AC GENESIS Chapter42

1. And Jacob saw that there was produce in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, Why do ye look at one another?

2. And he said, Behold I have heard that there is produce in Egypt; get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; and we shall live, and not die.

3. And Joseph‘s ten brethren went down to buy corn from Egypt.

4. And Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Peradventure mischief may befall him.

5. And the sons of Israel came to buy in the midst of those that came; for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6. And Joseph he was the governor over the land; he it was that sold to all the people of the land; and Joseph‘s brethren came, and bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth.

7. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake hard things with them; and he said unto them, Whence came ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

8. And Joseph knew his brethren; but they knew not him.

9. And Joseph remembered the dreams that he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

10. And they said unto him, Nay my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

11. We are all one man’s sons; we are upright; thy servants are no spies.

12. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.

13. And they said, We thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

14. And Joseph said unto them, This is it that I spake unto you, saying, ye are spies:

15. Hereby ye shall be proved; by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.

16. Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and ye shall be bound, and your words shall be proved, whether there be truth with you; or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

17. And he shut them up in custody three days.

18. And Joseph said unto them in the third day, This do, and live; I fear God:

19. If ye be upright, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your custody; and go ye, bring produce for the famine of your houses:

20. And bring your youngest brother unto me; and your words shall be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

21. And they said a man to his brother, We are surely guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come unto us.

22. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hearken?  moreover behold his blood is searched for.

23. And they knew not that Joseph heard them; for there was an interpreter between them.

24. And he turned about from upon them, and wept; and he returned to them, and spake unto them, and took Simeon from them, and bound him before their eyes.

25. And Joseph commanded, and they filled their vessels with corn, and to restore their silver everyone‘s into his sack, and to give them provision for the way; and he did thus to them.

26. And they lifted their produce upon their asses, and went thence.

27. And one opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, and he saw his silver; and behold it was in the mouth of his bag.

28. And he said unto his brethren, My silver is restored, and lo it is even in my bag; and their heart went forth, and they trembled a man to his brother, saying, What is this that God hath done to us?

29. And they came unto Jacob their father to the land of Canaan, and told him all that had befallen them, saying,

30. The man, the lord of the land, spake hard things with us, and took us for spies of the land.

31. And we said unto him, We are upright; we are no spies:

32. We are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

33. And the man, the lord of the land, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are upright; let one of your brethren remain with me, and take for the famine of your houses, and go:

34. And bring your youngest brother unto me, then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are upright; I will give you your brother, and ye shall go about trading in the laud.

35. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, and behold everyone’s bundle of silver was in his sack; and they saw the bundles of their silver, they and their father, and they were afraid.

36. And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved, Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin; all these things be come upon me.

37. And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons if I bring him not to thee; give him upon my hand, and I will bring him unto thee again.

38. And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left; and mischief will befall him in the way wherein ye shall go, and ye will make my gray hairs go down in sorrow to the grave.

AC 5396a. In the latter part of the last chapter the subject treated of was the influx and conjunction of the celestial of the spiritual with the memory-knowledges in the natural; and now the subject treated of is the influx and conjunction of the celestial of the spiritual with the truths of faith therein which are of the church.

AC 5397. First is described the endeavor to appropriate these truths by means of the memory-knowledges of the church, which are ”Egypt,“ and without the intermediate, which is ”Benjamin,“ together with truth from the Divine, which is ”Joseph;“ but in vain, wherefore they were sent back and come good of natural truth was given freely.

AC 5398. In this chapter and in those which follow about Joseph and the sons of Jacob, in the internal sense is described the regeneration of the natural as to the truths and goods of the church--that this is not effected by means of memory-knowledges, but by influx from the Divine.  At the present day they who are of the church know so little about regeneration that it is scarcely anything.  They do not even know that regeneration goes on through the whole course of life of one who is being regenerated, and that it is continued in the other life; or that the arcana of regeneration are so innumerable that scarcely a ten thousandth part of them can be known by the angels, and that those they do know are what effect their intelligence and wisdom.  The reason why they who are of the church at this day know so little about regeneration is that they talk so much about remission of sins and about justification, and believe that sins are remitted in a moment, and some that they are wiped away like filth from the body by water, and that man is justified by faith alone or by the confidence of a single moment.  The reason why the men of the church so believe is that they do not know what sin or evil is.  If they knew this, they would know that sins can by no means be wiped away from anyone, but that when the man is kept in good by the Lord they are separated or rejected to the sides so as not to rise up, and that this cannot be effected unless evil is continually cast out, and this by means which are unlimited in number, and for the most part unutterable.

[2] Those in the other life who have brought with them the opinion that man is justified in a moment by faith, and wholly cleansed from sins, are astounded when they see that regeneration is effected by means unlimited in number and unutterable, and they then laugh at and call insane the ignorance in which they had been in the world in regard to the instantaneous remission of sins and justification. They are sometimes told that the Lord remits the sins of those who desire it from the heart; yet still they are not thereby separated from the diabolical crew, to whom they are held fast by the evils that attend their life, which they have with them complete. They then learn by experience that to be separated from the hells is to be separated from sins, and that this cannot be done except by thousands upon thousands of ways known to the Lord only, and this--if you will believe it--in a continual succession to eternity.  For man is so evil that he cannot to eternity be fully delivered from even one sin, but can only by the mercy of the Lord (if he has received it) be withheld from sin, and kept in good.

[3] In what manner therefore man receives new life and is regenerated, is contained in the sanctuary of the Word, that is, in its internal sense, chiefly to the end that when the Word is being read by man the angels may thereby be in their happiness of wisdom, and also be at the same time in the delight of serving as means.  In this and the following chapters about Joseph‘s brethren, the subject treated of in the supreme internal sense is the glorification of the Lord’s natural, and in the representative sense, the regeneration of the natural in man by the Lord, here as to the truths of the church therein.

AC 5399. Verses 1-5. And Jacob saw that there was produce in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, Why do ye look at one another?  And he said, Behold I have heard that there is produce in Egypt; get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; and we shall live, and not die.  And Joseph‘s ten brethren went down to buy corn from Egypt. And Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Peradventure mischief may befall him.  And the sons of Israel came to buy in the midst of those that came; for the famine was in the land of Canaan.  ”And Jacob saw,“ signifies the things which are of faith (”Jacob“ signifies the natural as to the truth which is of the church); ”that there was produce in Egypt,“ signifies a disposition to procure truths by means of memory-knowledges, which are ”Egypt;“ ”and Jacob said to his sons,“ signifies perception regarding truths in general; ”Why do ye look at one another?“ signifies why did they hesitate; ”and he said, Behold I have heard that there is produce in Egypt,“ signifies that truths can be procured by means of memory-knowledges; ”get you down thither, and buy for us from thence,“ signifies appropriation by means of them; ”and we shall live, and not die,“ signifies spiritual life thereby; ”and they went down,“ signifies endeavor and act; ”Joseph‘s ten brethren,“ signifies such truths of the church as corresponded; ”to buy corn from Egypt,“ signifies to appropriate to themselves the good of truth by means of memory-knowledges; ”but Benjamin, Joseph’s brother,“ signifies the spiritual of the celestial, which is the intermediate; ”Jacob sent not with his brethren,“ signifies that they were without this intermediate; ”for he said, Peradventure mischief may befall him,“ signifies that without the celestial of the spiritual, which is ”Joseph,“ it would perish; ”and the sons of Israel came to buy in the midst of those that came,“ signifies that it desired that spiritual truths, like all others, should be procured by means of memory-knowledges; ”for the famine was in the land of Canaan,“ signifies that there was desolation as to the things of the church in the natural.

AC 5400. And he saw.  That this signifies the things which are of faith, is evident from the signification of ”seeing,“ as being the things which are of faith (n. 897, 2325, 2807, 3863, 3869, 4403-4421).  For spiritual sight abstracted from such things as are of the world is nothing else than a perception of truth, or of the things of faith; and therefore in the internal sense nothing else is signified by ”seeing.“ For the internal sense comes forth when the things of the world are removed, because the internal sense relates to such things as are of heaven.  The light of heaven, by which is sight there, is Divine truth from the Lord, which appears before the eyes of the angels as light, a thousand times brighter than the midday light in the world; and as this light has life in it, therefore at the same time that it illumines the eyesight of the angels, it illumines also the sight of their understanding, and causes a perception of truth in accordance with the amount and quality of the good in which they are.  As in the internal sense of this chapter are described the things of faith, or the truths of the church, therefore at the very beginning of the chapter it is said that ”he saw;“ and by his ”seeing“ are signified the things of faith.

AC 5401. Jacob.  That this signifies the natural as to the truth which is of the church, is evident from the representation of Jacob, as being the doctrine of truth in the natural, and in the supreme sense the Lord‘s natural as to truth (n. 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3599, 4009, 4538).

AC 5402. That there was produce in Egypt.  That this signifies a disposition to procure truths by means of memory-knowledges which are ”Egypt,“ is evident from the signification of ”produce,“ as being the truths of the church, or the truths which are of faith. ”Abundance of produce“ denotes the multiplication of truth, (n. 5276, 5280, 5292); and from the signification of ”Egypt,“ as being memory-knowledges (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462), and in the genuine sense the memory-knowledges of the church (n. 4749, 4964, 4966). That a disposition to procure these things is involved, is plain from what presently follows.  By the memory-knowledges of the church, which here are ”Egypt,“ are meant all knowledges of truth and good, before they have been conjoined with the interior man, or through the interior man with heaven, and thus through heaven with the Lord. The doctrinals of the church and its rituals, as also the knowledges of what spiritual things these represent and how, and the like, are nothing but memory-knowledges until the man has seen from the Word whether they are true, and in this way has made them his own.

[2] There are two ways of procuring the truths which are of faith--by means of doctrinal things, and by means of the Word. When man procures them only by doctrinal things, he then has faith in those who have drawn them from the Word, and he confirms them in himself to be true because others have said so; thus he does not believe them from his own faith, but from that of others.  But when he procures them for himself from the Word, and thereby confirms them in himself to be true, he then believes them because they are from the Divine, and thus believes them from faith given from the Divine.  Everyone who is within the church first procures the truths which are of faith from doctrinal things, and also must so procure them, because he has not yet sufficient strength of judgment to enable him to see them himself from the Word; but in this case these truths are to him nothing but memory-knowledges.  But when he is able to view them from his own judgment, if he then does not consult the Word in order to see from it whether they are true, they remain in him as memory-knowledges; while if he does consult the Word from the affection and end of knowing truths, he then, when he has found them, procures for himself the things of faith from the genuine fountain, and they are appropriated to him from the Divine.  These and other like things are what are here treated of in the internal sense; for ”Egypt“ denotes these memory-knowledges, and ”Joseph“ is truth from the Divine, thus truth from the Word.

AC 5403. And Jacob said to his sons.  That this signifies perception regarding truths in general, is evident from the signification of ”saying,“ in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3395, 3509); and from the signification of ”sons,“ as being the truths of faith (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373, 4257); and because they were the sons of Jacob, truths in general are signified; for by Jacob’s twelve sons, as by the twelve tribes, were signified all things of faith, thus truths in general (n. 2129, 2130, 3858, 3862, 3926, 3939, 4060).

AC 5404. Why do ye look at one another?  That this signifies why did they hesitate, may be seen without explication.

AC 5405. And he said, Behold I have heard that there is produce in Egypt.  That this signifies that truths can be procured by means of memory-knowledges, may be seen from what was unfolded just above (n. 5402), where it was shown that by there being ”produce in Egypt“ is signified a disposition to procure truths by means of memory-knowledges, which are ”Egypt,“ and also what is meant by the memory-knowledges, which are ”Egypt.“ ”Produce“ is here expressed in the original language by a word that means ”breaking,“ and by a similar word are also meant ”buying“ and ”selling“ where it is said that Jacob‘s sons ”bought“ it in Egypt, and that Joseph ”sold“ it there.  The reason of this is that in the Ancient Church bread was broken when it was given to another, and by this was signified to communicate good from one’s own, and (at the same time) to appropriate it from one‘s own, thus to make love mutual.  For when bread is broken and given to another it is communicated from one’s own; or when bread is broken among several, then the one piece of bread becomes a mutual possession, and consequently there is conjunction through charity. From this it is plain that the breaking of bread was significative of mutual love.

[2] As this rite was accepted and customary in the Ancient Church, therefore the ”breaking“ itself meant produce that was made common.  That ”bread“ is the good of love may be seen above (n. 276, 680, 1798, 2165, 2177, 3464, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976). It was for this reason that the Lord brake the bread when He gave it, as in Matthew:--

Jesus took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and brake and gave the bread to the disciples (Matthew 14:19; Mark 6:41; Luke 9:16).

In the same:--

Jesus took the seven loaves and the fishes; and He gave thanks and brake, and gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude (Matthew 15:36; Mark 8:6).

Again:--

Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and He gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19).

In Luke:--

It came to pass when the Lord was reclining with them, He took the bread, and blessed it and brake and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him. And the disciples told how the Lord was known of them in the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:30, 31, 35).

In Isaiah:--

This is the fast that I choose, to break thy bread to the hungry (Isa. 58:6, 7).

AC 5406. Get you down thither, and buy for us from thence. That this signifies appropriation by means of them, is evident from the signification of ”going down,“ as being said of going toward exterior things; and from the signification of ”buying,“ as being appropriation (n. 4397, 5374); that this is effected by means of memory-knowledges is signified by ”from thence,“ that is, from Egypt. ”Egypt“ denotes memory-knowledges.  In the Word we often read of ”going up“ and ”going down,“ when going from one place to another is spoken of--not because one place was more elevated than the other, but because ”going up“ is predicated of going toward what is interior or higher, and ”going down“ of going toward what is exterior or lower; that is to say ”going up“ is predicated of going toward spiritual and celestial things, for these are interior, and are also believed to be higher, and ”going down“ is predicated of going toward natural and earthly things, for these are exterior and are also in appearance lower.  For this reason it is that not only here but also everywhere else in the Word, we read of ”going down“ from the land of Canaan to Egypt, and of ”going up“ from Egypt to the land of Canaan; for by the ”land of Canaan“ is signified what is heavenly, and by ”Egypt“ what is natural.  For the land of Canaan in the representative sense is the heavenly kingdom, and consequently celestial and spiritual goods and truths, which also are interiorly in the man who is a kingdom of the Lord; while Egypt in the representative sense is the natural kingdom, and consequently the goods and truths which are of the external church, and are for the most part memory-knowledges. ”Going up“ is predicated of going toward interior things, (n. 4539).

AC 5407. And we shall live, and not die.  That this signifies spiritual life, is evident from the signification of ”living and not dying,“ as being spiritual life, because nothing else is signified in the internal sense by ”living and not dying.“ For in the other world by ”life“ is signified in general heaven, and in particular eternal happiness; and by ”death“ is signified in general hell, and in particular eternal unhappiness there, as in plain from many passages in the Word.  That heaven in general and eternal happiness in particular is called ”life,“ is because the wisdom of good and the intelligence of truth are there; and in the wisdom of good and the intelligence of truth is life from the Lord, from whom is the all of life. But because in hell there is the contrary--evil in place of good and falsity in place of truth, thus the extinction of spiritual life--therefore in hell relatively there is death; for spiritual death is evil and falsity, and in man it is to will evil, and thence to think falsity.  Evil genii and spirits are unwilling to hear it said of them that they do not live, or that they are dead; for they say that they have life because they are able to will and to think.  But they are told that as life is in good and truth, it cannot possibly be in evil and falsity, for these are contrary.

AC 5408. And they went down.  That this signifies endeavor and act, namely to procure and appropriate truths to themselves by means of memory-knowledges, is plain from the signification of ”going down,“ namely, to Egypt, as being both the endeavor and the act.

AC 5409. Joseph‘s ten brethren.  That this signifies such truths of the church as corresponded, is evident from the signification of ”brethren,“ as being the truths which are of the church.  It is from the correspondence that these are called the ”brethren“ of Joseph, who is truth from the Divine; for the correspondence causes them to be conjoined as brother with brother.  By the ”sons of Jacob“ are signified all things of faith, or the truths of the church in general (n. 5403); and the same are signified by ”Joseph’s brethren,“ but from the correspondence.  By the ten sons of Jacob by Leah are signified the truths of the external church, and by the two sons of Jacob by Rachel are signified the truths of the internal church, as is plain from what has been shown concerning Leah and Rachel, that ”Leah“ is the affection of exterior truth, and ”Rachel“ the affection of interior truth (n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819).  That the internal and the external of the church are ”brothers,“ may be seen above (n. 1222). The Lord Himself calls ”brethren“ the derivative truths and goods in correspondence through charity and faith, that is, those who are in truths and the derivative good; as in Matthew:--

The King shall say unto them, Verily I say unto you, in so far as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me (Matthew 25:40).

And in another passage:--

Jesus answered them, saying, Who is My mother, or My brethren? And looking round about He said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and My mother (Mark 3:33-35; Matt. 12:49; Luke 8:21).

AC 5410. To buy corn from Egypt.  That this signifies  to appropriate to themselves the good of truth by means of memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of ”buying,“ as being to appropriate (n. 4397, 5374, 5406); from the signification of ”corn,“ as being the good of truth (n. 5295); and from the signification of ”Egypt,“ as being memory-knowledges (n. 5402).

AC 5411. And Benjamin, Joseph‘s brother.  That this signifies the spiritual of the celestial, which is the intermediate   is evident from the representation of Benjamin, as being the spiritual of the celestial (n. 4592); and also that the spiritual of the celestial is the intermediate.  In general it should be known that the internal cannot have communication with the external, and the converse, unless there is an intermediate; consequently that truth from the Divine, which is ”Joseph,“ cannot have communication with truths in general in the natural, which are the ”sons of Jacob,“ without the intermediate represented by Benjamin, and called the ”spiritual of the celestial.“ An intermediate, to be such, must partake of both the internal and the external.  The reason why there must be an intermediate is that the internal and the external are most distinct from each other, and so distinct that they can be separated, just as man’s ultimate external, which is the body, is separated when he dies from his internal, which is his spirit.  The external dies when the intermediate is sundered, and the external lives when the intermediate is between; and just so far and in such a way does the external live, as is the intermediate between.  As Jacob‘s sons were without Benjamin (that is, without the intermediate), therefore Joseph could not manifest himself to his brethren; and for the same reason spoke hardly to them, calling them spies, and putting them in custody; and for the same reason also they did not know Joseph.

[2] But what is the nature of this intermediate represented by Benjamin and called the spiritual of the celestial, cannot be described so as to be apprehended, for there is a want of knowledge about the celestial of the spiritual, which is ”Joseph,“ and about the truths of the church in so far as they are only memory-knowledges, which are the ”sons of Jacob;“ hence also about the spiritual of the celestial, which is ”Benjamin.“ But in heaven the nature of this intermediate appears as in clear day, being there shown in the light of heaven, in which at the same time is perception by means of unutterable representatives; for the light of heaven is intelligence itself from the Divine, and from it there is perceptive power in regard to every thing that is represented by means of this light. This is not the case with the world’s light, which has nothing of intelligence in it; but by its means understanding is induced by the influx of the light of heaven into it, and at the same time by the influx of the perception that is in the light of heaven. Hence it is that man is so far in the light of heaven as he is in intelligence, and that he is so far in intelligence as he is in the truths of faith, and that he is so far in the truths of faith as he is in the good of love; consequently that man is so far in the light of heaven as he is in the good of love.

AC 5412. Jacob sent not with his brethren.  That this signifies that they were without this intermediate, may be seen from what has just now been said.

AC 5413. For he said, Peradventure mischief may befall him. That this signifies that without the celestial of the spiritual which is ”Joseph,“ it would perish, is evident from the signification of ”mischief befalling,“ as here being to perish.  This was said by the father because he loved him, and feared lest he should perish among his brethren, like Joseph; but these same words were adduced and received in the Word on account of the internal sense, which is, that with its externals only, without the internal, the intermediate would perish; for the intermediate is ”Benjamin,“ the externals are the ”sons of Jacob,“ and the internal is ”Joseph.“ Every intermediate perishes when it has only the external things without the internal, because it comes into existence from the internal, and hence also subsists from it; for it comes into existence by the internal‘s looking into the external from the affection and end of associating the external with itself.  Thus the intermediate is conjoined with the internal, and from the internal with the external, but not with the external without the internal. From this it is plain that the intermediate would perish if it were with the external alone without the internal. Moreover it is a general law, as well of the things of the spiritual world as of those of the natural world, that a thing can subsist with its prior, but not without this with its posterior, and that it would perish if it were with this alone.  The reason is that everything without connection with what is prior to itself is without connection with the First, from whom is all coming into existence, and subsistence.

AC 5414. And the sons of Israel came to buy among those that came.  That this signifies that it desired that like all other truths, spiritual truths should be procured by means of memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of the ”sons of Israel,“ as being spiritual truths. ”Sons“ are truths, (n. 5403); and ”Israel“ is the celestial spiritual man from the natural, (n. 4286, 4570, 4598); thus the ”sons of Israel“ are spiritual truths in the natural; from the signification of ”buying,“ as being to be procured; and from the signification of ”in the midst of those that came,“ as being like all other truths, that is, in that they are procured by means of memory-knowledges.

AC 5415. For the famine was in the land of Canaan.  That this signifies that there was desolation as to the things of the church in the natural, is evident from the signification of ”famine,“ as being a lack of knowledges, and the consequent desolation (n. 3364, 5277, 5279, 5281, 5300, 5349, 5360, 5376); and from the signification of the ”land of Canaan,“ as being the church (n. 3686, 3705, 4447); and because it is the church, it is also that which is of the church. Hence it is that by the ”famine being in the land of Canaan“ is signified desolation as to the things of the church.  That the desolation was in the natural, is because these things are predicated of the sons of Jacob, by whom are signified the things of the external church (n. 5409), consequently those of the church in the natural.

AC 5416. Verses 6-8. And Joseph he was the governor over the land; he it was that sold to all the people of the land; and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth.  And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake hard things with them; and he said unto them, Whence came ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.  ”And Joseph he was the governor over the land,“ signifies that the celestial of the spiritual, or truth from the Divine, reigned in the natural where memory-knowledges were; ”he it was that sold to all the people of the land,“ signifies that from this was all appropriation; ”and Joseph‘s brethren came,“ signifies the general truths of the church without mediation; ”and bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth,“ signifies humiliation; ”and Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them,“ signifies perception and acknowledgment by the celestial of the spiritual; ”but made himself strange unto them,“ signifies non-conjunction because without an intermediate; ”and spake hard things with them,“ signifies hence also non-correspondence; ”and he said unto them, Whence came ye?“ signifies exploration; ”and they said, From the land of Canaan,“ signifies that they were of the church; ”to buy food,“ signifies to appropriate the truth of good; ”and Joseph knew his brethren,“ signifies that these truths of the church appeared to the celestial of the spiritual from its light; ”but they knew not him,“ signifies that truth from the Divine did not appear in natural light not yet illumined by heavenly light.

AC 5417. And Joseph he was the governor over the land.  That this signifies that the celestial of the spiritual, or truth from the Divine, reigned in the natural where memory-knowledges were, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 4286, 4963, 5249, 5307, 5331, 5332); that the celestial of the spiritual is truth from the Divine will be seen below); from the signification of a ”governor,“ as being one who reigns; and from the signification of ”land,“ here the land of Egypt, as being the natural mind, thus the natural (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301). The celestial of the spiritual reigned in the natural where memory-knowledges were, (n. 5313); and also ”Egypt“ in the internal sense is memory-knowledge, (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966), That the celestial of the spiritual is truth from the Divine, is because the Lord’s internal Human, before it was fully glorified, being the receptacle of the Divine Itself, was the celestial of the spiritual, which must be so called because it cannot be expressed in any other words or forms of thought.  This receptacle or recipient of the Divine is the same as truth from the Divine.  ”Joseph“ is this truth, (n. 4723, 4727).

AC 5418. He it was that sold to all the people of the land. That this signifies that all appropriation is from him, is evident from the signification of ”selling,“ as being appropriation (n. 5371, 5374); and from the signification of the ”people of the land,“ as being the truths of the church (n. 2928), here in the natural (n. 5409).

AC 5419. And Joseph‘s brethren came.  That this signifies the general truths of the church without mediation, is evident from the signification of ”Joseph’s brethren,“ as being the general truths of the church (n. 5409). They were ”without mediation“ because they were without Benjamin, who is the intermediate (n. 5411, 5413).

AC 5420. And bowed down themselves to him with their faces to the earth.  That this signifies humiliation, is evident from the signification of ”bowing down themselves,“ as being humiliation (n. 2153), and of ”with their faces to the earth,“ as being the humiliation of adoration (n. 1999).  By humiliation here is not meant humiliation from acknowledgment, thus internal humiliation, but external humiliation, because it was in the presence of the governor of the land in accordance with established custom.  That not internal but external humiliation is meant, is because there was not yet correspondence, and through correspondence conjunction. When the natural is in this state it can indeed humble itself, even to the last degree, but only from acquired habit.  It is a gesture without the genuine affection that produces it, thus it is of the body without its soul. Such is the humiliation here meant.

AC 5421. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them.  That this signifies perception and acknowledgment by the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of ”seeing,“ as being perception (n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723); from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 5417); from the signification of ”his brethren,“as being the general truths of the church (n. 5419); and from the signification of ”knowing,“ as being acknowledgment from perception.  In regard to this acknowledgment on the part of Joseph, and non-acknowledgment on the part of his brethren, see below (n. 5422, 5427, 5428).

AC 5422. But made himself strange unto them.  That this signifies non-conjunction because without an intermediate, is evident from the signification of ”making himself strange,“ as here being non-conjunction because without an intermediate; for one who is not in reciprocal conjunction, because without an intermediate, appears strange, just as internal truth, or truth immediately from the Divine, appears strange to those who are in external truths.  For this reason it is that Joseph made himself strange to his brethren, not because he was estranged, for he loved them, so that he turned from them and wept (verse 24); but the strangeness on their part, because of non-conjunction, is represented by his so bearing himself. As for example, where it is said in the Word that Jehovah or the Lord ”makes Himself strange“ to the people, ”opposes“ them, ”rejects“ them, ”condemns,“ ”casts into hell,“ ”punishes,“ and ”delights“ in such things, in the internal sense is meant that the people make themselves strange to Jehovah or the Lord, oppose Him, are in evils which reject them from His face, and which condemn them, cast them into hell, and punish them, and that such things never proceed from Jehovah or the Lord.  But it is so stated in the Word on account of the appearance; for so it appears to the simple.  The case is similar with internal truths when they are viewed by external truths without conjunction by what is intermediate; for then these truths appear altogether strange to external truths, and even sometimes opposite; when in fact the opposition is not in the internal, but in the external truths; for these without conjunction by what is intermediate cannot view the former except from the light of the world separate from the light of heaven, and consequently as strange to them.  But in regard to this matter more will be said in what follows.

AC 5423. And spake hard things with them.  That this signifies hence also non-correspondence, is evident from the same explication that was given above of his ”making himself strange“ to them.  To ”make one‘s self strange“ has regard to the affection of the will, and to ”speak hardly“ has regard to the thought of the understanding, for in the internal sense ”to speak“ is to think (n. 2271, 2287, 2619); and the internal appears strange to the external when there is no affection, and the internal appears to speak hard things when there is no correspondence.  Correspondence is the appearing of the internal in the external, and its representation therein; wherefore when there is no correspondence, there is no appearing of the internal in the external, and therefore no representation of it therein.  Hence comes the hardness.

AC 5424. And he said unto them, Whence came ye?  That this signifies exploration, is evident without explication.

AC 5425. And they said, From the land of Canaan.  That this signifies that they were of the church, is evident from the signification of the ”land of Canaan,“ as being the church (n. 3686, 3705, 4447).

AC 5426. To buy food.  That this signifies to appropriate the truth of good, is evident from the signification of ”buying,“ as being to appropriate to themselves (n. 4397, 5374, 5406, 5410); and from the signification of ”food,“ as being the truth of good (n. 5293, 5340, 5342).

AC 5427. And Joseph knew his brethren.  That this signifies that these truths of the church appeared to the celestial of the spiritual from its light, is evident from the signification of ”knowing,“ as being to perceive, to see, and thus to appear; from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual; and from the signification of ”his brethren,“ as being the general truths of the church (n. 5409, 5419). And because by ”Joseph’s knowing his brethren“ is signified that the general truths of the church appeared to the celestial of the spiritual, it follows that they appeared from the light in which the celestial of the spiritual was, thus from the celestial light of the spiritual.  From this light, which is truth from the Divine (n. 5417), appear all and each of the truths that are below, or that are in the natural; but not the converse unless there is an intermediate, still less unless there is correspondence and through correspondence conjunction.  This may be seen from the fact that the angels who are in the heavens, and thus in the light of heaven, can see everything that is taking place in the world of spirits, which world is next beneath the heavens, and also everything that is taking place in the lower earth, and even in hell; but not the converse.

[2] It is also the case that the angels of a higher heaven can see all that is going on below them in a lower heaven; but not the converse, unless there is an intermediate.  There are also intermediate spirits through whom the communication is effected to and fro. When therefore they who are below and have no intermediate, and still more if they have no correspondence, look into the light of heaven, they see nothing at all, but everything there appears in darkness; when yet they who are there are in the clearest day.  This may be illustrated by this single experience. There appeared to me a great city in which were thousands upon thousands of various objects, all pleasing and beautiful. I saw them because an intermediate was given me, but the spirits who were with me, being without an intermediate, could not see the least thing there; and it was said that they who are not in correspondence, even if they are in the city, do not perceive a single thing therein.

[3] Such also is the case with the interior man, or man‘s spirit, which is also called the soul, and which can see everything that exists and takes place in the exterior man; but not the converse, unless there is a correspondence and an intermediate. Consequently, to the exterior man not in correspondence the interior appears as nothing, so much so that when anything is said about the interior man, it appears to the exterior either so obscure that he is unwilling even to look in that direction, or else it appears as naught and not to be credited.  But when there is correspondence, then the exterior man sees through an intermediate what is going on in the interior; for the light which the interior man has flows through the intermediate into the light which the exterior has, that is, heavenly light flows into natural light, and illumines it; from which illumining appears that which takes place in the interior man.  Hence come intelligence and wisdom to the exterior or natural man.  But if there is no intermediate, and especially if there is no correspondence, the interior man sees and perceives what is going on in the exterior, and in a measure leads it; but not the converse.  If however there is contrariety, that is to say, if the exterior man entirely perverts or extinguishes what flows in through the interior, the interior man is then deprived of his light which is from heaven, and communication heavenward is closed to him; but communication from hell is opened toward the exterior man.  On this subject more will be seen in what now follows.

AC 5428. But they knew not him.  That this signifies that truth from the Divine did not appear in natural light not yet illumined by heavenly light, is evident from what immediately precedes; for as by ”Joseph’s knowing his brethren“ is signified that the general truths of the church appeared to the celestial of the spiritual from its light, it follows that by ”their not knowing him“ is signified that the celestial of the spiritual, or truth from the Divine, did not appear to the general truths of the church in natural light not yet illumined by heavenly light.  How this matter stands is indeed plain from what was said just above; but as it is a mystery it may be illustrated by examples--as for instance by the glory of heaven. They who think about the glory of heaven from natural light unillumined by the light of heaven, being without an intermediate, and much more if there is no correspondence, can form no other idea of it than such as they may have of the glory of the world; as when they read the prophetic revelations, especially those of John in the Revelation, that all things in heaven are most magnificent.  And if they are told that the glory of heaven so far surpasses all the magnificence of the world that the latter can scarcely be compared with it, and yet that this is not the glory of heaven, but the glory of heaven is the Divine that shines forth from every thing that appears there, and is the perception of Divine things, and the consequent wisdom; but that this glory is possessed only by those in heaven who regard the magnificence there as nothing in comparison with wisdom, and attribute all wisdom to the Lord and none at all to themselves--when this glory of heaven is viewed by natural light without an intermediate, and much more if there is no correspondence, it is not at all acknowledged.

[2] Let us take as another example, angelic power.  They who think about angelic power, especially about the power of the archangels mentioned in the Word, from natural light not illumined by the light of heaven, because without an intermediate, and much more so if there is no correspondence, cannot form any other idea of it than as of the power of the mighty in the world, namely, that they have thousands upon thousands of inferiors over whom they rule, and that eminence in heaven consists in such rule.  And if they are told that angelic power indeed surpasses all the power of the mighty in the world, and that it is so great that one of the lesser angels can drive away myriads of the infernals and thrust them down into their hells, and that this is the reason why in the Word they are called ”powers“ and also ”dominions;“ while nevertheless the least of them is the greatest, that is, he is most powerful who believes, wills, and perceives that all power is from the Lord and none from himself, and thus they who are powers in heaven are utterly averse to all self-derived power--this too, when viewed by natural light without an intermediate, and much more if there is no correspondence, is not acknowledged.

[3] Let us take another example. He who looks at freedom from what is natural without an intermediate, and much more if there is no correspondence, cannot know otherwise than that freedom consists in thinking and willing from himself, and in being able to act without check as he thinks and wills.  Wherefore the natural man, in order that he may have whatever he thinks and wills, desires to be the richest; and in order that he may be able to do whatever he thinks and wills, desires to be the most powerful; and he believes that he would then be in the height of freedom, and hence in happiness itself. But if he is told that real freedom, which is called heavenly freedom, is not at all like this, but consists in willing nothing from self, but from the Lord, and also in thinking nothing from self, but from heaven, and hence that the angels are overwhelmed with sorrow and grief if permitted to think and to will from themselves--this is not acknowledged.  From these examples it will to some extent be seen how it is that truth from the Divine does not appear in natural light not yet illumined by heavenly light, which is signified by Joseph‘s brethren ”not knowing him.“

AC 5429. Verses 9-16. And Joseph remembered the dreams that he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.  And they said unto him, Nay my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.  we are all one man’s sons; we are upright; thy servants are no spies. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.  And they said, we thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. And Joseph said unto them, This is it that I spake unto you, saying, ye are spies; hereby ye shall be proved; by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.  Send one of you, and let him get your brother, and ye shall be bound, and your words shall be verified whether there be truth with you; or else by the lie of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. ”And Joseph remembered the dreams that he dreamed of them,“ signifies that the celestial of the spiritual foresaw what would happen in regard to the general truths of the church in the natural; ”and said unto them,“ signifies perception thence; ”Ye are spies,“ signifies that they came only to seek gain; ”to see the nakedness of the land ye are come,“ signifies that they would like nothing better than to know in themselves that there are no truths; ”and they said unto him, Nay my lord, we are upright,“ signifies that they are truths in themselves; ”but to buy food are thy servants come,“ signifies that they are to be appropriated to the natural by means of good; ”we are all one man‘s sons,“ signifies that these truths are from one origin; ”we are upright,“ signifies that thus they are truths in themselves; ”thy servants are no spies,“ signifies that therefore it was not for the sake of gain; ”and he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come,“ signifies that they do not care whether there are truths; ”and they said, We thy servants are twelve brethren,“ signifies that all things of faith were thus conjoined together; ”the sons of one man,“ signifies from one origin; ”in the land of Canaan,“ signifies in the church; ”and behold the youngest is this day with our father,“ signifies that there was also conjunction with spiritual good; ”and one is not,“ signifies that the Divine spiritual from which it is does not appear; and Joseph said unto them,” signifies perception concerning that matter; “This is it that I spake unto you,” signifies that the truth is as I thought; “saying, ye are spies,” signifies that they are in the truths of the church for the sake of gain; “hereby ye shall be proved,” signifies it will be seen whether it is so; “by the life of Pharaoh,” signifies of a certainty; “ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither,” signifies that it must needs be that the truths with you are such, unless they are conjoined with spiritual good; “send one of you, and let him get your brother,” signifies if only there is some conjunction with that good; “and ye shall be bound,” signifies even though there is separation in all other respects; “and your words shall be verified, whether there be truth with you,” signifies that it will then be so; “or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies,” signifies otherwise it is certain that you have truths only for the sake of gain.

AC 5430. And Joseph remembered the dreams that he dreamed of them.  That this signifies that the celestial of the spiritual foresaw what would happen in regard to the general truths of the church in the natural, is evident from the signification of “remembering,” as being presence, for the thing which is remembered becomes present. “To be remembered” is predicated of foresight, (n. 3966); from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual; and from the signification of “dreams,” as being foresight, prediction, and the event (n. 3698, 5091, 5092, 5104); here therefore foresight of what would happen to the general truths of the church in the natural because these truths are signified by the “sons of Jacob” (n. 5409, 5419). Wherefore also it is said “that he dreamed of them.”

AC 5431. And said unto them.  That this signifies perception thence, is manifest from the signification of  “saying,” as being perception (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3509).

AC 5432. Ye are spies. That this signifies only to seek gain, is evident from the signification of “spies,” as being to seek gain. That nothing else is signified in the internal sense by “spies,” is evident from the series, for in the internal sense the truths of the church are treated of, that they are to be appropriated to the natural, and that they cannot he appropriated to it except by means of influx from the celestial of the spiritual through an intermediate. These truths of the church are the “sons of Jacob,” or “Joseph’s brethren;” the celestial of the spiritual is “Joseph;” and the intermediate is “Benjamin.” How the case herein is has been told above (n. 5402), that the truths of faith of the church, which are called doctrinal things, when learned in early life, are taken into the mind and committed to memory just like any other memory-knowledges, and remain as such until the man begins to view them with his own eyes, and see whether they are true, and after seeing that they are true, wills to act according to them. This viewing of them, and this will, make them no longer memory-knowledges, but precepts of life, and finally life; for in this way they enter into the life to which they are appropriated.

[2] They who have arrived at maturity, and still more they who have arrived at old age, and have not viewed with their own eyes the truths of the church, which are called doctrinal things, and seen whether they are true, and then been willing to live according to them, retain them merely as they do all other memory-knowledges; they are in their natural memory only, and thence on their lips; and when they utter them, they utter them not from their interior man or from the heart, but only from the exterior man and from the mouth. When a man is in this state he cannot possibly believe that the truths of the church are true, although it seems to him that he so believes.  The reason why it seems to him that he believes them to be true, is that he relies on others, and has confirmed in himself the teachings of others. It is very easy to confirm things taken from others, whether true or false; for this needs nothing but ingenuity.

[3] These truths of the church, or they who are in this manner in the truths of the church, are signified by “spies coming to see the nakedness of the land.” For they do not believe the doctrinal things of their church from any affection of truth, but from an affection of winning honors or getting gain; wherefore in themselves they believe scarcely anything, for the most part denying at heart, and regarding these doctrinal things as a merchant does his merchandise; and they appear to themselves learned and wise when from themselves they see that truths are not truths, and yet can persuade the common people that they are truths. That many of the church dignitaries are of this character, is very manifest from them in the other life; for wherever they go there, they are in the sphere of their affections and derivative thoughts, which sphere is plainly perceived by others, and it causes the quality of their affection of truth, and the quality of their faith, to be known to the very senses.  In the world this is not made manifest, for there is not there any spiritual perception of such things; and this being so they do not expose themselves, for they would lose their gain.

[4] That they are spies may be evident enough from the fact that such persons seek nothing but faults in those who are in truths from good, in order that they may accuse and condemn them. Are such persons anything but spies, whether they belong to the so called Papists, or the Reformed, Quakers, Socinians, or Jews, when they have once confirmed in themselves the doctrinals of their church? They ridicule and condemn the veriest truths, if any such are to be found; for they do not comprehend that truths are true.  The reason of this is that they have no affection of truth for its own sake, still less for the sake of life, but only for the sake of gain.  Moreover when such men read the Word they search it with the sole end of confirming doctrinal memory-knowledges for the sake of gain; and many of them search the Word that they may see the nakedness of the land, that is, may see that the truths of the church are not truths, but only serviceable for persuading others that they are truths, for the sake of gain.

[5] But they who are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth and of life, consequently for the sake of the Lord‘s kingdom, have indeed faith in the doctrinal things of the church; but still they search the Word for no other end than the truth, from which their faith and their conscience are formed.  If anyone tells them that they ought to stay in the doctrine things of the church in which they were born, they reflect that if they had been born in Judaism, Socinianism, Quakerism, Christian Gentilism, or even out of the church, the same would have been told them; and that it is everywhere said, Here is the church! here is the church! here are truths and nowhere else! And this being the case the Word should be searched with devout prayer to the Lord for enlightenment.  Such do not disturb anyone within the church, nor do they ever condemn others, knowing that everyone who is a church lives from his faith.

AC 5433. To see the nakedness of the land ye are come.  That this signifies that they would like nothing better than to know in themselves that there are no truths, is evident from the signification of “coming to see,” as being to desire to know that it is so, thus that they would like nothing better than to know; from the signification of “nakedness,” as being to be without truths, thus that there are no truths; and from the signification of “land,” as being the church (n. 566, 662, 1067, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4447, 4535); here therefore the “nakedness of the land” denotes no truths in the church.  That “nakedness” signifies deprived of truths, or without truths, is because “garments” in general signify truths, and each specific garment signifies some particular truth (n. 2576, 3301, 4545, 4677, 4741, 4742, 4763, 5248, 5319).  Hence “nakedness” signifies being without truths, as will also be seen below from passages taken from the Word.

[2] How the case herein is, is plain from what was said just above (n. 5432) that they who learn truths not for the sake of truth and of life, but for the sake of gain, cannot but think within themselves that the truths of the church are not truths.  The reason is that the affection of gain is an earthly affection, and the affection of truth is a spiritual affection.  One or the other must have the dominion, for no man can serve two masters. Therefore where one affection is, the other is not; thus where there is the affection of truth, there is not the affection of gain; and where there is the affection of gain, there is not the affection of truth.  Consequently, if the affection of gain has dominion, it must needs be that nothing is more desired than that truths should not be truths, and also that they should be believed to be truths by others; for if the internal man looks downward to earthly things, and vests everything in them, it is impossible for him to look upward, and to vest anything in heavenly things, because the earthly things completely absorb and stifle the heavenly things.  The reason is that the angels of heaven cannot be with man in earthly things, and therefore they draw back, and the infernal spirits then come near, who and be with man in heavenly things.  The result is that heavenly things are naught to him, and earthly things are everything; and when earthly things are everything to him, he believes himself to be more learned and wise than anyone else, in that to himself he denies the truths of the church, saying at heart that they are for the simple. Man must therefore be either in earthly affection or in heavenly affection, for he cannot be at the same time with the angels of heaven and with the infernals; because he would then hang between heaven and hell.  But when he is in the affection of truth for the sake of truth, that Is, for the sake of the Lord’s kingdom, where the Divine truth is, thus for the sake of the Lord Himself, he is then among angels, nor does he then despise gain so far as it is useful for his life in the world; but he has as the end, not gain, but uses therefrom, which he looks upon as mediate ends to the final heavenly end; thus by no means does he set his heart upon gain.

[3] That “nakedness” signifies to be without truths, may be seen from other passages in the Word, as in the Revelation:--

To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, Because thou sayest I am rich, and have been enriched, so that I have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and needy and blind and naked (Rev. 3:17);

where “naked” denotes penury of truth.  In the same

I counsel thee to buy of Me gold purified in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white garments, that thou mayest be clothed, and the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest (Rev. 3:18);

“to buy gold” denotes to procure and appropriate good to one‘s self; “that thou mayest be rich,” denotes being in celestial and spiritual good; “white garments” denote spiritual truths; the “shame of thy nakedness” denotes being without goods and truths.  “To buy” is to procure and to appropriate to one’s self, (n. 5374); also “gold” is celestial and spiritual good, (n. 1551, 1552); “garments” are truths, (n. 1073, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5319); and “white” is predicated of truth, because from the light of heaven, (n. 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319),

[4] Again:--

Behold I come as a thief, blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked (Rev. 16:15);

“he that keepeth his garments” denotes him that keepeth truths; “lest he walk naked,” denotes being without truths. In Matthew:--

The King shall say unto them on His right hand, I was naked, and ye clothed Me; and to them on His left, I was naked, and ye clothed Me not (Matthew 25:36, 43);

where “naked” denotes the good who acknowledge that there is nothing of good and truth in themselves (n. 4958).

[5] In Isaiah:--

Is not this the fast, to break thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the afflicted that are cast out into thy house?  when thou seest the naked that thou cover him? (Isa. 58:7);

where the meaning is similar.  In Jeremiah:--

Jerusalem hath sinned a sin; therefore she hath become a menstrous woman; all that honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness (Lam. 1:8);

where “nakedness” denotes without truths.  In Ezekiel:--

Thou hast come into comelinesses of comelinesses, the paps have been made firm, and thy hair was grown, yet thou wast naked and bare. I spread My skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness.  Thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare (Ezek. 16:7, 8, 22);

[6] this is said of Jerusalem, by which is meant the Ancient Church, as it was when set up, and as it afterward became, namely, that at first it was without truths, but afterward was instructed in them, and at last rejected them.  Again:--

If a just man who hath done judgment and justice give his bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment (Ezek. 18:5, 7);

where “to cover the naked with a garment” denotes to instruct in truths those who desire them.  In Hosea:--

Lest I strip her naked, and show her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a land of drought, and slay her with thirst (Hosea 2:3);

where “stripping naked” denotes to deprive of truths.  In Nahum:--

I will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame (Nahum 3:5);

where “showing the nations the nakedness” denotes to show the ugliness; for all ugliness is from want of truths, and all beauty is from truths (n. 4985, 5199).

AC 5434. And they said unto him, Nay my lord, we are  upright.  That this signifies that they are truths in themselves, is evident from the signification of “saying to him, Nay my lord,” as being that they did not come to seek gain, which is signified by Joseph‘s words, “Ye are spies” (n. 5432), and that it was not the case that they would like nothing better than to know in themselves that there are no truths, as is signified by Joseph’s words, “To see the nakedness of the land ye are come” (n. 5433); and from the signification of “we are upright,” as being that they are truths in themselves; for in the internal sense “upright” signifies truth, in this as in many other passages of the Word.  This meaning that they are truths in themselves follows from the series; for to those who have procured for themselves the truths of the church for the purpose of gain, truths are indeed not truths (n. 5433); yet they may be truths in themselves, for the very truths of the church in general are signified by the “sons of Jacob.” That by the “upright” are meant truths in the abstract, is because in the internal sense everything is abstracted from person, and the idea of person is turned into the idea of thing (n. 5225, 5287). The reason of this is that otherwise the thought and derivative speech must needs be drawn away and lost from the thing itself and the view of it, to such things as are of person; and moreover the thought and derivative speech can in no other way become universal, and comprehend many things at the same time, still less things unlimited and unutterable, as with the angels.  Nevertheless this abstracted idea involves persons, namely, those who are in the things in question.  Hence it is that by “the upright” are signified truths.

AC 5435. But to buy food are thy servants come.  That this signifies that they, namely these truths, are to be appropriated to the natural by means of good, is evident from the signification of “servants,” as being things lower and relatively natural (n. 2541, 3019, 3020, 5161, 5164, 5305); hence also truths (n. 3409), for truths are subject to good, and things subject are in the Word called “servants” here therefore truths in the natural in respect to the celestial of the spiritual; from the signification of “buying,” as being to be appropriated (n. 4397, 5374, 5406, 5410); and from the signification of “food,” as being celestial and spiritual good (n. 5147), and also truth adjoined to good (n. 5340, 5342); here therefore truth to be adjoined to the natural by means of good, and thus to be appropriated.  Truth is never appropriated to man otherwise than by means of good; but when it is so appropriated, then truth becomes good, because it then acts as one with it; for together they make as it were one body, the soul of which is good, the truths in this good being as it were the spiritual fibers which form the body. Wherefore by fibers are signified the inmost forms proceeding from good, and by nerves are signified truths (n. 4303, 5189).

AC 5436. We are all one man‘s sons.  That this signifies that these truths are from one origin, is evident from the signification of “sons,” here the sons of Jacob, as being truths in general.  That their being “one man’s sons” signifies that they are from one origin, is evident without explication.

AC 5437. We are upright.  That this signifies that thus they are truths in themselves, is evident from the signification of “we are upright,” as being truths in themselves (n. 5434).

AC 5438. Thy servants are no spies.  That this signifies that it was not for the sake of gain, is evident from the signification of “spies,” as being those who are in the truths of the church for the sake of gain (n. 5432); here that it was not so

AC 5439. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. That this signifies that they did not care whether there are truths, is evident from the signification of “coming to see the nakedness of the land,” as being to like nothing better than to know in themselves that there are no truths (n. 5433); here, that they did not care whether there are truths.

AC 5440. And they said, We thy servants are twelve brethren.  That this signifies that all things of faith were thus conjoined together, is evident from the signification of “twelve,” as being all things, and when as here predicated of the sons of Jacob, or of the tribes named after them, and also of the apostles, all things of faith in one complex (n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 2553, 3272, 3488, 3858, 3862, 3913, 3926, 3939, 4060); and from the signification of “brethren,” as being conjunction through good; for when truths are conjoined by means of good, they take on as it were a brotherhood among themselves.  If when without good they appear conjoined, they nevertheless are not conjoined; for falsities of evil are always entering and disjoining them.  The reason of this is that they have no+ one origin from which they are derived, nor one end to which they are directed. For there to be conjunction the first and the last must be conjoined; the first must be the good from which they come, and the last must be the good to which they tend. Furthermore, for truths to be conjoined, good must reign universally; for that which reigns universally, conjoins. A “brother” denotes the affection of good, thus good, (n. 2360, 2524, 3303, 3459, 3803, 3815, 4121),

AC 5441. The sons of one man.  That this signifies from one origin, is evident from what was said just above (n. 5436), where similar words occur.

AC 5442. In the land of Canaan.  That this signifies in the church, is evident from the signification of the “land of Canaan,” as being the Lord‘s kingdom and the church (n. 1413, 1437, 1607, 3038, 3481, 3686, 3705, 4447).

AC 5443. And behold the youngest is this day with our father.  That this signifies that there was also conjunction with spiritual good, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, who is here “the youngest,” as being an intermediate that conjoins and from the representation of Jacob, here Israel, who is the “father,” as being spiritual good (n. 3654, 4598).  That “Benjamin” is the spiritual of the celestial, which is an intermediate, may be seen above (n. 4592, 5411, 5413, 5419); that is, an intermediate between the natural, or the things of the natural, and the celestial of the spiritual, which is “Joseph.” And as “Benjamin” is an intermediate, and “Israel” spiritual good, therefore by the words, “Behold the youngest is this day with our father” is signified conjunction with spiritual good.

AC 5444. And one is not.  That this signifies that the Divine spiritual, which is the source, does not appear, is evident from the representation of Joseph, who here is the “one,” as being the celestial of the spiritual, or what is the same thing, the Divine spiritual, or truth from the Divine (n. 3969, 4286, 4592, 4723, 4727, 4963, 5249, 5307, 5331, 5332, 5417), and because all conjunction of truth in the natural proceeds from the Divine spiritual, it is called “the Divine spiritual which is the source;” and from the signification of “is not,” as being that it does not appear; for it was, but did not appear to them, because the intermediate which is “Benjamin,” was not there.

AC 5445. And Joseph said unto them.  That this signifies perception concerning this matter, namely, concerning the things which his brethren spake, is evident from the signification of “saying” in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 3509).

AC 5446. This is it that I spake unto you.  That this signifies that the truth is as I thought, is evident from the signification of “speaking,” as being to think (n. 2271, 2287, 2619); that it signifies that this is the truth, is evident without explication.

AC 5447. Saying, ye are spies.  That this signifies that they are in the truths of the church for the sake of gain, is evident from the signification of “spies,” as being those who are in the truths of the church only to seek gain (n. 5432, 5438).

AC 5448. Hereby ye shall be proved.  That this signifies that it will be seen whether it is so, is evident without explication.

AC 5449. By the life of Pharaoh.  That this signifies of a certainty, is evident from the fact that “by the life of Pharaoh,” is a form of emphatic assertion, thus implying that it is certain. Joseph indeed knew that they were not spies, and that they did not come to see the nakedness of the land; yet he so asserted because in the internal sense it was certain that the truths of the church, in whomsoever they are, without conjunction through good with the interior man, have as the end nothing but gain; but when they have been conjoined through good with the interior man, they have as the end good and truth itself, thus the church, the Lord’s kingdom, and the Lord Himself; and when they have these as the end, then as much gain falls to their share as is needed, according to the Lord‘s words in Matthew:--

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).

AC 5450. Ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. That this signifies that it must needs be that the truths with you are such, unless conjoined with spiritual good, cannot be so well unfolded according to the significations of the words themselves; but this meaning results therefrom; for conjunction with spiritual good is here signified by the “youngest brother” (n. 5443).

AC 5451. Send one of you, and let him get your brother. That this signifies if only there is some conjunction with this good, is evident from the signification of “your brother,” namely, the youngest, as being conjunction with spiritual good (n. 5450); and from the signification of “sending one and getting him,” as being if only there is some conjunction; for something of doubt is expressed.

AC 5452. And ye shall be bound. That this signifies even though there is separation in all other respects, is evident from the signification of  “binding,” as here being to be separated; for he who is kept bound is separated, namely, from spiritual good, which is signified by the “father Israel.”

AC 5453. And your words shall be proved, whether there be truth with you. That this signifies that it will then so take place, is evident from the signification of “words being proved,” and “whether there is truth,” as being that it is certain that it will then take place as they said.  The certainty has reference to the things told by them, and contained in the internal sense (n. 5434-5444).

AC 5454. Or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.  That this signifies that otherwise it is certain that you have truths only for the sake of gain, is evident from the signification of “by the life of Pharaoh,” as being of a certainty (n. 5449); and from the signification of “spies,” as being they who are in the truths of the church only to seek gain (n. 5432, 5438, 5447).  A further explication of these and the immediately preceding words is omitted, because they have been unfolded already in a general way, and moreover they are such as cannot fall distinctly into the understanding; for general things must first be in the understanding, and then particular things may come in under them, such as are contained in the preceding words.  If the generals have not been first received, the particulars are not admitted, and even excite disgust; for there can be no affection for particulars, unless generals have previously entered with affection.

AC 5455. Verses 17-20. And he shut them up in custody three days.  And Joseph said unto them in the third day, This do, and live; I fear God.  If ye be upright let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your custody; and go ye, bring produce for the famine of your houses; and bring your youngest brother unto me; and your words shall be verified, and ye shall not die.  And they did so. “And he shut them up in custody,” signifies separation from itself; “three days,” signifies to the full; “and Joseph said unto them in the third day,” signifies perception of the celestial of the spiritual concerning those truths separated from itself, when there was fulfilment; “This do, and live; I fear God,” signifies that so it shall be if they have life from the Divine; “if ye be up right,” signifies if they are truths in themselves; “let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your custody,” signifies that faith in the will must be separated; “and go ye, bring produce for the famine of your houses,” signifies that in the meantime they are free to look out for themselves; “and bring your youngest brother unto me,” signifies until an intermediate is present; “so shall your words be verified,” signifies that then it will be with truths as has been declared; “and ye shall not die,” signifies that in this way truths will have life; “and they did so,” signifies the end of this state.

AC 5456. And he shut them up in custody.  That this signifies separation from itself, is evident from the signification of “shutting up in custody,” as being rejection, thus separation (n. 5083, 5101).

AC 5457. Three days.  That this signifies to the full, is evident from the signification of “three days,” as being from beginning to end, thus what is full (n. 2788, 4495); for it is a new state that is now described.  This entire state is signified by “three days;” and the last of it, and thereby what is new, is signified by the “third day,” as presently follows.

AC 5458. And Joseph said unto them in the third day.  That this signifies the perception of the celestial of the spiritual concerning these truths separated from itself, when there was fulfilment, is evident from the signification of “saying,” as being perception (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2619, 3509); and from the representation of the sons of Jacob, as being the truths of the church in general, here these truths separated from the celestial of the spiritual (n. 5436); from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual; and from the signification of the “third day,” as being the last of a state when what is new begins (n. 5159, 5457), thus when there was fulfilment.  From this it is plain that by “Joseph’s saying unto them in the third day,” is signified the perception of the celestial of the spiritual concerning these truths separated from itself, when there was fulfilment.

AC 5459. This do, and live; I fear God.  That this signifies that so it shall be if they have life from the Divine, is evident from the signification of “this do,” as being that so it shall be; and from the signification of “and live,” as being that they, namely the truths here signified by the “sons of Jacob,” shall have life and from the signification of “I fear God,” as being from the Divine. For by Joseph is represented the Lord as to truth from the Divine, which is the same as the celestial of the spiritual; wherefore by “I” is here signified in the supreme sense truth from the Divine Itself which is in the celestial of the spiritual, or the Divine which is in truth.  By “fearing,” in the supreme sense, when predicated of the Lord, is not signified fear, but love; and moreover the “fear of God” occasionally in the Word signifies love to God.  For love to God is according to the subjects of it; it becomes fear with those who are in external worship without internal, it becomes holy fear with those who are in spiritual worship, and it becomes love in which is holy reverence with those who are in celestial worship; but in the Lord there was not fear, but pure love.  From this it may be seen that by “I fear God,” when predicated of the Lord, is signified Divine love, thus the Divine.

AC 5460. If ye be upright.  That this signifies if they are truths in themselves, is evident from the signification of “being upright,” as being that they are truths in themselves (n. 5434, 5437).

AC 5461. Let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your custody.  That this signifies that faith in the will must be separated, is evident from the representation of Simeon, who is “one of their brethren who was to be bound” (verse 24), as being faith in the will (n. 3869-3872, 4497, 4502, 4503); and from the signification of “being bound in the house of your custody,” as being to be separated (n. 5083, 5101, 5452, 5456).  The case herein is that when faith in the will, or the will of doing the truth of faith, is separated from those who are in the truths of the church, then connection with the Divine is so slight that it is hardly more than acknowledgment; for the influx of the Divine from the Lord with the regenerate man is into good and thence into truth, or what is the same, into the will and thence into the understanding.  In so far therefore as the man who is in the truths of faith receives good from the Lord, so far the Lord forms in him a new will in his intellectual part. It is in the intellectual part, (n. 927, 1023, 1043, 1044, 2256, 4328, 4493, 5113), and so far the Lord flows in, and produces the affection of doing what is good, that is, of exercising charity toward the neighbor.  From all this it is evident what is meant by faith in the will (represented by Simeon) being separated before the intermediate, which is Benjamin,“ became present.

AC 5462. And go ye, bring produce for the famine of your houses.  That this signifies that in the meantime they are free to look out for themselves, is evident from the signification of ” go ye,“ after their being bound and one of them being held in their stead, as being that in the meantime they were free; from the signification of ”produce,“ as being truth (n. 5276, 5280, 5292); from the signification of ”famine,“ as being a lack of knowledges and desolation (n. 5360, 5376); and from the signification of ”your houses,“ as being the abodes where were the truths of each in particular, thus the natural mind. A ”house“ denotes the natural mind, (n. 4973, 5023); and the truths here represented by the sons of Jacob are of the external church, thus in the natural, (n. 5401, 5415, 5428). From these significations taken together it is evident that by ”bringing produce for the famine of your houses“ is signified that in the desolation of truth in which they are, they may look out for themselves and their own.

AC 5463. And bring your youngest brother unto me.  That this signifies until an intermediate is present, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, as being an intermediate between the celestial of the spiritual and the natural (n. 5411, 5443).

AC 5464. And your words shall be verified.  That this signifies that then it will be with truths as had been declared, is evident without explication. What they had declared about themselves, and consequently about the truths of the church which they represented, may be seen above (n. 5434-5444).  The case herein is that they who are in the truths of the church merely for the sake of their own advantage, can, equally with others, declare how the case is with truths, as for example that truths are not appropriated to anyone unless they are conjoined with the interior man, nay, that they cannot be conjoined therewith except by means of good, and that until this is done truths have no life.  These and like things they sometimes see equally as well as others, and sometimes apparently more clearly than others; but this is only when they are talking about them.  But when they are speaking to themselves, thus to their interior man (that is, when they are thinking), then they who are in the truths of the church merely for the sake of their own advantage see the contrary; and though they see the contrary and at heart deny truths, they can nevertheless persuade others that the case is so, and even that they themselves are in this way in truths.  The cupidity of gain, honor, and reputation for their own sake, imbibes all means of persuading, and none more readily than such things as in themselves are true; for these have within them a hidden power of attracting minds.  Every man whatever, unless densely stupid, is endowed with the capacity to understand whether things are true, to the end that by means of the intellectual part he may be reformed and regenerated.  But when he has wandered into perverse ways, and has completely rejected the things of the faith of the church, he then indeed has the same faculty of understanding truths, but no longer desires to understand them, being averse to them as soon as he hears them.

AC 5465. And ye shall not die.  That this signifies that in this way truths will have life, namely, when the truths are as declared, is evident from the signification of ”ye shall not die,“ as being ye shall live, thus that the truths represented by them will have life.

AC 5466. And they did so.  That this signifies the end of this state, is evident from the signification of ”doing,“ or ”done,“ as being the end of a prior state, and as involving the beginning of a following one (n. 4979, 4987, 4999, 5074).  It is needless to explain these matters more at length, for the same reason that was given above (n. 5454). Be it known however that they contain within them unutterable arcana, which shine forth from the several words in the heavens, though not the least of them appears before man.  The holiness sometimes perceived with a man when he is reading the Word has many such arcana within it; for in the holiness by which man is affected lie hidden innumerable things that are not manifest to him.

AC 5467. Verses 21-24.  And they said a man to his brother, We are surely guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come unto us.  And Reuben  answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hearken? and moreover behold his blood is searched for. And they knew not that Joseph heard them; for there was an interpreter between them. And he turned about from upon them and wept; and he returned to them, and spake unto them, and took Simeon from them, and bound him before their eyes. ”And they said a man to his brother,“ signifies perception concerning the cause; ”We are surely guilty concerning our brother,“ signifies that they are to blame because they have alienated the internal by non-reception of good; ”in that we saw the distress of his soul,“ signifies the state of the internal in regard to good when it was alienated; ”when he besought us, and we would not hear,“ signifies its continual entreaty without reception; ”and Reuben answered them, saying,“ signifies perception still from faith in doctrine and in the understanding; ”Spake I not unto you, saying,“ signifies the degree of perception thence; ”Do not sin against the child,“ signifies that they should not be disjoined; ”and ye would not hearken,“ signifies non-reception; ”and moreover behold his blood is searched for,“ signifies the stings of conscience thence; ”and they knew not that Joseph heard them,“ signifies that from the natural light in which those truths are, it is not believed that all things appear from spiritual light; ”for there was an interpreter between them,“ signifies that then spiritual things are apprehended quite differently; ”and he turned about from upon them,“ signifies somewhat of drawing back; ”and wept,“ signifies mercy; ”and he returned to them, and spake to them,“ signifies influx; ”and took Simeon from them,“ signifies faith in the will; ”and bound him,“ signifies separation; ”before their eyes,“ signifies to the perception.

AC 5468. And they said a man to his brother. That this signifies perception concerning the cause, is evident from the signification of ”saying“ in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 3509); and from the signification of ”a man to his brother,“ as being mutually (n. 4725). The reason why their ”saying a man to his brother“ here signifies perception concerning the cause, namely, why Joseph spake hardly to them, calling them spies, and keeping them in custody three days, is that in the verses which now follow, their mutual discourse treats of the cause; wherefore perception concerning this is signified.

AC 5469. We are surely guilty concerning our brother.  That this signifies that they are to blame because they have alienated the internal by non-reception of good, is evident from the signification of ”being guilty,“ as being to be at fault and under the imputation of rejection of good and truth (n. 3400); and from the representation of Joseph, who is the ”brother concerning whom they were guilty,“ as being the internal they had rejected or alienated.  For by Joseph and Benjamin is represented the internal of the church, but by the other ten sons of Jacob its external; for Rachel who was the mother of Joseph and Benjamin, is the affection of interior truth, and Leah is the affection of exterior truth (n. 3758, 3782, 3793, 3819).  In this chapter, by Joseph is represented the celestial of the spiritual, or truth from the Divine, which is the internal; by Benjamin the spiritual of the celestial, which is the intermediate proceeding thence, and by the other ten sons of Jacob the truths of the external church, thus truths in the natural.  This chapter treats also of the conjunction of the internal of the church with its external in general and in particular; for every man must be a church in particular in order to be a part of the general church.  But in the supreme sense the subject treated of is the Lord, how He united the internal with the external in His Human, that He might make it Divine.

AC 5470. In that we saw the distress of his soul.  That this signifies the state of the internal in the meantime when it was alienated, is evident from the signification of ”distress of soul,“ as being the state in which the internal is when alienated from the external.  As regards this state, the Lord continually flows in with man with good, and in good with truth; but man either receives or does not receive; if he receives, it is well with him; but if he does not receive, it is ill with him.  If when he does not receive he feels some anxiety (here meant by ”distress of soul“), there is hope that he may be reformed; but if he has no feeling of anxiety the hope vanishes. With every man there are two spirits from hell, and two angels from heaven; for man being born in sins cannot possibly live unless on one side he communicates with hell, and on the other with heaven; all his life is thence. When man is grown up and begins to rule himself from himself, that is, when be seems to himself to will and to act from his own judgment, and to think and to conclude concerning the things of faith from his own understanding, if he then betakes himself to evils, the two spirits from hell draw near, and the two angels from heaven withdraw a little; but if he betakes himself to good, the two angels from heaven draw near, and the two spirits from hell are removed.

[2] If therefore when a man betakes himself to evils, as is the case with many in youth, he feels any anxiety when he reflects upon his having done what is evil, it is a sign that he will still receive influx through the angels from heaven, and it is also a sign that he will afterward suffer himself to be reformed; but if when he reflects upon his having done what is evil, he has no anxious feeling, it is a sign that he is no longer willing to receive influx through the angels from heaven, and it is also a sign that he will not afterward suffer himself to be reformed.  Here therefore ”there the truths of the external church are treated of, which are represented by the ten sons of Jacob, mention is made of the distress of soul in which Joseph was when alienated from his brethren, and also next that Reuben admonished them, whereby is signified that when this state had preceded, reformation or the conjunction of the internal with the external would afterward take place (of which conjunction in the following pages); for with those who are then in anxiety there is an internal acknowledgment of evil, which when recalled by the Lord becomes confession, and finally repentance.

AC 5471. When he besought us, and we would not hear. That this signifies its continual entreaty without reception, is evident from the signification of “beseeching,” as being entreaty; for beseeching not to be alienated, when the influx of good from the Divine is treated of, is an entreaty to be received; because the good which flows in from the Lord is continually urging and as it were entreating, but its reception rests with the man.  Hence it is that beseeching not to be alienated signifies continual entreaty.  From this it follows that “not to hear” signifies not to be received. In the sense of the letter a number of persons are treated of, as the ten sons of Jacob and Joseph; but in he internal sense these are treated of in one subject.  The truths of the external church or in the natural, represented by the ten sons of Jacob, are the truths in the external man; and the celestial of the spiritual, represented by Joseph, is truth from the Divine in the internal man.  It is similar with other historicals of the Word; for things are what are signified by persons, and the things themselves have reference to one subject.

AC 5472. And Reuben answered them, saying.  That this signifies perception still from faith in doctrine and in the understanding, is evident from the signification of “answering” or “saying” to his brethren, as being perception. “Saying” denotes perception, (n. 5468); and from the representation of Reuben, as being faith in doctrine and in the understanding, or the truth of doctrine through which the good of life can be attained (n. 3861, 3866).  As the subject here treated of is the entreaty of good, or of the Divine in good, to be received, mention is made of faith, and the way in which it teaches concerning the reception of good; for if when a man recedes from good he feels any anxiety, this is not from any innate dictate, but from the faith he has acquired from infancy, and which then dictates and causes this anxiety. This is the reason why Reuben, by whom this faith is represented, here speaks.  It is called faith in doctrine and in the understanding, to distinguish it from faith in life and in the will, which faith is represented by Simeon.

AC 5473. Spake I not unto you, saying.  That this signifies the degree of perception thence, is evident from the signification of “saying” in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 3509); and because “speaking” or “saying” is twice mentioned, as also just above, it is the degree of perception that is signified.

AC 5474. Do not sin against the child.  That this signifies that they should not be disjoined, namely, the external from the internal, is evident from the signification of “sinning,” as being disjunction (n. 5229), for all sin disjoins; and from the representation of Joseph, who is here the “child,” as being the internal (n. 5469).

AC 5475. And ye would not hearken.  That this signifies nonreception, is evident from the signification of “hearing,” or “hearkening,” as being to obey (n. 2542, 3869, 4652-4660, 5017); and because it denotes to obey, it also denotes to receive (n. 5471); for one who obeys what faith dictates, receives.  In this instance it is non-reception, because it is said, “ye would not hearken.”

AC 5476. And moreover behold his blood is searched for. That this signifies the stings of conscience thence, is evident from the signification of “blood,” as being violence offered to good or to charity (n. 374, 1005).  When this violence or this blood is searched for, it causes internal anxiety, which is called stings of conscience; but this is the case only with those who have been in anxiety when they sinned (n. 5470).

AC 5477. And they knew not that Joseph heard them.  That this signifies that from the natural light in which those truths are, it is not believed that all things appear from spiritual light, is evident from the representation of the sons of Jacob, Who “knew not,” as being the truths of the external church, thus truths in the natural, whence follows the signification that from the natural light in which these truths are it is not believed; and from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual, which is in spiritual light.  That from this light appear the truths in the natural, is signified by “Joseph‘s hearing them;” for “to hear” signifies both to obey and to perceive (n. 5017), thus that the truths in the natural appeared from spiritual light, but not the converse.

[2] In regard to natural light and spiritual light the case is this: natural light is from the sun of the world, and spiritual light is from the sun of heaven, which is the Lord.  All the truths of faith that man learns from infancy are apprehended by means of such objects and derivative ideas as are from the light of the world, thus all and each are apprehended naturally; for all the ideas of man’s thought, so long as he lives in the world, are founded upon such things as are in the world; and therefore if these were taken away from him, his thought would utterly perish.  The man who has not been regenerated is wholly ignorant that there is spiritual light, or even that there is in heaven a light that has nothing in common with the light of the world, still less does he know that it is this light that enlightens the ideas and objects which are from the light of the world, and enables man to think, infer, and reflect.  That spiritual light can do this is because this light is the wisdom itself that proceeds from the Lord, and this is presented as light before the sight of the angels in heaven.  From this light appear all and each of the things that are below, or that are in man from natural light; but not the converse, unless the man has been regenerated, in which case the things of heaven, that is, of good and truth, by enlightenment from spiritual light appear in the natural as in a representative mirror.  From this it is evident that the Lord, who is light itself, sees all things and each that are in the thought and will of man, nay, that are in universal nature, and that nothing whatever is hidden from Him.

[3] From all this it is now evident how the case herein is, namely, that from the natural light in which these truths are, it is not believed that all things appear from spiritual light, as is signified by their “not knowing that Joseph heard them.” Joseph‘s knowing his brethren, and their not knowing him (verse 8), involves a similar meaning; for thereby is signified that these truths of the church appeared to the celestial of the spiritual from its light, and that truth from the Divine did not appear in natural light not yet illumined by heavenly light (n. 5427, 5428).

AC 5478. For there was an interpreter between them.  That this signifies that then spiritual things are apprehended quite differently, is evident from the signification of there being “an interpreter between them,” as being that the spiritual things are apprehended differently; for an interpreter translates the language of one into the language of another, and thus sets forth the meaning of the one to the apprehension of the other.  Hence it is that by there being “an interpreter between them” is signified that then spiritual things are apprehended quite differently by those who are in the truths of the church not yet conjoined by means of good with the internal man. That the truths of the church are apprehended by those who are in good (that is those with whom these truths are conjoined with good) quite differently from what they are by those who are not in good, seems indeed like a paradox, but still it is the truth. For truths are spiritually apprehended by those who are in good, because these persons are in spiritual light; but they are apprehended naturally by those who are not in good, because these are in natural light.  Hence truths on the part of those who are in good have truths continually conjoined with them; but on the part of those who are not in good they have conjoined with them very many fallacies, and also falsities.  The reason of this is that truths with those who are in good extend themselves into heaven; while truths with those who are not in good do not extend themselves into heaven.  Hence truths with those who are in good are full, but with those who are not in good they are nearly empty. This fulness and this emptiness are not apparent to man so long as he lives in the world, but they appear to the angels. Did man but know how much of heaven there is in truths conjoined with good, he would feel very differently about faith.

AC 5479. And he turned about from upon them.  That this signifies somewhat of drawing back, is evident from the signification of “turning about from upon them,” when predicated of the influx of good from the Divine or the Lord, as being somewhat of drawing back; for the Lord never turns Himself from anyone, but moderates the influx of good according to the state of the man or angel.  It is this moderating that is meant by “drawing back.”

AC 5480. And wept.  That this signifies mercy, is evident from the signification of “weeping,” when predicated of the Lord, who is here represented by Joseph, as being to be merciful.  That weeping is expressive of grief and love, is well known, and consequently it is expressive of mercy or pity, for mercy is love grieving.  The Divine love is therefore called mercy, because the human race is of itself in hell; and when man perceives this in himself, he implores mercy.  As weeping is also mercy in the internal sense, therefore in the Word “weeping” is sometimes predicated of Jehovah or the Lord, as in Isaiah:--

I will weep with weeping for Jazer, the vine of Sibmah; I will water thee with My tears O Heshbon and Elealeh (Isa. 16:9);

and in Jeremiah:--

I know the indignation of Moab, saith Jehovah, that it is not right. Therefore Will I howl over Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; above the weeping of Jazer will I weep for thee O vine of Sibmah (Jer. 48:30-32);

“Moab” denotes those who are in natural good and suffer themselves to be led astray, and when led astray adulterate goods (n. 2468); “to howl,” “cry out,” and “weep over,” it denotes pitying and grieving.  Likewise in Luke:--

When Jesus drew nigh He beheld the city, and wept over it (Luke 19:41);

Jerusalem, over which Jesus wept, or which He pitied and over which He grieved, was not only the city Jerusalem, but also the church, the last day of which; when there would no longer be any charity nor consequently any faith, is meant in the internal sense; and hence from pity and grief He wept. “Jerusalem” is the church, (n. 2117, 3654),

AC 5481. And he returned to them, and spake to them.  That this signifies influx, is evident from the signification of “returning to them and speaking to them” after he had turned about from them, as being influx; for the celestial of the spiritual or truth from the Divine, represented by Joseph, flows into the truths that are in the natural.  This is expressed in the sense of the letter by “returning to them and speaking to them.”  “Speaking” also denotes to flow in, (n. 2951).

AC 5482. And took Simeon from them.  That this signifies faith in the will, is evident from the representation of Simeon, as being faith in the will (n. 3869-3872, 4497, 4502, 4503). The reason why faith in the will was separated from them is that there was not yet present the intermediate represented by Benjamin; for truth from the Divine, represented by Joseph, flows in through an intermediate into the good of faith, and through this into its truth; or what is the same, into the willing of truth, and through this into the understanding of truth; or what is still the same, into charity toward the neighbor, and through this into faith.  No other way of influx is possible with the man who has been regenerated, nor is there any other way of influx with the angels.  This is comparatively like the influx of the sun into its earthly subjects. While it is producing them from seed, and renewing them, it flows in with heat, as is the case in the time of spring and summer, and at the same time with light, and thereby produces them; but by light alone it produces nothing at all, as is plain from these subjects in winter time.  Spiritual heat is the good of love, and spiritual light is the truth of faith; moreover spiritual heat in the subjects of the animal kingdom produces the vital heat, and spiritual light produces the life thence derived.

AC 5483. And bound him.  That this signifies separation, is evident from the signification of “binding,” as being separation (n. 5083, 5101, 5452, 5456).

AC 5484. Before their eyes.  That this signifies to the perception, is evident from the signification of “eyes,” as being the understanding and perception (n. 2701, 4083, 4403-4421, 4523-4534).

AC 5485. Verses 25-28. And Joseph commanded, and they filled their vessels with corn, and to restore their silver, everyone’s into his sack, and to give them provision for the way; and he did thus to them.  And they lifted their produce upon their asses, and went thence.  And one opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, and he saw his silver; and behold it was in the mouth of his bag.  And he said unto his brethren, My silver is restored, and lo it is even in my bag; and their heart went forth, and they trembled a man to his brother, saying, What is this that God hath done to us?  “And Joseph commanded,” signifies influx from the celestial of the spiritual; “and they filled their vessels with corn,” signifies that the memory-knowledges were endowed with good from truth; “and to restore their silver,” signifies without any ability of theirs; “everyone‘s into his sack,” signifies wherever there was a receptacle in the natural; “and to give them provision for the way,” signifies and that it would support the truths they had; “and he did thus to them,” signifies the effect; “and they lifted their produce upon their asses,” signifies that truths were gathered into memory-knowledges; “and they went thence,” signifies the consequent life; “and one opened his sack,” signifies observation; “to give his ass provender in the inn,” signifies when there was reflection upon the memory-knowledges in the exterior natural; “he saw his silver,” signifies perception that it was without any ability of their own; “and behold it was in the mouth of his bag,” signifies that they were bestowed and stored up in the threshold of the exterior natural; “and he said unto his brethren,” signifies general perception; “My silver is restored,” signifies that there was no aid from them; “and lo it is even in my bag,” signifies that it was in the exterior natural; “and their heart went forth,” signifies fear; “and they trembled a man to his brother,” signifies general terror; “saying, What is this that God hath done to us?” signifies on account of so much providence.

AC 5486. And Joseph commanded.  That this signifies influx from the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the signification of “commanding,” when predicated of the celestial of the spiritual, or of the internal in respect to the external, as being influx, for the internal commands in no other way than by influx, and then by disposal for use; and from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual.

AC 5487. And they filled their vessels with corn.  That this signifies that the memory-knowledges were endowed with good from truth, is evident from the signification of “filling,” which being free signifies to be endowed with; from the signification of “vessels,” as being memory-knowledges (n. 3068, 3079); and from the signification of “corn,” as being good from truth, or the good of truth (n. 5295).

AC 5488. And to restore their silver.  That this signifies without any ability of theirs, is evident from the signification of “buying with silver,” as being to procure for one’s self from one‘s own; here therefore “to restore silver” is to endow gratis, or without any ability of theirs; as also in Isaiah:--

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).

AC 5489. Into his sack.  That this signifies wherever there was a receptacle in the natural, is evident from the signification of a “sack,” as being a receptacle; that it is in the natural, is because the subject treated of is the truths and memory-knowledges that are in the natural.  Here a “sack” specifically signifies memory-knowledge, for the reason that as a sack is a receptacle of corn, so memory-knowledge is a receptacle of good, here of the good that is from truth (n. 5487). Few know that memory-knowledge is a receptacle of good, because few reflect upon such things, and yet this may be known from the following considerations.  The memory-knowledges that enter into the memory are always introduced by means of some affection; those not introduced by any affection do not stick there, but slip away.  The reason of this is that in affection there is life, but not in memory-knowledges except through affection. From this it is plain that memory-knowledges always have conjoined with them such things as are of affection, or what is the same, as are of some love, consequently some good, for everything that is of love is called good, whether it be good or thought to be so.  Memory-knowledges therefore together with these goods form as it were a marriage, and hence it is that when this good is excited, the memory-knowledge with which it is conjoined is also at once excited; and conversely, when the memory-knowledge is recalled, the good conjoined with it also comes forth, as everyone can put to the test in himself if he chooses.

[2] This then is the reason why with the unregenerate, who have rejected the good of charity, the memory-knowledges which are truths of the church have adjoined to them such things as are of the love of self and of the world, thus evil things, which by reason of the delight that is in them they call good, and also by wrong interpretations make out to be good.  These memory-knowledges make a fair show when the loves in question reign universally, and according to the degree in which they reign. But with the regenerate the memory-knowledges which are truths of the church have joined with them such things as are of love toward the neighbor and love to God, thus genuine good things.  These are stored up by the Lord in the truths of the church with all who are being regenerated; and therefore when the Lord insinuates into such persons a zeal for good, these truths show themselves in their order; and when He insinuates a zeal for truth, this good is present and enkindles it.  From all this it is evident how the case is with memory-knowledges and with truths that they are receptacles of good.

AC 5490. And to give them provision for the way.  That this signifies, and that it would support the truths which they had, is evident from the signification of “giving provision,” as being support; and from the signification of a “way,” as being truth (n. 627, 2333); here however “for the way,” denotes so long as they were in that state, because to be “on the way” signifies a state of truth conjoined with good (n. 3123).  By “provision” is also signified support from truth and good in David:--

He made it rain manna upon them for food, and gave them the corn of the heavens. Man did eat the bread of the mighty; He sent them provision to satiety (Ps. 78:24, 25).

AC 5491. And he did so.  That this signifies the effect, is evident without explication.

AC 5492. And they lifted their produce upon their asses.  That this signifies that truths were gathered into memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of “produce,” as being truth (n. 5276, 5280, 5292, 5402); and from the signification of an “ass,” as being memory-knowledge (n. 2781). Hence it follows that by their “lifting their produce upon their asses,” is signified that truths were gathered into memory-knowledges.  That this is the signification of these words seems strange to him who keeps his mind in the historic sense of the letter, especially if he believes that there is no other internal sense than that which proximately shines forth from the letter; for he says to himself, How can lifting produce upon their asses signify truths gathered into memory-knowledges?  But let him know that the literal sense of the Word passes into such a spiritual sense when it passes from man to the angels, or into heaven and even into a still more remote sense when it passes into the inmost heaven, where all and each of the things of the Word pass into affections which are of love and charity, to which sense the internal sense serves as a plane.

[2] That the historicals of the Word pass into another sense when they are elevated into heaven, may be seen by the man who concludes from reason, and who knows anything about the natural and the spiritual.  He can see that to lift produce upon their asses is a purely natural act, and that there is nothing spiritual in it whatever; and he can also see that the angels who are in heaven, or they who are in the spiritual world, cannot apprehend these words otherwise than spiritually, and that they are apprehended spiritually when in their place are understood their correspondences, namely, the truth of the church in place of “produce,” and the memory-knowledges that are in the natural in place of “asses.” That by “asses” in the Word are signified things that serve, and thus memory-knowledges. For these are things that serve relatively to things spiritual and also to things rational, (n. 2781).  Hence also it is plain what angelic thought and speech are relatively to man’s thought and speech that angelic thought and speech are spiritual, but man‘s natural; and that the former falls into the latter when it descends, and that the latter is turned into the former when it ascends. Unless this were so, there would he no communication whatever of man with angels, or of the world with heaven.

AC 5493. And they went thence.  That this signifies the consequent life, is evident from the signification of “going,” as being to live (n. 3335, 3690, 4882).  The case is the same with “going” (which in the spiritual sense denotes to live) as with what was said just above (n. 5492).

AC 5494. And one opened his sack.  That this signifies observation, is evident from the signification of a “sack,” as being a receptacle in the natural (n. 5489, 5497), which was endowed with good from truth (n. 5487).  That to “open” it denotes to observe, is plain from the series; for by the words which follow, “to give his ass provender in the inn,” is signified when they reflected upon the memory-knowledges in the exterior natural.

AC 5495. To give his ass provender in the inn.  That this signifies when they reflected upon the memory-knowledges in the exterior natural, is evident from the signification of “giving his ass provender,” as being to reflect upon memory-knowledges; for provender is the food with which asses are fed, consisting of straw and chaff, and hence it denotes all reflection upon memory-knowledges, for these are what reflections chiefly feed on. An “ass” denotes memory-knowledge, (n. 5492); and from the signification of an “inn,” as being the exterior natural.  That an “inn” here is the exterior natural cannot indeed be confirmed from parallel passages elsewhere in the Word, but still it can be confirmed from the fact that memory-knowledges are as it were in their inn when in the exterior natural. The natural is two fold, exterior and interior, (n. 5118). When memory-knowledges are in the exterior natural, they communicate directly with the external senses of the body, and there repose and as it were rest upon these senses. Hence it is that this natural is to memory-knowledges an “inn,” or place for testing, or for passing the night.

AC 5496. And he saw his silver.  That this signifies perception that it was without any ability of their own, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” as being to understand and perceive (n. 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5400); and from the signification of the “silver being restored,” as denoting without any power of theirs (n. 5488).

AC 5497. And behold it was in the mouth of his bag.  That this signifies that they were bestowed and stored up in the threshold of the exterior natural, is evident from the signification of the “mouth of the bag,” as being the threshold of the exterior natural.  That they were stored up there is implied, and that they were bestowed follows from what is said before that it was without any ability of their own.  As the mouth was the fore part of the sack, therefore nothing else is signified by it than the fore part of the receptacle, thus the exterior natural, for this also is before. A “sack” denotes a receptacle, (n. 5289, 5494).  In order that it may be known what the exterior and the interior natural are, it shall be again briefly explained.  A boy, being not yet of mature age, cannot think from anything higher than the exterior natural; for he composes his ideas from things of sense.  But as he grows up, and from things of sense draws conclusions as to causes, he thereby begins to think from the interior natural; for from things of sense he then forms some truths, which rise above the senses, but still remain within the things that are in nature.  But when he becomes a young man, if as he then matures he cultivates his rational, he thus forms reasons from the things in the interior natural, which reasons are truths still higher, and are as it were drawn out from the things in the interior natural.  The ideas of thought from these are called in the learned world intellectual and immaterial ideas; while the ideas from the memory-knowledges in both naturals, in so far as from the senses they partake of the world, are called material ideas.  In this way man mounts in his understanding from the world toward heaven. But still he does not come into heaven with his understanding unless he receives good from the Lord, which is continually present and flowing in; and if he receives good, truths also are bestowed on him, for in good all truths find their abode; and according as truths are bestowed on him, so also is understanding, by reason of which he is in heaven.

AC 5498. And he said unto his brethren.  That this signifies general perception, is evident from the signification of “saying,” in the historicals of the Word, as being perception; and from the signification of “unto his brethren,” as being what is general, for that which is said to all becomes general.

AC 5499. My silver is restored.  That this signifies that there was no aid from them, is evident from the signification of “restoring silver,” as being without any ability of theirs, or what is the same thing, that there was no aid from them (n. 5488, 5496).

AC 5500. And lo it is even in my bag.  That this signifies that it was in the exterior natural, is evident from the signification of “bag,” as being the exterior natural (n. 5497).

AC 5501. And their heart went forth.  That this signifies fear; is evident from the signification of the “heart going forth,’‘ as being fear.  That the ”going forth of the heart“ denotes fear, is because the heart palpitates in fear.

AC 5502. And they trembled a man to his brother.  That this signifies a general terror, is evident from the signification of ”trembling,“ as being terror; and from the signification of ”a man to his brother,“ as being what is general (n. 5498). The reason why fear is here expressed twice, by the ”heart going forth,“ and by their ”trembling,“ is that one expression has reference to the will, and the other to the understanding; for it is usual in the Word, especially the prophetic, to express one thing twice, merely changing the words. He who does not know the mystery herein might suppose that it is a meaningless repetition; yet this is not so, for one expression refers to good, and the other to truth; and because good is of the will and truth is of the understanding, one refers to the will and the other to the understanding.  The reason is that in the Word everything is holy, and the holiness is from the heavenly marriage, which is that of good and truth.  Hence it is that heaven is in the Word, and consequently the Lord, who is the all in all things of heaven, insomuch that the Lord is the Word.  The double name of the Lord, ”Jesus Christ,“ involves the same; the name ”Jesus“ expressing the Divine good, and the name ”Christ“ the Divine truth (n. 3004, 3005, 3008, 3009).  Hence it is plain also that the Lord is in all things of the Word, insomuch that He is the Word itself. That a marriage of good and truth, or the heavenly marriage, is in every part of the Word, may be seen above, (n. 683, 793, 801, 2516, 2712, 5138). From this it may also be plainly concluded that man, if he hopes for heaven, must be not only in the truth which is of faith but also in the good which is of charity, and that otherwise there is no heaven in him.

AC 5503. Saying, What is this that God hath done to us? That this signifies on account of so much providence, is evident from the signification of ”God’s doing,“ as being providence; for everything that God does can be expressed by no other word than providence.  The reason of this is that in everything that God or the Lord does there is the eternal and the infinite, and these are in the word ”providence.“ As they were amazed it is therefore signified, on account of so much providence.

AC 5504. Verses 29-34. And they came unto Jacob their father to the land of Canaan, and told him all that had befallen them, saying, The man, the lord of the land, spake hard things with us, and took us for spies of the land.  And we said unto him, ye are upright; toe are no spies; we are twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. And the man, the lord of the land, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are upright; let one of your brethren remain with me, and take for the famine of your houses, and go, and bring your youngest brother unto me; then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are upright; I will give you your brother, and ye shall go about trading in the land.  ”And they came,“ signifies what is successive of reformation; ”unto Jacob their father,“ signifies the good of natural truth; ”to the land of Canaan,“ signifies which is of the church; ”and told him all that had befallen them,“ signifies reflection from the good of that truth upon the things which were hitherto provided; ”saying,“ signifies perception; ”the man, the lord of the land spake,“ signifies the celestial of the spiritual reigning in the natural; ”hard things with us,“ signifies non-conjunction therewith on account of non-correspondence; ”and took us for spies of the land,“ signifies that it observed that the truths of the church were for seeking gain; ”and we said unto him, We are upright, we are no spies,“ signifies denial that they were in the truths of the church for the purpose of gain; ”we are twelve brethren,“ signifies all truths in one complex; ”sons of our father,“ signifies of one origin; ”one is not,“ signifies that the Divine spiritual source does not appear; ”and the youngest is this day with our father,“ signifies that from him is adjunction to spiritual good; ”and the man, the lord of the land, said unto us,“ signifies perception concerning the celestial of the spiritual reigning in the natural; ”Hereby shall I know that ye are upright,“ signifies that it is willing, if they are not in truths for the sake of gain; ”let one of your brethren remain with me,“ signifies that faith in the will should be separated from them; ”and take for the famine of your houses,“ signifies that in the meantime they may provide for themselves in that desolation; ”and go“ signifies that so they may live; ”and bring your youngest brother unto me,“ signifies that if there were an intermediate there would be conjunction; ”then shall I know that ye are no spies,“ signifies that then truths would no longer he for the purpose of gain; ”but that ye are upright,“ signifies that thus there would be correspondence; ”I will give you your brother,“ signifies that thus truths would become goods; ”and ye shall go about trading in the land,“ signifies that thus truths will be made fruitful from good, and will all turn to use and profit.

AC 5505. And they came.  That this signifies what is successive of reformation, is evident from the signification of ”coming to Jacob their father,“ as here being what is successive of reformation; for by Jacob their father is represented the good of truth in the natural, and to ”come“ to this is to be so far reformed.  For in the internal sense the subject treated of is the truths of the church, which are represented by the sons of Jacob, how they were implanted in the natural, and afterward conjoined with the celestial of the spiritual; or what is the same, how truths in the external man were conjoined with truths from the Divine in the internal.  From all this it is evident that by their ”coming“ is here signified what is successive of reformation.

AC 5506. Unto Jacob their father.  That this signifies the good of natural truth, is evident from the representation of Jacob, as being the good of natural truth (n. 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 4234, 4273, 4538); and also from the signification of ”father,“ as being good (n. 3703).  To come to this good is to be reformed to that extent.  By this good afterward, when the intermediate which is ”Benjamin“ was added, conjunction was effected with the internal, which is ”Joseph.“

AC 5507. Unto the land of Canaan.  That this signifies which is of the church, is evident from the signification of the ”land of Canaan,“ as being the church (n. 3705, 4447).  This good of truth which is represented by Jacob is the good of the external church; but that which is represented by Israel is the good of the relatively internal church.

AC 5508. And told him all that had befallen them.  That this signifies reflection from the good of that truth upon the things hitherto provided, is evident from the signification of ”telling,“ as being to think and reflect (n. 2862), for what is told anyone is thought of from reflection; and from the signification of ”all that had befallen,“ as being what is of providence, or what is provided. The reason why the reflection was from the good of truth is that they told Jacob their father, by whom the good of truth is represented (n. 5506). The reason why the reflection was not from the truths represented by the sons of Jacob, as the sense of the letter implies, is that all the reflection and thence thought that the lower or exterior has, comes from the higher or interior, although it appears to come from the lower or exterior; and as the good of truth that Jacob represents is interior, therefore reflection from the good of truth is signified.

[2] That the things which befell them are things of providence or things provided, is because everything that befalls or happens, which in other words is called accidental, and is ascribed to chance or fortune, is of providence.  The Divine providence works thus invisibly and incomprehensibly in order that man may in freedom ascribe an event either to providence or to chance; for if providence acted visibly and comprehensibly, there would be danger of man‘s believing, from what he sees and comprehends, that it is of providence, add afterward changing into the contrary.  Thus truth and falsity would be conjoined in the interior man, and truth would be profaned, which profanation is attended with eternal damnation.  Therefore it is better for such a man to be kept in unbelief than to be in faith and then recede from it.

[3] This is what is meant in Isaiah:--

Say to this people, Hearing hear ye, but understand not; and seeing see ye, and know not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and besmear their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and their heart should understand, and they should turn again, and be healed (Isa. 6:9, 10; John 12:40).

It is for this reason also that miracles are not wrought at this day, for these, like all visible and comprehensible things, would compel men to believe and whatever compels takes away freedom; when yet all the reformation and regeneration of man is effected in his freedom.  That which is not implanted in freedom does not stay.  It is implanted in freedom when the man is in the affection of good and truth (n. 1937, 1947, 2744, 2870-2893, 3145, 3146, 3158, 4031).

[4] That miracles so great were wrought among the posterity of Jacob was for the sake of their being compelled to observe the statutes in their outward form; for this was sufficient for those who, being only in the representatives of a church, were in external things separate from internal, and therefore could not be reformed as to the interiors; for they entirely rejected interior things, and therefore they could not profane truths (n. 3147, 3398, 3399, 3480, 4680).  Men like these could be compelled without danger of profaning what is holy.

[5] That man at this day ought to believe what he does not see, is evident from the Lord’s words to Thomas, in John:--

Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they who do not see, and yet believe (John 20:29).

That the things which happen (in other words which are ascribed to chance or fortune) are of the Divine providence, the church indeed acknowledges, but still does not believe; for who does not say, when apparently by chance he comes out of some great peril, that he has been preserved by God, and also gives God thanks?  And likewise when he is exalted to honors, and also when he becomes wealthy, he calls it a blessing from God.  Thus the man of the church acknowledges that what happens is of providence, but still does not believe.  But on this subject, of the Lord‘s Divine mercy more will be said elsewhere.

AC 5509. Saying.  That this signifies perception, is evident from the signification of ”saying“ in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive.

AC 5510. The man, the lord of the land, spake.  That this signifies the celestial of the spiritual reigning in the natural, is evident from the representation of Joseph, who is here ”the man, the lord of the land,“ as being the celestial of the spiritual.  ”Man (vir)“ is predicated of the spiritual, and ”lord“ of the celestial; for ”man“ in the internal sense is truth, and ”lord“ is good, and truth from the Divine is what is called spiritual, and good from the Divine is what is called celestial; and from the signification of ”land,“ here the land of Egypt, as being the natural mind (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301). That the celestial of the spiritual, which is represented by Joseph, reigned in both naturals, is contained in the preceding chapter in the internal sense; and it was to the end that this might be represented that Joseph was appointed over the land of Egypt.

[2] There are two things in the natural memory-knowledges and truths of the church; concerning memory-knowledges it has been shown that the celestial of the spiritual or truth from the Divine disposed them in order in the natural; and now the truths of the church, which are represented by the ten sons of Jacob, are treated of.  Memory-knowledges must be disposed in order in the natural before the truths of the church, because these are to be apprehended from the former; for nothing can enter man’s understanding without ideas derived from such memory-knowledges as he has acquired from infancy.  Man does not at all know that every truth of the church that is called a truth of faith is founded upon his memory-knowledges, and that he apprehends it, keeps it in the memory, and calls it out of the memory, by means of ideas composed of the memory-knowledges in him.

[3] In the other life the quality of these ideas is wont to be shown to the life to those who desire it; for such things are presented plainly to view in the light of heaven; and then also it appears with what degrees of shade or with what rays of light they have held the truth of the doctrine of the church.  In some this truth appears among falsities, in some among jests and even scandals, in some among fallacies of the senses, in some among apparent truths, and so on.  If the man has been in good, that is, if he has lived a life of charity, then from that good, as from flame out of heaven, truths are illumined, and the fallacies of the senses which they are in are beautifully irradiated; and when innocence is insinuated by the Lord, these fallacies appear like truths.

AC 5511. Hard things with us.  That this signifies  non-conjunction therewith on account of noncorrespondence, is evident from the signification of ”speaking hard things,“ when predicated of the internal relatively to the external separate from it, as being nonconjunction on account of non-correspondence (n. 5422, 5423); for if there is no correspondence of the external with the internal, then all that which is internal and comes from the internal appears hard to the external, because there is no conjunction.  As for example if it is said by the internal, or by one who is in what is internal, that man thinks nothing from himself, but either from heaven, that is, through heaven from the Lord, or from hell if he thinks good, that it is through heaven from the Lord, if evil, that it is from hell this appears altogether hard to him who desires to think from himself, and who believes that if this were as stated he would be nothing at all; when yet it is most true, and all who are in heaven are in the perception that it is so.

[2] In like manner if it is said by the internal, or by those who are in what is internal, that the joy the angels have is from love to the Lord and from charity toward the neighbor that is, when they are in the use of performing the things of love and charity and that in these there is so great a joy and happiness a to be quite inexpressible, this will be hard to those who are in joy only from the love of self and the world, and in no joy from the love of the neighbor except for the sake of self; when yet heaven and the joy of heaven first begin in man when his regard to self in the uses which he performs, dies out.

[3] Take this also as an example.  If it is said by the internal that the soul of man is nothing else than the internal man, and that the internal man after death appears just like man in the world, with a similar face, similar body, and similar sensitive and thinking faculty  to those who have cherished the opinion concerning the soul that it is only a power of thought, and thereby as it were ethereal, thus without form, and that it will be clothed again with the body, what is said by the internal about the nature of the soul will seem far removed from the truth; and it will be hard to those who believe that the body only is the man, when they hear that the soul is the man himself, and that the body which is buried is of no use in the other life. And yet that this is the truth, I know; for of the Lord‘s Divine mercy I have been with those who are in the other life not with a few but with many, not once but often and have talked with them about it.  So also in numberless other cases.

AC 5512. And took us for spies of the land.  That this signifies that he observed that the truths of the church were for the seeking of gain, is evident from the representation of the sons of Jacob, who are meant here by ”us,“ as being the truths of the church in the natural (n. 4503, 5419, 5427, 5458); and from the signification of ”spies“ or ”spies of the land,“ as being those who are in the truths of the church merely for their own advantage (n. 5432).

AC 5513. And we said unto him, We are upright; we are no spies.  That this signifies denial that they were in truths for the sake of gain, is evident from the signification of ”saying unto him,“ as being a reply, here denial; and from the signification of ”we are upright,“ as being that they were in truths which in themselves are truths (n. 5434, 5437, 5460); and from the signification of ”spies,“ as being those who are in the truths of the church for the sake of their own advantage, here meaning that it was not for this.

AC 5514. We are twelve brethren. That this signifies all truths in one complex, is evident from the signification of ”twelve,“ as being all things, and when as here predicated of the sons of Jacob, or of the twelve tribes named from them, and also of the twelve apostles, as being all things of faith in one complex (n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 2553, 3272, 3488, 3858, 3862, 3913, 3926, 3939, 4060).

AC 5515. Sons of our father.  That this signifies from one origin, is evident from the signification of ”sons,“ as being truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); and from the signification of ”father,“ as being good (n. 2803, 3703, 3704). Hence ”sons of a father“ signifies truths from good, thus from one origin moreover all truths are from one good.

AC 5516. One is not. That this signifies that the Divine spiritual source does not appear, is evident from what was said above (n. 5444), where the same words occur.

AC 5517. And the youngest is this day with our father.  That this signifies that by him there is adjunction to spiritual good, is evident also from what was unfolded above (n. 5443), where the same words occur.  It is said to be ”by him,“ because the intermediate which is represented by Benjamin proceeds from the celestial of the spiritual, which is ”Joseph.“

AC 5518. And the man, the lord of the land, said unto us. That this signifies perception concerning the celestial of the spiritual reigning in the natural, is evident from the signification of ”saying,“ in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive; and from the signification of ”the man, the lord of the land,“ as being the celestial of the spiritual reigning in the natural (n. 5510).

AC 5519. Hereby shall I know that ye are upright.  That this signifies that it is willing, if they are in truths not for the sake of gain, is evident from the signification of ”knowing,“ as here being to be willing, for this follows from the series; and from the signification of ”that ye are upright,“ thus that they were not spies, as being that they were in truths not for the sake of their own advantage (n. 5432, 5512).

AC 5520. Let one of your brethren remain with me.  That this signifies that faith in the will shall be separated, is evident from the representation of Simeon, who is here ”one of your brethren,“ as being faith in the will (n. 5482); and from the signification of ”letting remain,“ as being to be separated. How the case herein is has been stated before.

AC 5521. And take for the famine of your houses.  That this signifies that in the meantime they may provide for themselves in that desolation, is evident from what was said above (n. 5462), where similar words occur.  That it signifies in that desolation, is because desolation is signified by ”famine.“

AC 5522. And go.  That this signifies that so they may live, is evident from the signification of ”going,“ as being to live (n. 3335, 3690, 4882, 5493).

AC 5523. And bring your youngest brother unto me. That this signifies that if there were an intermediate there would be conjunction, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, who is here the ”youngest brother,“ as being an intermediate (n. 5411, 5413, 5443); and from the signification of ”bringing him unto me,“ as being that thereby there would be conjunction. For by the intermediate there is effected a conjunction of the internal represented by Joseph with the external things represented by the sons of Jacob (n. 5411, 5413, 5427, 5428).

AC 5524. Then shall I know that ye are no spies.  That this signifies that then truths would no longer be for the sake of gain, is evident from the signification of ”spies,“ as being those who are in the truths of the church for the sake of their own advantage, meaning here that they would be so no longer if there were conjunction through an intermediate.

AC 5525. But that ye are upright. That this signifies that thus there would be correspondence, is evident from the signification of ”ye are upright,“ as being that they were in truths; for ”uprightness“ is truth (n. 5434, 5437); and as they are then in truths not for the sake of their own advantage, when there is correspondence, therefore this also is signified by, ”ye are upright.“

AC 5526. I will give you your brother.  That this signifies that thus truths would become goods, is evident from the representation of Simeon, who here is the ”brother whom he would give them,“ as being faith in the will (n. 5482); and from the representation of the ten sons of Jacob, who here are they to whom he would be ”given,“ as being the truths of the church in the natural (n. 5403, 5419, 5427, 5428, 5512). That by ”I will give you your brother“ is signified that thus truths will become goods, is because when there exists faith in the will, truths become goods; for as soon as the truth of faith which is of doctrine enters the will, it becomes the truth of life, and becomes truth in act, and is then called good, and also becomes spiritual good.  From this good a new will is formed in man by the Lord.  That the will causes truth to be good, is because regarded in itself the will is nothing else than the love, for whatever a man loves he wills, and whatever he does not love he does not will; and also because all that which is of the love or from the love is perceived by the man as good, for it delights him.  Hence it is that everything that is of the will or from the will is good.

AC 5527. And ye shall go about trading in the land.  That this signifies that in this way truths will be made fruitful from good, and will all turn to use and profit, is evident from the signification of ”trading,“ as being to procure for one’s self the knowledges of good and truth, thus the truths of the church, and to communicate them (n. 4453).  They who have such things are called ”traders“ (n. 2967); wherefore ”to go about trading in the land“ is to seek diligently for such things wherever they are.  From this it follows that ”to go about trading in the land“ signifies also to make truths fruitful from good; for when conjunction is effected through the intermediate which is ”Benjamin,“ that is, the conjunction of the external man represented by the ten sons of Jacob, with the internal which is ”Joseph“ (which conjunction is here treated of), or what is the same, when the man has been regenerated, then truths are continually made fruitful from good.  For he who is in good is in the capacity of clearly seeing the truths which flow from general truths, and this in a continual series; and still more afterward in the other life, where worldly and bodily things do not cast a shade.  That this capacity is in good has been given me to know by much experience.  I have seen spirits who had not been very clearsighted when they lived as men in the world, yet had led a life of charity, taken up into heavenly societies; and then they were in similar intelligence and wisdom with the angels there, and even did not know but that this wisdom and intelligence were in them.  For through the good in which they had been they were in the capacity of receiving all influx from the angelic societies in which they were. Such a capacity, and hence such fruitfulness, is in good.  But the truths which are made fruitful in them by good do not remain truths, but are committed by them to life, and then become uses; and therefore by ”going about trading in the land“ is signified also that they all will turn to use and profit.

AC 5528. Verses 35-35.  And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, and behold everyone‘s bundle of silver was in his sack; and they saw the bundles of their silver, they and their father, and they were afraid.  And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved, Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin; all these things will be upon me.  And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons if I bring him not to thee; give him upon my hand, and I will bring him unto thee again. And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he only is left; and mischief will befall him in the way wherein ye shall go, and ye will make my gray hairs go down in sorrow to the grave. ”And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks,“ signifies use from the truths in the natural; ”and behold everyone’s bundle of silver,“ signifies settings in order of truths bestowed gratis; ”was in his sack,“ signifies in the receptacle of each; ”and they saw the bundles of their silver,“ signifies perception that it was so; ”they and their father,“ signifies from truths and the good of truth in the natural; ”and they were afraid,“ signifies what is holy; ”and Jacob their father said unto them,“ signifies perception in them from the good of truth; ”Me have ye bereaved,“ signifies that thus the church was no more; ”Joseph is not,“ signifies that there is no internal; ”and Simeon is not,“ signifies that neither is there faith in the will; ”and ye will take Benjamin,“ signifies if the intermediate also is taken away; ”all these things will be upon me,“ signifies that thus what is of the church will be destroyed; ”and Reuben spake unto his father,“ signifies the things of faith in the understanding perceived from the good of truth; ”saying, Slay my two sons,“ signifies that neither kind of faith will live; ”if I bring him not to thee,“ signifies unless an intermediate be adjoined; ”give him upon my hand,“ signifies so far as was in its power; ”and I will bring him unto thee again,“ signifies that it shall be restored; ”and he said, My son shall not go down with you,“ signifies that it will not let itself down toward lower things; ”for his brother is dead,“ signifies because the internal is not present; ”and he only is left,“ signifies that it is now in place of the internal; ”and mischief will befall him in the way wherein ye shall go,“ signifies that with truths alone in the natural, separated from the internal, it would perish; ”and ye will make my gray hairs go down,“ signifies that this will be the last of the church; ”in sorrow to the grave,“ signifies without hope of resuscitation.

AC 5529. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks. That this signifies use from the truths in the natural, is evident from the signification of ”emptying“ the produce they brought from Egypt, as being to do use from truths, for by ”produce“ is signified truth (n. 5276, 5280, 5292, 5402), and from the signification of ”sacks,“ as being receptacles in the natural (n. 5489, 5494), thus the natural. Of the receptacles in the natural, see (n. 5531).

AC 5530. And behold everyone‘s bundle of silver.  That this signifies the settings in order of truths bestowed gratis, is evident from the signification of a ”bundle,“ as being a setting in order; and from the signification of ”silver,“ as being truth (n. 1551, 2954); by ”everyone having it in his sack“ is signified that these were bestowed gratis.  That a ”bundle“ denotes a setting in order is because the truths with man are disposed and ordered in series. Those most in agreement with his loves are in the midst, those not so much in agreement are at the sides, finally those not at all in agreement are rejected to the outermost circumferences. Outside of this series are the things contrary to the loves. Therefore those things which are in the midst are called blood-relations, for love produces blood-relationship, and those which are more remote are connections; and at the ultimate boundaries the connections die away.  All things in man are disposed in such series, and are signified by ”bundles.“

[2] From this it is plainly evident how the case is with those who are in the loves of self and of the world, and how with those who are in love to God and toward the neighbor. with those who are in the loves of self and of the world, such things as favor these loves are in the midst, and such as slightly favor them are in the circumferences; and the things which are contrary to them, as those which relate to love to God and love toward the neighbor, are thrown out.  In such a state are the infernals.  And this order sometimes causes a lucidity to appear about them; but within this lucidity, where they themselves are, all is dusky, monstrous, and horrible.  But with the angels there is a flaming radiance in the midst from the good of celestial and spiritual love, and from this there is a light or brightness round about.  They who so appear are likenesses of the Lord; for the Lord Himself, when He showed His divine to Peter, James, and John, ”shone in the face as the sun, and His raiment became as the light“ (Matt. 17:2). That the angels who are likenesses appear in flaming radiance and hence in white is plain from the angel who descended from heaven and rolled away the stone from the door of the sepulchre: ”His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow“ (Matt. 28:3).

AC 5531. Was in his sack.  That this signifies in the receptacle of each, is evident from the signification of a ”sack,“ as being a receptacle (n. 5489, 5494, 5529).  What is here meant by a receptacle may be briefly told.  Man’s natural is divided into receptacles; and in each receptacle is some general thing, in which things less general or relatively particular are set in order, and in these single things.  Each such general thing, together with its particulars and singulars, has its own receptacle, within which it can operate, or vary its forms and change its states. With the man who has been regenerated these receptacles are as many in number as there are general truths in‘ him, and each receptacle corresponds to some society in heaven.  Such is the setting in order with the man who is in the good of love and thence in the truth of faith.  From this it will to some extent be plain what is meant by the receptacle of each, when predicated of the general truths in the natural, represented by the ten sons of Jacob.

AC 5532. And they saw the bundles of their silver.  That this signifies perception that it was so, namely that the settings in order of truths were bestowed gratis, is evident from what was unfolded just above (n. 5530).

AC 5533. They and their father.  That this signifies from truths and the good of truth in the natural, is evident from the representation of the sons of Jacob, who here are ”they,“ as being truths in the natural (n. 5403, 5419, 5427, 5458, 5512); and from the representation of Jacob, who is here ”their father,“ as being the good of truth also in the natural (n. 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 4234, 4273, 4538).  What is meant by perception from truths and from the good of truth in the natural, may indeed be unfolded, but not so as to fall into the apprehension, except very obscurely.  But in very deed this falls into the understanding of spirits as in clear day, being to them one of the more easy things.  Thus it may in some measure be seen what a difference there is between the intelligence of man while he is in the world and its light, and when he is in heaven and the light there.

AC 5534. And they were afraid.  That this signifies what is holy, is evident from the signification of ”being afraid“ when such things happen as are of Divine providence here that truths were bestowed gratis, signified by ”every man’s bundle of silver being in his sack.“ The holy which then flows in also induces something of fear together with holy reverence.

AC 5535. And Jacob their father said unto them.  That this signifies perception in them from the good of truth, is evident from the signification of ”saying“ in the historicals of the Word, as being perception; and from the representation of Jacob, as being the good of truth (n. 5533).

AC 5536. Me have ye bereaved.  That this signifies that thus the church was no more, is evident from the representation of Jacob, who says this of himself, as being the good of truth (n. 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 4234, 4273, 4538); and because it is the good of truth, it is also the church, for good is the essential of the church; and therefore it is the same whether we say the good of truth, or the church, for with the man with whom is the good of truth, there is the church. ”Jacob“ is the church, (n. 4286, 4520); and hence also his sons represent the truths of the church, (n. 5403, 5419, 5427, 5458, 5512); and from the signification of ”bereaving,“ as being to deprive the church of its truths and goods, as here of those which are represented by Joseph, Benjamin, and Simeon.

[2] That ”to bereave“ denotes to deprive the church of its truths, is because the church is compared to a marriage, its good to the husband, and its truth to the wife, and the truths born of this marriage to sons, and the goods to daughters, and so on.  When therefore ”bereavement,“ or ”bereaving“ is spoken of, it signifies that the church is deprived of its truths, and that thereby it becomes no church.  In this sense the terms ”bereavement,“ or ”bereaving,“ are occasionally used elsewhere in the Word, as in Ezekiel:--

I will send upon you famine and evil beast, and will make thee bereaved (Ezek. 5:17).

And again:--

When I make the evil beast to pass through the land, and it shall bereave it, so that it become a desolation, that no man may pass through because of the wild beast (Ezek. 45:15).

In Leviticus:--

I will send against you the wild beast of the field, which shall bereave you, and cut off your beast, and lessen you, that your ways shall be laid waste (Lev. 26:22).

[3] In these passages ”famine“ denotes a lack of the knowledges of good and truth, and hence desolation; an ”evil beast,“ falsities from evils; the ”land,“ the church; ”sending a famine and an evil beast to bereave the land“ denotes to destroy the church by falsities from evils, thus to completely deprive it of truths. In Jeremiah:--

I will winnow them with a fan in the gates of the land, I will bereave, I will destroy My people (Jer. 15:7);

where also ”bereaving“ denotes to deprive of truths, In the same:--

Give their sons to the famine, and make them flow away by the hand of the sword; that their wives may become bereaved and widows (Jer. 18:21);

where ”their wives becoming bereaved and widows“ denotes being without truths and good.

[4] In Hosea:--

Of Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the belly, and from conception; because if they have brought up their sons, then will I make them bereaved of man (Hosea 9:11, 12);

with a similar meaning.  In Ezekiel:--

I will make man, My people, walk over you, who shall possess thee by inheritance, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more add to bereave them. Thus hath said the Lord Jehovah, Because they say to you, Thou art a consumer of man, and hast been a bereaver of thy peoples (Ezek. 36:12, 13);

where also ”bereaving“ is to deprive of truths,

[5] In Isaiah:--

Now hear this, O delicate one, sitting securely, saying in thine heart, I and none besides like me, I shall not sit a widow, neither shall I know bereavement; surely these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, bereavement and widowhood (Isa. 47:8, 9);

said of the daughter of Babylon and of Chaldea, that is, of those who are in a holy external and a profane internal, and by virtue of this holy external call themselves the church. ”Bereavement and widowhood“ denote the deprivation of good and truth. Again:--

Lift up thine eyes round about, and see; all they gather themselves together, they come to thee.  The sons of thy bereavement shall yet say in thine ears, The place is strait for me; go from me that I may dwell. But thou shalt say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I am bereaved and lonely, banished and far away? who therefore hath brought up these? I was left alone; these, where were they? (Isa. 49:18, 20, 21);

said of Zion or the celestial church, and of its fruitfulness after vastation; the ”sons of bereavement“ denoting the truths of which she had been deprived in vastation, restored and vastly increased.

AC 5537. Joseph is not.  That this signifies that there is no internal, is evident from the representation of Joseph, which, being the celestial of the spiritual, is the internal of the church (n. 5469, 5471).

AC 5538. And Simeon is not.  That this signifies that neither in the will is there faith, is evident from the representation of Simeon, as being faith in the will (n. 3869-3872, 4497, 4502, 4503, 5482).

AC 5539. And ye will take Benjamin.  That this signifies if the intermediate also be taken away, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, as being what is intermediate (n. 5411, 5413, 5443).

AC 5540. All these things will be upon me.  That this signifies that thus what is of the church will be destroyed, is evident from the representation of Jacob, who says this of himself, as being the church (n. 5536). When in the church there is no internal, represented by Joseph, and no faith in the will, represented by Simeon, if the conjoining intermediate represented by Benjamin is taken away, everything of the church is destroyed.  This is what is signified by ”all these things will be upon me.“

AC 5541. And Reuben spake unto his father.  That this signifies the things of faith in the understanding perceived from the good of truth, is evident from the signification of ”saying“ in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive; and from the representation of Reuben, as being faith in doctrine and in the understanding (n. 3861, 3866, 5472), consequently the things of this faith; and from the representation of Jacob, who is here the ”father“ to whom Reuben spoke, as being the good of truth (n. 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 4234, 4273, 4538, 5533).  From this it is plain that by ”Reuben‘s speaking to his father“ are signified the things of faith in the understanding perceived from the good of truth.  The reason why Reuben speaks here, is that the church is treated of, in which faith in doctrine and in’ the understanding apparently takes the first place, and also teaches, here what must be done lest the things of the church be destroyed.

AC 5542. Saying, Slay my two sons.  That this signifies that neither kind of faith will live, is evident from the signification of the ”two sons“ of Reuben, as being both kinds of faith; for by Reuben is represented faith in doctrine and in the understanding, and his ”sons“ are the two doctrines of the church, the doctrine of truth and the doctrine of good, or the doctrine of faith and the doctrine of charity. That neither of these things of faith or of the church will live unless the intermediate represented by Benjamin is conjoined, is signified by ”Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee.“ By these words Reuben gives confirmation that it will be all over with the church, unless there be an intermediate.  Unless there were this internal sense in these words, Reuben would not have told his father to slay his two sons if he brought not Benjamin back; for he would thereby have proposed to put an end to one family more, which being contrary to all right, would have been infamous.  But the internal sense teaches us why this was said.

AC 5543. If I bring him not to thee.  That this signifies unless an intermediate be conjoined, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, who is here meant by ”him whom he would bring,“ as being what is intermediate (n. 5411, 5413, 5443, 5539); and from the signification of ”bringing,“ as being to conjoined.

AC 5544. Give him upon my hand. That this signifies so far as was in its power, is evident from the signification of the ”hand,“ as being power (n. 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328). ”To give him upon his hand“ is in the strict sense to intrust him to him; but as faith in the understanding, which is represented by Reuben, has little strength to be trusted to, for the truth which is of faith has its power from the good which is of charity, (n. 3563), therefore by ”Give him upon my hand,“ is signified so far as was in its power.

AC 5545. And I will bring him unto thee again. That this signifies that it shall be restored, is evident without explication.

AC 5546. And he said, My son shall not go down with you. That this signifies that it will not let itself down toward lower things, is evident from the signification of ”going down,“ as being predicated of going toward lower things (n. 5406), here of going to the truths of memory-knowledge in the exterior natural (n. 5492, 5495, 5497, 5500), which are represented by the sons of Jacob.

AC 5547. For his brother is dead. That this signifies because the internal is not present, is evident from the representation of Joseph, who is here the ”brother,“ as being the celestial of the spiritual, or truth from the Divine, consequently the internal of the church (n. 5469); and from the signification of ”being dead,“ as here being not to be present; for he was living, but was not present.

AC 5548. And he only is left.  That this signifies that it is now in place of the internal, is evident from the fact that as the internal which is ”Joseph“ was not present, and Benjamin was the only other child of Joseph‘s mother, he was now as Joseph.  Moreover both Joseph and Benjamin represent the internal, and the other ten sons of Jacob represent the external (n. 5469).

AC 5549. And mischief will befall him in the way wherein ye shall go. That this signifies that with truths alone in the natural, separated from the internal, it would perish, is evident from what was unfolded above (n. 5413), where similar words occur.

AC 5550. And ye will make my gray hairs go down. That this signifies that this will be the last of the church, is evident from the signification of ”gray hairs,“ when the subject treated of is the church, as being the last of it.  The last of it is signified by ”gray hairs“ also in Isaiah:--

Attend unto Me O house of Jacob, and all the remains of the house of Israel, who have been borne from the womb, who have been carried from the matrix; and even to old age I am the same; and even to gray hairs will I carry you (Isa. 46:3, 4);

the ”house of Jacob“ denotes the external church; the ”house of Israel,“ the internal church; ”from the womb and the matrix“ denotes from the beginning of it; ”to old age and gray hairs“ denotes to the last of it.  And in David:--

They that are planted in the house of Jehovah shall sprout in the courts of our God. They shall still have increase in gray hairs (Ps. 92:13, 14);

”in gray hairs“ denotes in the last stage.

AC 5551. In sorrow to the grave.  That this signifies without hope of resuscitation, is evident from the signification of ”sorrow“ here, as being without hope, for when there is no longer any hope there is sorrow; and from the signification of the ”grave,“ as being resurrection and regeneration (n. 2916, 2917, 3256, 4621), thus the resuscitation of the church; for if in the church there is neither an internal which is” Joseph,“ nor an intermediate which is ”Benjamin,“ nor faith in the will, or charity, which is ”Simeon,“ there is no longer any hope of its resuscitation.  It appears strange that the ”grave“ should denote resuscitation, but this is because of man’s idea concerning it; for he does not separate the grave from death, nor even from the dead body in the grave.  Yet the angels in heaven cannot have such an idea of the grave, but one entirely different from man‘s, namely, an idea of resurrection or resuscitation. For when man’s dead body is committed to the grave he is resuscitated into the other life; and therefore the idea angels have about the grave is not an idea of death, but of life, consequently of resuscitation.

AC 5552. In regard to correspondence the case is this. The things in man which have the most life correspond to those societies in the heavens which have the most life and hence the most happiness there, as do those to which man‘s external and internal sensories correspond, and the things of his under standing and will.  But the things in man which have less life correspond to such societies there as are in less life, as the cuticles which invest the whole body, the cartilages and bones which support and hold together all the parts of the body, and also the hairs which grow out from the cuticles. What the societies are to which these correspond, and what is their quality, is also to be told.

AC 5553. The societies to which the skins correspond are in the entrance to heaven, and to them is given a perception of the quality of the spirits who throng to the first threshold, whom they either reject or admit; so that they may be called entrances or thresholds to heaven.

AC 5554. There are very many societies that constitute the external integuments of the body, with differences from the face to the soles of the feet; for there are differences everywhere. I have spoken much with them. In regard to spiritual life they had been such that they suffered themselves to be persuaded by others that a thing is so; and when they heard it confirmed from the literal sense of the Word, they wholly believed it, and remained in the opinion, and instituted a life, not evil, in accordance with it.  Others who are not of a similar nature cannot easily have intercourse with them; for they cling tenaciously to the opinions they have received, and do not suffer themselves to be led away from them by reasons. Very many such are from this earth, because our planet is in externals, and also reacts against internals, as does the skin.

AC 5555. There are those who in the life of the body have known nothing but the general things of faith as that the neighbor ought to be loved and who from this general principle have done good to the evil and to the upright alike without discrimination, saying that everyone is the neighbor. When these lived in the world they suffered themselves to be led much astray by the deceitful, hypocritical, and pretending; and the same thing happens to them in the other life; nor do they care what is said to them, for they are sensuous and do not enter into reasons.  These also constitute the skin, but the outer and less sensitive part.  I have spoken with those who constitute the skin of the skull.  There is as great a difference in those who constitute the skin, as there is in the skin itself in various place as on different parts of the skull, about the occiput, sinciput, and temples, on the face, and on the chest, abdomen, loins, feet, arms, hands, and fingers.

AC 5556. It has also been given me to know who constitute the scarf-skin.  This skin is less sensitive than any other of the coverings, for it is covered over with scales that are nearly like a thin cartilage.  The societies which constitute it are they who reason about all things as to whether it be so or not so, and go no further.  When I spoke with them, it was given to perceive that they do not at all apprehend what is true or not true; and the more they reason, the less they apprehend. Yet they seem to themselves wiser than others, for they vest wisdom in the faculty of reasoning. They are altogether ignorant that the chief thing in wisdom is to perceive without reasoning, that a thing is so or not so.  Many such are from those who in the world became so from a confusion of good and truth through philosophical subtleties, and who thereby have the less common sense.

AC 5557. There are also spirits through whom others speak, and who hardly understand what they say.  This they confessed, but still talked much.  They become so who in the life of the body only prated, without thinking at all about what they said, and loved to talk about everything.  I was told that they are in companies, and that some of these relate to the membranes which cover the viscera of the body, and some to the cuticles which have but little sensitiveness; for they are only passive powers, and do nothing from themselves, but from others.

AC 5558. There are spirits who when they wish to know anything, say that it is so, one after another in the society: and when they say it, they observe whether it flows freely without any spiritual resistance; for when it is not so, they usually perceive a resistance from within; and if they perceive no resistance they think that it is so, and do not know it in any other way.  Such are they who constitute the little glands of the skin.  But there are two kinds of them, one which affirms because there appears a free flow, as was said, from which they surmise that as there is no resistance it is in agreement with the heavenly form, consequently with the truth, and thereby that it is affirmed; and another kind which boldly affirms that it is so, although they do not know it.

AC 5559. The conformation of the interweavings of the skins has been shown to me representatively. The conformation with those in whom these outermost things corresponded to the interiors, or in whom the material things there were obedient to spiritual things, was a beautiful weaving of spirals wonderfully intertwined in a kind of lace-work which it is impossible to describe. They were of a blue color. Afterward were represented forms still more elaborate, more delicate, and more beautifully interwoven.  Of such a structure appear the skins of a regenerate man.  But with those who have been deceitful, these outermost things appear like knottings together of mere serpents; and with those who have used magical arts, like foul intestines.

AC 5560. The societies of spirits to which the cartilages and bones correspond are very many; but they are such as have little spiritual life in them, just as there is little life in the bones as compared with the soft parts which they enclose as for example in the skull and the bones of the head compared with either brain and the medulla oblongata and the sensitive substances there; and also as in the vertebrae and ribs in comparison with the heart and lungs; and so on.

AC 5561. It has been shown me how little spiritual life they have who relate to the bones.  Other spirits speak through them, and they themselves know little of what they say; but still they speak, vesting delight in this only.  Into such a state are they reduced who have led an evil life, and yet have had some remains of good stored up in them.  These remains make that little of spiritual life, after the vastations of many ages.  What remains are, (n. 468, 530, 560, 561, 660, 1050, 1738, 1906, 2284, 5135, 5342, 5344). It is said that they have little spiritual life, and by spiritual life is meant the life which the angels in heaven have.  To this life man is introduced in the world by the things of faith and charity; the very affection of the good which is of charity, and the affection of the truth which is of faith, are spiritual life. Man’s life without these is a natural, worldly, bodily, and earthly life, which is not spiritual life, unless spiritual life is in it, but is such a life as he has in common with animals,

AC 5562. They who come out of vastations, and serve the uses of the bones, have not any determinate thought, but general, almost indeterminate; they are like those who are called distraught, as if not in the body; they are slow, heavy, stupid, sluggish in everything.  Yet sometimes they are not untranquil, because cares do not penetrate, but are dispersed in their general obscurity.

AC 5563. Pains are sometimes felt in the skull, now in one part, now in another; and nuclei seem to be perceived there which are separate from the other bones, and which thus are in pain.  It has been given me to know by experience that such pains come from falsities originating in cupidities; and wonderful to say the genera and species of falsities have fixed places in the skull, as has also been made known to me by much experience.  Such nuclei, which are indurations, are broken up and made soft in those who are being reformed; and this is done in various ways, in general by instructions in good and truth, by harsh influxes of truths which cause inward pain, and by actual rendings which cause outward pain.  Falsities from cupidities are of such a nature that they produce hardness; for they are contrary to truths, which because they are determined according to the form of heaven, flow as it were spontaneously, freely, gently, and softly; while falsities, being of a contrary tendency, have opposite determinations, so that the flow which is of the form of heaven is stopped; hence the indurations.  From this cause they who have been in deadly hatred and in the revengefulness of such hatred, and from these in falsities, have skulls completely indurated, and some have skulls like ebony, through which no rays of light, which are truths, penetrate, but are wholly reflected.

AC 5564. There are spirits small in stature who when they speak, thunder, one sometimes like a troop.  It is innate in them to speak so.  They are not from this earth, but from another, which of the Lord‘s Divine mercy will be spoken of when I speak of the inhabitants of the various earths.  It was said that they relate to the shield like cartilage in front of the chest, and which serves as a support in front to the ribs, and also to the various muscles of tone.

AC 5565. There are also some spirits who relate to bones still harder, as the teeth; but it has not been granted me to know much about them, merely that having scarcely any spiritual life left, when presented to view in the light of heaven, they do not appear with any face, but only with teeth in place of a face; for the face represents man’s interiors, thus his spiritual and celestial things, that is, those of faith and charity; and therefore they appear thus who in the life of the body have not acquired anything of this life.

AC 5566. There came toward me one who appeared like a black cloud about which were shooting stars.  When shooting stars appear in the other life they signify falsities; but fixed stars signify truths.  I perceived that it was a spirit who wished to approach.  When he came near he struck me with fear; this certain spirits can do, especially robbers, and therefore I was able to conclude that he had been a robber. When he was near me, he made every effort to infest me by magic arts, but in vain.  He stretched out his hand that he might exert his imaginary power, but with no effect whatever The kind of face he had was afterward shown. It was no face, but something very black in place of one; and in it appeared a mouth gaping so dreadfully and ferociously that it was a very maw in which teeth were set in rows.  In a word, it was like a mad dog with distended jaws, so that it was a wide open mouth, not a face.

AC 5567. A certain one applied himself to my left side, and at that time I did not know where he came from, nor what he was; he also acted obscurely. He wanted to penetrate inwardly into me, but was kept out, He induced a general sphere of ideas of thought that is indescribable, and I do not remember having previously noticed any general sphere like it, He was bound by no principles, but in general was against all whom he could readily and ingeniously refute and censure, although he did not know what truth is.  I wondered at his having the cleverness to show others to be wrong, and yet do this from no knowledge of truth in himself, Afterward he went away, but soon returned with an earthen jug in his hand, and wanted to give me something out of it to drink, There was in the jug, from phantasy, something that would take away the understanding of those who drank.  This was represented because he had deprived those who were attached to him in the world of the understanding of truth and good; but still they clung to him.  He also, in the light of heaven, did not appear with any face, but only with teeth, for the reason that he could ridicule others, and still knew nothing of truth himself.  I was told who he was, and that when he lived, he was one of the men of note, and his nature had been known to some.

AC 5568. There have been with me at times those who gnashed with their teeth.  They were from the hells where are those who had not only led an evil life, but had also confirmed themselves against the Divine, and had referred all things to nature. These gnash with their teeth when they speak, which is horrible to hear.

AC 5569. As there is a correspondence of the bones and the skins, so there is of the hairs; for these push forth from roots in the skins. Whatever has a correspondence with the Grand Man is possessed by angels and spirits; for each one as an image represents the Grand Man; therefore the angels have hair arranged becomingly and in order.  Their hair represents their natural life and its correspondence with their spiritual life.  That ”hair“ signifies the things of natural life, may be seen above (n. 3301); and also that ”to poll the hair“ is to accommodate natural things so that they may be becoming and thus comely (n. 5247).

AC 5570. There are many, especially women, who have vested everything in adornment, nor have they thought higher, and scarcely anything about eternal life.  This is pardoned to women until the age of womanhood, when the ardor which is wont to precede marriage ceases; but if they persist in such things in adult age, when they can know better, they then contract a nature which remains after death.  Such appear in the other life with long hair spread over the face, which they also comb, vesting elegance therein; for ”to comb the hair“ signifies to accommodate natural things so that they appear becoming (n. 5247).  From this their quality is known by others; for spirits can tell from the color, length, and arrangement of the hair what the persons had been as to natural life in the world.

AC 5571. They who have believed nature to be everything, and have confirmed themselves in this, and therefore have led a careless life, not acknowledging any life after death, thus neither hell nor heaven, being merely natural, do not appear in the light of heaven to have any face, but in its place something bearded, hairy, unshorn; for as before said, the face represents spiritual and heavenly things inwardly in man, but hairiness natural things.

AC 5572. There are very many at this day in the Christian world who ascribe all things to nature, and scarcely anything to the Divine; but there are more of these in one nation than in another.  I may therefore relate a conversation I had with some from that nation in which there are very many such.

AC 5573. A certain one was present above the head who was unseen, but whose presence was perceived from an odor of burnt horn or bone, and from a stench of teeth.  Afterward a great multitude, like a black cloud, came unseen from beneath upward behind the back, and stopped above the head.  I supposed they were unseen because they were subtle; but I was told that where there is a spiritual sphere they are invisible, but where there is a natural sphere they are visible. They are called invisible natural spirits.  The first thing disclosed about them was that they strove with the utmost diligence, skill, and artfulness to prevent anything from being divulged about them, to which end they were skilled in stealing from others their ideas, and inducing other ideas, by which they hindered detection.  This continued quite a long time.  Hence it was given to know that in the life of the body they had been such as not to desire to have anything divulged of what they did or thought, assuming a different face and a different speech. Nevertheless they had not used these things in order to deceive in a lying manner,

[2] It was perceived that they who were present had been traders in the life of the body, but traders whose delight of life consisted rather in trading itself than in riches, so that trading had been as it were their soul, I therefore spoke to them about this, and was given to say that trading does not at all prevent anyone from coming into heaven, and that the rich as well as the poor are in heaven, But they objected, saying that it had been their opinion that if they were to be saved they would have to renounce trade, give all they had to the poor, and make themselves miserable, But it was given to reply to them that such is not the case, and that those among them who are in heaven because they had been good Christians, had thought otherwise, and yet they had been wealthy, and some of them very wealthy.  These had the common good and love toward the neighbor as their end, and had engaged in mercantile pursuits merely for the sake of employment in the world, and moreover had not set their heart on these things.  And the reason why they themselves are below, is that they had been merely natural, and therefore had not believed in a life after death, nor in hell and heaven, nor even in any spirit; and that they had not hesitated to deprive others of their goods by any artifice whatever, and could without mercy see whole families ruined for the sake of their own gain; and that they therefore had ridiculed everyone who spoke to them about a spiritual life,

[3] The kind of faith they had about the life after death, and about heaven and hell, was also shown, There appeared one who was taken up into heaven from the left toward the right; and it was said that it was one who had recently died, and was being immediately conducted by the angels into heaven, There was a conversation about this, But although they also saw it they nevertheless had a very strong sphere of unbelief, and spread it around, so much so that they wanted to make themselves and others believe contrary to what they saw.  And as their unbelief was so great I was given to say to them, Suppose that in the world you had seen some one resuscitated who was lying dead in a coffin. They said that at first they should not have believed unless they had seen many dead persons resuscitated; and if they had seen this, still they would have attributed it to natural causes, And after they had been left awhile to their own thoughts, they said that at first they would have believed it to be a fraud; and when it was proved to be no fraud they would have believed that the soul of the dead person had a secret communication with him who resuscitated it; and finally that there was some secret thing they did not comprehend, because there are very many incomprehensible things in nature; so that they could never have believed that such a thing took place from any force above nature, Hereby was disclosed the nature of their faith that they could never have been brought to believe that there is any life after death, nor that there is a hell, nor that there is a heaven; thus that they were wholly natural. When such persons appear in the light of heaven, they appear without a face, and with a thick mass of hair in place thereof.

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