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).

AC 5230. Pharaoh was wroth upon his servants.  That this signifies when the natural averted itself, is evident from what was unfolded above (n. 5080, 5081), where similar words occur.

AC 5231. And put me in custody in the house of the prince of the guards.  That this signifies rejection by the things which are primary for interpretation, is also evident from what was unfolded above (n. 5083, 5084), where similar words occur.

AC 5232. Me and the prince of the bakers.  That this signifies both sensuous parts, is evident from the representation of the prince of the butlers, who is here meant by ”me,“ as being the sensuous subject to the intellectual part in general (n. 5077, 5082); and from the representation of the prince of the bakers, as being the sensuous subject to the will part in general (n. 5078, 5082); thus by ”me and the prince of the bakers“ both sensuous parts are signified. We say ”both“ sensuous parts because there are two faculties in man which constitute his life, the will and the understanding, to which each and all things in him have reference.  That there are two faculties in man which constitute his life, is because there are two things which make life in heaven--good and truth--good having reference to the will, and truth to the understanding. From this it is plain that there are two things which make man spiritual, and consequently make him blessed in the other life, namely, charity and faith; for charity is good and faith is truth, and charity has reference to the will and faith to the understanding.

[2] To these two-- good and truth--each and all things in nature bear reference, and from this they come into existence and subsist.  That they bear reference to these two things, is very evident from heat and light, of which heat has reference to good and light to truth, and therefore spiritual heat is the good of love, and spiritual light is the truth of faith.  As each and all things in universal nature bear reference to these other two, good and truth, and as good is represented in heat, and faith in light, everyone may judge of what quality a man is from faith alone without charity, or what is the same thing, from merely understanding truth without willing good.  Is it not like the state of winter, when the light is brilliant, and yet everything is torpid, because without heat?  Such is the state of the man who is in faith alone, and not in the good of love.  He is in cold and in darkness, in cold because he is opposed to good, in darkness because thereby he is opposed to truth; for one who is opposed to good is also opposed to truth, however he may seem to himself not to be so; for the one draws the other to its side.  Such becomes his state after death.

AC 5233. And we dreamed a dream in one night.  That this signifies what was foreseen in obscurity, is evident from the signification of a ”dream,“ as being what is foreseen (n. 3698, 5091); and from the signification of ”night,“ as being a state of shade (n. 1712), thus obscurity.

AC 5234. I and he.  That this signifies concerning both sensuous parts, is evident from the representation of the butler, who here is ”I,“ as being one sensuous, and from the representation of the baker, who here is ”he,“ as being the other sensuous (n. 5232).

AC 5235. He dreamed each one according to the interpretation of his dream.  That this signifies what would he the result to both, is evident from the signification of ”interpretation,“ as being what it would have in it, and what would happen (n. 5093, 5105, 5107, 5141), thus what would be the event of that which was foreseen, which is signified by the ”dream“ (n. 5233).

AC 5236. And there was with us there a Hebrew boy.  That this signifies that because of temptation the guiltlessness of the church was rejected thither, is evident from the signification of a ”boy,“ as being what is guiltless; and from the signification of ”Hebrew,“ as being one who is of the church (n. 5136), thus that which is of the church.  Its being rejected thither because of temptation, is signified by his being there, namely, in custody, for by the ”custody“ into which Joseph was put is signified a state of temptation (n. 5036, 5037, 5039, 5044, 5045); which state has been treated of in chapters 39 and 40.

[2] The reason why a ”boy“ denotes guiltlessness, is that in the internal sense a ”little child“ denotes what is innocent; for in the Word we read of ”sucklings,“ ”little children,“ and ”boys“ (or ”children“); and by them are signified three degrees of innocence, the first degree by a ”suckling,“ the second by a ”little child,“ and the third by a ”child.“ But as with the ”child“ innocence begins to be put off, therefore by him is signified that degree of innocence called guiltlessness.” As by these three are signified three degrees of innocence, three degrees of love and charity are also signified by the same, for the reason that celestial and spiritual love, that is, love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor, cannot exist except in innocence. But be it known that the innocence of sucklings, little children, and children is only external and that internal innocence is not possible in man till after he has been born anew, that is, becomes again as it were a suckling, a little child, and a child.  It is these states that are signified in the Word by these three; for in the internal sense of the Word nothing but what is spiritual is understood; consequently none but spiritual birth, which is called rebirth and also regeneration.

[3] That the innocent quality which is called “guiltlessness” is signified by a “boy” or “child,” is evident in Luke:--

Jesus said, Whosoever receiveth not the kingdom of God as a child shall not enter therein (Luke 18:17);

“to receive the kingdom of God as a child” is to receive charity and faith from innocence.  In Mark:--

Jesus took a child and set him in the midst of them; and when He had taken him in His arms He said to them, Whosoever shall receive one of such children in My name, receiveth Me (Mark 9:36, 37; Luke 9:47, 48);

by a “child” here is represented innocence; and one who receives this, receives the Lord, because He is the source of all innocence.  Everyone can see that “to receive a child in the Lord‘s name” is not literally to receive a child, thus that something heavenly must be represented thereby.

[4] In Matthew:--

The children cried in the temple, Hosanna to the son of David. The priests were indignant; and therefore Jesus saith to them, Did ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise? (Matthew 21:15, 16; Ps. 8:2);

the children’s crying “Hosanna to the son of David” was to represent that only innocence acknowledges and receives the Lord, that is, they in whom there is innocence.  By “out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise” is signified that praise can come to the Lord by no other way than through innocence; for by this alone is effected all communication and all influx, and consequently access.  It is for this reason that the Lord says:--

Unless ye be converted, and become as children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of the heaven (Matt. 18:3).

[5] In the following passages also by a “boy” or “child” is signified innocence.  In Zechariah:--

The streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof (Zech. 8:5);

speaking of the new Jerusalem, or the Lord‘s kingdom.  In David:--

Praise Jehovah, young men and maidens, old men with children (Ps. 148:12).

Again:--

Jehovah reneweth thy life from the pit, He sateth thy mouth with good, so that thou renewest thy childhood like the eagle (Ps. 103:4, 5).

In Joel:--

They have cast a lot upon My people; because they have given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine that they have drunk (Joel 3:3).

In Jeremiah:--

Through thee will I scatter man and woman, and through thee will I scatter the old man and the child, and through thee will I scatter the young man and the maid (Jer. 51:22).

In Isaiah:--

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, God, Hero, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6).

AC 5237. Servant to the prince of the guards.  That this signifies wherein was truth that might serve primarily for interpretation, is evident from “servant” being predicated of truth (n. 2567, 3409); and from the signification of the “prince of the guards,” as being things primary for interpretation (n. 4790, 4966, 5084); and because truth is of service for the interpretation of the Word, the truth thus serving is signified here by “servant to the prince of the guards.”

AC 5238. And we told him.  That this signifies that there was perception therefrom, is evident from the signification of “telling,” as being perception (n. 3209).

AC 5239. And he interpreted to us our dreams.  That this signifies what was in the things foreseen in obscurity, is evident from the signification of “interpreting,” as being what was therein (n. 5093, 5105, 5107); and from the signification of “dreams,” as being things foreseen in obscurity (n. 5233).

AC 5240. 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, as may be seen from the fact that by these words is signified the event of the matter, which in truth was such as he had foretold.

AC 5241. Me he brought back upon my station.  That this signifies that the sensuous of the intellectual part was received, is evident from the signification of the “butler,” who is here meant by “me,” as being the sensuous of the intellectual part; and from the signification of “bringing back upon the station,” as being to reduce into order and make subordinate (n. 5125, 5165), thus also to receive.

AC 5242. And him he hanged.  That this signifies that the sensuous of the will part was rejected, is evident from the signification of the “baker,” who is here meant by “him,” as being the sensuous of the will part; and from the signification of “hanging,” as being to reject (n. 5156, 5167). There is no need to unfold these things any further, because they have been unfolded before, and are here repeated for the sake of the series.

AC 5243. Verse 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.  “And Pharaoh sent,” signifies the inclination of the new natural; “and called Joseph,” signifies to receive the celestial of the spiritual; “and they brought him hastily out of the pit,” signifies a speedy rejection of such things as from the state of temptation were a hindrance, and thereby a change; “and he shaved,” signifies rejection and change as to what is of the exterior natural; “and changed his garments,” signifies as to what is of the interior natural, by putting on what is suitable; “and came unto Pharaoh,” signifies communication thereby with the new natural.

AC 5244. And Pharaoh sent.  That this signifies the inclination of the new natural, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the new natural man (n. 5079, 5080). The inclination to receive the celestial of the spiritual is signified by his “sending and calling Joseph.” The very inclination is plain from what is said farther on--that he set him over his house and over all the land of Egypt and said that upon his mouth all his people should kiss (verses 40-43). In regard to this the case is that when the state is full, that is, when all things have been prepared in the natural for receiving influx from the interior or higher degree, and for applying to itself what flows in, then the natural has an inclination, that is, has an affection, for receiving.  In this way the one is accommodated to the other when the man is being made new by the Lord.

AC 5245. And called Joseph.  That this signifies for receiving the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 4286, 4585, 4592, 4594, 4963).  That receiving this is signified by his “calling,” may be seen just above (n. 5244).

AC 5246. And they brought him hastily out of the pit.  That this signifies a speedy rejection of such things as from the state of temptation were a hindrance; and thereby a change, is evident from the signification of a “pit,” as being a state of vastation and also of temptation (n. 4728, 4744, 5038); and from the signification of “bringing him hastily out of it,” as being a speedy rejection of such things as are from it, that is, from a state of temptation.  For when a “pit” denotes a state of temptation, “to bring anyone hastily out of it” denotes to remove such things as are from that state, and consequently to reject them, as is plain also from what follows; for he rejected what was of the pit, inasmuch as he shaved himself and changed his garments.

[2] A state of temptation in respect to the state after it is also like the condition of a pit or prison--squalid and unclean; for when man is being tempted, unclean spirits are near him, and surround him, and excite the evils and falsities with him, and also hold him in them and exaggerate them, even to despair.  Hence it is that the man is then in squalor and uncleanness.  Moreover when this state is presented to view in the other life (for all spiritual states can there be presented to the sight) it appears like a thick mist exhaled from unclean places, and a stench from it is also perceived.  Such is the appearance of the sphere that encompasses one who is in temptation, and also in vastation, that is, who is in a pit in the lower earth (n. 4728).

[3] But when the state of temptation ceases, the mist is dispersed, and the sky clears.  The reason of this is that by means of temptation the falsities and evils with man are laid open and removed; when they are laid open that mist appears, but when they are removed the clear sky appears.  The change of this state is also signified by Joseph’s “shaving himself and changing his garments.”

[4] Moreover a state of temptation may be compared to the state of a man when among robbers; on escaping from which his hair is disheveled, his countenance wild, and his clothing torn.  If he yields in temptation, he remains in a state like this; but if he conquers in temptation, then after he has composed his face, combed his hair, and changed his clothing, he comes into a cheerful and serene state.  Moreover there are infernal spirits and genii, who like robbers surround and attack the man at these times, and bring on the temptations.  From this it is now plain that by their “bringing him hastily out of the pit” is signified a speedy rejection of such things as from the state of temptation were a hindrance, and thereby a change.

AC 5247. And he shaved.  That this signifies rejection and change as to what is of the exterior natural, is evident from the signification of “shaving the head and the beard,” as being to reject such things as are of the exterior natural; for the “hair” that was shaved off signifies this natural (n. 3301). The hair both of the head and of the beard corresponds in the Grand Man to the exterior natural; and therefore sensuous men (that is, they who have believed nothing but what is natural, and have not been willing to understand that there is anything more interior or purer than what they could apprehend by the senses) in the other life when in the light of heaven, they appear hairy, so much so that the face is scarcely anything but beard. Such hairy faces have often been seen by me.  But they who have been rational, that is, spiritual men, in whom the natural has been rightly subordinated, appear becomingly furnished with hair.  Nay, from the hair in the other life may be known the quality of spirits in respect to the natural.  The reason why spirits appear with hair is that in the other life spirits appear altogether as do men on earth. Hence it is that the angels spoken of in the Word as being seen are sometimes described even in respect to their hair.

[2] From what has now been said it is evident what is signified by “shaving,” as in Ezekiel:--

The priests the Levites the sons of Zadok shall put off their garments wherein they minister and lay them in the bedchambers of holiness, and they shall put on other garments, neither shall they sanctify the people in their garments, and they shall not shave their heads and let down their hair, in polling they shall poll their heads (Ezek. 44:19, 20);

this is said of the new temple and the new priesthood, that is, of the new church; and the “putting on of other garments” signifies holy truths; their “not shaving their heads nor letting down their hair, but in polling to poll their heads,” signifies not rejecting the natural, but accommodating it so that it may be in accord, thus making it subordinate.  Everyone who believes the Word to be holy can see that these and the rest of the things said in the prophet about the new earth, the new city, the new temple, and new priesthood, will not be at all as is stated in the letter there; as that the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, will minister therein, and will then put off the garments of their ministry and put on other garments, and will poll their heads; but that all and everyone of these things signify such things as belong to a new church.

[3] Neither would the statutes have been commanded in regard to the high priest, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, in the following passages from Moses, if they had not contained holy things within:--

The priest chief of his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil has been poured, and he hath filled his hand to put on the garments, shall not shave his head, and shall not unrip his garments (Lev. 21:10).

The sons of Aaron shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave the corner of their beard; they shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God (Lev. 21:5, 6).

Thus shalt thou purify the Levites.  Sprinkle the waters of expiration upon them, and they shall make to pass a razor over their flesh, and they shall wash their garments; and they shall be pure (Num. 8:7).

What is there that is holy or that is of the church in these things--that the high priest should not shave his head nor unrip his garments; that the sons of Aaron should not make baldness upon their head nor shave the corner of their beard, and that the Levites when being purified should be shaved with a razor upon their flesh?  But to have the external or natural man subordinate to the internal or spiritual, and thus to have both subordinate to the Divine, this is a holy thing, and is what the angels perceive when these passages of the Word are being read by man.

[4] So also it was with the Nazirite, who was holy unto Jehovah:--

If any man should by chance die very suddenly beside him, and he hath defiled the head of his Naziriteship; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it. And when the days of his Naziriteship are fulfilled, the Nazirite shall shave the head of his Naziriteship at the door of the tent of meeting; and shall take the hair of his head and put it on the fire that is under the sacrifice of peace-offerings (Num. 6:9, 13, 18);

what the Nazirite was, and what holiness he represented, may be seen above (n. 3301).  That holiness should abide in his hair can never be comprehended unless it is known what “hair” is by correspondence, thus to what holiness the hair of the Nazirite corresponded.  In like manner it cannot be comprehended how Samson had strength from his hair, of which he speaks thus to Delilah:--

There hath not come up a razor upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite of God from my mother‘s womb; if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. And Delilah called a man, who shaved off the seven locks of his head and his strength went from upon him. And afterward when the hair of his head began to grow after it was shaved off, strength returned to him (Judges 16:17, 19, 22);

who without knowledge derived from correspondence can know that the Lord as to the Divine natural was represented by the Nazirite, and that the Naziriteship had no other meaning, and that Samson’s strength was from this representative?

[5] One who does not know, and especially who does not believe, that there is an internal sense in the Word, and that the sense of the letter is representative of the things in the internal sense, will scarcely acknowledge that there is anything holy in these things; when yet that which is most holy is in them.  If a man does not know, and especially if he does not believe, that the Word possesses an internal sense which is holy, neither can he know what the following passages bear in their bosom, as in Jeremiah:--

Truth is perished and is cut off from their mouth. Cut off the hair of thy Naziriteship, and cast it away (Jer. 7:28, 29).

In Isaiah:--

In that day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired in the passages of the river, through the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet; and shall also consume the beard (Isa. 7:20).

In Micah:--

Make thee bald, and shave thee on account of the sons of thy deliciousnesses, enlarge thy baldness as the eagle, because they have migrated from thee (Micah 1:16).

Nor can he know what holiness is involved in that which is related of Elijah, in that he was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of skin about his loins (2 Kings 1:8); nor why the children who called Elisha bald were torn by she-bears out of the wood (2 Kings 2:23, 24).

[6] By Elijah and by Elisha was represented the Lord as to the Word, thus by them was represented the Word, specifically the prophetic Word, (n. 2135A, 2762).  The “hairiness” and the “girdle of skin” signified the literal sense, a “hairy man” this sense in respect to truths, and a “girdle of skin” about the loins this sense in respect to goods.  For the literal sense of the Word is its natural sense, because it is from the things in the world; and the internal sense is the spiritual sense, because it is from the things in heaven. These two senses are circumstanced as are the internal and external of man; and because there is no internal without an external, for the external is the ultimate of order in which the internal subsists, therefore it was a reproach against the Word to call Elisha bald, implying that it is devoid of an external, thus that the Word has no sense that is adapted to the apprehension of man.

[7] From all this it is evident that all the details of the Word are holy; but the holiness therein is not apparent to the understanding, except that of one who knows its internal sense; nevertheless by influx from heaven it comes to the perception of him who believes the Word to be holy. This influx is effected through the internal sense in which the angels are; and although this sense is not understood by the man, still it affects him, because the affection of the angels who are in it is communicated.  From this it is plain also that the Word has been given to man in order that he may have communication with heaven, and that the Divine truth which is in heaven may affect him by means of the influx.

AC 5248. And changed his garments.  That this signifies as to what is of the interior natural, by putting on what is suitable, is evident from the signification of “changing,” as being to remove and reject; and from the signification of “garments,” as being what is of the interior natural; hence it follows that what was suitable (signified by the new “garments”) was put on.  “Garments” are often mentioned in the Word, and thereby are meant things beneath or without, and that cover things above or within; and therefore by “garments” are signified man‘s external, consequently his natural, because this covers his internal and spiritual. Specifically by “garments” are signified truths that are of faith, because these cover the goods that are of charity.  This signification has its origin from the garments in which spirits and angels appear clothed.  Spirits appear in garments devoid of brightness, but angels in garments that are bright and are as it were made of brightness, for the very brightness around them appears as a garment, as appeared the raiment of the Lord when He was transfigured, which was “as the light” (Matt. 17:2), and was “white and flashing” (Luke 9:29). From their garments also the quality of spirits and angels can be known in respect to the truths of faith, because these are represented by garments, but truths of faith such as they are in the natural; for such as they are in the rational appears from the face and its beauty.  The brightness of their garments comes from the good of love and of charity, which by shining through causes the brightness.  From all this it is evident what is represented in the spiritual world by the garments, and consequently what is meant by “garments” in the spiritual sense.  But the garments that Joseph changed, that is, put off, were the garments of the pit or prison, and by these are signified things fallacious and false, which in a state of temptations are excited by evil genii and spirits; and therefore by his “changing his garments” is signified rejection and change in respect to what is of the interior natural, and the garments he put on denoted such things as would be suitable, and therefore the putting on of things suitable is signified.  See what has before been said and shown concerning garments: that what is celestial is not clothed, but what is spiritual and natural (n. 297): that “garments” denote truths relatively lower (n. 1073, 2576): that changing the garments was a representative of holy truths being put on, whence also came the changes of garments (n. 4545): that rending the garments was representative of mourning over truth lost and destroyed (n. 4763): and what is signified by him that came in, not having on a wedding garment (n. 2132).

AC 5249. And came unto Pharaoh.  That this signifies communication with the new natural, is evident from the signification of “coming,” as here being communication by influx; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the new natural (n. 5079, 5080, 5244).  What the words in this verse involve is manifest from what has been unfolded, for they treat of Joseph, how he was freed from the pit and came unto Pharaoh. By Joseph in the internal sense is represented the Lord as to the celestial of the spiritual, and by Pharaoh is represented the natural or external man; by the pit in which Joseph was is represented the state of the Lord’s temptation as to the celestial of the spiritual; and by his being called from the pit by Pharaoh is signified the state of deliverance from temptations, and further, the subsequent state of influx and communication with the new natural. From this it is plain that in the internal sense is here described how the Lord made His natural new, and at last Divine.

[2] These are the things the celestial angels think when this history is being read by man, moreover to think such things is to them most delightful, for they are in the Lord‘s Divine sphere, thus as it were in the Lord, and in a perception of inmost joy when thinking of the Lord and of the salvation of the human race by the Lord’s making Divine the Human in Him; and in order that the angels might be kept in this most heavenly joy, and at the same time in wisdom, that Divine process is fully described in the internal sense of the Word, and at the same time therein the process of man‘s regeneration; for the regeneration of man is an image of the Lord’s glorification (n. 3138, 3212, 3296, 3490, 4402).  Some may possibly wonder what the angels converse together about, and consequently what men who become angels converse about after death; but be it known to them that it is about such things as are contained in the internal sense of the Word, namely, about the Lord‘s glorification, His kingdom, the church, the regeneration of man through the good of love and the truth of faith; but they speak about these things by means of secret things that are for the most part inexpressible.

AC 5250. Verses 15, 16.  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. And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, Not unto me; God shall answer peace to Pharaoh.  “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph,” signifies the perception of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural; “I have dreamed a dream,” signifies prediction; “and no one interpreteth it,” signifies ignorance of what was therein; “and I have heard upon thee,” signifies the capacity of the celestial of the spiritual; “saying, thou hearest a dream to interpret it,” signifies of perceiving what is in the things foreseen; “and Joseph answered Pharaoh,” signifies knowledge; “saying, Not unto me,” signifies that it was not from the human alone; “God shall answer peace to Pharaoh,” signifies from the Divine Human through conjunction.

AC 5251. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph.  That this signifies the perception of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural, is evident from the signification of “saying” in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (n. 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 4286, 4592, 4594, 4963, 5086, 5087, 5106, 5249).  That the perception of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural is signified, is because the Lord is represented both by Joseph and by Pharaoh--by Joseph as to the celestial of the spiritual, and by Pharaoh as to the natural.  Hence by “Pharaoh said unto Joseph” is signified the Lord’s perception from the celestial of the spiritual in the natural.  But what and of what quality this perception is, cannot be told so as to be apprehended, unless there has first been formed some idea of spiritual perception, and of the celestial of the spiritual, and also of the manner in which the natural is distinct from the spiritual. On these subjects some things have indeed been said already, which should now be recalled.

AC 5252. I have dreamed a dream.  That this signifies prediction, is evident from the signification of a “dream,” as being foresight and hence prediction (n. 3698, 5091, 5092, 5104, 5233); that a “dream” here is prediction is plain also from what follows, for in the dream the seven years of abundance of provision and the seven years of famine were foretold.

AC 5253. And no one interpreteth it.  That this signifies ignorance of what was therein, is evident from the signification of “interpreting” as being what was therein (n. 5093, 5105, 5107, 5141); hence ignorance of what was therein is signified by “no one interpreteth it.” In the internal sense by “no one” is not meant no one or none, the expression being merely negative; and here simply not, thus that it is not known, or that there is ignorance regarding it.  The reason is, that in the internal sense no person, nor even anything determined to a person, is regarded (n. 5225); and in the expression “no one,” or none, something of person in general is implied.  There are three things in general that perish from the literal sense of the Word when it becomes the internal sense, namely, what is of time, what is of space, and what is of person.  The reason is that in the spiritual world there is neither time nor space, these two belonging to nature; and therefore it is said of those who die, that they pass out of time, and leave behind all that is of time.  That in the spiritual world nothing is regarded as determined to person is because directing the attention in speech to person narrows and limits the idea, instead of extending it and making it unlimited.  Extension and absence of limitation in speech cause it to be universal, and to comprise and be able to express innumerable and also ineffable things.  Hence the speech of the angels is of this character, especially the speech of the celestial angels, which is relatively unlimited; and in consequence everything of their speech flows into the infinite and the eternal, consequently into the Divine of the Lord.

AC 5254. And I have heard upon thee, signifies the capacity of the celestial of the spiritual; saying thou hearest a dream to interpret it, signifies of perceiving what is in the things foreseen; as is evident from the signification of “hearing upon thee,” as being to perceive and know that it is such, and consequently that there is the capacity; from the representation of Joseph, to whom these words are spoken, as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 4286, 4592, 4594, 4963, 5086, 5087, 5106); from the signification of “hearing,” as being to perceive (n. 5017); from the signification of a “dream,” as being what is foreseen (n. 5252); and from the signification of “interpreting,” as being what was therein (n. 5253).  From this it is plain that by the words “I have heard upon thee, saying, thou hearest a dream to interpret it,” is signified the capacity of the celestial of the spiritual for perceiving what is in the things foreseen.

AC 5255. And Joseph answered Pharaoh.  That this signifies knowledge, is evident from the signification of “answering” to anything when questioned, as being to give one to know how the case is, consequently knowledge.

AC 5256. Saying, Not unto me.  That this signifies that it was not from the human alone, is evident from the signification of “not unto me,” or not belonging to him, when said of the Lord, who is represented by Joseph, as being not to be from the human alone, but from the Divine; for the Divine foresees, consequently knows what is therein.  For when the Lord was in the world He indeed had foresight and providence in the human, but from the Divine; but since His glorification these are from the Divine alone; for the Human glorified is the Divine.  Regarded in itself the human is nothing but a form receptive of life from the Divine; but the Lord‘s glorified Human, or His Divine Human, is not a form recipient of life from the Divine, but is the very being of life; and that which proceeds therefrom is life.  Such is the idea that the angels have in regard to the Lord; but they who at this day come from the Christian Church into the other life have nearly all an idea of the Lord as being like any other man, not only separate from the Divine (though indeed they adjoin what is Divine to Him), but also separate from Jehovah, and what is more, separate even from the holy that proceeds from Him. They do indeed say “one God,” but still they think of three; and they actually divide the Divine among three; for they distinguish it into persons, calling each God, and attribute to each a distinct property.  Consequently it is said of Christians in the other life that they worship three gods, because they think of three, however much they may say one.  But they who have been Gentiles and have been converted to Christianity, in the other life adore the Lord alone; and this for the reason that they have believed that it could not but be that the Supreme God has manifested Himself on earth as a man, and that the Supreme God is a Divine man; and that if they had not this idea of the Supreme God they could have none at all, and so could not think about God, consequently could not know Him, still less love Him.

AC 5257. God shall answer peace to Pharaoh.  That this signifies from the Divine Human by conjunction, is evident from what was said just above (n. 5256); and from the signification of the “peace that God shall answer,” as being from the Lord’s Divine Human.  That “God” denotes the Divine is evident without any unfolding, and that “peace” in the supreme sense is the Lord may be seen above (n. 3780, 4681).  That this answer comes through conjunction, namely, with the celestial of the spiritual, and thereby with the natural, is because this conjunction is here treated of.

AC 5258. Verses 17-24. And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, In my dream behold I stood beside the bank of the river; and behold out of the river there came up seven kine, fat in flesh and beautiful in form, and they fed in the sedge; 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; and the lean and evil kine did eat up the first seven fat kine, 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.  And I saw in my dream, and behold seven ears came up upon one stalk, fat and good; and behold seven ears, withered, thin, and parched with the east wind, sprung up after them; and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears; and I told it unto the magicians, and no one telleth it to me. “And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph,” signifies the thought of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural; “In my dream,” signifies what was foreseen in obscurity; “behold I stood beside the bank of the river,” signifies from boundary to boundary; “and behold out of the river,” signifies that in the boundary; “there came up seven kine,” signifies truths of the natural; “fat in flesh,” signifies that were of charity; “and beautiful in form,” signifies that were of faith thence; “and they fed in the sedge,” signifies instruction; “and behold seven other kine came up after them,” signifies falsities that were of the natural, near; “thin and evil in form exceedingly,” signifies that were empty and of no faith; “and lean in flesh,” signifies that neither were of charity; “such as I have never seen in all the land of Egypt for badness,” signifies such as could in no way be conjoined with truths and goods; “and the lean and evil kine did eat up,” signifies that falsities not of charity nor of faith banished; “the first seven fat kine,” signifies the truths of faith from charity; “and they came to their inwards,” signifies interior banishment; “and it was not known that they had come to their inwards,” signifies that the truths of good were no longer perceived; “and their look was bad as in the beginning,” signifies that there was nothing of communication and conjunction; “and I awoke,” signifies a state of enlightenment; “and I saw in my dream,” signifies what was further foreseen in obscurity; “and behold seven ears came up upon one stalk,” signifies memory-knowledges that were of the natural, conjoined; “full and good,” signifies to which the things of faith and charity could be applied; “and behold seven ears, withered, thin, and parched with the east wind,” signifies memory-knowledges of no use and full of cupidities; “sprung up after them,” signifies appearing near; “and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears,” signifies that the memory-knowledges of no use banished those that were of use; “and I told it unto the magicians,” signifies a consultation with interior memory-knowledges; “and no one telleth it to me,” signifies that nothing was perceived from them.

AC 5259. And Pharaoh spoke unto Joseph.  That this signifies the thought of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural, is evident from what was said above (n. 5251), where similar words are used, save only that it is there written that “Pharaoh said unto Joseph,” while here it is said that he “spake unto him;” for “saying” signifies perception, but “speaking” thought (n. 2271, 2287, 2619).  That by “Pharaoh spake unto Joseph” is signified the thought of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural, and not the converse, is because what is exterior never thinks from itself, but from what is interior, or what is the same thing, what is lower does not think except from what is higher; although while the interior or higher is thinking in the exterior or lower, it appears as if the exterior or lower thought from itself, which however is a fallacy.  It is like one who sees something in a mirror, and not knowing that a mirror is there, imagines that the object is where it appears to be, when yet it is not there.

[2] Now because the celestial of the spiritual is interior or higher, and the natural is exterior or lower, the thought of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural is signified in the internal sense by “Pharaoh spake unto Joseph.”  In a word, nothing that is beneath can do anything of itself; but that which it can do, it has from what is higher; and because this is so, it evidently follows that everything is from the Most High, that is, from the Divine.  Consequently man‘s thinking from the understanding and acting from the will, he has from the Most High or from the Divine.  But his thinking falsely and acting evilly comes from the form he has impressed upon himself; and his thinking truly and acting well is from the form he has received from the Lord; for it is known that one and the same power and energy produces different motions according to the configurations in the mediates and the extremes; thus in man, life from the Divine produces diverse thoughts and actions, according to the forms.

AC 5260. The things that follow in this series are almost the same as those before unfolded in this chapter (n. 5195-5217); and therefore any further unfolding is needless.

AC 5261. Verses 25-27.  And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one; what God doeth He hath shown to Pharaoh.  The seven good kine are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dream is one. 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 off famine. “And Joseph said unto Pharaoh,” signifies the perception of the natural from the celestial of the spiritual; “the dream of Pharaoh is one,” signifies the like in both, foreseen; “what God doeth He hath shown to Pharaoh,” signifies what was provided, that it was given the natural to perceive; “the seven good kine are seven years,” signifies states of the multiplication of truth in the interior natural; “and the seven good ears are seven years,” signifies states of the multiplication of truth in the exterior natural; “the dream is one,” signifies that there will be both by conjunction; “and the seven thin and evil kine that came up after them are seven years,” signifies states of the multiplication of falsity that infests the interior natural; “and the seven empty ears parched with the east wind,” signifies states of the multiplication of falsity that infests the exterior natural; “shall be seven years of famine,” signifies hence a lack and seeming privation of truth

AC 5262. And Joseph said unto Pharaoh.  That this signifies the perception of the natural from the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of “saying” in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive; from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural, of all which often before.

AC 5263. The dream of Pharaoh is one.  That this signifies the like in both, foreseen, is evident from the signification of a “dream,” as being what is foreseen (n. 3698, 5091, 5092, 5104, 5233); from the representation of Pharaoh as being the natural (n. 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160); and from the signification of “is one,” as here being the like in both, namely, in the interior and the exterior natural. That the natural is twofold may be seen above (n. 5118, 5126); for what Pharaoh dreamed about the kine was foreseen concerning the interior natural, and what he dreamed about the ears of corn was foreseen concerning the exterior natural; and because both naturals should act as one by conjunction, the like in both is signified.

AC 5264. What God doeth He hath shown to Pharaoh.  That this signifies what was provided, that it was given the natural to perceive, is evident from the signification of “what God doeth,” as being what is provided; from the signification of “showing,” as being to communicate and give to perceive (n. 3608, 4856); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (n. 5263). From this it is plain that by, “what God doeth He hath shown to Pharaoh,” is signified what was provided, that it was given the natural to perceive.  That “what God doeth” is what is provided, is because everything that God (that is, the Lord) does, is providence, which being from the Divine has within it what is eternal and infinite--what is eternal, because it does not look to any terminus from which, nor to any terminus to which, it proceeds; and what is infinite, because it simultaneously regards what is infinite in every singular, and every singular in what is universal.  This is called “providence;” and because there is such a quality in each and all things the Lord does, therefore His doing cannot be expressed by any other word than “providence.” That in each and all things the Lord does there is what is infinite and eternal, will of the Lord’s Divine mercy be elsewhere illustrated by examples.

AC 5265. The seven good kine are seven years.  That this signifies states of the multiplication of truth in the interior natural, is evident from the signification of “kine,” as being in a good sense truths of the interior natural (n. 5198); and from the signification of “years,” as being states (n. 482, 487, 488, 493, 893).  That there were seven is because “seven” signifies what is holy, and hence adds holiness to the subject treated of (n. 395, 433, 716, 881); and it also involves an entire period from beginning to end (n. 728).  Hence it is that seven kine and seven ears of corn were seen in the dream, and afterward that there were seven years of plenty, and seven years of famine.  Hence also it is that the seventh day was hallowed, and that in the representative church the seventh year was the sabbatical year, and that after seven times seven years was the jubilee.

[2] That “seven” signifies holy things comes from the signification of numbers in the world of spirits, where every number involves some thing.  Numbers, simple and compound, have sometimes appeared to my sight, and once in a long series; and when I wondered what they signified, I was told that they came forth from angelic speech, and that sometimes real things are wont to be expressed by numbers.  These numbers do not appear in heaven, but in the world of spirits, where such things are presented to view. This was known to the most ancient people who were celestial men and conversed with angels, and hence they formed an ecclesiastical reckoning by means of numbers, by which they expressed universally the things they expressed particularly by words.  But what each number had involved did not remain with their posterity, except only what was signified by the simple numbers, two, three, six, seven, eight, twelve and derivatively by twenty-four, seventy-two, and seventy-seven--especially that by “seven” was signified what is most holy, in the supreme sense the Divine Itself, and in the representative sense the celestial of love.  This is the reason why the state of the celestial man was signified by the “seventh day” (n. 84-87).  That numbers signify real things, is obvious from very many numbers in the Word, as from these in the Revelation:--

Let him that hath intelligence compute the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six (Rev. 13:18).

And again:--

The angel measured the wall of the hold Jerusalem, a hundred and forty-four cubits, which is the measure of a man, that is of an angel (Rev. 21:17);

the number a hundred and forty-four is from twelve multiplied into itself, and from this comes seventy-two.

AC 5266. And the seven good ears are seven years.  That this signifies states of the multiplication of truth in the exterior natural, is evident from the signification of “ears” of corn, as being in a good sense memory-knowledges (n. 5212), and consequently truths of the exterior natural, for these are called memory-knowledges; and from the signification of “years,” as being states (n. 5265).  What “seven” signifies can also be seen there.

AC 5267. The dream is one. That this signifies that there will be both by conjunction, is evident from what was said above (n. 5263).

AC 5268. And the seven thin and evil kine that came no after them are seven years.  That this signifies states of the multiplication of falsity that infests the interior natural, is evident from the signification of “kine,” as being in the genuine sense truths in the interior natural (n. 5198, 5265), but in the opposite sense falsity therein (n. 5202), and therefore the former are called “good” kine, but the latter “thin and evil;” from the signification of “coming up,” as being progression toward interior things (n. 5202); and from the signification of “years,” as being states (n. 5265).  As “seven” signifies what is holy, so too in the opposite sense it signifies what is profane; for most of the expressions in the Word have also an opposite sense, and this for the reason that the same things that take place in heaven, on flowing down toward hell, are turned into the opposite things, and actually become opposite.  Hence the holy things signified by “seven” there become profane.

[2] That by “seven” both holy and profane things are signified, may be confirmed from the passages in the Revelation alone where seven is mentioned.  First, that holy things are signified:--

John to the seven churches, Grace and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come; and from the seven spirits that are before His throne (Rev. 1:4).

These things saith He that hath the seven spirits, and the seven stars (Rev. 3:1).

Out of the throne went forth seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God (Rev. 4:5).

I saw upon the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals (Rev.  5:1).

I saw and behold in the midst of the throne stood a Lamb, as thou it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth (Rev. 5:6).

To the seven angels were given seven trumpets (Rev. 8:2).

In the days of the voice of the seventh angel the mystery of God should be consummated (Rev. 10:7).

The seven angels that had the seven plagues went forth from the temple, clothed in linen white and shining, and girt about their breasts with golden girdles. Then one of the four animals gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials (Rev. 15:6, 7).

[3] That in the opposite sense “seven” signifies profane things is plain from these passages also in the Revelation:--

Behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems (Rev. 12:3).

I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads a name of blasphemy (Rev. 13:1).

I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.  Here is intelligence, if anyone hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, where the woman sitteth upon them; and they are seven kings. The beast that was, and is not, is himself the eighth king, and is of the seven; and he goeth into perdition (Rev. 17:3, 7, 9-11).

AC 5269. And the seven empty ears parched with the east wind. That this signifies states of the multiplication of falsity that infests the exterior natural, is evident from the signification of “ears” of corn, as being memory-knowledges, which are truths of the exterior natural (n. 5266), and therefore in the opposite sense falsities there (n. 5202-5204). What is meant by being “empty and parched with the east wind” may be seen above.

AC 5270. Shall be seven years of famine.  That this signifies a lack and seeming privation of truth, is evident from the signification of a “famine” as being a lack of knowledges (n. 1460, 3364), thus also a privation of truth; for that falsities banished truths so that it appeared as if they no longer existed, is signified by “the thin and evil kine did eat up the seven fat kine; and they came to their inwards, and it was not known that they had come to their inwards;” and also by “the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears” (verses 4, 7, 20, 21, 24); (n. 5206, 5207, 5217).  The things here treated of, that in the beginning truth will be multiplied in both naturals, and that afterward it will so fail as scarcely to appear, is a secret no one can know unless it is given him to know how the case is with the reformation and regeneration of man. As this is the subject treated of in the internal sense of the following verses, a few words shall be said about it in advance.

[2] During his reformation a man first learns truths from the Word or from doctrine, and stores them up in the memory. When one who cannot be reformed has learnt truths and stored them up in the memory, he believes that this is sufficient; but he is much mistaken.  The truths he has acquired must be initiated and conjoined with good; and this cannot be done so long as the evils of the love of self and the love of the world remain in the natural man.  These loves were the first introducers, but the truths cannot possibly be conjoined with them; and therefore in order that conjunction may be effected, the truths introduced and retained by these loves must first be banished, though they are not really banished, but are drawn within so as not to appear, for which reason it is called a “seeming” privation of truth. When this has been done, the natural is illumined from within, and the evils of the love of self and the love of the world give way; and in the degree in which they give way truths are stored up, and are conjoined with good.  The state when man is seemingly deprived of the truths is called in the Word “desolation,” and is also compared to “evening,” in which man is before he comes into the morning; and therefore in the representative church the day began from the evening.

AC 5271. Verses 28-32 This is the word that I spake unto to Pharaoh; what God doeth He hath caused Pharaoh to see. Behold there come seven years of great abundance of produce in all the land of Egypt; 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; 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.  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.  “This is the word that I spake unto Pharaoh,” signifies what the natural thought from the celestial of the spiritual; “what God doeth,” signifies concerning what is provided; “He hath caused Pharaoh to see,” signifies the perception of the natural; “behold there come seven years,” signifies states of providence; “of great abundance of produce in all the land of Egypt,” signifies the multiplication of truth in both naturals; “and there shall arise after them seven years of famine,” signifies the states that follow when there is a lack of truth; “and all the abundance of produce shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt,” signifies the removal of truth and the apparent privation of it in both naturals; “and the famine shall consume the land,” signifies even to despair; “and the abundance of produce shall not be known in the land,” signifies that nothing shall be perceived therein of truth previously there “by reason of that famine after it, for it shall be very grievous,” signifies on account of such a lack; “and for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice,” signifies because foreseen concerning both naturals; “it is because the word is established by God,” signifies that it is Divine; “and God is hastening to do it,” signifies in every event.

AC 5272. This is the word that I spake unto Pharaoh.  That this signifies what the natural thought from the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of a “word,” as being a real thing from the signification of “speaking,” as being to think (n. 2271, 2287, 2619, 5259); from the representation of Joseph, who here speaks, as being the celestial of the spiritual; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural. From all this it is plain that by “this is the word that I spake unto Pharaoh” is signified that real thing, or that which the natural thought from the celestial of the spiritual (n. 5262). As regards what is meant by the “word,” in the original language by “word” is meant some real thing; and hence Divine revelation is called the “Word,” and so also is the Lord in the supreme sense. And by the “Word,” when predicated of the Lord, and also of revelation from Him, in the proximate sense is signified Divine truth, from which all things that are real have their existence.

[2] That all things that are real have come into existence and do come into existence through the Divine truth that is from the Lord, and thus through the Word, is a secret that has not yet been disclosed. It is believed that by this is meant that all things have been created by Gods saying and commanding as a king in his kingdom.  It is not this however that is meant by all things having been made and created through the Word, but it is the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine good, that is, from the Lord, from which all things have come into existence and do come into existence.  The Divine truth proceeding from the Divine good is the veriest reality and the veriest essential in the universe, and it is this that makes and creates. Scarcely anyone has any other idea of the Divine truth than as of a word that issues from the mouth of a speaker and is dispersed in the air.  This idea of the Divine truth has produced the opinion that by the “Word” is meant only a command, thus that all things were made merely by a command, and thus not from any real thing that has proceeded from the Divine of the Lord; but as already said it is the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord, the veriest reality and essential, that is the source of all things, and from which are the forms of good and of truth.  Regarding this secret however, of the Lord‘s Divine mercy more will be said in the following pages.

AC 5273. What God doeth. What this signifies concerning what is provided, is evident from the signification of “what God doeth,” as being what is provided (n. 5264).

AC 5274. He hath caused Pharaoh to see.  That this signifies the perception of the natural, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” as being to understand and perceive (n. 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 4567, 4723), and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural, as already shown.

AC 5275. Behold there come seven years.  That this signifies states of providence, is evident from the signification of “years,” as being states (n. 487, 488, 493, 893); and from the signification of “coming,” as being of providence.  For “coming” and “coming to pass,” when predicated of the Divine or of that which God does, denotes that which happens in accordance with providence, and consequently is of providence. What God does is providence, (n. 5264, 5273). The seven years of abundance of produce and the seven years of famine are treated of in the following verses, and there by “years” are signified states - by the “years of abundance of produce,” states of the multiplication of truth in the natural, and by the “years of famine,” states of the lack and privation of truth in the natural.  In general by the seven years of abundance of produce and the seven years of famine in the land of Egypt are described in the internal sense the states of man’s reformation and regeneration, and in the supreme sense the states of the glorification of the Lord‘s Human.  It was in order that these things might be represented that such events took place in the land of Egypt; and they took place there because by the land of Egypt and by Pharaoh is meant in the internal sense the natural, the glorification of which in the Lord is here treated of.

[2] Be it known that the things which came to pass at that time, and which are described in the Word, were representative of the Lord Himself, of the glorifying of His Human, and in the representative sense of His kingdom, consequently of the church in general and of the church in the singular, and thus of the regeneration of man; for by regeneration a man is made the church in the singular.  That what took place at that time was representative of such things, was chiefly for the sake of the Word, that it might be written, and thus might contain such things as would represent Divine, celestial, and spiritual things in continuous series, and thus might be of service not only to the man of the church, but also to the angels in heaven; for the angels perceive from it Divine things, and thereby are affected with holy feelings that are communicated to the man who reads the Word with affection, whence he also feels the holiness.  This is the reason why such events took place in the land of Egypt.

AC 5276. Of great abundance of produce in all the land of Egypt. That this signifies the multiplication of truth in both naturals, is evident from the signification of “abundance of produce,” as being the multiplication of truth; and from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being both naturals.  For by “Egypt” is signified memory-knowledge (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966); and as memory-knowledge is signified, so too is the natural, for the reason that what is in the natural is called memory-knowledge; and therefore the “land of Egypt” is the natural mind in which is memory-knowledge. Hence by “all the land of Egypt” is signified both the interior and the exterior natural.  The natural is both interior and exterior, (n. 5118, 5126). That “abundance of produce” signifies a multiplication of truth, is because it is contrasted with famine, which signifies a lack of truth.  The term by which “abundance of produce” is expressed in the original tongue is one that expresses the opposite of famine, and in the internal sense signifies a full store and sufficiency of knowledges, because “famine” signifies a lack of them. Knowledges are nothing else than the truths of the natural man, but which have not yet been made his own; the multiplication of such truths is here meant.  Knowledges do not become truths in man until they are acknowledged by the understanding, which takes place when they are confirmed by him; and these truths do not become his own until he lives according to them; for nothing is made man’s own except that which becomes of his life, for thus he himself is in the truths, because his life is in them.

AC 5277. And there shall arise after them seven years of famine.  That this signifies the states that follow when there is a lack of truth, is evident from the signification of “years,” as being states (n. 482, 487, 488, 493, 893); and from the signification of “famine,” as being a lack of knowledges (n. 1460, 3364); and from the signification of “after them,” as being those which follow.

AC 5278. And all the abundance of produce shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt. That this signifies the removal of truth and the apparent privation of it in both naturals, is evident from the signification of “forgetting,” or “being forgotten,” as being removal and hence apparent privation; and from the signification of “abundance of produce,” as being the multiplication of truth, or truth multiplied (n. 5276); and from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind or the natural of man, here both naturals (n. 5276). That “forgetting,” or “being forgotten,” denotes removal and apparent privation, is because such is the case with the memory and hence with the thought. What a man thinks about is directly under his view, and things related thereto present themselves around in order, even to those unrelated, which are most remote, and thus forgotten. Things opposite are separated from the rest and hang down, and present themselves underneath, and balance those above.  This setting in order is effected by means of the good that flows in, and such is the case with all man‘s thinking. That such is the case appears from thoughts in the other life; for in the light of heaven thoughts there are wont to be sometimes presented to view, and then such a form of their arrangement is seen.  From this it is evident that “forgotten,” in the internal sense, is nothing else than removal and apparent privation.

AC 5279. And the famine shall consume the land. That this signifies even to despair, is evident from the signification of “famine,” as being a lack of knowledges, and hence a privation of truth (n. 5277, 5278); and from the signification of the “land,” here of Egypt, as being the natural mind (n. 5276, 5278). That it signifies even to despair is because it is said that “the famine shall consume the land;” for when by “land” is signified the natural mind, and by “famine” the privation of truth, nothing else than despair is signified: for then consumption takes place in a spiritual manner In this passage is described a state of desolation caused by the privation of truth, the last stage of which state is despair.  That despair is the last stage of this state, is because thereby the delight of the love of self and of the world is removed, and the delight of the love of good and of truth is insinuated in its place; for in the case of those to be regenerated, the despair is about spiritual life, consequently is about the privation of truth and good, because when these persons are deprived of truth and good they despair of spiritual life; hence they have delight and bliss when they come out of their despair.

AC 5280. And the abundance of produce shall not be known in the land. That this signifies that nothing shall be perceived therein of the truth previously there, is evident from the signification of “being known,” as being to be perceived; from the signification of “abundance of produce,” as being truth multiplied (n. 5276, 5278); and from the signification of “land,” here the land of Egypt, as being the natural mind (n. 5276, 5278, 5279). From this it is plain that by the “abundance of produce not being known in the land” is signified that nothing shall be perceived in the natural concerning the truth previously there.

[2] In this verse the subject treated of is the last state of desolation, when there is the despair which next precedes regeneration; and as this is the subject treated of in the present verse, it must be stated how the case is. Every man must be reformed and be born anew or regenerated that he may be able to come into heaven, for “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3, 5, 6). Man is born into sin, which has been increased in a long line from parents, grandparents, and ancestors, and made hereditary, and thus transmitted to the offspring.  Every man who is born, is born into all these inherited evils thus increased in succession, and consequently is nothing but sin; and therefore unless he is regenerated he remains wholly in sin.  Out in order that man may be regenerated he must first be reformed, and this is done by means of the truths of faith; for he has to learn from the Word and from doctrine therefrom what good is.  The knowledges of good from the Word, or from doctrine therefrom, are called the truths of faith, because all the truths of faith spring from good, and flow to good, for they look to good as the end.

[3] This is the first state, and is called the state of reformation.  During their childhood and youth most of those who are in the church, are introduced into this state, and yet few are regenerated; for most in the church learn the truths of faith or the knowledges of good for the sake of reputation and honor, and also for gain; and when the truths of faith have been introduced by means of these loves, the man cannot be born anew or regenerated until these loves have been removed. In order therefore that they may be removed, the man is let into a state of temptation, and this in the following manner. The loves referred to are excited by the infernal crew, for they desire to live in them; but the affections of truth and good that have been insinuated from infancy in a state of innocence, and afterward stored up interiorly and preserved for this use, are then excited by angels. The result is a conflict between the evil spirits and the angels which is felt in the man as temptation; and because the conflict is about truths and goods, the truths previously insinuated are as it were banished by means of the falsities injected by the evil spirits, so that they no longer appear (n. 5268-5270). And then as the man suffers himself to be regenerated, the light of truth from good is insinuated by the Lord through an internal way into the natural, into which light the truths are returned in order.

[4] This is the case with the man who is being regenerated; but few at this day are admitted into this state.  In so far as they permit it, all do indeed begin to be reformed by means of instruction in the truths and goods of spiritual life; but as soon as they come to the age of early manhood they suffer themselves to be carried away by the world, and thus go over to the side of infernal spirits, by whom they are gradually so estranged from heaven that they scarcely believe any longer that there is a heaven. Thus they cannot be let into any spiritual temptation, for if they were they would at once yield, and then their last state would be worse than the first (Matt.  12:45). From this it may be seen how the case is with what is here contained in the internal sense, namely, with the state of reformation and that of regeneration; but in this verse is described the last state of temptation which is a state of despair (n. 5279).

AC 5281. By reason of that famine after it, for it shall be very grievous. That this signifies on account of such a lack, is evident from the signification of “famine,” as being a lack of the knowledges of good, consequently a lack of truth (n. 5277, 5278), and finally despair on account of such a lack (n. 5279); and from the signification of “very grievous,” as being what is huge. The subject of the last state of desolation, which is one of despair, and of its increasing grievousness, is here continued (n. 5279).

AC 5282. And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice.  That this signifies because foreseen concerning both naturals, is evident from the signification of a “dream,” as being what is foreseen (n. 3698, 5091, 5092, 5104); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (n. 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160); and from the signification of “being doubled twice,” as being concerning both naturals, the interior and the exterior. The natural is twofold, interior and exterior, (n. 5118, 5126). It was foreseen concerning the interior natural in the first dream, which was about the kine (n. 5198, 5202), and concerning the exterior natural in the second dream, which was about the ears of corn (n. 5212). Hence “being doubled twice” denotes concerning both.

AC 5283. It is because the word is established by God. That this signifies that it is Divine, may be seen without explication; for “word,” when predicated of God, is Divine truth; and when this is said to be “established by God,” it signifies that the thing will surely come to pass.

AC 5284. And God is hastening to do it.  That this signifies in every event, is evident from the signification of “doing,” when predicated of God, as being providence (n. 5264), whence also it is the event, for whatever is of the Divine Providence is certain to be the event; and from the signification of “hastening to do it,” as being in every event.  In the internal sense, “to hasten” or “haste” does not mean quickly, but certainly, and also fully, thus in every event; for haste implies time, and in the spiritual world there is no time, but instead of time state; thus haste in time has reference there to such a condition of state as corresponds; and the condition of state that corresponds is that there are many things acting together toward the result, and thus insuring a certain and full event.

AC 5285. Verses 33-36.  And now let Pharaoh see a man intelligent and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.  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.  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.  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.  “And now let Pharaoh see,” signifies the looking forward of the natural; “a man intelligent and wise,” signifies about the inflowing truth and good; “and set him over the land of Egypt,” signifies that will bring into order all things in the natural mind; “let Pharaoh do this,” signifies further looking forward; “and let him appoint governors over the land,” signifies the orderly arrangement of generals in the natural; “and take up the fifth of the land of Egypt,” signifies that were to be preserved and afterward stored up; “in the seven years of abundance of produce,” signifies that had been insinuated at the times when truths with goods were multiplied; “and let them gather all the food,” signifies all things that are of use; “of those good years that come,” signifies that are to be gathered in at those times; “and heap up corn,” signifies every good of truth at the same time; “under the hand of Pharaoh,” signifies for need and consequent disposal in the natural; “for food in the cities,” signifies such things in the interiors of the natural mind; “and let them guard it,” signifies there to be laid up in store; “and the food shall be for a store to the land,” signifies that it shall be there for every use of the natural; “against the seven years of famine,” signifies according to the need in cases of deficiency; “that shall be in the land of Egypt,” signifies that shall be in the natural; “and the land shall not be cut off in the famine,” signifies lest the man should perish.

AC 5286. And now let Pharaoh see.  That this signifies the looking forward of the natural, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” or “looking,” as being to look forward; for “seeing” here implies activity, namely, in doing; but when it does not imply that something is to be done, it signifies understanding and perceiving (n. 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5114). With the looking forward of the natural the case is this. Man’s natural, or his natural mind, which is beneath his rational mind, does not of itself look forward to anything, although it appears to do this as of itself; but its looking forward is from within, for the inner looks forward in the outer very much as a man looks at himself in a mirror, in which the figure appears as if it were there.  This is also presented in the internal sense by Joseph‘s speaking thus to Pharaoh; for by Joseph is represented the celestial of the spiritual, which is inner, and by Pharaoh the natural, which is outer; and Joseph seemed to Pharaoh to be that very man intelligent and wise who is here spoken of.

AC 5287. A man intelligent and wise. That this signifies about the inflowing truth and good, is evident from the signification of an “intelligent man,” as being truth, and of a “wise man,” as being the good of truth.  Be it known that in the internal sense by a “man intelligent and wise” is not meant any such man, but abstractedly from person that which belongs to one who is intelligent and wise, thus truth and good. In the other life, especially in the heavens, all thought, and hence all speech, are carried on by means of what is abstracted from persons, and therefore thought and speech there are universal, and are relatively without limit; for so far as thought and speech are determined to persons and their specific qualities, and to names, and also to words, so far they become less universal, and are determined to the actual thing, and there abide. On the other hand, in so far as they are not determined to persons and what is connected with them, but to realities abstracted from them, so far they are determined away from the actual thing, and are extended beyond self, and the mental view becomes higher and consequently more universal.

[2] This is very apparent from man’s thought, which in so far as it regards the words of one speaking, so far it does not regard his meaning; and which in so far as it regards the particular things of the memory, and dwells on them, so far it does not perceive the nature of the real things; and, still more important, in so far as it regards itself in everything, so far it narrows the thoughts and removes itself from viewing a subject in a universal manner.  Hence it is that in proportion as anyone loves himself more than others, in the same proportion he is less wise.  From this it is now plain why things abstracted from persons are signified in the internal sense by the things which in the sense of the letter are determined to persons (n. 5225). In the Word a distinction is occasionally made between “wisdom,” “intelligence,” and “knowledge;” and by “wisdom” is meant what is from good, by “intelligence” what is from truth, and by “knowledge” both of these in man‘s natural; as in Moses:--

I have filled Bezaleel with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in intelligence, and in knowledge, and in all work (Exod. 31:2, 3; 35:30, 31);

and again:--

Give you men, wise and understanding, and knowing, according to your tribes; that I may set them for your heads (Deut. 1:13).

AC 5288. And set him over the land of Egypt.  That this signifies that will bring into order all things in the natural mind, is evident from the signification of “setting over” anything, as being to appoint one who will bring into order, thus also to bring into order; and from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind (n. 5276, 5278, 5279).  By “him” is here meant a “man intelligent and wise,” by whom is signified truth and good.  From this it is plain that by these words is signified that truth and good will bring into order all things in the natural.  It is indeed good and truth that bring into order each and all things in the natural mind; for they flow in from within, and thus arrange them. One who does not know how the case is with man’s intellectual faculty, and how man can mentally view things, perceive them, think analytically, draw conclusions thence, and at last pass them over to the will, and through the will into act, sees nothing to wonder at in these things; he supposes that all things flow naturally in this way, being quite unaware that they are one and all from influx through heaven from the Lord, and that without this influx a man could not think at all, and that when the influx ceases so does everything of thought.  So neither does he know that the good flowing in through heaven from the Lord brings all things into order, and in so far as the man allows, forms them after the image of heaven, and that from this the thought flows agreeably to the heavenly form.  The heavenly form is that form into which the heavenly societies are brought into order, and they are brought into order in accordance with the form that is induced by the good and truth that proceed from the Lord.

AC 5289. Let Pharaoh do this.  That this signifies further looking forward, is evident from what was unfolded above (n. 5286).

AC 5290. And let him appoint governors over the land.  That this signifies the orderly arrangement of generals in the natural, is evident from the signification of “appointing over,” as being to bring into order; from the signification of “governors,” as being generals; and from the signification of the “land,” here the land of Egypt, as being the natural mind (n. 5288). The reason why “governors” signify generals, is that it is generals in which and under which are particulars (n. 917, 4269, 4325, 4329, 4345, 4383, 5208) by “princes” however are signified primary things (n. 1482, 2089, 5044).

AC 5291. And take the fifth of the land of Egypt.  That this signifies that are to be preserved and afterward stored up, is evident from the signification of “taking a fifth,” as here involving the same as tithing or taking a tenth: “to tithe,” in the Word, signifies to make remains, and to make remains is to gather truths and goods, and then to store them up. Remains are goods and truths stored up by the Lord in the inner man, (n. 468, 530, 560, 561, 661, 1050, 1906, 2284, 5135); and by “tithes” in the Word are signified remains, (n. 576, 1738, 2280); and likewise by “ten,” (n. 1906, 2284); and hence also by “five,” which number is half of ten. Half and double in the Word involve the like as the numbers to which they are applied as “twenty” the like as “ten,” “four” the like as “two,” “six” as “three,” “twenty-four” as “twelve,” and so on; so also numbers still further multiplied involve the like, as a “hundred” and also a “thousand” the like as “ten,” “seventy-two” and also a “hundred and forty-four” the like as “twelve.” That therefore compound numbers involve can be known from the simple numbers from which and with which they are multiplied; also what the more simple numbers involve can be known from the whole numbers, as what “five” is can be known from “ten,” and what “two and a half” is from “five,” and so on. In general it is to be known that numbers multiplied involve the like as the simple numbers, but what is more full; and that numbers divided involve the same, but what is not so full. 

[2] As regards “five” in particular, this number has a twofold signification, signifying a little and hence something, and also signifying remains.  That it signifies a little is from its relation to those numbers which signify much, namely, to a “thousand” and a “hundred,” and hence also to “ten.”  A “thousand” and a “hundred” signify much, (n. 2575, 2636); and hence also “ten,” (n. 3107, 4638). Hence it is that “five” signifies a little and also something (n. 649, 4638).  “Five” signifies remains when it has reference to “ten,” “ten” signifying remains, as already said. All numbers in the Word signify real things, (n. 575, 647, 648, 755, 813, 1963, 1988, 2075, 2252, 3252, 4264, 4495, 4670, 5265).

[3] He who does not know that the Word has an internal sense, not appearing in the letter, will be greatly surprised that the numbers in the Word signify real things, chiefly because he cannot form any spiritual idea from numbers; nevertheless, that numbers flow from the spiritual idea the angels have may be seen above (n. 5265). What the ideas or real things are to which numbers correspond he may indeed know, but the source of this correspondence still lies hidden from him-such as the correspondence of “twelve” to all things of faith, and the correspondence of “seven” to holy things, also the correspondence of “ten,” and of “five,” to the goods and truths stored up by the Lord in the inner man, and so on.  It suffices to know that there is a correspondence, and that it is from this correspondence that all the numbers in the Word signify something in the spiritual world, consequently that the Divine inspired into them lies hidden within them.

[4] Take for instance the following passages in which “five” is mentioned, as in the Lord‘s parable about the man who went into another country, and delivered to his servants according to their abilities, to one five talents, to another two, and to a third one:--

And he that had received the five talents traded with them, and gained other five talents; and likewise he that had received two gained other two; but he that had received one hid his lord’s silver in the earth (Matt. 25:14);

one who does not think beyond the literal sense cannot know but that the very numbers, five, two, and one, were taken simply for composing the story of the parable, and that they involve nothing further, whereas there is a secret in these numbers themselves; for by the “servant who received five talents” are signified those who have admitted goods and truths from the Lord, thus who have received remains; by “him who received two” are signified those who have joined charity to faith when well on in years; and by “him who received one,” those who have received faith alone without charity.  Of the last it is said that he “hid his lord‘s silver in the earth;” for by the “silver” he had is signified in the internal sense the truth that is of faith (n. 1551, 2954) and faith without charity cannot make gain or bear fruit.  Such are the things in these numbers.

[5] It is similar with other parables, as with the one about the man who, going into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, gave to his servants ten pounds, and told them to trade with them till he came. When he returned the first said:--

Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.  And he said unto him, Well done thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a very little, be thou over ten cities. And the second said, Lord, thy pound hath made five pounds. And he said unto him also, Be thou also over five cities.  The third had laid up the pound in a napkin.  But the lord said, Take away from him the pound, and give it unto him that hath ten pounds (Luke 19:12);

here in like manner “ten” and “five” signify remains “ten” more, “five” fewer.  He who laid up the pound in a napkin denotes those who procure for themselves the truths of faith but do not conjoin them with the goods of charity, and so have no gain or fruit from them.

[6] It is the same where the Lord mentions these numbers in other places as with him that was called to the supper and said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them” (Luke 14:19); with the rich man who said to Abraham, “I have five brethren;” that one might be sent to tell them, lest they also come into this place of torment (Luke 16:28) with the ten virgins, five of whom were prudent, and five foolish (Matt. 25:1-13); and likewise in these words of the Lord: “think ye that I am come to give peace upon earth?  I tell you, Nay; but division; for from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three” (Luke 12:51); and also even in the historic facts that the Lord fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes, and that He commanded them to sit down by hundreds and by fifties; and after they had eaten they took up twelve baskets of fragments (Matt. 14:15-21; Mark 6:38; Luke 9:12-17; John 6:5-13).

[7] As these passages are historic it can hardly be believed that the numbers in them are significant as the number “five thousand” of the men, and also the number “five” of the loaves, and “two” of the fishes, as also the number “one hundred,” and the number “fifty,” of the companies that sat down, and lastly “twelve” which was the number of the baskets containing the fragments; when yet there is a secret in each number. For every detail happened of Providence, in order that Divine things might be represented

[8] In the following passages also, “five” signifies in both the genuine and the opposite sense such things in the spiritual world as it corresponds to. In Isaiah:--

There shall be left therein gleanings as in the shaking of an olive-tree, two or three berries in the head of the bough, four or five in the branches of a fruitful tree (Isa. 17:6).

In the same:--

In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan, and swear to Jehovah Zebaoth (Isa. 19:18).

Again:--

One thousand shall flee before the rebuke of one, before the rebuke of five shall ye flee; till ye be left as a mast upon the head of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill (Isa. 30:17).

In the Revelation:--

The fifth angel sounded, then I saw a star from heaven fallen into the earth; and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss. To the locusts that came out thence it was said that they should not kill the men who had not the seal of God on their foreheads, but that they should be tormented five months (Rev. 9:1, 3-5, 10).

In the same:--

Here is intelligence, if anyone has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains, where the woman sitteth upon them; and they are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he mast remain a little while (Rev. 17:9, 10).

[9] In like manner the number “five” was representative in the following instances--that the valuation of a man and of a woman should be according to years, from a month to five years, and from five years to twenty (Lev. 27:1-9) Again, if a field were redeemed, a fifth part should be added (Lev. 27:19). And if tithes were redeemed, a fifth part should be added (Lev. 27:31). That the superfluous firstborn were to be redeemed for five shekels (Num. 3:46-51).  That the firstborn of an unclean beast was to be redeemed by adding a fifth part (Lev. 27:27). That as a fine for certain transgressions a fifth part was to be added (Lev. 22:14; 27:13, 15; Num. 5:6-8). And that if a man shall steal an ox or a sheep, and kill it or sell it, he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep (Exod. 22:1).

[10] That the number “five” holds within it a heavenly secret, and that “ten” does the same, is evident from the cherubim, of which we read in the first book of Kings:--

Solomon made in the adytum two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. Five cubits was the wing of the one cherub, and five cubits the wing of the other cherub it was ten cubits from the ends of its wings even unto the ends of its wings so the cherub was ten cubits. Both the cherubim were of one measure and one form (1 Kings 6:23-27).

The same is evident also from the lavers around the temple, and from the lampstands, of which it is written in the same book:--

The bases of the lavers were placed, five by the shoulder of the house to the right, and five by the shoulder of the house to the left. Also that the lampstands were placed, five on the right and five on the left, before the adytum (1 Kings 7:39, 49).

That the brazen sea was ten ells from brim to brim, and five ells in height, and thirty ells in circumference (1 Kings 7:23), was in order that holy things might be signified by the numbers “ten” and “five,” and also by “thirty,” which number of the circumference does not indeed geometrically answer to the diameter, but still it spiritually involves that which is signified by the compass of that vessel.

[11] That in the spiritual world all numbers signify real things is plainly manifest from the numbers in Ezekiel where is described the new earth, the new city, and the new temple, which the angel measured in detail (see chapters 40, 43, 45, 49).  The description of nearly all the holy things there is set forth by numbers, and therefore one who does not know what those numbers involve can know scarcely anything about the secrets contained therein.  The number “ten” and the number “five” occur there (Ezekiel 40:7, 11, 48; 41:2, 9, 11, 12; 42:4; 45:11, 14), besides the multiplied numbers, “twenty-five,” “fifty,” “five hundred,” and “five thousand.” It is manifest from the details in these chapters that the new earth, the new city, and the new temple signify the Lord’s kingdom in the heavens, and hence His church on earth.

[12] These instances of the use of the number “five” are here brought together because in this and the following verses it is told of the land of Egypt that a fifth part of the produce was to be collected there in the seven years of plenty, and to be preserved for use in the following years of famine.  Therefore it has been shown that by a “fifth part” are signified goods and truths stored up in man by the Lord, and reserved for use when there shall be a famine, that is when there shall be a lack and privation of good and truth; for unless such things were stored up in man by the Lord, there would be nothing to uplift him in a state of temptation and vastation, consequently nothing through which he could be regenerated; and thus he would be without the means of salvation in the other life.

AC 5292. In the seven years of abundance of produce.  That this signifies that had been insinuated at the times when truths with goods were multiplied, is evident from the signification of “years,” as being states, and hence also times; and from the signification of “abundance of produce,” as being the multiplication of truth, or truth multiplied (n. 5276, 5278, 5280); here therefore are signified truths with goods multiplied, because truths are nothing without goods, and no truths are stored up in the inner man (n. 5291), except such as are conjoined with goods.  That “years” signify not only states, but also times, is because in the internal sense “years” signify entire states, that is, entire periods from the beginning of a state to the end. These periods cannot be expressed otherwise than by times, nor can they be apprehended as anything else by those who are in time. “Years” and “days” are both states and times, (n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2906).

AC 5293. And let them gather all the food. That this signifies all things that are of use, is evident from the signification of “gathering,” as being to bring together and preserve; and from the signification of “food,” as being things that are of use. In the internal sense “food” properly signifies the things that nourish the soul of man, that is, that nourish him after death, for he then lives as a soul or spirit, and no longer needs material food, but spiritual food, which consists in everything that is of use, and everything that is conducive to use.  That which is conducive to use is to know what is good and true; that which is of use is to will and do what is good and true. These are the things that nourish the angels, and are therefore called spiritual and heavenly food.  Man‘s mind within which are his interior understanding and interior will, or his intentions or ends, is not nourished by any other food even while he lives in the body.  Material food does not penetrate to the mind, but only to the things of the body, which that food sustains to the end that this mind may enjoy its food while the body enjoys its food, that is, that this mind may be sound in a sound body.

[2] That “food” in the spiritual sense denotes everything that is of use, is because all man’s knowing, and all his understanding and being wise, and therefore all his willing, ought to have use for their end; hence the quality of his life is according to the quality of his use. That “food” in the internal sense denotes everything that is of use, is plain from these words of the Lord:--

Jesus said to the disciples, I have food to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought Him aught to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My food is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to perfect His work (John 4:32-34);

and in another place:--

Labor not for the food that perisheth, but for that food that remaineth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you; for Him hath God the Father sealed (John 6:27).

AC 5294. Of those good years that come.  That this signifies that are to be gathered in at those times, is evident from the signification of “years,” as being states, and also times (n. 5292).  The “good years that come” are therefore those times when truths with goods are multiplied, which are signified by the “seven years of abundance of produce.”

AC 5295. And let them heap up corn. That this signifies every good of truth at the same time, is evident from the signification of “heaping up,” as being to gather and at the same time preserve; and from the signification of “corn,” as being the good of the natural (n. 3580), here the good of truth that is in the natural.  The good of truth is truth in the will and in act.  That “corn” signifies good is because a “field” in the spiritual sense is the church; and hence whatever belongs to a field, such as seed, sowing, harvest, crop, corn, and also the head or ear of corn, and in particular wheat, barley, and other kinds of grain, denote such things as are of the church; and all the things of the church bear relation to good and truth.

AC 5296. Under the hand of Pharaoh. That this signifies for need and consequent disposal in the natural, is evident from the signification of the “hand,” as being power (n. 878, 3387, 4931-4937); hence “under the hand” denotes for disposal in every case of need, for what is in the power of anyone is at his disposal; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural.

AC 5297. For food in the cities. That this signifies such things in the interiors of the natural mind, is evident from the signification of “food,” as being all things that are of use, thus truths and goods (n. 5293); and from the signification of “cities,” as being the interiors of the natural mind.  In the universal sense “cities” signify the doctrinal things of the church (n. 402, 2268, 2449, 2451, 2712, 2943, 3216, 4492, 4493); but in an individual sense they signify the interiors of man where doctrinal things are, or rather where are truths conjoined with good. That the truths and goods in man form as it were a city, may be seen above (n. 3584); and hence that man himself in whom is the church is called the “city of God.” The signification of a “city” is circumstanced as is that of a “house.” In the universal sense a “house” signifies good, but in the individual sense it signifies a man (n. 3128), and specifically his mind as to the good and truth conjoined in it (n. 3538, 4973, 5023); and a house with its apartments,  out-buildings, and courts, is a city in the least form.

[2] The interiors of the natural mind are signified by “cities” in Isaiah:--

In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan, and that swear to Jehovah Zebaoth (Isa. 19:18);

and the goods and truths in the interiors are signified by the “cities” in the Lord‘s parable in Luke:--

He said to him that by the pound had made ten pounds, Well done thou good servant; because thou hast been faithful in a very little, be thou over ten cities.  And he said to the second, who had made five pounds, Be thou also over five cities (Luke 19:12).

Here therefore by “heaping up food in the cities and guarding it,” is signified that truths conjoined with good were to be stored up in the interiors of the natural mind; and when these truths and goods have been stored up there, they are called “remains,” in which the veriest spiritual life of man consists, and from which he is spiritually nourished in every case of need and want, that is, in every spiritual famine.

AC 5298. And let them guard it.  That this signifies there to be laid up in store, is evident from the signification of “guarding,” as being to store up, namely, in the interiors of the natural mind, which are signified by “cities” (n. 5297).

AC 5299. And the food shall be for a store to the land.  That this signifies that it should be there for every use of the natural, is evident from the signification of “food,” as being goods and truths (n. 5293); and from the signification of “for a store,” as being what is laid up for every use, because for use in the following years of famine; and from the signification of the “land,” here the land of Egypt, as being the natural mind (n. 5276, 5278, 5279, 5288).

AC 5300. Against the seven years of famine.  That this signifies according to the need in cases of deficiency, is evident from the signification of “famine,” as being a lack of truth (n. 5277, 5278).  That it is for a case of need then is plain; for “years” in the internal sense are states, and therefore “against those years” denotes those states when there is need.

AC 5301. That shall be in the land of Egypt.  That this signifies that shall be in the natural, is evident from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind (n. 5276, 5278, 5279, 5288).  It is here and elsewhere said “the natural,” and thereby is meant the natural mind; for man has two minds, a rational mind and a natural mind; the rational mind is of the internal man, and the natural mind is of the external man.  This mind or this man is what is meant by “the natural” simply so called.  That the mind is the man himself, will be seen in what now follows.

AC 5302. And the land shall not be cut off in the famine. That this signifies lest the man should perish, namely, by the lack of truth, is evident from the signification of “being cut off,” as being to perish; and from the signification of “land,” here the land of Egypt, as being the natural mind (n. 5301); and because it is the natural mind, it is the man himself, for man is man from his mind; for the mind itself constitutes the man, and such as the mind is, such is the man. By the “mind” is meant man’s intellect and will, and consequently his veriest life.  Stupid people suppose that man is man from his outward form, in that he has a face like a man‘s; those less stupid say man is man because he can speak; and those still less stupid, that man is man because he can think. But man is not man from these things, but from the fact that he can think what is true and will what is good, and that when he thinks truth and wills good he can look up to the Divine and perceptibly receive it.  It is in this that man is distinguished from the brute animals.

[2] But his seeming like a man, and his ability to speak and to think, do not make him a man; for if he thinks what is false and wills what is evil, this makes him not merely like a brute animal, but worse; for by means of these very faculties he destroys what is human in himself, and makes himself a wild beast.  This is especially evident from such persons in the other life, who when seen in the light of heaven and looked at by angels, appear as monsters, and some of them as wild beasts, the deceitful as serpents, and others in other forms.  But when they are removed from that light and are let back into their own light which they have in hell, they seem to one another like men.  But how the case stands that man would perish when the truth fails him, had he not goods and truths stored up by the Lord in the interiors (signified by the “food for a store to the land against the seven years of famine, that the land shall not be cut off in the famine”) will be told in the following verses of this chapter.

AC 5303. Verses 37-40.  And the word was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Shall we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the spirit of God? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath caused thee to know all this, there is no one so intelligent and wise as thou; 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.  “And the word was good in the eyes of Pharaoh,” signifies what is very pleasing to the natural; “and in the eyes of all his servants,” signifies what is very pleasing to all things in the natural; “and Pharaoh said unto his servants,” signifies the perception of the natural together with all things therein; “Shall we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the spirit of God,” signifies about the influx of truth in which is good from the interior, thus the celestial of the spiritual; “and Pharaoh said unto Joseph,” signifies the perception of the natural from the celestial of the spiritual; “Forasmuch as God hath caused thee to know all this,” signifies because it has foresight and providence; “there is no one so intelligent and wise as thou,” signifies that this is the only source of truth and good; “thou shalt be over my house,” signifies that the natural mind shall be subordinate and submissive thereto; “and upon thy mouth shall all my people kiss,” signifies that everything therein shall be in obedience to him; “only in the throne will I he greater than thou,” signifies that nevertheless it will appear as if from the natural, because from the celestial of the spiritual through the natural.

AC 5304. And the word was good in the eyes of Pharaoh. That this signifies what is very pleasing to the natural, is evident from the signification of the “word being good,” as being to please; it is said “in the eyes” from a customary form of speech, because the “eye” signifies the interior sight, thus understanding, perception, attention, and other things belonging to this sight (n. 2701, 2789, 2829, 3198, 3202, 3820, 4083, 4086, 4339, 4403-4421, 4523-4534), and therefore by the “word being good in his eyes” is signified what is very pleasing; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural, as often shown before.

AC 5305. And in the eyes of all his servants.  That this signifies what is very pleasing to all things in the natural, is evident from the signification of the “word being good in their eyes,” as being what is very pleasing (n. 5304); and from the signification of “servants,” as being the things in the natural, especially in the exterior natural.  A “servant” is occasionally mentioned in the Word, and thereby in the internal sense is meant that which is of service to something else, and in general all that which is below relatively to what is above; for it is in accordance with order that the lower should be of service to the higher, and in so far as it is of service it is called a “servant.” In the present case it is the things in the natural that are called “servants;” for the natural in general is represented by Pharaoh, and the general itself is that to which the particulars are to be of service, as to the common good in kingdoms. “Pharaoh” is the natural in general, (n. 5160).

AC 5306. And Pharaoh said unto his servants.  That this signifies the perception of the natural together with all things therein, is evident from the signification of “saying,” in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2061, 2080, 2238, 2619, 2862, 3395, 3509); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (n. 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160); and from the signification of “his servants,’ as being all things in the natural (n. 5305).

AC 5307. Shall we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the spirit of God?  That this signifies about the influx of truth in which is good from within, thus about the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of a ”man,“ as being truth (n. 3134, 3309, 3459); and from the signification of the ”spirit of God,“ as being good from within, thus from the Divine.  For the ”spirit of God“ denotes that which proceeds from the Divine, thus from good itself, because the Divine is good itself, and that which proceeds from it is truth in which is good, which is what is signified in the Word by the ”spirit of God;“ for the spirit itself does not go forth, but truth itself in which is good, or holy truth, the spirit being instrumental in bringing it forth. This truth in which is good is here the celestial of the spiritual, which is represented by Joseph.

[2] It is known in the church that ”Joseph“ in the spiritual sense is the Lord, and therefore the Lord is called the ”heavenly Joseph;“ but it is not known what in the Lord Joseph represents.  For the Lord is represented by Abraham, and also by Isaac, as well as by Jacob, and He is also represented by Moses and Elijah, by Aaron, by David, besides by many others in the Word, and yet not in the same way by one as by another.  By Abraham the Lord is represented as to the Divine Itself, by Isaac as to the Divine rational, by Jacob as to the Divine natural, by Moses as to the law or historic Word, by Elijah as to the prophetic Word, by Aaron as to the priesthood, and by David as to the royalty.  But what is represented by Joseph may be seen above (n. 3969, 4286, 4585, 4592, 4594, 4669, 4723, 4727, 4963, 5249). That which Joseph represents is called ”the celestial of the spiritual from the natural,“ the only words by which it can be expressed.  For the celestial is good from the Divine, and the spiritual is truth from that good, and thus is the truth of the good from His Divine Human.  This the Lord was when He lived in the world; but when He had glorified Himself, He passed above it, and became the Divine good itself or Jehovah even as to the Human.

[3] No more can be said in detail about this mystery, except that Joseph came to Egypt and first served in the house of Potiphar the prince of the guards and then was held in custody, but afterward became ruler over Egypt, in order that he might represent how the Lord progressively made the Human in Himself Divine, about which the Word was to be written, that it might contain Divine things in the internal sense; which sense was to be of service more especially to the angels whose wisdom, which is incomprehensible and ineffable in comparison with human wisdom, consists in such things) and at the same time to men, who are especially fond of histories and revolve these in their minds, while the angels by influx from the Lord perceive in them what is Divine.

AC 5308. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph.  That this signifies the perception of the natural from the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of ”saying“ in the historic parts of the Word, as being perception (n. 5306); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural; and from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual, as often shown above.

AC 5309. Forasmuch as God hath caused thee to know all this.  That this signifies because it has foresight and providence, is evident from the signification of ”knowing,“ when predicated of God, as being foresight and providence; for it cannot be said of God that He takes knowledge of a thing, because He knows all things from Himself, and the faculty of taking knowledge in man is from Him. Therefore in God ”to know“ is to foresee and to provide: to foresee is to know from eternity to eternity, and to provide is to do this.  The reason why the celestial of the spiritual has foresight and providence, is that in the internal sense the Lord is here treated of, who is the celestial of the spiritual represented by Joseph.

AC 5310. There is no one so intelligent and wise as thou. That this signifies that this is the only source of truth and good, is evident from the signification of ”intelligent“ as being truth, and from the signification of ”wise“ as being good (n. 5287). That truth and good are from no other source than this is signified by ”no one,“ because in the internal sense ”no one“ or ”none“ is negative, thus is exclusive of every other (n. 5225, 5253).

AC 5311. Thou shalt be over my house.  That this signifies that the natural mind shall be subordinate and submissive thereto, is evident from the signification of a ”house,“ as being the mind (n. 3538, 4973, 5023), here the natural mind, because it is called ”my house“ by Pharaoh, by whom is represented the natural.  That it shall be subordinate and submissive is signified by ”thou shalt be over it,“ for he that is over anyones house really rules it, and has all who are in it subordinate and submissive to him, though in appearance the master of the house still retains the name and dignity.

AC 5312. And upon thy mouth shall all my people kiss.  That this signifies that everything therein shall be in obedience to him, is evident from the signification of ”kissing upon the mouth,“ as being to acknowledge and do what he bids, thus to obey; and from the signification of ”all my people,“ as being everything in the natural. By ”people“ are signified truths (n. 1259, 1260, 3581, 4619), thus the knowledges of good and truth in the natural, and also memory-knowledges, for these are the truths of the natural (n. 5276).

AC 5313. Only in the throne will I be greater than thou.  That this signifies that nevertheless it will appear as if from the natural, because from the celestial of the spiritual through the natural, is manifest from the signification of ”being greater than another,“ as here being to be greater in appearance or to the sight; and from the signification of a ”throne,“ as here being the natural.  For the natural is meant by a ”throne“ when the celestial of the spiritual is meant by ” him that sitteth upon it;“ for the natural is like a throne for the spiritual, here the celestial of the spiritual. In general that which is lower is like a throne for the higher; for the higher is and acts therein, and indeed through the lower, and what is done appears as if done by the lower, because, as just said, it is done through it.  This is what is meant by Pharaoh saying to Joseph, ”Only in the throne will I be greater than thou.“

[2] A ”throne“ is often mentioned in the Word where the subject treated of is Divine truth and judgment therefrom; and by ”throne“ in the internal sense is signified that which be longs to the Divine royalty, and by ”him that sitteth upon it,“ the Lord Himself as King or Judge.  But the signification of ”throne,“ like that of many other things, is according to the application.  When the Divine Itself and the Lord‘s Divine Human are meant by ”him that sitteth on the throne,“ then the Divine truth which proceeds from Him is meant by the ”throne;“ but when the Divine truth that proceeds from the Lord is meant by ”him that sitteth on the throne,“ then the universal heaven filled with Divine truth is meant by the ”throne;“ but when the Lord as to the Divine truth in the higher heavens is meant by ”him that sitteth on the throne,“ then the Divine truth in the lowest heaven and also in the church, is meant by the ”throne.“ Thus the significations of ”throne“ are relative.  That by a ”throne“ is signified that which belongs to Divine truth, is because truth is signified in the Word by a ”king,“ and also by a ”kingdom.“ Truth is signified by a ”king“, (n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068); and by a ”kingdom,“ (n. 1672, 2547, 4691),

[3] But what is specifically meant in the Word by a ”throne“ is plain from the connection in which it is spoken of, as in Matthew:--

I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King (Matthew 5:34, 35).

Again in another place:--

He that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by Him that sitteth thereon (Matthew 23:22).

Here it is expressly said that heaven is ”God‘s throne;“ and by the ”earth,“ called His ”footstool,“ is signified that which is below’ heaven, thus the church. The ”earth“ is the church, (n. 566, 662, 1066, 1068, 1262, 1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535). Likewise in Isaiah:--

Thus saith Jehovah, The heavens are My throne, and the earth Is My footstool (Isa. 66:1)

and in David:--

Jehovah hath made firm His throne in the heavens (Ps.  103:19).

In Matthew:--

When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angel with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory (Matthew 25:31);

speaking of the Last Judgment, and He that sitteth on the throne is called the ”King“ (Matthew 25:34, 40). Here the ”throne of glory“ in the internal sense is the Divine truth that is from the Divine good in heaven; ”He that sitteth on that throne“ is the Lord, who, being the Judge from Divine truth, is here called the ”King.“

[4] In Luke:--

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give unto Him the throne of His father David (Luke 1:32);

said by the angel to Mary.  Everyone can see that the throne of David here is not the kingdom David had, or a kingdom on earth, but a kingdom in heaven; and therefore by ”David“ is not meant David, but the Lord‘s Divine royalty; and by ”throne“ is signified the Divine truth that goes forth and makes the Lord’s kingdom.  In the Revelation:--

I was in the spirit; and behold a throne was set in heaven, and on the throne was One sitting. And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper stone and a sardius; and there was a rainbow round about the throne in look like an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty thrones, and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting. And out of the throne went forth lightnings and thunderings and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne that are the seven spirits of God. And before the throne there was a glassy sea like unto crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, four animals full of eyes before and behind.  And when the animals have given glory and honor and thanks to Him that sitteth upon the throne, who liveth forever and ever, the four and twenty elders shall fall down before Him that sitteth upon the throne, and shall worship Him that liveth forever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne (Rev. 4:2-11).

[5] In these verses is representatively described the throne of the Lord‘s glory, and thereby the Divine truth proceeding from Him, but if the signification of these representatives is not known, scarcely anything can be known of the meaning of these prophetic words, an they will be supposed to be devoid of anything more deeply Divine than the sense of the letter; in which case the heavenly kingdom will be thought of as if it were an earthly kingdom.  And yet by a ”throne set in heaven“ is signified the Divine truth there, thus heaven as to Divine truth; and by ”Him that sat upon the throne“ is meant the Lord.  That ”to look upon He appeared like a jasper stone and a sardius“ is because by these stones, as by all the precious stones spoken of in the Word, is signified Divine truth (n. 114, 3858, 3862); and by ”stones“ in general the truths of faith (n. 643, 1298, 3720, 3769, 3771, 3773, 3789, 3798).

[6]  By the ”rainbow round about the throne“ are signified truths pellucid from good; and this because colors in the other life are from the light of heaven, and the light of heaven is Divine truth. In regard to rainbows in the other life, (n. 1042, 1043, 1053, 1623-1625); and also in  regard to colors, (n. 1053, 1624, 3993, 4530, 4677, 4741, 4742, 4922).  By the ”twenty-four thrones round about the throne“ are signified all things of truth in one complex, the like as is signified by ”twelve.“ ”Twelve“ denotes all things of truth in a complex, (n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913).  The ”lightnings, thunderings, and voices that proceeded out of the throne“ signify the terrors caused by the Divine truth with those who are not in good.  The ”seven lamps of fire burning“ are affections of truth from good, which do hurt to those who are not in good, and therefore are called the ”seven spirits of God who do hurt,“ as is plain from the following verses.

[7] The ”glassy sea before the throne“ is all the  truth in the natural, thus knowledges.  These things are the ”sea“, (n. 28, 2850). The ”four animals in the midst of the throne and round about the throne full of eyes before and behind“ are things of the understanding from the Divine in the heavens, ”four“ signifying their conjunction with the things of the will.  For truths are of the intellectual part and goods are of the will part, whence it is said that they were ”full of eyes before and behind,“ because ”eyes“ signify things of the understanding, and hence in a higher sense the things of faith (n. 2701, 3820, 4403-4421, 4523-4534). ”Four“ denotes conjunction, the same as ”two,“ (n. 1686, 3519, 5194). The holiness of the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is described in the rest of the passage.

[8] As by the ”twenty-four thrones and the twenty-four elders“ are signified all things of truth or all things of faith in one complex, and the like by ”twelve,“ it is evident that all things of truth, from which and according to which Judgment is effected, are what is meant in the internal sense by the ”twelve thrones on which the twelve apostles were to sit,“ of which we read thus in Matthew:--

Jesus said to the disciples, Verily I say unto you, that ye who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28);

and in Luke:--

I appoint unto you a kingdom, as the Father hath appointed unto Me; that ye may eat and drink upon My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22:29, 30).

That the ”twelve apostles“ denote all things of truth may be seen above (n. 2129, 2553, 3354, 3488, 3858); and also the ”twelve sons of Jacob,“ and hence the ”twelve tribes of Israel“ (n. 3858, 3913, 3926, 3939, 4060, 4603); and that the apostles cannot judge even one person (n. 2129, 2553).

[9] Likewise in the Revelation:--

I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them (Rev. 20:4);

where also by ”thrones“ are signified all things of truth, from which and according to which Judgment is effected.  The like is also meant by the ”angels with whom the Lord is to come to judgment“ (Matt. 25:31); that by ”angels“ in the Word something in the Lord is signified may be seen above (n. 1705, 1925, 2319, 2821, 3039, 4085), in this instance they signify truths from the Divine, which truths in the Word are also called ”judgments“ (n. 2235).

[10] In very many other places also a ”throne“ is attributed to Jehovah or the Lord, and this because there is in thrones what is representative of a kingdom. When there is discourse in a higher heaven about Divine truth and Judgment, a throne appears in the ultimate heaven.  This is the reason why a ”throne“ is representative, and is so often spoken of in the prophetic Word, and why from most ancient times thrones became the mark of kings, and as such a mark signify royalty, as in the following passages.  In Moses:--

Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi, and he said, Because a hand is upon the throne of Jah, there shall be the war of Jehovah against Amalek from generation to generation (Exod. 17:15, 16).

What is meant by a ”hand upon the throne of Jah,“ and by the ”war of Jehovah against Amalek from generation to generation,“ no one can know except from the internal sense, and unless he knows what is meant by a ”throne,“ and what by ”Amalek.“ By ”Amalek“ in the Word are signified the falsities that assail truths (n. 1679), and by a ”throne“ the Divine truth itself that is assailed.

[11] In David:--

Jehovah, Thou hast maintained my judgment and my cause; Thou hast sat upon the throne, the Judge of justice. Jehovah shall remain to eternity, He hath prepared His throne for judgement (Ps. 9:4, 7).

Again:--

Thy throne O God is forever and to eternity, a scepter of rectitude is the scepter of Thy kingdom (Ps. 45:6).

Again:--

Clouds and thick darkness are round about Him; justice and judgement are the support of His throne (Ps. 97:2).

In Jeremiah:--

In that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it (Jer. 3:17);

”Jerusalem“ denotes the Lord’s spiritual kingdom.

[12] This kingdom is meant also by the ”new Jerusalem“ in Ezekiel, and by the ”holy Jerusalem coming down from heaven“ in the Revelation.  The Lord‘s spiritual kingdom is where Divine truth in which is good is the chief thing, and the celestial kingdom is where the chief thing is Divine good from which as Divine truth, and this shows why Jerusalem is called the ”throne of Jehovah;“ and why it is said in David:--

In Jerusalem are set thrones for judgment (Ps. 122:5).

But Zion is called the ”throne of the glory of Jehovah“ in Jeremiah:--

Hast Thou utterly renounced Judah? hath Thy soul loathed Zion? despise it not for Thy name’s sake, defile not the throne of Thy glory (Jer. 14:19, 21);

where by ”Zion“ is meant the Lord‘s celestial kingdom.

[13] The manner in which the Lord in respect to judgment is represented in heaven, where things such as are occasionally related in the prophets are visibly presented to the sight, is seen in Daniel:--

I beheld till the throne were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like clean wool; His throne was a flame of fire, and the wheels thereof burning fire; a stream of fire issued and went forth before Him; thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened (Daniel 7:9, 10).

Such things are constantly seen in heaven, all being representative, and they appear from the discourse of the angels in the higher heavens, which on descending presents such objects to the sight. Angelic spirits to whom perception is given by the Lord know what these things signify, as for instance the ”Ancient of days,“ the ”garment white as snow,“ the ”hair like clean wool,“ the ”throne like a flame of fire,“ the ”wheels a burning fire,“ the ”stream of fire issuing from Him.“ By the ”flame of fire“ and the ”stream of fire“ is there represented the good of Divine love (n. 934, 1906, 5071, 5215).

[14] So in Ezekiel:--

Above the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim was the likeness of a throne, as the look of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the look of a man upon it above (Ezek. 1:26; 10:1).

And also in the first book of Kings:--

I saw, said Micaiah the prophet, Jehovah sitting on His throne, and the universal army of the heavens standing by Him on His right hand and on His left (1 Kings 22:19).

One who is not aware what these terms represent, and thence signify, must believe that the Lord has a throne like kings on earth, and that there are such things as are here mentioned; yet there are not such things in the heavens, but they are so presented to view before those who are in the ultimate heaven, and from them as from pictures they see Divine arcana.

[15] The Lord’s royalty, by which is signified the Divine truth that proceeds from Him, was represented also by the throne constructed by Solomon, regarding which it is thus written in the first book of Kings:--

Solomon made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold. There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were hands on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the hands, and twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps (1 Kings 10:18-21).

Thus was represented the ”throne of glory,“ the ”lions“ being Divine truths fighting and conquering, and the ”twelve lions“ all these truths in one complex.

[16] As almost all the things in the Word have also an opposite sense, so too has a ”throne,“ and in this sense it signifies the kingdom of falsity, as in the Revelation:--

To the angel of the church in Pergamos: I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even here Satan‘s throne is (Rev. 2:12, 13).

In the same:--

The dragon gave the beast that came up out of the sea his power, and his throne, and great authority (Rev. 13:2).

Again:--

The fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom was darkened (Rev. 16:10).

And in Isaiah:--

Thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into the heavens, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God (Isa. 14:13);

speaking of Babylon

AC 5314. Verses 41-44.  And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.  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; 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. 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.  ”And Pharaoh said unto Joseph,“ signifies the further perception of the natural from the celestial of the spiritual; ”See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt,“ signifies dominion over both naturals.  ”And Pharaoh took off his ring from upon his hand,“ signifies a confirming of the power the natural previously had; ”and put it upon Joseph‘s hand,“ signifies that the natural yielded all the power to the celestial of the spiritual; ”and clothed him in garments of fine linen,“ signifies an external significative of the celestial of the spiritual; (”garments of fine linen“ are truths from the Divine); ”and put a necklace of gold upon his neck,“ signifies a significative of the conjunction of interior things with exterior, effected by good; ”and he made him ride in the second chariot,“ signifies a significative that from this comes all the doctrine of good and truth’ ”that he had,“ signifies that comes by means of the natural; ”and they cried before him, Abrech,“ signifies acknowledgment through faith, and adoration; ”and he set him over all the land of Egypt,“ signifies that such was its authority; ”and Pharaoh said unto Joseph,“ signifies still further perception; ”I am Pharaoh,“ signifies that the natural is thence derived; ”and without thee shall no man lift up his hand,“ signifies that from the celestial of the spiritual is everything of power in the spiritual; ”or his foot,“ signifies and everything of power in the natural; ”in all the land of Egypt,“ signifies in both naturals.

AC 5315. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph.  That this signifies the further perception of the natural from the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of ”saying“ in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive; and from the representation of Pharaoh as being the natural, and of Joseph as being the celestial of the spiritual.  The reason why it is the perception of the natural from the celestial of the spiritual that is signified, is that the natural has all its perception from what is higher than itself; here from the celestial of the spiritual, which is higher.

AC 5316. See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.  That this signifies dominion over both naturals, is evident from the signification of ”setting anyone over,“ as being dominion; and from the signification of ”all the land of Egypt,“ as being both naturals (n. 5276).  This treats still further of the dominion that Pharaoh gave Joseph over the land of Egypt, namely, that Pharaoh deprived himself of his own authority, and put all Egypt under Joseph.  These things were so done of the Divine Providence, in order that Joseph might put on the representation of the celestial of the spiritual the Lord had when He was in the world, and by means of which He disposed His natural and also His sensuous, in order that Progressively He might make them both Divine. This was done to Joseph to the end that the Word that was to be written about him might contain Divine things, thus such things as in the heavens are most holy and are suited to the angels who are in the heavens; for the angels there are in the Lord, because they are in the sphere of the Divine truth proceeding from Him; and therefore the Divine things in the Word‘s internal sense relative to the Lord and to the glorification of His Human so greatly affect them that they perceive thence all the blessedness of their wisdom and intelligence.

AC 5317. And Pharaoh took off has ring from upon his hand. That this signifies a confirming of the power the natural previously had, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural; and from the signification of a ”ring,“ as being that which confirms; and from the signification of the ”hand,“ as being power (n. 878, 3091, 3387, 4931-4937, 5296).  From this it is plain that by his ”taking off his ring from upon his hand“ is signified that the natural gave up the power it had before; and that by his ”putting it upon Joseph’s hand,“ as below, is signified that the natural yielded all the power to the celestial of the spiritual. That a ring upon the hand denotes confirmation of power, cannot be so well established from parallel passages in the Word; because rings upon the hand are nowhere else mentioned, save only in Luke, where the father of the son who had wasted all his substance said to the servants:--

Bring forth the chief robe, and put it on him; and put a ring upon his hand, and shoes upon his feet (Luke 15:22);

where also a ”ring“ signifies confirmation of his power in the household as a son, just as above.  Nevertheless this signification of a ring upon the hand is evident from the rites that have come down to us from ancient times, as from the rites of betrothals and unions, and also of inaugurations, in which rings are put upon the hand, and by them is signified confirmation of power.  Moreover that signets, which also were worn on the hand (Jer. 22:24), signify consent and confirmation, (n. 4874).

AC 5318. And put it upon Joseph‘s hand.  That this signifies that the natural yielded all the power to the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of ”putting a ring upon another’s hand,“ as being a confirmation that one yields to him the power that he himself has (n. 5317) and from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual, as often shown above.

AC 5319. And clothed him in garments of fine linen.  That this signifies an external significative of the celestial of the spiritual, and that ”garments of fine linen“ denote truths from the Divine, is manifest from the signification of ”garments“ as being truths (n. 1073, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248).  That ”garments of fine linen“ are truths from the Divine, is because a garment made of fine linen was of purest white and lustrous; and truth from the Divine is represented by garments of such whiteness and luster.  The reason is, that the shining whiteness and luster of heaven is from the light that is from the Lord, and this light is the Divine truth itself (n. 1053, 1521-1533, 1619-1632, 2776, 3195, 3222, 3339, 3485, 3636, 3643, 3862, 4415, 4419, 4526, 5219); and therefore when the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, His garments appeared ”as the light“ (Matt. 17:2); ”shining, exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them“ (Mark 9:3); and ”glistening“ (Luke 9:29).  It was the Divine truth itself that is from the Lord‘s Divine Human that was thus represented.  Yet it is exterior truths that are represented by the white radiance of garments in the heavens, and interior truths by the brightness and resplendence of the face.  Hence it is that to be ”clothed in garments of fine linen“ is here an external significative of the truth proceeding from the celestial of the spiritual; for it was in this that the Divine of the Lord then was.

[2] By ”fine linen“ and ”garments of fine linen“ in other parts of the Word also is signified truth from the Divine, as in Ezekiel:--

I clothed thee with broidered work, and shod thee with badger, and I girded thee with fine linen, and covered thee with silk; thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy garments were of fine linen and silk and broidered work (Ezekiel 16:10, 13);

speaking of Jerusalem, by which in these verses is meant the Ancient Church.  The truths of that church are described by ”garments of broidered work, fine linen, and silk,“ and by being ”decked with gold and silver.“ By ”broidered work“ are signified truths that are a matter of memory-knowledge; by ”fine linen,“ natural truths; and by ”silk,“ spiritual truths.

[3] Again:--

Of fine linen in broidered work from Egypt was thy sail, that it might be to thee for an ensign; blue and crimson from the Isles of Elishah was thy covering (Ezekiel 27:7);

speaking of Tyre, by which also is meant the Ancient Church, but as to knowledges of good and truth; and by ”fine linen in broidered work from Egypt of which was her sail,“ is signified truth from memory-knowledges, as a sign or external significative of that church.

[4] In the Revelation:--

The merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over Babylon, for no man buyeth their merchandise any more; merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stone, and pearl, and fine linen, and crimson, and silk, and every vessel of Ivory, and every vessel of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble (Rev. 18:11, 12);

in this passage all and each of the expressions signify such things as are of the church, thus such as are of truth and good; but here in the opposite sense, because spoken of Babylon.  Everyone can see that such things would never have been enumerated in the Word which came down from heaven, unless there was something heavenly in each one; for why should mention be made of worldly wares in treating of Babylon, by which is signified the profane church?

[5] Again in the same:--

Woe, woe, the great city, she that was clothed in fine linen, and crimson, and scarlet, and gilded with gold, and precious stone, and pearls (Rev. 18:16);

that every detail here signifies some heavenly Divine thing is obvious in the same book, where it is said of fine linen that it is the ”righteousness of the saints“:--

The time of the wedding of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. Then to her was granted that she should be clothed in fine linen, clean and bright; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints (Rev. 19:7, 8);

that ”fine linen is the righteousness of the saints“ is because all who are in truth from the Divine put on the Lord’s righteousness; for their garments are white and shining from the light that is from the Lord, and therefore truth itself is represented in heaven by what is shining white (n. 3301, 3993, 4007).  It is for this reason also that they who are taken up into heaven out of a state of vastation appear clad in shining white, because they then put off that which is of their own righteousness, and put on that which is of the Lord‘s righteousness.

[6] In order that truth from the Divine might be represented in the Jewish Church, it was commanded that there should be fine linen in the garments of Aaron, and also in the curtains about the ark, as we read in Moses:--

For Aaron thou shalt weave the tunic in checker work of fine linen, and thou shalt make a miter of fine linen (Exod. 28:39).

They made the tunics of fine linen the work of the weaver for Aaron, and for his sons (Exod. 39:27).

Thou shalt make the habitation with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed (Exod. 26:1; 36:8).

Thou shalt make the court of the habitation, there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen (Exod. 27:9, 18; 38:9).

The veil for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, and crimson, and scarlet double-dyed, and fine twined linen (Exod. 37:18).

Fine linen was to be used because all things in the ark and about it, and also all things upon Aaron’s garments, were representative of spiritual and celestial things.  This shows how little the Word is understood when it is not known what things like these represent, and that it is scarcely understood at all when it is believed that there is no other holiness in the Word than that which appears in the letter.

[7] That angels who are in truth from the Divine appear clothed as in fine linen, that is, in what is white and shining, appears from the Revelation in connection with the ”white horse“:--

He that sat upon the white horse was clothed in a vesture dipped in blood; and His name is called the Word. His armies in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Rev. 19:13, 14).

From all this it is very evident that fine linen is an outward thing significative of truth from the Divine; for He that sat upon the white horse is the Lord as to the Word, as is there openly said, and the ”Word“ is truth itself from the Divine. That the ”white horse“ is the internal sense of the Word may be seen above (n. 2760-2762); hence ”white horses“ are truths from the Divine, for all things of the internal sense of the Word are truths from the Divine, and therefore His armies were seen upon white horses, and were clothed in fine linen white and clean.

AC 5320. And put a necklace of gold upon his neck.  That this signifies a significative of the conjunction of interior things with exterior, effected by good, is evident from the signification of the ”neck,“ as being the influx and also the communication of higher things with lower things, or what is the same, of interior things with exterior (n. 3542); hence a ”necklace,“ because it encircles the neck, is a significative of the conjunction of these things.  A ”necklace of gold“ signifies conjunction through good, or effected by good, because ”gold“ signifies good (n. 113, 1551, 1552).  A mark of the conjunction of interior with exterior truth is signified by a ”necklace upon the throat“ in Ezekiel:--

I decked thee with ornament, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a necklace upon thy throat (Ezek. 16:11).

AC 5321. And he made him ride in the second chariot.  That this signifies a significative that from Him comes all the doctrine of good and truth, is evident from the signification of a ”chariot,“ as being the doctrine of good and truth; hence his ”making him ride in a chariot“ is a significative that this doctrine comes therefrom.  These words refer to what was previously said by Pharaoh: ”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“ (verse 40). That the doctrine of good and truth coming from Him is signified, is because by Joseph is represented the Lord as to the Divine spiritual (n. 3971, 4669), thus as to the Divine truth from the Lord‘s Divine Human (n. 4723, 4727), from which Divine truth is the celestial of the spiritual.  That everything of the doctrine of good and truth is from this source, is because the Lord is doctrine itself, for everything of doctrine proceeds from Him, and everything of doctrine treats of Him; for all doctrine treats of the good of love and of the truth of faith.  These are from the Lord, and therefore the Lord is not only in them, but also is both.  From this it is evident that the doctrine that treats of good and truth, treats of the Lord only; and that it proceeds from His Divine Human.

[2] From the Divine Itself nothing of doctrine can possibly proceed except through the Divine Human, that is, through the Word, which in the supreme sense is the Divine truth from the Lord’s Divine Human.  Not even the angels in the Inmost heaven can apprehend that which proceeds immediately from the Divine Itself, because it is infinite, and therefore transcends all apprehension, even that of angels.  But that which proceeds from the Lord‘s Divine Human they can apprehend, because it treats of God as a Divine Man, concerning whom some idea can be formed from the Human; and any idea whatever formed about the Human is accepted, provided it flows from the good of innocence, and is in the good of charity. This is what is meant by the Lord’s words in John:--

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath set Him forth (John 1:18).

In the same:--

Ye have neither heard the Father‘s voice at any time, nor seen His shape (John 5:37).

And in Matthew:--

No one knoweth the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal Him (Matthew 11:27).

[3] ”Chariots“ are very frequently mentioned in the Word, but hardly anyone knows that they signify doctrinal things of good and truth, and also the memory-knowledges belonging to doctrinal things.  The reason is that when a ”chariot“ is mentioned nothing spiritual enters the idea, but only the natural historical, and it is the same with the horses in front of the chariot; and yet by ”horses“ in the Word are signified things of the understanding (n. 2760-2762, 3217), and therefore by a ”chariot“ are signified doctrinal things and the memory-knowledges belonging thereto.

[4] That ”chariots“ denote the doctrinal things of the church, and also memory-knowledges, has been evident to me from the chariots so often seen in the other life.  There is also a place to the right near the lower earth where chariots and horses appear, with stalls set in order, and where are seen walking and conversing men who in the world have been learned, and have regarded the life as the end of learning.  Such things appear to them from the angels in the higher heavens; for when these are discoursing about things of the understanding, of doctrine, and of knowledge, such objects appear to the spirits there.

[5] That such things are signified by ”chariots“ and ”horses“ is very obvious from the fact that Elijah appeared to be carried into heaven by a chariot of fire and horses of fire, and that he and also Elisha were called ”the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof,“ as we read in the second book of Kings:--

Behold a chariot of fire and horses of fire came between them; and Elijah went up in a whirlwind into heaven.  And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof (2 Kings 2:11, 12);

and regarding Elisha in the same book:--

When Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died, and Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept before his faces, and said, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof (2 Kings 13:14);

the reason why they were so called is that by both Elijah and Elisha was represented the Lord as to the Word (n. 2135a, 2762, 5247).  The Word itself is chiefly the doctrine of good and truth, for from it is everything of doctrine. It was for the same reason that to the boy whose eyes Jehovah opened, the mountain appeared ”full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha“ (2 Kings 6:17).

[6] That a ”chariot“ signifies what is doctrinal, and a ”horse“ what is intellectual, is evident also from other passages in the Word, as in Ezekiel

Ye shall be sated upon My table with horse and chariot, with mighty man and every man of war. So will I set My glory among the nations (Ezek. 39:20; Rev. 19:18);

where the coming of the Lord is treated of. That by ”horse and chariot“ here are not signified horse and chariot, is plain to everyone; for they were not to be sated upon the Lord’s table with these, but with such things as are signified by ”horse and chariot,“ which are the things of the understanding and of the doctrine of good and truth.

[7] Similar things are signified by ”horses“ and ”chariots,“ in the following passages.  In David:--

The chariots of God are two myriads, thousands of peaceful ones; the Lord is in them; Sinai is in the sanctuary (Ps. 68:17).

Again:--

Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment, He stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain, He layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters, He maketh the clouds His chariots, He walketh upon the wings of the wind (Ps. 104:2, 3).

In Isaiah:--

The prophecy of the wilderness of the sea. Thus hath the Lord said unto me, Set a watchman to watch, he will declare; so he saw a chariot a pair of horsemen, a chariot of an ass, a chariot of a camel, and he hearkened a hearkening, a great hearkening; for a lion cried upon the watchtower, Lord, I stand continually in the daytime, and upon my ward I am set all the nights; then in very deed lo a chariot of a man, a pair of horsemen; and he said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen (Isa. 21:1, 6-9).

[8] In the same:--

Then will they bring all your brethren in all nations an offering to Jehovah, upon horses, and upon chariot, and upon litters, and upon mules, and upon couriers, to the mountain of My holiness, Jerusalem (Isa. 66:20).

Again:--

Behold Jehovah will come in fire, and His chariots shall be like the whirlwind (Isa. 66:15).

In Habakkuk:--

was Jehovah enraged with the rivers? was Thine anger against the rivers? was Thy wrath against the sea, that Thou didst ride upon Thy horses? Thy chariots are salvation (Habakkuk 3:8).

In Zechariah:--

I lifted up mine eyes and saw, and behold four chariots coming out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. In the first chariot were red horses; in the second chariot, black horses; in the third chariot, white horses; and in the fourth chariot, grizzled horses (Zech. 6:1-3).

[9] Also in Jeremiah:--

There shall enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in the chariot and on horses, they and their princes, the man of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall be inhabited forever (Jer. 17:25; 22:4).

The ”city that shall be inhabited forever“ is not Jerusalem, but the Lord‘s church signified by ”Jerusalem“ (n. 402, 2117, 3654); the ”kings who shall enter in by the gates of that city“ are not kings, but the truths of the church (n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068); thus ”princes“ are not princes, but the primary things of truth (n. 1482, 2089, 5044); ”they who sit upon the throne of David“ are Divine truths that proceed from the Lord (n. 5313); ”they who ride in chariot and on horses“ are the derivative things of understanding and of doctrine. ”Chariots“ are frequently mentioned also in the histories of the Word; and because these histories are all representative, and the expressions signify things such as are in the Lord’s kingdom and in the church, ”chariots“ therein also have a similar signification.

[10] As most of the expressions in the Word have also an opposite sense, so have ”chariots,“ and in this sense they signify doctrinal things of evil and falsity, and also the memory-knowledges that confirm them, as in these passages:

Woe unto them that go down into Egypt for help, and depend upon horse, and trust upon chariot, because they are many, and upon horse men because they are very strong; but they look not unto the holy one of Israel (Isa. 31:1).

Again:--

By the hand of thy servants hast thou blasphemed the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariot am I come to the height of the mountains, the sides of Lebanon; where I will cut off the loftiness of its cedars, the choice of its fir trees (Isa. 37:24);

a prophetic reply to the haughty words of Rabshakeh, the king of Assyria‘s general.  In Jeremiah:--

Behold waters coming up from the north that shall become an overflowing stream and shall overflow the land and the fulness thereof, the city and them that dwell therein, and all the inhabitant of the land shall howl at the voice of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, at the tumult of his chariot, at the rumbling of his wheels (Jer. 47:2, 3).

[11] In Ezekiel:--

By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee; thy walls shall shake by reason of the voice of the horseman and of the wheel and of the chariot, when he shall come into thy gates, beside the entrances of a city wherein is made a breach; by the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets (Ezek. 26:10, 11).

In Haggai:--

I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; I will also overthrow the chariot and those that ride in it, and the horses and their riders shall come down (Haggai 2:22).

In Zechariah:--

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, I will cut off the battle bow; and He shall speak peace unto the nations (Zech. 9:10).

In Jeremiah:--

Egypt riseth up like a stream, and his waters toss themselves like the streams; for he said, I will go up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and the inhabitants therein. Go up, ye horses; rage, ye chariots (Jer. 46:8, 9).

[12] By the ”horses and chariots“ with which the Egyptians pursued the sons of Israel, and with which Pharaoh entered the sea Suph, where the wheels of the chariots were taken off, and by other things said of the horses and chariots, which make the larger part of that description (Exod. 14:6, 7, 9, 17, 23, 25, 26; 15:4, 19), are signified the things of understanding, of doctrine, and of false knowledge, together with the reasonings founded on them, that pervert and extinguish the truths of the church.  The destruction and death of such things is there described.

AC 5322. That he had. That this signifies that comes by means of the natural, namely, the doctrine of good and truth that does so, is evident from the series of things in the internal sense, and also from what has been unfolded above (n. 5313).

AC 5323. And they cried before him, Abrech.  That this signifies acknowledgment through faith, and adoration, is evident from the signification of ”crying,“ as being acknowledgment through faith; and from the signification of ”abrech,“ as being adoration; for in the original language ”abrech“ means ”bend the knees,“ and the bending of the knees is adoration.  For all inward endeavors that are of the will, thus of the love or affection, consequently of the life, have outward acts or gestures corresponding to them; which acts or gestures flow from the very correspondence of outward things with inward ones.  Holy fear with its consequent humiliation (and therefore adoration), has acts or gestures corresponding to itself, namely, bending the knees, falling down upon the knees, and also prostrating the body down to the earth. In this state, if the adoration is from genuine humiliation, or if the humiliation is from genuine holy fear, there is a failing of the spirits, and hence a giving way of the joints in the border or intermediate region where the spiritual is conjoined with the natural, thus where the knees are; for the parts below have correspondence with natural things, and those above with spiritual things. Hence it is that the bending of the knees is a sign representative of adoration. With celestial men this act is spontaneous; but with spiritual men it is a result of will.

[2] When the kings of old rode in a chariot, knees were bent because kings represented the Lord as to Divine truth, and a ”chariot“ signified the Word.  The rite of this adoration began when it was known what it represented; and at that time the kings did not ascribe the adoration to themselves, but to the royalty apart from themselves, although adjoined to them. With them the royalty was the law, which, being from Divine truth, was to be adored in the king in so far as he was the custodian of it. Thus the king ascribed none of the royalty to himself beyond the custody of the law; and in so far as he receded from this, so far he receded from the royalty, knowing that adoration on any other ground than the law, that is, any other adoration than of the law in itself, would be idolatry.  That the royalty is Divine truth may be seen above (n. 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068); consequently the royalty is the law, which in itself is the truth of a kingdom according to which its inhabitants are to live. From what has been said it is now evident that ”abrech,“ or ”bend the knees,“ signifies adoration.

[3] As a ”cry“ also is an act that corresponds to a living confession or acknowledgment from faith, the rite of crying out was observed among the ancients when this confession was to be signified; and for this reason ”crying“ or ”shouting“ is frequently mentioned in the Word in connection with confession and acknowledgment from faith, as where it is said of John the Baptist:--

John bare witness of Jesus and cried, saying, This was He of whom I said, He that cometh after me was before me; for He was prior to me. I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord (John 1:15, 23).

In the same:--

They took branches of the palm trees, and went to meet Jesus, and cried, Hosanna, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel (John 12:13).

And in Luke:--

Jesus said to the Pharisees, If these should be silent, the stones would cry out (Luke 19:40).

As ”crying“ signified acknowledgment from faith, and hence reception from this acknowledgment, we therefore sometimes read of the Lord that He ”cried out,“ as in (John 7:28, 37; 12:44); and also in Isaiah:--

Jehovah shall go forth as a hero, He shall stir up zeal like a man of wars, He shall shout, yea, He shall cry out (Isa. 42:13).

That in the opposite sense by ”crying“ is meant non-acknowledgment, thus aversion, may be seen above (n. 5016, 5018, 5027); and that it is predicated of falsity (n. 2240).

AC 5324. And he set him over all the land of Egypt.  That this signifies that such was its authority, is evident from the signification of ”setting him over all the land of Egypt,“ as being dominion over both naturals (n. 5316); but here that the dominion is such as has been described in the above pages; thus that such was its authority.

AC 5325. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph.  That this signifies still further perception, is evident from the signification of ”saying,“ from the representation of Pharaoh, and from the representation of Joseph, as being the perception of the natural from the celestial of the spiritual (n. 5315); here further perception, because the words are repeated.

AC 5326. I am Pharaoh. That this signifies that the natural is thence derived, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (n. 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160).  That by ”I am Pharaoh“ is signified that the natural is thence derived, is plain from the words just below: ”without thee shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt,“ by which is signified that all the power in both naturals is from that source; and because things in the natural are meant by the words that follow, it is therefore first said ”I am Pharaoh.“ By the natural being thence derived is meant that the natural is from the celestial of the spiritual.  In regard to this the case is that the natural in the man who is being created anew, that is who is being regenerated, is entirely different from what it is in the man who is not being regenerated. The natural in the man who is not being regenerated is everything; from it the man thinks and desires, and not from the rational, still less from the spiritual, because these are closed and for the most part extinct.

[2] But in the man who is being regenerated the spiritual becomes everything, and not only disposes the natural in its thinking and desiring, but also determines the character of it, just as the cause determines the character of the effect; for in every effect the only thing that acts is the cause.  Thus the natural becomes as the spiritual is for the natural things in the natural, such as the knowledges that derive somewhat from the natural world, do nothing from themselves; they merely agree that the spiritual should act in the natural, and by means of it, thus naturally; just as is the case in the effect, in which there are more things than in the cause, but only such as enable the cause to perform the effect itself in the effect, and to produce itself in act in that degree. From these few remarks it may be seen how the case is with the natural in the man who has been created anew, that is, regenerated. This is what is meant by the natural being thence derived, which is signified by ”I am Pharaoh.“

AC 5327. And without thee shall no man lift up his hand. That this signifies that from the celestial of the spiritual is everything of power in the spiritual, is evident from the signification of the ”hand,“ as being power (n. 878, 3387, 4931, 4937, 5296); hence ”no man lifting up his hand without thee,“ means that they have no power except from this alone, and therefore that this, namely, the celestial of the spiritual, has all power. That power in the spiritual is signified by the ”hand“ will be seen in what now follows.

AC 5328. Or his foot. That this signifies that thence too is everything of power in the natural, is evident from the signification of the ”foot,“ as being the natural (n. 2162, 3147, 3761, 3986, 4280, 4938-4952); here power in the natural, because by ”lifting up the foot,“ as by ”lifting up the hand,“ is signified power; but by ”lifting up the hand“ power in the spiritual, and by ”lifting up the foot“ power in the natural; for the parts of the body above the feet bear relation to spiritual things.  This is very evident from the Grand Man, or three heavens. When the whole heaven is presented before the sight as one man, the inmost or third heaven answers to the head, the middle or second heaven to the body, and the lowest or first to the feet. The inmost or third heaven answers to the head because it is celestial, and the middle or second answers to the body because it is spiritual, and the lowest or first answers to the feet because it is natural. Therefore by the ”neck,“ because it is intermediate, is signified the influx and communication of what is celestial with what is spiritual; and by the ”knees,“ because they also are intermediate, is signified the influx and communication of what is spiritual with what is natural.  From this it is plain that by”lifting up the hand“ is signified power in the spiritual, by ”lifting up the foot“ power in the natural; and therefore the power signified by the ”hand“ is predicated of the spiritual, namely, of truth from good (n. 3091, 3563, 4931). By ”the spiritual“ is meant that in the natural which is of the light of heaven, and by ”the natural’ that in the natural which is of the light of the world; for all the former is called “ spiritual,” and all the latter “ natural.”

AC 5329. In all the land of Egypt.  That this signifies in both naturals, is evident from the signification of “all the land of Egypt,” as being both naturals (n. 5276). Such then are the things the angels perceive when man reads that“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, and made him ride in the second chariot he had, and they cried before him, Abrech, and he set him over all the land of Egypt;” for the angels cannot possibly perceive the historicals themselves, because they are such things as are of the world, and not such as are of heaven, and the things of the world do not appear to them.  Yet because there is a correspondence of all things in the world with those in heaven, the angels perceive heavenly things when man perceives worldly ones.  Unless this were the case no angel from heaven could possibly be with man. But in order that angels may be with man, the Word has been given, in which the angels may perceive a Divine holiness which they can communicate to the man with whom they are present.

AC 5330. Verse 45. And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah; and gave him Asenath the daughter of Potiphera priest of On for a woman; and Joseph went out over the land of Egypt. “And Pharaoh called Joseph‘s name Zaphenath-paneah,” signifies the quality of the celestial of the spiritual at that time; “and he gave him Asenath the daughter of Potiphera priest of On for a woman,” signifies the quality of the marriage of truth with good and of good with truth; “and Joseph went out over the land of Egypt,” signifies when both naturals were its own.

AC 5331. And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. That this signifies the quality of the celestial of the spiritual at that time, is evident from the signification of a “name” and of “calling a name,” as being the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2628, 2724, 3006, 3237, 3421). In its original language “ Zaphenath-paneah” means “a revealer of hidden things and an opener of things to come,” by which in the celestial sense is signified the Divine therein; for to reveal hidden things, and to open things to come, is of God alone. This is the quality this name involves, and it is also the quality of the celestial of the spiritual; for the celestial of the spiritual is the good of truth in which is the Divine, or which is immediately from the Divine. This, namely the celestial of the spiritual in which is the Divine, belonged to the Lord alone when He was in the world, and was the Human in which the Divine Itself could be, and which could be put off when the Lord made all the Human in Himself Divine.

AC 5332. And he gave him Asenath the daughter of Potiphera best of On for a woman.  That this signifies the quality of the marriage of truth with good and of good with truth, is evident from the signification of “giving for a woman,” as being marriage. That it is the marriage of good with truth and of truth with good, is because nothing else is meant in the spiritual sense by marriages, and hence nothing else is meant by them in the Word. By the “daughter of the priest of On” is signified the truth of good, for a “daughter” is the affection of truth, and a “priest” is good; but “Joseph” is the good of truth in which is the Divine, which is the same as the celestial of the spiritual.  From this it is plain that the marriage of truth with good and of good with truth is signified. It is the quality of this marriage that is signified, but this quality cannot be further set forth, because the quality the Lord had in the world cannot be comprehended, even by angels, and only some shadowy idea can be formed of it from such things as are in heaven - as from the Grand Man, and from the celestial of the spiritual which is therein from the influx of the Lord‘s Divine but still this idea is as dense shade to light itself, for it is most general, and relatively is therefore scarcely anything.

AC 5333. And Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.  That this signifies when both naturals were its own, is evident from the signification of “going out,” as here being to flow in; and from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind, thus both naturals; and because “to go out” signifies to flow in, and the “land of Egypt” signifies both naturals, by these words together with the preceding is signified the quality of the celestial of the spiritual, and the quality of the marriage of good with truth and of truth with good, when the celestial of the spiritual by influx made both naturals its own.  What is meant by “making the natural its own” may be seen just above (n. 5326).

AC 5334. Verses 46-49.  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. And the earth made gatherings in the seven years of abundance of produce. 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. And Joseph heaped up corn as the sand of the sea, exceeding much, until he ceased to number, because it was without number.  “And Joseph was a son of thirty years, signifies a full state of remains; ”when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt,“ signifies when its presence was in the natural; ”and Joseph went out from before Pharaoh,“ signifies when the natural in general belonged to the celestial of the spiritual; ”and passed over into all the land of Egypt,“ signifies when it made everything therein subordinate and submissive; ”and the earth made gatherings in the seven years of abundance of produce,“ signifies the first states when truths are multiplied in series; ”and he gathered together all the food of the seven years,“ signifies the preservation of truth adjoined to good multiplied during the first times; ”that were in the land of Egypt,“ signifies in the natural; ”and put the food in the cities,“ signifies that it stored up in the interiors; ”the food of the field of the city,“ signifies things that belong and are suitable to them; ”that which was round about it he put in the midst thereof,“ signifies the things previously in the exterior natural, it stored up in the interiors of the interior natural; ”and Joseph heaped up corn as the sand of the sea, exceeding much,“ signifies the multiplying of truth from good; ”until he ceased to number, because it was without number,“ signifies such as had in it the celestial from the Divine.

AC 5335. And Joseph was a son of thirty years. That this signifies a full state of remains, is evident from the signification of ”thirty,“ as being full of remains; and from the signification of ”years,“ as being states (n. 482, 487, 488, 493, 893). The number ”thirty“ in the Word signifies somewhat of combat, and it also signifies full of remains. The reason why it has this twofold signification, is that it is composed of five and six multiplied together, and also of three and ten so multiplied. From five multiplied by six it signifies somewhat of combat (n. 2276), because ”five“ signifies somewhat (n. 4638, 5291), and ”six“ combat (n. 720, 730, 737, 900, 1709); but from three multiplied by ten it signifies full of remains, because ”three“ signifies what is full (n. 2788, 4495), and ”ten“ remains (n. 576, 1906, 2284); that a compound number involves the like as its components, (n. 5291). Remains are the truths joined to good stored up by the Lord in man’s interiors, (n. 468, 530, 560, 561, 576, 660, 1050, 1738, 1906, 2284, 5135),

[2] A fulness of remains is signified also by ”thirty,“ by ”sixty,“ and by a ”hundred,“ in Mark:--

The seed that fell into the good ground yielded fruit that sprang up and increased, and brought forth, one thirty, and another sixty, and another a hundred (Mark 4:8, 20);

as all these numbers arise from ten by multiplication, they signify a fulness of remains. And as man cannot be regenerated, that is, be admitted to the spiritual combats through which regeneration is effected, until he has received remains to the full, it was ordained that the Levites should not do any work in the tent of meeting until they had completed thirty years, which work or function is also called ”warfare,“ as we read in Moses:--

Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from the midst of the sons of Levi, from a son of thirty years and upward to a son of fifty years, everyone that cometh to the warfare, to do the work in the tent of meeting (Num. 4:2, 3).

Something similar is said of the sons of Gershon, and of the sons of Merari (Num. 4:22, 23, 29, 30, 35, 39, 43). The like is involved in David‘s being thirty years old when he began to reign (2 Sam. 5:4).

[3] From all this it is now plain why the Lord did not manifest Himself until He was thirty years of age (Luke 3:23); for He was then in the fulness of remains.  But the remains the Lord had He Himself procured for Himself, and they were of the Divine; and by means of them He united the Human essence to the Divine essence, and made the Human essence Divine (n. 1906). From Him then it is that ”thirty years“ signify a full state as to remains, and that the priests the Levites entered upon their functions when they were thirty years old, and that  David, because he was to represent the Lord as to the royalty, did not begin to reign until he was thirty; for every representative is derived from the Lord, and therefore every representative looks to the Lord.

AC 5336.  When he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt.  That this signifies when its presence was in the natural, is evident from the signification of ”standing before anyone,“ as being presence; and from the representation of Pharaoh king of Egypt, as being a new state of the natural, or a new natural man (n. 5079, 5080), thus the natural in which the celestial of the spiritual now was, and which the celestial of the spiritual now made its own - as is also signified by the words immediately following, ”and Joseph went out from before Pharaoh.“

AC 5337. And Joseph went out from before Pharaoh.  That this signifies when the natural in general belonged to the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of ”going out,“ as being to belong thereto; and from the representation of Joseph as being the celestial of the spiritual, and of Pharaoh as being the natural.  That ”to go out“ is to belong thereto, or to be its own, is plain from what precedes and what follows, and also from the spiritual sense of this expression; for ”to go out“ or proceed, in the spiritual sense, is to present one’s self before another in a form accommodated to him, thus to present one‘s self the same, but in a different form.  In this sense ”going out“ is said of the Lord in John:--

Jesus said about Himself, I went out and am come from God (John 8:42).

The Father loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I went out from God. I went out from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said, We believe that thou wentest out from God (John 16:27-30).

They knew of a truth that I went out from God (John 17:8).

[2] To illustrate what is meant by ”going out“ or proceeding, let us take the following examples.  Truth is said to ”go out“ or proceed from good, when truth is the form of good, or when truth is good in a form that the understanding can apprehend.  The understanding also may be said to ”go out“ or proceed from the will, when the understanding is the will formed, or when it is the will in a form perceivable by the internal sight.  So in regard to the thought of the understanding, this may be said to ”go out“ or proceed when it becomes speech; and of the will, that it ”goes out“ when it becomes action.  Thought clothes itself with another form when it becomes speech, but still it is the thought that so goes out or proceeds; for the words and tones with which it is clothed are mere additions that cause the thought to be appropriately perceived.  In like manner the will becomes of another form when it becomes action, but still it is the will that is presented in such a form; the gestures and movements that are put on are merely additions that cause the will to appear and affect the beholder appropriately.  So also it may be said of the external man, that it ”goes out“ or proceeds from the internal man, nay, that it does so substantially, because the external man is nothing else than the internal man so formed that it may act suitably in the world in which it is.  From all this it is evident what ”to go out“ or proceed is in the spiritual sense, namely, that when predicated of the Lord it is the Divine formed as a Man and thereby accommodated to the perception of those who believe; nevertheless both of these are one.

AC 5338. And passed over into all the land of Egypt.  That this signifies when it made everything therein (namely in the natural) subordinate and submissive, is evident from the signification of ”all the land of Egypt,“ as being both naturals (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301). From this it follows that ”to pass over into all that land“ is to make everything in the natural subordinate and submissive.

AC 5339. And the earth made gatherings (collections) in the seven years of abundance of produce.  That this signifies the first states when truths are multiplied in series, is evident from the signification of ”seven years,“ as being the first states, for the seven years of abundance of produce came first, and the seven years of famine came after. ”Years“ are states, (n. 482, 487, 488, 493, 893); and from the signification of ”abundance of produce,“ as being the multiplication of truth (n. 5276, 5280, 5292); by ”the earth made“ is signified that this multiplication took place in the natural, for the ”earth“ here is the natural (n. 5338); and from the signification of ”gatherings,“ as being series. In regard to the series signified by ”gatherings,“ the case is this. With the man who is being reformed, general truths are first insinuated, then the particulars of the generals, and finally the singulars of the particulars; the particulars are arranged under the generals, and the singulars under the particulars (n. 2384, 3057, 4269, 4325, 4329, 4345, 4383, 5208). These arrangings or settings in order are signified in the Word by ”bundles,“ here by ”handfuls“ or ”gatherings,“ and they are nothing but the series into which truths when multiplied are arranged or set in order. With the regenerate these series are according to the setting in order of the societies in the heavens; but with those who are not and cannot be regenerated, they are according to the setting in order of the societies in the hells. Hence the man who is in evil, and thence in falsity, is a hell in the least form; and the man who is in good, and thence in truth, is a heaven in the least form.  But in regard to these series, of the Lord’s Divine mercy more elsewhere.

AC 5340. And he gathered together all the food of the seven years.  That this signifies the preservation of truth adjoined to good multiplied during the first times, is evident from the signification of ”gathering together,“ as here being to preserve; for he gathered it together and put it in the cities and in the midst, and by this is signified that he stored it up in the interiors, thus that he preserved it, for it came into use in the years of famine; and from the signification of ”food,“ as being all that by which the internal man is nourished. That this is good and truth, is evident from the correspondence of the earthly food by which the outward man is nourished, with the spiritual food by which the internal man is nourished. Here therefore it is truth adjoined to good, for this is what is preserved and stored up in the interiors. By the ”seven years“ are signified the first states when truths are multiplied (n. 5339). From this it is plain that the preservation of truth adjoined to good, multiplied during the first times, is signified by ”he gathered together all the food of the seven years.“ It is said ”the preservation of truth adjoined to good,“ but as few know what truth adjoined to good is, and still less how and when truth is adjoined to good, something must be said about it. Truth is conjoined with good when a man feels delight in doing well to the neighbor for the sake of what is true and good, and not for the sake of self or the world. When a man is in this affection, the truths he hears or reads or thinks are conjoined with good, as is usually noticeable from the affection of truth for the sake of that end.

AC 5341. That were in the land of Egypt.  That this signifies that was in the natural, is evident from the signification of the ”land of Egypt,“ as being the natural mind (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301), thus the natural.

AC 5342. And put the food in the cities.  That this signifies that he stored it up in the interiors, namely, truths adjoined to good, is evident from the signification here of ”putting,“ as being to store up; from the signification of ”food,“ as being truth adjoined to good (n. 4340); and from the signification of ”cities,“ as being the interiors of the natural mind (n. 5297).  That truths adjoined to good are stored up in the interiors of the natural mind, and there preserved for use in after life, especially for use in temptations during man‘s regeneration, is a secret known to few at this day; and therefore something must be said about this. For by the ”seven years of abundance of produce“ are signified the truths first multiplied, and by the corn being ”put in the cities“ and ”in the midst“ is signified that these truths adjoined to good are stored up in man’s interiors: and by the ”seven years of famine,“ and by the sustenance at that time from the gatherings, is signified a state of regeneration through truths adjoined to good, stored up in the interiors.

[2] The secret is this from earliest infancy even to the first of childhood, man is being introduced by the Lord into heaven, and indeed among celestial angels, by whom he is kept in a state of innocence; a state in which infants are up to the first of childhood.  When the age of childhood begins, the child gradually puts off the state of innocence, though he is still kept in a state of charity by means of the affection of mutual charity toward those like himself, which state with many continues up to youth, and meanwhile he is among spiritual angels.  Then, because he begins to think from himself and to act accordingly, he can no longer be kept in charity as before; for he then calls forth inherited evils, by which he suffers himself to be led.  When this state comes, the goods of charity and innocence that he had previously received, are banished according to the degree in which he thinks evils and confirms them by act; and yet they are not banished, but are withdrawn by the Lord toward the interiors and there stored up.

[3] But as he does not yet know truths, the goods of innocence and charity he had received in the two preceding states have not yet been qualified, for truths give quality to good, and good gives essence to truths; wherefore from this age he is imbued with truths by instruction, and especially by means of his own thoughts and confirmations from them.  In so far therefore as he is then in the affection of good, so far truths are conjoined with good in him by the Lord (n. 5340), and are stored up for use.  This state is what is signified by the ”seven years of abundance of produce.“ It is these truths adjoined to good that in the proper sense are called ”remains.“ In so far therefore as the man suffers himself to be regenerated, so far the remains serve for use; for so far a supply from them is drawn forth by the Lord, and is sent back into the natural, in order to produce a correspondence of the exteriors with the interiors, or of what is natural with what is spiritual; and this is effected in the state signified by the ”seven years of famine.“ Such is the secret.

[4] The man of the church at this day believes that no matter what anyone‘s life is, he may of mercy be received into heaven, and there enjoy eternal bliss; for he supposes admission to be all that is necessary.  But he is much mistaken, for no one can be admitted and received into heaven unless he has received spiritual life, and no one can receive spiritual life unless he is being regenerated, and no one can be regenerated except through the good of life conjoined with the truth of doctrine: from this he has spiritual life. That no one can come into heaven unless he has received spiritual life through regeneration, the Lord plainly declares in John:--

Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3);

and then He says:--

Verily, verily I say to thee, Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:5);

”water“ is the truth of doctrine (n. 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976), and ”spirit“ is the good of life. No one enters by baptism; but baptism is significative of that regeneration which the man of the church ought to keep in mind.

AC 5343. The food of the field of the city. That this signifies things that belong and are suitable to them, namely, truths adjoined to good in the interiors, is evident from the signification of ”food,“ as being truths adjoined to good (n. 5340, 5342). The truths that belong and are suitable to the interiors are signified by the ”food of the field of the city“ because the field belonged to the city, and made its surrounding compass. Things that do this signify in the internal sense things suitable and belonging thereto; wherefore also it is immediately said, ”that which was round about it, put he in the midst thereof.“ The reason why those things which make the surrounding compass signify things that belong and are suitable to, is that all truths joined to good are arranged in series; and the series are such that in the midst or inmost of each series there is truth joined to good, and round about this midst or inmost are the truths belonging and suitable thereto, and so on in order to the very outermost, where the series vanishes. The series themselves are also similarly arranged in relation to one another, but are varied according to changes of state. That there are such arrangements of truths joined to good, is wont to be presented to the very sight in the other life; for in the light of heaven, in which are intelligence and wisdom, such things can be presented to view, though not in the light of the world; nor in the light of heaven with the man whose interiors are not open; and yet they may be acknowledged by him from rational insight, and in this way be rationally seen from the light of heaven.  These arrangings originate from the arrangings of the angelic societies in heaven; for as these are arranged, so are the series of truths joined to good arranged in the regenerate; for the latter correspond to the former.

AC 5344. That which was round about it he put in the midst thereof. That this signifies that the things previously in the exterior natural it stored up in the interiors of the interior natural, is evident from the signification of ”round about,“ as being the things outside, thus which were in the exterior natural; and from the signification of the ”midst,“ as being the things within (n. 1074, 2940, 2973), thus which were in the interior natural.  That ”in the midst thereof,“ or of the city, denotes in the interiors of the interior natural, is because the interiors are signified by a ”city“ (n. 5297, 5342).  The interior things of the interior natural are those in it called spiritual, and the spiritual things therein are those which are from the light of heaven, from which light are illumined the things therein which are from the light of the world, and which are properly called natural; in the spiritual things therein are stored up truths adjoined to good. The spiritual things therein are those which correspond to the angelic societies in the second heaven, with which heaven man communicates by means of remains.  This is the heaven that is opened when man is being regenerated, and is closed when he does not suffer himself to be regenerated; for remains - or truths and goods stored up in the interiors -are nothing else than correspondences with the societies of that heaven.

AC 5345. And Joseph heaped up corn as the sand of the sea, exceeding much.  That this signifies the multiplying of truth from good, is evident from the signification of ”heaping up,“ as here being to multiply and from the signification of ”corn,“ as being truth in the will and in act (n. 5295), the multiplying of which, when compared to the sand of the sea, signifies that it is from good, and here from the good of the celestial of the spiritual by influx; for truth in the interiors is never multiplied from any other source than good.  The multiplying of the truth which is not from good is not the multiplying of truth, because it is not truth, however much in the outward form it may appear to be truth.  It is a sort of image with no life in it, and being dead, does not approach truth; for truth to be truth in man, must live from good, that is, through good from the Lord; and when it so lives, multiplying may be predicated of it in the spiritual sense.  That the multiplying of truth is solely from good, may be seen from the fact that nothing can be multiplied except from something like a marriage, and truth cannot enter into marriage with anything but good; if with anything else, it is not marriage, but adultery. What therefore is multiplied from marriage is legitimate, thus is truth; but what is multiplied from adultery is not legitimate, but spurious, thus is not truth.

AC 5346. Until he ceased to number, because it was without number.  That this signifies such as had in it the celestial from the Divine, is evident from the fact that the truth in which is the celestial from the Divine is without limit, thus is without number.  Only the Lord, who is here represented by Joseph, had such truth when He was in the world; and the glorification of His natural is here treated of in the supreme sense.

AC 5347. Verses 50-52. 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.  And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh; For God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim; For God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction. ”And to Joseph were born two sons,“ signifies good and truth therefrom; ”before the year of famine came,“ signifies that came through the natural; ”whom Asenath the daughter of Potiphera priest of On bare to him,“ signifies that came from the marriage; ”and Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh,“ signifies a new will in the natural, and its quality; ”For God hath made me forget all my toil,“ signifies removal after temptations; ”and all my father‘s house,“ signifies the removal of hereditary evils; ”and the name of the second called he Ephraim,“ signifies a new understanding in the natural, and its quality; ”For God hath made me fruitful,“ signifies the consequent multiplication of truth from good; ”in the land of my affliction,“ signifies where temptations were suffered.

AC 5348. And to Joseph were born two sons. That this signifies good and truth therefrom, namely from the influx of the celestial of the spiritual into the natural, is evident from the signification of ”being born,“ as being to be reborn, thus the birth of truth from good, or of faith from charity (n. 4070, 4668, 5160) - that the births spoken of in the Word are spiritual births may be seen above (n. 1145, 1255, 1330, 3263, 3279, 3860, 3866); and from the signification of ”sons,“ here Manasseh and Ephraim, as being good and truth. For by ”Manasseh“ is signified the will of the new natural, and by ”Ephraim“ its understanding; or what is the same thing, by ”Manasseh“ is signified the good of the new natural, because good is predicated of the will; and by ”Ephraim“ is signified its truth, because truth is predicated of the understanding. In other passages also where we read of two sons being born, by one is signified good, and by the other truth, as by Esau and Jacob. Good is signified by ”Esau“, (n. 3302, 3322, 3494, 3504, 3576, 3599), and truth by ”Jacob,“ (n. 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3576); so likewise with the two sons of Judah by Tamar, Perez and Zerah (n. 4927-4929); and so here with Manasseh and Ephraim. Their birth is now treated of, because in what immediately precedes was described the influx of the celestial of the spiritual into the natural, and hence its rebirth, which is effected solely by means of good and truth.

AC 5349. Before the year of famine came.  That this signifies that came through the natural, is evident from the signification of ”before the year of famine came,“ as being while the state of the multiplication of truth from good lasted, which state is signified by the years of abundance of produce, and thus before the state of desolation signified by the years of famine. As in the former state truth from good was multiplied in the natural, and thus good and truth were born to the celestial of the spiritual through the natural, therefore this consequence is signified by the words, ”before the year of famine came.“

AC 5350. Whom Asenath the daughter of Potiphera priest of On bare to him.  That this signifies that came from the marriage, is evident from what was said above (n. 5332).

AC 5351. And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. That this signifies a new will in the natural, and its quality, is evident from the representation of Manasseh in the Word, as being spiritual good in the natural, and thus a new will: this name also involves the very quality of this good, or of this new will.  That the ”name“ involves this quality may be seen from the names given to others also, the quality of which is at the same time indicated, as is the name ”Manasseh“ in the words, ”for God hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house;“ for in this way is described the quality signified by ”Manasseh.“ Moreover when it is said ”he called the name,“ there is also signified that the name itself contains the quality; for the ”name“ and ”calling the name“  signifies the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421).

[2] The reason why the first born, who is named Manasseh, signifies spiritual good in the natural, or the new will therein, is that good is actually the firstborn in the church, or in the man who becomes a church; whereas truth is not the firstborn, and yet it appears as if it were (n. 352, 367, 2435, 3325, 3494, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930), as may also be seen from the fact that in man the will precedes; for man‘s willing is the first of his life, and his understanding comes after, and applies itself in accordance with his willing.  What proceeds from the will is called ”good“ in those who by regeneration have received from the Lord a new will, but ”evil“ in those who have not desired to receive it; and what proceeds from the understanding is called ”truth“ in the regenerate, but ”falsity“ in the unregenerate. Yet as man’s will does not appear to the sense except through the understanding (for the understanding is the will in form, or the will formed to the sense), it is therefore supposed that the truth which proceeds from the understanding is the firstborn, and yet it is not, except in appearance, for the reason given.

[3] Hence the old controversy as to whether the truth which is of faith, or the good which is of charity, is the firstborn of the church. They who decided from the appearance, said that truth is the firstborn, but they who did not decide from the appearance, acknowledged that good is the firstborn. Hence also it is that at the present day faith is made the first and very essential of the church, and charity is made secondary and not essential; but men have gone into error much further than the ancients, by declaring that faith alone saves. In the church by ”faith“ is meant all the truth of doctrine, and by ”charity“ all the good of life.  They indeed call charity and its works the ”fruits of faith;“ but who believes that fruits do anything for salvation when it is believed that a man may be saved by faith at the last hour of his life, whatever his previous life has been, and when in their teaching they even separate works, which are of charity, from faith, saying that faith alone saves without good works, or that works, which are of the life, do nothing toward salvation?  Oh, what a faith! and oh, what a church! they adore dead faith, and reject living faith; and yet faith without charity is as a body without a soul, and we know that a body without a soul is removed from sight and cast forth, because of its stench: so is it with faith without charity in the other life. All those who have been in faith so called without charity are in hell, while all who have been in charity are in heaven; for everyone‘s life remains, but not his doctrine except in so far as it is derived from his life.

[4] That by ”Manasseh“ is signified the new will in the natural, or what is the same, spiritual good there, cannot be so well shown from other passages of the Word as that by ”Ephraim“ is signified the new understanding in the natural, or spiritual truth therein. Nevertheless the signification of ”Manasseh“ can be inferred from that of ”Ephraim;“ for in the Word where two are thus mentioned, by the one is signified good, and by the other truth; and therefore that by ”Manasseh“ is signified spiritual good in the natural, which good is of the new will, will be seen in what presently follows about ”Ephraim.“

AC 5352. For God hath made me forget all my toil.  That this signifies removal after temptations, is evident from the signification of ”forgetting,“ as being removal (n. 5170, 5278); and from the signification of ”toil,“ as being combats, thus temptations. Hence it follows that by the words ”God hath made me forget all my toil“ is signified removal after temptations, that is, the removal of the evils which have caused pain. That this is signified is plain also from what is related of Joseph in the land of Canaan among his brethren, and afterward in Egypt - in the land of Canaan that he was cast into a pit and sold, in Egypt that he served and was kept in prison for some years.  That temptations are signified by these events has already been shown, and that these are what are meant by his ”toil“ is plain.

AC 5353. And all my fathers house. That this signifies the removal of hereditary evils, is evident from the signification of ”father’s house,“ as here being hereditary evils; for by a ”house“ in the internal sense is signified a man, and indeed his mind either rational or natural, but specifically the will therein, consequently good or evil, because these are predicated of the will (n. 710, 2233, 2234, 3128, 4973, 4982, 5023); and therefore by ”father‘s house“ here are signified hereditary evils. The quality signified by ”Manasseh“ is contained in these and the immediately preceding words. In the original language ”Manasseh“ means ”forgetfulness,“ thus in the internal sense the removal of evils, both actual and hereditary; for when these are removed, a new will arises, for the new will comes into existence through the influx of good from the Lord. The influx of good from the Lord with man is continuous; but there are evils both actual and hereditary that hinder and obstruct the reception of it; and therefore when these are removed, a new will comes into existence.  This is very evident in the case of those who are in misfortune, misery, and illness; for as in these the loves of self and of the world, from which come all evils, are removed, the man thinks well about God and the neighbor, and also wishes his neighbor well.  It is similar in temptations, which are spiritual pains, and hence inward miseries and despairings: by these chiefly are evils removed, and after they have been removed, heavenly good flows in from the Lord, whereby a new will is formed in the natural, and this new will is ”Manasseh“ in the representative sense.

AC 5354. And the name of the second called he Ephraim. That this signifies a new understanding in the natural, and its quality, is evident from the signification of a ”name“ and ”calling a name,“ as being the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421); and from the representation of Ephraim, as being the understanding in the natural. But first must be told what is meant by the new understanding and the new will signified by ”Ephraim and Manasseh.“ In the church it is indeed known that man must be born again (that is, must be regenerated) in order that he may enter the kingdom of God; for the Lord has plainly declared this in (John 3:3, 5). But what it is to be born again is known only to few, for the reason that few know what good and evil are, and this because they do not know what charity toward the neighbor is; if they knew this, they would also know what good is, and from good what evil is; for all that is good which comes from genuine charity toward the neighbor.

[2] But no one can be in this good from himself, because it is the celestial itself which flows in from the Lord. This celestial flows in continually, but evils and falsities stand in the way of its being received; and therefore in order to its reception it is necessary for man to remove evils, and as far as he is able falsities also, and thus dispose himself to receive the influx. When after evils have been removed the man receives the influx, he at the same time receives a new will and a new understanding; and from the new will he feels delight in doing good to the neighbor from no selfish end, and from the new understanding he perceives delight in learning what is good and true for its own sake and for the sake of the life. Inasmuch as this new understanding and new will come into existence through influx from the Lord, the man who has been regenerated acknowledges and believes that the good and truth with which he is affected are not from himself but from the Lord, and also that whatever is from himself, or of his own, is nothing but evil.

[3] From all this it is plain what it is to be born again, and also what the new will and new understanding are.  But the regeneration through which come the new understanding and the new will is not accomplished in a moment, but goes on from earliest infancy even to the close of life, and afterward in the other life to eternity, and this by Divine means, innumerable and unspeakable; for man of himself is nothing but evil, which continually exhales as from a furnace, and continually endeavors to extinguish the nascent good. The removal of such evil, and the inrooting of good in its place, cannot be effected short of the whole course of life, and through Divine means numberless and unspeakable. Of these means scarcely any are known at the present day, for the reason that man does not suffer himself to be regenerated, nor does he believe regeneration to be anything, because he does not believe in a life after death.  The process of regeneration, which includes unspeakable things, makes up the main part of angelic wisdom, and is of such a nature that it cannot be fully exhausted by any angel to eternity.  Hence it is that this is the chief subject treated of in the internal sense of the Word.

[4] That ”Ephraim“ is the new understanding in the natural, is plain from very many passages in the Word, especially in the prophet Hosea, which treats much of ”Ephraim,“ and in which we read as follows:--

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from Me, in that thou hast wholly committed whoredom, O Ephraim, Israel is defiled.  Israel and Ephraim shall go to ruin by their iniquity; Judah shall also go to ruin with them. Ephraim shall become a solitude in the day of reproof. And I am as a moth to Ephraim, and as a boring-worm to the house of Judah. And Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, and Ephraim went to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb; and this one could not heal you (Hosea 5:3, 5, 9, 12, 13).

Again in the same prophet:--

When I healed Israel, then was the iniquity of Ephraim unveiled, and the evils of Samaria; for they have wrought a lie; and a thief cometh, and a troop spreadeth itself abroad. And Ephraim was like a silly dove without heart; they called Egypt, they went to Assyria. When they shall go I will spread my net over them (Hosea 7:1, 11, 12).

[5]Again:

Israel is swallowed up; now shall they be among the nations as a vessel wherein is no desire; when they went up to Assyria, a wild ass alone; Ephraim winneth him loves with a harlot’s hire (Hosea 8:8, 9);

Israel shall not dwell in the land of Jehovah, and Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat what is unclean in Assyria (Hosea 9:3);

Ephraim hath compassed me about with a lie, and the house of Israel with deceit; and Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints; Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind; every day he multiplieth a lie and wasting, and they make a covenant with the Assyrian, and oil is carried down into Egypt (Hosea 11:12; 12:1);

besides many other passages in the same prophet concerning Ephraim (Hosea 4:17-19; 5:3, 5, 9, 11-14; 7:8, 9; 9:8, 11, 13, 16; 10:6, 11; 11:3, 8, 9; 12:8, 14; 13:1, 12; 14:8).

[6] In all these passages by ”Ephraim“ is meant the intellectual of the church, by ”Israel“ its spiritual, and by ”Judah“ its celestial; and it is because the intellectual of the church is signified by ”Ephraim“ that it is so often said of him that he ”goes away into Egypt,“ and ”into Assyria;“ for by ”Egypt“ are signified memory-knowledges, and by ”Assyria“ reasonings from these; both being predicated of the understanding. ”Egypt“ signifies memory-knowledge, (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 3325, 4749, 4964, 4966); and also that ”Assyria“ signifies reason and reasoning, (n. 119, 1186),

[7] In like manner in the following passages by ”Ephraim“ is signified the understanding of the church:--

Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion; sound, O daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh to thee. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and I will cut off the battle how; He shall speak peace against the nations; and His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.  I will bend Judah for Me, I will fill Ephraim with the bow, and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, with thy sons, O Javan (Zech. 9:9, 10, 13);

said of the coming of the Lord and of the church of the Gentiles.  ”To cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem“ denotes to cut off all the understanding of the church; ”to fill Ephraim with the bow“ denotes to give a new understanding.  That a ”chariot“ signifies what is of doctrine may be seen above (n. 5321), a ”horse,“ what is of the understanding (n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321); and a ”bow“ also what is of doctrine (n. 2685, 2686, 2709); for what is of doctrine depends on what is of the understanding, for it is believed as it is understood, the understanding of the doctrine determining the quality of the faith.

[8] Hence also the sons of Ephraim are called ”shooters with the bow,“ in David:--

The sons of Ephraim, who were armed and shooters with the bow, turned back in the day of battle (Ps. 78:9).

In Ezekiel:--

Son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the sons of Israel his companions; then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and of all the house of Israel his companions; afterward join them for thee one to another into one stick, that the two may become one in my hand. Behold I will take the stick of Joseph that is in the hands of Ephraim and of the tribes of Israel his companions, and will add those who are upon it with the stick of Judah, and I will make them one stick, that they may be one in My hand (Ezek. 37:16, 17, 19);

where also by ” Judah“ is meant the celestial of the church, by ”Israel“ its spiritual, and by ”Ephraim“ its intellectual. That these are made one through the good of charity, is signified by one stick being made out of two. A ”stick of wood“ is the good of charity and consequently the good of works, (n. 1110, 2784, 2812, 3720, 4943),

[9] In Jeremiah:--

There shall be a day that the watchman from the mountain of Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, let us go up to Zion unto Jehovah our God. I will be a father to Israel, and Ephraim My firstborn is he (Jer. 31:6, 9).

In the same:--

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a calf unaccustomed; turn Thou me, that I may be turned. Is not Ephraim a precious son to Me? is he not a child of delights? For after I have spoken against him, I will surely remember him again (Jer. 31:18, 20).

In the same:--

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

In Isaiah:--

Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower and to the glory of his adornment, which are upon the head of the valley of the fat ones that are troubled with wine (Isa. 28:1).

[10] In these passages also by ”Ephraim“ is signified the understanding of the church.  The understanding of the church is the understanding the men of the Church have of truths and goods, that is, of the doctrinal things of faith and charity; thus their notion, concept, or idea about them.  Truth itself is the spiritual of the church, and good is its celestial; but truth and good are understood differently by different men; such therefore as is the understanding of truth, such is the truth with everyone.  It is similar with the understanding of good.

[11] What the will of the church is that is signified by ”Manasseh,“ may be known from its understanding, which is ”Ephraim.“ It is with the will of the church as with its understanding, namely, that it is varied with each person. ”Manasseh“ signifies this will in Isaiah:--

In the wrath of Jehovah Zebaoth the land is darkened, and the people is become like food for the fire; no man shall spare his brother; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: they together are against Judah (Isa. 9:19-21);

where ”every man eating the flesh of his own arm, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Ephraim, Manasseh“ denotes that the will of the man of the church will be against his understanding, and his understanding against his will.

[12] In David:--

God hath spoken by His holiness: I will exult, I will divide Shechem, and met‘ out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; and Ephraim is the strength of My head (Ps. 60:6, 7).

Again:--

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that sittest upon the cherubim, shine forth.  Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up Thy might (Ps. 80:1, 2);

where also ”Ephraim“ denotes the understanding of the church, and ”Manasseh“ its will.  The same is plain also from the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh by Jacob before his death (Gen. 48:13-20); and also from Jacob’s accepting Ephraim in place of Reuben, and Manasseh in place of Simeon (Gen. 48:3, 5); for by Reuben was represented the understanding of the church, or faith in the understanding and in doctrine (n. 3861, 3866), and by Simeon, faith in act, or obedience and will to do the truth, from which and by which is charity, and thus truth in act, which is the good of the new will (n. 3869-3872).

[13] The reason why Jacob, then Israel, blessed Ephraim in preference to Manasseh, by putting his right hand upon the former and his left upon the latter (Gen. 48:13-20), was the same that Jacob had for diverting to himself the birthright of Esau, and the same as in the case of Perez and Zerah the sons of Judah by Tamar, when Zerah, who was the firstborn, came forth after Perez (Gen. 38:28-30). This reason was that the truth of faith, which is of the understanding, is apparently in the first place during man‘s regeneration, and then the good of charity, which is of the will, is apparently in the second place; and yet good is actually in the first place, and is manifestly so when the man has been regenerated (n. 3324, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247, 4337, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 4977).

AC 5355. For God hath made me fruitful.  That this signifies the consequent multiplication of truth from good, is evil dent from the signification of ”making fruitful,“ as being multiplication, namely, of truth from good; for ”fruitfulness“ is predicated of good, and ”multiplication“ of truth (n. 43, 55, 913, 983, 1940, 2846, 2847).  Hence in the original language ”Ephraim“ was named from fruitfulness, and his quality is contained in the words, ”for God hath made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.“ This quality is that truth from good was multiplied in the natural after the temptations suffered there.  What the multiplication of truth from good is shall be briefly stated. When man is in good, that is, in love toward the neighbor, he is also in the love of truth; consequently in so far as he is in this good, so far he is affected by truth, for good is in truth as the soul in its body. As therefore good multiplies truth, so it propagates itself; and if it is the good of genuine charity, it propagates itself in truth and by truth indefinitely; for there is no limit to good or to truth. The Infinite is in all things in general and in particular, because they are all from the Infinite; but still the indefinite can never in any way reach the Infinite, because there is no ratio between the finite and the Infinite. In the church today there is rarely any multiplication of truth, for the reason that at this day there is no good of genuine charity. It is believed to be sufficient to know the dogmas of faith of the church in which the man is born, and to confirm them by various means. But one who is in the good of genuine charity, and thence in the affection of truth, is not content with this, but desires to be enlightened from the Word as to what truth is, and to see the truth before he confirms it. Moreover he sees it from good, because the perception of truth is from good; for the Lord is in good, and gives the perception. When a man receives truth in this way, it increases indefinitely.  In this respect it is like a little seed, which grows into a tree, and produces other little seeds, which in turn produce a garden, and so on.

AC 5356. In the land of my affliction.  That this signifies where temptations were suffered, is evident from the signification of the ”land,“ here the land of Egypt, as being the natural (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301); and from the signification of ”affliction,“ as being temptation (n. 1846). From this it is plain that by ”in the land of my affliction“ is signified in the natural where temptations were suffered, and consequently that truth from good was multiplied therein.  As this fruitfulness or multiplication of truth from good is effected chiefly by means of temptations, it was thus expressed.  The reasons why this fruitfulness is effected chiefly by means of temptations, are these.  Temptations remove the loves of self and of the world, thus evils; on the removal of which the affection of good and truth flows in from the Lord (n. 5354).  Temptations also give quality to the perception of good and truth, by means of the opposite things which evil spirits then infuse; and it is by perceiving opposites that we get relatives, from which comes all quality; for no one knows what is good without also knowing what is not good, nor what is true without knowing what is not true.  Temptations also confirm goods and truths, for the man then fights against evils and falsities, and by conquering comes into a stronger affirmative.  Moreover by means of temptations evils and falsities are subdued, so that they no longer venture to rise up; and in this way evils with falsities are rejected to the sides, and there hang, but drooping downward; while goods with truths are in the midst, and according to the zeal of affection are lifted upward, thus to heaven toward the Lord, by whom they are lifted up.

AC 5357. Verses 53-57. And the seven years of abundance of produce that was in the land of Egypt were ended. And the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said; and there was famine in all lands; and in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 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 unto you, do. 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. And all the earth came into Egypt to buy, to Joseph; because the famine was strengthened in all the earth.  ”And the seven years of abundance of produce were ended,“ signifies after the states of the multiplication of truth; ”that was in the land of Egypt,“ signifies in the natural; ”and the seven years of famine began to come,“ signifies the following states of desolation; ”as Joseph had said,“ signifies as had been foreseen by the celestial of the spiritual; ”and there was famine in all lands,“ signifies desolation everywhere in the natural; ”and in all the land of Egypt there was bread,“ signifies remains in consequence of truths from good having been multiplied; ”and all the land of Egypt was famished,“ signifies desolation in both naturals; ”and the people cried unto Pharaoh for bread,“ signifies the need of good for truth; ”and Pharaoh said to all Egypt,“ signifies perception; ”Go unto Joseph,“ signifies that it was from the celestial of the spiritual; ”what he saith to you, do,“ signifies provided there is obedience; ”and the famine was over all the faces of the land,“ signifies that there was desolation even to despair; ”and Joseph opened all the storehouses,“ signifies communication from remains; ”and sold to Egypt,“ signifies appropriation; ”and the famine was strengthened in the land of Egypt,“ signifies increasing severity; ”and all the earth came into Egypt,“ signifies that truths and goods were brought into the memory knowledges of the church; ”to buy,“ signifies appropriation therefrom; ”to Joseph,“ signifies where the celestial of the spiritual was; ”because the famine was strengthened in all the earth,“ signifies that everywhere, except there, was there desolation in the natural.

AC 5358. And the seven years of abundance of produce were ended. That this signifies after the states of the multiplication of truth, is evident from what was unfolded above (n. 5276, 5292, 5339), where similar words occur.

AC 5359. That was in the land of Egypt.  That this signifies in the natural, is evident from the signification of the ”land of Egypt,“ as being the natural (n. 5080, 5095, 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288).

AC 5360. And the seven years of famine began to come.  That this signifies the following states of desolation, is evident from the signification of ”years,“ as being states (n. 482, 487, 488, 493, 893); and from the signification of ”famine,“ as being a lack of the knowledges of truth and good (n. 1460, 3364), consequently desolation.  That a famine denotes such a lack, or desolation, is because celestial and spiritual food are nothing else than good and truth.  These are what angels and spirits are nourished by, and what they hunger for when hungry, and thirst for when thirsty; and therefore also material food corresponds thereto - as bread to celestial love, and wine to spiritual love, as well as everything that pertains to bread or food, and to wine or drink. When therefore there is a lack of such things, there is a ”famine,“ and in the Word is this is called ”desolation“ and ”vastation“ - ”desolation“ when truths fail, and ”vastation“ when goods fail.  This desolation and vastation is treated of in many passages of the Word, and is there described by the desolation of the earth, of kingdoms, of cities, of nations, and of peoples, and is also termed a ”pouring out,“ a ”cutting off,“ a ”consummation,“ a ”desert,“ and a ”void;“ and the state itself is called the ”great day of Jehovah,“ the ”day of His wrath“ and ”vengeance,“ a ”day of darkness,“ and ”thick darkness,“ of ”cloud“ and of ”obscurity,“ a ”day of visitation,“ also the ”day when the earth shall perish,“ thus the ”last day“ and the ”day of judgment;“ and because men have not understood the internal sense of the Word, they have hitherto supposed that it meant a day when the earth will perish, and that then for the first time will there be a resurrection and a judgment, not being aware that by a ”day“ in such passages is signified a state, and by the ”earth“ the church, and thus by a ”day when the earth will perish,“ a state when the church will come to its end; therefore when this perishing is described in the Word, a ”new earth“ is also described, by which is meant a new church. In regard to the ”new earth“ and ”new heaven,“ see (n. 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4535). That last state of a church which precedes the state of a new church, is properly meant and described in the Word by ”vastation“ and ”desolation.“ By the same words is described also the state that precedes man’s regeneration, which state is here signified by the seven years of famine.

AC 5361. As Joseph had said.  That this signifies as had been foreseen by the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of ”saying“ in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive, and therefore when predicated of the Lord, who here is ”Joseph,“ to perceive from Himself, thus to foresee; and from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 5249, 5307, 5331, 5332).

AC 5362. And there was famine in all lands.  That this signifies desolation everywhere in the natural, is evident from the signification of ”famine,“ as being desolation (n. 5360); and from the signification of ”all lands,“ as being everywhere in the natural. ”land“ denotes the natural mind, thus the natural, (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301),

AC 5363. But in all the land of Egypt there was bread.  That this signifies remains in consequence of truths from good having been multiplied, is evident from the fact that by the ”bread in all the land of Egypt“ is meant the corn gathered in the seven years of abundance of produce, and laid up in the cities, by which are signified the remains stored up in the interiors of the natural mind, as has frequently been stated and shown above.  Hence by the ”bread in all the land of Egypt“ are signified the remains in consequence of truths from good having been multiplied.  That remains are here meant by the ”bread in the land of Egypt,“ is evident also from the fact that the years of famine had already begun, in which the land of Egypt suffered famine equally with the other lands, except that it had stores laid up which the other lands had not, and therefore these words now follow, ”and all the land of Egypt was famished.“

AC 5364. And all the land of Egypt was famished.  That this signifies desolation in both naturals, is evident from the signification of ”famine,“ as being desolation (n. 5360, 5362); and from the signification of ”all the land,“ as being both naturals (n. 5276).

AC 5365. And the people cried unto Pharaoh for bread.  That this signifies the need of good for truth, is evident from the signification of ”crying,“ as being the act of a person in grief and mourning, thus being that of a person in need; from the signification of ”people,“ as being truth (n. 1259, 1260, 3295, 3581); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (n. 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160); and from the signification of ”bread,“ as being the celestial of love, thus good (n. 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976). Front this it follows that by ”the people cried unto Pharaoh for bread“ is signified the need in the natural of good for truth.  This meaning indeed appears remote from the historic sense of the letter; but still when they who are in the internal sense understand by ”crying,“ by ”people,“ by” Pharaoh,“ and by ”bread,“ nothing else than what has been said, it follows that this meaning results therefrom.

[2] How the case is in  regard to the need of good for truth, must be told. Truth has need of good, and good has need of truth; and when truth has need of good, truth is conjoined with good, and when good has need of truth, good is conjoined with truth; for the reciprocal conjunction of good and truth, namely of truth with good and of good with truth, is the heavenly marriage.  In the early stages of man‘s regeneration, truth is multiplied, but not good; and as truth has then no good with which to be conjoined, it is drawn in and stored up in the interiors of the natural mind, that it may be called forth thence according to the increasings of good. In this state truth is in need of good, and moreover conjunction of truth with good takes place according to the inflow of good into the natural; but still no fruitfulness is effected by this conjunction.  But when man has been regenerated, then good increases; and as it increases it is in need of truth, and also procures truth for itself with which it may be conjoined, and thereupon there is a conjunction of good with truth. When this takes place, truth is made fruitful from good, and good from truth.

[3] That this is the case is entirely unknown’ in the world, but is very well known in heaven; and yet were it known in the world (not only by knowledge but also by perception) what celestial love or love to the Lord is, and what spiritual love or charity toward the neighbor is, it would also be known what good is, for all good is of these loves; and moreover it would be known that good desires truth, and truth good, and that they are conjoined according to the desire and its quality. This might be plain from the fact that when truth is thought of, the good adjoined to it is presented at the same time; and when good is stirred, the truth adjoined to it is presented at the present time - in both cases with affection, desire, delight, or holy aspiration; and from this the quality of the conjunction might be known. But as it is not known from any inward sensation or perception what good is, such things cannot come to knowledge; for that about which nothing is known is not understood, even when it comes to view.

[4] And as it is not known what spiritual good is, and that it is charity toward the neighbor, therefore it is a matter of dispute in the world, especially among the learned, what is the highest good; and scarcely anyone has maintained that it is that delight, satisfaction, blessedness, and happiness which is perceived from mutual love devoid of any selfish or worldly end, and which makes heaven itself.  From this also it is plain that in the world at this day it is not at all known what spiritual good is, and still less that good and truth form a marriage together, and that heaven is in this marriage, and that those who are in it are in wisdom and intelligence and have satisfactions and happinesses with unlimited and inexpressible variety, not one of which is known by the world, nor is its existence even recognized and believed; when in fact it is heaven itself, or that very heavenly joy of which so much is said in the church.

AC 5366. And Pharaoh said to all Egypt.  That this signifies perception, is evident from the signification of ”saying“ in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2061, 2080, 2862, 3395, 3509); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural in general (n. 5160); and from the signification of ”all Egypt,“ as being both naturals (n. 5276, 5364). From this it is plain that by ”Pharaoh said to all Egypt“ is signified perception in both naturals, In general and in particular.

AC 5367. Go unto Joseph. That this signifies that it was from the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual.  ”To go unto him“ signifies that it was from him, namely, the good for truth which is signified by the ”bread for which the people cried unto Pharaoh“ (n. 5365).

AC 5368. What he saith to you, do.  That this signifies provided there is obedience, is evident from the signification of ”doing what anyone says,“ as being to obey.  By this is signified that good is adjoined to truth in the natural, provided the natural applies itself and obeys.  Something must be said about the natural‘s applying itself and obeying.  They who are in worldly things only, and yet more they who are in bodily things, and still more they who are in earthly ones, cannot apprehend what is meant by saying that the natural ought to apply itself and obey. They suppose that there is only one thing that acts in man, and therefore that there is not one thing in him to command, and another to obey; and yet it is the internal man that should command, and the external that should obey, and that does obey when the man has not the world as the end, but heaven, and not self but the neighbor, consequently when he regards bodily and worldly things as means and not as the end; and he so regards them when he loves his neighbor more than himself, and the things of heaven more than those of the world. When this is the case, the natural obeys; the natural is the same as the external man.

AC 5369. And the famine was over all the faces of the earth. That this signifies when there was desolation even to despair, is evident from the signification of ” famine,“ as being desolation (n. 5360, 5362, 5364); and from the signification of the ”earth,“ as being the natural.  When famine is said to be ”over all the faces“ of this, despair is signified, because the desolation is then everywhere; for the height and extremity of desolation is despair (n. 5279, 5280).

AC 5370. And Joseph opened all the storehouses.    That this signifies communication from remains, is evident from the signification of ”opening,“ as here being to communicate. ”All the storehouses“ are the repositories in which the corn was stored, and by which are signified remains, as has been repeatedly shown above. That remains are goods and truths stored up by the Lord in the interiors, may be seen above (n. 468, 530, 560, 561, 660, 661, 798, 1050, 1738, 1906, 2284, 5135, 5342, 5344).

AC 5371. And sold to Egypt. That this signifies appropriation, is evident from the signification of ”selling,“ as being to appropriate to anyone; for what is sold becomes his who buys it.  ”Selling“ and ”buying“ signify appropriation, (n. 5374).

AC 5372. And the famine was strengthened in the land of Egypt. That this signifies increasing severity, that is, of the desolation, is evident from the signification of ”famine“ and of the ”land of Egypt,“ as being desolation in the natural, the increasing severity of which is signified by its ”being strengthened.“

AC 5373. And all the earth came into Egypt.  That this signifies that goods and truths were brought into the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of the ”earth.“ The signification of ”earth“ or ”land“ in the Word is various: in general it signifies the church, and hence the things belonging to the church, which are goods and truths; and because it signifies the church, it signifies also the man of the church, for he is the church in particular; and because it signifies the man of the church, it signifies that in him which is the man, namely, the mind.  Hence it is that by the ”land of Egypt“ is occasionally above signified the natural mind. In this passage however the land of Egypt is not meant, but the earth in general, consequently the things of the church, which are goods and truths. The signification of ”land“ or ”earth“ is various, (n. 620, 636, 2571); and in general it signifies the church (n. 566, 662, 1068, 1262, 1413, 1607, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 2928, 3355, 3404, 4447, 4535).

[2] That by ”all the earth coming to Egypt“ is signified that goods and truths were brought into memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of ”Egypt“ in the proper sense, as being memory-knowledge, consequently matters of memory-knowledge (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462); and that the memory-knowledges signified in a good sense by ”Egypt“ are those of the church (n. 4749, 4964, 4966). That this is the internal sense of these words is plain not only from the signification of the word ”earth“ or ”land“ when the land of Egypt is not meant, and from that of ”Egypt“ in the proper sense, and from its being said, ”all the earth came“ (venerunt) in the plural, but also from the very connection of things in the internal sense; for in this connection it now follows that the truths and goods of remains are brought into memory-knowledges.

[3] For the case is this: during man’s regeneration as to the natural, goods and truths are one and all brought together into memory-knowledges. Those which are not in the memory-knowledges there, are not in the natural; for the natural mind, as regards that part of it which is subject to the understanding, consists solely of memory-knowledges The memory-knowledges that belong to the natural are the ultimates of order, and things prior must be in ultimates in order to come into existence and to appear in that sphere; and besides this all prior things tend to ultimates as to their boundaries or ends, and come into existence together therein as causes do in their effects, or as higher things do in lower as in their vessels.  The memory-knowledges of the natural are such ultimates.  Hence it is that the spiritual world is terminated in man‘s natural, in which the things of the spiritual world are representatively presented. Unless spiritual things were presented representatively in the natural, thus by such things as are in the world, they would not be apprehended at all.  From all this it is evident that during the regeneration of the natural all interior truths and goods, which are from the spiritual world, are brought into memory-knowledges, in order that they may appear.

AC 5374. To buy.  That this signifies appropriation therefrom, is evident from the signification of ”buying,“ as being to procure for one’s self, thus to appropriate.  Procuring and appropriating spiritually are effected by means of good and truth. To this corresponds the procuring and appropriating that in the world are effected by means of silver and gold; for in the spiritual sense ”silver“ is truth, and ”gold“ is good.  Hence ”buying“ signifies appropriation, as also in the following passages in the Word:--

Everyone that thirsteth come ye to the waters, and he that hath no silver; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without silver and without price (Isa. 55:1; Jeremiah 13:1, 2, 11).

In Matthew:--

The kingdom of the heavens is like unto treasure hid in the field; which when a man hath found, he hideth, and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls, and he went and sold all that he had, and bought it (Matthew 13:44-46).

Again:--

The prudent virgins said to the foolish ones, Go ye to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came (Matthew 25:9, 10).

[2] As ”buying“ signifies appropriation, therefore in the Word the things bought with silver are well distinguished from those otherwise obtained. Moreover the servants bought with silver were as one‘s own, and in a lower degree like those born in the house; and therefore they are often mentioned together, as in Genesis:

Circumcising he shall be circumcised that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy silver (Gen. 17:13);

and in Leviticus:--

If a priest buy any soul with the purchase of silver, he and one that is born in his house, they shall eat of his bread (Lev. 22:11).

Hence it is evident what is signified by the ”redeemed (or those bought back) of Jehovah,“ in the Word, namely, those who have received good and truth, and thus those to whom the things of the Lord have been appropriated.

AC 5375. To Joseph.  That this signifies where the celestial of the spiritual was, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual, as often shown above. The celestial of the spiritual is the good of truth from the Divine.

AC 5376. Because the famine was strengthened in all the earth. That this signifies that everywhere, except there, was there desolation in the natural, is evident from the signification of ”famine,“ as being desolation; and from the signification of ”earth,“ as being the natural. Its being everywhere except there, namely, in the memory-knowledges where the celestial of the spiritual was, follows from what goes before. How the case is with the desolation of the natural, or the deprivation of truth there, has already been told; but as the same subject is continued in what follows, it must be told again.  The man who is born within the church, from earliest childhood learns from the Word and from the doctrinal things of the church what the truth of faith is, and also what the good of charity is.  But when he grows up to manhood he begins either to confirm or to deny in himself the truths of faith that he has learned; for he then looks at these truths with his own sight, and thereby causes them either to be made his own or else to be rejected; for nothing can become one’s own that is not acknowledged of one‘s own insight, that is, which the man does not know to be so from himself, and not from somebody else; and therefore the truths learned from childhood enter no further into the man’s life than the first entrance, from which they can either be admitted more interiorly, or else be cast out.

[2] With those who are being regenerated, that is, who the Lord ford sees will suffer themselves to be regenerated, these truths are greatly multiplied, for these persons are in the affection of knowing truths; but when they come nearer to the very act of regeneration, they are as it were deprived of these truths, for these are drawn inward, and then the man appears to be in desolation; nevertheless as regeneration goes on these truths are successively let back into the natural, and are there conjoined with good.  But with those who are not being regenerated, that is, who the Lord foresees will not suffer themselves to be regenerated, truths are indeed usually multiplied, for these persons are in the affection of knowing such things for the sake of reputation, honor, and gain; yet when they advance in years and submit these truths to their own sight, they then either do not believe them, or they deny them, or they turn them into falsities; thus with them truths are not withdrawn inward, but are cast forth, although they still remain in the memory for the sake of ends in the world, though without life.  This state also is called in the Word ”desolation“ or ”vastation,“ but differs from the former state in the desolation of the former being apparent, while the desolation of this state is absolute; for in the former state man is not deprived of truths, while in this state he is entirely deprived of them. The desolation of the former state has been treated of in the internal sense in this chapter, and is still further treated of in the following one, and is what is signified by the ”famine of seven years.“

[3] This same desolation is often treated of in other parts of the Word, as in Isaiah:--

Awake, awake, O Jerusalem, who hast drunk at the hand of Jehovah the cup of His anger; two things are befallen thee, who shall bemoan thee? wasting and breaking, famine and the sword; how shall I comfort thee? Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets. Therefore hear, do this, thou afflicted and drunken one, but not with wine, behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling, the dregs of the cup of My wrath; thou shalt no more drink it again, but I will put it into the hand of them that make thee sad (Isa. 51:17-23);

in this passage is described the state of desolation in which is the man of the church who is becoming a church, or who is being regenerated. This desolation is called ”wasting,“ ”breaking,“ ”famine,“ ”sword,“ and also the ”cup of the anger and wrath of Jehovah,“ and the ”cup of trembling.“ The truths of which he is then deprived are the ”sons who faint, and lie at the head of all the streets.“ That ”sons“ are truths may be seen above (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 2803, 2813, 3373), and that ”streets“ are where truths are (n. 2336); hence ”to lie at the head of all the streets“ means that truths appear to be dispersed. It is evident that this desolation is apparent, and that by it as by temptations regeneration is effected, for it is said that she ”shall no more drink,“ but that ”He will put the cup into the hand of them that make her sad.“

[4] In Ezekiel:--

Thus hath said the Lord Jehovih, Because they lay waste and swallow you up on every side, that ye be an inheritance unto the remains of the nations, therefore ye mountains of Israel hear the word of the Lord Jehovih: thus hath said the Lord Jehovih to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, and to the desolate wastes and to the cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision to the remains of the nations that are round about; I have spoken in My zeal and in my wrath, because ye have borne the reproach of the nations. Surely the nations that are round about you, these shall bear their reproach; but ye mountains of Israel shall put forth your branch and yield your fruit to My people Israel. For behold I am with you, and I will have regard unto you, that ye may be titled and sown; and I will multiply man upon you, the whole house of Israel, and the cities shall be inhabited, and the wastes builded.  I will cause you to dwell according to your times of old, and will do better to you than at your beginnings (Ezekiel 36:3-12);

here also the subject treated of is the desolation that precedes regeneration, the desolation being signified by the ”desolate wastes,“ and the ”cities that are forsaken, which became a prey and derision;“ but regeneration being signified by ”putting forth branch and yielding fruit,“ by ”having regard unto them that they may be tilled and sown, that man may be multiplied, the cities inhabited, and the wastes built,“ and by ”causing them to dwell according to their times of old,“ and ”doing better to them than at their beginning.“

[5] How the case is in regard to desolation is plain from those who are in desolation in the other life.  They who are in desolation there are harassed by evil spirits and genii, who pour in persuasions of evil and falsity until they are almost overwhelmed, the result being that truths do not appear; but as the time of desolation draws to a close they are enlightened by light from heaven, and in this way the evil spirits and genii are driven away, everyone into his own hell, where they undergo punishments. These are the things signified by ”the cities becoming a prey and derision to the remains of the nations that are round about,“ and by ”the nations that are round about bearing their reproach;“ and above in Isaiah by ”the cup being put into the hand of them that make her sad;“ and also in other passages in Isaiah by the ”waster being laid waste“ (Isa. 33:1). Also in Jeremiah:--

I will visit upon the wasters, and will make them everlasting desolations (Jer. 25:12).

In Isaiah:--

Thy destroyers will hasten thy sons, and thy wasters shall go forth from thee. Lift up thine eyes round about and see; all gather together, they come to thee. For as to thy wastes and the land of thy destruction, thou shalt be too straitened for an inhabitant, they that swallow thee up shall be far away (Isa. 49:17-19);

[6] here again, and in this whole chapter, the subject treated of is the desolation of those who are being regenerated, and their regeneration and fruitfulness after desolation, and lastly the punishment of those who oppressed them (Isa. 49:26). In the same:--

Woe to thee that layeth waste when thou art not laid waste!  When thou hast ceased to lay waste, thou shalt be laid waste (Isa. 33:1);

meaning that they who vastate are punished, as above. In the same:--

Let mine outcasts tarry in thee; Moab, be thou a covert to them before the waster; for the oppressor hath ceased, the wasting is ended (Isa. 16:4).

Again:--

The day of Jehovah is near, it shall come as a wasting from Shaddai (Isa. 13:6);

”a wasting from Shaddai“ denotes vastation in temptations; that God as to temptations was by the ancients called Shaddai, may be seen above (n. 1992, 3667, 4572).

[7] Again:--

Then they shall not thirst; He shall lead them in wastes, He shall cause the waters to flow out of the rock for them; and He will cleave the rock that the waters flow out (Isa. 48:21);

speaking of the state after desolation.  Again:--

Jehovah will comfort Zion, He will comfort all the wastes thereof, so as to make the wilderness thereof as Eden, and the solitude thereof as the garden of Jehovah; gladness and joy shall be found therein, confession and the voice of a song (Isa. 51:3).

where the subject treated of is the same, for as before said desolation is for the sake of the end that the man may be regenerated, that is, that after evils and falsities are separated, truths may be conjoined with goods, and goods with truths. The regenerate man as to good is what is compared to ”Eden,“ and as to truths to the ”garden of Jehovah.“ In David:--

Jehovah hath made me come up out of the pit of devastation, out of the mire of clay, and hath set my feet upon a rock (Ps. 40:2).

[8] The vastation and desolation of the man of the church, or of the church in man, was represented by the captivity of the Jewish people in Babylon; and the raising up of the church by the return from that captivity, as occasionally described in (Jeremiah 32:37-44); for desolation is captivity, the man then being kept as it were bound, and therefore by ”those bound,“ ”in prison,“ and ”in the pit,“ are signified those who are in desolation (n. 4728, 4744, 5037, 5038, 5085, 5096).

[9] The state of desolation and vastation with those who are not being regenerated is also occasionally treated of in the Word.  In this state are they who deny truths, or turn them into falsities: this is the state of the church toward its end, when there is no longer any faith or charity.  Thus in Isaiah:--

I will make known to you what I will do to My vineyard, in removing the hedge thereof so that it shall be eaten up, in breaking through the fence thereof that it may be trodden down. I will then make it a desolation; it shall not be pruned nor hoed, that there may come up brier and shrub; nay, I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it (Isa. 5:5, 6).

In the same:--

Tell this people, Hearing hear ye, but understand not; and seeing see ye, but know not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and smear over their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and their heart should understand, and they should be converted, and be healed.  Then said I, Lord, how long? And he said, Until the cities be devastated that they be without inhabitant, and the houses that there be no man in them, and the land be reduced into a solitude; Jehovah will remove man. And the desert shall be multiplied in the midst of the land; scarcely a tenth part shall be in it any more, and yet it shall be banished (Isa. 6:9-13).

[10] In the same:--

Remains shall return, the remains of Jacob, unto the mighty God; for a consummation is decreed, overflowing with righteousness; for a consummation and a decree shall the Lord Jehovih Zebaoth make in all the earth (Isa. 10:21-23).

Again:--

Jehovah maketh the earth void, and maketh it empty, and will overturn the faces thereof. The earth shall be utterly void, the habitable earth shall mourn, shall be confounded, the world shall languish and be confounded, a curse shall devour the earth; the new wine shall mourn, the vine shall languish; that which is left in the city shall be a waste, the gate shall be smitten even to devastation; breaking, the earth is broken; breaking, the earth is broken in pieces; moving, the earth is moved; reeling, the earth reeleth like a drunkard (Isa. 24:1-23).

Again:--

The paths are devastated, the wayfaring man ceaseth, the land mourneth and languisheth, Lebanon is ashamed and withered away, Sharon is become like a desert (Isa. 33:8, 9).

Again:--

I will make desolate and swallow up together, I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herb (Isa. 42:14, 15).

[11] In Jeremiah:--

I will give to the curse all the nations round about, and will make them a desolation, and a derision, and perpetual wastes; I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of the millstones and the light of the candle; that the whole land may be a desolation and a devastation. It shall come to pass when seventy years are fulfilled, that I will visit their iniquity upon the king of Babylon, and upon this nation, and upon the land of the Chaldees, and will make it everlasting desolations (Jer. 25:9-12).

In the same:--

Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall become perpetual wastes; Edom shall be a desolation, everyone that goeth by it shall be amazed, and shall hiss over all the plagues thereof (Jer. 49:13-18).

In Ezekiel:--

Thus saith the Lord to the inhabitants of Jerusalem concerning the land of Israel, They shall eat their bread with solicitude, and drink their waters with amazement; that her land may be devastated from its fulness, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein; the cities that are inhabited shall be devastated, and the land shall be made desolate (Ezek. 12:19, 20).

[12] Again:--

When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall make the deep come up against thee, and many waters shall cover thee, and I shall make thee go down with them that descend into the pit, to the people of old time, and shall make thee to dwell in the earth of the lower things, for a desolation from eternity with them that go down into the pit (Ezek. 26:19-21);

speaking of Tyre.  In Joel:--

A day of darkness and of thick darkness, a day of cloud and of obscurity; a fire devoureth before him and behind him a flame burneth; the land is as the garden of Eden before him, but behind him a wilderness of waste (Joel 2:2, 3).

In Zephaniah:--

The day of Jehovah is near, a day of wrath is this day, a day of distress and of cramping, a day of wasteness and devastation, a day of darkness and thick darkness, a day of cloud and shade; the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of the zeal of Jehovah, for I will make a consummation, yea, a speedy one, with all the inhabitants of the land (Zeph. 1:14-18).

In Matthew:--

When ye shall see the abomination of desolation, foretold by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, then let them that are in Judea flee into the mountains (Matthew 24:15, 16; Mark 13:14; Dan. 9:27; 12:10-12).

From these passages it is evident that desolation is the apparent deprivation of truth with those who are being regenerated, but is the absolute deprivation of it with those who are not being regenerated.

AC 5377. The subject treated of at the close of the preceding chapter was the correspondence of some of the interior viscera of the body with the Grand Man, namely, of the liver, the pancreas, the stomach, and some others.  The subject is now continued with the correspondence therewith of the peritoneum, the kidneys, the ureters, the bladder, and also of the intestines; for whatever is in man, both what is in the external man and what is in the internal, has a correspondence with the Grand Man.  Without correspondence therewith (that is, with heaven, or what is the same, with the spiritual world) nothing would ever come into existence and subsist, for the reason that it would have no connection with what is prior to itself, nor consequently with the First, that is, with the Lord. What is unconnected, and thus independent, cannot subsist for a single moment; for its subsistence is from its connection with that from which is all existence, and its dependence upon it, because subsistence is a perpetual coming into existence.

[2] Hence it is that not only all things in general and particular in man correspond, but also all and each in the universe.  The sun itself corresponds, and also the moon; for in heaven the Lord is the Sun, and also the Moon.  The sun‘s flame and heat, and also its light, correspond; for it is the Lord’s love toward the whole human race to which the flame and heat correspond, and the Divine truth to which the light corresponds.  The very stars correspond, the societies of heaven and their habitations being what they have correspondence with; not that they are in the stars, but that they are in a similar order.  Whatever appears under the sun corresponds, as all and each of the subjects in the animal kingdom, and also all and each of the subjects in the vegetable kingdom; and unless there were an influx from the spiritual world into all and each, they would instantly sink down and shrivel away.  This has been granted me to know by much experience; for I have been shown with what things in the spiritual world many things in the animal kingdom, and many more in the vegetable kingdom, correspond, and also that without influx they would by no means subsist; for when that which is prior is taken away, that which is posterior necessarily falls, and the same is the case when what is prior is separated from what is posterior.  As there is an especial correspondence of man with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord, a man appears in the other life in the light of heaven according to the quality of his correspondence. Hence the angels appear in ineffable brightness and beauty, but the infernals in inexpressible blackness and deformity.

AC 5378. Some spirits came to me, but were silent.  After a while however they spoke, yet not as many, but all as one.  I noticed from their speech that they were such that they desired to know everything, and were eager to explain everything, and in this way to confirm themselves that a thing is so.  They were modest, and said that they do nothing of themselves, but from others, although it appears to be from them.  They were then infested by others, who were said to be those who constitute the province of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder, and whom they answered modestly; yet these continued to infest and assail them, for such is the nature of the kidney spirits.  And as they could not prevail against them by their modesty, they resorted to what was according to their nature, namely, to enlarging themselves, and thereby causing terror.  Thereupon they seemed to become great, but only as a one, who so swelled in stature, that like Atlas he seemed to reach to heaven; a spear appeared in his hand, but still he did not wish to do any harm beyond exciting terror. In consequence of this the kidney spirits fled away, and then there appeared one who pursued them in their flight, and another who flew in front between the feet of that great one; moreover that great one seemed to have wooden shoes, which he threw at the kidney spirits.

[2] Angels told me that those modest spirits who made themselves great were those who bear relation to the peritoneum.  The peritoneum is the common membrane that surrounds and encloses all the viscera of the abdomen, as the pleura does all the viscera of the chest; and as it is so extensive, and relatively large, and also expansible, the spirits who belong to this province, when infested by others, are allowed to present themselves great in appearance, and at the same time to strike with terror, especially in the case of those who constitute the province of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder; for these viscera or vessels lie in the folds of the peritoneum, and are constrained by it.  The wooden shoes represented the lowest natural things, such as the kidneys, ureters, and bladder absorb and carry off. Shoes are the lowest natural things, (n. 259, 4938-4952). And in saying that they do nothing of themselves, but from others, in this respect also these spirits bear relation to the peritoneum, which is also of such a nature.

AC 5379. It was also representatively shown what happens when they who constitute the colon intestine infest those who are in the province of the peritoneum.  They who constitute the colon intestine become puffed up, like the colon with its wind, and when they desired to assail those of the peritoneum, it appeared as if a wall were thrown in the way; and when they attempted to overturn the wall, there always rose up a new wall.  In this manner they were kept away from them.

AC 5380. It is known that there are secretions and excretions, in a series, from the kidneys down to the bladder. In the first of the series are the kidneys, in the middle of it are the ureters, and in the last is the bladder. They who constitute these provinces in the Grand Man are in like manner in a series; and although they are of one genus, they differ as do the species of this genus. They speak with a raucous voice as if cracked, and desire to introduce themselves into the body; but this is only an endeavor.  Their situation in respect to the human body is as follows. They who relate to the kidneys are on the left side close to the body under the elbow; they who relate to the ureters are to the left farther off from the body; and they who relate to the bladder are still farther away. Together they form almost a parabola from the left side toward the front; for in this way they project themselves from the left toward the front; thus in a rather long course. This is one common way to the hells, the other is through the intestines, for both these ways end in the hells; for they who are in the hells correspond to such things as are excreted by the intestines and the bladder, the falsities and evils in which they are being nothing but urine and excrement in a spiritual sense.

AC 5381. They who constitute the province of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder in the Grand Man, are of such a disposition that they desire nothing more than to explore and to search out the quality of others; and there are some of them who are eager to chastise and to punish, provided there is some justice in the case. The functions of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder are of this kind; for they explore the blood thrown into them to see whether there is any useless and hurtful serum in it, which they separate from what is useful, and then correct it; for they drive it down toward lower positions, and on the way and afterward they agitate it in various ways.  These are the functions of those who constitute the province of the parts in question.  But the spirits and societies of spirits to which the urine itself, especially fetid urine, corresponds, are infernal; for as soon as the urine is separated from the blood, although it is in the little tubes of the kidneys or within the bladder, still it is out of the body; for what has been separated no longer circulates in the body, and therefore does not contribute anything to the coming into existence and subsistence of its parts.

AC 5382. I have often observed that they who constitute the province of the kidneys and ureters are quick to explore or search out the quality of others--what they think and what they will--and that they are in the cupidity of finding occasions, and making out others to be guilty of some fault, chiefly in order to be able to chastise them, and I have talked with them about this cupidity and this intention.  Many of this kind in the world had been judges, who rejoiced at heart when they found an occasion which they believed just, to fine, chastise, and punish.  The operation of such is felt in the region at the back where are the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. They who belong to the bladder stretch out toward gehenna, where some of them sit as it were in judgment.

AC 5383. The methods by which they explore or search out the dispositions of others are very numerous; but I may adduce only the following one.  They lead other spirits to speak (which in the other life is done by an influx that cannot be intelligibly described), and if the speech they have thus led follows readily they judge thereby of the character of the spirits. They also lead into a state of affection. But they who explore in this way are among the grosser of them.  Others use other methods. There are some of them who on approaching at once perceive another‘s thoughts, desires, and acts, and also anything he has done that pains him to think of: this they seize upon, and also condemn, if they think there is just cause.  It is one of the wonders of the other life--incredible to almost all in this world--that as soon as any spirit comes to another, and especially when he comes to a man, he instantly knows the other’s thoughts and affections and what he has been doing, thus all his present state, just as if he had been a long time with him--so perfect is the communication.  But there are differences in these perceptions, some spirits perceiving interior things, and others perceiving only exterior ones.  These latter, if they are in the cupidity of knowing, explore the interiors of others by various methods.

AC 5384. The methods by which those chastise who constitute the province of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder in the Grand Man, are also various; for the most part they take away joyous and glad things, and induce such as are joyless and sad. By this cupidity these spirits communicate with the hells; but by the justness of the cause, which they inquire into before chastising, they communicate with heaven. For this reason they are kept in this province.

AC 5385. From all this it is evident what is signified by its being said in the Word, that ”Jehovah tries and searches the reins and the heart,“ and that the ”reins chasten,“ as in Jeremiah:--

Jehovah trieth the reins and the heart (Jer. 11:20).

In the same:--

Jehovah that trieth the righteous, and seeth the reins and the heart (Jer. 20:12).

In David:--

The just God trieth the hearts and reins (Ps. 7:9).

Again:--

O Jehovah explore my reins and my heart (Ps. 26:2).

Again:--

Jehovah Thou hast possessed my reins (Ps. 139:13).

In the Revelation:--

I am He that searcheth the reins and the heart (Rev. 2:23).

In these passages spiritual things are signified by the ”reins“ (or ”kidneys“), and celestial things by the ”heart;“ that is, the things which are of truth are signified by the ”reins,“ and those which are of good by the ”heart.“ The reason of this is that the kidneys purify the serum, and the heart purifies the blood itself; hence by ”trying, exploring, and searching the reins,“ is signified to try, explore, and search out the quantity and quality of truth, or the quantity and quality of faith, in man.  That this is the signification is plain also in Jeremiah:--

Jehovah Thou art near in their mouth, but far from their reins (Jer. 12:2);

and in David:--

Jehovah, behold Thou desirest truth in the reins (Ps. 51:6).

That ”chastening“ is attributed to the kidneys is clear also in David:--

My reins chasten me in the night seasons (Ps. 16:7).

AC 5386. There are also secretories and excretories in other parts of the body: in the brain there are ventricles and mammillary processes which carry off the phlegmy substances there; and there are also little glands everywhere, as the mucous and salivary glands in the head, and very many others in the body, and myriads next the cuticles, by which the sweat and more subtle used-up matters are thrown off. To these correspond in the spiritual world--to speak generally--tenacities of opinions, and also conscientious scruples in unimportant matters.  Some of these spirits appear at a moderate distance above the head, and are such that they raise scruples in matters where there need be none; hence because they burden the consciences of the simple, they are called conscience-mongers. What true conscience is, they know not, because they make everything that comes up a matter of conscience; for when any scruple or doubt is suggested, if the mind is anxious and dwells on it, there are never wanting things to strengthen the doubt and make it burdensome. When such spirits are present they also induce a sensible anxiety in the part of the abdomen immediately under the diaphragm.  They are also present with man in temptations.  I have talked with them, and noticed that they have not enough extension of thought to acquiesce in the more useful and necessary things; for they were unable to give attention to reasons, being tenaciously set in their own opinion.

AC 5387. They who correspond to the urine itself however are infernal; for as before said the urine is out of the body, because already separated from the blood, and in itself is nothing but unclean and used-up serum, which is thrown down. I may relate the following things concerning them.  A certain spirit was perceived at first as if within the body, but presently below at the right; and when he stood there, he was invisible, having the power to render himself so by art.  When he was questioned, he made no reply whatever.  It was said by others that in the life of the body he had been engaged in piratical pursuits; for in the other life it is plainly perceived, from the sphere of the life‘s affections and thoughts, who and of what quality everyone has been, because his life remains.

[2] He changed his place, appearing now at the right, and now at the left.  I saw that he did this for fear of its being known who he was, and of being forced to make some confession.  It was said by other spirits that such are most timorous at the least sign of danger, and most courageous when there is nothing to fear; and that they are the opposite of those to whom the discharge of the urine corresponds, and strive in every way to injure this.  And that I might have no doubt, it was shown me by experience.  When they who correspond to the discharge of the urine withdrew a little, and that pirate stood by, the discharge was completely stopped, and effort was attended with danger; but when they were recalled, the emission of the urine was intensified according to their presence.

[3] He afterward confessed that he had been a pirate, and said that he could then artfully hide himself, and by cunning and activity elude his pursuers; and that he now loves urinous filth much more than any clear water, and that the fetid smell of urine is what most delights him, so much so that he wishes to have his abode in pools, or even in casks, of fetid urine.  It was shown also what sort of face he had; it was not really a face, but something with a black beard in place of one.

[4] Afterward other pirates also, who were not so active, were sent for, who also spoke but little, and strange to say gnashed their teeth.  They too said that they love urine more than all other liquids, and feculent urine the most.  These however had not something bearded for a face, as the first had, but a kind of dreadful grate of teeth for the beard and teeth signify the lowest natural things. Their being without a face signifies that they have no rational life, because when no face appears it is a sign that there is no correspondence of the interiors with the Grand Man; for in the other life everyone appears in the light of heaven in accordance with his correspondence, and hence the infernals appear in horrible deformity.

AC 5388. A certain spirit was with me, talking with me, who in the life of the body had had no faith, and had not believed in any life after death; he also had been one of the dexterous.  He could captivate the minds of others by flattery and by giving assent, on which account his quality was not apparent at first from his discourse; he could also talk with volubility, like a stream, and like a good spirit.  But his quality was first known by his not liking to speak about matter’s of faith and charity, for then he could not follow in thought, but drew back; and it was afterward perceived from several indications that he had been an assenter for the purpose of deceiving. For assentations are according to ends; if the end is friendship, or the pleasure of conversation, or the like, or even rightful gain, there is not so much harm in it; but if the end is to elicit secrets, and thereby bind another to evil services--in general if the end is to do harm--it is evil.  Such was the end this spirit had in view, and he was also in opposition to those who are in the province of the kidneys and ureters. He too said that he loved the smell of urine above all other odors; and he caused a painful contraction or cramp in the lower region of the belly.

AC 5389. There are troops of spirits who wander about, and by turns come back to the same places.  Evil spirits greatly fear them, for they torment them with a certain kind of torture.  I was informed that they correspond to the fundus or upper part of the bladder in general, and to the muscular ligaments converging therefrom toward the sphincter, where the urine is driven out by a kind of contortion.  These spirits apply themselves to the part of the back where is the cauda equina.  Their mode of operating is by quick movements to and fro which no one can stop.  It is a method of constriction and restriction directed upward, and pointed in the form of a cone.  The evil spirits who are thrown within this cone, especially at the upper part, are miserably tormented by being twisted to and fro.

AC 5390. There are other spirits also who correspond to unclean excretions, namely, such as in the world have been tenacious of revenge: these appeared to me in front to the left. To these unclean excretions also correspond those who debase spiritual things to unclean earthly ones.  Such spirits came to me and brought with them filthy thoughts, from which they spoke filthy things, and also warped clean things to unclean things, and turned them into such.  Many of this kind had belonged to the lowest orders, and some to people of higher station in the world, who during their bodily life had not indeed so spoken in company, but still had so thought; for they had refrained from speaking as they thought, lest they should come to shame, and lose friendship, gain, and honor.  Nevertheless among their like, when in freedom, their conversation had been like that of the lowest orders, and even fouler, because they possessed a certain intellectual capacity which they misused to defile even the holy things of the Word and of doctrine.

AC 5391. There are also kidneys called the subsidiary kidneys, or renal capsules.  Their function is to secrete not so much the serum as the blood itself, and to transmit the purer blood toward the heart by a short circuit, and thus prevent the spermatic vessels, which are near, from carrying off all the purer blood.  But these organs perform their main work in embryos, and also in newborn infants.  It is chaste virgins who constitute this province in the Grand Man: prone to anxieties, and fearful of being disturbed, they lie quiet at the lower left side of the body.  If there is any thought about heaven, or about a change of their state, they become anxious and sigh, as I have several times been given plainly to feel.  When my thoughts were led to infants, they felt great comfort and inward joy, which they frankly confessed; and when there was any thought that had nothing heavenly in it, they were distressed.  Their anxiety comes chiefly from their being of such a nature that they keep their thoughts fixed on one subject, and do not dispel anxious feelings by variety.  The reason why they belong to this province is that in this way they keep another‘s lower mind fixed on certain thoughts, the result being that such things arise and show themselves as cohere in a series, and as are to be drawn away, or from which the man is to be purified.  In this way also interior things lie in plainer view to the angels; for when such things as obscure and turn away the thoughts are removed, there results a clearer insight and influx.

AC 5392. Who they are that constitute the province of the intestines in the Grand Man, may be seen to some extent from those who relate to the stomach; for the intestines are continued from the stomach, and the functions of the stomach become there more vigorous and harsh down to the last intestines, which are the colon and rectum; for which reason they who are in these are near the hells which are called excrementitious.  In the region of the stomach and intestines are they who are in the earth of lower things, who, because they have brought with them from the world unclean things that cling to their thoughts and affections, are kept there for some time, until such things have been wiped away, that is, cast to the sides; after this is done, they can be taken up into heaven.  They who are there are not as yet in the Grand Man; for they are like food taken into the stomach, which is not admitted into the blood, and thus into the body, until it has been cleared of dregs.  They who have been defiled with more earthly dregs are under these in the region of the intestines; but the excrements themselves that are discharged correspond to the hells called the excrementitious hells.

AC 5393. It is well known that the colon intestine spreads out wide, and so do those who are in this province.  They spread out in front toward the left in a curved line, leading to a hell. In that hell are they who have been merciless, and who without conscience have desired to destroy mankind, namely, to kill and to plunder them without respect or distinction of persons, whether they resist or not, and whether they are men or women.  Of such a ferocious disposition are a great part of the soldiery and their officers, who, not in battle but after it, rage ferociously against the conquered and unarmed, and kill and despoil them in their fury.  I have conversed with angels about such men, as to what they are when left to themselves and permitted to act without law and with freedom, how they are much more savage than the worst wild beasts, which do not so rush to the destruction of their own species, but merely defend themselves and appease their hunger with what is allotted them for food, and when sated do no such things.  It is otherwise with the man who acts thus from cruelty and ferocity.  The angels were horrified that mankind should be of such a nature as to first begin to rejoice at heart and be elated in mind when they see the whole field strewn with fallen troops, and reeking with blood-- not rejoicing that their country has been freed, but only in being themselves lauded as great men and heroes. And yet they call themselves Christians, and even believe that they will come into heaven, where there is nothing but peace, mercy, and charity.  Such are in the hell of the colon and rectum.  But those of them in whom there had been any humanity appear in front to the left in a curved line, within a kind of wall; yet there is still much of the love of self in them.  If any of these have a regard for what is good, this is sometimes represented by little stars almost fiery, but not of white light.  A wall appeared to me as it were of plaster with moulded figures, near the left elbow, which wall became more extended and at the same time higher, the upper part verging in color to sky-blue; and I was told that this was a representative of some spirits of this kind who were better.

AC 5394. They who have been cruel and adulterers, in the other life love nothing so well as filth and excrements, the stenches from such things being most sweet and delightful to them, and being preferred by them to all other delights. The reason is that these things correspond.  These hells are partly under the buttocks, partly under the right foot, and partly deep down in front. These are the hells into which the way by the rectum intestine leads.  A certain spirit being conveyed thither, and speaking with me therefrom, said that nothing but privies were to be seen there.  They who were in the place spoke to him, and led him to various privies, which were very numerous there.  He was afterward led to another place a little to the left; and when he was there, he said that a most dreadful stench exhaled from the caverns there, and that he could not stir a step without almost falling into some cavern. A cadaverous stench also was exhaled from the caverns, and the reason was that they who were there were cruel and deceitful, to whom a cadaverous stench is most delightful. But these will be described in the following pages, when I come to speak of the hells, and specifically of the excrementitious and cadaverous hells.

AC 5395. There are some who live not for the sake of any use to their country or to its communities, but with a view to live for themselves, taking no delight in public employments, but only in being honored and courted (to which end they indeed seek office); and also in eating, drinking, making merry and conversing with no other end than pleasure.  Such in the other life cannot possibly be in the company of good spirits, still less in that of angels; for with these the use causes the delight, and according to the uses is the amount and quality of the delight.  For the Lord’s kingdom is nothing but a kingdom of uses; and if in an earthly kingdom everyone is valued and honored according to his use, how much more is this the case in the heavenly kingdom.  They who have lived solely for themselves and pleasure, without any useful end, are also under the buttocks, and pass their time in things unclean in accordance with the kinds of their pleasures and their ends.

AC 5396. By way of Appendix I may relate what follows.  There was a numerous crowd of spirits about me that was heard like something devoid of order flowing.  They were complaining that everything was going to destruction; for in that crowd nothing appeared consociated, and this made them fear destruction.  They also supposed that it would be total, as is the case when such things happen.  But in the midst of them I perceived a soft sound, angelically sweet, having nothing in it that was out of order.  Angelic choirs were there within, and the crowd of spirits devoid of order was without.  This angelic strain continued a long time; and I was told that by it was represented how the Lord rules confused and disorderly things which are without from what is peaceful in the midst, by which the disorderly things in the circumference are brought back into order, each from the error of its own nature.

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