Jeremiah:
Woe to the shepherds that destroy and scatter the flock of My pasture
where “pasture” denotes such things as sustain spiritual life. Again:
The princes of Zion are become like harts; they have found no pasture (Lam. 1:6);
“they have found no pasture” denotes no truth of good.
[4] In Ezekiel:
I, even I, will search for My flock, I will feed them in a good pasture, and in the mountains of the height of Israel shall their fold be; thus shall they lie down in a good fold, and in fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel (Ezek. 34:11, 14);
where “good and fat pasture upon the mountains of Israel” denotes the goods of truth. Again:
Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures (Ezek. 34:18);
where the signification is similar. In Hosea:
I knew thee in the wilderness, in the land of drought. When they had their pasture, then were they sated; they were sated, and their heart was elated (Hos. 13:5, 6).
In Joel:
The beast groaneth, the herds of the ox are perplexed, because they have no pasture, yea, the flocks of small cattle are made desolate (Joel 1:18).
In David:
Jehovah is my shepherd; in pasture of herb He will make me lie down; to the waters of rest He will lead me; He will restore my soul (Ps. 23:13).
Again:
Jehovah hath made us, and not we ourselves; His people, and the flock of His pasture. [Or,] therefore we are His; His people, and the flock of His pasture (Ps. 100:3).
[5] “Pasture” in these passages denotes the truths in which man is instructed, here such things as regard spiritual life; for spiritual life is such that if this pasturage fails, it languishes and as it were pines away as does the body when it lacks food. That “pasture” denotes the good and truth which restore and sustain the soul or spirit of man, is clear from the Lord’s words in John:
I am the door; by Me if anyone enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture (John 10:9);
where “pasture” denotes the goods and truths which those have who acknowledge the Lord, and seek life from Him alone.
6079. For the famine is grievous in the land of Canaan. That this signifies that there is a lack of such things in the church, is evident from the signification of “famine,” as being a lack of good (see n. 5893); and from the signification of the “land of Canaan,” as being the church (of which above, n. 6067).
6080. And now I pray let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen. That this signifies that they may live in the midst of them, is evident from the signification of “dwelling,” as being to live (see n. 1293, 3384, 3613, 4451, 6051); and from the signification of the “land of Goshen,” as being the midst or inmost in the natural (n. 5910, 6028, 6031, 6068).
6081. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, saying. That this signifies perception in the natural where memory-knowledges are, is evident from the signification of “saying,” as being perception (of which often before); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural where is memory-knowledge (see n. 5799, 6015, 6063); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal, from which the natural has perception (n. 5469).
6082. Thy father and thy brethren have come unto thee. That this signifies with respect to the influx of the internal celestial into spiritual good from the natural, and into the truths of the church there, is evident from the representation of Israel, who is here the “father,” as being spiritual good from the natural (see n. 5801, 5803, 5807, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833); and from the representation of his sons, who are here the “brethren,” as being the truths of the church in the natural (n. 5414, 5879, 5951). That the influx of the internal celestial is signified, is because these things were said to Joseph, by whom is represented the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877), and influx into the natural or into the external comes from the internal.
6083. The land of Egypt, before thee is it. That this signifies that the memory-knowledges of the natural mind are under the auspices of the internal celestial, is evident from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind where memory-knowledges are (see n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301); and from the signification of “before thee,” as being under the auspices of the internal celestial, which is “Joseph” (n. 5869, 5877).
6084. In the best of the land make thy father and thy brethren dwell. That this signifies that they shall live in the inmost of these, namely, of memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of the “best of the land,” as being the inmost of the natural mind where memory-knowledges are (of which in what follows, for the “land of Egypt” is this mind; as just above, n. 6083); from the signification of “dwelling,” as being to live (n. 1293, 3384, 3613, 4451, 6051); and from the representation of Israel and his sons, who are here the “father and brethren” who shall live therein, as being spiritual good from the natural and the truths of the church there (see above, n. 6082).
[2] That the “best” denotes the inmost is because that is the best which is kept directly in view; for the eye is ever directed to that which most affects and delights; and that which is kept directly in view is also the inmost, because it is in the center, and is therefore before the eyes in the strongest light; while other things are round about in the circumference, and are therefore less clear, and at last obscure, because they do not delight and affect so much. This is the case with memory-knowledges before the internal sight, the objects of this sight being no other than memory-knowledges and truths. That which is delightful and good in the objects is what directs the sight toward them. But be it known that truths and the memory-knowledges which agree with them come directly under the view (that is, are in the inmost) with those who are delighted and affected with spiritual and celestial truths, for to them these truths are the best things; but falsities and the memory-knowledges which agree with them come directly under the view (that is, are in the inmost) with those whom the evils of love of self and of the world affect and delight. (See also what has been said above, n. 6068.)
6085. Let them dwell in the land of Goshen. That this signifies where the midst is, is evident from the signification of “dwelling,” as being to live (as just above, n. 6084); and from the signification of the “land of Goshen,” as being the midst or inmost in the natural (n. 5910, 6028, 6031, 6068).
6086. And if thou knowest, and there be among them, men of activity. That this signifies the more excellent things in doctrine, is evident from the signification of “men of activity,” as being things more excellent in doctrine, for “man” [vir] signifies one who is intelligent, and also truth (see n. 158, 265, 749, 1007, 3134, 4823), consequently doctrine; and “active” signifies excellent; for in the original tongue “activity” is expressed by a word that also signifies forces and valor, which in the internal sense are things which have power, and thus surpass in excellence.
6087. Then set them as princes over my cattle. That this signifies that they may be the primary things of memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of “princes,” as being primary things (see n. 1482, 2089, 5044); and from the signification of “cattle,” as being truths from which is good (n. 6016, 6045, 6049), here memory-knowledges in which these truths are, because it is said “over my cattle,” namely, Pharaoh’s, by whom are represented, not truths in which is good, but memory-knowledges in which are truths.
6088. Verses 7-10. And Joseph brought Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How many are the days of the years of thy life? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my sojournings are a hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojournings. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. “And Joseph brought Jacob his father,” signifies the presence of general truth from the internal; “and set him before Pharaoh,” signifies insinuation into what is general of memory-knowledges; “and Jacob blessed Pharaoh,” signifies a devout wish for conjunction, and the consequent fructification; “and Pharaoh said unto Jacob,” signifies perception in the natural where memory-knowledges are, concerning the general truth of the church; “How many are the days of the years of thy life?” signifies concerning the state of life of the natural from the spiritual; “and Jacob said unto Pharaoh,” signifies the answer; “The days of the years of my sojournings,” signifies concerning what is successive of life; “are a hundred and thirty years,” signifies the state and quality; “few and evil have been the days of the years of my life,” signifies that the state of life of the natural has been full of temptations; “and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers,” signifies that it has not been uplifted to the state of life of those who were before; “in the days of their sojournings,” signifies in respect to the state of their life; “and Jacob blessed Pharaoh,” signifies as before, a devout wish for conjunction and the consequent fructification; “and he went out from before Pharaoh,” signifies separation in respect to time.
6089. And Joseph brought Jacob his father. That this signifies the presence of general truth from the internal, is evident from the signification of “causing to come,” or “bringing,” as being to make present, and of “coming unto” anyone, as being presence (see n. 5934, 6063); and from the representation of Jacob, as being the doctrine of natural truth, and also natural truth (n. 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 4538), here truth in general, because his sons represent truths in particular. That it is from the internal, is because “Joseph” is the internal, from which is truth in the natural. General truth is called the “father” of Joseph, because general truth is insinuated with man first of all. This is afterward enriched with particular truths, and lastly there comes forth the view of them from the internal, that is, there come forth reason and understanding. This is very manifest in the case of man, for his judgment increases from infancy. It is the same with spiritual truths and goods, when a man is being born anew, or is being regenerated. But after the internal has come forth from general truth in the natural, the state is changed, and the internal no longer acknowledges truth in the natural as father, but as servant. That it becomes a servant is declared by Joseph’s dream about his father: that the sun and the moon and eleven stars made obeisance to him; wherefore his father said, “What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?” (Gen. 37:9, 10); and therefore also his father is so often called by his sons, in the presence of Joseph, his “servant” (Gen. 43:28; 44:24, 27, 30, 31); and moreover Joseph was lord in all the land of Egypt, thus also over his father.
6090. And set him before Pharaoh. That this signifies insinuation into what is general of memory-knowledges, is evident from the things unfolded above (n. 6071).
6091. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh. That this signifies a devout wish for conjunction and the consequent fructification, is evident from the signification of “to bless,” as here being a devout wish for conjunction, namely, of truth with memory-knowledge in the natural, for this conjunction is here treated of. “To bless” signifies many things: in the spiritual sense it involves all things that are good and also all that are prosperous; and from this it signifies to be gifted with the good of love and of charity (see n. 3185, 4981); and it also signifies conjunction (n. 3504, 3514, 3530, 3565, 3584); and likewise fructification from the affection of truth (n. 2846); also a devout wish for prosperity (n. 3185); here therefore a devout wish for that which is here treated of, namely, for conjunction, and thus for fructification. For fructification follows from conjunction, because when conjunction has been effected, good increases and truth is multiplied, for there is then a marriage of good and truth, from which such effects are produced. This cannot be effected before, except as from whoredom; but the good from this source is spurious, and also the truth, the good having regard to self, and the truth deriving its savor from this good.
6092. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob. That this signifies perception in the natural where memory-knowledges are, concerning the general truth of the church, is evident from the signification of “saying,” as being perception (of which above, see n. 6063); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural where memory-knowledges are (see n. 5799, 6015); and from the representation of Jacob, as being the general truth of the church (of which above, n. 6089).
6093. How many are the days of the years of thy life? That this signifies concerning the state of life of the natural from the spiritual, is evident from the signification of “days,” and also of “years,” as being states (see n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850); and from the signification of “life,” as being spiritual life (n. 5407, 5890), here spiritual life in the natural, that is, the natural from the spiritual.
6094. And Jacob said unto Pharaoh. That this signifies the answer, is evident without explication.
6095. The days of the years of my sojournings. That this signifies concerning what is successive of life, is evident from the signification of “days” and “years,” as being states (of which just above, n. 6093); and from the signification of “sojournings,” as being life and instruction (n. 1463, 2025, 3672), thus the successive state of life.
6096. Are a hundred and thirty years. That this signifies the state and quality, is evident from the fact that all numbers in the Word signify things (see n. 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4264, 4495, 4670, 5265), thus the state and quality of the thing which is being treated of. Wherefore this number specifically signifies the state and quality of the life which had appertained to Jacob hitherto, that is, the state and quality of the spiritual life which the natural at this time had from the spiritual.
6097. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life. That this signifies that the state of life of the natural has been full of temptations, is evident from the signification of “days” and “years,” as being states (as above, n. 6093, 6095); and from the signification of the “life of Jacob,” as being spiritual life in the natural (n. 6093). Temptations in this state are signified by the days having been “evil.” All temptations appear evil, for the reason that they are interior anxieties and griefs, and as it were damnations; for the man is then let into the state of his evils, consequently among evil spirits, who accuse him, and thus torment the conscience; nevertheless the angels defend him, that is, the Lord through angels, for the Lord keeps him in hope and trust, which are the forces of combat from within whereby he resists. Especially is the natural let into temptations when it is receiving the spiritual, because in the natural reside evils of life and falsities of doctrine. For this reason Jacob says this of himself, because by him is here represented the natural as to truth.
6098. And they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers. That this signifies that it has not been uplifted to the state of their life, is evident from the signification of “attaining to,” as here being to be uplifted (of which in what follows) and from the signification of “days” and of “years of life,” as being states of spiritual life (see n. 6093, 6095, 6097). That “attaining to” is here to be uplifted, is because his fathers Isaac and Abraham represented more uplifted, that is, more interior things, than he; for in the supreme sense Abraham represented the Lord’s Divine Itself, Isaac the Lord’s Divine rational, and Jacob His Divine natural. (That Abraham represented the Lord’s Divine Itself, see n. 1965, 1989, 2011, 3245, 3251, 3305, 3439, 3703, 4615; that Isaac represented the Divine rational, n. 1893, 2066, 2072, 2083, 2630, 2774, 3012, 3194, 3210, 4615; and that Jacob represented the Divine natural as to truth and as to good, n. 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3576, 3599, 4286, 4538, 4570, 4615.) Therefore also by Abraham is represented the celestial with man, by Isaac the spiritual, and by Jacob the natural, for the reason that the regeneration of man is an image of the glorification of the Lord (see n. 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490, 4402, 5688). From all this it is now plain that by the words “and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers” is signified that it has not been uplifted to the state of their life.
6099. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, signifies a devout wish for conjunction and the consequent fructification (as above, n. 6091).
6100. And he went out from before Pharaoh. That this signifies separation in respect to time, is evident from the signification of “going out,” as being to be separated, here to be separated in respect to time from the natural where memory-knowledges are, which are represented by Pharaoh. In regard to this, that by “going out” is signified separation in respect to time, the case is this. In the foregoing pages the subject treated of has been the conjunction of spiritual good from the natural, which is “Israel,” and also of the truths of the church in the natural, which are his “sons,” with the internal celestial, which is “Joseph;” but conjunction with the natural has not yet been treated of, but only insinuation. But in what now follows this conjunction is treated of, from verse thirteen to verse twenty-seven of this chapter (see the Contents, n. 6059, 6060). Hence it is that by “Jacob went out from before Pharaoh” is signified separation in respect to time.
6101. Verses 11, 12. And Joseph made his father and his brethren dwell, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. And Joseph sustained his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s house, with bread, according to the mouth of the babe. “And Joseph made his father and his brethren dwell,” signifies the life of spiritual good and of the truths of the church from the internal celestial; “and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land,” signifies in the inmost of the natural mind where memory-knowledges are; “in the land of Rameses,” signifies the inmost of the mind and its quality; “as Pharaoh had commanded,” signifies with the consent of the natural where memory-knowledges are; “and Joseph sustained his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s house, with bread,” signifies that from the internal celestial there was a continuous influx of good into spiritual good and the truths of the church in the natural, whence was their life; “according to the mouth of the babe,” signifies each according to the quality of the good of innocence.
6102. And Joseph made his father and his brethren dwell. That this signifies the life of spiritual good and of the truths of the church from the internal celestial, is evident from the signification of “to dwell,” as being life (n. 1293, 3384, 3613, 4451, 6051); from the representation of Israel, who is here the “father,” as being spiritual good from the natural (n. 5801, 5803, 5807, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833); from the representation of his sons, who are here the “brethren,” as being the truths of the church in the natural (n. 5414, 5879, 5951); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877). From all which it is evident that by the words “Joseph made his father and his brethren dwell” is signified the life of spiritual good and of the truths of the church from the internal celestial.
6103. And gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land. That this signifies in the inmost of the natural mind where memory-knowledges are, is evident from the signification of a “possession,” as being the residence of the spiritual life (see n. 2658); from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind where memory-knowledges are (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301); and from the signification of “the best of the land,” as being the inmost (of which above, see n. 6084). Hence it is plain that by the words “and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land” is signified the residence of spiritual life in the inmost of the natural mind where memory-knowledges are.
6104. In the land of Rameses. That this signifies the inmost of the mind and its quality, is evident from the fact that all the names in the Word, both of persons and of places, signify things (see n. 1888, 3422, 4298, 4442, 5095, 5225); and as the “land of Goshen” denotes the inmost of the natural mind (n. 5910, 6028, 6031, 6068), therefore “Rameses,” which was the best tract of land in the land of Goshen, denotes the inmost of what is spiritual in the natural mind. But the nature of this inmost can scarcely be comprehended by man, for it contains innumerable and also ineffable things, which can only be seen in the light of heaven, thus by angels; as is the case with the rest of the names, of both places and persons, which occur in the word.
6105. As Pharaoh had commanded. That this signifies with the consent of the natural where memory-knowledges are, is evident from the signification of “commanding,” as being influx (see n. 5486, 5732), but here consent, because the natural which is represented by Pharaoh has all that belongs to it by influx from the internal; and therefore that which the natural commands, does indeed appear like a command from it, but it is really from the internal; thus it is consent. Relatively to the internal, man’s natural is almost like his speech relatively to his thought; for it appears as if the speech of man commands or gives orders, but it is the thought.
6106. And Joseph sustained his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s house, with bread. That this signifies that from the internal celestial there was a continuous influx of good into spiritual good and the truths of the church in the natural, whence was their life, is evident from the signification of “sustaining with bread,” as being the influx of good; for “to sustain” here denotes to continually flow in, whence man has spiritual life, and “bread” is the good of love (see n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976, 5915); from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877); from the representation of Israel, who is here the “father,” as being spiritual good from the natural; from the representation of his sons, who are here the “brethren,” as being the truths of the church in the natural (of which above, n. 6102); and from the signification of “all his father’s house,” as being all in one complex that is of spiritual good and from this good. Hence it is plain that by “Joseph sustained his father, and his brethren, and all his father’s house, with bread,” is signified the continuous influx of the good of love from the internal celestial into spiritual good and the truths of the church in the natural, and into all things that are of spiritual good and from it.
6107. According to the mouth of the babe. That this signifies each according to the quality of the good of innocence, is evident from the signification of “according to the mouth,” as being each, and according to quality; and from the signification of “babe,” as being the good of innocence (see n. 430, 2126, 3183, 5608). In regard to influx from the internal celestial into spiritual good and into the truths of the church in the natural according to the quality of the good of innocence, the case is this. Innocence is that from the inmost which qualifies all the good of charity and of love. For the Lord flows in through innocence into charity, and in proportion to the innocence, such is the reception of charity; for innocence is the very essential of charity (n. 2780, 3111, 3183, 3994, 4797, 6013). The nature of innocence may be seen as in a mirror from little children, in that they love their parents and trust in them alone, having no care but to please them; and accordingly they have food and clothing not merely for their needs, but also for their delight; and as they love their parents, they do with the delight of affection whatever is agreeable to them, thus not only what they command, but also what they suppose them to wish to command, and moreover have no self-regard whatever; not to mention many other characteristics of infancy. But be it known that the innocence of little children is not innocence, but only its semblance. Real innocence dwells solely in wisdom (n. 2305, 2306, 3494, 4797), and wisdom consists in bearing oneself toward the Lord, from the good of love and of faith, as do little children toward their parents in the way just stated.
6108. Verses 13-26. And there was no bread in all the land, because the famine was very grievous, and the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan labored by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered together all the silver that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the produce which they bought; and Joseph brought the silver into Pharaoh’s house. And when the silver was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all Egypt came unto Joseph, saying, Give us bread; for why should we die beside thee because the silver faileth? And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if silver fail. And they brought their cattle unto Joseph; and Joseph gave them bread [in exchange] for the horses, and for the cattle of the flock, and for the cattle of the herd, and for the asses; and he provided them with bread [in exchange] for all their cattle in this year. And when this year was ended, they came unto him in the second year, and said to him, We will not hide from my lord how that the silver is spent; and the cattle of the beast is to my lord; there is naught left before my lord, besides our body, and our ground: wherefore should we die before thine eyes, both we and our ground? buy us and our ground for bread, and we shall live, and our ground, servants to Pharaoh; and give seed, that we may live, and not die, and the ground be not laid waste. And Joseph bought all the ground of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold everyone his field, because the famine grew strong upon them; and the land was Pharaoh’s.
And as for the people, he removed it to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end thereof. Only the ground of the priests bought he not; because a portion was appointed for the priests by Pharaoh, and they ate their appointed portion which Pharaoh had given them; wherefore they sold not their ground. And Joseph said unto the people, Behold I have bought you this day and your ground for Pharaoh; lo here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the ground. And it shall be in the ingatherings that ye shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts shall be for you, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them in your houses, and for food for your babes. And they said, Thou hast made us live; let us find grace in the eyes of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants. And Joseph made it a statute even unto this day, concerning the ground of Egypt, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; only the ground of the priests, only theirs, was not Pharaoh’s. “And there was no bread in all the land,” signifies that good no longer appeared; “because
the famine was very grievous,” signifies desolation; “and the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan labored by reason of the famine,” signifies that this was in the natural and within the church; “and Joseph gathered together all the silver,” signifies all true and adaptable memory-knowledge; “that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan,” signifies that was in the natural and in the church; “for the produce which they bought,” signifies that thereby they were sustained; “and Joseph brought the silver into Pharaoh’s house,” signifies that it was all brought into relation to what is general in the natural; “and when the silver was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan,” signifies that on account of the desolation, true and adaptable memory-knowledge was no longer to be seen in the natural and within the church; “all Egypt came unto Joseph,” signifies application to the internal; “saying, Give us bread,” signifies an entreaty concerning the sustenance of the spiritual life; “for why should we die beside thee because silver faileth?” signifies that otherwise by reason of the lack of truth there would be spiritual death; “and Joseph said,” signifies the internal from which is the answer; “Give your cattle, and I will give you [in exchange] for your cattle,” signifies that they should bring forward the goods of truth, and they would be sustained; “if silver fail,” signifies if truth is no longer visible to them; “and they brought their cattle unto Joseph,” signifies the goods of truth, that they were brought forward; “and Joseph gave them bread,” signifies sustenance in respect to the spiritual life; “[in exchange] for the horses,” signifies memory-knowledges from the intellectual; “and for the cattle of the flock, and for the cattle of the herd,” signifies interior and exterior goods of truth; “and for the asses,” signifies things of service; “and he provided them with bread [in exchange] for all their cattle,” signifies sustenance through the influx of good from the internal; “in this year,” signifies the period of this state; “and when this year was ended,” signifies desolation after the period of this state; “they came unto him in the second year,” signifies the beginning of the following state; “and said to him, We will not hide from my lord,” signifies a perception that it was known to the internal; “how that the silver is spent,” signifies truth not visible on account of the desolation; “and the cattle of the beast is to my lord,” signifies the good of truth in like manner; “there is nought left before my lord, besides our body and our ground,” signifies that the receptacles of good and truth were completely desolated; “wherefore should we die before thine eyes, both we and our ground?” signifies that if they should be desolated there would no longer be spiritual life under the internal; “buy us and our ground for bread,” signifies the appropriation of both receptacles, that they may be sustained with good; “and we shall live, and our ground, servants to Pharaoh,” signifies total submission; “and give seed,” signifies in this way an influx of the good of charity and of the truth of faith; “that we may live and not die,” signifies spiritual life from this source, and no longer any fear of damnation; “and the ground be not laid waste,” signifies that the mind must be cultivated with the memory-knowledges of the church; “and Joseph bought all the ground of Egypt for Pharaoh,” signifies that the internal appropriated to itself the whole natural mind where memory-knowledges are, and placed it under general auspices; “for the Egyptians sold every one his field,” signifies the renunciation and subjection of all things which are of service to the church; “because the famine grew strong upon them,” signifies because there was desolation even to despair; “and the land was Pharaoh’s,” signifies that all things were subjected to the natural that was under the auspices of the internal; “and as for the people he removed it to the cities,” signifies that truths of memory-knowledge were referred to doctrinal things; “from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end thereof,” signifies extension through the whole natural where memory-knowledges are; “only the ground of the priests bought he not,” signifies that the internal procured for itself from the natural capacities to receive good, because these are from itself; “because a portion was appointed for the priests by Pharaoh,” signifies that it was set in order by the natural that was under the auspices of the internal; “and they ate their appointed portion which Pharaoh had given them,” signifies that goods did not appropriate to themselves more than was according to the setting in order; “wherefore they sold not their ground,” signifies that for this reason they had no need to renounce and submit them; “and Joseph said unto the people,” signifies the influx of the internal into the truths of memory-knowledge; “Behold I have bought you this day and your ground for Pharaoh,” signifies that it procured these for itself, and made them subject to the general in the natural that was under the auspices of the internal; “lo here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the ground,” signifies the good of charity and the truth of faith that were to be implanted; “and it shall be in the ingatherings,” signifies the fruits thence derived; “that ye shall give a fifth to Pharaoh,” signifies remains, that these are for the general in the natural that is under the auspices of the internal; “and four parts shall be for you,” signifies those things which were not yet remains; “for seed of the field,” signifies for the nourishment of the mind; “and for your food, and for them in your houses,” signifies that thereby the good of truth may be in each and all things; “and for food for your babes,” signifies in those things which are of innocence; “and they said, Thou hast made us live,” signifies spiritual life in no other manner and from no other source; “let us find grace in the eyes of my lord,” signifies the will that in this way they be made subject, and humiliation; “and we will be Pharaoh’s servants,” signifies that they renounce their own, and submit to the natural that is under the auspices of the internal; “and Joseph made it a statute,” signifies what is concluded from consent; “even unto this day,” signifies eternally; “concerning the ground of Egypt, that Pharaoh should have the fifth,” signifies remains, as before; “only the ground of the priests, only theirs, was not Pharaoh’s,” signifies capacities to receive good, that these are immediately from the internal.
6109. And there was no bread in all the land. That this signifies that good no longer appeared, is evident from the signification of “bread,” as being the good of love and of charity (of which just above, n. 6106); and from the signification of there “being none in all the land,” as being that it no longer appeared. In what now follows, the internal celestial is treated of, that it reduced all things in the natural into order under a general principle, to the end that there might be effected a conjunction of memory-knowledges with the truths of the church, and through these truths with spiritual good, and through this good with the internal celestial. But as the reduction of memory-knowledges into order under a general principle cannot be effected otherwise than through vastations of good and desolations of truth, and, soon afterward, through the giving of sustenance; therefore in what now follows, all these things are treated of in the internal sense. But for many reasons these things rarely take place with a man during his life in this world; whereas in the other life they take place with all who are being regenerated. And as they do not take place with man in this world, it is no wonder if they appear to him as things unknown, and seem to him like secret things never before heard of.
6110. Because the famine was very grievous. That this signifies desolation, is evident from the signification of “famine,” as being a lack of good and of knowledges (see n. 1460, 3364, 5277, 5279, 5281, 5300, 5579, 5893); thus a “very grievous famine” denotes desolation (n. 5360, 5376, 5415, 5576). With regard to desolation, be it known that truths and goods and the knowledges thereof make the spiritual life of those who are in heaven, for these are the celestial and spiritual foods with which they are nourished. These foods are given them daily by the Lord. When it is morning with them, goods are supplied; when it is noon, truths are supplied; but when it is evening, goods and truths are lacking, and this even unto twilight and the return of morning. The angels are then kept in a state of appetite, which is of such a nature that they long for these things more than those who are hungry on earth long for food. This state is signified by “famine,” and it is a kind of desolation, but not such as exists with those who are in the lower earth (n. 698, 699, 1106-1113).
[2] Scarcely anyone in this world can believe that the angelic heaven has such an appetite for truths and goods and the knowledges of these; for they who are intent on nothing else than gain and glory and indulgence in pleasures, will wonder that such things are a matter of life to the angels, and will say, “What are knowledges of good and of truth to me? what have these to do with life? The things which give life and the delight of life are riches, honors, and pleasures.” But be it known to them that the life which is from these things is the life of the body, and not the life of the soul, and that the former life perishes with the body, but the latter remains to eternity; and that they consult their own evil who during their abode in this world think nothing about the spiritual life.
[3] As further regards desolation, it is for the sake of inducing appetite, for goods and truths are received in accordance with this; and when the desires excited by appetite are obtained, they cause satisfaction and happiness. Wherefore in the other life they who are in desolation are soon afterward refreshed, and attain their desires. By means of such alternations are all made perfect. It is worthy of note that the alternations of the day in the natural world-morning, midday, evening, night, and again morning-perfectly represent the alternations in the spiritual world, with only this difference: that the alternations of the spiritual world flow into the understanding and the will, and sustain those things which are of the life; while the alternations in the natural world flow into those things which are of the body, and sustain them.
[4] What is still more worthy of note is that the shades of evening and the darkness of night do not come from the Lord, but from things that belong to angels, spirits, and men. For the Lord as a Sun is continually shining and flowing in, but evils and falsities from what is one’s own, being in men, spirits, and angels, turn and convert them from the Lord, and thus lead them into the shades of evening, and those who are evil into the darkness of night; in like manner as the sun of our world is continually shining and inflowing, but the earth by its rotation turns itself away from it, and brings itself into shade and darkness.
[5] The reason why these alternations take place in the natural world is that the natural world comes forth from the spiritual world, and therefore also subsists from it; and hence it is that universal nature is a theater representative of the Lord’s kingdom (see n. 3483, 4939). The reason why these alternations exist in the spiritual world is that all who are in heaven may be continually perfected. From this there are such alternations also in the natural world, for otherwise all things therein would perish with drought.
[6] Yet be it known that in heaven there is no night, but only evening, which is succeeded by the twilight that precedes the morning. But in hell there is night. There are alternations there also, but these are opposite to the alternations in heaven; for in hell morning is the heat of cupidities, noon is the itching of falsities, evening is anxiety, and night is torment. Yet through all these alternations the night dominates, and it is only the variations of shade and of the darkness of night that present these alternations.
[7] Be it further known that in the spiritual world the alternations with one person are not like those with another; and also that the alternations there are not distinguished into stated times, because it is the variations of state that present them to view; for in place of times in the natural world there are states in the spiritual world (n. 1274, 1382, 2625, 2788, 2837, 3254, 3356, 4814, 4882, 4901, 4916).
6111. And the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan labored by reason of the famine. That this signifies that this was in the natural where memory-knowledges are, and within the church, is evident from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind where memory-knowledges are (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301); from the signification of the “land of Canaan,” as being the church (of which above, see n. 6067); and from the signification of “famine,” as being desolation (as just above, n. 6110). Hence it is evident that by the words “the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan labored by reason of the famine” is signified that there was desolation in the natural where memory-knowledges are, and within the church.
6112. And Joseph gathered together all the silver. That this signifies all true and adaptable memory-knowledge, is evident from the signification of “gathering together,” as being to bring together into a one; from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (of which often above); and from the signification of “silver,” as being truth (see n. 1551, 2954, 5658), but here true and adaptable memory-knowledge, for it is said of the silver in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, as presently follows. Hence it is that by “Joseph gathered together all the silver” is signified that the internal celestial brought together into a one all the true and adaptable memory-knowledge. A memory-knowledge is said to be true and adaptable that has not been darkened by fallacies, which, so long as they cannot be dispelled, render the memory-knowledge unadaptable; and so also is a memory-knowledge which has not become perverted by applications to falsities and to evils by others or by oneself, for when these have once been impressed on any memory-knowledge, they remain. Therefore all memory-knowledge that is free from such vitiations, is true and adaptable memory-knowledge.
6113. That was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan. That this signifies that was in the natural and in the church, is evident from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural where memory-knowledges are (of which above, n. 6111); and from the signification of the “land of Canaan,” as being the church (of which also above, n. 6067). By the church is here meant that which is of the church with man, for man is a church when he is in good and truth, and an assemblage of such men makes the church in general.
6114. For the produce which they bought. That this signifies that thereby they were sustained, is evident from the signification of “produce,” as being the truth of the church (n. 5402); and from the signification of “buying,” as being to appropriate (see n. 4397, 5374, 5397, 5406, 5410, 5426). Thus the signification is, to be sustained, for the subject treated of is the spiritual food which is signified by “produce,” which food when appropriated sustains the spiritual life.
6115. And Joseph brought the silver into Pharaoh’s house. That this signifies that it was all brought into relation to what is general in the natural, is evident from the signification of “bringing into,” as being to bring into relation and to introduce; from the signification of “silver,” as being true and adaptable memory-knowledge (see n. 6112); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural in general (see n. 5160, 5799, 6015); thus the “house of Pharaoh” is what is general in the natural, because it is everything therein in the complex.
[2] In regard to true and adaptable memory-knowledges being brought into relation to what is general, be it known that in order to be anything, all memory-knowledges and also all truths whatsoever, must be brought into relation to their generals, and must be placed and contained in and under a general, as otherwise they are at once dissipated. For in order that memory-knowledges and truths may be anything, they must be brought into a form in which they shall mutually regard each other, which cannot be effected unless they are consociated under a general; and therefore it is this general which holds them together in form, and causes that each constituent therein may have its own quality. The general itself, together with other generals, must also be brought into relation under things more general; and the more general things again, under the most general; for otherwise the general things, and likewise the more general things, would be dissipated.
[3] The most general universal, by virtue of which all things are held together, is the Lord Himself, and that which holds together is the Divine truth proceeding from Him. The more general things are the general societies in the spiritual world, into which the Divine truth flows and distinguishes them in kind from one another. The general things are the societies less general under each more general society. The more general societies are those to which the members, organs, and viscera in man correspond, which by a wonderful connection are in such a form that they mutually regard each other, and thus mutually hold each other together, and also present themselves as a one. In man, the most general universal, which holds the single things together, is the soul; thus also it is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, for this is continually flowing in and causing the soul to be such as it is.
[4] The Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is what is called the “Word through which all things were created” (John 1:1-3), or through which all things have come into existence, consequently through which all things subsist. That all things in the universal natural world are under a general, and each thing under its own general; and that otherwise they cannot subsist, will be plainly discerned by him who is willing to pay attention to the things in nature.
6116. And when the silver was all spent in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan. That this signifies that on account of the desolation, true and adaptable memory-knowledge was no longer to be seen in the natural and within the church, is evident from the signification of “being all spent,” as being to be no longer visible; from the signification of “silver,” as being true and adaptable memory-knowledge (of which above, n. 6112); from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural where memory-knowledges are (of which above, n. 6111); and from the signification of the “land of Canaan,” as being the church (of which also above, n. 6067). That it was on account of the desolation, is evident from what goes before (n. 6110).
6117. And all Egypt came unto Joseph. That this signifies application to the internal, is evident from the signification of “coming unto him,” as being to be applied; from the signification of “Egypt,” as being knowledge (of which above); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal (of which also above). That all the memory-knowledge in the natural was under the auspices of the internal, is signified by Joseph’s being ruler over all the land of Egypt. But the conjunction of the truths of the church with the memory-knowledges in the natural is what is now described in the internal sense.
6118. Saying, Give us bread. That this signifies an entreaty concerning the support of the spiritual life, is evident from the signification of “giving,” when predicated of bread, as being to sustain; and from the signification of “bread,” as being spiritual life. For by “bread” is specifically signified the good of love and of charity, but in general spiritual life, for in this case by “bread” is meant all food (as shown above, see n. 2165); and when all food in general is meant, spiritual life is meant, for in the spiritual sense food in general is all the good of love and also all the truth of faith, and these two are what make spiritual life.
6119. For why should we die beside thee because the silver faileth? That this signifies that otherwise by reason of the lack of truth there would be spiritual death, is evident from the signification of “dying,” as being spiritual death (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “silver failing,” as being a lack of truth (that “silver” denotes true and adaptable memory-knowledge may be seen above, n. 6112). In regard to the fact that there is spiritual death when there is a lack of truth, the case is this. Spiritual life consists in activities according to truths, consequently in uses; for they who are in spiritual life have an appetite and a longing for truths with a view to life, that is, that they may live according to them, thus with a view to uses. So far therefore as they are able to receive truths in accordance with which uses may be done, so far they are in spiritual life, because so far they are in the light of intelligence and of wisdom. When therefore truths fail, as is the case when a state of shade comes, which is signified in the Word by “evening” (n. 6110), the spiritual life labors; for such things present themselves as belong to shade, that is, to spiritual death; for in this case they are not as before kept in the light, but are in part let back into their own; and hence there arises from the shade an image of spiritual death, that is, of damnation.
[2] That by “death” is signified spiritual death, or damnation, is evident from very many passages in the Word, of which it will suffice to adduce the following. In Isaiah:
In righteousness He shall judge the poor, and reprove with rectitude the wretched of the earth. But He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He cause the wicked to die (Isa. 11:4);
speaking of the Lord. The “rod of His mouth,” and the “breath of His lips,” denote the Divine truth from which is judgment; “to die” denotes to be damned. Again:
He will swallow up death eternally; and the Lord Jehovih will wipe away the tear from upon all faces (Isa. 25:8).
Again:
The dead shall not live; the Rephaim shall not rise; because Thou hast visited, Thou hast extinguished them (Isa. 26:14).
Again:
Thy dead shall live, my carcass, they shall arise (Isa. 26:19).
Again:
Ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell have we made a vision; your covenant with death shall be abolished, and your vision with hell shall not stand (Isa. 28:15, 18).
[3] In Jeremiah:
Ye wait for the light, but He turns it into the shadow of death, He makes it thick darkness (Jer. 13:16).
In Ezekiel:
Ye have profaned Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to make the souls live that should not live (Ezek. 13:19).
In Hosea:
I will redeem them from the hand of hell; from death I will deliver them; O death, I will be thy pests; O hell, I will be thy destruction (Hos. 13:14).
In David:
Thou liftest me up from the gates of death (Ps. 9:13).
Again:
Enlighten mine eyes, lest perchance I sleep death (Ps. 13:3).
Again:
The cords of death compassed me, and the cords of hell (Ps. 18:4, 5).
Again:
They shall be set as a flock in hell; death shall pasture them (Ps. 49:14).
In John:
I have the keys of hell and of death (Rev. 1:18).
Again:
He that overcometh shall not be hurt in the second death (Rev. 2:11).
[4] Again:
I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, but thou art dead. Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which are ready to die (Rev. 3:1, 2).
In Matthew:
The people that sitteth in darkness saw a great light; and to them that sit in the region and shadow of death, to them light hath arisen (Matt. 4:16).
In John:
He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, shall have eternal life, and shall not come into judgment, but hath passed from death unto life (John 5:24).
Again:
I go away, and ye shall seek Me, but ye shall die in your sin. I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins; for unless ye believe that I am, ye shall die in your sins. If anyone shall keep My word, he shall never see death (John 8:21, 24, 51, 52).
As “death” signified damnation, the people of the representative church were forbidden to touch the dead, and if they touched they were unclean, and were to be cleansed (Ezek. 44:25; Lev. 15:31; 21:1, 2; 22:8; Num. 6:6-12; 19:11 to the end).
6120. And Joseph said. That this signifies the internal from which is the answer, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal (of which above); that it signifies the answer is evident.
6121. Give your cattle; and I will give you [in exchange] for your cattle. That this signifies that they should bring forward the goods of truth and they would be sustained, is evident from the signification of “cattle,” as being the goods of truth (n. 6016, 6045); and from the signification of “giving [in exchange] for them,” namely, bread, as being the sustenance of the spiritual life (of which above, see n. 6118).
6122. If silver fail. That this signifies if truth is no longer visible to them, is evident from the signification of “silver failing,” as being a lack of truth, thus that truth is no longer visible (of which above, n. 6116, 6119). Truth is said to be not visible, because in a state of desolation truth appears as if it had fled away. Yet it is present, for all the truth and good which have at any time been given by the Lord to man, spirit, and angel, remain, and nothing of them is taken away; but in a state of desolation they are obscured by what is their own, so as not to appear; but when a state of light returns, they become present and visible. From this it is plain what is meant by truth not being visible.
6123. And they brought their cattle unto Joseph. That this signifies the goods of truth, that they were brought forward, is evident from the signification of “bringing,” as being to be brought forward; and from the signification of “cattle,” as being the goods of truth (see n. 6016, 6045).
6124. And Joseph gave them bread. That this signifies sustenance in regard to the spiritual life, is evident from the signification of “giving bread,” as being the sustenance of the spiritual life (of which above, n. 6118).
6125. [In exchange] for the horses. That this signifies memory-knowledges from the intellectual, is evident from the signification of “horses,” as being things intellectual (n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321); and because they are predicated of Egypt, by which are signified memory-knowledges, “horses” here denote memory-knowledges from the intellectual. It is here necessary to state what these memory-knowledges from the intellectual are. Man has an intellectual, and he has a will, and this not only in his internal man, but also in his external. The intellectual in a man grows and increases from his infancy to his maturity, and consists in viewing things from what belongs to experience and to memory-knowledge; and also in viewing causes from effects; and in viewing consequences in connection with their causes. Thus the intellectual consists in the comprehension and perception of such things as are of civic and moral life. It comes into existence from the influx of light from heaven; and therefore every man can be perfected in respect to the intellectual. The intellectual is given to everyone according to his application, according to his life, and according to his nature; nor is it lacking in anyone, provided he is of sound mind. It is given to man to the end that he may be in freedom and in choice, that is, in the freedom of choosing good or evil. Unless man has such an intellectual as has been described, he cannot do this of himself, thus neither could anything be appropriated to him.
[2] Be it known further, that it is man’s intellectual which receives what is spiritual, so as to be a recipient of spiritual truth and good. For nothing of good, that is, of charity, and nothing of truth, that is, of faith, can be insinuated into anyone who has not an intellectual, but they are insinuated according to his intellectual; and therefore also man is not regenerated by the Lord until in adult age and possessed of an intellectual, before which period the good of love and truth of faith fall as seed into ground that is quite barren. But when a man has been regenerated, his intellectual performs the use of seeing and perceiving what is good, and thereby what is true; for the intellectual carries over those things which are of the light of heaven into those which are of the light of nature, whereby the former appear in the latter as do the interior affections of man in a face free from pretence; and as the intellectual performs this use, therefore in the Word, in many passages where the spiritual of the church is treated of, its intellectual also is treated of, as of the Lord’s Divine mercy shall be shown elsewhere.
[3] From all this it is now evident what is meant by memory-knowledges from the intellectual, namely, that they are memory-knowledges which confirm those things that a man intellectually apprehends and perceives, whether these are evil or good. These memory-knowledges are signified in the Word by “horses from Egypt;” as in Isaiah:
Woe to them that go down into Egypt for help, and lean on horses; and trust on the chariot, because they are many, and upon the horsemen, because they are very strong; and they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, and seek not Jehovah. For Egypt is man, and not God; and his horses flesh, and not spirit (Isa. 31:1, 3);
where “horses from Egypt” denote memory-knowledges from a perverted intellectual.
[4] In Ezekiel:
He rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that it might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth this? (Ezek. 17:15);
where also “horses from Egypt” denote memory-knowledges from a perverted intellectual, which are consulted in matters of faith, while the Word, that is, the Lord, is not believed except from these; thus it is not believed at all, for denial reigns in a perverted intellectual.
[5] That such memory-knowledges were destroyed is represented by the horses and chariots of Pharaoh being drowned in the sea Suph; and because these knowledges are signified by “horses,” and false doctrinal things by “chariots,” therefore “horses and chariots” are so often mentioned in the Word (see Exod. 14:17, 18, 23, 26, 28; and thereafter in the Song of Moses and Miriam):
The horse of Pharaoh went in, and also his chariot, and also his horsemen, into the sea; but Jehovah caused the waters of the sea to return upon them. Sing ye to Jehovah, for exalting He hath exalted Himself; the horse and his rider hath He cast into the sea (Exod. 15:19, 21).
[6] Similar memory-knowledges are also signified by what was prescribed in Moses for the king over Israel:
If they desire a king, a king from the midst of the brethren shall be set over them; only he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor bring back the people into Egypt in order that he may multiply horses (Deut. 17:15, 16);
a king represented the Lord as to Divine truth (n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4789, 4966, 5044, 5068), thus as to intelligence, for this when genuine is from Divine truth. That intelligence ought to be procured by means of the Word, which is Divine truth, and not by means of memory-knowledges from one’s own intellectual, is signified by the injunction that the king “should not multiply horses, and should not bring back the people into Egypt in order that he may multiply horses.”
6126. And for the cattle of the flock, and for the cattle of the herd. That this signifies the interior and exterior goods of truth, is evident from the signification of “flock,” as being interior goods, and from the signification of “herd,” as being exterior goods (see n. 5913); and as it is the goods of truth that are signified, it is said “cattle of the flock, and cattle of the herd,” “cattle” being the good of truth (see n. 6016, 6045, 6049).
6127. And for the asses. That this signifies things of service, is evident from the signification of “asses,” as being things of service (see n. 5958, 5959).
Emanuel Swedenborg · Clowes / Potts English edition · Source edition · German edition.