AC GENESIS Chapter41

1. And it came to pass from the end of two years of days and Pharaoh dreamed, and behold he stood by the river.

2. And behold out of the river there came up seven kine, beautiful in look and fat in flesh; and they fed in the sedge.

3. And behold seven other kine came up after them out of the river, evil in look and thin in flesh; and stood by the kine upon the bank of the river.

4. And the kine evil in look and thin in flesh did eat up the seven kine beautiful in look and fat.  And Pharaoh awoke.

5. And he slept and dreamed a second time, and behold seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, fat and good.

6. And behold seven ears thin and parched with the east wind sprung up after them.

7. And the thin ears swallowed up the seven fat and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold it was a dream.

8. And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof; and Pharaoh told them his dream; and no one interpreted these things to Pharaoh.

9. And spake the prince of the butlers unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my sins this day.

10. Pharaoh was wroth upon his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the prince of the guards, me and the prince of the bakers:

11. And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each one according to the interpretation of his dream

12. And there was with us there a Hebrew boy, servant to the prince of the guards; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each according to his dream he did interpret.

13. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he brought back upon my station, and him he hanged.

14. And Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the pit; and he shaved, and changed his garments, and came unto Pharaoh.

15. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and no one interpreteth it; and I have heard upon thee, saying, thou hearest a dream to interpret it.

16. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, Not unto me; God shall answer peace to Pharaoh.

17. And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, In my dream behold I stood beside the bank of the river:

18. And behold out of the river there came up seven kine, fat in flesh and beautiful in form, and they fed in the sedge:

19. And behold seven other kine came up after them, thin and evil in form exceedingly, and lean in flesh, such as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt for badness:

20. And the lean and evil kine did eat up the first seven fat kine;

21. And they came to their inwards and it was not known that they had come to their inwards; and their look was bad as in the beginning. And I awoke.

22. And I saw in my dream, and behold seven ears came up upon one stalk, full and good;

23. And behold seven ears, withered, thin, and parched with the east wind, sprung up after them;

24. And the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears; and I told it unto the magicians; and no one telleth it to me.

25. And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one; what God is about to do He hath shown to Pharaoh.

26. The seven good kine are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

27. And the seven thin and evil kine that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears parched with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.

28. This is the word that I spake unto Pharaoh; what God doeth He hath caused Pharaoh to see.

29. Behold there come seven years of great abundance of produce in all the land of Egypt;

30. And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the abundance of produce shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;

31. And the abundance of produce shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine after it, for it shall be very grievous.

32. And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the word is established by God, and God is hastening to do it.

33. And now let Pharaoh see a man intelligent and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.

34. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint governors over the land, and take the fifth of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance of produce.

35. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and heap up corn under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them guard it.

36. And the food shall be for a store to the land against the seven years of famine that shall be in the land of Egypt; and the land shall not be cut off in the famine.

37. And the word was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.

38. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Shall we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the spirit of God?

39. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God has caused thee to know all this, there is no one so intelligent and wise as thou.

40. Thou shalt be over my house, and upon thy mouth shall all my people kiss; only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

41. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

42. And Pharaoh took off his ring from upon his hand, and put it upon Joseph‘s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and put a necklace of gold upon his neck;

43. And he made him ride in the second chariot that he had; and they cried before him, Abrech; and he set him over all the land of Egypt.

44. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.

45. And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath the daughter of Potiphera priest of On for a woman; and Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

46. And Joseph was a son of thirty years when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt.  And Joseph went out from before Pharaoh, and passed over into all the land of Egypt.

47. And the earth made gatherings in the seven years of abundance of produce.

48. And he gathered together all the food of the seven years that were in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities; the food of the field of the city, that which was round about it, put he in the midst thereof.

49. And Joseph heaped up corn as the sand of the sea, exceeding much, until he ceased to number, because it was without number.

50. And to Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath the daughter of Potiphera priest of On bare to him.

51. And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh; For God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father‘s house.

52. And the name of the second called he Ephraim; For God hath made me fruitful in the laud of my affliction.

53. And the seven years of abundance of produce that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

54. And the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said; and there was famine in all the lands; and in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

55. And all the land of Egypt was famished, and the people cried unto Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all Egypt, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

56. And the famine was over all the faces of the land; and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to Egypt; and the famine was strengthened in the land of Egypt.

57. And all the earth came into Egypt to buy, to Joseph; because the famine was strengthened in all the earth.

AC 5191. In the internal sense of this chapter the subject treated of is the second state of the celestial of the spiritual, which is “Joseph,” in its elevation above what is of the natural or external man, and so above all the memory-knowledges therein, which are “Egypt.”

AC 5192. “Pharaoh” is the natural in general, which was now at rest, and had left all things to the celestial of the spiritual which is “Joseph.” The “seven years of abundance of produce in the land of Egypt” are the memory-knowledges to which good from the celestial of the spiritual can be applied; the “seven years of famine” are the following states, when there is nothing good in the memory-knowledges except what is from the Divine celestial of the spiritual which is from the Lord’s Divine Human. These subjects are treated of in detail in what follows.

AC 5193. Verses 1-4. And it came to pass from the end of two years of days and Pharaoh dreamed, and behold he stood by the river. And behold out of the river there came up seven kine, beautiful in look and fat in flesh; and they fed in the sedge.  And behold seven other kine come up after them out of the river, evil in look and thin in flesh; and stood by the kine upon the bank of the river. And the kine evil in look and thin in flesh did eat up the seven kine beautiful in look and fat. And Pharaoh awoke.  “And it came to pass from the end of two years of days,” signifies after a state of conjunction; “and Pharaoh dreamed,” signifies what was provided in regard to the natural; “and behold he stood by the river,” signifies from boundary to boundary; “and behold out of the river,” signifies the in the boundary; “there came up seven kine,” signifies were truths of the natural; “beautiful in look,” signifies that were of faith; “and fat in flesh,” signifies that were of charity; “and they fed in the sedge,” signifies instruction; “and behold seven other kine came up after them out of the river,” signifies falsities that were of the natural also in the boundary; “evil in look,” signifies that were not of faith; “and thin in flesh,” signifies nor of charity; “and stood by the kine upon the bank of the river,” signifies that they were in the boundaries where truths were; “and the kine evil in look and thin in flesh did eat up,” signifies that the falsities which were not of faith nor of charity banished; “the seven kine beautiful in look and fat,” signifies the truths of the natural that were of faith and of charity; “and Pharaoh awoke,” signifies a state of enlightenment.

AC 5194. And it came to pass from the end of two years of days. That this signifies after a state of conjunction of the sensuous things of the exterior natural with things of the interior natural, which has been treated of in the preceding chapter, is evident from the signification of “two years of days,” or of the time of two years, as being states of conjunction; for “two” signifies conjunction (n. 1686, 3519), and “years,” as also “days,” signify states. “Years” have this signification, (n. 487, 488, 493, 893); and also “days,” (n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850). That “two” signifies conjunction is because all things in general and in particular in the spiritual world, and consequently in the natural world, have reference to two things, namely, good and truth--to good as what acts and flows in, and to truth as what suffers and receives; and because they have reference to these two, and nothing is produced unless the two make a one by a certain image of marriage, therefore conjunction is signified by “two.”

[2] Such an image of marriage is in all and each of the things of nature and its three kingdoms, and without it nothing whatever comes forth; for in order that anything may come forth in nature, there must be heat and light--heat in the natural world corresponding to the good of love in the spiritual world, and light corresponding to the truth of faith. These two, heat and light, must act as a one if anything is to be produced; and if they do not act as a one, as in winter time, nothing at all is produced.  That this is also true spiritually, is very plain in the case of man. Man has two faculties, the will and the understanding, the will being formed to receive spiritual heat, that is, the good of love and of charity, and the understanding to receive spiritual light, that is, the truth of faith. Unless these two make a one in man nothing is produced; for the good of love without the truth of faith does not determine or qualify anything, and the truth of faith without the good of love does not effect anything; and therefore in order that the heavenly marriage may be in a man, or that he may be in the heavenly marriage, these two must make a one in him.  For this reason the ancients compared to marriages one and all of the things in the world, and also in man (n. 54, 55, 568, 718, 747, 917, 1432, 2173, 2516, 2731, 2739, 2758, 3132, 4434, 4823, 5138). From this it is evident why “two” signifies conjunction.

AC 5195. And Pharaoh dreamed.  That this signifies what was provided in regard to the natural, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (n. 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160); and from the signification of “dreaming,” as being a prediction of things to come, thus in the supreme sense foresight (n. 3698, 4682, 5091, 5092, 5104); and because it is foresight, or what is foreseen, it is also providence or what is provided, as the one does not exist without the other. For providence has regard to the state in its successions to eternity, which cannot be provided for unless foreseen. To make provision for what is present, and not at the same time to foresee what is to come, and so not to make provision for the future during the present, would he without end, without order, and consequently without wisdom and intelligence, thus not from the Divine.  Providence is predicated of good, and foresight of what is not good (n. 5155). Foresight cannot be predicated of good, because good is in the Divine, and comes into existence from the Divine Itself and according to it; but it can be predicated of what is not good and what is evil; for this comes into existence outside of the Divine, and is from others who are contrary to the Divine. Thus as providence is said of good, it is said also of the conjunction of the natural with the celestial of the spiritual, which conjunction is treated of in this chapter; and therefore by “dreaming” is here signified what is provided.

AC 5196. And behold he stood by the river.  That this signifies from boundary to boundary, is evident from the signification of a “river,” here the river of Egypt or the Nile, as being a boundary. A “river” signifies a boundary because the great rivers--the Euphrates, the Jordan, and the Nile--and withal the sea, were the farthest boundaries of the land of Canaan; and as the land of Canaan itself represented the Lord‘s kingdom, and hence all the places in it represented various things in this kingdom, the rivers consequently represented the farthest limits or boundaries of it (n. 1866, 4116, 4240). The Nile, or river of Egypt, represented the sensuous things subject to the intellectual part, thus the memory-knowledges derived from them; for these are the ultimates of the spiritual things of the Lord’s kingdom. That from boundary to boundary is signified here, is because it is said of Pharaoh that he “stood by the river;” for by Pharaoh is represented the natural in general (n. 5160). To view anything from what is interior down to the ultimate is represented by standing beside the ultimate, as is the case in the spiritual world; and because there is then a view from boundary to boundary, therefore in the internal sense this is what is signified by these words.

AC 5197. And behold out of the river.  That this signifies that in the boundary, is evident from the signification of a “river,” as being a boundary (n. 5196). That “out of the river” denotes in the boundary is because they there appeared.

AC 5198. There came up seven kine.  That this signifies were truths of the natural, is evident from the signification of “kine,” as being truths of the natural. That there were seven, is because “seven” signifies what is holy (n. 395, 433, 716), and hence this number adds holiness to the subject (n. 881). Moreover the subject here treated of is holy, for it is the further rebirth of the natural by its conjunction with the celestial of the spiritual. That “kine” or “heifers” signify truths of the natural may be seen from the fact that “oxen” and “bullocks” signify goods of the natural (n. 2180, 2566, 2781, 2830); for wherever in the Word the male signifies good, the female signifies truth; and on the other hand where the male signifies truth, the female signifies good. Hence it is that a “cow” signifies the truth of the natural, for an “ox” signifies its good.

[2] All beasts whatever mentioned in the Word signify affections-evil and useless beasts evil affections, but gentle and useful ones good affections, (n. 45, 46, 142, 143, 246, 714, 715, 719, 776, 1823, 2179, 2180, 3218, 3519). The cause of this signification is from representatives in the world of spirits for when those in heaven are speaking about affections, in the world of spirits are represented beasts corresponding to that kind of affections.  This has often been given me to see, and I have sometimes wondered why it was; but I perceived that the lives of beasts are nothing but affections, for they follow their affection from instinct without reason, and so are carried along each to its own use.  To these affections without reason no other bodily forms are suitable than such as those in which beasts appear upon the earth. Hence it is that when there is discourse about affections only, ultimate forms of these affections appear that are similar to the bodily forms of such beasts; for these affections cannot be clothed with any other forms than those which correspond to them. I have also seen strange beasts which exist nowhere in the world, and which were the forms of unknown and of mixed affections.

[3] This then is the reason why in the Word by “beasts” are signified affections; but what affections are signified appears only from the internal sense. That by “oxen” is signified the good of the natural may be seen in the passages cited above, and that by “kine” are signified truths of the natural may be seen from the passages in which they are mentioned (Isaiah 11:7; Hosea 4:16; Amos 4:1); and also from the water of separation wherewith the sons of Israel were to be made clean, which was prepared from a red cow burned to ashes outside the camp, and with which cedar wood, hyssop, and double-dyed scarlet were mingled (Num. 19:2-11). When the meaning of this proceeding is disclosed by means of the internal sense, it is seen that by a “red cow” is signified truth of the natural that was unclean, and was made clean by the burning and also by means of such things as are signified by “cedar wood,” “hyssop,” and “double-dyed scarlet;” the “water” therefrom representing the means of purification.

AC 5199. Beautiful in look.  That this signifies that were of faith, is evident from the signification of “beauty” and of “look.” Spiritual beauty is the affection of interior truth, and spiritual look is faith; hence by “beautiful in look” is signified the affection of the truth of faith (n. 553, 3080, 3821, 4985). That spiritual beauty is the affection of interior truth, is because truth is the form of good. Good itself which is from the Divine in heaven is that from which angels have life; but the form of their life is given by means of the truths which are from this good. And yet beauty is not produced by the truth of faith, but by the affection itself within the truths of faith, which is from good.  Beauty that is from the truth of faith alone is like that of a painted or sculptured face; but beauty from the affection of truth, which is from good, is like that of a living face animated by heavenly love; for such as is the love or affection that beams from the form of the face, such is the beauty. From this it is that the angels appear in ineffable beauty; from their faces beams forth the good of love through the truth of faith, which not only appear before the sight, but are also perceived from the spheres coming from them.  The reason why they have beauty from this is that the universal heaven is a Grand Man, and corresponds to all things in man both in general and in particular; and therefore the man who is in the good of love, and hence in the truth of faith, is in the form of heaven, and consequently is in the beauty in which heaven is, where the Divine from the Lord is all in all. It is for this reason also that they who are in hell, being against good and truth, are horribly ugly; and that in the light of heaven they appear not as men, but as monsters.  The reason why spiritual looking is faith, is that in the internal sense “to look” and “to see” are to understand, and in a still more interior sense are to have faith (n. 897, 2150, 2325, 2807, 3863, 3869, 4403-4421).

AC 5200. And fat in flesh.  That this signifies that were of charity, is evident from the signification of “fat,” or “fatness,” as being what is celestial and as being predicated of the good which is of love and charity (n. 353); and from the signification of “flesh,” as being the will vivified by good from the Lord (n. 148, 149, 780, 999, 3812, 3813), thus also the good which is of love and charity.  From this it follows that by “fat in flesh” is signified that were of charity, because by “beautiful in look” is signified that were of faith. In this way the truths of the natural, signified by “kine,” are described by their form and by their essence--their form consisting of the things of faith, and their essence of those of charity. That this is so does not appear from the literal sense.

AC 5201. And they fed in the sedge.  That this signifies instruction, is evident from the signification of “feeding” (that is, “pasturing”) as being to be instructed; and from the signification of “sedge,” or the larger grass that grows near rivers, as being the memory-knowledges of the natural man.  That “grass” or “herbage” denotes these knowledges is clear from the Word.  To “feed in the sedge” therefore, is to be instructed in memory-knowledges, and by means of these knowledges to learn about truths and good; for memory-knowledges are means, and as it were mirrors, in which an image of interior things shows itself; and in this image, as again in a mirror, are reflected and represented the truths and goods of faith, and consequently the things which are of heaven and are called spiritual; but this image, being more interior, does not appear to any but those who are in faith from charity. This is what is signified in the genuine sense by “feeding in the sedge.”

[2] That “to feed” denotes to be instructed is plain from those places in the Word where we read of it, as in Isaiah:--

Then shall He give the rain of thy seed, wherewith thou sowest the land, and bread of the increase of the land, and it shall be fat and rich; in that day shall thy cattle feed in a broad meadow (Isa. 30:23);

where “cattle” denote those who are in good and truth; “feeding in a broad meadow” denotes being abundantly instructed.

[3] In the same:--

I have given Thee for a covenant of the people, to restore the land, to distribute the wasted heritages, to say to the 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);

this is said of the coming of the Lord, “feeding upon the ways” denotes being instructed in truths. “ways” are truths, (n. 627, 2333); “pasture” denotes the instruction itself.  In Jeremiah:--

Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the flock of My pasture! Therefore hath said Jehovah the God of Israel against the shepherds that feed My people (Jer. 23:1, 2);

“shepherds” denote those who instruct, and the “flock” those who are instructed (n. 343, 3795); thus “feeding” denotes instructing.

[4] As it has become customary to call teachers “pastors,” and learners a “flock,” it has also become common to speak of “feeding” when speaking of preaching, or of instruction from doctrine from the Word; but this is done by way of comparison, and not from the signification, as in the Word.  The reason why “feeding” is spoken of in the Word from its signification, is that when instruction or doctrine from the Word is spoken of in heaven, then in the world of spirits, where spiritual things appear naturally, there are represented to the sight meadows green with grass, herbage, and flowers, with flocks therein; and this with all variety, according to what is being said in heaven about instruction and doctrine.

[5] In the same:--

I will bring back Israel to his habitation, that he may feed on Carmel and Bashan; and his soul shall be sated upon the mountain of Ephraim and in Gilead (Jer. 50:19);

“to feed on Carmel and Bashan” denotes to be instructed in the goods of faith and of charity.  Again:--

From the daughter of Zion all her honor is gone forth, her princes are become like harts, they have not found pasture (Lam. 1:6).

In Ezekiel:--

I will feed them in a good pasture, and on the mountains of the height of Israel shall their fold be, and they shall lie down in a good fold, and on fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel (Ezek. 34:14).

[6] In Hosea:--

Now will Jehovah feed them as a sheep in the breadth (Hosea 4:16);

“to feed them in the breadth” denotes to instruct in truths. “Breadth” is truth, (n. 1613, 3433, 3434, 4482). In Micah:--

Thou Bethlehem Ephratah, out of thee shall He come forth unto Me who shall be ruler in Israel.  He shall stand and shall feed in the strength of Jehovah (Micah 5:2, 4).

Again:--

Feed Thy people with Thy rod, the flock of Thy heritage dwelling alone, let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of an age (Micah 7:14).

In Zephaniah:--

The remains of Israel shall feed and be at rest, none making afraid (Zephaniah 3:13).

[7] In David:--

Jehovah is my shepherd, in pastures of herb He will make me lie down, to the waters of rest He will lead me (Ps. 23:1, 2).

Again:--

It is He that hath made us, and not we, His people, and the flock of His pastures; (or according to another reading) therefore we are His, His people, and the flock of His pasture (Ps. 100:3).

In the Revelation:--

The Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters (Rev. 7:17).

In John:--

I am the door; by Me if anyone enter in he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and shall find pasture (John 10:9).

Again:--

Jesus said to Peter, Feed My lambs; and a second time, Feed My sheep; and a third time, Feed My sheep (John 21:15-17).

AC 5202. And behold seven other kine came up after them out of the river.  That this signifies falsities that were of the natural, also in the boundary, is evident from the signification of “kine” as being truths of the natural (n. 5198), whence it is that “kine” in the opposite sense are falsities (for most of the expressions in the Word have an opposite sense, which is known from the genuine sense, and therefore as in the genuine sense “kine” are truths of the natural, in the opposite sense they are falsities of the same kind, thus falsities in the natural); and from the signification of a “river,” as being a boundary (n. 5196, 5197). That they were in the boundary is plain also from their being said to have “come up out of the river;” for “to come up” is predicated of progression from what is exterior toward things interior (n. 3084, 4539, 4969).

[2] It will be necessary to state how the case is with this matter, because this is the subject treated of in what follows. In the preceding chapter the subject treated of was the exterior natural, and the things in it which belonged to the class of the intellect, and those which belonged to the class of the will--that the former were received, and the latter rejected. Those belonging to the class of the intellect were represented by the butler, and those belonging to the class of the will by the baker; and because those belonging to the class of the intellect were received, they were also made subordinate to the interior natural. These were treated of in the previous chapter, and this was the first of the rebirth of the natural.

[3] In the present chapter however the subject treated of is the influx of the celestial of the spiritual into those things of the natural which were retained, namely, those in it that were of the intellectual part, and that are signified by “kine beautiful in look and fat in flesh.” But as the natural cannot be reborn as to intellectual things alone, there were also things of the will; for in every thing there must be something of the intellect and at the same time something of the will in order that it may be anything; and as the former will had been rejected, therefore a new one must flow in, in its place. This new will is from the celestial of the spiritual, which together with its influx into the natural, is treated of in this chapter.  How the case is with the natural in this state is described in the internal sense that the truths in it were banished through falsities, the natural being thus left to the celestial of the spiritual, which is signified by the good kine being eaten up by the evil kine, and by the full ears of corn being swallowed up by the empty ones, and afterward by Joseph‘s making provision for all Egypt; but of the Lord’s Divine mercy more will be said on these subjects in the following pages.

[4] They are moreover of such a nature as to come with difficulty into the light of the human understanding; for they are secret things of regeneration, of which though in themselves innumerable, man knows scarcely anything. From his early infancy to the last of his life in the world and thereafter to eternity, the man who is in good is being born again every moment, not only as to interiors, but also as to exteriors, and this by amazing processes. It is these processes that for the most part constitute angelic wisdom, which is known to be ineffable, and to contain such things as ear has not heard, nor eye seen, neither have entered into the thought of man. The internal sense of the Word treats of things like these, and thus is adapted to angelic wisdom; and when it flows from this wisdom into the sense of the letter it becomes adapted to human wisdom, and thereby in a hidden way affects those who are in the desire from good of knowing truths from the Word.

AC 5203. Evil in look.  That this signifies that were not of faith, is evident from the signification of “beautiful in look,” as being that were of faith (n. 5199); hence in this passage “evil in look” denotes that were not of faith.

AC 5204. And thin in flesh.  That this signifies nor of charity, is evident from the signification of “fat in flesh,” as being that were of charity (n. 5200); hence in this passage “thin in flesh” denotes that were not of charity, for they are in the opposite.

AC 5205. And stood by the kine upon the bank of the river. That this signifies that they were in the boundaries where truths were, is evident from the signification of “standing by upon the bank of the river,” as being in the boundaries. A “river” is a boundary, (n. 5196, 5197); and from the signification of “kine,” as being truths of the natural (n. 5198). How the case herein is, that falsities stood in the boundaries where truths were, will appear from what follows, specifically when we come to unfold what is signified in the internal sense by the seven years of famine in the land of Egypt, predicted and signified by the seven kine evil in look and thin in flesh, and also by the seven ears of corn thin and blasted with the east wind.

AC 5206. And the kine evil in look and thin in flesh did eat up.  That this signifies that the falsities that were not of faith nor of charity banished, is evident from the signification of “eating up,” as being to consume (n. 5149, 5157), but here to banish, because until the truths in the natural have been made alive and consequently regenerate by the celestial of the spiritual, they are as it were banished by falsities; and from the signification of “kine evil in look,” as being that were not of faith (n. 5203); and from the signification of “thin in flesh,” as being that were not of charity (n. 5204).

AC 5207. The seven kine beautiful in look and fat.  That this signifies the truths of the natural that were of faith and of charity, is evident from the signification of “kine,” as being truths of the natural (n. 5198); and from the signification of “beautiful in look,” as being that were of faith (n. 5199); and from the signification of “fat,” as being that were of charity (n. 5200). As regards the matter itself, that truths were banished from the natural by falsities in the boundaries, be it known that this takes place at the beginning in all regeneration; for the truths that are insinuated into a man, in the beginning, are indeed in themselves truths; but they are not truths in him until good is joined to them.  The good when joined causes the truths to be truths. Good is the essential, and truths are its forms; and therefore in the beginning falsities are near truths; that is to say, in the boundaries where truths are there also are falsities; but as fast as good is conjoined with the truths, the falsities take flight.  This also actually takes place in the other life, where the sphere of falsity applies itself to truths according to the influx of good into the truths: when only a little good flows in, the sphere of falsity is near; when more good flows in, the sphere of falsity withdraws; and when good is entirely joined to truths, the sphere of falsity is also entirely dispelled.  then the sphere of falsity is near, as is the case in the beginning, as just said, then truths seem to be banished; but they are laid by for a while in the interior where they are filled with good, and from thence are let back in succession.  This is what is signified by the “seven kine” and the “seven ears of corn,” and further on by the “seven years of great plenty” and the “seven years of famine;” but one who knows nothing about regeneration, and nothing about man‘s internal state, cannot comprehend these things.

AC 5208. And Pharaoh awoke.  That this signifies a state of enlightenment, is evident from the signification of “awakening,” as being to be enlightened (n. 3715); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural.  from this it is plain that by “Pharaoh awoke” is signified a state of enlightenment in the natural.  By enlightenment is meant here general enlightenment from the celestial of the spiritual, thus from within.  The enlightenment that comes or flows in from within is general in the lower part of the mind, but becomes successively less general, and at last particular, as truths from good are insinuated into it; for every truth from good shines, and also enlightens.  This then is the reason why as said just above (n. 5206), truths are banished from the natural, which is done in order that the natural may be enlightened in a general manner from within, and that afterward in this general enlightenment or general light, truths may be replaced there in their order, whereby the natural is enlightened in a particular manner.

[2] The correspondence between the spiritual and the natural in man, or between his internal and his external, is effected in this way; for truths are first procured, next are as if banished, yet they are not banished, but are stored away; and then what is lower is enlightened in a general manner by what is higher, or what is exterior by what is interior; and in this light the truths are replaced in their order; whereby all the truths there become images of their general, and correspond.  Moreover in all and each of the things that take place in both the spiritual world and the natural, what is general comes first; and afterward things less general, and finally particulars, are inserted therein in succession. Without such an insertion or fitting-in, nothing at all would inhere; for whatever is not in some general thing, and does not depend upon it, is dissipated (n. 917, 3057, 4269, 4325, 4329, 4345, 4383).

AC 5209. Verses 5-7. And he slept and dreamed a second time, and behold seven ears of corn came up on one stalk, fat and good.  And behold seven ears thin and parched with the east wind sprung up after them. And the thin ears swallowed up the seven fat and full ears.  And Pharaoh awoke, and behold it was a dream. “And he slept,” signifies an obscure state; “and dreamed a second time,” signifies what was provided; “and behold seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk,” signifies the memory-knowledges of the natural joined together; “fat and good,” signifies into which the things of faith and charity could be applied; “and behold seven ears, thin,” signifies memory-knowledges of no use; “and parched with the east wind,” signifies full of cupidities; “sprung up after them,” signifies appeared near; “and the thin ears swallowed up the seven fat and full ears,” signifies that the memory-knowledges of no use banished the good memory-knowledges; “and Pharaoh awoke,” signifies a general state of enlightenment; “and behold it was a dream,” signifies in that obscurity.

AC 5210. And he slept.  That this signifies an obscure state, is evident from the signification of “sleeping,” as being an obscure state.  Moreover in the spiritual sense “sleep” is nothing else, just as “wakefulness” is nothing else than a clear state; for there is spiritual sleep when truths are in obscurity, and spiritual wakefulness when truths are in clearness. Moreover in the degree of this clearness are spirits awake, and in the degree of the obscurity are they asleep.  From this it is plain that “sleeping” means an obscure state.

AC 5211. And dreamed a second time.  That this signifies what was provided, is evident from the signification of “dreaming,” as being what is provided (n. 5195).

AC 5212. And behold seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk. That this signifies memory-knowledges of the natural joined together, is evident from the signification of “ears,” or spikes, of corn, as being memory-knowledges belonging to the natural; and from the signification of “upon one stalk,” as being joined together; for in respect to their origin things on one stalk are joined together.  The reason why “ears” or spikes of corn signify memory-knowledges, is that “corn” signifies the good of the natural (n. 3580), because memory-knowledges are the containants of the good of the natural, as the ears are of the corn; for in general all truths are vessels of good, and so also are memory-knowledges, for these are lowest truths.  Lowest truths, or truths of the exterior natural, are called memory-knowledges, because they are in man’s natural or external memory, and because they partake for the most part of the light of the world, and hence can be presented and represented to others by forms of words, or by ideas formed into words by means of such things as are of the world and its light.  The things in the inner memory, however, in so far as they partake of the light of heaven are not called memory-knowledges, but truths; nor can they be understood except by means of this light, or expressed except by forms of words, or ideas formed into words, by means of such things as are of heaven and its light. The memory-knowledges here signified by “ears,” or spikes, are memory-knowledges of the church, in regard to which see above (n. 4749, 4844, 4964, 4965).

[2] The reason why there were two dreams, one of the seven kine and the other of the seven ears of corn, is that in the internal sense both naturals, the interior and the exterior, are treated of, and in what follows, the rebirth of both.  By the “seven kine” are signified the things of the interior natural called truths of the natural (n. 5198); and by the “seven ears of corn,” the truths of the exterior natural called memory-knowledges.

[3] Interior and exterior memory-knowledges are signified by “ears of the river Euphrates even to the river of Egypt,” in Isaiah:--

It shall be in that day that Jehovah will shake off from the ear of the river even unto the river of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one to another, ye sons of Israel. And it shall be in that day that a great trumpet shall be sounded, and they shall come that are perishing in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt; and they shall bow themselves to Jehovah in the mountain of holiness at Jerusalem (Isa 27:12, 13);

“the perishing in the land of Assyria” denote interior truths, and the “outcasts in the land of Egypt,” exterior truths or memory-knowledges.

[4] So also in Mark the comparison with the blade, the ear, and the corn, involves the rebirth of man by means of memory-knowledges, truths of faith, and goods of charity:--

Jesus said, So is the kingdom of God, as when a man casteth seed upon the earth; then sleepeth and riseth night and day, but the seed germinates and grows while he knoweth not.  For the earth beareth fruit of itself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come (Mark. 4:26-29);

the “kingdom of God,” which is compared to the blade, the ear, and the corn, is heaven in man through regeneration; for one who has been regenerated has the kingdom of God within him, and becomes in image the kingdom of God or heaven.  The “blade” is the first memory-knowledge; the “ear” is the memory-knowledge of truth thence derived; the “corn‘ is the derivative good.  Moreover the laws enacted in regard to gleanings (Lev. 19:9; 23:22), and in regard to the liberty of plucking the ears from the standing corn of the neighbor (Deut. 23:25), and also in regard to eating no bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the offering of God was brought (Lev. 23:14), represented such things as are signified by ”ears.“

AC 5213. Fat and good.  That this signifies into which the things belonging to faith and charity could be applied, is evident from the signification of ”fat,“ when predicated of the memory-knowledges signified by ”ears“ of corn, as being things capable of receiving the good of faith, consequently those into which the things of faith can be applied; for memory-knowledges are vessels, and when ”fatness“ is predicated of them, it signifies fitness for receiving such things as are of faith from charity; and from the signification of ”good,“ when predicated of the memory-knowledges signified by ”ears“ of corn, as being those receptible of the good of charity, consequently those into which the things of charity can be applied. That ”fat“ has regard to the things of faith, and ”good“ to the things of charity, is in accordance with the constant usage everywhere in the Word, in which wherever two adjectives are applied to one thing, one involves what is of faith, and the other what is of charity; and this because of the marriage of truth and good in every detail of the Word (n. 683, 793, 801, 2173, 2516, 2712, 4137, 5138). That ”fat“ signifies the things of faith, and ”good“ the things of charity, is plain also from the foregoing parallel passages about the kine (n. 5199, 5200).  The memory-knowledges into which the things of faith and of charity can be applied are very many, such as all the memory-knowledges of the church which are signified by ”Egypt“ in a good sense (n. 4749, 4844, 4964, 4965); and consequently all those memory-knowledges which are truths about correspondences, representatives, significatives, influx, order, intelligence and wisdom, and the affections; and also all truths of inner and outer nature, both visible and invisible, because these correspond to spiritual truths.

AC 5214. And behold seven ears, thin.  That this signifies memory-knowledges of no use, is evident from the signification of ”ears,“ as being memory-knowledges (n. 5212); and from the signification of ”thin,“ as being what is of no use.  For ”thin“ is here contrasted with ”full,“ and that is said to be ”full“ in which there is use, or what is the same thing, in which there is good; for every good thing is of use; and therefore ”thin“ is what is of no use.  The memory-knowledges of no use are those which have no other end than glory and pleasure.  These ends are of no use, because they do not benefit the neighbor.

AC 5215. And parched with the east wind.  That this signifies full of cupidities, is evident from the signification of ”parched with the east wind,“ as being to be consumed by the fire of cupidities.  For the ”east wind“ and the ”east,“ in the genuine sense, are love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor (n. 101, 1250, 3249, 3708, 3762); hence in the opposite sense they are love of self and love of the world, consequently evil desires and cupidities; for these belong to the loves referred to.  ”Fire“ is predicated of these things for the reason spoken of above (n. 5071), and consequently ”to be parched“ is predicated of them.

[2] For there are two sources of heat, as also of light; one source of heat is the sun of the world, and the other source is the sun of heaven, which is the Lord.  It is known that the sun of the world pours forth heat into its world, and into all the things therein; but that the sun of heaven pours heat into the whole heaven is not so well known.  And yet this may be known, if anyone will reflect upon the heat that is within man, and that has nothing in common with the heat of this world, that is, the heat called vital heat.  From this it might be known that this heat is of a different nature from that of the heat of this world; and that true heat is living, while that of this world is not living; and that because spiritual heat is living, it kindles man’s interiors, of his will and understanding, and gives him to desire and to love and also to be affected.  For this reason also desires, loves, and affections are spiritual heat, and are so called. That they are heat is very manifest, for heat is exhaled on all sides from living bodies, even in the greatest cold; and also when the desires and affections, that is, the loves, grow warmer, the body also grows warm in the same degree.  This is the heat that is meant in the Word by ”burning,“ ”fire,“ and ”flame;“ and in the genuine sense it is heavenly and spiritual love, but in the opposite sense bodily and earthly love.  From this it is evident that here by being ”parched with the east wind“ is signified being consumed by the fire of cupidities, and when predicated of memory-knowledges, which are the ”thin ears“ of corn, there is signified that thy are full of cupidity.

[3] That by the ”east wind“ is signified what is of cupidities and the derivative phantasies, is evident from the passages in the Word where it is mentioned, as in David:--

He made the east wind to go forth in the heavens, and by His power He brought forth the south wind, and He made it rain down flesh upon them as dust, and winged fowl as the sand of the sea (Ps. 78:26, 27);

that by the ”flesh“ which that wind brought are signified evil desires, and by the ”winged fowl“ the derivative phantasies, is plain in Moses (Num. 11:31-35), where it is said that the name of the place in which the people were smitten with a plague because of their eating flesh, was called ”The graves of lust, because there they buried the people that lusted.“

[4] In Ezekiel:--

Behold the vine that has been planted, shall it prosper?  shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? Upon the beds of its shoots it shall wither (Ezek. 17:10).

And again:--

The vine was plucked up in anger, it hath been cast forth to the earth, and the east wind hath withered its fruit; all the rods of its strength have been plucked off and withered; the fire hath devoured everyone, for fire hath gone forth from a rod of its branches, it hath devoured its fruit, so that there is not in it a rod of strength, a scepter for ruling (Ezek. 19:12, 14);

where the ”east wind“ denotes what belongs to cupidities. In Isaiah:--

He meditated upon His rough wind, in the day of the east wind (Isa. 27:8).

[5] In Hosea:--

The east wind shall come, the wind of Jehovah coming up from the wilderness; and its spring shall become dry, and its fountain shall be dried up; it shall make a prey of the treasure of all vessels of desire (Hosea 13:15);

where also the ”east wind“ denotes what belongs to cupidities.  Likewise in Jeremiah:--

As the east wind I will scatter them before the enemy (Jer. 18:17).

[6] In David:--

With the east wind Thou wilt break the ships of Tarshish (Ps. 48:7).

In Isaiah:--

Thou hast forsaken Thy people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with the east wind, and the soothsayers are Philistines (Isa. 2:6).

In Hosea:--

Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind; every day he multiplieth a lie and a wasting (Hosea 12:1);

”wind“ here denotes phantasies, and the ”east wind,“ cupidities.  Similar also is the meaning in the internal sense of the ”east wind“ by which locusts were produced, and by which they were driven into the sea (Exod. 10:13, 19); and also by which the waters of the sea Suph were divided (Exod. 14:21).

AC 5216. Sprung up after them.  That this signifies appearing near, is evident from the signification here of ”springing up,“ as being to appear; and from the signification of ”after them,“ as being near, or in the boundary, just as is signified by the evil and lean kine coming up ”after them,“ that is, after the beautiful and fat kine (n. 5202).  That ”after them“ means near, is because ”after“ denotes what is successive in time; and in the spiritual world, and consequently in the spiritual sense, there is no notion of time, but instead of it the kind of state that corresponds.

AC 5217. And the thin ears swallowed up the seven fat and full ears.  That this signifies that the memory-knowledges of no use banished the good memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of the ”thin ears,“ as being memory-knowledges of no use (n. 5214); and from the signification of the ”fat and full ears,“ as being memory-knowledges into which the things of faith and charity could be applied (n. 5213), consequently good memory-knowledges; and from the signification of ”swallowing up,“ as being to banish--the same as ”eating up,“ which is said above of the kine (n. 5206). The good memory-knowledges were banished by those of no use, or truths were banished by falsities, (n. 5207). So also is it in the spiritual world: where falsities are, truths cannot subsist; and on the other hand, where truths are, falsities cannot subsist.  The one banishes the other, for they are opposites.  The reason is that falsities are from hell and truths are from heaven. It sometimes appears as if falsities and truths are in one subject; but these are not falsities that are opposite to the truths in him, but are those which are associated by applications.  The subject in whom truths, and at the same time falsities which are opposite to them, subsist, is called ”lukewarm;“ and the subject in whom falsities and truths are mingled is called ”profane.“

AC 5218. And Pharaoh awoke.  That this signifies a general state of enlightenment, is evident from what was explained above (n. 5208), where the same words occur.

AC 5219. And behold it was a dream.  That this signifies in that obscurity, is evident from the signification of a ”dream,“ as being an obscure state (n. 1838, 2514, 2528, 5210).  It is called ”obscure,“ because truths had been banished; for where truths are not there is obscurity, because the light of heaven flows only into truths; for the light of heaven is Divine truth from the Lord. Hence the truths with angels and spirits, and also with men, are subsidiary lights; but they have their light from the Divine truth by means of the good in the truths; for unless truths are from good, that is unless they have good in them, they cannot receive any light from the Divine.  They receive it by means of good, for good is like fire or flame, and truths are like the rays of light from it. In the other life truths without good do indeed shine, but they shine with a wintry light, that in the light of heaven is thick darkness. From this it is evident that what is here meant by ”obscure,“ is the state of the natural when the good memory-knowledges had been banished by those of no use. An obscurity like this can be enlightened in a general manner (n. 5208, 5218), but by no means can that obscurity which comes from falsities; for falsities are so many darknesses that shut out the light of heaven, and thus cause an obscurity that cannot be enlightened until the falsities have been removed.

AC 5220. Verse 8. And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof; and Pharaoh told them his dream; and no one interpreted these things to Pharaoh.  ”And it came to pass in the morning,“ signifies in this new state; ”that his spirit was troubled,“ signifies disturbance; ”and he sent and called all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof,“ signifies in consulting the interior as well as the exterior memory-knowledges; ”and Pharaoh told them his dream,“ signifies about things to come; ”and no one interpreted these things to Pharaoh,“ signifies that it was not known what would happen.

AC 5221. And it came to pass in the morning.  That this signifies in this new state, is evident from the signification of ”it came to pass,“ or ”it was,“ as involving what is new (n. 4979, 4987); and from the signification of the ”morning,“ as being a state of enlightenment (n. 3458, 3723). This is that new state which is meant, in regard to which see just above (n. 5218). This state and its quality are treated of here, showing that there was disturbance therein by reason of obscurity regarding the things that were happening.  But as regards the quality of this state scarcely anyone is able to know anything unless he is in a spiritual sphere and at the same time pays attention to the things that are taking place within him.  Otherwise he cannot even know what it is to be generally enlightened, and particularly enlightened, nor even what it is to be enlightened at all, still less that there is a disturbance at first in a general state of enlightenment, and that there is no quiet until the time when truths from good are replaced in their order. How the case herein is, is clearly perceived by the angels, and also by good spirits, because they are in a spiritual sphere. To be wise in such subjects, and to think about them, is delightful to them; but to the man who is in a natural sphere, and still more to one who is in a sensuous sphere, and yet more to one who is in a more grossly sensuous sphere from bodily and earthly things, such subjects are wearisome.

AC 5222. His spirit was troubled.  That this signifies disturbance, is evident from the signification of ”being troubled in spirit,“ as being to be disturbed.  By ”spirit“ here, as occasionally elsewhere in the Word, is meant interior affection and thought, which also are the spirit of man. The ancients called these the spirit; but by the spirit they meant specifically the interior man that would live after the death of the body; while at this day ”the spirit,“ used in this sense, means mere thought, and this without any subject other than the body in which it may be.  This is because it is no longer believed that the interior man is the man himself, but that the interior man who is commonly called the soul or spirit is mere thought without a subject adapted thereto; and that consequently, being thought without a subject, it will be dissipated after the death of the body like something ethereal or flamy.  This is what at the present day is understood by spirit,” as when it is said “troubled in spirit,” “sad in spirit,” “glad in spirit,” or “rejoice in spirit;” when yet it is the interior man himself that is called the spirit, and that is troubled, is sad, is glad, and rejoices, and that is a man in a form wholly human (though invisible to bodily sight) in which thought resides.

AC 5223. And he sent and called all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof.  That this signifies in consulting the interior as well as the exterior memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of “magicians,” as being in a good sense interior memory-knowledges; and from the signification of “wise men,” as being exterior knowledges.  The reason why the magicians and wise men of Egypt signified memory-knowledges, is that Egypt was one of the kingdoms in which the representative Ancient Church existed (n. 1238, 2385). But in Egypt attention was paid chiefly to the memory-knowledges of that church, which related to correspondences, representatives, and significatives; and by these knowledges were unfolded the things written in the books of the church, and that had place in their holy worship (n. 4749, 4964, 4966).  Hence it came about that by “Egypt” were signified memory-knowledges in general (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462), and also by “Pharaoh” its king.  The chief among those who were skilled in and taught these knowledges were called “magi,” or “magicians,” and “wise men;” those who were skilled in mystical memory-knowledges were called “magicians,” and those skilled in memory-knowledges not mystical were called “wise men; consequently those who taught interior memory-knowledges were called ”magicians,“ and those who taught exterior memory-knowledges were called ”wise men.“ For this reason it is that these knowledges are signified in the Word by ”magicians“ and ”wise men.“ But after they began to misuse the interior memory-knowledges of the church, and to turn them into magic, then by ”Egypt“ began to be signified the memory-knowledge which perverts, and likewise by the ”magicians“ of Egypt and her ”wise men.“

[2] The magicians of that time knew such things as belong to the spiritual world, which they learned from the correspondences and representatives of the church; and therefore many of them were in communication with spirits, and in this way learned deceptive arts, by which they performed magic miracles.  But those called ”wise men“ did not care for such things, but solved difficult problems and taught the causes of natural things. In such things as these the wisdom of that time chiefly consisted, and skill in them was called ”wisdom,“ as is evident from what is related of Solomon in the first book of Kings:--

Solomon‘s wisdom was multiplied above the wisdom of all the sons of the East, and above all the wisdom of the Egyptians, insomuch that he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman and Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol.  He spake three thousand proverbs; and his songs were a thousand and five.  Moreover he spake of trees, from the cedars that are in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; he spake also of beast and of fowl, and of creeping thing, and of fishes.  Therefore there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon from all kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom (1 Kings 4:30).

And what is related of the queen of Sheba in the same Book:--

She came to try him with hard questions. And Solomon told her all her words, there was not a word hid from the king that he told her not (1 Kings 10:1, 3).

[3] From this it is plain what was called ”wisdom“ at that time, and who, not only in Egypt, but also elsewhere, as in Syria, Arabia, and Babylon, were called ”wise;“ but in the internal sense by the ”wisdom of Egypt“ nothing else is signified than the memory-knowledge of natural things; and by ”magic“ the memory-knowledge of spiritual things; thus by ”wise men“ are signified exterior memory-knowledges, by ”magicians“ interior memory-knowledges, and by ”Egypt“ memory-knowledge in general (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966).  By ”Egypt“ and her ”wise men“ nothing else was meant in Isaiah:--

The princes of Zoan are foolish, the counsel of the wise counselors of Pharaoh is become brutish; how is it said unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of the kings of antiquity? Where now are thy wise men? (Isa. 19:11, 12).

[4] That those were called ”magicians,“ or ”magi,“ who were in the knowledge of spiritual things, and also in revelations thence, is plain from the Magi who came from the east to Jerusalem, asking where He was that was born King of the Jews, and saying that they had seen His star in the east, and were come to worship Him (Matt. 2:1, 2).  The same is also evident from Daniel, who is called the ”prince of the magicians“ (Dan. 4:9); and again:--

The queen said to king Belshazzar, There is a man in thy kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; therefore the king Nebuchadnezzar, thy father, made him prince of the magicians, diviners, Chaldeans, and soothsayers (Dan. 5:11).

Again:--

Among them all was none found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; for when they stood before the king, in every word of wisdom of understanding concerning which the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and diviners that were in his realm (Dan. 1:19, 20).

[5] That in the opposite sense by ”magicians,“ such as those mentioned in (Exodus 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18, 19; 9:11), are signified those who have perverted spiritual things and thereby have practiced magical arts, is known.  For magic was nothing else than a perversion, and a perverted application, of such things as are of order in the spiritual world; from this came down magic.  But such magic is at this day called natural, for the reason that anything above or beyond nature, is no longer recognized; and what is spiritual is denied, unless by it is understood an inner natural.

AC 5224. And Pharaoh told them his dream.  That this signifies about things to come, is evident from the signification of a ”dream,“ as being foresight, prediction, the event (n. 5091, 5092, 5104), thus things to come.  How this stands in the internal sense is evident from the series of things.  The subject treated of in this verse is the new state of the natural, when it is in obscurity because of truths having been banished from it, and that there is then disturbance in it in consulting memory-knowledges about things to come; for when such obscurity happens, the thought at once occurs, What will the event be?

[2] As during man’s regeneration this is common in every such state, this state is here described in the internal sense; but such states are unknown at this day, both because few are being regenerated, and because those who are being regenerated do not reflect upon such things.  At this day man cares not what is taking place within him, because external things possess his whole attention, and internal things have no importance to one who is wholly occupied with external things, that is, in whom they are the ends of life.  Regarding this obscurity they would say, What are these matters to me, as there is no money or honor to be gained from them? Why should I think about the state of the soul, or the state of the internal man, whether it is in obscurity when truths have been banished, or in clearness when they have been replaced therein?  What would it benefit me to know this?  Whether there is any internal man is to me a matter of doubt, and also whether there is any other state of the soul than that which is of the body, nay, whether there is any soul that lives after death.  Who has come back from the dead and declared it? So speaks the man of the church with himself at this day, and so he thinks when he hears or reads anything about the state of the internal man. From this it is plain why the things that are going on within man are at this day hidden and wholly unknown.

[3] Such an obscurity of the understanding never existed among the ancients.  It was their wisdom to cultivate interior things, and thus to perfect the faculties of both understanding and will, and thereby to provide for the welfare of their soul. That the ancients gave their attention to things like these, is clear from their writings which are even now extant, and also from the desire of all to hear Solomon:--

Therefore there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom (1 Kings 4:34);

and therefore came the queen of Sheba, who, from the bliss into which she came from hearing the wisdom of Solomon said,  Blest are thy men, blest are these thy servants, who stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom (1 Kings 10:8). Who at this day would call himself blest for this reason?

AC 5225. And no one interpreted these things to Pharaoh.  That this signifies that it was not known what would happen, is evident from the signification of ”interpreting,“ as being to know what would happen (n. 5141). Hence ”no one interpreted“ denotes not to know; for in the internal sense ”no one“ is the negative of a thing, and thus what is not; for the idea of a person is turned in the internal sense into the idea of a thing as for instance the idea of a man, a husband, a woman, a wife, a son or daughter, a boy or maiden, is turned into the idea of truth or of good; and as above (n. 5223) the idea of a magician and wise man is turned into that of interior and exterior memory-knowledges. The reason of this is that in the spiritual world, or in heaven, not persons but things come into view, for persons limit the idea, and concentrate it upon something finite; whereas things do not limit and concentrate it, but extend it to the infinite, thus to the Lord. For this reason also, no person named in the Word is perceived in heaven, but in his stead the thing that is represented by that person; so also no people or nation is perceived, but only its quality. Nay, not even is any historic statement of the Word about a person, nation, or people, known in heaven; and consequently it is not known who Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Israelitish people, and the Jewish nation were, but it is there perceived what Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Israelitish people, and the Jewish nation denote; and the same in all other cases. Thus the angelic speech is without limitation, and is also relatively universal.

AC 5226. Verses 9-13.  And spake the prince of the butlers unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my sins this day. Pharaoh was wroth upon his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the prince of the guards, me and the prince of the bakers: and we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each one according to the interpretation of his dream. And there was with us there a Hebrew boy, servant to the prince of the guards; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each one according to his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he brought back upon my station, and him he hanged.  ”And spake the prince of the butlers unto Pharaoh,“ signifies thought from the sensuous subject to the intellectual part; ”saying,“ signifies perception therefrom; ”I do remember my sins this day,“ signifies about a state of disjunction; ”Pharaoh was wroth upon his servants,“ signifies when the natural turned itself away; ”and put me in custody in the house of the prince of the guards,“ signifies rejection by the things that are primary for interpretation; ”me and the prince of the bakers,“ signifies both sensuous parts; ”and we dreamed a dream in one night,“ signifies what was foreseen in obscurity; ”I and he,“ signifies concerning both sensuous parts; ”we dreamed each one according to the interpretation of his dream,“ signifies what would be the event to both; ”and there was with us there a Hebrew boy,“ signifies that because of temptation the guiltlessness of the church was rejected thither; ”servant to the prince of the guards,“ signifies wherein was truth that might serve primarily for interpretation; ”and we told him,“ signifies that there was perception therefrom; ”and he interpreted to us our dreams,“ signifies what was in the things foreseen in obscurity; ”to each one according to his dream he did interpret,“ signifies from truth; ”and it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was,“ signifies that such was the event; ”me he brought back upon my station,“ signifies that the sensuous of the intellectual part was received; ”and him he hanged,“ signifies that the sensuous of the will part was rejected.

AC 5227. And spake the prince of the butlers unto Pharaoh. That this signifies thought from the sensuous subject to the intellectual part, is evident from the signification of ”speaking,“ as being to think (n. 2271, 2287, 2619); and from the representation of the prince of the butlers, as being the sensuous subject to the intellectual part (n. 5077, 5082).  What thought from the sensuous is, may be seen above (n. 5141).

AC 5228. Saying.  That this signifies perception therefrom, is evident from the signification of ”saying,“ as being to perceive (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3395, 3509).  What perception ”therefrom“ is, or perception from thought, cannot be unfolded so as to be understood, because at this day it is wholly unknown what spiritual perception is; and what is unknown does not enter into the apprehension however it may be described; for perception is nothing else than the speech or thought of the angels who are with man.  When this speech or thought flows in, it becomes the perception that a thing is so, or is not so, but only with those who are in the good of love and of charity, for it flows in through good.  With these this perception produces thoughts, for to them what is perceptive is the general of thought.  Yet perception from thought is not actually given, but only apparently.  But no more can be said regarding this mystery, because, as already said, it is unknown at this day what perception is.

AC 5229. I do remember my sins this day.  That this signifies about a state of disjunction, is evident from the signification of ”sins,“ as being what is of inverted order (n. 5076); and from the signification of ”remembering,“ as being conjunction (n. 5169).  Thus ”to remember sins“ is to be conjoined with what is of inverted order, and consequently to be disjoined from the natural which is represented by Pharaoh; for whatever is conjoined with what is in inverted older, is disjoined from what is in order.  The reason why ”to remember“ is conjunction, is that the remembering of anyone in the other life conjoins; for as soon as any spirit calls another to mind he appears present, and so present that they speak together.  It is for this reason that angels and spirits can meet all persons whom they have known or have heard of, can see them present and speak with them, when the Lord allows them to call them to mind (n. 1114).