&5728. The Contents
The subject treated of in this chapter in the internal sense is the intermediate between the internal celestial man and the external natural man; and first that the internal celestial man filled the intermediate with spiritual truth from itself. The intermediate is "Benjamin," the spiritual truth with it is "Joseph's silver cup," the internal celestial man is "Joseph," and the external natural man is the "ten sons of Jacob."

&5729. The subject next treated of is the temptation of the external natural man, which continues until there is willing submission to the internal celestial. The temptation is described by their being accused, and by their returning in despair to Joseph. The willing submission is described by their all offering themselves for servants, and Judah's offering himself in their stead. The conjunction of the external man with the internal is not accomplished without temptation and willing submission.

&5730. In the representative historic sense the subject here treated of is Jacob's descendants, that they were rejected, but that they obstinately insisted on being representative. Their being rejected is meant by Joseph's desiring to send them away, and to keep Benjamin only; their obstinately insisting is involved in the particulars of their confession and entreaty.

&5731. The Internal Sense
Verses 1, 2. And he commanded him that was over his house, saying, Fill the men's bags with food, as much as they can carry, and put everyone's silver in his bag's mouth. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the bag's mouth of the youngest, and his grain silver. And he did according to the word of Joseph that he had spoken. "And he commanded him that was over his house, saying," signifies influx from himself; "Fill the men's bags with food," signifies into the natural with the good of truth; "as much as they can carry," signifies to sufficiency; "and put everyone's silver in his bag's mouth," signifies together with truth anew in the exterior natural; "and put my cup, the silver cup, in the bag's mouth of the youngest," signifies interior truth bestowed on the intermediate; "and his grain silver," signifies the truth of good; "and he did according to the word of Joseph that he had spoken," signifies that it was so done.

&5732. And he commanded him that was over his house, saying. That this signifies influx from himself, is evident from the signification of "commanding," as being influx (n. 5486); and from the signification of "him that was over his house," as being which communicated. That it was from himself, namely, from the internal celestial, which Joseph represents, is plain. That "to command" is influx, is because in heaven no one is commanded or ordered; but thought is communicated, and the other acts willingly in accordance therewith. Communication of thought together with a desire which wills that something be done, is influx, and on the part of the recipient is perception, and therefore by "commanding" is signified also perception (n. 3661, 3682).
[2] Moreover in heaven they not only think, but also talk together, but about things of wisdom; yet in their conversation there is nothing of command from one to another, for no one desires to be master and thereby to look upon another as a servant; but everyone desires to minister to and serve the others. From this it is plain what form of government there is in the heavens, which is described by the Lord in Matthew:
     It shall not be so among you; but whosoever would become great among you should be your minister, and whosoever would be first should be your servant (Matt. 20:26, 27);
and again:
     He that is greatest among you shall be your minister. Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled, and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted (Matt. 23:11, 12). 
He does this who loves his neighbor from the heart, or who feels delight and blessedness in doing good to others for no selfish end; that is, who has charity toward the neighbor.

&5733. Fill the men's bags with food. That this signifies into the natural with the good of truth, is evident from the signification of a "bag," as being the exterior natural (see n. 5497); and from the signification of "food," as being the good of truth (n. 5340, 5342, 5410, 5426, 5487, 5582, 5588, 5655). From this it is plain that by his "commanding him that was over his house to fill the men's bags with food" is signified influx from himself into the natural with the good of truth. As the expressions "good of truth" and "truth of good" frequently occur, the difference between them shall be stated. He who does not know what the celestial church is relatively to the spiritual church, cannot possibly know this difference. The truth of good is of the celestial church, and the good of truth is of the spiritual church. With those who were of the celestial church, good was implanted in the will part, which is the proper seat of good, and from this good, that is, through this good from the Lord, they had a perception of truth; hence they had the truth of good. But with those who are of the spiritual church, good is implanted in the intellectual part by means of truth, for all truth is of the intellectual part, and through truth they are led to good, to do truth being their good; hence they have the good of truth. The latter is properly predicated of those who are of the spiritual church; yet the truth of good, although not properly, is also predicated of them, of which more will be said elsewhere.

&5734. As much as they can carry. That this signifies to sufficiency, may be seen without explication.

&5735. And put everyone's silver in his bag's mouth. That this signifies together with truth anew in the exterior natural, is evident from the signification of "silver," as being truth (see n. 1551, 2954, 5658); and from the signification of the "bag's mouth," as being the threshold of the exterior natural (see n. 5497). (What the exterior natural is, and what the interior, may be seen above, n. 4570, 5118, 5126, 5497, 5649.) That it is truth anew, is because silver was once before placed in their bag's mouth (chap. 42:25, 27, 28, 35).

&5736. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the bag's mouth of the youngest. That this signifies interior truth bestowed on the intermediate, is evident from the signification of a "silver cup," as being the truth of faith that is from the good of charity (see n. 5120), and because it is called "my cup," that is, Joseph's, it is interior truth (as Benjamin represents the intermediate, also as to truth, he represents interior truth, n. 5600, 5631, thus spiritual truth, n. 5639); from the signification of the "bag's mouth," when predicated of Benjamin as the intermediate, as being where it is adjoined to the natural; for an intermediate to be an intermediate communicates with the external and with the internal (n. 5411, 5413, 5586), its exterior here being the natural; and from the representation of Benjamin, who is here the "youngest," as being the intermediate (n. 5411, 5413, 5443, 5688). From these things it is plain what is signified by Joseph's putting his silver cup in Benjamin's bag.

&5737. And his grain silver. That this signifies the truth of good, is evident from the signification of "silver," as being truth (see n. 1551, 2954, 5658); and from the signification of "grain," as being good (n. 5295, 5410); for the interior or spiritual truth which proceeds from the internal celestial, which is "Joseph," is the truth of good. (What the truth of good is, may be seen just above, n. 5733.)

&5738. And he did according to the word of Joseph that he had spoken. That this signifies that it was so done, is evident without explication.

&5739. Verses 3-5. The morning grew light, and the men were sent away, they and their asses. They were gone out of the city, not yet far off, and Joseph said unto him that was over his house, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore do ye return evil for good? Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and in which divining he divineth? Ye have done evil in so doing. "The morning grew light," signifies a state of enlightenment at that time; "and the men were sent away, they and their asses," signifies that the external natural man was removed somewhat with its truths and memory-knowledges; "they were gone out of the city, not yet far off," signifies the amount of removal; "and Joseph said unto him that was over his house," signifies perception and influx anew; "Up, follow after the men," signifies that it should now adjoin them to itself; "and when thou dost overtake them," signifies mediate adjunction; "say unto them, Wherefore do ye return evil for good?" signifies why is there a turning away; "is not this it in which my lord drinketh?" signifies that there was interior truth with them received from the celestial; "and in which divining he divineth?" signifies that the celestial knows hidden things from its Divine; "ye have done evil in so doing," signifies that it is contrary to Divine law to claim it to themselves.

&5740. The morning grew light. That this signifies a state of enlightenment at that time, is evident from the signification of "morning" and "growing light," as being a state of enlightenment. "Morning" in the supreme sense is the Lord (see n. 2405, 2780); and therefore when it is said "the morning grew light," it signifies a state of enlightenment, for all enlightenment is from the Lord. (That "rising in the morning" also means a state of enlightenment may be seen above, n. 3458, 3723.)

&5741. And the men were sent away, they and their asses. That this signifies that the external natural man was removed somewhat with its truths and memory-knowledges, is evident from the representation of Jacob's sons, who are here the "men," as being the truths of the church in the natural (see n. 5403, 5419, 5427, 5458, 5512), and therefore the external natural man (n. 5680); from the signification of "asses," as being memory-knowledges (n. 5492); and from the signification of "sent away, and not far off," as being that it-the external natural man-was removed somewhat. From this it is plain that by "the men were sent away, they and their asses, not far off," is signified the external natural man, removed somewhat with its truths and memory-knowledges, namely, from the internal celestial which is represented by Joseph.
[2] As regards the signification of "asses," be it known that they signified one thing when they were used for riding, and another when they served for carrying burdens; for judges, kings, and their sons rode upon he-asses, she-asses, and also upon mules, and these then signified rational, and also natural, truth and good (n. 2781); for which reason when the Lord as Judge and King entered Jerusalem, He rode upon an ass with a colt; for this was the mark of judgeship, and also of royalty. But when asses served for carrying burdens, as here, then they signified memory-knowledges. Nor is the case different with these knowledges. One who in thinking of man's interior things advances no further than to the knowledges that are of the memory, supposes that everything of man consists in these knowledges, not being aware that memory-knowledges are the lowest things in man, and such as for the most part are put away when the body dies (n. 2475-2480); but the things that are in them, namely truth and good together with their affections, remain; and also with the evil there remain falsity and evil together with their affections; memory-knowledges being as it were the body of these. So long as a man lives in the world, he has truth and good, or falsity and evil, in the memory-knowledges, for these are what contain them; and because memory-knowledges contain, and therefore as it were carry, interior things, they are signified by the asses which serve for carrying burdens.

&5742. They were gone out of the city, not yet far off. That this signifies the amount of removal, may be seen from what has gone before.

&5743. And Joseph said unto him that was over his house. That this signifies perception and influx anew, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive (as often before explained); and because it is perception in respect to him who hears and receives, it is influx in respect to him who says; for they mutually answer to each other. (That his "commanding him that was over his house" denotes influx from himself, may be seen above, n. 5732.)

&5744. Up, follow after the men. That this signifies that it ought now to adjoin them to itself, is evident from the signification of "following after the men and overtaking them," as being to adjoin; for "to follow" denotes a disposition to adjoin, and "to overtake" denotes adjunction. In the rest of this chapter is described the return of Jacob's sons, and in the following chapter the manifestation of Joseph, by which is signified the conjunction of the celestial of the spiritual with truths in the natural. Hence it is plain that by "follow after the men" is signified that it ought now to adjoin them to itself.

&5745. And when thou dost overtake them. That this signifies mediate adjunction, is evident from the signification of their being overtaken by him that was over Joseph's house, as being mediate adjunction.

&5746. Say unto them, Wherefore do ye return evil for good? That this signifies why is there a turning away? is evident from the signification of "returning evil for good," as being to turn away, for evil is nothing else than a turning away from good; for they who are in evil spurn good, that is, spiritual good, which is of charity and faith. That "evil" is a turning away, is very evident from the evil in the other life; for they appear in the light of heaven with the feet upward and the head downward (see n. 3641), thus wholly inverted, and consequently turned away.

&5747. Is not this it in which my lord drinketh? That this signifies that the interior truth with them was received from the celestial, is evident from the signification of a "cup," which is meant by "this in which my lord drinketh," as being interior truth (see n. 5736); and from the representation of Joseph, who is here "my lord," as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 5307, 5331, 5332), here the celestial, because interior truth is treated of, which is spiritual and proceeds from the celestial. That it was received is signified by the cup being placed at Joseph's command in the mouth of Benjamin's bag.
[2] They are accused as if they had taken the cup. The reason why they were so accused, although the cup had been placed there, is plain from the internal sense, which is this. The truth which is bestowed by the Lord is first received as if it were not bestowed; for before regeneration the man supposes that he procures truth for himself, and so long as he supposes this he is in spiritual theft. To claim good and truth to oneself, and to attribute them to oneself for righteousness and merit, is to take away from the Lord that which is His (see n. 2609, 4174, 5135). It was in order that this might be represented, that this thing was done by Joseph; but still their being accused of theft was in order that conjunction might be effected, for until man has been regenerated he cannot but so believe. He does indeed say with his lips from doctrine that all the truth of faith and good of charity are from the Lord, yet he does not believe it until faith has been implanted in good, when for the first time he acknowledges it from the heart.
[3] Confession from doctrine is quite another thing than confession from faith. Many, even those who are not in good, can confess from doctrine, for doctrine to them is merely knowledge; but none can confess from faith except those who are in spiritual good, that is, in charity toward the neighbor. That they were accused of theft in order to bring about conjunction, is plain also from the fact that Joseph thereby brought them back to him, and kept them awhile in thought about what they had done, and that he then manifested, that is conjoined, himself to them.

&5748. And in which divining he divineth? That this signifies that the celestial knows hidden things from its Divine, is evident from the signification of "divining," as being to know hidden things. That it is from the Divine, is because the celestial of the spiritual, which is "Joseph," represents truth from the Divine, or truth in which is the Divine (see n. 5703).

&5749. Ye have done evil in so doing. That this signifies that it is contrary to Divine law to claim it to themselves, is evident from the signification of "theft," which is meant here by the "evil which they did," as being to claim to oneself that which belongs to the Lord, namely, the truth which is signified by Joseph's silver cup (see n. 5747). That this is contrary to the Divine law is manifest (n. 2609). The reason why man ought not to claim to himself anything that is from the Lord, thus not truth and good, is that he may be in the truth; and insofar as he is in the truth, so far he is in the light in which angels are in heaven; and insofar as he is in this light, so far he is in intelligence and wisdom; and insofar as he is in intelligence and wisdom, so far he is in happiness. This is the reason why man ought to acknowledge from the faith of the heart that nothing of truth and good is from himself, but all from the Lord, and this because it is so.

&5750. Verses 6-10. And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these words. And they said unto him, Wherefore speaketh my lord according to these words? Far be it from thy servants to do according to this word. Behold, the silver which we found in our bag's mouth we brought back to thee out of the land of Canaan; and how should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be to my lord for servants. And he said, Now also according to your words so be it; he with whom it is found shall be to me a servant, and ye shall be blameless. "And he overtook them," signifies mediate adjunction; "and he spake unto them these words," signifies the influx of this thing; "and they said unto him," signifies perception; "Wherefore speaketh my lord according to these words?" signifies reflection why such a thing flows in; "far be it from thy servants to do according to this word," signifies when it is not from the will; "behold the silver which we found in our bags' mouth," signifies when truth was bestowed gratuitously; "we brought back to thee out of the land of Canaan," signifies submitted from a principle of religion; "and how should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?" signifies why then shall we claim to ourselves truth and good, which are from the Divine celestial; "with whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die," signifies that he is damned who does so; "and we also will be to my lord for servants," signifies that they will be associates forever without freedom from their own; "and he said, Now also according to your words," signifies that indeed it would be so from justice; "so be it," signifies a milder sentence; "he with whom it is found shall be to me a servant," signifies that he with whom it is shall be forever without freedom of his own; "and ye shall be blameless," signifies that the rest shall be at their own disposal, because not sharing in the fault.

&5751. And he overtook them. That this signifies mediate adjunction, is evident from what was said above (see n. 5745).

&5752. And he spake unto them these words. That this signifies the influx of this thing, is evident from the signification of "speaking," as being influx (see n. 2951, 3037, 5481); and from the signification of "words," as being things. A "thing" and a "word" are expressed in the original language by the same term.

&5753. And they said unto him. That this signifies perception, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being perception.

&5754. Wherefore speaketh my lord such words as these? That this signifies reflection why such a thing flows in, is evident from the signification of "speaking," as being to flow in; and from the signification of "such words as these," as being this thing or such a thing (of which just above, n. 5752). Reflection is involved in the word "wherefore," which is a word of questioning with oneself.

&5755. Far be it from thy servants to do according to this word. That this signifies when it is not from the will, namely of claiming truth to themselves, is evident from the signification of "doing," as being to will; for all deed is of the will. The deed itself is natural, and the will is the spiritual source of it. Its not being from the will is signified by "far be it from thy servants."

&5756. Behold the silver which we found in our bags' mouths. That this signifies when truth was bestowed gratuitously, is evident from the signification of "silver," as being truth (n. 1551, 2954, 5658); and from the signification of "we found," as being bestowed gratuitously, for everyone's grain silver was returned to him, thus was bestowed gratuitously (n. 5530, 5624); and from the signification of the "bags' mouths," as being the threshold of the exterior natural (n. 5497).

&5757. We brought back to thee out of the land of Canaan. That this signifies submitted from a principle of religion, is evident from the signification of "bringing back," as being to submit (see n. 5624); and from the signification of the "land of Canaan," as being what is religious. The "land of Canaan" signifies various things, for the reason that it signifies that which includes very many things; for it signifies the Lord's kingdom, the church, and consequently the man of the church, because he is a church; and as it signifies these, it signifies also the celestial which is of the church, namely, the good of love; and also its spiritual, which is the truth of faith, and so on; here therefore it signifies the religious principle which is of the church; for it is of the religious principle of the church that no one ought to claim truth and good to himself. From these things it is plain why the same expression sometimes signifies a number of things; for when it involves several things in the complex, it also signifies those which it involves, according to the series of things in the internal sense. That the "land of Canaan" is the Lord's kingdom, see n. 1413, 1437, 1607, 3038, 3481, 3705; and also the church, n. 3686, 3705, 4447. From these flow its other significations.

&5758. And how should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? That this signifies why then shall we claim to ourselves truth and good, which are from the Divine celestial, is evident from the signification of "stealing," as being in the spiritual sense to claim to oneself that which belongs to the Lord (of which above, n. 5749); from the signification of "silver," as being truth (n. 1551, 2954, 5658); and from the signification of "gold," as being good (n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658). In this whole chapter spiritual theft is treated of, which is the claiming to oneself of the good and truth that are from the Lord. This is a matter of so great moment that a man after death cannot be admitted into heaven until he acknowledges at heart that nothing of good or truth is from himself, but all from the Lord, and that whatever is from himself is nothing but evil. The fact that this is so, is shown to man after death by many experiences. The angels in heaven plainly perceive that all good and truth are from the Lord; and moreover that by the Lord they are withheld from evil and kept in good and so in truth, and this by a mighty force.
[2] It has been given me plainly to perceive this now for many years, and also that insofar as I have been left to my own or to myself, I have been inundated with evils, and so far as I have been withheld therefrom by the Lord, I have been lifted up from evil into good. Therefore to claim truth and good to oneself is contrary to the universal that reigns in heaven, as well as contrary to the acknowledgment that all salvation is of mercy, that is, that man of himself is in hell, but is of mercy drawn out thence by the Lord. Man cannot be in humiliation, nor consequently can he receive the Lord's mercy (for this flows in only in humiliation or into a humble heart), unless he acknowledges that there is nothing but evil from himself, and that all good is from the Lord. Without this acknowledgment a man attributes to himself as merit, and at length as righteousness, whatever he does; for to claim to himself the truth and good which are from the Lord is to make himself righteous. This is the source of many evils; for he then regards self in everything that he does for the neighbor, and when he does this he loves himself above all others, whom he then despises, if not in word, yet in heart.

&5759. With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die. That this signifies that he is damned who does so, is evident from the signification of "dying," as being to be damned; for spiritual death is nothing else than damnation. It is plain from what was said just above (n. 5758), that they who claim to themselves the truth and good which are of the Lord, cannot be in heaven, but are outside of it; and they who are outside of heaven are damned. But this law is one of judgment from truth; whereas when judgment is made at the same time from good, then they who do what is true and good, and from ignorance or simplicity attribute these to themselves, are not damned, but in the other life are set free by a method of vastation. Moreover everyone ought to do what is true and good as of himself, yet believing that it is from the Lord (n. 2882, 2883, 2891); and when he does so, then as he grows up and increases in intelligence and faith he puts off that fallacy, and at last acknowledges at heart that his every effort of doing good and thinking truth was and is from the Lord. Wherefore he that was sent by Joseph, though he indeed confirms, yet presently rejects, the judgment that he should die with whom the cup was found; for he says, "Now also according to your words so be it; he with whom it is found shall be to me a servant, and ye shall be blameless," words which convey a milder sentence. But it is otherwise with those who do so, not from ignorance and simplicity, but from principles which they have confirmed in their faith, and also in life. Yet because they do what is good, the Lord from mercy preserves in them something of ignorance and simplicity.

&5760. And we also will be to my lord for servants. That this signifies that they will be associates forever without freedom from their own, is evident from the signification of "we also," as being associates; and from the signification of "being servants," as being to be without freedom from their own; for one who is a servant has no freedom from his own, but is dependent on the own and freedom of his master. What it is to be without freedom from one's own, will of the Lord's Divine mercy be told in the following pages.

&5761. And he said, Now also according to your words. That this signifies that it would indeed be so from justice, is evident from what has been explained just above (see n. 5758, 5759). Its being from justice that he who did this should die is signified by, "now also according to your words;" but a milder sentence now follows.

&5762. So be it. That this signifies a milder sentence, is evident from the words that follow, in which this milder sentence is given.

&5763. He with whom it is found shall be to me a servant. That this signifies that he with whom it is, shall be forever without his own freedom, is evident from the signification of a "servant," as being to be without one's own freedom (as above, n. 5760). The case is this. Joseph's silver cup, placed by his order with Benjamin, signifies interior truth (see n. 5736, 5747). He who is in interior truth knows that all truth and good are from the Lord, and also that all freedom from his own, or from the man himself, is infernal; for when a man thinks or does anything from his own freedom, he thinks and does nothing but evil. In consequence he is a servant of the devil, for all evil flows in from hell. He also feels delight in such freedom, because it agrees with the evil in which he is, and into which he was born. Wherefore this freedom from one's own must be put off, and heavenly freedom must be put on instead, which consists in willing what is good and thence doing it, and in desiring what is true and thence thinking it. When a man receives this freedom he is a servant of the Lord, and is then in freedom itself, and not in the bondage in which he was before, and which appeared like freedom. This then is what is meant by being forever without one's own freedom. (The nature and source of freedom may be seen above, n. 2870-2893; and also that freedom itself is to be led by the Lord, n. 2890.)

&5764. And ye shall be blameless. That this signifies that the rest shall be at their own disposal, because not sharing in the fault, is evident from the signification of "blameless" in regard to a servant, as being to be at his own disposal; because not sharing in the fault, follows. It was of old a custom among the Gentiles, when anyone sinned, to make his companions also guilty of the offense, and even to punish a whole house for the crime of one in it. But such a law is derived from hell, where all the companions conspire together for evil. The societies there are so constituted that they act together as one against good, and thus they are kept consociated, though they are in deadly hatred one against another. They are in the union and friendship of robbers. Hence because companions in hell conspire together for evil, when they do evil they are all punished. But to do so in the world is wholly contrary to the Divine order; for in the world the good are consociated with the evil, because one does not know what the interiors of another are, and for the most part does not care. Wherefore the Divine law for men is that everyone shall pay the penalty of his own iniquity; as is written in Moses:
     The fathers shall not die for the sons, neither shall the sons die for the fathers; everyone shall be slain in his own sin (Deut. 24:16);
and in Ezekiel:
     The soul that hath sinned, it shall die, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him (Ezek. 18:20).
From these passages it is plain how the case is with what the sons of Jacob said, "with whomsoever of thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be to my lord for servants." But he who was sent by Joseph changed this judgment, and said, "he with whom it is found shall be to me a servant, and ye shall be blameless;" in like manner further on where Judah says to Joseph, "Behold we are servants to my lord, both we and he also in whose hand the cup was found." And Joseph said, "Far be it from me to do this; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be to me a servant; and ye, go ye up in peace to your father" (verses 16, 17).

&5765. Verses 11, 12. And they hastened, and they made everyone his bag come down to the earth, and opened every man his bag. And he searched; he began at the eldest, and left off at the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin's bag. "And they hastened," signifies impatience; "and made everyone his bag come down to the earth," signifies that they brought what was in the natural down to things of sense; "and opened every man his bag," signifies that they might thus make the matter manifest to themselves; "and he searched," signifies investigation; "he began at the eldest, and left off at the youngest," signifies order; "and the cup was found in Benjamin's bag," signifies that interior truth from the celestial was with the intermediate.

&5766. And they hastened. That this signifies impatience, is evident from the signification of "hastening," when persons are eager to clear themselves, as being impatience.

&5767. And they made everyone his bag come down to the earth. That this signifies that they brought what was in the natural down to things of sense, is evident from the signification of "making to come down," when it has reference to what here follows, as being to bring to; from the signification of a "bag," as being the exterior natural (see n. 5497); and from the signification of the "earth," when it is said that they "made come down to" it, as being the ultimate and lowest, thus the sensuous; for the sensuous is the lowest and ultimate, because things of sense are in the very threshold to the outside world. To bring to things of sense, is wholly to confirm that a thing is so; for the matter is then brought down to the evidence of the senses.

&5768. And opened every man his bag. That this signifies that they might thus make the matter manifest to themselves, is evident from the signification of "opening the bag," as being to open what is in the natural, thus to make the matter manifest.

&5769. And he searched. That this signifies investigation, is evident without explication.

&5770. He began at the eldest, and left off at the youngest. That this signifies order, is evident from what has been said above (n. 5704).

&5771. And the cup was found in Benjamin's bag. That this signifies that interior truth from the celestial was with the intermediate, is evident from the signification of the "cup," as being interior truth (see n. 5736); and from the representation of Benjamin, as being the intermediate (n. 5411, 5413, 5443). That such truth from the celestial was with the intermediate, is signified by the cup being placed in Benjamin's bag by Joseph's order. How these matters stand is clear from what has been said before.

&5772. Verses 13-17. And they rent their garments, and laded everyone his ass, and returned to the city. And Judah and his brethren entered Joseph's house, and he was yet there; and they fell before him to the earth. And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? Knew ye not that such a man as I divining divineth? And Judah said, What shall we say to my lord? what shall we speak? and how shall we be justified? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants; behold we are servants to my lord, both we, and he also in whose hand the cup was found. And he said, Far be it from me to do this; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be to me a servant; and ye, go ye up in peace to your father. "And they rent their garments," signifies mourning; "and laded everyone his ass, and returned to the city," signifies that truths were brought back from things of sense to memory-knowledges; "and Judah and his brethren entered," signifies the good of the church with its truths; "Joseph's house," signifies communication with the internal; "and he was yet there," signifies foresight; "and they fell before him to the earth," signifies humiliation; "and Joseph said unto them," signifies their perception then; "What deed is this that ye have done?" signifies that to claim to themselves what is not theirs is an enormous evil; "knew ye not that such a man as I divining divineth?" signifies that it cannot be concealed from Him who sees future and hidden things; "and Judah said," signifies perception given to the good of the church in the natural; "What shall we say to my lord? what shall we speak?" signifies a wavering; "and how shall we be justified?" signifies that we are guilty; "God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants," signifies confession; "behold we are servants to my lord," signifies that they are forever to be deprived of freedom of their own; "both we," signifies the associates; "and he also in whose hand the cup was found," signifies as well as he with whom there is interior truth from the Divine celestial; "and he said, Far be it from me to do this," signifies that it should by no means be so; "the man in whose hand the cup was found," signifies but that he with whom is interior truth received from the Divine; "he shall be to me a servant," signifies that he will be forever subject; "and ye, go ye up in peace to your father," signifies that the associates, with whom there is not that truth, are to return to the former state.

&5773. And they rent their garments. That this signifies mourning, is evident from the signification of "rending the garments," as being mourning on account of truth being lost (see n. 4763), here on account of truths from their own which they could no longer claim to themselves, because they had offered themselves as servants both in the presence of him that was over Joseph's house (verse 9), and in the presence of Joseph himself (verse 16), whereby is signified that they would be without freedom from their own, thus without truths from themselves. As regards mourning on account of truths from their own, which is signified by their "rending their garments and offering themselves as servants," be it known that a turning about takes place with those who are being regenerated, namely, that they are led to good by means of truth, and afterward from good they are led to truth. When this turning about takes place, or when the state is changed and becomes the inverse of the former one, there is mourning; for they are then let into temptation, whereby what is of their own is weakened and broken down, and good is insinuated, and with good a new will, and with this a new freedom, thus a new own. This is represented by Joseph's brethren returning in despair to Joseph, and offering themselves to him as servants, and their being kept in that state for some time, and by Joseph's not manifesting himself until after the temptation; for when the temptation is over, the Lord shines on them with comfort.

&5774. And laded everyone his ass, and returned to the city. That this signifies that truths were brought back from things of sense into memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of an "ass," as being memory-knowledge (see n. 5492) that "lading the ass" means bringing back from things of sense, is because by "making their bags come down to the earth" is signified bringing what was in the natural down to things of sense (n. 5767); and raising it from them is therefore here meant by "lading;" and from the signification of a "city," as being doctrinal truth (n. 402, 2449, 2943, 3216).
[2] What it is to bring back truths from things of sense into memory-knowledges must be briefly explained. Things of sense are one thing, memory-knowledges another, and truths another. They succeed one another in turn; for memory-knowledges come forth from things of sense, and truths from memory-knowledges; for the things which enter by the senses are laid up in the memory, and from them the man concludes memory-knowledge, or perceives from them memory-knowledge which he learns; from the memory-knowledges he then concludes truths, or perceives from them truth which he learns. Every man so progresses as he grows up from childhood. When he is a child he thinks and apprehends things from things of sense; when older he thinks and apprehends things from memory-knowledges; and afterward from truths. This is the way to the judgment into which man grows with age.
[3] From this it may be seen that things of sense, memory-knowledges, and truths, are distinct, and even remain distinct-so much so that a man is sometimes in things of sense, as when he thinks only of what meets the senses; sometimes in memory-knowledges, as when he elevates his mind out of things of sense, and thinks interiorly; and sometimes in truths which have been concluded from memory-knowledges, as in the case when he thinks more interiorly. Everyone who reflects upon it can know these things from himself. Man can also bring truths down into memory-knowledges, and see them in these, and he can also bring memory-knowledges down into things of sense, and contemplate them therein; as well as the converse. From this it is now plain what is meant by bringing what is in the natural down to things of sense, and by bringing truths back from things of sense into memory-knowledges.

&5775. And Judah and his brethren entered. That this signifies the good of the church with its truths, is evident from the representation of Judah, as being the good of the church (see n. 5583, 5603); and from the representation of his brethren, as being truths in the natural. That Judah entered and spoke with Joseph, and not Reuben the firstborn, or any other of them, is because Judah chiefly represented good; and it is good that communicates with the celestial from the Divine, and not truths, because truths have no communication with the Divine except through good. This is the reason why Judah alone spoke.

&5776. Joseph's house. That this signifies communication with the internal, is evident from the signification of "entering the house," as being communication; and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal (see n. 5469). That "entering a house" denotes communication, is because by a "house" is signified the man himself (see n. 3128, 5023), thus what makes the man, namely his mind with truth and good (n. 3538, 4973, 5023); and therefore when "entering a house" is spoken of, it means entering into his mind, thus to have communication.

&5777. And he was yet there. That this signifies foresight, may be seen from the fact that it was foreseen by Joseph that they would return, and he therefore stayed at home in order to manifest himself to Benjamin and consequently to the others; and in the internal sense that conjunction might be effected of the truths in the natural with the Divine celestial. It is called "foresight," because in the supreme sense it treats of the Lord who in this sense is "Joseph."

&5778. And they fell before him to the earth. That this signifies humiliation, is evident without explication.

&5779. And Joseph said unto them. That this signifies their perception then, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being perception. That it is their perception, is because it is said by Joseph, and by Joseph is represented the internal; and from the internal, that is, through the internal from the Lord, comes all perception. From no other source does perception come, nor even sensation. It appears as if sensation, as also perception, come by influx from the external; but this is a fallacy, for it is the internal that feels through the external. The senses placed in the body are nothing but organs or instruments that are of service to the internal man in order that it may be sensible of what is in the world; wherefore the internal flows into the external, causing it to feel, to the end that it may thereby perceive and be perfected; but not the reverse.

&5780. What deed is this that ye have done? That this signifies that to claim to themselves what is not theirs is an enormous evil, is evident from the signification of the theft of which they were accused, as being to claim to themselves the truth and good that belong to the Lord; this is the "deed" that is meant in the internal sense. (What this evil is may be seen above, n. 5749, 5758.)

&5781. Knew ye not that such a man as I divining divineth? That this signifies that it cannot be concealed from Him who sees future and hidden things, is evident from the signification of "divining," as being to know from His Divinity things that are hid (see n. 5748), and also future things, because it is predicated of the Lord, who is "Joseph" in the supreme sense. That it cannot be concealed is plain from the very words.

&5782. And Judah said. That this signifies perception given to the good of the church in the natural, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (of which often above); that it is "given" is because all perception comes from the internal, that is, flows in through the internal from the Lord (see n. 5779); and from the representation of Judah, as being the good of the church (n. 5583, 5603, 5775). As regards the representation of Judah, be it known that in the supreme sense he represents the Lord as to the Divine love, and in the internal sense His celestial kingdom (see n. 3654, 3881), thus the celestial of love there; here therefore Judah represents the good of love in the church in the natural, because he is now among those who represent the things that are in the natural which are to be conjoined with the internal.

&5783. What shall we say to my lord? what shall we speak? That this signifies a wavering, is evident from the feeling expressed in these words, as being a wavering.

&5784. And how shall we be justified? That this signifies that we are guilty, is evident from the signification of "how shall we be justified?" (that is, that they cannot be justified), as being that they are guilty; for he who cannot be justified is guilty. Their acknowledging themselves to be guilty is plain from their offering themselves as servants to Joseph.

&5785. God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants. That this signifies confession, namely of their having done wrong, here in their having sold Joseph, and in the internal sense in their having estranged themselves from truth and good, and thereby separated themselves from the internal, is evident without explication.

&5786. Behold we are servants to my lord. That this signifies that they are forever to be deprived of freedom of their own, is evident from the signification of "servants," as being to be without freedom from their own (see n. 5760, 5763). What it is to be deprived of freedom from their own has also been told in the numbers cited; but as this is a matter of the greatest moment, it shall be stated again. There is an external man, and there is an internal; the external man is that through which the internal acts; for the external is only an organ or instrument of the internal. This being so, the external must be wholly subordinate and subject to the internal; and when it is subject, heaven acts through the internal into the external, and disposes it according to such things as are of heaven.
[2] The contrary takes place when the external is not subject, but rules, as it does when the man has as his end the pleasures of the body and of the senses, especially those of the love of self and the world, and not those of heaven. To have as the end is to love the one and not the other; for when a man has such things as the end, he no longer believes that there is any internal man, nor that there is anything in himself which is to live when the body dies. For his internal, not having rule, merely serves the external to enable it to think and reason against good and truth, because in this case no other influx through the internal is open. For this reason it is that such persons wholly despise, and even turn away from, the things that are of heaven. From these things it is clear that the external man, which is the same as the natural man, ought to be entirely subject to the internal which is spiritual, and consequently to be without freedom from its own.
[3] Freedom from one's own is to indulge in pleasures of every kind, to despise others in comparison with oneself, to subject them to oneself as servants, or else to persecute and hate them, to delight in evils that befall them, and more so in those which the man himself brings on them purposely or deceitfully, and to desire their death. Such are the results of freedom from one's own. It is plain therefore what a man is when he is in this freedom, namely, a devil in human form. But when he loses this freedom, he then receives from the Lord heavenly freedom, which is utterly unknown to those who are in freedom from their own. These suppose that if the latter freedom were taken away from them, they would have no life left; when in fact life itself then begins; and joy, bliss, happiness, with wisdom, then come, because this freedom is from the Lord.

&5787. Both we. That this signifies the associates, is evident from the signification of "both we," as being the associates (as above, n. 5760).

&5788. And he also in whose hand the cup was found. That this signifies as well he with whom there is interior truth from the Divine celestial, is evident from the signification of "in whose hand," as being with whom; from the signification of the "cup," as being interior truth (see n. 5736); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the Divine celestial.

&5789. And he said, Far be it from me to do this. That this signifies that it should by no means be so, is evident without explication.

&5790. The man in whose hand the cup was found. That this signifies that he with whom is interior truth received from the Divine, is evident from what was said just above (n. 5788).

&5791. And he shall be to me a servant. That this signifies that he will be forever subject, is evident from the signification of a "servant," as being to be forever without freedom from one's own (of which just above, n. 5786), thus to be forever subject.

&5792. And ye, go ye up in peace to your father. That this signifies that the associates, with whom there is not that truth, are to return to the former state, is evident from the representation of Jacob's ten sons, as being the associates with whom the cup was not found-that is, the interior truth which is signified by the "cup" (see n. 5736, 5788, 5790); and from the signification of "go ye up in peace to your father," as being to return to the former state; for when they are not accepted by the internal, which is "Joseph," the former state then awaits them.

&5793. Verses 18-31. And Judah came near unto him, and said, By me, my lord, let thy servant I pray speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger be kindled against thy servant; for thou art even as Pharaoh. My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old ages, the youngest; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left to his mother, and his father loveth him. And thou saidst unto thy servants, Make him come down unto me, and I will set mine eye upon him. And we said unto my lord, The boy cannot leave his father; and should he leave his father, he will die. And thou saidst unto thy servants, If your youngest brother come not down with you, ye shall see my faces no more. And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. And our father said, Return ye, buy us a little food. And we said, We cannot go down; if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down; for we cannot see the man's faces, and our youngest brother he not with us. And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons; and the one went out from me, and I said, Surely tearing he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him hitherto: and ye are taking this one also from my faces, and if harm befall him, ye will make my gray hairs go down in evil to the grave. And now when I come to thy servant my father, and the boy he not with us, and his soul is bound in his soul; and it shall come to pass when he seeth that the boy is not, that he will die; and thy servants will make thy servant our father's gray hairs go down in sorrow to the grave. "And Judah came near unto him," signifies the communication of the external man with the internal through good; "and said," signifies perception; "By me, my lord," signifies entreaty; "let thy servant I pray speak a word in my lord's ears," signifies for reception and hearing; "and let not thine anger he kindled against thy servant," signifies lest he turn away; "for thou art even as Pharaoh," signifies that it has dominion over the natural; "my lord asked his servants, saying," signifies perception of their thought; "Have ye a father, or a brother?" signifies that there is good which is the source, and truth which is the means; "and we said unto my lord," signifies reciprocal perception; "We have a father, an old man," signifies that they have spiritual good as the source; "and a child of his old ages, the youngest," signifies truth therefrom which is new; "and his brother is dead," signifies that internal good is not; "and he alone is left to his mother," signifies that this is the only truth of the church; "and his father loveth him," signifies that it has conjunction with spiritual good from the natural; "and thou saidst unto thy servants," signifies perception given; "Make him come down unto me," signifies that the new truth must be in subjection to internal good; "and I will set mine eye upon him," signifies influx then of truth from good "and we said unto my lord," signifies reciprocal perception; "The boy cannot leave his father," signifies that this truth cannot he separated from spiritual good; "and should be leave his father, he will die," signifies that if it were separated the church would perish; "and thou saidst unto thy servants," signifies perception concerning that thing; "If your youngest brother come not down with you," signifies if it be not subject to internal good; "ye shall see my faces no more," signifies that there will be no mercy, and no conjunction with truths in the natural; "and it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father," signifies elevation to spiritual good; "we told him the words of my lord," signifies knowledge of this thing; "and our father said," signifies perception from spiritual good; "Return ye, buy us a little food," signifies that the good of truth should he appropriated; "and we said, We cannot go down," signifies objection; "if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down," signifies unless there be with them a conjoining intermediate; "for we cannot see the man's faces," signified because there will be no mercy or conjunction; "and our youngest brother he not with us," signifies except by means of an intermediate; "and thy servant my father said unto us," signifies perception from spiritual good; "Ye know that my wife bare me two sons," signifies that if there be spiritual good which is of the church, there will he internal good and truth; "and the one went out from me," signifies the seeming departure of internal good; "and I said, Surely tearing he is torn in pieces," signifies perception that it perished by evils and falsities; "and I have not seen him hitherto," signifies because it has vanished; "and ye are taking this one also from my faces," signifies if the new truth also should depart; "and if harm befall him," signifies by evils and falsities; "and ye will make my gray hairs go down in evil to the grave," signifies that spiritual good, and thus the internal of the church, would perish; "and now when I come to thy servant my father," signifies the good of the church corresponding to the spiritual good of the internal church; "and the boy he not with us," signifies if the new truth is not with them; "and his soul is bound in his soul," signifies since there is a close conjunction; "and it shall come to pass when he seeth that the boy is not, that he will die," signifies that spiritual good will perish; "and thy servants will make thy servant our father's gray hairs go down in sorrow to the grave," signifies that all will be over with the church.

&5794. And Judah came near unto him. That this signifies the communication of the external man with the internal through good, is evident from the signification of "coming near" to speak with anyone, as being communication; and from the representation of Judah, as being the good of the church in the natural (see n. 5782). That it is the communication of the external man with the internal, is because Judah represents the good of the church in the natural or external man, and Joseph, good in the internal. That it is "through good," is because the communication takes place solely through good, and not through truth unless there is good in the truth.

&5795. And said. That this signifies perception, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being perception (of which often above).

&5796. By me, my lord. That this signifies entreaty, is plain from what follows.

&5797. Let thy servant I pray speak a word in my lord's ears. That this signifies for reception and hearing (that is, entreaty therefor), is evident from the signification of "speaking a word," as being influx (see n. 2951, 5481), and as it is influx, it is reception on the part of the other (n. 5743); and from the signification of "ears," as being obedience (n. 4551, 4653), here a kind of hearkening or hearing, because an inferior is speaking to a superior. Hence it is plain that by "Let thy servant I pray speak a word in my lord's ears," is signified entreaty for reception and hearing.

&5798. And let not thine anger be kindled against thy servant. That this signifies lest he turn away, is evident from the signification of "anger," as being a turning away (see n. 5034), because one who is angry with another turns away, for in that state he does not think like him, but against him. That "anger" is a turning away is plain from many passages in the Word, especially from those where anger and wrath are ascribed to Jehovah or the Lord, by which is signified a turning away-not that Jehovah or the Lord ever turns away, but that man does so; and when he turns away it seems to him as if the Lord did so, for he is not heard. The Word so speaks in accordance with the appearance. And because "anger" is a turning away, it is also an assault on good and truth on the part of those who have turned away; while on the part of those who have not turned away, there is no assault, but repugnance on account of aversion to what is evil and false.
[2] That "anger" is an assault has been shown above (n. 3614); that it is also a turning away, and likewise the penalty when truth and good are assailed, is plain from the following passages. In Isaiah:
     Woe to them that decree decrees of iniquity. They shall fall under the bound, and under the slain. For all this His anger is not turned away. Woe to Asshur, the rod of Mine anger. I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of wrath will I give him a charge. He thinketh not right, and his heart doth not meditate right (Isa. 10:1, 4-7);
"anger" and "wrath" denote a turning away and opposition on man's part, and the attendant punishing and not hearing appear like anger; and as it is on man's part, it is said, "Woe to them that decree decrees of iniquity. He thinketh not right, and his heart doth not meditate right." 
[3] In the same:
     Jehovah, with the vessels of His anger, [comes] to destroy the whole land. Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel, with indignation, wrath and anger, to make the earth a waste, that He may destroy the sinners thereof out of it. I will shake the heaven, and the earth shall be shaken out of her place in the indignation of Jehovah Zebaoth, and in the day of the wrath of His anger (Isa. 13:5, 9, 13);
the "heaven" and the "earth" here denote the church, which having turned away from truth and good, its vastation and destruction are described by the "indignation, anger, and wrath" of Jehovah; when in fact it is quite the contrary, namely, that the man who is in evil is indignant, angry, and wroth, and sets himself in opposition to good and truth. The penalty which is from the evil is attributed to Jehovah on account of the appearance. Elsewhere occasionally in the Word the last time of the church and its destruction are called the "day of the anger of Jehovah."
[4] Again:
     Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the rod of the rulers. Thou wilt smite the peoples in fury, with an incurable stroke, ruling the nations with anger (Isa. 14:5, 6);
where the meaning is similar. This is as with a culprit who is punished by the law, and who ascribes the evil of the penalty to the king or judge; not to himself. Again:
     Jacob and Israel because they would not walk in the ways of Jehovah, neither heard they His law; He poured upon him the wrath of anger, and the violence of war (Isa. 42:24, 25).
In Jeremiah:
     I will fight against you in an outstretched hand and a strong arm, and in anger, and in wrath, and in great heat. Lest my fury go forth like fire, and burn and be not quenched, because of the wickedness of your works (Jer. 21:5, 12);
in this passage "fury," "anger," and "great heat" are nothing else than the evils of penalty because of the turning away from what is good and true, and an assault thereon.
[5] By Divine law all evil is attended with the penalty, and wonderful to say, in the other life the evil and the penalty cleave together; for as soon as an infernal spirit does evil more than usual, punishing spirits are at hand, and punish him, and this without advertence. That evil of penalty because of turning away is meant, is plain, for it is said, "because of the wickedness of your works." In David:
     He sent upon them the wrath of His anger, indignation and fury, and distress, and an inroad of evil angels. He leveled a path for His anger, He spared not their soul from death (Ps. 78:49, 50). See also Isa. 30:27, 30; 34:2; 54:8; 57:17; 63:3, 6; 66:15; Jer. 4:8; 7:20; 15:14; 33:5; Ezek. 5:13, 15; Deut. 9:19, 20; 29:20, 22, 23; Rev. 14:9, 10; 15:7.
[6] "Wrath," "anger," "indignation," "fury," in these passages also denote a turning away, assault, and consequent penalty. That the penalty for turning away and assault is ascribed to Jehovah or the Lord, and is called "anger," "wrath," and "fury in Him," is because the race sprung from Jacob had to be kept in the representatives of a church, which are merely external; and they could not have been kept in them except through fear and dread of Jehovah, and unless they had believed that He would do them evil from anger and wrath. They who are in externals without an internal cannot otherwise be brought to do external things; for there is nothing interior that binds them. Moreover the simple within the church, from the appearance apprehend no otherwise than that God is angry when anyone does evil. Yet everyone who reflects can see that there is nothing of anger, still less of fury, with Jehovah or the Lord; for He is mercy itself and good itself, and is infinitely above willing evil to anyone. Nor does the man who is in charity toward the neighbor do evil to anyone. All the angels in heaven are such; and how much more the Lord Himself! 
[7] But in the other life the case is this. When the Lord reduces heaven and its societies into order, which is continually being done on account of new comers, and gives them bliss and happiness, and when this flows into the societies which are in the opposite (for in the other life all the societies of heaven have opposed to them societies in hell, whence there is equilibrium), and these feel a change owing to the presence of heaven, they are then angry and wrathful, and burst forth into evil, and at the same time rush into the evil of the penalty. Moreover when evil spirits or genii approach the light of heaven, they begin to be in anguish and torment (see n. 4225, 4226), which they attribute to heaven, and consequently to the Lord; when in fact it is they themselves that bring the torment upon themselves; for evil is tortured when it comes near to good. Hence it is evident that nothing but good is from the Lord, and that all evil is from those who turn away, who are in the opposite, and who attack. From this arcanum it is evident how the matter stands.

&5799. For thou art even as Pharaoh. That this signifies that it has dominion over the natural, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural in general (see n. 5160); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal (of which above). That the internal has dominion over the natural is represented by Joseph's being set over all the land of Egypt, and also over all Pharaoh's house (Gen. 41:40, 41).

&5800. My lord asked his servants, saying. That this signifies perception of their thought, is evident from the signification of "asking," as being to perceive another's thought (see n. 5597). That "asking" signifies this, is because in the spiritual world or in heaven no one has need to ask another what he thinks about such things as are of his affection, because the one perceives the other's thought which is thence derived; and moreover the internal which Joseph represents does not ask the external which Jacob's sons represent, for the external has its all from the internal. Hence it is plain that by "asking" is signified the perception of the thought. We occasionally read in the Word that Jehovah asks man, when yet He knows all and everything that man thinks; but this is so said because man believes that his thought is concealed from everyone because it is within him. The asking is in consequence of this appearance and the derivative belief.

&5801. Have ye a father, or a brother? That this signifies the good which is the source, and the truth which is the means, is evident from the representation of Israel, who is here the "father," as being spiritual good or the good of truth (see n. 3654, 4598), that it is the good which is the source, is because the truths in the natural are from the spiritual good; and from the representation of Benjamin, who is here the "brother," as being truth; that it is the truth which is the means, is because through this there is conjunction of the truths of the church in the natural (which Jacob's sons represent) with the spiritual good which is "Israel;" and as the conjunction is through this, it is described in many passages how his father loved Benjamin who represents this truth, and how Judah could not return with the others to his father unless Benjamin were with them. (In regard to this truth, see below, n. 5835.)

&5802. And we said unto my lord. That this signifies reciprocal perception, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being perception, as often explained. That reciprocal perception is meant is plain.

&5803. We have a father, an old man. That this signifies that they have spiritual good as the source, is evident from the representation of Israel, who is here the "father," as being spiritual good which is the source (of which just above, n. 5801). In regard to the representation of Israel, it may be seen above (n. 4286, 4292, 4570) that he represents the spiritual church, and indeed its internal, which is the good of truth, or spiritual good from the natural. (What spiritual good or the good of truth is, may also be seen above, n. 5526, 5733.)

&5804. And a child of his old age, the youngest. That this signifies truth therefrom which is new, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, who is here the "child, the youngest," as being truth (of which above, n. 5801; as also that a "child" or "son" is truth, n. 489, 491, 1147, 2623, 3373); and from the signification of "old age," as being newness of life (see n. 3492, 4220, 4676). Hence it is plain that by a "child of old ages, the youngest," is signified truth which is new. The case herein is this. The man who is being regenerated and becoming spiritual is first led to good by means of truth; for man does not know what spiritual good, or what is the same thing, Christian good is, except through truth or through doctrine drawn from the Word. In this way he is initiated into good. Afterward, when he has been initiated, he no longer is led to good through truth, but to truth through good, for he then not only sees from good the truths which he knew before, but also from good brings forth new truths which he did not and could not know before; for good is attended with a longing for truths, because with these it is, as it were, nourished, it being perfected by them. These new truths differ greatly from the truths which he had previously known; for those which he then knew had but little life, while those which he now acquires have life from good.
[2] When a man has come to good by means of truth, he is "Israel;" and the truth which he then receives from good, that is, through good from the Lord, is new truth, which is represented by Benjamin while he was with his father. By means of this truth good becomes fruitful in the natural, and brings forth numberless truths wherein is good. In this way the natural is regenerated, and through fruitfulness first becomes like a tree with good fruits, and successively like a garden. From all this it is evident what is meant by new truth from spiritual good.

&5805. And his brother is dead. That this signifies that internal good is not, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (see n. 4592, 4963, 5249, 5307, 5331, 5332), thus internal good, for this is the same as the celestial of the spiritual; and from the signification of "being dead," as being to be no more (n. 494). The difference between the representation of Joseph as being internal good, and that of Israel as being spiritual good, is this. "Joseph" is internal good from the rational, and "Israel" is internal good from the natural (see n. 4286). This difference is such as is that between celestial good, or the good that is of the celestial church, and spiritual good, or the good that is of the spiritual church, which goods have already been frequently treated of. It is said that such internal or celestial good is not there; which is signified by "his brother is dead."

&5806. And he alone is left of his mother. That this signifies that this is the only truth of the church, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, who here is the "only one left," as being new truth, (as just above, n. 5804); and from the signification of "mother," as being the church (n. 289, 2691, 2717, 5581). In regard to this, that the truth which Benjamin here represents, and which is described above (see n. 5804) is the only truth of the church, the case is this. This truth is that truth which is from spiritual good (which is "Israel"), and which is represented by Benjamin when with his father; but it is a still more interior truth when with Joseph. The truth which Benjamin represents when with his father, and which is called new truth, is that which alone makes man to be the church; for in this truth, or in these truths, there is life from good. That is to say, the man who is in truths of faith from good, he is the church; but not the man who is in truths of faith and not in the good of charity. For the truths with this man are dead, even though they are the same truths. From this it may be seen what is meant by this being the only truth of the church.

&5807. And his father loveth him. That this signifies that it has conjunction with spiritual good from the natural, is evident from the signification of "love," as being conjunction (of which presently); from the representation of Israel, who here is he that "loves him," as being spiritual good from the natural (see n. 4286, 4598); and from the representation of Benjamin, who is he whom "the father loves," as being new truth (as above, n. 5804, 5806). The conjunction of this truth with that good is what is signified by "his father loving him." There cannot fail to be conjunction with this truth, because it is from that good. Between this truth and good there is conjunction like that between father and son; also like that between the willing of the mind and its understanding; for all good is of the will, and all truth is of the understanding. When the will wills good, this good is insinuated into the understanding, and there takes form according to the quality of the good; and this form is truth. And because the new truth is thus born, it is evident that there must be conjunction.
[2] In regard to love as being conjunction, be it known that love is spiritual conjunction, because it is a conjunction of the minds, or of the thought and the will, of two. From this it is evident that regarded in itself love is purely spiritual, and that the natural of it is the delight of consociation and conjunction. In its essence love is the harmony resulting from changes of the state, and variations in the forms or substances, of which the human mind consists. This harmony, if from the heavenly form, is heavenly love. It is evident therefore that love cannot have any other origin than the Divine love itself which is from the Lord; thus that love is the Divine which flows into forms, and so disposes them that their changes of state and variations may be in the harmony of heaven.
[3] But the opposite loves, namely, the loves of self and of the world, are not conjunctions but disjunctions. They indeed appear like conjunctions, but this is because each regards the other as one with himself so long as they are in pursuit of gains and honors, or in revenge and persecution toward those who oppose them. But as soon as the one does not favor the other, there is disjunction. It is otherwise with heavenly love, which is altogether averse to doing well to another for the sake of self; but does it for the sake of the good that is in the other, and which he receives from the Lord; consequently for the sake of the Lord Himself from whom is the good.

&5808. And thou saidst unto thy servants. That this signifies perception given, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being perception; and because something was said to them, it signifies perception given.

&5809. Make him come down unto me. That this signifies that the new truth must be in subjection to internal good, is evident from the signification of "making to come down," for to come to the internal in order to be conjoined, is to become subject to it, because everything which is below or exterior must be wholly subordinate or subject to the higher or interior, in order that there may be conjunction; and from the representation of Benjamin, who here is he whom they should make to come down, as being new truth (of which above, n. 5804, 5806); and from the representation of Joseph, who is he to whom he should come down, as being internal good, as shown before.

&5810. And I will set mine eye upon him. That this signifies the influx then of truth from good, is evident from the signification of "setting the eye upon" anyone, as being to communicate the truth which is of faith. (That the "eye" corresponds to the intellectual sight, and to the truths of faith, may be seen, n. 4403-4421, 4523-4534.) And because "to set the eye upon" anyone is communication, it is also influx; for internal good, which Joseph represents, does not communicate except by influx with the truth represented by Benjamin, because this truth is below.

&5811. And we said unto my lord. This signifies reciprocal perception, as above (n. 5802).

&5812. The boy cannot leave his father. That this signifies that this truth cannot be separated from spiritual good, is evident from the signification of "leaving," as being to be separated; from the representation of Israel as being spiritual good from the natural (as shown above, n. 4286, 4598, 5807); and from the representation of Benjamin as being new truth (see n. 5804, 5806). This truth is called a "boy," because it is born last; for this truth is not born until the man is regenerate. He then receives newness of life through this new truth conjoined with good. Therefore also this truth is signified by "a child of his old age, the youngest" (n. 5804).

&5813. And should he leave his father, he will die. That this signifies that if it were separated the church would perish, is evident from the signification of "leaving," as being to be separated (as just above, n. 5812); and from the signification of "dying," as being to be no more (n. 494), thus to perish. As this truth conjoined with spiritual good makes the church (n. 5806), if it were separated from that good, the church would perish. Moreover Israel, who here is the "father," represents the church (n. 4286), but not without this truth.

&5814. And thou saidst unto thy servants, signifies perception concerning this thing (as above, n. 5808).

&5815. If your youngest brother come not down with you. That this signifies if it be not subject to internal good, is evident from what has been said above (n. 5809).

&5816. Ye shall see my faces no more. That this signifies that there will be no mercy and no conjunction with the truths in the natural, is evident from the signification of the "face," when predicated of the Lord, as being mercy (n. 222, 223, 5585); and therefore "not to see the faces" is that there is no mercy (n. 5585, 5592); and when there is no mercy, there is also no conjunction, for there is no love, which is spiritual conjunction. The Divine love is called "mercy" in respect to the human race, beset with miseries so great. That there would be no conjunction with the truths in the natural, is because by the sons of Jacob, to whom these words were said, are represented truths in the natural (n. 5403, 5419, 5427, 5458, 5512).
[2] As to there being no mercy and no conjunction with the truths in the natural, unless the truth which is represented by Benjamin be subject to the internal good which is "Joseph," the case is this. The truth which makes man to be the church is the truth which is from good; for when man is in good then from good he sees truths and perceives them, and thus believes that they are truths; but not at all if he is not in good. Good is like a little flame which gives light and illumines, and causes man to see, perceive, and believe truths. For the affection of truth from good determines the internal sight thither, and withdraws the sight from worldly and bodily things, which induce darkness. Such is the truth which Benjamin here represents. That this is the only truth of the church may be seen above (n. 5806), that is, it is the only truth which makes man to be the church. But this truth must be altogether subject to the internal good which is represented by Joseph; for the Lord flows in through internal good, and gives life to the truths which are below; thus also to this truth which is from spiritual good from the natural, which is represented by Israel (see n. 4286, 4598).
[3] From these things it is also plain that conjunction takes place by means of this truth with the truths which are below; for unless this truth were subject to internal good, so that it had therefrom an influx of good into itself, there would be no reception of the mercy which continually flows in from the Lord through internal good, for there would be no intermediate. And if there were no reception of mercy, there would be no conjunction. This is what is signified by "if your youngest brother come not down with you, ye shall see my faces no more."

&5817. And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father. That this signifies elevation to spiritual good, is evident from the signification of "coming up," as being elevation, of which presently; and from the representation of Israel, who here is the "father," as being spiritual good from the natural (see n. 4286, 4598). The elevation which is signified by "coming up," is toward interior things, as here from the truths in the natural which are represented by the ten sons of Jacob, to the spiritual good from the natural which is represented by Israel. For there is an exterior and an interior natural (n. 5497, 5649); in the interior natural is the spiritual good which is "Israel," and in the exterior natural are the truths of the church which are the "sons of Jacob." Therefore by "coming up to the father" is signified elevation to spiritual good.

&5818. We told him the words of my lord. That this signifies knowledge of this thing, is evident without explication.

&5819. And our father said. That this signifies perception from spiritual good, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (as frequently above); and from the representation of Israel, who here is the "father," as being spiritual good (n. 3654, 4286, 4598).

&5820. Return ye, buy us a little food. That this signifies that the good of truth should be appropriated, is evident from the signification of "buying," as being to appropriate to oneself (see n. 5397, 5406, 5410, 5426); and from the signification of "food," as being the good of truth (n. 5410, 5426, 5487, 5582, 5588, 5655). Spiritual food is in general all good, but specifically it is the good which is acquired by means of truth, that is, truth in the will and in act, for this good becomes good from the willing and doing, and is called the good of truth. Unless truth thus becomes good, it does not benefit the man in the other life; for when he comes into the other life it is dissipated, because it does not agree with his will, thus not with the delight of his love. He who has learned truths of faith in the world, not for the sake of willing and doing them and thus turning them into goods, but only that he may know and teach them for the sake of honor and gain, even although he may in the world be considered most learned, yet in the other life he is deprived of the truths and is left to his own will, that is, his life. And he then remains as he had been in his life; and wonderful to say he is then averse to all the truths of faith: and denies them to himself, howsoever he had before confirmed them. To turn truths to goods by willing and doing them, that is, by life, is what is meant by appropriating the good of truth, which is signified by "buy us a little food."

&5821. And we said, We cannot go down. That this signifies objection, is evident without explication.

&5822. If our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down. That this signifies unless there be with them a conjoining intermediate, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, who here is the "youngest brother," as being a conjoining intermediate (see n. 5411, 5413, 5443, 5639, 5668). In regard to this, that Benjamin represents the intermediate between the celestial of the spiritual, or internal good, which is "Joseph," and truths in the natural, which are the "ten sons of Jacob," and also that he represents new truth (as in n. 5804, 5806, 5809), the case is this. An intermediate in order to be an intermediate must derive something from each, namely from the internal and from the external; otherwise it is not a conjoining intermediate. The intermediate which Benjamin represents derives from the external or natural that it is new truth there; for the new truth which he represents is in the natural, because it is from the spiritual good from the natural, which his father represents as Israel (n. 5686, 5689); but the intermediate derives this by influx from the internal which is represented by Joseph. Thus it derives something from each. This is the reason why Benjamin represents a conjoining intermediate, and also new truth-new truth when with his father, a conjoining intermediate when with Joseph. This is a secret which cannot be more clearly set forth; and it cannot be understood except by those who are in the thought that there is with man an internal and an external distinct from each other; and who are also in the affection of knowing truths. These are enlightened in respect to the intellectual part by the light of heaven, so that they see what others do not see, thus also this secret.

&5823. For we cannot see the man's faces. That this signifies because there will be no mercy or conjunction, is evident from what has been said above (n. 5816), where are the same words.

&5824. And our youngest brother, he not with us. That this signifies except by means of an intermediate, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, as being an intermediate (as just above, n. 5822).

&5825. And thy servant my father said unto us. That this signifies perception from spiritual good, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being perception (of which frequently above); and from the representation of Israel, who here is the "father," as being spiritual good from the natural (see n. 3654, 4598, 5801, 5803, 5807).

&5826. Ye know that my wife bare me two sons. That this signifies that if there be spiritual good which is of the church, there will be internal good and truth, is evident from the representation of Israel, who says this of himself, as being spiritual good from the natural (of which just above, n. 5825); from the representation of Rachel, who is here the "wife who bare him two sons," as being the affection of interior truth (see n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819); and from the representation of Joseph and Benjamin, who are the "two" whom she bare, as being internal good and truth-Joseph internal good, and Benjamin interior truth.
[2] In regard to this, that there will be internal good and truth if there be spiritual good which is of the church, the case is this. The spiritual good which Israel represents is the good of truth, that is, truth in the will and in act. This truth, or this good of truth, in man, makes him to be the church. When truth has been implanted in the will (which is perceived by the fact that the man is affected with truth for the sake of the end that he may live according to it), then there is internal good and truth. When man is in this good and truth, then the kingdom of the Lord is in him, and consequently he is the church, and together with others like him makes the church in general. From this it may be seen that in order that the church may be the church, there must be spiritual good, that is, the good of truth, but by no means truth alone-from which at this day the church is called the church, and one church is distinguished from another. Let everyone think within himself whether truth would be anything unless it had life for the end. What are doctrinal things without this end? and what the precepts of the Decalogue without a life according to them? For if anyone is acquainted with these, and with all their meaning in its fullness, and yet lives contrary to them, of what benefit are they? have they any effect at all? except, with some, damnation? The case is similar with the doctrinals of faith from the Word, which are precepts of Christian life, for they are spiritual laws. Neither do these conduce to anything unless they become of the life. Let a man consider within himself whether there is anything in him that is anything except what enters into his very life; and whether the life of man, which is life, is anywhere else than in his will.
[3] From this then it is that it is said by the Lord in the Old Testament, and confirmed in the New, that all the Law and all the Prophets are founded in love to God, and love to the neighbor, thus in the life itself, but not in faith without life; therefore by no means in faith alone, consequently neither in confidence, for this is impossible without charity. If this appears with the evil in times of danger, or when death is at hand, it is a spurious or false confidence; for not the least of this confidence appears in them in the other life, however much they may have professed it with apparent ardor at the approach of death. That faith, whether you call it confidence or trust, effects nothing with the wicked, the Lord Himself teaches in John:
     As many as received, to them gave He the power to be sons of God, to them that believe in His name; who were born, not of bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (John 1:12, 13).
[4] They who are "born of bloods" are those who do violence to charity (see n. 374, 1005), also who profane truth (n. 4735); they who are "born of the will of the flesh" are those who are in evils from the love of self and of the world (n. 3813); and they who are "born of the will of man" are those who are in persuasions of falsity; for a "man" signifies truth, and in the opposite sense falsity. They who are "born of God" are those who have been regenerated by the Lord, and thence are in good. These are they who receive the Lord, and these are they who believe in His name, and these are they to whom He gives the power to be sons of God, but not to the others; from which it is very plain what faith alone effects for salvation.
[5] Moreover in order that man may be regenerated and become the church, he must be introduced through truth to good; and he is introduced when truth becomes truth in the will and in act. This truth is good, and is called the good of truth, and produces new truths continually; for then for the first time it makes itself fruitful. The truth which is thence brought forth or made fruitful is what is called internal truth, and the good from which it is, is called internal good; for nothing becomes internal until it has been implanted in the will, because what is of the will is the inmost of man. So long as good and truth are outside of the will, and in the understanding only, they are outside of the man; for the understanding is without, and the will is within.

&5827. And the one went out from me. That this signifies the seeming departure of internal good, is evident from the signification of "going out," or going away, as being departure; and from the representation of Joseph as being internal good (of which above). That the departure was seeming only is plain, for Joseph still lived. The case herein is this. By what has been related of Joseph, from beginning to end, is represented in its order the glorification of the Lord's Human, and consequently in a lower sense the regeneration of man, for this is an image or type of the Lord's glorification (see n. 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490, 4402, 5688). With the regeneration of man the case is this. In the first state when a man is being introduced through truth into good, the truth appears manifestly, because it is in the light of the world, and not far from the sensuous things of the body. But it is not so with good, for this is in the light of heaven, and remote from the sensuous things of the body, for it is within in man's spirit. Hence it is that the truth which is of faith appears manifestly, but not good, although this is continually present, and flows in, and makes the truths live. Man could not possibly be regenerated in any other way. But when this state has been passed through, then good manifests itself, and this by love to the neighbor, and by the affection of truth for the sake of life. These also are the things represented by Joseph's being carried away and not appearing to his father, and by his afterward manifesting himself to him. This also is meant by the seeming departure of internal good, which is signified by "the one went out from me."

&5828. And I said, Surely, tearing he is torn in pieces. That this signifies perception that it has perished by evils and falsities, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being perception (of which frequently above); and from the signification of "being torn in pieces," as being to perish by evils and falsities (that is, the internal good which is represented by Joseph, n. 5805). That "to be torn in pieces" has this signification, is because in the spiritual world there is no other tearing in pieces than that of good by evils and falsities. The case herein is like death and what relates to death. In the spiritual sense these do not signify natural death, but spiritual death, which is damnation, for there is no other death in the spiritual world. So likewise "tearing" does not signify in the spiritual sense such tearing as is done by wild beasts, but the tearing to pieces of good by evils and falsities. Moreover the wild beasts which tear, signify in the spiritual sense the evils of cupidities and the derivative falsities, which also are represented by wild beasts in the other life.
[2] The good which continually flows in from the Lord with man, does not perish except by evils and the derivative falsities, and by falsities and the derivative evils. For as soon as this good, continuous through the internal man, comes to the external or natural man, it is met by evil and falsity, by which the good is torn in pieces and extinguished in various ways as by wild beasts. By this the influx of good through the internal man is checked and stayed, and consequently the inner mind, through which is the influx, is closed, and only so much of the spiritual is admitted through it as to enable the natural man to reason and speak, but this only from earthly, bodily, and worldly things, and indeed contrary to good and truth, or in accordance with them from pretense or deceit.
[3] It is a universal law that influx adjusts itself according to efflux, and if efflux is checked influx is checked. Through the internal man there is an influx of good and truth from the Lord, and through the external there must be an efflux, namely into the life, that is, in the exercise of charity. When there is this efflux then there is continual influx from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord; whereas if there is no efflux, but resistance in the external or natural man (that is, evil and falsity which tear to pieces and extinguish the inflowing good), it follows from the universal law just mentioned that the influx adjusts itself to the efflux, consequently that the influx of good draws back, and thereby the internal through which is the influx is closed; and through this closing there comes stupidity in spiritual things, even until the man who is such neither knows nor is willing to know anything about eternal life, and at last becomes insane, so that he opposes falsities against truths, calling them truths and the truths falsities, and evils against goods, making them goods and the goods evil. Thus he tears good completely to pieces.
[4] That which is "torn" is occasionally mentioned in the Word, whereby in the proper sense is signified that which perishes through falsities from evils; but that which perishes through evils is called a "carcass." When only what is "torn" is mentioned, both are signified, for the one involves the signification of the other; but it is otherwise when both are mentioned, for then a distinction is made. Because that which is "torn" signified in the spiritual sense that which had perished by falsities from evils, therefore it was forbidden in the representative church to eat anything torn, which by no means would have been thus forbidden unless that spiritual evil had been understood in heaven. Otherwise what harm would there have been in eating flesh torn by a wild beast?
[5] Of "torn" things, that they were not to be eaten, it is thus written in Moses:
     The fat of a carcass and the fat of that which is torn may be for every use, provided in eating ye shall not eat it (Lev. 7:24).
Again:
     A carcass and that which is torn he shall not eat, to be defiled therewith: I am Jehovah (Lev. 22:8).
And again:
     Men of holiness ye shall be to Me; therefore ye shall not eat the flesh that is torn in the field; ye shall cast it forth to dogs (Exod. 22:31).
In Ezekiel:
     The prophet saith, Ah Lord Jehovih! behold my soul hath not been defiled, and a carcass and that which is torn I have not eaten from my youth until now, so that the flesh of abomination hath not come into my mouth (Ezek. 4:14).
From these passages it is plain that it was an abomination to eat that which was torn, not because it was torn, but because it signified the tearing of good to pieces by falsities which are from evils, whereas a "carcass" signified the death of good by evils.
[6] The tearing of good to pieces by falsities from evils is meant also in the following passages from David in the internal sense:
     The likeness of the wicked is as a lion, he desireth to tear, and as a young lion that sitteth in hiding places (Ps. 17:12).
Again:
     They opened their mouth against me, a tearing and a roaring lion (Ps. 22:13).
And yet again:
     Lest they tear my soul as a lion, tearing but none rescuing (Ps. 7:2).
A "lion" denotes those who vastate the church. Where it is said above of Joseph, that he was sold by his brethren, and that his tunic stained with blood was sent to his father, then his father also said, "It is my son's tunic, an evil wild beast hath devoured him, tearing, Joseph is torn in pieces" (Gen. 37:33). (That "to be torn in pieces" is to be dissipated by falsities from evil may be seen where this is explained, n. 4777.)

&5829. And I have not seen him hitherto. That this signifies because it has vanished, is evident without explication.

&5830. And ye are taking this one also from my faces. That this signifies if the new truth also should depart, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, of whom this is said, as being new truth (see n. 5804, 5806, 5809, 5822); and from the signification of "taking him from my faces," as being to estrange from spiritual good, thus to depart. Because this truth is from spiritual good which is "Israel," if it should depart, it would be all over with the good itself; for good takes its quality from truths, and truths take their being from good; thereby they have life together.

&5831. And if harm befall him. That this signifies by evils and falsities, is evident from the signification of "harm befalling" anyone, as being to be injured by evils and falsities. No other "harm" is meant in the spiritual sense, because in the spiritual world all harm is from evils and falsities.

&5832. And ye will make my gray hairs go down in evil to the grave. That this signifies that spiritual good, and thus the internal of the church, would perish, is evident from the representation of Israel, as being spiritual good (n. 5807, 5812, 5813, 5817, 5819, 5825), and the internal of the spiritual church (n. 4286); from the signification of "gray hairs," as being the ultimate of the church; and from the signification of "going down in evil to the grave," as being to perish (n. 4785). "To go down in good into the grave" is to rise again and to be regenerated (n. 2916, 2917, 5551), wherefore "to go down in evil into the grave" is the opposite, thus to perish. As to the internal of the church perishing if the truth represented by Benjamin were to perish, the case is this. In order that good may be good it must have its own truths; and truths must have their own good in order to be truths. Good without truths is not good, and truths without good are not truths. Together they form a marriage, which is called the heavenly marriage. Wherefore if one departs, the other perishes; and the one may depart from the other through a tearing in pieces by evils and falsities.

&5833. And now when I come to thy servant my father. That this signifies the good of the church corresponding to the spiritual good of the internal church, is evident from the representation of Judah, who says this of himself, as being the good of the church (see n. 5583, 5603, 5782); and from the representation of Israel, who here is his "father," as being spiritual good (n. 5807, 5812, 5813, 5817, 5819, 5825). The good of the church which Judah represents is the good of the external church; whereas the spiritual good which Israel represents is the good of the internal church (n. 4286). For every church of the Lord is internal and external; and the things of the external church correspond to those which are of the internal church. Thus also the good of the church which Judah represents, corresponds to the spiritual good represented by Israel.

&5834. And the boy he not with us. That this signifies if the new truth is not with it, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, who here is the "boy," as being new truth (see n. 5804, 5806, 5822).

&5835. And his soul is bound in his soul. That this signifies since there is close conjunction, is evident from the signification of "soul," as being life, thus "the soul of the one being bound in the soul of the other" signifies the life of the one in the life of the other, consequently that there is close conjunction-here of spiritual good, which is "Israel," with the truth from this good, which is "Benjamin." As to there being so close a conjunction between good and its truth, like the soul of the one which is bound in the soul of the other, the case is this. The mind of man, which is the man himself, and is where the man's life is, has two faculties, one allotted to the truths of faith, the other to the good of charity. The faculty which is allotted to the truths of faith is called the understanding, and that which is allotted to the good of charity is called the will. In order that man may be man, these two faculties must make a one.
[2] But that at the present day these two faculties are altogether disjoined, may be seen from the fact that a man can understand that a thing is true, and yet not will it. He can understand that all things in the Decalogue are true, also in some measure those in the doctrinals which are from the Word; nay, he may also be able intellectually to confirm them, and even to preach them, but yet will otherwise, and from willing act otherwise. It is plain from this that these two faculties in man are disjoined. But that they ought not to be disjoined may be known from the fact that to understand truth would elevate a man toward heaven, and to will evil would draw him down toward hell, and so he would hang between the two. But still his will, in which his very life consists, would draw him downward, thus inevitably into hell. Therefore lest this happen, these two faculties must be conjoined, which is done through regeneration by the Lord, and this through the implantation of the truth of faith in the good of charity. For thus through the truth of faith the man is endowed with a new understanding, and through the good of charity with a new will; whence he has two faculties which make one mind.

&5836. And it shall come to pass when he seeth that the boy is not, that he will die. That this signifies that spiritual good will perish (that is, if the truth which is "Benjamin" departs), is evident from the representation of Israel as being spiritual good (of which above); and from the representation of "dying," as being to cease to be such (see n. 494), thus to perish. (That good would perish if its truth should depart has been shown above, n. 5830, 5832.)

&5837. And thy servants will make thy servant our father's gray hairs go down in sorrow to the grave. That this signifies that all will be over with the church, is evident from the things unfolded above (n. 5832), where like things are said. That Israel, who is the "father," is here the church, is because spiritual good, which he represents, makes the church in man; insomuch that whether you say "spiritual good," or "the church," it is the same thing, for they cannot be separated. Therefore it is that in the Word, especially in the prophets, "Israel" is the spiritual church.

&5838. Verses 32-34. For thy servant became surety for the boy from being with my father, saying, If I bring him not back unto thee I shall sin to my father all the days. And now I pray let thy servant remain instead of the boy a servant to my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father and the boy be not with me? peradventure I shall see the evil that shall come upon my father. "For thy servant became surety for the boy from being with my father, saying," signifies adjunction to itself; "If I bring him not back unto thee," signifies unless it be conjoined with spiritual good; "I shall sin to my father all the days," signifies a turning away, and thus that there would be no good of the church; "and now I pray let thy servant remain instead of the boy a servant to my lord," signifies submission; "and let the boy go up with his brethren," signifies in order that interior truth may be conjoined with spiritual good; "for how shall I go up to my father and the boy he not with me?" signifies that spiritual good from the natural would be without interior truth; "peradventure I shall see the evil that shall come upon my father," signifies perception that it will perish.

&5839. For thy servant became surety for the boy from being with my father, saying. That this signifies adjunction, is evident from the signification of "becoming surety for" another, as being to adjoin him to oneself (as above, n. 5609). For the truth which Benjamin represented, while it is not so much with spiritual good, which is the "father," may in the meantime be with the good of the external church which Judah represents; for this good and spiritual good act as one by correspondence.

&5840. If I bring him not back unto thee. That this signifies unless it be conjoined with spiritual good, is evident from the signification of "bringing back," as being to be conjoined again; and from the representation of Israel, as being spiritual good (of which frequently above).

&5841. I shall sin to my father all the days. That this signifies a turning away, and thus that there would be no good of the church, is evident from the signification of "sinning," as being disjunction (see n. 5229, 5474), thus a turning away; and if the good of the external church which Judah represents, averts itself from the good of the internal church represented by Israel, there is no longer any good of the church. The conjunction itself causes that there is good from which is the church. With these two goods, of the internal church and of the external, the case is this. The good of the internal church, or internal good, produces the good of the external church, or external good, by influx; and because it is so, internal good elevates to itself external good in order that this may look to it, and through it upward toward the Lord. This takes place when there is conjunction; but if there is disjunction, external good turns itself away, and looks downward, and thus perishes. It is this turning away which is signified by "I shall sin to my father all the days."

&5842. And now I pray let thy servant remain instead of the boy a servant to my lord. That this signifies submission, is evident from the fact that to offer oneself as a servant in the place of another is to deprive oneself of freedom from one's own, and to submit oneself altogether to the other. By these words is signified the submission of the natural or external man under the internal; for when the good there submits itself, the very truths there submit themselves, for truths are of good.

&5843. And let the boy go up with his brethren. That this signifies in order that interior truth may be conjoined with spiritual good, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, as being new truth (see n. 5804, 5806, 5809, 5822), thus interior truth; and from the signification of "going up with his brethren," as being to be again conjoined with his father, that is, with the spiritual good which is represented by Israel. The interior truth which Benjamin here represents, is the new truth, for this is interior relatively to the truths which are below. For the truth which proceeds from good is interior truth; thus this truth is so because it proceeds from spiritual good, which is "Israel." The good of charity from the will, thus from affection, is internal good, or the good of the internal church; but the good of charity not from affection but from obedience, and not from the will but from doctrine, is external good, or the good of the external church; and it is the same with the truths which are from it.

&5844. For how shall I go up to my father, and the boy be not with me? That this signifies that spiritual good from the natural would be without interior truth, is evident from the representation of Israel, who here is the "father," as being spiritual good from the natural (of which above); and from the representation of Benjamin, who here is the "boy," as being interior truth (see just above, n. 5843).

&5845. Peradventure I shall see the evil that shall come upon my father. That this signifies a perception that it will perish, is evident from the signification of "seeing," as being to understand (as above, n. 2807, 3863, 4403-4421), and thence to perceive (n. 3764, 4567, 5400). That it will perish is signified by the "evil which shall come upon him," the same as by "making his gray hairs go down in evil to the grave" (n. 5832), also that if his father did not see him with his brethren, he "would die" (n. 5836). This is the evil that is signified. (That spiritual good, which is "Israel," would perish if the truth which is "Benjamin" should depart, may be seen above, n. 5832.)

&5846. Of the angels and spirits with man.
The influx from the spiritual world into man is in general of such a nature that man cannot think or will anything of himself, but everything flows in; good and truth from the Lord through heaven, thus through the angels who are with the man; evil and falsity from hell, thus through the evil spirits who are with the man; and this into the man's thought and will. This I know will appear a very great paradox because it is contrary to the appearance; but experience itself shall declare how the matter stands.

&5847. No man, spirit, or angel ever has any life from himself, thus neither can he think and will from himself; because in thinking and willing is the life of man, and speaking and acting is the life thence derived. For there is one only life, that of the Lord, which flows into all, but is variously received, and indeed according to the quality which a man has induced on his soul by his life. Hence with the evil, goods and truths are turned into evils and falsities, but with the good they are received-goods as goods, and truths as truths. This may be compared to the light of the sun flowing into objects, which is modified and varied in them diversely according to the form of the parts, and thus is turned into colors, some sad and some cheerful. While a man lives in the world he induces a form on the purest substances of his interiors, so that it may be said that he forms his soul, that is, its quality; and according to this form is received the life of the Lord, which is the life of His love toward the universal human race. (That there is one only life, and that men, spirits, and angels are recipients of life, see n. 1954, 2021, 2706, 2886-2889, 2893, 3001, 3318, 3337, 3338, 3484, 3741-3743, 4151, 4249, 4318-4320, 4417, 4524, 4882.)

&5848. In order that the life of the Lord may flow in and be received according to all law in man, there are continually with him angels and spirits-angels from heaven, and spirits from hell; and I have been informed that there are with everyone two spirits and two angels. That there are spirits from hell is because man of himself is continually in evil, for he is in the delight of the love of self and of the world, and insofar as man is in evil, or in this delight, so far angels from heaven cannot be present.

&5849. The two spirits adjoined to man cause him to be in communication with hell, and the two angels cause him to be in communication with heaven. Without communication with heaven and hell, man could not live even a moment. If these communications were taken away, the man would fall dead as a stock; for then would be taken away the connection with the First Esse, that is, with the Lord. This has also been shown me by much experience. The spirits with me were removed a little, and then as they were removed I began as it were to expire, and indeed should have expired if they had not been sent back. But I know that few will believe there is any spirit with them, nor even that there are any spirits; and this chiefly for the reason that at this day there is no faith, because no charity, and thus it is not believed that there is a hell, nor even that there is a heaven, nor consequently that there is any life after death. Another reason is that they do not see spirits with their eyes; for they say, "If I should see, I would believe; what I see, this is; but what I do not see, I do not know whether it is." When yet they know, or might know, that man's eye is so dull and gross that it does not even see many things that exist in ultimate nature, as is evident from microscopes which make them visible. How then could it see what is within even purer nature, where spirits and angels are? These man cannot see except with the eye of his internal man, for this is accommodated to such vision. But the sight of this eye is not opened to man while he is in this world, for many reasons. From all this it is evident how far distant is the faith of this day from the faith of ancient times, when it was believed that every man had his angel with him.

&5850. The truth of the matter is this. From the Lord through the spiritual world into the subjects of the natural world there is a general influx and also a particular influx-a general influx into those things which are in order, a particular influx into those things which are not in order. Animals of every kind are in the order of their nature, and therefore into them there is general influx. That they are in the order of their nature is evident from the fact that they are born into all their faculties, and have no need to be introduced into them by any information. But men are not in their order, nor in any law of order, and therefore they receive particular influx; that is, there are with them angels and spirits through whom the influx comes. And unless these were with men, they would rush into every wickedness and would plunge in a moment into the deepest hell. Through these spirits and angels man is kept under the auspices and guidance of the Lord. The order into which man was created would be that he should love the neighbor as himself, and even more than himself. Thus do the angels. But man loves only himself and the world, and hates the neighbor, except insofar as he favors his commanding and possessing the world. Therefore as the life of man is altogether contrary to heavenly order, he is ruled by the Lord through separate spirits and angels.

&5851. The same spirits do not remain constantly with a man, but are changed according to the man's states, that is, the states of his affection, or of his loves and ends, the former being removed and others succeeding. In general there are with man spirits of such a quality as is the man himself. If he is avaricious, there are spirits who are avaricious; if he is haughty, there are haughty spirits; if he is desirous of revenge, there are spirits of this character; if he is deceitful, there are the like spirits. Man summons to himself spirits from hell in accordance with his life. The hells are most exactly distinguished according to evils of cupidities, and according to all the differences of evil. Thus there is never any lack of spirits like himself to be called out and adjoined to a man who is in evil.

&5852. The evil spirits with man are indeed from the hells, but while they are with him they are not in hell, but taken out from thence. The place where they then are is midway between hell and heaven, and is called the World Of Spirits, of which mention has often been made before. In this world called the world of spirits there are also good spirits who likewise are with man. Into that world also come men immediately after death, who after tarrying a while there, are either sent away into the lower earth, or are let down into hell, or taken up into heaven, each one according to his life. In that world the hells are terminated above, being there closed or opened at the good pleasure of the Lord; and in that world heaven is terminated below; thus it is an interval that distinguishes heaven from hell. From this it may now be known what the world of spirits is. When evil spirits who are with man are in that world, they are not in any infernal torment, but are in the delights of the love of self and of the world, as also of all the pleasures in which the man himself is; for they are in every thought and every affection of the man; but when they are sent back into their hell, they return into their former state.

&5853. The spirits who come to a man enter into all his memory and into all the memory-knowledges that he possesses. Thus they put on all things belonging to the man, insomuch that they know no otherwise than that these are their own. This is a prerogative that spirits have above man. Hence it is that all things which the man thinks they think, and all things which the man wills they will; and conversely, whatever the spirits think the man thinks, and whatever the spirits will the man wills; for they act as a one by conjunction. Yet on both sides it is supposed that such things are in and from themselves, both on the part of the spirits and on the part of the men. But this is a fallacy.

&5854. It is provided by the Lord that spirits should flow into what is thought and willed by man, but angels into his ends, and thus through the ends into all that follows from the ends. Angels also flow in through good spirits into the goods of life and truths of faith with man, by means of which they lead him away from evils and falsities as far as possible. This influx is tacit, imperceptible to the man, but still operating and efficient in secret. Especially do they avert evil ends and insinuate good ones. But insofar as they cannot do this, they withdraw, and flow in more remotely, and more absently, and then evil spirits come nearer; for angels cannot be present in evil ends, that is, in the loves of self and of the world, and yet they are present from afar.
[2] The Lord could through angels lead man into good ends by omnipotent force; but this would be to take away the man's life, for his life consists in entirely contrary loves. Therefore the Divine law is inviolable, that man shall be in freedom, and that good and truth, or charity and faith, shall be implanted in his freedom, and by no means in compulsion; because what is received in a state of compulsion does not remain, but is dissipated. For to compel a man is not to insinuate into his will, because it is then the will of another from which he acts; and therefore when he returns to his own will, that is, to his own freedom, this is rooted out. The Lord therefore rules man through his freedom, and as far as possible withholds him from the freedom of thinking and willing evil; for unless man were withheld by the Lord, he would be continually plunging into the deepest hell.
[3] It was said that the Lord could through angels lead man into good ends by omnipotent force; for evil spirits can be driven away in an instant, even if there should be myriads about a man, and this indeed by means of one angel; but then the man would come into such torment and into such a hell that he could not possibly endure it, for he would be miserably deprived of his life. For the life of man is from cupidities and phantasies against good and truth. If this life were not sustained through evil spirits and thus amended, or at least led, he would be reduced to nothing and would not survive a minute. For nothing else is seated in him than the love of self and of gain, and of reputation for their sake, thus whatever is contrary to order. Wherefore unless he should be reduced into order moderately and by degrees, through the leading of his freedom, he would at once expire.

&5855. Before the way was opened to me to speak with spirits, I was of the opinion that no spirit or angel could ever know or perceive my thoughts, because they were within me, and known to God alone. And then it once happened that I observed that a certain spirit knew what I was thinking, for he spoke with me about what I was thinking of, in a few words, and gave an indication of his presence by a certain sign. At this I was astounded, chiefly because he knew my thoughts. From this it was evident how difficult it is for a man to believe that any spirit knows what he is thinking, when yet he knows not only the thoughts which the man himself knows, but also the least things of his thoughts and affections, which the man does not know-nay, such things as the man can never know during the life of the body. This I know from the continuous experience of many years.

&5856. Communications of societies with other societies are effected through spirits whom they send forth and through whom they speak. These spirits are called Subjects. When any society was present with me, I could not know it until they sent forth a spirit, at the sending of whom communication was at once opened. This is a very familiar thing in the other life and is frequently done. From this it may be seen that the spirits and angels who are with man, are for the sake of communication with societies in hell and with societies in heaven.

&5857. I have sometimes spoken with spirits about the surpassing capacity they have above men for putting on at their first coming all things of the man's memory; and though they had previously known nothing of the sciences, of the languages, and other things which the man has learned and imbued from childhood even to old age, they nevertheless come in a moment into possession of all; so that with the learned they are learned, with the ingenious they are ingenious, and with the prudent they are prudent. At these remarks, those spirits became elated, for they were not good, and therefore it was given to tell them further that with the ignorant they are ignorant, and with the stupid they are stupid, with the insane and foolish they are insane and foolish; for they put on all the interiors of the man with whom they are, thus also his fallacies, phantasies, and falsities, consequently his insanities and follies. But evil spirits cannot approach little children, because these have not yet in their memory anything that evil spirits can put on; and therefore with little children there are good spirits and angels.

&5858. From much experience it has been given me to know that whatever the spirits think and speak from the memory of a man, they suppose to be their own and in themselves. If they are told that this is not the case, they are highly indignant-such is the fallacy of sense that prevails with them. To convince them that such is not the case, they were asked whence they knew how to speak with me in my mother tongue, and yet they had known nothing at all of it during their life in the body, and how they knew the other languages in which I am skilled, although from themselves they did not know one; do they believe that these languages are theirs? Moreover I read the Hebrew language before them, and they understood it as much as I did-even little children-but no further. All the knowledges also that are in my memory are in theirs. By this they were convinced that when they come to a man, they come into possession of all his knowledges, and that they are in falsity in believing them to be their own. They have also their own knowledges, but are not permitted to draw them out, to the end that they may serve man through his knowledges-as well as for various other reasons, of which above (n. 2476, 2477, 2479), and because there would be the greatest confusion if spirits were to flow in from their own memory (n. 2478).

&5859. Some spirits came to me by ascending, and said that they had been with me from the beginning, knowing no otherwise. But when I showed them to the contrary, they at last confessed that they had now come for the first time, but because they had at once put on all things of my memory, they could know no otherwise. From this again it was evident that when spirits come to a man they instantly put on all the man's memory-knowledges as if they were their own; and also that when a number of spirits are present, they each of them put on these knowledges, and they each of them suppose that they are their own. Into this faculty comes man immediately after death. Hence also it is that when good spirits come into a heavenly society, they put on and possess all the wisdom of all in that society-for such is the communion-and this although in the life of the body they had known nothing whatever of such things as are said in the heavenly society. This is the case if when in the world they had lived in the good of charity, for this good is attended with the appropriation to itself of everything of wisdom, because this is secretly implanted in good itself; and it is from this that they know as it were from themselves things which in the bodily life had been incomprehensible and even unutterable.

&5860. The spirits who are with man also put on his persuasions, whatever these may be, as has been proved to me by much experience. Thus they put on man's persuasions not only in civil and moral things, but also in the spiritual things of faith. From this it may be seen that the spirits with those who are in heresies, in fallacies and illusions as to the truths of faith, and in falsities, are in the like, with not the slightest difference. The reason of this is that man may be in his freedom, and not be disturbed by anything of the spirit's own.

&5861. From all this it is plain that during his life in the world a man is as to his interiors, thus as to his spirit, in company with other spirits, and is so adjoined to them that he cannot think anything or will anything except together with them, and that thereby there is a communication of his interiors with the spiritual world, and that in this way and not otherwise can he be led by the Lord. When a man comes into the other life he has with him his unbelief in there having been with him any spirit, especially any from hell. There is therefore shown him, if he desires it, the society of spirits in whose company he had been, and from which emissary spirits had been with him. And then after passing through some preliminary states, he at last returns to the same society, because this society has acted in unity with the love which had obtained the dominion with him. I have sometimes seen their societies shown to them.

&5862. It is not known to the spirits with man, but only to angels from the Lord, that they are with him, because they are adjoined to his soul or spirit, and not to his body. Those things which from the thoughts are determined into speech, and those which from the will are determined into acts in the body, flow in order into act by general influx, according to the correspondences with the Grand Man; and therefore the spirits who are with man have nothing in common with these things: thus they do not speak through man's tongue, which would be obsession; nor see through his eyes, nor hear through his ears, what is in the world. It is otherwise with me, for the Lord has opened my interiors so that I might see the things in the other life: hence spirits have known that I was a man in the body, and opportunity has been given them of seeing through my eyes things in the world, and of hearing those speaking to me who were in my company.

&5863. If evil spirits perceived that they are with man, and that they are spirits separate from him, and if they could flow into what is of his body, they would try to destroy him in a thousand ways, for they hold man in deadly hatred. And as they knew that I was a man in the body, they were in a continual effort to destroy me, not only as to the body, but especially as to the soul; for to destroy man and any spirit is the very delight of life of all those who are in hell; but I have been continually protected by the Lord. From this it is evident how dangerous it is for man to be in living company with spirits, unless he is in the good of faith.

&5864. As evil spirits have heard that spirits are with man, they have supposed that so they might assail these spirits, and together with them man. They have also sought them a long time, but in vain. Their intention was to destroy them. For as the delight and bliss of heaven is to do good to man, and to promote his eternal welfare, so on the other hand the delight of hell is to do evil to man, and to contribute to his eternal ruin. In such opposition are they.

&5865. There was a certain spirit, not evil, to whom it was permitted to pass over to a certain man and speak with me from thence. When he came to the man he said that there appeared to him as it were a kind of black inanimate something, or as it were a black lifeless mass. This was the bodily life of the man, which he was permitted to view. It was said that the bodily life of a man who is in the good of faith appears, when one is permitted to view it, not black, but woody and of the color of wood. The same was given me to know by another experience. A certain evil spirit was let into the state of the body, by thinking from the sensuous things of the body, thus from the external memory. He then seemed to me as a black lifeless mass. When he was restored, he said that he had supposed he was in the life of the body. In other cases spirits are not allowed to look into the bodily things of man, for these are in the world and its light, and when spirits look at those things which are of the light of the world, these appear as mere darkness.

&5866. A continuation about the angels and spirits with man will be found at the end of the following chapter.
     

     Genesis 45

     1. And Joseph could not restrain himself before all that were standing by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from with me. And there stood not anyone with him while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.
     2. And he gave forth his voice in weeping; and the Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard.
     3. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were in consternation before him.
     4. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come ye near to me I pray. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
     5. And now be not grieved, neither let there be anger in your eyes, that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to make to live.
     6. For this two years the famine is in the midst of the land; and there are yet five years wherein is no plowing and harvest.
     7. And God sent me before you to put for you remains in the land, and to make you live for a great escape.
     8. And now not you have sent me hither, but God; and He set me for a father to Pharaoh, and for lord to all his house, and I rule in all the land of Egypt.
     9. Haste ye and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus hath said thy son Joseph, God hath set me for lord to all Egypt; come down unto me, tarry not:
     10. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy sons, and thy sons' sons, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:
     11. And I will sustain thee there; for there are yet five years of famine; lest thou be rooted out, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast.
     12. And behold your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that with my mouth I am speaking unto you.
     13. And ye shall tell my father all my glory in Egypt, and all that ye have seen; and haste ye and bring down my father hither.
     14. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's necks and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his necks.
     15. And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them; and afterward his brethren talked with him.
     16. And the voice was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren have come; and it was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants.
     17. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, come ye into the land of Canaan;
     18. And take your father, and your households, and come unto me; and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.
     19. And now commanded, this do ye: take you out of the land of Egypt carts for your babes, and for your women, and bring your father, and come.
     20. And let not your eye be sparing upon your stuff; because the good of the whole land of Egypt, this is for you.
     21. And the sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them carts, according to the mouth of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.
     22. And to all of them he gave to each changes of garments; and to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of garments.
     23. And to his father he sent after this manner: ten asses carrying of the good of Egypt, and ten she-asses carrying grain and bread and nourishment for his father for the way.
     24. And he sent his brethren away, and they departed; and he said unto them, Contend not in the way.
     25. And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father.
     26. And they told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is ruler in all the land of Egypt. And his heart failed, because he believed them not.
     27. And they spake unto him all the words of Joseph, which he spake unto them; and he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, and the spirit of Jacob their father revived:
     28. And Israel said, It is much; Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go and see him before I die.

&5867. The Contents.     
In the preceding chapter the subject treated of was the internal man, which is "Joseph"-that it initiated into conjunction with itself the external natural, or the ten sons of Jacob, through the intermediate which is "Benjamin." In this present chapter the subject treated of is the internal man-that it conjoined itself with the external natural; but inasmuch as there is no conjunction therewith except through spiritual good from the natural, which is "Israel," therefore it first prepares to adjoin to itself this good.

&5868. The Internal Sense.     
Verses 1, 2. And Joseph could not restrain himself before all that were standing by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from with me. And there stood not anyone with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he gave forth his voice in weeping; and the Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard. "And Joseph could not restrain himself before all that were standing by him," signifies that all things were now made ready by the internal celestial for conjunction; "and he cried," signifies the effect near at hand; "Cause every man to go out from with me," signifies that memory-knowledges not in agreement and adverse should be cast out from the midst; "and there stood not anyone with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren," signifies that there were not any such knowledges present when the internal celestial through the intermediate conjoined itself with truths in the natural; "and he gave forth his voice in weeping," signifies mercy and joy; "and the Egyptians heard," signifies even to ultimates; "and the house of Pharaoh heard," signifies through the whole natural.

&5869. And Joseph could not restrain himself before all that were standing by him. That this signifies that all things were now made ready by the internal celestial for conjunction, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being internal good (see n. 5805, 5826, 5827), thus the internal celestial, for by the celestial is meant the good which proceeds from the Lord; and from the signification of "not being able to restrain himself," as being that all things were made ready for conjunction. For when anyone prepares himself with the utmost diligence for some end, or effect, by getting together and arranging the means conducive thereto, then when all things are made ready he can no longer restrain himself. This is signified by the above words; for in the preceding chapter initiation to conjunction was treated of, but in this chapter conjunction itself (see n. 5867). By "all that were standing by him," are signified such things as hinder conjunction, for which reason they were cast out, as follows.

&5870. And he cried. That this signifies the effect near at hand, is evident from the signification of "crying," when it is before said that he could not restrain himself, as being the effect near at hand.

&5871. Cause every man to go out from with me. That this signifies that memory-knowledges, not in agreement and adverse, should be cast out from the midst, is evident from the signification of "every man from with him," as being memory-knowledges, for the men were Egyptians, by whom are signified memory-knowledges (see n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702). That these were not in agreement and were adverse, follows, because they were cast out. The case herein is this. When a conjunction is being effected of the truths which are in the external or natural man with the good which is in the internal, that is, when the truths of faith are being conjoined with the good of charity, then all those memory-knowledges which are not in agreement, and especially those which are adverse, are rejected from the midst to the sides, thus from the light which is in the midst to the shade which is at the sides; and then they are partly not seen and partly regarded as of no account. But from the memory-knowledges which are in agreement and harmonious, which remain, there is effected a kind of extraction, and so to speak a sort of sublimation, whence arises an interior sense of things, a sense which is not perceived by man while he is in the body except by somewhat of gladness, as the mind is gladdened by the morning of the day. Thus is effected the conjunction of the truth which is of faith with the good which is of charity.

&5872. And there stood not anyone with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. That this signifies that there were not any such knowledges present when the internal celestial by means of the intermediate conjoined itself with the truths in the natural, may be seen from what was unfolded just above (n. 5871), thus without further exposition.

&5873. And he gave forth his voice in weeping. That this signifies mercy and joy, is evident from the signification of "weeping," as being the effect of mercy (see n. 5480); and also, as it is the effect of sadness, as being the effect of love (see n. 3801), thus joy.

&5874. And the Egyptians heard. That this signifies even to ultimates, is evident from the signification of "hearing," namely, the voice in weeping, as being a perception of mercy and of joy; and from the representation of the Egyptians, as being memory-knowledges (see n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462), thus ultimates, for the memory-knowledges with man are his ultimates. That memory-knowledges are the ultimates with man, namely, in his memory and thought, is not apparent, for it seems to him as if they make the whole of intelligence and of wisdom. But it is not so. They are only vessels containing the things of intelligence and of wisdom, and indeed the ultimate vessels, for they conjoin themselves with the sensuous things of the body. That they are ultimates is plain to him who reflects upon his thought, when he inquires into any truth, in that memory-knowledges are then present, but are not apparent; for the thought then extracts what they contain (and this from very many scattered here and there and even deeply hidden), and thus forms conclusions; and the more interiorly the thought penetrates, so much the farther does it remove itself from them. This may be manifest from the fact that when man comes into the other life and becomes a spirit, he indeed has with him memory-knowledges, but he is not allowed to use them, for several reasons (n. 2476, 2477, 2479); and yet he thinks and speaks concerning truth and good much more distinctly and perfectly than in the world. Hence it may be seen that memory-knowledges are serviceable to man for forming the understanding, but when the understanding has been formed, they then constitute an ultimate plane in which the man no longer thinks, but above it.

&5875. And the house of Pharaoh heard. That this signifies through the whole natural, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural in general (see n. 5160, 5799). Thus his "house" is the whole natural.

&5876. Verses 3-5. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were in consternation before him. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come ye near to me I pray. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. And now be not grieved, neither let there be anger in your eyes, that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to make to live. "And Joseph said unto his brethren," signifies that the internal celestial gave the faculty of perception to truths in the natural; "I am Joseph," signifies manifestation; "doth my father yet live," signifies the presence of spiritual good from the natural; "and his brethren could not answer him," signifies that truths in the natural were not yet in a state to speak; "for they were in consternation before him," signifies commotion among them; "and Joseph said unto his brethren," signifies the perception of the new natural; "Come ye near to me I pray," signifies interior communication; "and they came near," signifies the effect; "and he said, I am Joseph your brother," signifies manifestation by means of influx; "whom ye sold into Egypt," signifies the internal which they had alienated; "and now be not grieved," signifies anxiety of the heart or of the will; "neither let there be anger in your eyes," signifies sadness of the spirit or of the understanding; "that ye sold me hither," signifies that they had alienated to the lowest things; "for God did send me before you to make to live," signifies spiritual life thence imparted to them of Providence.

&5877. And Joseph said unto his brethren. That this signifies that the internal celestial gave the faculty of perception to truths in the natural, is evident from the signification of "saying," in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (see n. 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3395, 3509, 5687, 5743), here to give the faculty of perception (of which in what follows); from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (of which just above, n. 5869); and from the representation of the ten sons of Jacob, who are here the "brethren," as being truths in the natural (n. 5403, 5419, 5458, 5512). Thus the internal sense is that the internal celestial gave the faculty of perception to truths in the natural. By "saying" is here signified to give the faculty of perception, because in what now follows the subject treated of is the conjunction of the internal celestial, which is "Joseph," with truths in the natural, which are the "sons of Jacob," and when there is conjunction there is given the faculty of perceiving, namely, through the affection of truth, and thus of good.

&5878. I am Joseph, signifies manifestation, as is evident without explication.

&5879. Doth my father yet live? That this signifies the presence of spiritual good from the natural, is evident from the representation of Israel, who here is the "father," as being spiritual good from the natural (see n. 5801, 5803, 5807, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833); that it is from the natural see n. 4286; and from the signification of "doth he yet live," as being the presence thereof. For Joseph's first thought when he manifested himself was about his father, whom he knew to be living. Wherefore Israel was first present in thought, and also continuously afterward while Joseph spoke to his brethren. The reason is that the conjunction of the internal celestial, which is "Joseph," cannot be effected with the truths in the natural, which are the "sons of Jacob," except through spiritual good from the natural, which is "Israel." And when conjunction is effected, then they are no longer the sons of Jacob, but the sons of Israel, for the "sons of Israel" are spiritual truths in the natural.

&5880. And his brethren could not answer him. That this signifies that truths in the natural were not yet in a state to speak, is evident from the representation of the sons of Jacob, who are here Joseph's "brethren," as being truths in the natural (of which above, n. 5877); and from the signification of "not being able to answer," as being to be not yet in a state to speak, namely, from the truths with the internal. The case herein is this. When the internal is being conjoined with the external, or good with truth, there is then for the first time effected a communication on the part of the internal with the external; but the communication is not yet reciprocal. When it is reciprocal, there is conjunction. Wherefore after Joseph had wept upon Benjamin's necks, and had kissed all his brethren, it is said that then for the first time his brethren talked with him (verse 15), whereby is signified that after conjunction was effected, there took place a reciprocal communication by virtue of reception.

&5881. For they were in consternation before him. That this signifies commotion among them, is evident from the signification of "being in consternation," as being commotion, consternation being nothing else. By commotion is meant a new disposition and setting in order of truths in the natural, concerning which setting in order be it known that the order in which memory-knowledges and truths are arranged in man's memory is unknown to man, but when it pleases the Lord it is known to angels. For it is a wonderful order. They cohere as in little bundles, and the little bundles themselves cohere together, and this according to the connection of things which the man had conceived. These coherences are more wonderful than any man can ever believe. In the other life they are sometimes presented to view, for in the light of heaven which is spiritual such things can be exhibited to the sight of the eye, but not at all in the light of the world. The memory-knowledges and truths are arranged into these fascicular forms solely by the man's loves-into infernal forms by the loves of self and of the world, but into heavenly forms by love toward the neighbor and love to God. Wherefore while the man is being regenerated, and conjunction is being effected of the good of the internal man with the truths of the external, a commotion takes place among the truths, for they then undergo a different arrangement. It is this commotion which is here meant, and is signified by their "being in consternation." The commotion then made, manifests itself by an anxiety arising from the change of the former state, namely, from a privation of the delight which had been in that state. This commotion also manifests itself by anxiety concerning the past life-that internal good and the internal itself had been relegated to the lowest place-which anxiety is treated of in what follows.

&5882. And Joseph said unto his brethren. That this signifies the perception of the new natural, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being perception (of which see above, n. 5877); and from the representation of the sons of Jacob, as being truths in the natural (of which also above, n. 5877), here the natural; for they who represent truths in the natural, represent also the natural itself-as Pharaoh, who, as he represents memory-knowledges in general, because he was king of Egypt, also represents the natural itself in general (n. 5160, 5799). The truths in the natural, and the natural itself, or the natural man himself, act as a one, for truths are the contents, and the natural is the containant; and therefore in the internal sense the containant is now signified, and now the content, according to the series of the things. The reason why the sons of Jacob here represent the new natural is that in the internal sense is here described the act of conjunction, which-to speak generally-is in accordance with the things that are contained in the general explication; namely, that when there takes place a conjunction of the internal with the external, or of good with truth, there is first bestowed a capacity of perception that the man is affected with truth and thus with good, and that then a commotion is felt; next that an interior communication is given by means of influx; and so on. From this it is plain that the natural which the sons of Jacob here represent is the new natural, for its former state has been changed (n. 5881).

&5883. Come ye near to me I pray. That this signifies interior communication, is evident from the signification of "coming near," as being to communicate more closely, which when predicated of the external relatively to the internal is to communicate more interiorly. A man knows not that communication with the natural or exterior man is interior and exterior, for the reason that he has not formed for himself any idea of the internal man, and of its life being distinct from the life of the external man. Of the internal man he has no other idea than that it is within, not at all distinct from the external, when yet they are so distinct that the internal can be separated from the external, and can live the life which it lived before, but purer, which also actually takes place when the man dies, for then the internal is separated from the external, and the internal which lives after the separation is what is then called the spirit. But this is the very man himself who lived in the body, and also appears to himself and to others in the other life like a man in this world, having his whole form, from the head to the heel. And he is also endowed with the same faculties with which a man in the world is endowed, namely, of feeling when he is touched, of smelling, of seeing, of hearing, of speaking, and of thinking; insomuch that when he does not reflect upon the fact that he is in the other life, he supposes that he is in his body in the world, as I have sometimes heard said by spirits. From these things it is plain what man's internal and external are. If an idea be thus formed concerning them, the things which have so often been said in the explications about the internal and the external man will become somewhat clearer, as well as what is meant by the interior communication which is here signified by "Come ye near to me I pray."

&5884. And they came near. That this signifies the effect, namely, that a more interior communication was effected, is evident without explication.

&5885. And he said, I am Joseph your brother. That this signifies manifestation by means of influx, is evident from the signification of "saying, I am Joseph your brother," as being manifestation (as above, n. 5878). That it was by means of influx, follows, because the internal acts in no other way into the external, and now the more when a more interior communication has been effected (n. 5883). Manifestation by means of influx is, in respect to good, the noticing thereof through the affection of truth, and is charity; but in respect to truth, it is the acknowledgment thereof, and is faith.

&5886. Whom ye sold into Egypt. That this signifies the internal which they had alienated, is evident from the representation of Joseph, who is "he whom they sold," as being the internal (see n. 5805, 5826, 5827); and from the signification of "selling," as being to alienate (n. 4752, 4758). By "Egypt" is here signified things lowest (as below, n. 5889); for to account anything among memory-knowledges without acknowledgment is to cast it out to the sides, thus to ultimate or lowest things. This also is the case with man's internal at this day. This is indeed one of the memory-knowledges, because it is known from doctrine that there is an internal man, but it has been rejected to lowest things, because it is not acknowledged and believed; so that it has been alienated, not indeed from the memory, but from faith. That in the internal sense "to sell" is to alienate the things of faith and charity, consequently those which make a man of the internal church, may be seen from the fact that in the spiritual world there is no buying or selling such as there is on earth, but the appropriation of good and truth which is signified by "buying," and the alienation of them which is signified by "selling." By "selling" is also signified the communication of the knowledges of good and of truth, for the reason that by "trading" is signified the procuring and communication of these knowledges (n. 2967, 4453), but in this case the selling is said to be "not by silver."
[2] That "to sell" denotes alienation is evident from the following passages in the Word. In Isaiah:
     Thus hath said Jehovah, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have sent away? or who is there of My usurers to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your sins ye have been sold, and for your transgressions has your mother been sent away (Isa. 50:1);
"mother" denotes the church; and "selling," to alienate. 
In Ezekiel:
     The time is come, the day is come near; let not the buyer be glad, and let not the seller mourn; for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof. For the seller shall not return to the thing that is sold, though their life be yet among the living (Ezek. 7:12, 13);
speaking of the "land of Israel," which is the spiritual church; the "seller" denotes him who had alienated truths and had insinuated falsities.
[3] In Joel:
     The sons of Judah and the sons of Jerusalem have ye sold to the sons of the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their borders. Behold I will stir them up out of the place whither ye have sold them, and I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the sons of Judah, who shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off (Joel 3:6-8);
speaking of Tyre and Sidon; "to sell" here also denotes to alienate. In Moses:
     Their Rock hath sold them, and Jehovah hath shut them up (Deut. 32:30);
"to sell" plainly denotes to alienate; "rock" in the supreme sense is the Lord as to truth, in the representative sense it is faith; "Jehovah" is the Lord as to good. 
[4] As in the spiritual sense "to buy" is to procure for oneself, and "to sell" is to alienate, therefore the kingdom of heaven is compared by the Lord to one who sells and buys, in Matthew:
     The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which when found, a man hideth, and in his joy he goeth away and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like unto a merchant man seeking beauteous pearls; who when he had found one precious pearl, went away and sold all that he had, and bought it (Matt. 13:44-46);
"the kingdom of the heavens" denotes the good and the truth with man, thus heaven with him; "field" denotes good; and "pearl," truth; "to buy" denotes to procure and appropriate these to himself; "to sell all that he hath," denotes to alienate his own which he had before, thus evils and falsities, for these are of one's own. 
[5] In Luke:
     Jesus said unto the young prince, Yet lackest thou one thing; sell all that thou hast, and distribute to the poor, then wilt thou have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me (Luke 18:22);
in the internal sense by these words is meant that all things of his own, which are nothing but evils and falsities, must be alienated, for these things are "all that he hath;" and that he should then receive goods and truths from the Lord, which are "treasure in heaven." 
[6] In like manner what is said in the same:
     Sell your means, and give alms; make you purses that wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not (Luke 12:33); everyone sees that there is another sense in these words, because for anyone to sell his means would be at this day to make himself a beggar, and to deprive himself of all capacity any longer to exercise charity, besides being unable to avoid placing merit therein; and it is an established truth that there are rich in heaven as well as poor. The other sense which is within these words is that which was told just above. 
[7] As "to sell" signified to alienate the things of the church, it was therefore the law that:
     A wife married from the female captives, if she did not please, should be sent away whither she would, but should not in any case be sold for silver, and no profit be made of her, because he had afflicted her (Deut. 21:14);
a "wife from the female captives" denotes alien truth not from a genuine stock, but which may be adjoined in some way with the good of the church appertaining to man; yet this truth if in some respects not in agreement may be removed, but not alienated, because it has been in some measure conjoined. This is the spiritual meaning of this law.
[8] So with the following law:
     If a man be found who hath stolen a soul of his brethren of the sons of Israel, and hath made gain therein, and hath sold him, the thief shall be killed, that thou mayest put away the evil from the midst of thee (Deut. 24:7);
"thieves of the sons of Israel" denote those who acquire for themselves the truths of the church, not with the end of living according to them, and thus teaching them from the heart, but of making profit for themselves thereby: that such a thief is damned is signified by its being said that "he shall die."

&5887. And now be not grieved. That this signifies anxiety of the heart or will, is evident from the signification of "grief," as being anxiety, and indeed of the heart or will; for by the words, "Neither let there be anger in your eyes," which immediately follow, is signified sadness of the spirit or understanding. It is said of the heart or will, and of the spirit or understanding, for the reason that the heart by correspondence has relation to the things of the will, for it has relation to what is celestial or to the good of love, and the spirit,* which is of the lungs, has relation to the things of the understanding, for it has relation to what is spiritual or to the truth of faith (see n. 3635, 3883-3896).
* In Latin "spirit" and "breath" are the same word. [Reviser].

&5888. Neither let there be anger in your eyes. That this signifies sadness of the spirit or understanding, is evident from the signification of "anger," as here being sadness, because like a repetition of a similar thing, it follows the words "Be not grieved," whereby is signified anxiety of the heart or will; for where in the Word there appears as it were a repetition, one expression relates to the will and the other to the understanding, or what is the same, one relates to the good of love and the other to the truth of faith, and this on account of the heavenly marriage, which is that of good and truth, in every detail of the Word (see n. 683, 793, 801, 2173, 2516, 2712, 5502); and from the signification of "eyes," as being the understanding (n. 2701, 4403-4421, 4523-4534).

&5889. That ye sold me hither. That this signifies that they had alienated to the lowest things, is evident from what was unfolded above (n. 5886).

&5890. For God did send me before you to make to live. That this signifies spiritual life imparted to them of Providence, is evident from the signification of "making to live," as being spiritual life (of which in what follows); and from the signification of "God did send me before you," as being of Providence. That it was of Providence is evident from Joseph's dreams, in which it was foretold that his brethren should bow themselves down to him, and also his father, which would not have been foreseen unless it had been provided. That by "making to live" is signified spiritual life, or new life through regeneration, may be seen from this alone-that the spiritual of the Word cannot be anything else. There is natural life and there is spiritual life. Natural life is meant in the literal sense of the Word, but spiritual life in the internal sense; and moreover in many passages by "to make to live," and by "life," is meant in the literal sense spiritual life itself; as in Ezekiel:
     When I shall say to the wicked, Dying thou shalt die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to dissuade the wicked from his evil way, to make him live (Ezek. 3:18).
Again:
     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 live the souls that should not live. Ye strengthen the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his evil way, by making him live (Ezek. 13:19, 22).
In Hosea:
     After two days Jehovah will make us live; and in the third day He will set us up, that we may live before Him (Hos. 6:2).
In David:
     Unless I had believed to see good in the land of life (Ps. 27:13).
In John:
     To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God (Rev. 2:7).
In John the Evangelist:
     As the Father raiseth up the dead and maketh them live, even so the Son also maketh live whom He will (John 5:21).
Again:
     It is the spirit that maketh to live; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you are spirit, and are life (John 6:63).
In these passages "to make to live," and "life," manifestly denote spiritual life, which is life in heaven, and which is also called simply "life," as in Matthew:
     Strait [is the gate] and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (Matt. 7:14);
"to enter into life" denotes to enter into heaven (Matt. 18:8, 9; 19:17; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; John 5:24).

&5891. Verses 6-8. For this two years the famine is in the midst of the land; and there are yet five years wherein is no plowing and harvest. And God sent me before you to put for you remains in the land, and to make you live for a great escape. And now not you have sent me hither, but God; and He hath set me for a father to Pharaoh, and for lord to all his house, and I rule in all the land of Egypt. "For this," signifies that this is the case; "two years the famine is in the midst of the land," signifies a state of lack of good in the natural mind; "and there are yet five years," signifies the duration of this state until remains shine forth; "wherein is no plowing and harvest," signifies that meanwhile good and the derivative truth will not appear; "and God sent me before you," signifies that it was determined by the Divine providence; "to put for you remains in the land," signifies the midst and inmost of the church; "and to make you live," signifies spiritual life thence for truths in the natural; "for a great escape," signifies deliverance from damnation. "And now not you have sent me hither," signifies that they had not dismissed to the memory-knowledges which are of the natural; "but God," signifies that the Divine did this; "and He hath set me for a father to Pharaoh," signifies that now the natural is from him; "and for lord to all his house," signifies that from him is everything in the natural; "and I rule in all the land of Egypt," signifies that he arranges the memory-knowledges therein.

&5892. For this. That this signifies that this is the case, is evident without explication, for it is an expression which refers to what goes before and what follows.

&5893. Two years the famine is in the midst of the land. That this signifies a state of good in the natural mind, is evident from the signification of "years," as being states (see n. 487, 488, 493, 893); from the signification of "famine," as being a lack of good (for "bread" in the spiritual sense is the good of love, and "food" is the good of truth, and therefore "famine" is a lack of good, and "thirst" is a lack of truth); and from the signification of "in the midst of the land," namely, of Egypt, as being the natural mind (see n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301). It is said "in the midst" because the "midst" is the inmost (n. 1074, 2940, 2973), where good is. "Two years" denotes a state of the conjunction of good and truth, because "two" signifies conjunction (n. 5194), here not yet conjunction, because they are two years of famine.
[2] The case herein is this. There must be truths in the natural mind in order that good may work, and the truths must be introduced by means of the affection which is of genuine love. All things whatever that are in man's memory have been introduced by means of some love, and remain there conjoined with it. So also it is with the truths of faith-if these truths have been introduced by means of the love of truth, they remain conjoined with this love. When they have been conjoined, then the case is as follows. If the affection is reproduced, the truths which are conjoined with it come forth at the same time; and if the truths are reproduced, the affection itself with which they have been conjoined comes forth at the same time. Wherefore during man's regeneration (which is effected in adult age, because previously he does not think from himself about the truths of faith) he is ruled by means of angels from the Lord, by being kept in the truths which he has impressed upon himself to be truths, and by means of these truths in the affection with which they have been conjoined; and as this affection, namely, of truth, is from good, he is thus led by degrees to good.
[3] That this is so is evident to me from much experience, for I have noticed that when evil spirits have injected evils and falsities, then angels from the Lord kept me in the truths which had been implanted, and thus withheld me from evils and falsities. From this also it was plain that the truths of faith, which have been inrooted by means of the affection of truth, are the plane into which angels work. Wherefore they who have not this plane cannot be led by angels, but suffer themselves to be led by hell, for the working of the angels cannot then be fixed anywhere, but flows through. But this plane cannot be acquired unless the truths of faith have been put into act, and thus implanted in the will, and through the will in the life. It is also worthy of mention that the working of the angels into the truths of faith with man seldom takes place manifestly, that is, so as to excite thought about this truth; but there is produced a general idea of such things as are in agreement with this truth, together with affection. For this working is effected by means of an imperceptible influx, which when presented to the sight appears like an inflowing light, which light consists of innumerable truths in good, which encompass some single thing in the man, and keep him while in truth also in the love of this truth. Thus the angels elevate the mind of the man from falsities, and protect him from evils. But these things are wholly unknown to the man.

&5894. And there are yet five years. That this signifies the duration of this state until remains shine forth, is evident from the signification of "five," as being remains (n. 5291); and from the signification of "years," as being states (as just above, n. 5893). Duration is signified by there being "yet" this number of years. From this it is plain that by these words is signified the duration of this state until remains shine forth. Remains are truths and goods stored in the interior man by the Lord (see n. 468, 530, 560, 561, 660, 1050, 1738, 1906, 2284, 5135, 5342). Here, remains are the acknowledgments and affections of truth before good manifests itself. With good these shine forth. Meanwhile so much is drawn from them as conduces to the use of life. Such is the providence of the Lord, and this continually, although man knows nothing whatever of it, nor indeed is willing to know. For he denies a providence in the singulars, when yet it is in the veriest singulars of all, from the first thread of man's life even to the last, and afterward to eternity. With every man there is a concurrence every moment of more things of providence than can be comprised in any number. This I know from heaven.

&5895. Wherein is no plowing and harvest. That this signifies that meanwhile good and the derivative truth will not appear, is evident from the signification of "plowing," as being preparation by good for receiving truths (of which in what follows); and from the signification of "harvest," as being truths from good-for harvest is the already ripe crop when it is being gathered, hence "harvest" is the truth which is from good. Before this truth comes into existence, truths indeed appear, but they are truths through which is good, and not truths from good. A man who acts from truth is in truths through which is good, but he who acts from good is in truths which are from good. That "plowing" is said to denote good, is because a "field" which is plowed signifies the church as to good (n. 2971), thus good which is of the church (n. 3310, 3317, 4982). Thus "plowing" is preparation by good for receiving truths; moreover the oxen which were used in plowing signify goods in the natural (n. 2180, 2566, 2781).
[2] As this was the signification of "plowing," it was forbidden in the representative church "to plow with an ox and an ass together" (Deut. 22:10), which never would have been forbidden except for some reason from within, thus from the spiritual world. For otherwise what harm could there be in their plowing together? and what the worthiness of such a law in the Word? The reason from within, or from the spiritual world, is that "plowing with an ox" signifies good in the natural, and "plowing with an ass" signifies truth therein. (That an "ass" denotes the truth of memory-knowledge, thus truth in the natural, may be seen n. 5492, 5741.) The interior or spiritual reason of this command was that the angels could not have a separate idea of good and truth, but they must be conjoined and make a one; and therefore they were not willing to view such plowing by an ox and an ass. The celestial angels are not even willing to think of truth separate from good, for all the truth with them is in good; thus also to them truth is good. For the same reason it was forbidden "to wear a mixed garment, of wool and linen together" (Deut 22:11), for "wool" signifies good, and "linen" truth.
[3] That "to plow" and also "to harrow," "to sow" and "to reap," signify such things as belong to good and its truth, is manifest in Hosea:
     I will make Ephraim ride; Judah shall plow, Jacob shall harrow for him; sow for yourselves according to righteousness, reap according to piety; break up for you the fallow ground: and it is time to seek Jehovah, till He come and teach righteousness (Hos. 5:11, 12);
"to ride" is predicated of Ephraim because "to ride" is to enjoy understanding; and "Ephraim" is the intellectual of the church; but "to plow" is predicated of Judah because "Judah" is the good of the church.
[4] In Amos:
     Shall horses run on the rock? will one plow with oxen? that ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood (Amos 6:12);
"shall horses run on the rock?" denotes shall the truth of faith be understood? for "rock" in the spiritual sense is faith (see preface to Gen. 22); and "horses" are those things which are of the understanding (n. 2761, 2762, 3217, 5321); "will one plow with oxen?" denotes shall he do good? "oxen" being good in the natural (n. 2180, 2566, 2781). That this could not be done is signified by the words which follow: "because ye have turned judgment into gall and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood."
[5] In Luke:
     Jesus said, No man putting his hand to the plow, but looking backward, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).
These words signify the same as those which the Lord speaks in Matthew:
     He that is upon the house, let him not go down to take anything out of his house; and he that is in the field, let him not return back to take his garments (Matt. 24:17, 18);
the sense of these words is: he who is in good shall not betake himself therefrom to the things that belong to the doctrinals of faith (see above, where these words were unfolded n. 3652). Thus "he who puts his hand to the plow" is he who is in good; "but looking backward" is he who then looks to the doctrinal things of faith, and thus forsakes good. It was on this account that Elijah was displeased that Elisha, who was plowing in the field, when called, asked that he might first kiss his father and mother; for Elijah said, "Go, return; for what have I done to thee?" (1 Kings 19:19-21). In the opposite sense "plowing" signifies the evil which blots out good, thus vastation; as in Jeremiah:
     Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall be heaps, and the mountain of the house as the lofty places of the forest (Jer. 26:18; Mic. 3:12).

&5896. And God sent me before you. That this signifies that it was determined by the Divine providence, is evident from the signification of "God sent me before you," as being the Divine providence (see above, n. 5890).

&5897. To put for you remains in the land. That this signifies the midst and inmost of the church, is evident from the signification of "remains," as being goods joined to truths stored up within man by the Lord (n. 468, 530, 560, 561, 660, 1050, 1906, 2284, 5135, 5342), here in the midst and inmost of the church. It is said "the midst and inmost," because what is inmost with man does occupy the midst in the natural where inmost and interior things are together. In general, those things which are inmost in those which follow one another in succession, the same are also in the midst or center in those which, from these, are simultaneous, as is the case in the natural; thus do inmost things arrange themselves in the exterior ones. "To put for you remains in the land" implies that the inmost of the church must be with the sons of Jacob; not that they would be in the inmost, but that the representative of the church in all its form might be instituted with them, and that the Word might be there. These things are signified by the "remains" relatively to the church, abstractedly from the nation.
[2] "Remains," and also "residue," are occasionally mentioned in the Word, but by both these expressions there have been understood merely the remains and residue of a people or a nation according to the letter; while it has been heretofore quite unknown that in the spiritual sense they signify the goods and truths stored up in the interior man by the Lord; as in the following passages. In Isaiah:
     In that day shall the shoot of Jehovah be for honor and for glory, and the fruit of the earth for magnificence and adornment to them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass that he that remaineth in Zion, and he that is left [residuus] in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, everyone that is written unto life in Jerusalem (Isa. 4:2, 3);
"they that remained in Zion, and they that were left in Jerusalem" were in no wise made holy nor more than others written unto life; whence it is clear that by "those who remained and who were left" are meant the things that are holy and that are written unto life. These are goods conjoined with truths and stored up in the interior man by the Lord.
[3] In the same:
     In that day the remains of Israel, and they that are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more lean on their smiter, but shall lean on Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. The remains shall return, the remains of Jacob, unto the mighty God (Isa. 10:20, 21);
that the "remains" are not the remains of any people or nation may be seen from the fact that in the Word, especially the prophetic Word, by "Israel" was not meant Israel, nor by "Jacob" Jacob, but by both the church and what is of the church. And this being the case, by the "remains" are not meant the remains of Israel and Jacob, but the truths and goods which belong to the church. Yea, neither do the "remains of a people," and the "residue of a nation" (when it is so said), signify the remains of any people or the residue of any nation, because by "people" in the internal sense are signified truths (n. 1259, 1260, 3295, 3581), and by "nation" goods (n. 1259, 1260, 1416). That it has been unknown, and appears strange, that by "remains" are signified truths and goods, is because the literal sense, especially where it is historical, withdraws and forcibly withholds from thinking things like these.
[4] In the same:
     Then there shall be a path for the remains of the people, which shall be left [residuae] from Asshur; as there was for Israel through the sea, when he came up out of the land of Egypt (Isa. 11:16);
where the meaning is similar; "they that are left from Asshur" being those who have not been destroyed through perverse reasonings (that "Asshur" is such reasonings, see n. 1186).
Again:
     In that day shall Jehovah Zebaoth be for a crown of ornament, and for a diadem of comeliness, to the remains of His people (Isa. 28:5).
Again:
     Moreover the escape of the house of Judah which is left [residua], shall again take root downward, and yield fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth remains, and out of Mount Zion they that escape (Isa. 36:31, 32).
Again:
     Butter and honey shall everyone eat that is left [residuus] in the midst of the land (Isa. 7:22).
In Jeremiah:
     I will gather together the remains of My flock out of all the lands whither I have scattered them, and I will bring them back to their fold, that they may bring forth and be multiplied (Jer. 23:3).
Again:
     The people of those left [residuorum] by the sword found grace in the wilderness in going to give rest to him, to Israel (Jer. 31:2);
"the people of those left by the sword in the wilderness" were they who were called "infants," who the rest being dead, were brought into the land of Canaan. These "infants" were the residue, and by them were signified the goods of innocence, and by their introduction into the land of Canaan was represented admission into the Lord's kingdom.
[5] In Ezekiel:
     I will make a residue, when ye shall have some that escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered in the earth. Then they that escape of you shall remember Me among the nations where they shall be captives (Ezek. 6:8, 9).
The reason why the goods and truths stored up by the Lord in man's interiors were represented by the "residue and the remains among the nations whither they were scattered and where they were made captives," is that man is continually among evils and falsities, and is held in captivity by them. Evils and falsities are what are signified by the "nations." The external man, when separated from the internal, is altogether in these, and therefore unless the Lord were to gather up the goods and truths which as occasion offers are insinuated into a man during the progress of life, the man could not possibly be saved, for without remains there is salvation for none.
[6] In Joel:
     It shall come to pass that everyone who shall call on the name of Jehovah shall escape; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as Jehovah hath said, and among the residue whom Jehovah doth call (Joel 2:32).
In Micah:
     There shall be remains of Jacob among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, as a lion among the beasts of the forest (Mic. 5:8).
In Zephaniah:
     The remains of Israel shall not do perversity, nor speak a lie; neither shall a tongue of deceit be found in their mouth: they shall feed and be at rest, none making afraid (Zeph. 3:13); 
in this passage are described remains in respect to their quality, and it is known that this quality never belonged to the people called "Israel." From this also it is manifest that by "remains" are meant other things; and that these are goods and truths is clear, because these are what do no perversity, nor speak a lie, neither is a tongue of deceit found in their mouth.
[7] In Zechariah:
     The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof; which shall be marvelous in the eyes of the remains of My people: now, not as in former days, am I to the remains of this people, for it is a seed of peace; the vine will yield its fruit, and the earth will yield its increase, and the heavens will yield their dew; and I will make the remains of this people heirs of all these things (Zech. 8:5, 6, 11, 12);
the remains are here called a "seed of peace," but it is they who are in truths of good whose fruitfulness is described by "the vine shall yield its fruit, the earth its increase, and the heavens their dew."
[8] The remains which are meant in the spiritual sense, are closed up by evils of life and by persuasions of falsity, so as no longer to appear; and by the denial of truth which had previously been acknowledged (both of these acts being from affection), they are consumed, for this is the commingling of truth and falsity which is called profanation. Of these things we read in the Word, in Isaiah:
     He shall remove man, and the deserts shall be multiplied in the midst of the land: scarcely any longer is there in it a tenth part, and yet it shall be for exterminating (Isa. 6:12, 13);
that "ten" denotes remains, see n. 276, 1906, 2284. Again:
     I will kill thy root, and he shall kill them that are left of thee (Isa. 14:30);
speaking of the Philistines, who are those in the mere knowledge of knowledges, and not in life (n. 1197, 1198, 3412, 3413); those who are left are called a "root," because from them, as from a root, grow forth goods and truths, which make man to be man. Wherefore "he shall remove man" (as just above in Isaiah) denotes to destroy remains.
[9] In Jeremiah:
     The young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine; and there shall be no remains unto them (Jer. 11:22, 23);
speaking of the men of Anathoth. Again:
     I will take the remains of Judah, who have set their faces to come into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, that they be all consumed; and there shall not be an escaper, or one left to the remains of Judah, who have come to dwell in the land of Egypt (Jer. 44:12, 14, 28);
the reason why they who were of Judah should not sojourn in Egypt, nor dwell there, and that this was so severely forbidden them, was that the tribe of Judah represented the Lord's celestial church, and the celestial are utterly unwilling to know about the memory-knowledges which are signified by "Egypt;" for they know all things from the celestial good in which they are, which good would perish if they were to betake themselves to memory-knowledges. Nay, they who are of the Lord's celestial kingdom, being in celestial good (and celestial truth being charity, while spiritual truth is faith), are not willing even to mention faith, lest they should "go down" from good and "look backward" (see n. 202, 337, 2715, 3246, 4448). This also is what is meant by the words:
     He that is upon the house, let him not go down to take anything out of the house; and he that is in the field, let him not return back to take his garments (Matt. 24:17, 18); 
see just above (n. 5895); and also by these words:
     Remember Lot's wife (Luke 17:32);
who looked back and became a pillar of salt. (In regard to looking and returning back, see n. 2454, 3652.)
[10] By the nations which were so accursed that there was not even any residue left, was represented that iniquity was so consummated with them that nothing of good and truth survived, thus that there were no remains; as in Moses:
     They smote Og the king of Bashan, and all his sons, and all his people, until they left no residue (Num. 21:35; Deut. 3:3).
Again:
     They took all the cities of Sihon, and gave to the curse every city of man, and the women, and the little child; they left no residue (Deut. 2:34).
So in other passages where it is written that they were "given to the curse."
[11] In regard to remains, or the goods and truths stored up in man's interiors by the Lord, the case is this. When a man is in good and truth from affection, thus from freedom, then good and truth are implanted. And when this takes place, the angels from heaven approach nearer and conjoin themselves with the man. It is this conjunction which causes the goods with truths to come forth in the man's interiors. But when a man is in things external, as when he is in worldly and bodily things, then the angels are removed, and when they are removed, then nothing at all of these goods and truths appears. Nevertheless as conjunction has once been effected, the man is in the capacity for conjunction with the angels, thus with the good and truth appertaining to them; but this conjunction does not take place oftener and further than is well-pleasing to the Lord, who disposes these things according to every use of the man's life.

&5898. And to make you live. That this signifies spiritual life thence for truths in the natural, is evident from the signification of "to make live," as being spiritual life (see n. 5890). As everything of spiritual life is from remains, therefore it is said spiritual life thence. And because it is thence, therefore immediately after what is said about remains, it is also said "to make you live," namely the truths in the natural which are represented by the sons of Jacob (see n. 5403, 5419, 5427, 5458, 5512).

&5899. For a great escape. That this signifies deliverance from damnation, is evident from the signification of "escape," as being deliverance from damnation, which deliverance is effected by means of remains, that is, by means of the goods and truths stored up with man by the Lord. They who receive these goods and truths, that is, who allow them to be implanted in their interiors, escape damnation, and are among the residue. Hence it is that mention is made of "escape" in the Word throughout where a "residue" and "remains" are spoken of, as here by Joseph, and also in other places; as in Isaiah:
     In that day the fruit of the earth shall be for magnificence and ornament for the escape of Israel; and it shall come to pass, that he that remaineth in Zion, and he that is left in Jerusalem, shall be called holy (Isa. 4:2, 3).
Again:
     In that day the remains of Israel, and the escape of the house of Jacob, shall no more lean upon their smiter (Isa. 10:20).
Again:
     Moreover the escape of the house of Judah that are left shall again take root downward, and yield fruit upward; for out of Jerusalem shall go forth remains, and out of Mount Zion an escape (Isa. 37:31, 32).
In Ezekiel:
     I will make a residue, when ye shall have some that escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered in the earth; then they that escape of you shall remember Me (Ezek. 6:8, 9).
In Joel:
     It shall come to pass that he who shall call on the name of Jehovah shall escape; because in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be an escape, as Jehovah hath said, and among the residue whom Jehovah doth call (Joel 2:32).
In Jeremiah:
     There shall not be an escaper, or one left to the remains of Judah (Jer. 44:12, 14).
From these passages it is plain what it is "to escape," namely, that they who "escape" are they who have remains, and that "to escape" is to be delivered from damnation.

&5900. And now not you sent me hither. That this signifies that they had not dismissed to the memory-knowledges which are of the natural, is evident from the signification of "Egypt," which is "hither," where he was sent, as being the memory-knowledges which are in the natural (see n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700). That "not you sent me," denotes that they did not dismiss is evident.

&5901. But God. That this signifies that the Divine had done this, is evident without explication. How the case herein is, has been unfolded wherein it is said of Joseph that he was sold into Egypt and there first ministered in the house of Potiphar; namely, that as in the supreme sense he represented the Lord and in a lower sense those who are being regenerated by the Lord, memory-knowledges are the first things which are to be learned; for they are the things from which truths are to be concluded, and in which truths are then to be terminated. Afterward progress is made toward more interior things. All this is what Joseph represented, and this being so, it was the Divine which sent him there.

&5902. And He hath set me for a father to Pharaoh. That this signifies that now the natural is from him, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural in general (see n. 5160, 5799). That it is from him is signified by his being "set for a father," for the sons depend on the father. By "father" in the proper sense is signified good (n. 2803, 3703, 3704, 5581); and as on good depend all things in both the internal and the external man, by "God setting him for a father to Pharaoh" is signified that from him, as from good, is the natural; for Joseph represents the internal celestial, or internal good (n. 5805, 5826, 5827, 5869, 5877). This by influx sets in order all things in the natural, and at last causes the natural to be from itself.

&5903. And for lord to all his house. That this signifies that from him is everything in the natural, is evident from the signification of "all the house of Pharaoh," as being everything in the natural. That everything there is from him, is signified by Joseph's being set for lord over it. Moreover "lord" in the Word is predicated of good.

&5904. And I rule over all the land of Egypt. That this signifies that he arranges the memory-knowledges therein, is evident from the signification of "to rule," as being to arrange; and from the signification of the "land of Egypt," as being the natural mind (see n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301), thus all memory-knowledges, for these belong to the natural mind. Memory-knowledges are what constitute the intellectual of this mind, but the good which flows in from the internal and arranges the memory-knowledges there, is what makes as it were the will part there.

&5905. Verses 9-13. Haste ye and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus hath said thy son Joseph, God hath set me for lord to all Egypt; come down unto me, tarry not; and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy sons, and thy sons' sons, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast; and I will sustain thee there; for there are yet five years of famine: lest thou be rooted out, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast. And behold your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that with my mouth I am speaking unto you. And ye shall tell my father all my glory in Egypt, and all that ye have seen; and haste ye, and bring down my father hither. "Haste ye and go up to my father," signifies to spiritual good; "and say unto him, Thus hath said thy son Joseph," signifies the perception of this good about the internal celestial; "God hath set me for lord to all Egypt," signifies that it arranges each and all things in the natural; "come down unto me, tarry not," signifies sure conjunction; "and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen," signifies the midst in the natural; "and thou shalt be near unto me," signifies perpetual conjunction; "thou, and thy sons, and thy sons' sons," signifies spiritual good and all things that are from it and that are from these; "and thy flocks, and thy herds," signifies natural good interior and exterior; "and all that thou hast," signifies whatever is therefrom; "and I will sustain thee there," signifies continuous influx of spiritual life from the internal celestial; "for there are yet five years of famine," signifies the duration of the lack of good; "lest thou be rooted out," signifies lest it perish; "thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast," signifies spiritual good and all that belongs to it; "and behold your eyes see," signifies a testifying from perception; "and the eyes of my brother Benjamin," signifies from the perception of the intermediate; "that with my mouth I am speaking unto you," signifies manifestation; "and ye shall tell my father all my glory in Egypt," signifies the communication of the spiritual heaven in the natural with spiritual good; "and all that ye see," signifies whatsoever was there noticed and perceived; "and haste ye, and bring down my father hither," signifies close conjunction.

&5906. Haste ye and go up to my father. That this signifies to spiritual good, 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). That spiritual good is the father of the internal celestial, when yet spiritual good is relatively external because from the natural, is because before the internal man comes forth, the man must be external. For progression is made in order from things exterior to things interior, as from memory-knowledges to intellectual things, for outer things must then serve as a plane to inner ones. It is from this progression, or from this birth, that the external is called the "father" of the internal; consequently spiritual good from the natural, which is "Israel," the "father" of the internal celestial, which is "Joseph."

&5907. And say unto him, Thus hath said thy son Joseph. That this signifies the perception thereof about the internal celestial, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (of which frequently above); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (see n. 5869, 5877). That there is signified the perception of spiritual good, which is "Israel," about the internal celestial, which is "Joseph," is because "hath said thy son Joseph" in the internal sense is the perceptivity of the influx from the internal celestial into spiritual good.

&5908. God hath set me for lord to all Egypt. That this signifies that it arranges each and all things in the natural, is evident from the signification of "being set for lord," as being to arrange (as above, n. 5903, 5904); and from the signification of "all Egypt," as being the memory-knowledges in the natural, thus each and all things therein, for the natural consists of memory-knowledges. (That "Egypt" is memory-knowledge has been shown many times.)

&5909. Come down unto me, tarry not. That this signifies sure conjunction, is evident from the signification of "coming down," or "coming unto me," as being conjunction; and from the signification of "tarry not," as being what is sure.

&5910. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen. That this signifies the midst in the natural, is evident from the signification of "dwelling," as being to live (see n. 1293, 3384, 3613, 4451); and from the signification of the "land of Goshen," as being the midst or inmost. And because this land was in Egypt, and by "Egypt" is signified the memory-knowledge which is in the natural, it is the midst or the inmost in the natural. For Goshen was the best tract in the land of Egypt, and that which is best in the natural, where memory-knowledges are, is in the midst or in the center; for good itself is there as something like a sun, and gives light thence to the truths which are at the sides.

&5911. And thou shalt be near unto me. That this signifies perpetual conjunction, is evident from the signification of "being near," as being perpetual conjunction; for by "coming unto Joseph" is signified conjunction (see n. 5909). Therefore to be "near to him," thus continually nigh him, is perpetual conjunction.

&5912. Thou, and thy sons, and thy sons' sons. That this signifies spiritual good and all things that are from it and that are from these, is evident from the representation of Israel, who here is "thou," as being spiritual good (of which above, n. 5906); from the signification of "his sons," as being the things that are from this good, which are truths in the natural, and are represented by his sons; and from the signification of "sons' sons," as being the things that are from these, namely, the truths again born and derived. For when good is in the first place, and has dominion, it continually produces truths. It multiplies them around itself and also around each truth, and makes each truth like a little star, in the center of which there is a bright light. Nor does good only multiply truths around itself, but it also produces truths from truths by derivations in succession, which are the "sons' sons," or grandsons; and so on. Joseph invites his brethren to him no otherwise than through his father, saying that he should come with his sons and with his sons' sons. The reason is, that there is no conjunction of the internal celestial with truths in the natural except through the intermediate.

&5913. And thy flocks, and thy herds. That this signifies natural good interior and exterior, is evident from the signification of "flock," as being interior good (see n. 2566), here interior natural good, because they were the flocks of Israel, by whom is represented spiritual good from the natural (n. 5906); and from the signification of "herd," as being exterior natural good. That by "herd" is signified exterior good, and by "flocks" interior good, is because the beasts which constituted the herd, as oxen and bullocks, in the sacrifices signified the external goods of charity, also the goods of the external man; but those which constituted the flocks, as lambs, sheep, and goats, signified the internal goods of charity, also the goods of the internal man; and therefore they who are in these latter goods are called in the Word by the one word "flock," and he who leads them is called the "shepherd."

&5914. And all that thou hast. That this signifies whatever is therefrom, is evident from the signification of "all that thou hast," as being that which is therefrom; for the goods and truths in the natural are from spiritual good as a father; hence being from it, they are of it.

&5915. And I will sustain thee there. That this signifies continuous influx of spiritual life from the internal celestial, is evident from the signification of "sustaining," when it is said by Joseph, by whom is represented the internal celestial, as being the influx of spiritual life from the internal celestial; sustenance in the spiritual sense being nothing else than the influx of good and of truth through heaven from the Lord. From this are the angels sustained, and from this is the soul of man (that is, his internal man) sustained. To this sustenance corresponds the sustenance of the external man by food and drink; and therefore by "food" is signified good, and by "drink," truth. Such also is the correspondence, that when a man is partaking of food, the angels with him are in the idea of good and truth, and wonderful to say with a difference according to the species of the food. Thus when a man in the Holy Supper receives the bread and the wine, the angels with him are in the idea of the good of love and the good of faith (n. 3464, 3735), for the reason that bread corresponds to the good of love, and wine to the good of faith; and because they correspond, they also signify the same in the Word.
[2] That man's soul (that is, the internal man) is sustained by spiritual food and drink, that is, by good and truth, is evident from the Lord's words in Moses:
     Man doth not live by bread only, but by every utterance of the mouth of Jehovah doth man live (Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:4);
the "utterance of the mouth of Jehovah" is the good and the truth which proceed from Him. In John:
     Labor not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which remaineth into eternal life, which the Son of man will give you (John 6:27).
Again:
     The disciples besought Jesus, saying, Master, eat. He said to them, I have food to eat that ye know not (John 4:31, 32).
And concerning drink, in the same:
     Jesus said, If anyone thirst, let him come unto me and drink; whosoever believeth in Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow streams of living water (John 7:37, 38).

&5916. For there are yet five years of famine. That this signifies the duration of the lack of good, is evident from what has been said and unfolded above about "famine" and about "five" (n. 5893, 5894).

&5917. Lest thou be rooted out. That this signifies lest it perish, is evident without explication.

&5918. Thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast. That this signifies spiritual good and all that belongs to it, is evident from the representation of Israel, who here is "Thou," as being spiritual good (of which above). That "thy household and all that thou hast" is all that belongs to it, is manifest.

&5919. And behold your eyes see. That this signifies a testifying from perception, is evident from the signification of "eyes" and of "seeing," as being perception (see n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723, 5400); that testifying is signified, is plain.

&5920. And the eyes of my brother Benjamin. That this signifies especially from the perception of the intermediate, is evident from the signification of "eyes" and of "seeing," as being to understand and thence to perceive (as above, n. 5919); and from the representation of Benjamin, as being the intermediate (n. 5411, 5413, 5443, 5639, 5688, 5822). The case herein is this. As Benjamin represented the intermediate, and this intermediate was interior truth (n. 5600, 5631), immediately depending upon internal good, which is "Joseph," it had on this account a clearer and more exquisite perception than the truths which were beneath or more external, which his ten brethren represented. For the nearer truth and good are to the internal, the more perfect a perceptivity have they, being more deeply in the light of heaven, and thus nearer to the Lord. For the influx of Divine good and truth from the Lord advances through continuous mediations, and thus successions; and therefore they who are in first principles or beginnings receive the influx with a clearer perception (because more immediately) than they who are in intermediates and ultimates. There is a successive obscuration of good and of truth (as there is of light) according to distances, for the more imperfect things which follow in succession by degrees, cause dimness. From all this it is evident what "a testifying especially from the perception of the intermediate" means, for the intermediate is interior, and the truths which the sons of Jacob represent are exterior.

&5921. That with my mouth I am speaking unto you. That this signifies manifestation, is evident from the fact that the first testifying was that their eyes saw, the second was that the eyes of Benjamin saw, and now the third is that with his mouth he was speaking unto them, whereby all doubt was removed that he was Joseph; consequently he had fully manifested himself. Hence these words involve manifestation.

&5922. And ye shall tell my father all my glory in Egypt. That this signifies the communication of the spiritual heaven in the natural with spiritual good, is evident from the signification of "telling," as being to communicate; from the signification of "glory," as being the spiritual heaven (of which below); from the signification of "Egypt," as being the memory-knowledges in the natural, thus the natural (as above, n. 5908); and from the representation of Israel, who is here the "father" with whom communication was to be made, as being spiritual good (of which above, n. 5906). From this it is plain that by "Ye shall tell my father all my glory in Egypt" is signified the communication of the spiritual heaven in the natural with spiritual good.
[2] In regard to "glory" denoting the spiritual heaven, the case is this. There are two kingdoms of which heaven consists, namely, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom. The celestial kingdom is the inmost or third heaven, and the spiritual kingdom is the middle or second heaven. The good in which the celestial are is called celestial good, and the good in which the spiritual are is called spiritual good. Celestial good is the good of love to the Lord, and spiritual good is the good of love toward the neighbor. In regard to the conjunction of these two kingdoms, it is the good of charity toward the neighbor which conjoins them. For the internal of those who are in the celestial kingdom is love to the Lord, and their external is charity toward the neighbor; but the internal of those who are in the spiritual kingdom is charity toward the neighbor, and their external is faith therefrom. From this it is apparent that the conjunction of these two kingdoms is effected through charity toward the neighbor, for in this the celestial kingdom terminates, and from this the spiritual kingdom begins. Thus the last of the one is the first of the other, and in this way they mutually take hold of each other.
[3] It shall now be told what "glory" is. "Glory" in the supreme sense is the Lord as to Divine truth, thus it is the Divine truth which proceeds from the Lord. But "glory" in the representative sense is the good of love toward the neighbor, or charity, which is the external good of the celestial kingdom and the internal good of the spiritual kingdom of the Lord, for this good in a genuine sense is the Divine truth in heaven. And because Israel is here treated of, who is spiritual good, or charity, which makes the spiritual kingdom in the heavens and the spiritual church on earth, therefore here by the "glory" of Joseph, which they were to tell Israel, is meant the spiritual heaven. The spiritual heaven is called "glory" because whatever is there appears in light, in brightness, and in radiance.
[4] That "glory" is predicated of the Divine truth which is from the Divine Human of the Lord, and that it is attributed to the Lord as a king (for in the internal sense the "royalty" is Divine truth, n. 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068), is evident in John:
     But the Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us, and we saw His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14);
the "Word" is Divine truth, and as this proceeds from the Lord, it is the Lord Himself; and hence "glory" is predicated of Divine truth.
[5] In Luke, when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain:
     Behold there talked with Him two men, who were Moses and Elias; who were seen in glory (Luke 9:30, 31);
there the Lord showed Peter, James, and John His Divine Human, such as it was and appeared in Divine light; and the form in which He was then seen presented to view the Word such as it is in the internal sense, thus such as is the Divine truth in heaven, for the Word is Divine truth for the use of the church. For this reason it was also presented to view at the same time that Moses and Elias talked with Him, for by Moses is represented the Law, by which are meant the books of Moses with the historical books, and by Elias, are represented the Prophets, or the prophetic Word; that by "Moses" is meant the Law may be seen in the preface to Genesis 18 (also n. 4859e), and that by "Elias" is meant the prophetic Word, in the same preface (also n. 2762, 5247e).
[6] In Matthew:
     They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory (Matt. 24:30);
that the literal sense of the Word is a "cloud," and the internal sense "glory," consequently Divine truth such as is in heaven, may also be seen in the preface to Genesis 18; and that "glory" is the intelligence and wisdom which belong to Divine truth (n. 4809). The Word as to the external sense is in a cloud, for the reason that human minds are in darkness; and therefore unless the Word were in a cloud, it would be understood by scarcely anyone, and moreover the holy things which belong to the internal sense would be profaned by evil people in the world. Therefore the Lord says in Isaiah:
     Jehovah will create over every dwelling-place of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud by day, and the shining of a flame of fire by night; for over all the glory there shall be a covering. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shade in the daytime (Isa. 4:5, 6).
[7] Hence also it was that over the tabernacle there appeared a cloud by day and a fire by night, because the tabernacle represented the Divine Human of the Lord, consequently the Divine truth which proceeds from Him, thus the Word which is the Divine truth of the church (see n. 3210, 3439). The like is signified by these words in Moses:
     The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of Jehovah filled the habitation (Exod. 40:34).
Again:
     The glory of Jehovah appeared in the tent of meeting before all the sons of Israel (Num. 14:10).
And elsewhere:
     The cloud covered the tent, and the glory of Jehovah appeared (Num. 16:42).
[8] In like manner the "cloud" and the "glory" upon Mount Sinai, of which thus in Moses:
     When Moses went up into the mountain, the cloud covered the mountain, and the glory of Jehovah abode upon Mount Sinai six days (Exod. 24:15, 16).
These things also were represented, because the Law, which is Divine truth, was promulgated from that mountain. That the cloud and the glory of Jehovah were seen when Moses went up into the mountain was because he therein represented the Law, that is, the historic Word. Therefore it is sometimes said "Moses and the Prophets" or "the Law and the Prophets," and by the "Law" are meant the books of Moses with the rest of the historic books, but not the prophets, because this Word was represented by Elias and Elisha; for there is the historic Word and the prophetic, as is known. Wherefore when the Word is called "the Law and the Prophets," by the "Law" is meant the historic Word, and by the "Prophets" the prophetic Word.
[9] The Divine truth was also represented by the brightness as of a rainbow in the cloud around the cherubs and above them, in Ezekiel, where we read:
     I saw an appearance of fire, as it were a brightness round about; as the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain; this was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah (Ezek. 1:27, 28);
and it is also called:
     The glory of Jehovah and the glory of the God of Israel (Ezek. 8:4; 10:18, 19; 11:22, 23);
it is called the "glory of Jehovah" relatively to the inmost heaven, and the "glory of the God of Israel" relatively to the middle or spiritual heaven. That Divine truth in the heavens appears in glory is because truth itself in the spiritual heaven appears before the eyes as a bright cloud (which has also been granted me sometimes to see), and the good within this truth appears there as fiery. Thus the cloud variegated by fire presents the wonderful aspects which are "glory" in the external sense. But "glory" in the internal sense is intelligence and wisdom; these also are what are represented by it.
[10] That Divine truth, from which are all wisdom and intelligence, as well as the appearance of a variegated cloud before the external sight, is "glory," is evident also from these passages:
     Jehovah said, Living am I, and the whole earth shall be filled with the glory of Jehovah (Num. 14:21);
this was said by Jehovah when the Israelitish people were disowned, and it was said that only their little ones should come into the land of Canaan. Under these circumstances, by "the whole earth being filled with the glory of Jehovah" was signified that in the representatives of the church with them, and in the Word, which for the most part treated of them, there should be the glory of Jehovah, with which the whole heaven should be filled, and thence the holy things of the church. 
[11] In Isaiah:
     The seraphim cried, Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah Zebaoth; the fullness of all the earth is His glory (Isa. 6:3).
Again:
     The glory of Jehovah shall he revealed, and all flesh shall see together (Isa. 40:5).
Again:
     Wherefore give glory to Jehovah in the Urim, in the islands of the sea to the name of Jehovah the God of Israel (Isa. 24:15); "the Urim" denotes the light which is from the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord; the "islands of the sea," those who are more remote from truth (n. 1158). 
[12] Again:
     The glory of Lebanon has been given to it, the honor of Carmel and Sharon; they shall see the glory of Jehovah, the honor of our God (Isa. 35:2);
"Lebanon" denotes the spiritual church; "Carmel and Sharon" the celestial church; of the latter is predicated the "glory of Jehovah" when there is meant celestial truth, which is charity; of the former is predicated the "honor of the God of Israel" when there is meant spiritual good, which also is charity. 
[13] Again:
     Arise, be lighted up, for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah hath arisen upon thee. For behold darkness covereth the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but Jehovah shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee (Isa.60:1, 2);
speaking of the Lord, who is called a "light," (as in John 1:4, 9); and it is said that upon Him shall arise the "glory of Jehovah," that is, that the Divine truth is His. In like manner in the same prophet:
     For Mine own sake, for Mine own sake, will I do it; for how should it be profaned? My glory I give not to another (Isa. 48:11);
here also speaking of the Lord; "glory" in the highest sense denotes the Divine Human, thus also the Divine truth, because this is therefrom; "not to give His glory to another" is to give it to the Divine Human only, which is one with Himself. 
[14] And in the Revelation:
     The holy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven; having the glory of God; and her luminary was like unto a stone most precious (Rev. 21:10, 11);
"the holy city Jerusalem" is the Lord's spiritual kingdom in the heavens, and His spiritual church on earth, of both of which "glory" is predicated; the "luminary" is truth from the Divine. 
[15] As in the Word Divine truth is represented by royalty, the Lord as to Divine truth being represented by kings (see the passages cited just above), therefore to it as to a king is attributed "glory," as in David:
     Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye doors of the world; that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? Jehovah strong and a hero; Jehovah a hero of war. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and lift up O doors of the world; that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? Jehovah Zebaoth, He is the King of glory (Ps. 24:7-10).
In Isaiah:
     Jehovah Zebaoth will reign in the mountain of Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before His elders glory (Isa. 24:23);
"glory" denotes Divine truth. Jehovah is called "Jehovah Zebaoth," or "Jehovah of Armies," where Divine truth is treated of, for by "armies" are signified truths (see n. 3448).
[16] And as by a kingdom was represented Divine truth, therefore the throne upon which kings sat when they judged was called a "throne of glory" (Isa. 22:23; Jer. 14:21; 17:12). And in Matthew:
     The Son of man shall sit on the throne of His glory (Matt. 19:28).
Again:
     When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory. And the King shall say to them . . . (Matt. 25:31, 34, 40).
A further reason why a throne is called a "throne of glory" was that judgments were effected from truth. Again:
     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 deeds (Matt. 16:27).
[17] From all this it is also plain what is meant by "glory" in the Lord's Prayer:
     Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever (Matt. 6:13).
The Lord's spiritual kingdom in the heavens, and His spiritual church on earth, are also called "comeliness"* (Isa. 60:7; 63:15; 64:11; Dan. 8:9; 11:16, 41, 45). Moreover "glory" is mentioned by Joseph because in the highest sense Joseph himself represents the Lord as to the Divine spiritual, that is, the Divine truth; and in the internal sense His spiritual kingdom, and also the good of faith (see n. 3969, 4669, 4723, 4727).
* "Comeliness (decus)." The Hebrew words for "comeliness" in the passages here referred to are in these passages rendered "glory," "glorious," "beautiful," "glorious land," and "pleasant land," in the authorized versions of the English Bible.

&5923. And all that ye see. That this signifies whatever was there noticed and perceived, is evident from the signification of "seeing," as being to understand and thence to perceive and to notice (n. 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5400).

&5924. And haste ye, and bring down my father hither. That this signifies close conjunction, is evident from what was said above (n. 5909); and as the same thing is here said again, and from the affection of love, it denotes close conjunction.

&5925. Verses 14, 15. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's necks and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his necks. And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them; and afterward his brethren talked with him. "And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's necks," signifies inmost conjunction with the intermediate; "and wept," signifies the effect of mercy; "and Benjamin wept upon his necks," signifies reception and thence reciprocity; "and he kissed all his brethren," signifies adjunction from grace; "and wept upon them," signifies the effect of affection; "and afterward his brethren talked with him," signifies reciprocal communication from reception.

&5926. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's necks.* That this signifies inmost conjunction with the intermediate, is evident from the signification of the "neck," as being influx, communication, and conjunction (see n. 3542, 3695, 3725), and properly the conjunction of celestial and spiritual things (see n. 5320, 5328), thus the conjunction of the internal celestial which is "Joseph," with the spiritual of the celestial which is "Benjamin," hence "falling upon the necks" denotes to closely conjoin oneself, consequently it denotes inmost conjunction; and from the representation of Benjamin, as being the intermediate (n. 5411, 5413, 5443, 5639, 5686, 5688, 5689).
* "Necks," in the plural. It is so written in both the Hebrew and the Latin. [Reviser.]

&5927. And wept. That this signifies the effect of mercy, is evident from the signification of "weeping," as being what is from mercy, thus its effect (see n. 5480, 5873).

&5928. And Benjamin wept upon his necks. That this signifies reception and thence reciprocity, is evident from the fact that this was done mutually; wherefore it denotes reception and reciprocity. As regards the conjunction of good with truths, and the reciprocal conjunction of truths with good, be it known that when good flows into truths and conjoins them with itself, it pours into them good from its own, and by means of its own attaches them to itself, whence comes the conjunction. And as truths thus receive life, it afterward appears as if they act from themselves, when they act reciprocally or react. Nevertheless truths do not act from themselves, but from the good which flows into the good attached by itself to the truths. The case herein is like the blood vessels in a living body. Truths are as it were the vessels without the blood; but good is as it were the blood; when this pours itself into the vessels which before were empty, it sets them in motion, and also in reciprocal motion, for they have received from the blood a capacity of moving, and as it were life. From all this it is evident how the case is with the conjunction of good with truths, and with the reciprocal conjunction of truths with good.

&5929. And he kissed all his brethren. That this signifies adjunction from grace, is evident from the signification of "to kiss," as being conjunction from affection (see n. 3573, 3574, 4353), here adjunction from grace, because the truths of the church in the natural, which are represented by the sons of Jacob, are more remote from internal good, which is Joseph; and things more remote are indeed conjoined through the intermediate with internal good, but yet long retain such things as do not correspond with internal good; and therefore by "kissing his brethren" is signified adjunction from grace. It is said from grace, not from mercy, because things more remote and not fully correspondent are not in such humiliation that they can implore mercy; from the heart they cannot even mention mercy, but instead thereof grace; and this because the non-correspondent things which adhere are from the love of self, and he who loves himself cannot possibly humble himself from the heart; for he sets himself up, because he regards himself in everything, and makes small account of what is outside of himself.

&5930. And wept upon them. That this signifies the effect of affection, is evident from the signification of "to weep," as being an effect of mercy (of which just above, n. 5927, 5928), here an effect of affection, for the same reason as explained just above (n. 5929).

&5931. And afterward his brethren talked with him. That this signifies reciprocal communication from reception, is evident from what has been unfolded above (n. 5880); also what reciprocal communication from reception is (n. 5928).

&5932. Verses 16-20. And the voice was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren have come; and it was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, come ye into the land of Canaan; and take your father and your households, and come unto me; and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. And now commanded, this do ye: take you out of the land of Egypt carts for your babes, and for your women, and bring your father, and come. And let not your eye be sparing upon your stuff; because the good of the whole land of Egypt, this is for you. "And the voice was heard in Pharaoh's house," signifies that this filled the universal natural; "saying, Joseph's brethren have come," signifies perception that the truths of the church are present in the natural; "and it was good in the eyes of Pharaoh," signifies joy therein throughout; "and in the eyes of his servants," signifies even to the lowest things there; "and Pharaoh said unto Joseph," signifies the perception of the natural from the internal celestial; "Say unto thy brethren," signifies about the truths of the church in the natural; "This do ye; lade your beasts," signifies that they should fill up every truth with good; "and go, come ye into the land of Canaan," signifies their dwelling-place; "and take your father and your households, and come unto me," signifies the approach of spiritual good and of the truths of the church to the memory-knowledges of the natural; "and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt," signifies the possession of memory-knowledges; "and ye shall eat the fat of the land," signifies the appropriation of good there; "and now commanded, this do ye," signifies the will; "take you out of the land of Egypt carts," signifies the doctrinal things of memory-knowledges; "for your babes, and for your women," signifies for those who do not yet know; "and bring your father, and come," signifies their service and approach; "and let not your eye be sparing upon your stuff," signifies that things instrumental are not to be cared for; "because the good of the whole land of Egypt, this is for you," signifies that they have what is primary in the natural mind.

&5933. And the voice was heard in Pharaoh's house. That it signifies that this filled the universal natural, is evident from the signification of a "voice" which is heard elsewhere and at a distance, when predicated of influx, as being to be filled; for as a voice that is heard fills, so does that which flows in; and from the signification of "Pharaoh's house," as being the universal natural, for by Pharaoh is represented the natural in general (see n. 5160, 5799).

&5934. Saying, Joseph's brethren have come. That this signifies a perception that the truths of the church are present in the natural, is evident from the signification of "to have come," as being presence; and from the representation of the sons of Jacob, or of Joseph's brethren, as being the truths of the church in the natural (see n. 5403, 5419, 5458, 5512). In the natural there are memory-knowledges of various kinds: there are memory-knowledges about earthly, bodily, and worldly things, which are the lowest, for these are immediately from the things of the external senses, or of the body; there are memory-knowledges about the civil state, its government, statutes, and laws, which are a little more interior; there are memory-knowledges about the things of moral life, which are more interior still. But the memory-knowledges which belong to spiritual life are more interior than all the former. These latter are truths of the church, which insofar as they are only from doctrine with a man, are nothing but memory-knowledges; but when they are from the good of love, they then rise above memory-knowledges, for they are then in spiritual light, from which they look at memory-knowledges in their order beneath them. By means of such degrees of memory-knowledges a man mounts to intelligence, for by means of these degrees memory-knowledges open the mind so that light from the spiritual world can flow in. From all this it is now evident what is meant by the presence of truths in the natural.

&5935. And it was good in the eyes of Pharaoh. That this signifies joy there throughout, namely in the natural, is evident from the signification of "to be good in the eyes of" anyone, as being to be a joy to him; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural in general (of which just above, n. 5933).

&5936. And in the eyes of his servants. That this signifies even to the lowest things there, is evident from the signification of "servants," as being lower things (see n. 2541, 5161, 5164, 5305), thus also lowest things. What memory-knowledges in the natural are lower, and what are lowest, may be seen just above (n. 5934).

&5937. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph. That this signifies the perception of the natural from the internal celestial, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (of which often above); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural in general (see n. 5160, 5799); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877). As the celestial which Joseph represents is internal, and the natural which Pharaoh represents is external, therefore the perception is of the natural from the internal celestial, for all perception is from within, and in no case is there any perception of what is interior from without; for whence the influx, thence the perception.
[2] What the perception is that is so often mentioned shall here be briefly stated. There is with every man a capacity of perceiving whether a thing is so or is not so. The capacity of drawing a conclusion within himself, or in his own mind, causes a thing to be perceived. This capacity is utterly impossible unless there is influx from the spiritual world. In this gift one man excels another. They who excel less are they who within themselves or in their own mind conclude and thus perceive but little; but say that a thing is so because others in whom they have faith have said so. But they who excel more are they who see, not from others, but from themselves, that the thing is so; for in very deed the perception which exists with every man is one in worldly things, but not at the present day with anyone in spiritual things. The reason is that the spiritual which flows in and causes perception has been obscured and almost extinguished by the delights of the love of the world and of self; and therefore neither do they care for spiritual things, except insofar as is of duty and of custom; and if fear from duty, and delight from custom, were taken away, they would spurn, feel aversion for, and even deny them.
[3] He who would have perception in spiritual things must be in the affection of truth from good, and must continually long to know truths. Thereby his intellectual is enlightened, and when the intellectual has been enlightened, then it is given him to perceive something inwardly within himself. But he who is not in the affection of truth, knows that which he knows to be so, from the teaching of the church to which he joins his faith, and because a priest, presbyter, or monk has said so. From all this it is evident what perception is, and that it exists in worldly things, but not in spiritual things; as is further evident from the fact that everyone remains in the doctrine in which he was born, even they who were born Jews, and also they who are outside the church, although they live within it. Moreover they who are in any heresy, if told the veriest truths, and if these were also confirmed, they would nevertheless perceive not one whit of their truth: they would appear to them as falsities.

&5938. Say unto thy brethren. That this signifies about the truths of the church in the natural (namely, that there is perception about them), is evident from the representation of Joseph's brethren, as being the truths of the church in the natural (see n. 5403, 5419, 5458, 5512). Pharaoh here invites the sons of Jacob to come into Egypt with their babes and women, and to bring their father with them; for Pharaoh says: "Say unto thy brethren, This do ye, and take your father, and take you out of the land of Egypt carts for your babes and for your women, and bring your father, and come." Joseph, however, just above invites his father, and his brethren no otherwise than as his father's sons, for he says: "Go up to my father, and say unto him, Come down unto me, tarry not; and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy sons, and thy sons' sons, and all that thou hast; haste ye and bring down my father hither." The reason why Pharaoh invited the sons of Jacob, and Joseph his father, is not plain except from the internal sense, which is, that the natural in general, which is represented by Pharaoh, has immediate communication with the truths of the church in the natural, which are represented by the sons of Jacob; and hence it is that Pharaoh speaks of them. But the internal celestial, which is represented by Joseph, has no immediate communication with the truths of the church in the natural, which are the sons of Jacob; but it has communication through spiritual good, which is Israel their father. This is the reason why Joseph speaks of his father.

&5939. This do ye; lade your beasts. That this signifies that they should fill up every truth with good, is evident from the signification of "lading beasts," as being to fill truths full; and from the signification of the grain with which the beasts were to be laden, as being the good of truth (see n. 5295, 5410). The reason why "beasts" here are truths, is that they were asses (Gen. 42:26, 27; 43:18, 24; 44:3), by which are signified memory-knowledges (see n. 5741). And as by "asses" are signified memory-knowledges, and conjunction had now been effected with internal good through the intermediate, they are truths of memory-knowledge, and therefore instead of "asses" they are here called "beasts of burden" (jumenta).

&5940. And go, come ye into the land of Canaan. That this signifies their dwelling-place, namely, that of the truths of the church in the natural, is evident from the signification of the "land of Canaan," as being the dwelling-place of those who had been of the church (see n. 3686, 3705, 4447, 4454, 4517, 5136), thus the dwelling-place of the truths of the church with good, because these constitute the church.

&5941. And take your father and your households, and come unto me. That this signifies the approach of spiritual good and of the truths of the church to the memory-knowledges of the natural, is evident from the representation of Israel, who is here the "father," as being spiritual good (see n. 5801, 5803, 5807, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833); and from the representation of his sons, as being the truths of the church in the natural (n. 5414, 5879), all things of which are their "households;" from the signification of "coming," as being to approach; and from the representation of Pharaoh, who is the "me" to whom they were to come, as being the memory-knowledge of the natural in general. From all this it is evident that by "take your father, and your households, and come unto me," is signified the approach of spiritual good, and of the truths of the church, to the memory-knowledges of the natural.

&5942. And I will give you the good of the land of Egypt. That this signifies the possession of memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of the "land of Egypt," as being memory-knowledges (see n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700); and from the signification of his "giving the good of the land," as being possession, for he who gives possession gives the good thereof; and the converse.

&5943. And ye shall eat the fat of the land. That this signifies the appropriation of good there, is evident from the signification of "eating," as being to be communicated, conjoined, and appropriated (see n. 2187, 2343, 3168, 3513, 3832, 4745); and from the signification of the "fat," or "fatness," "of the land," namely, of Egypt, as being good in the natural. That "fat" denotes the celestial, or good, is evident from many passages in the Word; not only the fat that is in the animal, but also the fat that is from elsewhere, such as butter and oil. And whatever at all partakes of fattiness, does in the same proportion signify what is of good, such as milk, sweets (mella), gums.
[2] That fatness was a representative of celestial good, thus of the love which is from the Lord, is evident from the burnt-offerings and sacrifices, in which all the fat was burnt upon the altar, the odor from it being an "odor of rest to Jehovah;" also that on this account the sons of Israel were forbidden to eat the fat; from which, as from everything else, it may be seen that the things instituted among the Israelites were representative of heavenly and spiritual things, and thus that they involved holy things. Otherwise there would not have been anything of a Divine reason for all the fat of the animal being sacrificed, and its being an odor of rest to Jehovah; and also for the eating of it being forbidden, like the eating of the blood. Surely it would be a very gross way of thinking about the Divine, if it were believed that the fat was delightful, and that Jehovah made an ordinance that had nothing stored up within it; and even man would be too earthly and corporeal if he cared naught for a knowledge of what was signified by such things; a sign that he had no affection of knowing the things of the Word and of eternal life.
[3] Concerning "fat" we read in Moses:
     Thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul upon the liver, and the fat upon the kidneys, and shalt burn it upon the altar (Exod. 29:13, 22; also Lev. 3:4, 5, 9, 10, 14, 15; 4:8, 9, 19, 26, 31, 35; 7:3, 4). 
The fat of the breast was also to be sacrificed (Lev. 7:30, 31). That it was an "odor of rest to Jehovah," thus:
     This is the bread of the fire-offering to Jehovah for an odor of rest (Lev. 3:16).
     The priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of Jehovah, and shall offer the fat for an odor of rest to Jehovah (Lev. 17:6).
And elsewhere:
     The fat of the firstling of an ox, and of a sheep, shall be burnt upon the altar, for an odor of rest to Jehovah (Num. 18:17);
an "odor of rest" signifies what is grateful from the good of love.
[4] That the fat was not to be eaten by the sons of Israel:
     Let all the fat be Jehovah's. Therefore it is a statute of eternity for your generations in all your dwellings; ye shall not eat any fat or any blood (Lev. 3:16, 17).
And elsewhere:
     Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, Ye shall not eat any fat, whether of ox, or of sheep, or of goat; everyone who eateth the fat of the beast of which is an offering made by fire to Jehovah, the soul that eateth shall be cut off from his peoples; nor shall ye eat any blood (Lev. 7:23, 25, 26).
[5] Burnt-offerings and sacrifices constituted the chief part of Divine worship with that people (n. 923, 2180), and therefore by burnt-offerings and sacrifices in general is signified worship, and by the things sacrificed, and also by the whole process of sacrificing, is signified the quality of the worship, and by the fat and the burning thereof is signified the veriest Divine celestial, which is the good of love from the Lord, as appears also from these passages. In Isaiah:
     O Jacob, thou hast not bought Me sweet cane with silver, and with the fat of thy sacrifices thou hast not filled Me; only thou hast made Me serve through thy sins (Isa. 43:24);
"thou hast not bought sweet cane with silver" denotes thou hast not procured for thyself the truths of faith; "and with the fat of thy sacrifices thou hast not filled Me" denotes that the good of love has not been procured.
[6] In David:
     I will offer unto Thee burnt-offerings of fatlings, with the incense of rams (Ps. 66:15);
"burnt-offerings of fatlings" denote worship from love. In Moses:
     When it shall be said, Where are their gods, the rock in which they trusted; that did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink-offering? (Deut. 32:37, 38); this might be said by the Gentiles, who supposed that gods are fed, especially with such things; being quite unaware that the fat of sacrifices was the celestial, or the good of love, in worship; and that the wine of the drink-offering was the truth of faith thence derived, which things affected the angels when the sacrifice was made, and which were on this account commanded, in order that heaven might be near man by means of representatives and correspondences. 
[7] In David:
     Jehovah will remember all thine offerings, and make fat thy burnt-offering (Ps. 20:3);
"to make fat the burnt-offering" denotes to render the worship good. In Isaiah:
     In this mountain shall Jehovah Zebaoth make to all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of lees,* of fat things full of marrow, of lees well refined; He will swallow up death eternally; and the Lord Jehovih will wipe away the tear from upon all faces (Isa. 25:6, 8);
a "feast" denotes heaven and conjunction there with the angels through love and charity (n. 3596, 3832, 5161); "fat things" are the goods of love and of charity. In the same:
     Wherefore do ye spend silver for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? attend ye in attending unto Me, and eat ye what is good, and let your soul be deliciated in fatness (Isa. 55:2).
[8] And in Jeremiah:
     I will turn their mourning into joy; and will comfort them, and make them glad from their sorrow; and I will fill the soul of the priests with fatness, and My people shall be sated with My good (Jer. 31:13, 14);
"fatness" manifestly denotes good, for it is said that "their soul shall be sated;" and it is called "Jehovah's good," which is nothing else than the celestial that is from Him. In David:
My soul shall be sated as with fatness and fat, and my mouth shall praise with lips of songs (Ps. 63:5);
where the meaning is similar. Again:
     Thou hast crowned the year of Thy goodness, and Thy paths drop with fatness (Ps. 65:11).
Again:
     The sons of man confide in the shadow of Thy wings; they are filled with the fatness of Thy house; and Thou makest them drink of the stream of delights (Ps. 36:7, 8).
In Isaiah:
     Then shall Jehovah give the rain of thy seed, wherewith thou shalt sow the land; and bread of the increase of the land, and it shall be fat and rich (Isa. 30:23).
[9] In John:
     All things fat and splendid have gone away, and thou shalt find them no more (Rev. 18:14);
speaking of Babylon; "all things fat and splendid have gone away" denotes that all the goods of love and truths of faith have done so. In Moses:
     He made him suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flint of the rock; butter of the herd, and milk of the flock, with fat of lambs, and of rams the sons of Bashan, and of he-goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and of the blood of the grape thou drinkest pure wine (Deut. 32:13, 14);
speaking of the Ancient spiritual Church, whose various goods are recounted and signified by "honey," "oil," "butter," "milk," and "fat."
[10] As "fat" denoted good, it is also adjoined to such things as are not fat in themselves, yet still signify goods. Thus "fat" and "good" were as it were the same thing, as in the passage quoted, "the fat of wheat." In like manner in David:
     I would feed them with the fat of wheat (Ps. 81:16).
And elsewhere:
     Who setteth thy border peace, and sateth thee with the fat of wheat (Ps. 147:14).
Also in Moses:
     All the fat of the pure oil, and all the fat of the new wine, and of the grain, which are the firstfruits, because they were Jehovah's were given unto Aaron (Num. 18:12).
* "A feast of lees (convivium fecum)." So also Schmidius. In Apocalypse Explained n. 252:7 Swedenborg says, commenting on this expression, "a feast of less, that is, of the best wine." But in Arcana Coelestia n. 2341, Swedenborg translates the expression "a feast of sweet wines," instead of "a feast of lees." Delitzch in his Commentary on the Prophesies of Isaiah says on this passage, "Shemarim mezukkakim are wines which have been left to stand upon their less after the first fermentation is over, which have thus thoroughly fermented, and have been kept a long time, and which are then filtered before drinking; hence wine both strong and clear."

&5944. And now commanded this do ye. That this signifies the will, is evident without explication.

&5945. Take you out of the land of Egypt carts.* That this signifies the doctrinal things of memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of the "land of Egypt," as being memory-knowledges (of which above); and from the signification of "carts," as being doctrinal things. In the Word, where Egypt is treated of, mention is here and there made of chariots and horses, and by "chariots," are there meant doctrinal things, sometimes false and sometimes true, and by "horses" are meant intellectual things, also in both senses. That "chariots" are doctrinal things may be seen above (n. 5321). In like manner "carts" there, but by these are signified the doctrinal things of memory-knowledges. The doctrinal things of memory-knowledges are doctrinal things from the literal sense of the Word, and are especially serviceable to those who are being initiated for the first time into more interior truths of the church, such as that widows, orphans, and the poor in the streets are the especial objects of beneficence; and also the precepts of the Decalogue.
These and more are doctrinal things of memory-knowledges, and are signified by the "carts of Egypt." Such doctrinal things, being the first that a man learns, afterward serve him as an ultimate plane; for when progress is being made to more internal things, they become ultimates. Moreover celestial and spiritual things actually terminate in these, for they as it were stand and rest upon them; because the spiritual world has as it were its feet and soles of the feet in the natural world, and with man in respect to his spiritual life has them in the doctrinal things of memory-knowledges, in like manner as the internal sense of the Word has them in its literal sense. The "carts" by which these doctrinal things are signified, are not mentioned in the Word except in a few passages. A "cart" is mentioned by this word in the original tongue, where it speaks of the ark being laid on such a vehicle (1 Sam. 6:7, 8; 2 Sam. 6:3), and also when the tabernacle was sanctified (Num. 7:3). The reason is that the ark represented heaven (n. 3478), which as before said stands and rests upon the doctrinal things of memory-knowledges.
* The carts of Egypt. These "carts" (Hebrew agalah; Swedenborg vehiculum) were two-wheeled vehicles drawn by cattle, whereas the chariots were drawn by horses. The carts were used for the conveyance of persons, burdens, or produce. As there were no roads in Egypt and Palestine, only the simplest wheeled vehicles were possible. These agalah were not wagons, which run on four wheels and are usually drawn by horses. They were really a somewhat inferior kind of chariot, less speedy, and usually ruder in construction; and this fact supplies the basis for their correspondence. Agalah is correctly rendered "cart" in 1 Sam 6:2; 2 Sam. 6; Isa. 5:18; 28:27, 28. "From time immemorial Egypt was rich in small, two-wheeled carriages, which could be used even where there were no roads (See Gen. 50:9; Exod. 14:6, with Isa. 36:9)." (Keil and Delitsch On the Pentateuch.)  See also the interesting article "Cart" in Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, which contains ancient pictorial representations of these "carts," both Egyptian and Assyrian, drawn by oxen, and carrying passengers.

&5946. For your babes, and for your women. That this signifies for those who do not yet know, namely, the more interior things of the church, is evident from the signification of "babes," as being those who do not yet know these things; and from the signification of "women" as being affections of truth. For when "men" [viri] signify truths, as here the sons of Jacob, then their "women" signify the affections of truth; and on the other hand when "men" [viri] signify goods, their "women" signify truths, but in this case the men are called "husbands" (see n. 3236, 4510, 4823). Neither do the affections of truth, which here are the "women," know the more interior things of the church, except by means of truths, which are the "men." Affections without these are like the will without what is of the understanding. The will, in order to see or know anything, must do it through the understanding: there is its sight or eye.

&5947. And bring your father, and come. That this signifies their service and approach, is evident from the signification of "bringing their father," as being service (of which below); and from the signification of "coming," as being approach (as above, n. 5941). In regard to the service which is signified by "bringing their father," the case is this. Lower things ought to serve interior ones. The lower things are the truths of the church in the natural, which are represented by the sons of Jacob; but that which is interior is spiritual good, which is represented by Israel their father. This being more interior, or what is the same, higher, ought to be served by exterior or lower things. For lower things are formed for nothing else than to be things of service, for they are formed for the interior to live and act in them and through them, and indeed so that if the interior is taken away from them, they are nothing but vessels without life and action, thus altogether dead. This is the case with the body relatively to its spirit, and therefore when the spirit withdraws, the body at once dies. Such also is the case with the external man relatively to the internal, and also with the internal man relatively to the Lord; for the internal man has been formed to receive life from the Lord, and is nothing else than an organ of His life. Consequently it is formed to serve the Lord for all the uses that love to Him and charity toward the neighbor demand, first in the natural world, and afterward in the spiritual world.

&5948. Also let not your eye be sparing upon your stuff. That this signifies that things instrumental are not to be cared for, is evident from the signification of "stuff" or "vessels," as being things instrumental. That these are not to be cared for is signified by "let not your eye be sparing." There are things essential, and things instrumental. For an essential to work an effect anywhere, it must have an instrumental whereby to act; for just as an instrumental has been formed, so it acts. For example, the body is the instrumental of its spirit; the external man is the instrumental of the internal; memory-knowledge is the instrumental of truth; and truth is the instrumental of good (n. 3068, 3079); and so on.
[2] In the Word things instrumental are called "vessels;" in the present case "stuff," because they are said of the migration, thus of the things in the houses. But essential things are called in the Word "things," and are those which act by means of instrumental things. Thus as interior things act through exterior things, they are relatively essential. By instrumental things not being to be cared for, is meant that these must not be regarded as the end, but essential things; for insofar as instrumental things are regarded as the end, so far essential things withdraw themselves and vanish. Thus if memory-knowledge is regarded as the end, and truths are not cared for, truths at last so vanish away that it cannot be perceived whether there are any truths. Also if truths are regarded as the end, and good is not cared for, good at last so vanishes as not to be. Furthermore, with those who have earthly, or bodily, or worldly things as the end, so that these are their only care, and not heavenly things, heavenly things so vanish away that at last scarcely anything heavenly is acknowledged. These and similar things are what are signified by "let not your eye be sparing upon your stuff."
[3] But be it known that "essential" and "instrumental" are relative terms; that is, that an essential is so called because it acts by means of another thing as by its instrument or organ. But when another thing acts by means of that which was essential, then this becomes instrumental; and so on. Moreover in the created universe there is not anything essential in itself; this exists solely in the Highest, that is, in the Lord, who, because He is Esse or the Essential in itself, is called "Jehovah" from esse (being). All other things are only instrumental. From all this then it follows that because as before said essential things must be regarded as the end, and not instrumental things, the Lord alone must be so regarded.

&5949. Because the good of the whole land of Egypt, this is for you. That this signifies that they have what is primary in the natural mind, is evident from the signification of the "land of Egypt," as being the natural mind (see n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301): by the "good of the whole of this land" is signified what is primary. By these words is also meant that if essential and not instrumental things are cared for, they shall have instrumental things in abundance. For example: if truths are cared for, they shall have memory-knowledges in abundance, which are the "good of the land of Egypt." In like manner if good is cared for, they shall have truths in abundance. Memory-knowledges, and also truths, must be cared for, but men must regard good as the end. If the eye is upon good as in the end, the man is then in full view of the consequent things, or in the perception of such as are derived from it, which perception is never possible unless good is the end, that is, unless it reigns universally in each and all things.
[2] The case herein is like the body and its soul. A man must by all means care for his body, as that it may be nourished, and clothed, and may enjoy the delights of the world; but all these not for the sake of the body, but for the sake of the soul, namely, that the soul may act in a sound body correspondently and rightly, and may have the body as an organ entirely compliant to it. Thus the soul must be the end. Yet neither must the soul be the end, but only a mediate end, for which the man must care, not for its own sake, but for the sake of the uses which it must perform in both worlds; and when a man has uses as the end, he has the Lord as the end, for the Lord makes disposition for uses, and disposes the uses themselves.
[3] As few know what it is to have as the end, this also shall be told. To have as the end is to love above all other things, for what a man loves, this he has as the end. That which a man has as the end is plainly discerned, for it reigns universally in him; and thus is continually present even at those times when he seems to himself not to be thinking at all about it, for it is seated within and makes his interior life, and thus secretly rules each and all things. As for example, with him who from the heart honors his parents, this honor is present in each and all things that he does in their presence and that he thinks in their absence, and it is also perceived from his gestures and speech. So with him who from the heart fears and honors God, this fear and honor are present in everything that he thinks, and speaks, and does, because it is in him even when it does not seem to be present, as when he is engaged in business that seems to be far from it; for it reigns universally; thus in every detail. That which reigns in man is plainly perceived in the other life, for the sphere of his whole life which exhales from him is thence derived.
[4] From all this it is evident how it is to be understood that God must be always kept before the eyes; not that He must be constantly thought about, but that the fear or the love of Him must reign universally, in which case God is kept before the eyes in every detail. When this is the case the man does not think, speak, or do what is against Him and displeasing to Him; or if he does, that which universally reigns, and lies hidden within, manifests itself and admonishes him.

&5950. Verses 21-23. And the sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them carts, according to the mouth of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. And to all of them he gave each changes of garments; and to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of garments. And to his father he sent after this manner: ten asses carrying of the good of Egypt, and ten she-asses carrying grain and bread and nourishment for his father for the way. "And the sons of Israel did so," signifies the effect from spiritual truths in the natural; "and Joseph gave them carts, according to the mouth of Pharaoh," signifies that from the internal they had doctrinal things as was pleasing; "and gave them provision for the way," signifies support meanwhile from good and truth; "and to all of them he gave each changes of garments," signifies truths initiated in good; "and to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver," signifies that the intermediate had fullness of truth from good; "and five changes of garments," signifies much of truth from the natural; "and to his father he sent after this manner," signifies what was given gratuitously to spiritual good; "ten asses carrying of the good of Egypt," signifies better memory-knowledges with many things of service; "and ten she-asses carrying grain and bread," signifies the truth of good and the good of truth, also with many things of service; "and nourishment for his father for the way," signifies interior truth for spiritual good meanwhile.

&5951. And the sons of Israel did so. That this signifies the effect from spiritual truths in the natural, is evident from the signification of "did," as being the effect; and from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being spiritual truths in the natural (see n. 5414, 5879). What spiritual truths in the natural are, must be told. Truths of faith outside of man, spirit, or angel, are not truths of faith, for they have not been applied to any subject, in which they become such. But when they are applied to man, spirit, or angel as a subject, they then become truths of faith, but with a difference according to the states of life of each one. With those who are learning them for the first time, they are only memory-knowledges. Afterward if these persons devoutly reverence them, the truths advance further, and become truths of the church; and when they are affected with them and live according to them, they then become spiritual truths; for the good of love and of charity, which is solely from the spiritual world, then fills them and causes them to live; for to be affected with them and to live according to them is from this good. The quality of the truths that are called truths of faith, with those who live according to them, and with those who do not live according to them, has been shown me. With those who do not live according to them, they appeared like white filaments; and with those who had these truths, but nothing of good, they appeared brittle; but with those who live according to them they appeared like fibers from the brain filled with spirit, and soft. Thus these latter truths were animate, but the former were inanimate. From this it may be known that the quality of truths with men is according to the state of life of each. The truths that are represented by the sons of Jacob are truths not yet spiritual, because not yet made of the life. But the truths that are represented by them as sons of Israel are spiritual, because from having been made of the life they have been filled with the good of love and of charity. These latter truths are here meant, because the subject treated of has been the initiation to conjunction of the truths in the natural (which are the sons of Jacob) with internal good (which is Joseph), through the intermediate (which is Benjamin), and also through spiritual good (which is Israel).

&5952. And [Joseph] gave them carts, according to the mouth of Pharaoh. That this signifies that from the internal they had doctrinal things as was pleasing, is evident from the representation of Joseph, who is he that "gave," as being internal good (of which above); from the signification of "carts," as being doctrinal things (see n. 5945); and from the signification of "according to the mouth of Pharaoh," as being as was pleasing, namely, to spiritual truths, which are the sons of Israel; because these truths are in the natural which is represented by Pharaoh (n. 5160, 5799), and the carts, by which are signified doctrinal things, were placed at their disposal. It is said "as was pleasing," because the doctrinal things which are signified by the "carts of Egypt" are from the literal sense of the Word (n. 5945), which without the internal sense can be applied to any good whatever. For the Lord does not openly teach anyone truths, but through good leads to the thinking of what is true, and unknown to the man He also inspires the perception and consequent choice that such a thing is true because the Word so declares, and because it accords therewith. Thus the Lord adapts truths according to the reception of good by each person; and as this takes place according to each person's affection, thus in freedom, it is here said "as was pleasing."

&5953. And gave them provision for the way. That this signifies support meanwhile from good and truth, is evident from the signification of "provision," as being support from good and truth (see n. 5490).

&5954. And to all of them he gave each changes of garments. That this signifies truths initiated in good, is evident from the signification of "garments" as being truths (of which below). Thus "changes of garments" are truths which are new; and truths become new when they are initiated in good, because they then receive life. For the subject treated of is the conjunction of the natural man with the spiritual, or of the external man with the internal. When the conjunction is being effected, then truths are changed and become new, for they receive life from the influx of good (as just above, n. 5951). (That to change the garments was representative of holy truths being put on, and that hence came changes of garments, see n. 4545.)
[2] That by "garments" in the Word are signified truths, is because truths clothe good almost as the vessels do the blood, and the fibers the [animal] spirit. That a "garment" is a significative of truth is because spirits and also angels appear clothed in garments, and each according to the truths appertaining to him. Those appear in white garments who are in the truths of faith through which is good, but those appear in bright shining garments who are in the truths of faith that are from good; for good shines through the truth, and gives the resplendence (see n. 5248).
[3] That spirits and angels appear in garments can also be seen from the Word, where it is mentioned that angels were seen, as in Matthew:
     The appearance of the angel sitting at the Lord's sepulcher was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow (Matt. 28:3).
In John:
     Upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white garments (Rev. 4:4).
In the same:
     He that sat upon the white horse was clothed in a garment dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. His armies which are in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Rev. 19:11, 13, 14);
"garments white as snow," and "fine white linen," signify holy truths, for whiteness and shining white are predicated of truths (n. 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319), for the reason that they approach nearest to light, and the light which is from the Lord is Divine truth; and therefore when the Lord was transfigured, His garments appeared as the light, of which in Matthew:
     When Jesus was transfigured His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became as the light (Matt. 17:2).
That "light" is Divine truth is known in the church, and that it is compared to a "garment" is evident in David:
     Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment (Ps. 104:2).
[4] That "garments" are truths is plain from many passages in the Word, as in Matthew:
     When the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man not clad with a wedding garment; and he said to him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? wherefore he was cast out into the outer darkness (Matt. 22:11-13);
who are meant by "him not clad in a wedding-garment" may be seen at n. 2132. In Isaiah:
     Wake up! wake up! put on thy strength, O Zion; put on the garments of thine ornament, O Jerusalem, the city of holiness; because there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean (Isa. 52:1);
"garments of ornament" denote truths from good.
[5] In Ezekiel:
     I clothed thee with broidered work, and shod thee with badger (taxo), and I girded thee with fine linen, and covered thee with silk. Thy garments were of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, honey, and oil (Ezek. 16:10, 13);
speaking of Jerusalem, by which is there meant the Ancient spiritual Church which was set up by the Lord after the Most Ancient celestial Church had expired. The truths with which this church was endowed are described by the "garments;" "broidered work" is memory-knowledge, which when genuine also appears in the other life like broidered work, and like lace, as also it has been given to see; "fine linen and silk" are truths from good; but in heaven, being in the light there, these are intensely bright and are transparent.
[6] In the same:
     Fine linen in broidered work from Egypt was thy sail; blue and crimson from the isles of Elishah were thy covering (Ezek. 27:7);
speaking of Tyre, by which are represented the knowledges of truth and good (n. 1201), which when genuine are "fine linen in broidered work from Egypt;" the derivative good, or good of truth, is the "blue and crimson."
[7] In David:
     The king's daughter is all glorious; of inweavings of gold is her garment; in embroideries shall she be brought to the king (Ps. 45:13, 14);
the "king's daughter" denotes the affection of truth; "of inweavings of gold is her garment" denotes the truths wherein is good; "embroideries" denote the lowest truths. In John:
     Thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white ones, because they are worthy. He that overcometh shall be clothed in white garments (Rev. 3:4, 5);
"not to defile the garments" denotes not to befoul truths with falsities.
[8] In the same:
     Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, that he walk not naked, and they see his shame (Rev. 16:15);
"garments" in like manner denote truths. It is the truths of faith from the Word which are properly signified by "garments." He who has not acquired these from that source, or he who has not acquired truths or semblances of truths from his religiosity, as the Gentiles, and applied them to life, is not in good, howsoever he supposes himself to be. For as he has no truths from the Word, or from his religiosity, he suffers himself to be led by means of reasonings equally by evil spirits as by good spirits, and thus cannot be defended by the angels. This is meant by the exhortation "to watch and to keep his garments, that he walk not naked and they see his shame."
[9] In Zechariah:
     Joshua was in defiled garments; thus he stood before the angel, who said to those who stood before him, Remove the defiled garments from before him. And unto him he said, See I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and am clothing thee with changes of garments (Zech. 3:3, 4);
"defiled garments" denote truths polluted by falsities which are from evil; wherefore when these garments are removed, and others are put on, it is said, "See, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee." Anyone can know that iniquity does not pass away by a change of garments, and hence also anyone can conclude that a change of garments was representative, as was also the washing of garments, which was commanded when the people were being purified, as when they came near unto Mount Sinai (Exod. 19:14), and when they were being cleansed from things impure (Lev. 11:25, 40; 14:8, 9; Num. 8:6, 7; 19:21; 31:19-24).
[10] For cleansings from things impure are effected through the truths of faith, because these teach what good is, what charity, what the neighbor, what faith, that there is a Lord, that there is a heaven, that there is eternal life. Without truths which teach, it is not known what these things are, nor even that they are. Who from himself knows otherwise than that the good of the love of self and of the world is the only good appertaining to man; for both are the delight of his life? And who can know except from the truths of faith that there is another good which can be applied to man, namely, the good of love to God and the good of charity toward the neighbor, and that in these goods is heavenly life; and also that this good flows in through heaven from the Lord insofar as the man does not love himself more than others, and insofar as he does not love the world more than heaven? From all this it is evident that the purification which was represented by the washing of garments is effected through the truths of faith.

&5955. And to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver. That this signifies that the intermediate had fullness of truth from good, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, as being the intermediate (see n. 5600, 5631, 5639, 5688, 5822); from the representation of Joseph, who "gave," as being internal good (n. 5826, 5827, 5869, 5877); from the signification of "three hundred," as being what is full (of which below); and from the signification of "silver," as being truth (n. 1551, 2954, 5658). From all this it is plain that by "he gave to Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver" is signified that he gave to the intermediate fullness of truth from good; for the intermediate which Benjamin represents is interior truth through influx from the internal celestial (n. 5600, 5631). That "three hundred" signifies what is full, is because this number arises from three and a hundred by multiplication, and "three" signifies what is full (n. 2788, 4495) and a "hundred" signifies much (n. 4400); for what compound numbers involve is seen from the simple numbers from which they are.
[2] "Three hundred" also involves a like meaning where it is mentioned elsewhere in the Word, as that
     The ark of Noah was three hundred cubits in length (Gen. 6:15);
also that there were three hundred men through whom Gideon smote Midian, of whom it is written in the book of Judges:
     The number of them that lapped in their hand at their mouth, was three hundred men. Jehovah said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I give Midian into thine hand. Gideon divided the three hundred men into three troops, and he gave a trumpet into the hand of each of them, and empty pitchers, and torches in the midst of the pitchers. When they sounded with the three hundred trumpets, Jehovah set every man's sword against his fellow, and against the whole camp (Judg. 7:6, 7, 16, 22);
by the "three hundred men" here also is signified what is full, as also by the three troops into which these three hundred were divided; and by the "hundred" which was the number of each troop is signified much and enough, consequently that they would be sufficient against Midian. Moreover all these things were representative, namely, that those were taken who lapped water in the hand; that each one had a trumpet, and pitchers in which were torches; and this because by Midian, against whom they were going, was represented truth which was not truth, because there was no good of life. But each of these things will of the Lord's Divine mercy be treated of elsewhere. That numbers also were representative, is evident from many other passages, as the number "seven" in Joshua, when they took Jericho; for it was then commanded that seven priests should bear seven jubilee trumpets before the ark, and that on the seventh day they should compass the city seven times (Josh. 6:4).

&5956. And five changes of garments. That this signifies much of truth from the natural, is evident from the signification of "five," as being much (n. 5708); and from the signification of "changes of garments," as being truths initiated in good. That it is from the natural, is because "garments" are predicated of the natural. That the intermediate which is represented by Benjamin had truth from the natural, is because in order to be an intermediate it partakes of the internal and of the external (n. 5822). That which is from the internal is meant by the intermediate having fullness of truth from good, which is signified by the "three hundred pieces of silver" (of which just above, n. 5955). That which is from the external is meant by much of truth from the natural, which is signified by the "five changes of garments."

&5957. And to his father he sent after this manner. That this signifies what was given gratuitously to spiritual good, 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 signification of "sending," as being to give gratuitously. For everything that flows in from the Lord through the internal into the external, or into the natural (even what flows into spiritual good, which is "Israel," because this good is from the natural), is given gratuitously. The Lord does indeed demand humiliation, adoration, thanksgivings, and many other things from man, which appear like repayings, and thus not gratuitous; but the Lord does not demand these things for His own sake, for the Divine has no glory from man's humiliation, adoration, and thanksgiving. In the Divine, anything of the love of self is utterly inconceivable-that such things should be done for His own sake; but they are for the sake of the man himself; for when a man is in humiliation he can receive good from the Lord, because he has then been separated from the love of self and its evils, which are the obstacle; and therefore the Lord wills a state of humiliation in man for his own sake; because when he is in this state the Lord can flow in with heavenly good. The case is similar with adoration, and with thanksgiving.

&5958. Ten asses carrying of the good of Egypt. That this signifies [better]* memory-knowledges with many things of service, is evident from the signification of "ten," as being much (see n. 3107, 4638, 5708); from the signification of "asses," as being memory-knowledges (n. 5741), here the lowest memory-knowledges (n. 5934), which because they carry interior things are things of service; and from the signification of the "good of Egypt," as being memory-knowledges (see above, n. 5942, 5949), but the memory-knowledges of the church, for these are properly signified by "Egypt" (n. 4749, 4964, 4966). That these are the "good of Egypt" is because they are sent by Joseph to Israel, that is, by the internal celestial to spiritual good.
* As in n. 5950.

&5959. And ten she-asses carrying grain and bread. That this signifies the truth of good and the good of truth, also with many things of service, is evident from the signification of "ten," as being much (as above, n. 5958); from the signification of "she-asses," as being things of service (as also just above, 5958); from the signification of "grain," as being the good of truth (n. 5295, 5410), but here the truth of good, because from the internal celestial which is "Joseph;" and from the signification of "bread," as being the good of this truth (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3478, 3735, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976). In regard to "grain" signifying the truth of good, and in other places the good of truth, the case is this. The significations are different when the influx is from the internal celestial, from what they are when it is from the internal spiritual. That which flows in from the internal celestial is nothing but good, which indeed has truth within it, but this truth is good. But that which flows in from the internal spiritual is nothing but truth, which when it becomes of the life is called the "good of truth." Hence then it is that "grain" sometimes signifies the good of truth, and sometimes the truth of good, here the truth of good, because from the internal celestial which is "Joseph." That she-asses carried the grain and bread, and he-asses the good of Egypt, is because by "he-asses" are signified things of service insofar as they relate to truth, and by "she-asses" are signified things of service insofar as they relate to good. For this reason the he-asses carried such things as were suitable for them, and the she-asses such as were suitable for them. Unless this had been the case there would have been no need to mention that there were asses and she-asses, and what the one and the other carried.

&5960. And nourishment for his father for the way. That this signifies interior truth for spiritual good meanwhile, is evident from the signification of "nourishment," as being interior truth, for this comes forth from the truth of good and the good of truth, which are signified by "grain and bread" (see just above, n. 5959), and moreover interior truth is nourishment for spiritual good; from the representation of Israel who is here the "father," as being spiritual good (n. 5957); and from the signification of "for the way," as being meanwhile, namely, before it came, that is, before full conjunction was effected.

&5961. Verses 24-28. And he sent his brethren away, and they departed; and he said unto them, Contend not in the way. And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father. And they told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is ruler in all the land of Egypt. And his heart failed, because he believed them not. And they spake unto him all the words of Joseph which he spake unto them; and he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, and the spirit of Jacob their father revived; and Israel said, It is much; Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go and see him before I die. "And he sent his brethren away, and they departed," signifies concealment; "and he said unto them, Contend not in the way," signifies a perception given that they should be in tranquillity; "and they went up out of Egypt," signifies a receding from the memory-knowledges of the church; "and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father," signifies a dwelling where was natural good but not spiritual good; "and they told him, saying," signifies influx and notice; "Joseph is yet alive," signifies that the internal was not rejected; "and he is ruler in all the land of Egypt," signifies that the natural mind is under its authority; "and his heart failed, because he believed them not," signifies a lack of life of the natural and thence of understanding; "and they spake unto him all the words of Joseph which he spake unto them," signifies influx from the celestial of the spiritual; "and he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him," signifies doctrinal things thence derived which might persuade; "and the spirit of Jacob their father revived," signifies new life; "and Israel said," signifies spiritual good now; "It is much: Joseph my son is yet alive," signifies joy that the internal had not perished; "I will go and see him before I die," signifies a longing for conjunction previous to what is new.

&5962. And he sent his brethren away, and they departed. That this signifies concealment, is evident from the signification of "sending away," as being to remove from himself, consequently to be no more present with them as before; and from the signification of "going" or "departing," as being to live, also to live more remotely, and also to leave (see n. 3335, 3416, 3690, 4882, 5493, 5696); thus it denotes to be concealed. That removal from the internal celestial and thus the concealment of it, is now treated of, is evident from the things which follow in their internal sense.
[2] He who does not know how the case is with the state of life of spirits, and of the angels in the heavens, cannot know why the concealment of truth and of good should now be treated of, seeing that just before they had been in the light of these. In heaven this state is that spirits and angels have their morning, midday, and evening, also twilight, and again morning, and so on. It is their morning when the Lord is present and blesses them with manifest happiness: they are then in the perception of good. It is their midday when they are in the light of truths; and it is their evening when they are removed therefrom, and then it appears to them that the Lord is more remote and is hidden from them. All who are in heaven undergo and pass through these alternations, and cannot otherwise be continually perfected, for thereby they have relatives, and from the relatives a more perfect conception, since they thereby know what is not happy, because they thereby know what is not good and what is not true.
[3] It is worthy of admiration that to eternity one state is never exactly like another, and also that one spirit and angel does not pass through the like changes of state as another, for the reason that one is not exactly like another in respect to good and truth; just as neither is one man exactly like another in the face. Nevertheless out of these varieties the Lord makes a one. It is a general canon that everyone that has any quality comes forth from various things which are reduced into such unanimity that by agreement of harmony they all appear as a one. In the heavens the unity thus formed, or union, is effected through love and charity (see also n. 3241, 3267, 3744, 3745, 3986, 4005, 4149, 4598).
[4] The concealment which is signified by "Joseph's sending his brethren away and their departing," is called in the Word "evening," and occurs with the angels at the times when they do not perceive the Lord to be present; for there is in heaven a continual perception of the Lord. When they are in a state of non-perception they are not then affected with good, neither do they see truth, as before; this troubles them, but shortly afterward the dawn comes, and so the morning.

&5963. And he said unto them, Contend not in the way. That this signifies a perception given that they should be in tranquillity, is evident from the signification of "saying unto them," as being a perception given by the internal, which is "Joseph" (of which often above); and from the signification of "not contending in the way," as being to be in tranquillity; for contention with others is intranquillity, because it is a disturbance of the lower mind. The varying states in the other life of which mention has been made just above (n. 5962), are according to the perception of good and truth with those who are there, thus according to their perception of the Lord's presence. According to this perception they have tranquillity; for they who are in the perception of the Lord's presence are in the perception that each and all things which befall them tend to their good, and that evils do not reach them; hence they are in tranquillity. Without such faith or confidence in the Lord no one can possibly come to the tranquillity of peace, thus neither to the bliss in joy, because this bliss dwells in the tranquillity of peace.

&5964. And they went up out of Egypt. That this signifies a receding from the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of "going up" thence, as being to recede (mention is made of "going up out of Egypt into the land of Canaan," and of "coming down from that land into Egypt," for a reason several times stated above: here by "going up" is signified departing); and from the signification of "Egypt," which in the proper sense denotes the memory-knowledges of the church (see n. 4749, 4964, 4966). That these memory-knowledges are here signified is because they were in them when in Egypt with Joseph (n. 5958). Removal from those things which are of good and of truth, thus from those things which are of the church, is here treated of down to the last verse of this chapter, which removal is meant by the concealment mentioned above (n. 5962), and here by receding. In the Word this state is signified by "evening." When men are in this state, they recede from things heavenly and spiritual, and accede to such as contain nothing spiritual and heavenly. But this concealment or receding does not come to pass by the Lord's concealing Himself or receding, but by they themselves doing so; for they can no longer be withheld from their own, because to do so is not fitting; and therefore this state arrives when they are left to themselves or their own; and insofar as they are thus left, or are immersed therein, so far they recede from those things which are of heaven, and so far good becomes imperceptible to them, and truth obscure. From this it is evident that the Lord does not conceal Himself, but that the man, spirit, or angel conceals himself.

&5965. And came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father. That this signifies a dwelling where there was natural good but not spiritual good, is evident from the signification of the "land of Canaan," as being the church (n. 3686, 3705, 4447, 4517, 4736), thus the dwelling of those who represented the church, who, it is known, were the descendants of Jacob; and from the representation of Jacob, as being natural good (n. 3305, 3659, 3775, 4009, 4073, 4234, 4538), but not spiritual good, for this is represented by Israel (that Jacob represents the external of the church and Israel the internal, see n. 4286, 4570). Whether you say natural good, or the external of the church; and whether spiritual good, or the internal of the church, it is the same; for natural good constitutes the external of the church, and spiritual good the internal of the church.
[2] That is called spiritual which is in the light of heaven, for that which is in this light has in it the affection of good and the perception of truth. These are in this light because this light is from the Lord; and therefore they who are in spiritual good and truth are in the internal of the church, for as to their heads they are within heaven. But that is called natural which is in the light of the world, and that which is in this light has no affection of good and perception of truth in itself, but out of itself; for the light of heaven flows in and illumines what is round about; thus what is without, not what is within; and causes good to be known as good and truth to be known as truth because it is so said, and not because it is perceived to be so; and therefore they who are in natural good are in the external of the church, for as to their heads they are not in heaven, but their heads are illumined thence from without. Jacob is now called "Jacob," not "Israel," for the reason that now they are in externals; as is plain from what has been said above.

&5966. And they told him saying. That this signifies influx and notice, is evident from the signification of "telling," as being to be communicated and conjoined (see n. 4856, 5596), thus also influx, for that which is told flows into the thought; and from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (of which frequently above), and thus also notice.

&5967. Joseph is yet alive. That this signifies that the internal was not rejected, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being internal good (see n. 5805, 5826, 5827, 5869, 5877); and from the signification of "being alive," as being as yet to be, thus not rejected. That "being alive" is not to be rejected, is because the internal which is represented by Joseph was at first rejected by the sons of Jacob, and because their father had then believed that he had perished by evils and falsities (n. 5828); thus now by "being alive" is signified that it is not so.

&5968. And he is ruler in all the land of Egypt. That this signifies that the natural mind is under its authority, is evident from the signification of "being ruler," as being to be under its authority; and from the signification of the "land of Egypt," as being the natural mind (see n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5301).

&5969. And his heart failed, because he believed them not. That this signifies a lack of life of the natural, and thence of understanding, is evident from the signification of the "heart failing," as being a lack of life; and because it is said of Jacob, by whom is represented natural good (see n. 5965), it signifies a lack of life of the natural; and from the signification of "not believing," as being a lack of understanding. The reason why it is said thence, is that the life which is of the will always precedes, and the life of the understanding follows. The reason is that in the will alone is life, and not in the understanding except from the will. It is evident from the good which is of the will and from the truth which is of the understanding, that life is in good, but not in truth except from good; for it is manifest that what lives is always prior, and that what lives therefrom is posterior. This is the reason why it is said a lack of life of the natural and thence of understanding, which is signified by his "heart failing, because he believed them not."

&5970. And they spake unto him all the words of Joseph which he spake unto them. That this signifies influx from the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of "speaking," as being influx (see n. 2951, 5481, 5797); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 4286, 4592, 4963, 5307, 5331, 5332, 5417).

&5971. And he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him. That this signifies doctrinal things thence derived which might persuade, is evident from the signification of "carts," as being doctrinal things (see n. 5945, 5952); from the signification of "which Joseph had sent," as being which were from the internal celestial; and from the signification of "to carry him," as being which might persuade; for to carry him to Joseph that he might see him denotes to persuade. Moreover that he was persuaded by seeing the carts is evident from the words which now follow, namely, "the spirit of Jacob their father revived; and Israel said, It is much; Joseph my son is yet alive."

&5972. And the spirit of Jacob their father revived. That this signifies new life, is evident from the signification of the "spirit reviving," as being new life; and from the representation of Jacob, as being natural good (see n. 5965). Thus by "the spirit of Jacob revived" is signified new life to natural good. Life becomes new when what is spiritual flows in from the internal and acts from within in those things which are in the natural. Thereby natural good becomes spiritual, adjoined to the spiritual good which is represented by Israel, for which reason also Jacob is now called "Israel," for it is said, "the spirit of Jacob revived, and Israel said."

&5973. And Israel said. That this signifies spiritual good now, is evident from the representation of Israel, as being spiritual good (see n. 5801, 5803, 5807, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5832, 5833). (What is meant by the spiritual good which is "Israel," and what by the natural good which is "Jacob," may be seen above, n. 5965.) He who is unacquainted with the internal sense of the Word cannot possibly know why Jacob is sometimes called "Jacob," and sometimes "Israel;" for in the same chapter, and even in the same verse, now one name is used and now the other. Hence it is very evident that there is an internal sense in the Word, as here where it is said, "the spirit of Jacob their father revived, and Israel said;" and in like manner in other passages:
     Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; and the sons of Israel came in the midst of those who came (Gen. 42:4, 5).
     Israel journeyed; God said to Israel in the visions of the night, Jacob, Jacob; and he said, Behold me (Gen. 46:1, 2).
Jacob rose up from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father (Gen. 46:5).
     All the souls of the house of Jacob that came into Egypt were seventy; Joseph harnessed his chariot, and went up to meet Israel; and Israel said unto Joseph (verses 27, 29, 30).
     Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years; and the days of Israel drew near to die (Gen. 47:27-29).
     And one told Jacob and said, Behold thy son Joseph cometh unto thee; and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed; and Jacob said unto Joseph (Gen. 48:2, 3).
     Jacob called his sons, and said, Assemble yourselves, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; listen to Israel your father (Gen. 49:1, 2).
     Cursed be their anger, for it was vehement, and their wrath, for it was hard; I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel (Gen. 49:7).
     The arms of his hands shall be made strong by the hands of the strong one of Jacob; from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel (Gen. 49:24);
besides frequently in the prophets.

&5974. It is much; Joseph my son is yet alive. That this signifies joy that the internal had not perished, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial; and from the signification of "being alive," as being not to have perished, nor to have been rejected (see above, n. 5967); that joy is denoted is manifest.

&5975. I will go and see him before I die. That this signifies a longing for conjunction previous to what is new, is evident from the signification of "going and seeing," as being to be conjoined. The reason why "to see" denotes to be conjoined is that in the spiritual world interior sight conjoins. For interior sight is thought, and in a society there when many act as a one (and also in choirs), what the one thinks the other also thinks; thus thought conjoins. And likewise when anyone thinks of another, he is presented to view; in this way also thought conjoins. Hence it is that by "going and seeing" is signified conjunction. That a longing for conjunction is signified, follows from the joy spoken of just above (n. 5974). And from the signification of "before I die," as being previous to what is new, namely, to what is new of representation. For in the Word representatives succeed each other in such a manner that when one person dies, there follows either a like representative by another person, or another representative; thus what is new (see n. 3253, 3259, 3276); as when Abraham died, a representative by Isaac succeeded; and when he died, a representative by Jacob succeeded; and when he died, a representative by his posterity succeeded. This is the new thing here meant.

&5976. Continuation concerning the angels and spirits with man.          
At the end of the preceding chapter it was shown that there are with every man two spirits from hell and two angels from heaven, who effect communication both ways, and also that the man is in freedom.

&5977. That there are two, is because there are two kinds of spirits in hell and two kinds of angels in heaven, to which the two faculties in man, namely, the will and the understanding, correspond. Spirits of the one kind are called simply spirits and act into what is of the understanding. Those of the other kind are called genii and act into what is of the will. The two kinds are also most distinct from each other. They who are called simply spirits infuse falsities, for they reason against truth and are in the delight of their life when they can make what is true appear as false, and what is false appear as true. But they who are called genii infuse evils, act into the affections and concupiscences of a man, and scent in a moment what the man desires. If this is good, they bend it most cunningly into evil, and are in the delight of their life when they can make good to be perceived as evil, and evil as good. It was permitted them to act into my desires, that I might know of what nature they are and how they act, and I can avouch that unless the Lord had guarded me by angels they would have perverted my desires into concupiscences of evil, and this in a manner so hidden and silent that I should scarcely have noticed anything about it. These latter, who are called genii, have nothing at all in common with those who are called spirits. The genii have no concern as to what a man thinks, but only as to what he loves; whereas the spirits have no concern about what a man loves, but about what he thinks. The genii vest their delight in being silent, but the spirits in speaking. The two are also altogether separated from each other. The genii are in the hells deep down behind, and are invisible there to the spirits; and when anyone looks in there, they appear like flitting shadows. But the spirits are in the hells at the sides and in front. This then is the reason why there are with man two spirits from hell.

&5978. That there are two angels with every man is because of these also there are two kinds, of which one act into what is of man's will, and the other into what is of his understanding. They who act into what is of man's will, act into his loves and ends, consequently into his goods. But they who act into what is of man's understanding, act into his faith and principles, consequently into his truths. These two kinds also are most distinct from each other. They who act into what is of man's will are called celestial, and they who act into what is of his understanding are called spiritual. To the celestial are opposed the genii, and to the spiritual the spirits. These things it has been given me to know by much experience, for I am continually in company and discourse with them both.

&5979. A man who is in faith believes that none but angels from heaven are with him, and that diabolical spirits are altogether removed from him. But I can assert that in the case of a man who is in the concupiscences and delights of the love of self and of the world, and regards these as the end, diabolical spirits are so near him as to be in him, and to rule both his thoughts and his affections. Angels from heaven cannot possibly be within the sphere of such, but are without; and therefore the angels recede as the infernal spirits approach nearer. Nevertheless the angels from heaven in no case recede altogether from a man, for then all would be over with him, because if he should be without communication with heaven by means of angels, he could not live.
[2] That there are infernal spirits and heavenly angels with man is also in some measure taught by the doctrine of faith of Christian Churches; for this declares that all good is from God, and that evil is from the devil; and preachers confirm this by their prayers in the pulpit that God may direct their thoughts and their words, and by their saying that in justification all endeavors, even the least, are from God; and also that when a man lives well he suffers himself to be led by God; and likewise that angels are sent by God to minister to man. And on the other hand, when a man has committed any enormous evil, they say he has suffered himself to be led by the devil, and that such evil is from hell. They would also have said that spirits from hell were flowing into the interior evils which are of the will and the thought, if they had acknowledged these evils to be so great.

&5980. The angels attentively and continually observe what the evil spirits and genii with a man are intending and attempting; and insofar as the man suffers it, they bend evils into goods, or to goods, or toward goods.

&5981. There sometimes appears to view with infernal spirits and genii things shameful and filthy, and in fact such things as an evil man thinks and speaks. Lest on account of such things the angels should flee away altogether, these shameful and filthy things are perceived by them as being milder than they really are. In order that I might know how such things are perceived by the angels, when shameful things presented themselves there was given me the angelic perception, which was such that I felt no horror. The shameful things were turned into a mildness such as cannot be described, but can only be compared to things angular and pungent when the angularity and pungency are taken away from them. In this way the shameful and filthy things of infernal spirits and genii are dulled with the angels.

&5982. By means of evil spirits on the one hand and angels on the other, the Lord places a man in equilibrium between evils and goods, and between falsities and truths, so that the man may be in freedom. For in order that a man may be saved he must be in freedom, and in freedom be drawn away from evil and led to good. Whatever is not effected in freedom does not remain, because it is not appropriated. This freedom is from the equilibrium in which the man is kept.

&5983. That man has communication with hell and with heaven through the two spirits and the two angels, may be seen from the fact that in the other life one society cannot have communication with another, or with anyone, except through spirits who are sent forth by the societies. These emissary spirits are called Subjects, for through them as subjects the societies speak. To send forth subjects to other societies, and in this way to get communication, is one of the familiar things of the other life, and is very well known to me from the fact that subjects have been sent to me a thousand times, and that without them the societies could not know anything appertaining to me, and could communicate to me nothing appertaining to themselves. This shows that the spirits and genii with man are nothing but subjects through whom he has communication with hell, and that the celestial and spiritual angels are subjects through whom he has communication with the heavens.

&5984. When the spirits who are in the world of spirits desire to have communication with a number of societies, they are wont to send forth subjects, one to each society. And I have observed that evil spirits sent out many round about and stationed them like a spider setting its web, the senders being in the middle. And to my surprise they know how to do this as from a kind of instinct; for they who had known nothing of such things in the life of the body, do it at once in the other life. From this also it is evident that communications are effected through emissary spirits.

&5985. A Subject is one in whom are concentrated the thoughts and speech of many, and in this way many are presented as one. And as a subject thinks and speaks nothing whatever from himself, but from others, and the thoughts and speech of others are there presented to the life, therefore they who flow in suppose that the subject is as it were nothing and scarcely animate, being merely a receptive of their thought and speech. But on the other hand the subject supposes that he does not think and speak from others, but from himself alone. Thus fallacies delude both. It has often been given me to say to a subject that he thinks and speaks nothing from himself, but from others; and also that those others suppose that a subject cannot think and speak anything from himself; thus that he appears to them like one in whom there is nothing of life from himself. Upon hearing this the spirit who was the subject was very indignant. But in order that he might be convinced of the truth, it was given to speak with the spirits who were flowing in, who then confessed that a subject thinks and speaks nothing whatever from himself, and thus that he appears to them to be something scarcely animate. It also once happened that he who said that a subject is nothing, himself became a subject, and then the rest said of him that he was nothing, at which he was greatly enraged, and yet was thereby instructed how the case is.

&5986. It is worthy of mention (for it has often happened and thus been shown) that no one either in heaven or in hell thinks, speaks, wills, and acts from himself, but from others, and thus at last all and each do so from the general influx of life, which is from the Lord. When I have heard the spirits saying that a spirit does not think and speak anything from himself, and yet the subject supposed he did so solely from himself, it has then been frequently given to speak with those who were flowing into the subject; and when they persisted in the assertion that they thought and spoke from themselves, but not so the subject from himself, and because they supposed that they so thought and spoke, it was further given to tell them that this is a fallacy, and that they as well as the subject were thinking and speaking from others. In order to confirm this point, it was also given to speak with those who were flowing into these latter, and when they also made a like confession, it was further given to speak with those who were flowing into these, and so on in a continued series. Thus it became plain that everyone was thinking and speaking from others. This experience excited in the spirits the utmost indignation, for every one of them desires to think and speak from himself. But because they were thereby instructed how the case is, they were told that everything of thought and also of will flows in, because there is but one only life, from which are these faculties of life; and that this life flows in from the Lord through a wonderful form, which is the heavenly form, not only in a general way into all, but also particularly into each; and that it is varied everywhere according to the form of each subject, as this agrees or disagrees with the heavenly form. From all this it is also evident how the case is with man, of which more will be said in what follows, when treating of influx.

&5987. The more there are who concentrate their look into one subject, the stronger is the subject's power of thinking and speaking. The power is increased according to the increase in number of the concordant looks. This was also shown by the withdrawal of some who were flowing in, for then the subject's power of thinking and speaking was diminished.

&5988. There were subjects with me near the head, who spoke as if they were asleep, but still spoke well, as do they who are not in a state of sleep. It was observed that evil spirits were flowing into these subjects with malignant deceits, but that the influx into them was instantly dissipated; and as the evil spirits knew that these spirits had previously been their subjects, they complained that they were no longer so. The reason was that being asleep good spirits could act into them, and thus by their influx the malignities of the evil spirits were dispelled. Nevertheless the evil spirits were compelled to flow into these subjects and not into others. This shows that there are subjects of different kinds and natures, and that the variations are in accordance with the Lord's disposal.

&5989. The most deceitful, who are above the head, once took subjects and sent them forth to me, in order that they might flow in with their deceits; but they were much disappointed. One, when made a subject, writhed back and closed himself, and folded himself as in a roll, in order thus to reject the influx. In this way he extricated himself from them. Then they took another, but neither could they force him to speak, he being more deceitful than they, which he showed by rolling himself as it were into the form of a spiral. In this way they were cheated. Moreover evil spirits do not always send forth subjects from their own body, but observe what spirits are with others, and also where are those who are simple and obedient, and these they make their subjects. This is effected by directing their thoughts into the subject spirit, and infusing into him their own affections and persuasions, whereby he is no longer his own master, but serves them as a subject. Of this he is sometimes unaware.

&5990. There are very many spirits at this day who desire to flow not only into man's thoughts and affections, but also into his speech and actions, thus even into the things of his body; when yet the things of the body are exempt from the particular influx of spirits and angels, and are directed by general influx. In other words, when what is thought is determined into speech, and what is willed is determined into acts, the determination and transition into the body are according to order, and are not directed by any spirits in particular; for to flow into man's bodily things is to obsess him. The spirits who will and intend this are those who in the life of the body had been adulterers, that is, who had perceived delight in adulteries and had persuaded themselves that they are allowable; and also those who had been cruel. The reason is that both the former and the latter are more corporeal and sensual than all others, and have rejected all thought about heaven, attributing all things to nature and nothing to the Divine. In this way they have closed up interior things against themselves, and have opened external things; and because in the world they had been solely in the love of these, therefore in the other life they long to return into them through man by obsessing him.
[2] But it is provided by the Lord that such infernals should not come into the world of spirits; they being kept in their hells, well shut up. Therefore there are no external obsessions at this day, but still there are internal ones, also the work of the infernal and diabolical crew; for evil men think such things as are filthy and also cruel towards others, and also such as are adverse and malignant toward what is Divine; and unless such thoughts were kept in check by fear of the loss of honor, of gain, and of reputation on account of these, of legal penalties, and of the loss of life, they would burst forth openly, and thus such men would rush more than the obsessed into the destruction of others, and into blasphemies against the things of faith. But these external bonds cause them not to seem to be obsessed, although they are so as to their interiors, but not as to their exteriors. This is very manifest from such as they in the other life, where external bonds are removed. There they are devils, being continually in the delight and desire of ruining others and destroying whatever is of faith.

&5991. I saw spirits who must be called bodily spirits. They rose up from the deep, at the side of the sole of the right foot. They appeared to the sight of my spirit as if in a gross body; and when I asked who they are that are like this, it was said that they are those who in the world have excelled in talent, and also in the sciences, and have thereby utterly confirmed themselves against the Divine, thus against those things which are of the church; and because they have fully persuaded themselves that all things are of nature, they have more than others closed their interiors, thus all that belongs to the spirit. Hence they appear grossly corporeal. Among them was one whom I had known during his life in the world, and who then was celebrated for his talents and his learning. But these gifts, which are means of thinking well about Divine things, were to him means of thinking against them, and of persuading himself that they are of no account; for he who excels in talent and learning excels also in the means of confirmation. Hence he had been interiorly obsessed, but in the external form he had appeared as a man of civic and moral virtues.

&5992. The angels, through whom the Lord leads and also protects a man, are near his head. It is their office to inspire charity and faith, and to observe in what direction the man's delights turn, and insofar as they can, without interfering with the man's freedom, moderate them and bend them to good. They are forbidden to act with violence and thus break the man's cupidities and principles; but are enjoined to act gently. It is also their office to rule the evil spirits who are from hell, which is done in innumerable ways, of which the following only may be mentioned. When the evil spirits pour in evils and falsities, the angels insinuate truths and goods, which, if not received, are nevertheless the means of tempering. Infernal spirits continually attack, and the angels protect; such is the order.
[2] The angels especially regulate the affections, for these make the man's life, and also his freedom. The angels also observe whether any hells are open that were not open before, and from which there is influx with the man, which takes place when the man brings himself into any new evil. These hells the angels close so far as the man allows, and remove any spirits who attempt to emerge therefrom. They also disperse strange and new influxes that produce evil effects.
[3] Especially do the angels call forth the goods and truths that are with a man, and set them in opposition to the evils and falsities which the evil spirits excite. Thus the man is in the midst, and does not perceive either the evil or the good; and being in the midst, he is in freedom to turn himself either to the one or to the other. By such means do angels from the Lord lead and protect a man, and this every moment, and every moment of a moment; for if the angels were to intermit their care for a single moment, the man would be precipitated into evil from which he could never afterward be brought out. These things the angels do from the love they have from the Lord, for they perceive nothing more delightful and happy than to remove evils from a man, and lead him to heaven. That this is a joy to them, see Luke 15:7. Scarcely any man believes that the Lord takes such care of a man, and this continually from the first thread of his life to the last of it, and afterward to eternity.

&5993. From all this it is now evident that for a man to have communication with the spiritual world there must be joined to him two spirits from hell and two angels from heaven, and that without these he would have no life whatever. For a man cannot possibly live from general influx, as do animals void of reason (of which n. 5850), because his whole life is contrary to order; and being in this state, if a man were acted on by general influx only, he would necessarily be acted on by the hells only, and not from the heavens; and if he were not acted on from the heavens he would have no interior life, thus no life of thought and will such as is proper to man, and not even such as is proper to a brute animal, because a man is born without any use of reason, and can be initiated into it solely through influx from the heavens.
[2] From all that has been advanced it is also evident that a man cannot live without communication with the hells through spirits from them, for the whole of his life which he derives from his parents by inheritance, and all that he himself adds from his own, is of the love of self and of the world, and not of the love of the neighbor, and still less of love to God. And as the whole of man's life from his own is of the love of self and of the world, it is therefore a life of contempt for others in comparison with self, and of hatred and revenge against all who do not favor self. Thus it is also a life of cruelty; for he who hates, desires to kill, and is therefore most highly delighted with the destruction of others. Unless spirits of a like nature were applied to these evils (and such spirits must be from hell), and unless the man were led by them in accordance with the delights of his life, he could not possibly be bent toward heaven. At first he is bent by means of his delights themselves; and by these is also set in freedom, thus at last in the faculty of exercising choice.
     
     Genesis 46

     1. And Israel journeyed, and all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and sacrificed sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
     2. And God said to Israel in the visions of the night, and He said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Behold me.
     3. And He said, I am God; the God of thy father; fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation.
     4. I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will cause thee to go up, even in going up; and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.
     5. And Jacob rose up from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their babes, and their women, in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
     6. And they took their cattle, and their acquisition which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him:
     7. His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed, brought he with him into Egypt.
     8. And these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt, of Jacob and of his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.
9. And the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, and Pallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.
     10. And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman.
     11. And the sons of Levi: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
     12. And the sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul.
     13. And the sons of Issachar: Tola, and Puvah, and Iob, and Shimron.
     14. And the sons of Zebulun: Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.
     15. These are the sons of Leah, whom she bare unto Jacob in Paddan-aram, and his daughter Dinah; all the souls of his sons and of his daughters were thirty and three.
     16. And the sons of Gad: Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.
     17. And the sons of Asher: Imnah, and Ishvah, and Ishvi, and Beriah, and Serah their sister; and the sons of Beriah: Ber, and Malchiel.
     18. These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare to Jacob: sixteen souls.
     19. The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin.
     20. And to Joseph were born in the land of Egypt, whom Asenath the daughter of Potiphera priest of On bare unto him, Manasseh and Ephraim.
     21. And the sons of Benjamin: Bela, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.
     22. These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.
     23. And the sons of Dan: Hushim.
     24. And the sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.
     25. These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and these she bare to Jacob; all the souls were seven.
     26. All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, that came out of his thigh, besides Jacob's sons' women, all the souls were sixty and six.
     27. And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob, that came into Egypt, were seventy.
     28. And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to show before him unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
     29. And Joseph harnessed his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and he was seen of him, and fell upon his necks, and wept upon his necks a long while.
     30. And Israel said unto Joseph, Let me die, after that I have seen thy faces, that thou art yet alive.
     31. And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and will tell Pharaoh, and will say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, who were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;
     32. And the men are shepherds of the flock, for they are men of cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.
     33. And it may be that Pharaoh will call you, and will say, What are your works?
     34. And ye shall say, Thy servants have been men of cattle from their youth even until now, both we, and our fathers; in order that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd of the flock is an abomination of the Egyptians.

&5994. The Contents.     
In this chapter the subject treated of in the internal sense is the conjunction of the internal celestial which is "Joseph," with spiritual good from the natural which is "Israel." There are then enumerated the truths and goods of the church in their order, wherewith conjunction must afterward be effected. The truths and goods of the church are Israel's sons and grandsons, who came into Egypt.

&5995. The Internal Sense.     
Verse 1. And Israel journeyed, and all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and sacrificed sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. "And Israel journeyed, and all that he had," signifies the beginning of conjunction; "and came to Beersheba," signifies charity and faith; "and sacrificed sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac," signifies worship therefrom, and influx from the Divine intellectual.

&5996. And Israel journeyed, and all that he had. That this signifies the beginning of conjunction, is evident from the signification of "journeying," as being what is successive and continuous (see n. 4375, 4882, 5493); here, what was continuous and successive in the glorification of the Lord, who in the supreme sense is "Israel" and "Joseph;" but in the internal sense, what is continuous and successive in the regeneration of man. And as in this chapter the subject of the conjunction of the natural man with the spiritual, or of the external with the internal, now succeeds and is continued, therefore by the words "Israel journeyed, and all that he had" is signified the beginning of this conjunction.

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

&5998. And sacrificed sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. That this signifies worship therefrom and influx from the Divine intellectual, is evident from the signification of "sacrificing sacrifices," as being worship (see n. 922, 923, 2180); and from the representation of Isaac, as being in the supreme sense the Divine rational or intellectual of the Lord (n. 1893, 2066, 2072, 2083, 2630, 3012, 3194, 3210). That influx therefrom into worship is signified, follows, for the worship meant is that from charity and faith, which are signified by "Beersheba" (n. 5997), where he sacrificed. That Jacob sacrificed to the God of his father Isaac, shows what was the nature of the fathers of the Jewish and Israelitish nation, namely, that each of them worshiped his own God. That the God of Isaac was a God other than Jacob's, is evident from the fact that he sacrificed to him, and that in the visions of the night it was said unto him, "I am God, the God of thy father;" and also from the fact that he swore by the same in these words: "The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us; and Jacob sware by the Dread of his father Isaac" (Gen. 31:53). And it is also evident that at first Jacob did not acknowledge Jehovah, for he said, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way in which I walk, and will give me bread to eat, and garment to put on, and I return in peace to my father's house, then shall Jehovah be my God" (Gen. 28:20, 21). Thus he acknowledged Jehovah conditionally.
[2] It was their custom to acknowledge the gods of their fathers, but their own in especial. This custom they derived from their fathers in Syria; for Terah, Abram's father, and also Abram himself when there, worshiped other gods than Jehovah (n. 1356, 1992, 3667). Their posterity, who were called "Jacob" and "Israel," were consequently of such a disposition that at heart they worshiped the gods of the Gentiles, and Jehovah only with the mouth and in name alone. The reason why they were such was that they were in externals alone without any internal, and such men can believe no otherwise than that worship consists merely in uttering the name of God and in saying that He is their God, and this so long as He is their benefactor; and that worship does not at all consist in a life of charity and faith.

&5999. Verses 2-4. And God said to Israel in the visions of the night, and He said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Behold me. And He said, I am God, the God of thy father; fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation. I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will cause thee to go up, even in going up; and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. "And God said to Israel in the visions of the night," signifies obscure revelation; "and He said, Jacob, Jacob," signifies to natural truth; "and he said, Behold me," signifies notice; "and he said, I am God, the God of thy father," signifies the Divine intellectual from which is the influx; "fear not to go down into Egypt," signifies that natural truth with all things appertaining to it must be initiated into the memory-knowledges of the church; "for I will there make of thee a great nation," signifies that truths shall become good; "I will go down with thee into Egypt," signifies the presence of the Lord in that state; "and I will cause thee to go up, even in going up," signifies elevation afterward; "and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes," signifies that the internal celestial shall vivify.

&6000. And God said to Israel in the visions of the night. That this signifies obscure revelation, is evident from the signification of "God said in the visions" as being revelation. For revelations were made either by dreams, or by night visions, or by day visions, or by speech within the man, or by speech without him from angels that were seen, and also by speech without him from angels that were not seen. By all these are signified in the Word various kinds of revelations, and by a "vision of the night," obscure revelation; for "night" signifies what is obscure (see n. 1712, 2514), and obscurity in the spiritual sense is that truth does not appear. Moreover in the Word "night" signifies falsity from evil, for they who from evil are in falsity are in the obscurity of night. Thus all who are in hell are said to be in night. They indeed are in a kind of light there, for they see one another; but this light is like the light from a hard-coal fire, and is turned into darkness and thick darkness when heavenly light flows in. Hence it is that they who are in hell are said to be in night, and that they are called angels of night and of darkness; and on the other hand they who are in heaven are called angels of day and of light.
[2] That "night" denotes what is obscure, and likewise what is false, may also be seen from the following passages in the Word. In John:
     Jesus said, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walk in the day, he stumbleth not. But if anyone walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him (John 11:9, 10); 
"twelve hours" denote all states of truth; "walking in the day," denotes to live in truth; and "walking in the night," to live in falsity.
[3] Again:
     I must work the works of Him that sent Me while it is day; the night cometh when no one can work (John 9:4);
"day" denotes truth from good; and "night," falsity from evil. It is the first time of the church which is meant by "day," for then truth is received, because men are in good; and it is the last time of the church which is meant by "night," for then nothing of truth is received, because men are not in good. For when man is not in good, that is, when he is not in charity toward the neighbor, then even if the veriest truths are told him, he receives them not, for then it is not at all perceived what is true, because the light of truth falls into such things as are of the body and the world, which alone are attended to, and alone are loved and estimated as real; but not into such things as are of heaven, because with such men these are relatively of little or no account. Thus the light of truth is absorbed and smothered in what is densely dark, as is the light of the sun in what is black. This is signified by "the night cometh when no one can work." It is also such a time at this day.
[4] In Matthew:
     While the bridegroom tarried, all the virgins slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh (Matt. 25:5, 6);
"midnight" also denotes the last time of an old church, when there is nothing of faith because nothing of charity, and also the first time of a new church. In Luke:
     I say unto you, In that night there shall be two upon one bed; the one shall be accepted, and the other shall be left (Luke 17:34);
here in like manner "night" denotes the last time of an old church and the first of a new one.
[5] In Matthew:
     Jesus said to the disciples, All ye shall be scandalized against Me in this night. And to Peter, In this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice (Matt. 26:31, 34);
that it pleased the Lord to be taken at night, signified that with them at that time Divine truth was in the obscurity of night, and that falsity from evil was in its place. And that Peter denied the Lord thrice in that night, also represented the last time of the church, when the truth of faith is indeed taught, but is not believed. Such a time is "night," because the Lord is then utterly denied in the hearts of men; for the twelve apostles, like the twelve tribes of Israel, represented all things of faith (n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3354, 3488, 3858, 3913, 3926, 3939, 4060), and Peter represented the faith of the church (see the preface to Gen. 18; also to Gen. 22; and also n. 3750, 4738). Therefore it was that the Lord said unto Peter that "in that night he should deny Him thrice;" and to the disciples, "all ye shall be scandalized against Me in this night."
[6] In Isaiah:
     One calleth unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night  12);
speaking of the coming of the Lord, which is the "morning," which coming was when there was no longer any spiritual truth in the earth, and which is "night."
[7] In Zechariah:
     It shall be one day which is known to Jehovah; not day nor night; for about the time of evening there shall be light. It shall come to pass in that day that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; and Jehovah shall be king over all the earth; in that day shall Jehovah be one, and His name one (Zech. 14:7-9); 
speaking here likewise of the Lord and also of a new church. "Jehovah who shall be king, and Jehovah being one and His name one," is the Lord as to the Divine Human, which should be one with the Divine Itself which is called the "Father." Before the coming of the Lord the Divine Human was Jehovah in the heavens, for by passing through the heavens He presented Himself as a Divine Man before many on earth. But at that time the Divine Human was not so completely one with the Divine Itself which is called the "Father," as when the Lord made it in Himself altogether one. That before this they were as it were distinct, is plain from the nineteenth chapter of Genesis, where it is said, "Jehovah caused it to rain upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Jehovah out of heaven" (verse 24; see n. 2447). The "day when it was not day nor night," is when the Lord was born; for it was then "evening," that is, the end of the representatives of the church; the "light about the time of evening" is the Divine truth which would then appear.
[8] In Isaiah:
     Surely in the night Ar has been laid waste, Moab has been cut off; surely in the night Kir of Moab has been laid waste (Isa. 15:1);
"Moab" denotes natural good, and in the opposite sense adulterated good (n. 2468); its vastation is here treated of. Vastations are said to be effected "in the night," because truth is then obscured, and falsity enters. In Jeremiah:
     The great city weeping shall weep in the night, and her tear shall be on her cheek (Lam. 1:2);
describing the desolation of truth; "night" denotes falsity.
[9] In David:
     Thou shalt not be afraid of the dread of night, of the arrow that flieth by day, nor of the death that wasteth at noonday (Ps. 91:5, 6);
the "dread of night" denotes falsities of evil which are from hell; the "arrow that flieth by day," falsity which is openly taught, whereby good is destroyed; the "death that wasteth at noonday," evil which is lived in openly, whereby truth is destroyed. In John:
     The gates of the holy Jerusalem shall not be shut by day; for there is no night there (Rev. 21:25).
     There shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light (Rev. 22:5).
"There shall be no night there" denotes that there shall be no falsity. In Daniel:
     Daniel said, I saw in my vision when it was night. After this I saw in the visions of the night  7);
"visions of the night" here also denote obscure revelation, for in this passage the four beasts are treated of, and their horns, and many things which belong to obscure revelation. It is similar with the horses of various colors which Zechariah saw "in the night" (Zech. 1:8, and following verses).

&6001. And He said, Jacob, Jacob. That this signifies to natural truth, is evident from the representation of Jacob, as being natural truth (see n. 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3599, 3775, 4009, 4234, 4520, 4538). The reason why it is said "Jacob," and not "Israel," is that natural truth with all belonging to it must be initiated into the memory-knowledges of the church, which is signified by Jacob with his sons going down into Egypt (see below, n. 6004).

&6002. And he said, Behold me. That this signifies notice, is evident without explication.

&6003. And He said, I am God, the God of thy father. That this signifies the Divine intellectual from which is the influx, is evident from the representation of Isaac, who is here the "father," as being the Divine rational or intellectual of the Lord (see above n. 5998); for it is said, "God, the God of thy father." That the influx is from this is because all truth is of the intellectual, thus also natural truth, which is represented by Jacob (n. 6001). (What the Divine rational or intellectual is which is represented by Isaac, see n. 1893, 2066, 2072, 2083, 2630, 3012, 3194, 3210.) In the original tongue, "God" is named in the first place in the singular, but in the second place in the plural; that is, in the first the name is "El," and in the second it is "Elohim." The reason is that by "God" in the first place is signified that there is one God and only one, and by "God" in the second place that He has many attributes. Thus arises the name "Elohim" or "God" in the plural, as in the Word almost everywhere. As there are many attributes, and the Ancient Church assigned a name to each, therefore its descendants, with whom the knowledge of such things was lost, believed there were many gods, and each family chose one of them for its God-as Abraham, Shaddai (n. 1992, 3667, 5628), and Isaac, the God who was called "Pachad" or "Dread." And as the God of each was one of the Divine attributes, therefore the Lord said unto Abram, "I am God Shaddai" (Gen. 17:1), and here unto Jacob, "I am the God of thy father."

&6004. Fear not to go down into Egypt. That this signifies that natural truth with all things appertaining to it must be initiated into the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the representation of Jacob, who is he that was to go down into Egypt, as being natural truth (of which just above, n. 6001); and from the signification of "going down," as being to be initiated, for in order that this initiation might be represented, Jacob with all that appertained to him went down into Egypt; and from the signification of "Egypt," as being the memory-knowledges of the church (n. 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966).
[2] In regard to truth being initiated into the memory-knowledges of the church, the case is this. The memory-knowledges of the church were at that time the representatives and significatives of their rituals, for all the rituals of the church were from such things, as also were the memory-knowledges which served as their doctrinals of charity. From these memory-knowledges they knew who are meant by the poor, the needy, the miserable, the afflicted, the oppressed, widows, orphans, sojourners, the bound in prison, the naked, the sick, the hungry, the thirsty, the lame, the blind, the deaf, the maimed, and by many other classes into which they distinguished the neighbor, and thus taught how charity was to be exercised. Such were the memory-knowledges of that time. That at this day these are altogether blotted out of remembrance is evident from the fact that where the above are mentioned in the Word, scarcely anyone knows but that such are meant as are so called-as that widows are meant where "widows" are mentioned, sojourners where "sojourners" are mentioned, the bound in prison where these are mentioned, and so on. Such memory-knowledges flourished in Egypt; and therefore by "Egypt" are signified memory-knowledges. That natural truth which is "Jacob" was to be initiated into such memory-knowledges, is represented by Jacob's going down into Egypt with all that belonged to him.
[3] Truths are said to be initiated into such memory-knowledges when they are brought into them, so as to be in them. This is effected for the reason that when a memory-knowledge comes into the thought, the truths which have been brought into it may come at the same time into remembrance; as for example, when a sojourner is presented to the thought, seeing that by him are signified those who are to be instructed, that there should instantly come into thought all the exercises of charity toward such, thus truths. In like manner in all other cases. When memory-knowledges are thus filled, then when anyone is thinking from them, the thought extends and diffuses itself far and wide, and indeed to many societies in the heavens at the same time. For such a memory-knowledge, consisting as it does of so many truths within itself, unknown to the man, unfolds itself in this way; but it is necessary that truths be in them.
[4] It is also of Divine order for interior things to bestow themselves in exterior ones, or what is the same, prior things in posterior ones, thus at last all prior things in the ultimates, and for them to be together there. This is the case in universal nature. Unless this is done the man cannot be fully regenerated, for by such a bringing of truths into memory-knowledges, things interior and exterior agree together and make a one which otherwise would be in disagreement; and if they are in disagreement, the man is not in good, because he is not in what is sincere. Moreover memory-knowledges are in a light nearly the same as that in which is the sensual of man's sight, and this light is such that unless it is enlightened within by the light which is from truths, it leads into falsities, especially into those derived from the fallacies of the senses; and also into evils from falsities. That this is the case will be seen from the experience about influx that is related at the close of the chapters.

&6005. For I will there make of thee a great nation. That this signifies that truths shall become good, is evident from the representation of Jacob, of whom these words are spoken, as being natural truth (see above n. 6001); and from the signification of "nation," as being good (n. 1259, 1260, 1416, 1849). "Nations" and "peoples" are often mentioned in the Word, but everywhere with this difference: that by "nations" are signified goods or evils, and by "peoples," truths or falsities.

&6006. I will go down with thee into Egypt. That this signifies the presence of the Lord in that state, is evident from the signification of "going down with thee," as being the presence of the Lord, for by the God who spoke with Jacob in the visions of the night is meant the Lord.

&6007. And I will cause thee to go up, even in going up. That this signifies elevation afterward, is evident from the signification of "going up," as being elevation (see n. 3084, 4539, 5406, 5817). The elevation which is here signified is from memory-knowledges to things more interior. For after memory-knowledges have been filled with truths (according to what was said above, n. 6004), the man is elevated from memory-knowledges toward things more interior, and then the memory-knowledges serve him as the ultimate plane of his mental activities (intuitionum). To be elevated toward things more interior is to think more interiorly, and at last as a spirit and as an angel; for the more interiorly thought proceeds, the more perfect it is, because it is nearer the influx of truth and good from the Lord. (That thought is more interior and more exterior may be seen, n. 5127, 5141.)

&6008. And Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. That this signifies that the internal celestial shall vivify, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (see n. 5869, 5877); and from the signification of "putting the hand upon the eyes," as being to vivify.
For by "putting the hand upon the eyes" is meant that the external sensual, or that of the body, shall be closed, and the internal sensual shall be opened; thus that elevation shall be effected, and thus vivification. It was customary to lay the hand upon the eyes of a dying person, because by "death" was signified resuscitation into life (n. 3498, 3505, 4618, 4621). For when a man dies, he does not die, but only lays aside the body which had served him for use in the world, and he passes into the other life in a body which serves him for use there.

&6009. Verses 5-7. And Jacob rose up from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their babes, and their women, in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their acquisition which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed, brought he with him into Egypt. "And Jacob rose up," signifies the enlightening of natural truth; "from Beersheba," signifies from the doctrine of charity and faith; "and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father," signifies that truths which are spiritual caused natural truth to advance; "and their babes," signifies together with those things which are of innocence; "and their women," signifies and those things which are of charity; "in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him," signifies doctrinals from the memory-knowledges of the church; "and they took their cattle," signifies the goods of truth; "and their acquisition which they had acquired in the land of Canaan," signifies truths procured from prior truths which are of the church; "and came into Egypt," signifies initiation into the memory-knowledges of the church; "Jacob, and all his seed with him," signifies of natural truth and of all things of faith appertaining thereto; "his sons, and his sons' sons with him," signifies truths in order; "his daughters, and his sons' daughters," signifies goods in order; "and all his seed" signifies everything of faith and of charity; "brought he with him into Egypt," signifies that they were brought into the memory-knowledges which are of the church.

&6010. And Jacob rose up. That this signifies the enlightening of natural truth, is evident from the signification of "rising up," as being elevation into a state of light, thus an enlightening (see n. 4881); and from the representation of Jacob, as being natural truth (see above, n. 6001).

&6011. From Beersheba. That this signifies from the doctrine of faith and of charity, is evident from the signification of "Beersheba," as being the doctrine of faith and charity (see n. 2858, 2859, 3466).

&6012. And the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father. That this signifies that truths which are spiritual caused natural truth to advance, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being spiritual truths (see n. 5414, 5879); and from the representation of Jacob, as being natural truth (n. 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3599, 3775, 4009, 4234, 4520, 4538). The reason why "they carried" denotes that they caused to advance, is that it is predicated of spiritual truths relatively to natural truth, and natural truth cannot be advanced from any other source than spiritual truth, for its life and force of acting are thence derived. It is for this reason that the sons of Jacob are here called the "sons of Israel," and that Jacob is called "Jacob."

&6013. And their babes. That this signifies together with those things which are of innocence, is evident from the signification of "babes," as being innocence (see n. 3183, 5608). It is said "with those things which are of innocence," also "which are of charity," for the reason that without innocence and charity, natural truth cannot be caused to advance by spiritual truths; for in order that truth may be genuine, it must derive its essence and life from charity, and charity from innocence. For the interior things which vivify truth succeed one another in the following order: inmost is innocence; next lower is charity; and lowest is work of charity from truth or according to truth. The reason why they succeed one another in this order is that they so succeed one another in the heavens. For the inmost or third heaven is the heaven of innocence; the middle or second heaven is the heaven of charity, within which is innocence from the inmost heaven; and the ultimate or first heaven is the heaven of truth, within which is charity from the second heaven, and within this is innocence from the third. All these must be in the same order with man, for in respect to his interiors man is formed after the image of the three heavens; and therefore a regenerated man is a heaven in particular or in the least form. But in respect to his exteriors, especially the body, he is formed after the image of the world, and therefore he was called by the ancients a microcosm. For the ear is formed after the whole nature of air and sound; the eye after the whole nature of ether and light; the tongue after the whole sense of the solvent and fluent parts in liquids; the nostrils after the sense of things fluent in the atmosphere; the touch after the sense of cold and heat, also of things of the earth that have weight; and so on. As man's external senses are formed after the whole image of the natural world, so his internal senses, which belong to his understanding and will, are formed after the whole image of heaven, to the end that every man may be in particular a recipient of Divine good from the Lord, as heaven is in general.

&6014. And their women. That this signifies and those things which are of charity, is evident from the signification of "women," as being goods, when their "men" are truths (see n. 4823), consequently the things which are of charity; for all spiritual goods are of charity toward the neighbor, and all celestial goods are of love to the Lord.

&6015. In the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. That this signifies doctrinals from the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of "carts," as being doctrinal things (see n. 5945); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the memory-knowledge of the church in general; for by "Egypt" is signified the memory-knowledge of the church (n. 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966), and therefore by its "king" is signified this memory-knowledge in general, as also elsewhere in the Word; but in most passages, as by "Egypt," so also by "Pharaoh," is signified perverted memory-knowledge. That "Pharaoh" is memory-knowledge in general, is evident in Isaiah:
     Fools are the princes of Zoan, the wise ones of the counselors of Pharaoh; counsel has become brutish; how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of the kings of antiquity? (Isa. 19:11);
here "Pharaoh" is the memory-knowledge of the church in general, and therefore he is called the "son of the wise," and the "son of the kings of antiquity;" the "wise," and the "kings of antiquity," denote the truths of the Ancient Church. But such knowledge made foolishness is here meant, for it is said, "fools are the princes of Zoan; the counsel is become brutish."
[2] Again:
     They depart to go down into Egypt, but they have not asked at My mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt. Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh become to you for a shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt for a reproach (Isa. 30:2, 3);
"to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt" denotes to trust to memory-knowledges in the things of faith, and not to have faith in any spiritual truth, unless memory-knowledge and what is sensuous dictate it, which nevertheless is of perverted order; for the truths of faith ought to be in the first place, and confirming memory-knowledges in the second place, because if these are in the first place nothing whatever of truth is believed.
[3] In Jeremiah:
     Hath said Jehovah Zebaoth the God of Israel, Behold I visit upon Amon in No, and upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt, and upon its gods, and upon its kings; especially upon Pharaoh, and them that trust in him (Jer. 46:25);
here also "Pharaoh" denotes memory-knowledge in general; "they that trust in him" are those who trust in memory-knowledges, but not in the Word, that is, in the Lord in the Word. Thus everything is perverted in the doctrinals of faith, and hence comes falsity, and also denial that the Divine and heavenly is anything. Such especially are in the habit of saying, "Make me see these things with the eye, or show me scientifically that it is so, and then I will believe." And yet if they were to see, and if it were shown, they would not believe, because what is negative reigns universally.
[4] In the same:
     Against Pharaoh: Behold waters rise up from the north, which shall become an overflowing stream, and shall overflow the land and the fullness thereof, the city and them that dwell therein; so that the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl, at the voice of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, and at the tumult of his chariot, the rumbling of his wheels (Jer. 47:1, 2, 3);
from each of the things here said about Pharaoh, it is clear that "Pharaoh" is memory-knowledge in general, here in perverted order, which destroys the truths of faith. An "overflowing stream" is memory-knowledge destroying the understanding of truth, and thus vastating; "they shall overflow the land and the fullness thereof" denotes that this is done to the whole church; "the city and them that dwell therein" denotes to the truth of the church and the good thence derived; "the stamping of the hoofs of the horses" denotes the lowest memory-knowledges, which are direct from things of sense; "the tumult of the chariot" denotes the derivative false doctrine; "the rumbling of the wheels" denotes things of sense and their fallacies, which cause to advance.
[5] In Ezekiel:
     Hath said the Lord Jehovih; Behold I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great whale that lieth in the midst of his rivers, that saith, The river is mine, and I have made myself. Therefore I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick to thy scales (Ezek. 29:3, 4); 
here also "Pharaoh" denotes memory-knowledge in general, as in like manner is evident from all that is said of him.
[6] Again:
     Take up a lamentation upon Pharaoh king of Egypt. Thou art as whales in the seas; and thou hast come forth with thy streams, and troubled the waters with thy feet, and fouled their streams. When I shall extinguish thee I will cover the heavens, and make the stars thereof black; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not make her light to shine; all the luminaries of light will I make black over thee, and will set darkness upon thy land (Ezek. 32:2, 3, 7, 8);
that these things, like many in the prophets, cannot be comprehended by anyone without the internal sense, is evident, as that Pharaoh is as whales in the seas, that he came forth from his streams, and troubled the waters with his feet; that over him the heavens should be covered, the stars should be made black, and all the luminaries of light; that the sun should be covered with a cloud, the moon not give her light, and darkness be set upon his land. But the internal sense teaches what these things signify, namely, that memory-knowledges pervert the truths of the church if a man enters by their means into the secrets of faith and believes nothing unless he sees it from them, nay, unless he sees it from things of sense. That this is the internal sense is evident from the explication of each expression.
[7] Pharaoh is called "king of Egypt" from memory-truth; for memory-knowledge is truth in the natural (that a "king" denotes truth, see n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044), and that the king of a people has the like signification as the people (n. 4789); thus "Pharaoh" has the like signification as "Egypt," but in general. That "Egypt" is memory-knowledge has been frequently shown. Pharaoh is compared to "whales in the seas," because a "whale" or "sea-monster" signifies the generals of memory-knowledges (n. 42), and "seas" signify collections of memory-knowledges (n. 28). It is also said that he "came forth with his streams," because by "streams" are signified the things of intelligence (see n. 108, 109, 2702, 3051), here of insanity, because derived from things of sense and memory-knowledges (see n. 5196). It is then said that he "troubled the waters with his feet, and fouled their streams," because by "waters" are signified spiritual truths (n. 680, 739, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976, 5668), and by "feet," the things of the natural (n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952), thus "to trouble the waters with his feet" denotes to defile and pervert the truths of faith through the memory-knowledges of the natural; and "to foul their streams" is to do thus to intelligence.
[8] It is finally said that "when he shall be extinguished the heavens shall be covered," because by the "heavens" are signified the interiors of man, since these are indeed his heavens. These are closed when memory-knowledges have dominion over the truths of faith, or the natural over the spiritual. That then the knowledges of truth and of good perish, is signified by the words, "I will make the stars of the heavens black, and all the luminaries of light" (that the "stars" are these knowledges see n. 2495, 2849, 4697; and that "luminaries" are goods and truths, n. 30-38). That then neither can the good of love anymore flow in, is signified by "I will cover the sun with a cloud;" and that neither can the good of faith flow in, is signified by "the moon shall not make her light to shine" (that the "sun" is the good of love, and the "moon" the good of faith, see n. 1529, 1530, 2120, 2495, 3636, 3643, 4060, 4696). And that thus only falsities will have possession of the natural mind, is signified by "I will set darkness upon thy land" (that "darkness" is falsities, see n. 1839, 1860, 4418, 4531; and that the "land of Pharaoh" or the "land of Egypt" is the natural mind, n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301). From all this it is now evident what is the sense contained in these prophetic words. As by "Pharaoh" is signified memory-knowledge in general, by him is also signified the natural in general (n. 5799).

&6016. And they took their cattle. That this signifies the goods of truth, is evident from the signification of "cattle," as being the good of truth; for by "cattle" are meant both flocks and herds, and also horses, camels, mules, and asses. And as "flocks" in the internal sense are interior goods, and "herds" exterior goods, but "horses," "camels," "mules," and "asses" such things as are of the intellectual, all of which bear relation to truths, therefore by "cattle" is signified the good of truth.

&6017. And their acquisition which they had acquired in the land of Canaan. That this signifies truths procured from prior truths which are of the church, is evident from the signification of "acquisition," as being truth procured (see n. 4105), and also good procured (n. 4391, 4487); and from the signification of the "land of Canaan," as being the church (n. 3686, 3705, 4447, 4517, 5136). That they were procured from prior truths of the church, follows, because when truths multiply themselves from good, they are multiplied from prior truths.

&6018. And came into Egypt. That this signifies initiation into the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of "coming" or "going down, into Egypt," as being the initiation of truth into the memory-knowledges of the church (see n. 6004).

&6019. Jacob, and all his seed with him. That this signifies of natural truth and of all things of faith appertaining thereto (that is, their initiation into the memory-knowledges of the church), is evident from the representation of Jacob, as being natural truth (see n. 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3599, 3775, 4009, 4234, 4520, 4538); and from the signification of "seed," as being the faith of charity (n. 255, 1025, 1447, 1610, 1940, 2848, 3310). Thus "all his seed with him" denotes all things of faith appertaining to natural truth.

&6020. His sons, and his sons' sons, with him. That this signifies truths in their order, is evident from the signification of "sons," as being truths (see n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373), thus also "sons' sons," but truths which are from the former in their order.

&6021. His daughters, and his sons' daughters. That this signifies goods in order, is evident from the signification of "daughters," as being goods (see n. 489-491, 2362, 3963), thus also "sons' daughters," but the goods which are from the former, thus in their order (as just above in the case of the sons).

&6022. And all his seed. That this signifies everything of faith and of charity, is evident from the signification of "seed," as being the faith of charity (as above, n. 6019), thus both faith and charity; for where the one is, there is the other.

&6023. Brought he with him into Egypt. That this signifies that they were brought into the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of "coming" or "going down, into Egypt," as being to initiate and bring truths into the memory-knowledges of the church (of which above, n. 6004, 6018). The same is also signified by "bringing with him into Egypt" (n. 5373, 6004). Truths are initiated and brought in when memory-knowledges are ruled by truths; and they are ruled by truths when truth is acknowledged because the Lord has so said in the Word, and the memory-knowledges which affirm it are accepted, but those which oppose it are removed. Thus truth becomes lord over those memory-knowledges which are affirmative of it, while those not affirmative are rejected. When this is the case, then the man in thinking from memory-knowledges is not led into falsities, as is the case where truths are not within. For memory-knowledges are not true from themselves, but from the truths within them, and such as are the truths in them, such a general truth is the memory-knowledge. For a memory-knowledge is merely a vessel (n. 1469, 1496), which is capable of receiving both truths and falsities, and this with endless variety.
[2] As for example the memory-knowledge of the church that every man is the neighbor. Into this memory-knowledge may be initiated and brought truths in endless abundance; as that every man is indeed the neighbor, but each one with a difference; that he is most the neighbor who is in good, and this also with a difference according to the quality of the good; that the origin of the neighbor is from the Lord Himself, so that the nearer any are to Him, that is, the more they are in good, the more they are the neighbor; and the more remote they are from Him, the less; and also that a society is more the neighbor than an individual man, and a kingdom in general more than a society, but our own country more than other kingdoms; that the church is still more the neighbor than our country, and the Lord's kingdom still more; and also that the neighbor is loved when anyone discharges his office aright for the good of others, or of his country, or of the church; and so on. This shows how many truths can be brought into this one memory-knowledge of the church, for they are so many that it is difficult to distribute them into genera, and to assign to each genus some specific truths, in order that it may be distinguished and recognized. This was a study in the ancient churches.
[3] That the same memory-knowledge can be filled with falsities in endless abundance, may also be seen by inverting the above truths, and saying that everyone is neighbor to himself, and that in every instance the origin of the neighbor is from self; and that therefore a man's nearest neighbor is he who most favors him, and makes one with him, and thereby presents himself in him as an image of himself; nay, that neither is his country the neighbor, except insofar as concerns his own advantage; and so on without end. Yet the memory-knowledge remains the same: that every man is the neighbor. But by one this is filled with truths, by another with falsities. The case is similar with all other memory-knowledges.

&6024. Verses 8-27. And these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt, of Jacob and of his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn. And the sons of Reuben: Hanoch, and Pallu, and Hezron, and Carmi. And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman. And the sons of Levi: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. And the sons of Judah: Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. And the sons of Issachar: Tola, and Puvah, and Iob, and Shimron. And the sons of Zebulun: Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel. These are the sons of Leah, whom she bare unto Jacob in Paddan-aram, and his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and of his daughters were thirty and three. And the sons of Gad: Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli. And the sons of Asher: Imnah, and Ishvah, and Ishvi, and Beriah, and Serah their sister; and the sons of Beriah: Ber, and Malchiel. These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare to Jacob: sixteen souls. The sons of Rachel, Jacob's wife: Joseph and Benjamin. And to Joseph were born in the land of Egypt, whom Asenath the daughter of Potiphera priest of On bare unto him, Manasseh and Ephraim. And the sons of Benjamin: Bela, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard. These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen. And the sons of Dan: Hushim. And the sons of Naphtali: Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem. These are the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and these she bare to Jacob: all the souls were seven. All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, that came out of his thigh, besides Jacob's sons' women, all the souls were sixty and six. And the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob, that came into Egypt, were seventy. 
[2] "And these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt," signifies the quality of truths from the spiritual in order, which were brought into the memory-knowledges of the church; "of Jacob and his sons," signifies the truth of the natural in general, and the truths of the natural in particular; "Reuben, Jacob's firstborn," signifies faith in the understanding, which is apparently in the first place. "And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Pallu, and Hezron, and Carmi," signifies the doctrinals of faith in general. "And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar," signifies faith in the will and its doctrinals in general; "and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman," signifies a doctrinal not from a genuine origin. "And the sons of Levi; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari," signifies spiritual love and its doctrinals in general. [3] "And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Perez, and Zerah," signifies celestial love and its doctrinals; "but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan," signifies that falsity and evil were extirpated. "And the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul," signifies the truths of that good, which are goods of charity. "And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Puvah, and Iob, and Shimron," signifies celestial conjugial love and its doctrinals. "And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel," signifies the heavenly marriage and its doctrinals. "These are the sons of Leah, whom she bare unto Jacob in Paddan-aram," signifies that these doctrinals were from spiritual affection in the natural through the knowledges of good and truth; "and his daughter Dinah," signifies the church; "all the souls of his sons and of his daughters were thirty and three," signifies the state of spiritual life and its quality. 
[4] "And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli," signifies the good of faith and the derivative works and their doctrinals. "And the sons of Asher; Imnah, and Ishvah, and Ishvi, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Ber, and Malchiel," signifies the happiness of eternal life and the delight of the affections and their doctrinals. "These are the sons of Zilpah," signifies that these are of the external church; "whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter," signifies from the affection of external good; "and these she bare to Jacob," signifies that they were from the natural; "sixteen souls," signifies their state and quality. 
[5] "The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife," signifies which were from celestial affection; "Joseph and Benjamin," signifies the internal of the church, "Joseph" its good and "Benjamin" the truth thence derived. "And to Joseph were born in the land of Egypt," signifies internal celestial and spiritual things in the natural; "whom Asenath the daughter of Potiphera priest of On bare unto him," signifies from the marriage of good with truth and of truth with good; "Manasseh and Ephraim," signifies the new will and its intellectual, which are of the church. "And the sons of Benjamin; Bela, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard," signifies the spiritual internal and its doctrinals. "These are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob," signifies that they were from celestial affection; "all the souls were fourteen," signifies their state and quality. 
[6] "And the sons of Pan; Hushim," signifies the holy of faith and good of life, and the doctrinal of these. "And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem," signifies temptations in which is victory and the doctrinals about them. "These are the sons of Bilhah," signifies that these are of the internal church; "whom Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter," signifies from the affection of internal good; "all the souls were seven," signifies their state and quality. 
[7] "All the soul that came with Jacob into Egypt," signifies all the truths and goods initiated into the memory-knowledges of the church; "that came out of his thigh," signifies that were from the marriage; "besides Jacob's sons' women," signifies except the affections of those things which were not from this marriage; "all the souls were sixty and six," signifies their state and quality; "and the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt," signifies things celestial and spiritual in the natural; "were two souls," signifies the will and the intellectual thence derived, which are of the church; "all the souls of the house of Jacob, that came into Egypt, were seventy," signifies what is full in order.

&6025. The further explication of these words will be omitted, because they are mere names. What they signify may be seen from the general explication given just above (n. 6024). And what the sons of Jacob themselves signify may be seen in the explication where their birth is treated of. This is worthy of note: that no son was born to the sons of Jacob in Egypt, whither they came, although they were still young; but their sons were all born in the land of Canaan, while they themselves were born in Paddan-aram, except Benjamin. This was of the Lord's special Divine providence, in order that the things of the church might be represented by them from their very birth. The sons of Jacob being born in Paddan-aram represented that the man of the church must be born anew or regenerated by means of the knowledges of good and truth; for "Paddan-aram" signifies the knowledges of good and truth (n. 3664, 3680, 4107), and their birth represented the new birth through faith and charity (n. 4668, 5160, 5598), thus at first through the knowledges of these. But that their sons were all born in the land of Canaan represented that from thence are such things as are of the church, for the "land of Canaan" denotes the church (n. 3686, 3705, 4447, 4454, 4516, 5136, 5757). But that to Joseph were born sons in Egypt, was in order that there might be represented the dominion of the internal man in the external, especially the dominion of the celestial spiritual in the natural, "Manasseh" being the will, and "Ephraim" the intellectual, of the church, in the natural.

&6026. Verses 28-30. And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to show before him unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. And Joseph harnessed his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and he was seen of him, and fell upon his necks, and wept upon his necks a long while. And Israel said unto Joseph, Let me die this time, after that I have seen thy faces, that thou art yet alive. "And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph," signifies the communication of the good of the church with the internal celestial; "to show before him unto Goshen," signifies with respect to the midst in the natural; "and they came into the land of Goshen," signifies the residence of life there; "and Joseph harnessed his chariot," signifies doctrine from the internal; "and went up to meet Israel his father," signifies influx; "to Goshen," signifies into the midst in the natural; "and he was seen of him," signifies perception; "and fell upon his necks," signifies conjunction; "and wept upon his necks a long while," signifies mercy; "and Israel said unto Joseph," signifies the perception of spiritual good; "Let me die this time," signifies new life; "after that I have seen thy faces," signifies after the noticing of mercy; "that thou art yet alive," signifies the noticing of the consequent life in himself.

&6027. And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph. That this signifies the communication of the good of the church with the internal celestial, is evident from the representation of Judah, as being the good of the church (see n. 5583, 5603, 5782, 5794, 5833); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877); that "to send before him" denotes to communicate, is plain. The reason why Judah was sent, and not another, was that there might be signified the communication of good with good, which is immediate; namely, the communication of external good, which Judah represents, with internal good, which Joseph represents. For the good which is of love to the Lord and of charity toward the neighbor flows in from the Lord through the internal into the external; and so much is received in the external as there is of good there. But if in the man's external there is only the truth of faith, and not good, then the influx of good from the Lord through the internal is not received in the external; for immediate communication with truth is not possible, but only mediate communication through good. This is the reason why no other than Judah was sent by Jacob unto Joseph.

&6028. To show before him unto Goshen. That this signifies with respect to the midst in the natural, namely, that there was communication, is evident from the signification of "Goshen," as being the midst (that is, the inmost) in the natural (see n. 5910). By the midst or the inmost in the natural is signified the best therein, for what is best is in the midst, that is, in the center or inmost, and round about it on all sides are goods, arranged in the heavenly form, nearer and more remote according to the gradations of goodness from the best in the midst. Such is the arrangement in order of goods in the regenerate. But with the wicked the most evil things are in the midst, and goods are relegated to the extremes, where they are continually being pushed outside. This is the form with the wicked individually, and in the hells in general. Thus it is the infernal form. From what has been said about the best in the midst and about goods being arranged in order toward the sides, it is evident what is meant by the communication of the good of the church with the internal celestial, with respect to the midst in the natural.

&6029. And Joseph harnessed his chariot. That this signifies doctrine from the internal, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal (as often above); and from the signification of "chariot," as being doctrine (n. 5321).

&6030. And went up to meet Israel his father. That this signifies influx, namely, from the internal celestial into spiritual good from the natural, is evident from the representation of Joseph, who "goes up to meet," as being the internal celestial (see n. 5869, 5877); and from the representation of Israel, as being spiritual good (see n. 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833). Thus it follows that "to go up to meet him" denotes influx, for "to go up to meet," here, is to betake himself and come unto him.

&6031. To Goshen. That this signifies into the midst in the natural, is evident from what has been said just above about Goshen (n. 6028).

&6032. And he was seen of him. That this signifies perception, is evident from the signification of "to see," as being to understand and to perceive (see n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723, 5400), and also to have faith (n. 2325, 2807, 3863, 3869, 4403, 4421, 5400). In regard to "seeing" as denoting to understand and thence to perceive and also to have faith, be it known that there are two things with man which make his life, namely, Spiritual Light and Spiritual Heat. Spiritual light makes the life of his understanding, and spiritual heat the life of his will. Spiritual light is from its first origin Divine truth from the Divine good of the Lord, and hence is the truth of faith from the good of charity. And spiritual heat is from its first origin the Divine good of the Divine love of the Lord, and hence is the good of celestial love, which is love to the Lord, and the good of spiritual love, which is love toward the neighbor. These two, as before said, constitute the whole life of man.
[2] As regards spiritual light, it is with this in the understanding of man as it is with natural light in his external sight; namely, in order that the eye may see, it is necessary that there be light to illumine, and then the eye sees in the light all things which are round about outside of it. So the intellectual mind, which is man's internal eye-in order that this eye may see, it is necessary for the light of heaven, which is from the Lord, to illumine it; and when this eye is illumined by this light, it then sees the things which are round about outside of itself; but the objects which it sees are spiritual, namely, memory-knowledges and truths. But when this light does not illumine, the intellectual mind or internal eye of man, like the external or bodily eye, is in darkness and sees nothing, that is, from memory-knowledges nothing of truth, and from truths nothing of good. The light which illumines the intellectual mind is in very truth light, and such light that it a thousand times surpasses the midday light of the world, which I bear witness to because I have seen it. By this light all the angels in the heavens see the things which are round about outside of themselves, and also by the same light they see and perceive the truths which are of faith, and their quality. Hence then it is that by "seeing" is signified in the spiritual sense not only the understanding, but also whatever is of the understanding, as thought, reflection, observation, prudence, and many such things; likewise not only faith, but also whatever is of faith, as truth, doctrine from the Word, and the like.
[3] But as regards spiritual heat, it is with this in the will of man as it is with natural heat in the body, in that it vivifies. But in its first origin, which origin is from the Lord, spiritual heat is nothing else than the Divine love toward the universal human race, and from this the reciprocal love of man to Him and also toward the neighbor. And this spiritual heat is in very truth heat, which gladdens the bodies of the angels with heat, and at the same time their interiors with love. Hence it is that by "heat," "flame," and "fire" in the Word are signified in the genuine sense those things which are of love, as the affections of good and of truth, and also good itself.

&6033. And fell upon his necks. That this signifies conjunction, is evident from the signification of "falling upon the necks," as being conjunction close and intimate (see n. 5926). That "to fall upon the necks" signifies conjunction is because the neck joins together the head and the body, and by the "head" are signified the interiors, and by the "body" the exteriors. Hence the "neck" denotes the conjunction of the interiors with the exteriors, and thus the communication of the interiors with the exteriors, and also of celestial things with spiritual (see n. 3542, 5320, 5328), which communication is by virtue of conjunction also signified by these same words, for "Joseph" is the internal, and "Israel" is relatively the external.

&6034. And wept upon his necks a long while. That this signifies mercy, is evident from the signification of "weeping," as being mercy (see n. 5480, 5873, 5927). It is said "upon his necks a long while," because the beginning and also the continuance of conjunction is mercy, namely, the mercy of the Lord who in the supreme sense is "Joseph."

&6035. And Israel said unto Joseph. That this signifies the perception of spiritual good, namely, from the internal celestial, is evident from the signification of "saying," in the historicals of the Word, as being perception; from the representation of Israel, upon whose necks Joseph wept, as being spiritual good; and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial; all of which have been frequently spoken of above.

&6036. Let me die this time. That this signifies new life, is evident from the signification of "dying," as being resurrection into life, thus new life (see n. 3326, 3498, 3505, 4618, 4621, 6008). The reason why "dying" signifies newness of life, has also been shown in the sections just quoted; namely, that when a man dies, there immediately begins a newness of his life; for he is raised up into life, the material body being cast off which had served him for use in the world. New life is here signified by "dying," because it comes from influx by the internal (which is signified by Joseph's going up to meet Israel his father, see n. 6030), and from conjunction, which is signified by Joseph's falling on the necks of Israel (n. 6033).

&6037. After that I have seen thy faces. That this signifies after the noticing of mercy, is evident from the signification of "to see," as being a noticing (of which above, n. 6032); and from the signification of the "faces," when predicated of the Lord, as being mercy (see n. 222, 223, 5585, 5816).

&6038. That thou art yet alive. That this signifies the perception of the consequent life in himself, is evident from the signification of "being alive," as in the internal sense being spiritual life (n. 5890). That the perception of this life in himself is signified, follows from what goes before (that he had new life from influx and conjunction, n. 6036), and from the affection of joy at seeing him. This affection gives the perception of life in himself.

&6039. Verses 31-34. And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and will tell Pharaoh, and will say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, who were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; and the men are shepherds of the flock, for they are men of cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. And it may be that Pharaoh will call you, and will say, What are your works? And ye shall say, Thy servants have been men of cattle from their youth even until now, both we, and our fathers; in order that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd of the flock is an abomination of the Egyptians. 
"And Joseph said unto his brethren," signifies the perception of truths in the natural; "and unto his father's house" signifies of goods there; "I will go up and will tell Pharaoh" signifies communication with the natural where are the memory-knowledges of the church; "and will say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, who were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me," signifies in respect to the truths and the goods of the church, that they are to be initiated; "and the men are shepherds of the flock," signifies that they lead to good; "for they are men of cattle," signifies that they have good from truths; "and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have," signifies that good interior and exterior, and whatever is thence, is present; "and it may be that Pharaoh will call you," signifies if the natural in which are the memory-knowledges of the church wills to be conjoined; "and will say, What are your works?" signifies and to know your goods; "and ye shall say, Thy servants have been men of cattle from their youth even until now," signifies that from the beginning and as yet they have truths from which is good; "both we, and our fathers" signifies that it was so from the first goods; "in order that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen," signifies so shall your residence be in the midst of the natural where are the memory-knowledges of the church; "for every shepherd of the flock is an abomination of the Egyptians," signifies separation thus from perverted memory-knowledges which are opposed to the memory-knowledges of the church.

&6040. And Joseph said unto his brethren. That this signifies the perception of truths in the natural, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being perception (of which often above); from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being spiritual truths in the natural (n. 5414, 5879); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (n. 5869, 5877). Hence it is evident that by "Joseph said unto his brethren" is signified the perception of truths in the natural from the internal celestial. That by "Joseph said," is not signified his perception, is because Joseph is the internal, and all perception flows in through the internal into the external or natural. For of itself the natural perceives nothing whatever, but its perceiving is from what is prior to itself; nay, neither does the prior perceive from itself, but from what is still prior to itself, thus finally from the Lord, who Is of Himself. Such is the nature of influx, and therefore such is the nature of perception. It is with influx as it is with coming forth (exsistentia) and subsistence. 
Nothing comes forth (exsistit) of itself, but from what is prior to itself, thus finally all things from the First, that is, from the Esse and the Existere of Itself. And also from the same all things subsist, for it is with subsistence as with coming forth, for to subsist is perpetually to come forth. The reason why it is said "the perception of truths in the natural," but not "the perception of those who are in these truths," is that such is the nature of spiritual speech. For in this way ideas of thought are abstracted from persons, and are determined to things; and things, that is, truths and goods, are what live with man and cause man to live, for they are from the Lord, from whom is everything of life. In this way also the thought is withdrawn from attributing truths and goods to the person. By such speech also a general idea is had, which extends itself more widely than if the idea of person is adjoined to it; as for instance if it is said "the perception of those who are in these truths," the ideas are at once determined to such persons, as is usually the case, and thus they are withdrawn from the general idea; and in this way the enlightenment from the light of truth is diminished. Moreover in the other life thought about persons excites those who are being thought of; for in the other life all thought is communicated. These are the reasons why an abstract form of speech is used, as here: "the perception of truths in the natural."

&6041. And unto his father's house. That this signifies of goods therein, that is, the perception of these, is evident from the signification of "house," as being good (see n. 3128, 3652, 3720, 4982); and from the signification of "father," as also being good (n. 2803, 3703, 3704, 5581, 5902).

&6042. I will go up, and will tell Pharaoh. That this signifies communication with the natural where are the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of "telling," as being communication (see n. 4856); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural where are the memory-knowledges of the church (n. 5799, 6015).

&6043. And will say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, who were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me. That this signifies in respect to the truths and goods of the church, that they are to be initiated, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, who are here his "brethren," as being spiritual truths in the natural (of which just above, n. 6040); from the signification of "father's house," as being goods therein (of which also just above, n. 6041); from the signification of the "land of Canaan," as being the church (n. 3686, 3705, 4447, 4517, 5136); and from the signification of "coming unto Joseph," or to Egypt where Joseph was, as being to be initiated into memory-knowledges which are of the church (of which above, n. 6004, 6018). (As to the initiation of truths which are of the church into memory-knowledges which are of the natural, see above, n. 6023; and as to their conjunction, see below, n. 6047.)

&6044. And the men are shepherds of the flock. That this signifies that they lead to good, is evident from the signification of "shepherds of the flock," as being those who lead to good (see n. 343, 3795, 5201). For he is a "shepherd" who teaches and leads, and that is the "flock" which is taught and led. But in the internal sense are meant truths which lead to good, for by the sons of Israel, who here are the "men, shepherds of the flock," are represented spiritual truths (n. 6040). Moreover with those who teach it is truths that lead. That truths which are of faith lead to good which is of charity, was shown above; and the same is evident from the fact that all things both in general and in particular have relation to an end, and look to it, and those which do not look to an end cannot subsist. For the Lord has created nothing whatever except for the sake of an end; in so much that it may be said that the end is the all in all things that have been created; and all things that have been created are in such an order that as the end from the First through the intermediates looks to the last or ultimate, so the end within the last or ultimate has regard to the end in the First. Hence comes the connection of things. In its first origin the end itself is nothing but the Divine good of the Divine love; thus it is the Lord Himself. Wherefore also in the Word He is called the "First and the Last," the "Alpha and Omega" (Isa. 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Rev. 1:8, 11, 17; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13). This being the case, it is necessary that each and all things which pertain to the life with man should have relation to an end and should look to it. He who has any rational ability can see that the memory-knowledges with a man look to truths as their end, and that the truths look to goods, and that the goods look to the Lord as the last and the first end; as the last end when they look at Him from truths, and as the first end when they look at Him from good. Such is the case with the truths of the church that they lead to good, which is signified by the "men being shepherds of the flock," and by their being "men of cattle," as now follows.

&6045. For they are men of cattle. That this signifies that they have good from truths, is evident from the signification of "cattle," as being the good of truth, or good from truths (see n. 6016). This is said of the sons of Israel, who are spiritual truths in the natural (n. 5414, 5879); thus it is said of truths, here that they lead to good (of which just above, n. 6044).

&6046. And they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. That this signifies that good interior and exterior, and whatever is therefrom, is present, is evident from the signification of "flock," as being interior good; from the signification of "herd," as being exterior good (see n. 5913); from the signification of "all that they have," as being whatever is therefrom (n. 5914); and from the signification of "they have brought," as being to be present.

&6047. And it may be that Pharaoh will call you. That this signifies, if the natural in which are the memory-knowledges of the church wills to be conjoined, is evident from the signification of "to call to himself," as being to will to be conjoined; for to call to himself from the affection that they should dwell in his land and become one nation with his own, is to will to be conjoined; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural in which are the memory-knowledges of the church (as above, n. 6042). By Pharaoh's calling is signified what is reciprocal of initiation and conjunction, namely, of the memory-knowledges of the church with truths and goods in the natural; for all conjunction needs reciprocity, whereby there is consent on both sides.
[2] The conjunction of the truths of the church with its memory-knowledges is here treated of, but it is necessary to know in what manner they are to be conjoined. For indeed the start must not be made from memory-knowledges, and through these an entrance be made into the truths of faith, because the memory-knowledges with a man are derived from things of sense, thus from the world, from which spring innumerable fallacies. But the start must be made from truths of faith, in this way. First there must be learned the doctrinal things of the church, and then the Word must be examined to see whether these are true; for they are not true because the heads of the church have said so and their followers confirm it, because in this way the doctrinal things of all churches and religions would have to be called true, merely because they exist in the country, and men hold them from their birth; and in this wise not only would the doctrinal things of Papists and also of Quakers be true, but also those of Jews and even of Mohammedans, because their leaders have said so and their followers confirm it. This shows that the Word must be searched, and there it must be seen whether the doctrinal things are true. When this is done from the affection of truth, then the man is enlightened by the Lord so as to perceive, without knowing whence, what is true; and he is confirmed therein in accordance with the good in which he is. If these truths disagree with the doctrinal things, let him take heed not to disturb the church.
[3] Afterward, when he has been confirmed, and is thus in the affirmative from the Word that the doctrinal things are truths of faith, it is then allowable for him to confirm them by all the memory-knowledges he possesses, of whatsoever name and nature; for then, because what is affirmative reigns universally, he accepts the memory-knowledges which agree, and rejects those which by reason of the fallacies they contain disagree; for faith is strengthened by means of memory-knowledges; and therefore no one is forbidden to search the Scriptures from the affection of knowing whether the doctrinal things of the church within which he was born, are true; for in no other way can he be enlightened. After doing this no one is forbidden to fortify himself by means of memory-knowledges; but he may not do so before. This is the way and the only way of conjoining the truths of faith with memory-knowledges; not only with the memory-knowledges of the church, but also with any memory-knowledges whatever. Yet very few at this day proceed in this way; for most persons who read the Word do not read it from the affection of truth, but from the affection of confirming therefrom the doctrinal things of the church within which they were born, no matter what these may be.
[4] In the Word there is described the Lord's kingdom, in that the spiritual, the rational, and memory-knowledge are therein conjoined together; but this is described by names which signify these; namely, by "Israel," "Assyria," and "Egypt." By "Israel" is described the spiritual, by "Assyria" the rational, and by "Egypt" memory-knowledge, in these words of Isaiah:
     In that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar near the border thereof to Jehovah. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness thereof to Jehovah Zebaoth in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto Jehovah because of the oppressors, and He shall send them a savior, and a prince, and he shall deliver them. And Jehovah shall become known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know Jehovah in that day, and shall offer sacrifice and meat offering, and shall vow a vow to Jehovah, and shall perform it. In that day there shall be a path from Egypt unto Assyria, and Assyria shall come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and Egypt shall serve Assyria. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land; which Jehovah Zebaoth shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance (Isa. 19:19-25).
[5] Everyone can see that Egypt is not meant here, nor Assyria, nor yet Israel, but something else by each of them. (That by "Israel" is meant the spiritual of the church, has already been shown, n. 3654, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833; and by "Assyria," the rational, n. 119, 1186; and by "Egypt," memory-knowledges, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 6004, 6015.) These three conjoined together in the man of the church are described in the prophet by the words, "there shall be a path from Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria shall come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and Egypt shall serve Assyria; in that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land." For in order that a man may be a man of the church, it is necessary for him to be spiritual, and also rational, with memory-knowledge subservient to these. From all this it is now evident that memory-knowledge is by no means to be rejected from the truths of faith, but that it is to be conjoined with them; but by the prior way, that is, by the way from faith; and not by the posterior way, that is, by the way from memory-knowledges. (See also what has been already shown, n. 128-130, 195, 196, 232, 233, 1226, 1911, 2568, 2588, 4156, 4760, 5510, 5700.)

&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).

&6128. And he provided them with bread [in exchange] for all their cattle. That this signifies sustenance through the influx of good from the internal, is evident from the signification of "providing with bread," or giving them bread, as being the sustenance of the spiritual life (of which above, n. 6118); from the signification of "cattle," as being the good of truth (of which just above, n. 6126); and from the representation of Joseph who provided them, as being the internal (as also above). That it was through the influx of good from the internal, follows, because all the sustenance of spiritual life in the natural is effected by means of influx from the internal, that is, from the Lord through the internal. As mention is so frequently made of influx, and perhaps few know what is meant by influx, it is necessary to state what it is. The nature of influx may be seen from a comparison with such things as inflow in nature, as from the influx of heat from the sun into all things of the earth, whence comes vegetative life; and from the influx of light into the same, whence comes what is helpful to vegetative life, and besides is the source of the consequent colors and beauties; in like manner from the influx of heat into the surface of our bodies, and also of light into the eye; in like manner from the influx of sound into the ear; and so on. From this it may be comprehended what is the influx of life from the Lord, who is the Sun of heaven, from whom comes the heat which is love, and the spiritual light which is faith. Moreover the influx itself is plainly felt; for heavenly heat, which is love, causes the vital heat which is in man; and heavenly light, which is faith, causes the intellectual light which is in man; but these are varied according to the reception.

&6129. In this year. That this signifies the period of this state, is evident from the signification of a "year," as being an entire period from beginning to end (see n. 2906).

&6130. And when this year was ended. That this signifies desolation after the period of this state, is evident from the signification of "this year being ended," as being after the period of this state. That a "year" denotes the period of an entire state, may be seen just above (n. 6129). That there was desolation after that period, is plain from what now follows.

&6131. They came unto him in the second year. That this signifies the beginning of the following state, is evident from what goes before, thus without further explication.

&6132. And said to him, We will not hide from my lord. That this signifies that it was known to the internal, is evident from the signification of "saying," as being perception (of which above, n. 6063); from the representation of Joseph, who is here the "lord," as being the internal (of which also above); and from the signification of "not hiding it from him," as being to be known. That in the internal sense "not to hide" denotes to be known, is because everything that comes forth and takes place in the natural is known to the internal, for the natural has from the internal all that belongs to itself, and therefore nothing can be concealed from the internal. Nevertheless in the external sense, and especially in the historical sense, the present form of speech is made use of; just as when the Lord speaks to a man He first questions him concerning the matter in hand, although it is fully known to Him; as for instance when the angel of Jehovah spake unto Hagar (Gen. 16:7, 8); unto Abraham (Gen. 18:9); and unto Moses (Exod. 4:2); and indeed in no other way would the external feel satisfied, for unless it utters a thing, it believes that it is not known.

&6133. How that our silver is spent. That this signifies truth not visible on account of the desolation, is evident from what was said above (n. 6116), where like words occur.

&6134. And the cattle of the beast is to my lord. That this signifies the good of truth in like manner, is evident from the signification of the "cattle of the beast," or of the "cattle of the flock and of the herd," as being the interior and exterior good of truth (of which above, n. 6126). That this in like manner was no longer visible on account of the desolation, is plain from what was said just above concerning the silver (n. 6133).

&6135. There is naught left before my lord besides our body and our ground. That this signifies that the receptacles of good and truth were completely desolated, is evident from the signification of "body," as being a receptacle of good (of which in what follows); and from the signification of "ground," as being a receptacle of truth. That "ground" denotes a receptacle of truth is because it receives seeds, and by the seeds that are sown in it are specifically signified those things which are of faith from charity, thus which are of truth from good (see n. 1025, 1447, 1610, 1940, 2848, 3038, 3310, 3373); hence "ground" denotes a receptacle of truth, as may be seen from what has before been said and shown concerning "ground" (n. 566, 1068, 3671). That these receptacles were desolated is signified by there being "naught left before my lord besides."
[2] In the genuine sense "body" signifies the good which is of love, and "ground" the truth which is of faith; but when the truths and goods of truth which are signified by "silver" and "cattle" are no longer visible on account of the desolation, then by "body" is signified only a receptacle of good, and by "ground" only a receptacle of truth. That in the genuine sense "body" signifies the good which is of love, is because the body, or the whole man which is meant by the "body," is a receptacle of life from the Lord, thus a receptacle of good; for the good of love makes the life itself in man, because the vital heat, which is love, is the vital heat itself; and unless this heat is in a man, he is a dead thing. Therefore it is that by the "body" in the internal sense is meant the good of love. And even if a man has no heavenly love, but only infernal love, still the inmost of his life is from heavenly love, for this love continually flows in from the Lord and effects in him vital heat in its beginning; but in its progress it is perverted by the man, whence comes infernal love, from which there is an unclean heat.
[3] That in the genuine sense "body" is the good of love, is very evident from the angels, for when they become present, love so pours out of them that you would believe them to be nothing but love, and this from their whole body, which also appears bright and shining from the light which is from the love; for the good of love is like a flame which emits from itself light, which is the truth of faith thence derived. This being the character of the angels in heaven, what must not the Lord Himself be, from whom the angels have everything of love, and whose Divine Love appears as a Sun from which the universal heaven has its light, and all who are therein have their heavenly heat, that is, their love, thus their life. It is the Lord's Divine Human which so appears, and from which all these things are. From this it is evident what is meant by the Lord's "body," namely, the Divine love, in like manner as by His "flesh" (see n. 3813). Moreover the Lord's very body when glorified, that is, made Divine, is nothing else. What else must we think about the Divine, which is infinite?
[4] From all this it may be known that by the "body" in the Holy Supper nothing else is meant than the Lord's Divine love toward the universal human race, concerning which it is thus written in the Gospels:
     Jesus taking the bread, and blessing, brake and gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body (Matt. 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19);
"this is My body," He said of the bread, because by the "bread" also is signified the Divine love (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 4735, 5915).
[5] The Divine love is also signified by the Lord's "body" in John:
     Jesus said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. But He spake of the temple of His body (John 2:19, 21);
the "temple of His body" is the Divine truth from the Divine good (that the "temple" is the Lord as to Divine truth, see above, n. 3720). And because His "body" in the supreme sense is the Divine good of the Lord's Divine love, therefore all who are in heaven are said to be "in the Lord's body."
[6] That the Lord's "body" is the Divine good, is evident also from these words in Daniel:
     I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold, a man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with gold of Uphaz; his body also was like the tarshish, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as torches of fire, and his arms and his feet like the shining of burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude (Dan. 10:5, 6); 
by the "gold of Uphaz with which the loins were girded," by the "appearance of lightning which was on his face," by the "torches of fire which his eyes presented," and by the "shining of brass which was of his arms and his feet," are signified the goods of love; that "gold" is the good of love, may be seen above (n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658), and also "fire" (n. 934, 4906, 5215), and because "fire" so also "lightning;" and that "brass" is the good of love and of charity in the natural (n. 425, 1551); by the "tarshish," like to which the rest of the body appeared, namely-the middle of the body between the head and the loins, is signified the good of charity and of faith, for the tarshish is a flashing precious stone.

&6136. Wherefore should we die before thine eyes, both we and our ground? That this signifies that if they should be desolated there would no longer be spiritual life under the internal, is evident from the signification of "before thine eyes," as being under the internal; for by Joseph, to whom these words were spoken, is represented the internal; from the signification of "both we and our ground," as being the receptacles of good and truth (as just above, n. 6135), thus the receptacles of spiritual life. These receptacles are said to "die" when there is not within anything of spiritual life; for by "dying" is signified desolation, that is, the privation of good and truth, which good and truth make spiritual life.

&6137. Buy us and our ground for bread. That this signifies the appropriation of both receptacles that they may be sustained with good, is evident from the signification of "buying," as being appropriation (see n. 4397, 5374, 5397, 5406, 5410, 5426); from the signification of "us and our ground," as being the receptacles of good and truth (as above, n. 6135, 6136), thus both receptacles; and from