654# 现在要解释一下，“埃及”在此表示与属灵人分离的属世人，因而表示从自我之爱的邪恶，随之从自我聪明的骄傲流出的虚假。当人的属世人与属灵人分离时(这主要是通过自我之爱发生的)，虚假就从这爱的邪恶流出，因为一切虚假都源于邪恶。虚假是邪恶的捍卫者，意愿的邪恶通过思维观念在理解力中取得形式，这些观念被称为虚假。由于从自我之爱的邪恶流出的虚假伴随着骄傲，因那时人从他的自我，或自己的东西思考，所以“埃及”在此也表示自我聪明的骄傲。
但由于“埃及”表示两种意义上的属世人，也就是当它与属灵人结合时和当它与属灵人分离时，因而既有好的意义，也有坏的意义，所以“埃及”表示属于属世人的各种事物，这些事物一般涉及认知和知识或科学。属世人的真理和虚假被称为认知和知识或科学；但当真理本身获得生命时(这是通过信仰的生活，也就是仁爱实现的)，它们就属于他的属灵人。这些及其情感和愉悦，不像属世人的认知和知识或科学那样被人明显感觉和看到，因为只要人活在世上，他就属世地思考，并属世地说话，人通过属于其理解力的一种视觉感受和感知到这一点。但他那与对真理或虚假的情感结合的属灵思维并不明显，直到人脱去属世的身体，披上属灵的身体，这种情况在他死后，或他离开这个世界，进入灵界后发生；那时，他属灵地思考，属灵地说话，而不像以前那样属世地思考和说话。这会发生在每个人身上，无论他是纯属世的，还是属灵的；死后，甚至连纯属世人的思维也是属灵的，只是极其粗俗，没有对真理的理解或对良善的情感；因为它是由相对应的观念构成的，事实上，这些观念看上去是物质的，但仍不是物质的。不过，主若愿意，别处会详述在灵界，纯属世人的属灵思维和由此而来的言语。
在圣言中，“埃及”表示好和坏两种意义上的属世人，以及随之严格来说属于属世人的一切，因为在埃及，知识(或科学)，尤其对应和代表的知识，得到培养，当时教会是代表性的。但由于他们根据对应关系为自己制造形像，并且当他们从内在变得完全外在时，开始以神圣的仪式敬拜它们，由此使它们成为他们的偶像，所以他们将属灵和属天事物的代表变成了偶像崇拜的事物和用于巫术的事物；因此，在圣言中，“埃及”在坏的意义上，也就是与前者相反的意义上表示属世人的虚假知识或科学，以及偶像崇拜和巫术之物。
这就是“埃及”的含义，这一点可从圣言中的许多经文看出来；但在我们从圣言证明这一点之前，要知道，每个人都有一个内在和一个外在，内在从天堂之光看见，被称为内在-属灵人，或内在-属灵心智，外在从世界之光看见，被称为外在-属世人，或外在-属世心智。对每个教会之人来说，内在必须与外在结合，或内在-属灵人必须与外在-属世人结合；当它们结合时，属灵人因处于天堂之光而拥有统治处于世界之光的属世人的权力，并且管理它，如同主人管理他的仆人，教导它，如同老师教导他的学生。正是由于这种结合，一个人才成为一个教会之人和一位天使。但当属世人不与属灵人结合，不服从它时，尤其当属灵人关闭时的情形(对那些否认圣言和教会的神性事物之人来说，它是关闭的，因为他们从天堂之光看不见任何东西)，属世人在属灵事物上是瞎眼的，并通过他的理性扭曲教会的一切真理，通过他对这些真理的观念将它们变成虚假。圣言，尤其论述埃及的地方，大量论述了这个主题，即属灵人与属世人的结合，以及属世人与属灵人的分离，因为“埃及”表示与属灵人结合的属世人，或与属灵人分离的属世人。在论述与属灵人分离的属世人的地方，埃及遭到斥责和弃绝。
“埃及”因在广泛意义上表示属世人，故也表示真知识和假知识，或真科学和假科学，因为属世人中的真理和虚假被称为知识或科学。埃及因表示真知识和假知识，或真科学和假科学，故也表示信，因为信属于真理，真理属于信；因此，“埃及”在好的意义上表示与仁结合之信，在坏的意义上则表示与仁分离之信。当属世人与属灵人结合时，信与仁就结合，这时“埃及”表示真知识或真科学；但当属世人与属灵人分离时，信与仁就分离，这时“埃及”表示假知识或假科学。因为当属世人与属灵人分离时，人没有真理，即便从圣言或教会的教义汲取真理，他仍通过他的思维观念歪曲它们；因此，对这样一个教会之人来说，一切真理都变成虚假。
关于圣言中“埃及”的含义就这么多了。现在首先要从圣言说明，“埃及”表示与属灵人结合的属世人，或被属灵之光的流注复活的知识或科学，或也可说，与仁结合之信，与仁结合之信本身就是信。然后要说明，“埃及”在反面意义上表示与属灵人分离的属世人，或没有被属灵生命的任何流注复活的知识或科学，或也可说，与仁分离之信，与仁分离之信本身不是信。
654b.“埃及”表示与属灵人结合的属世人，以及被属灵之光的流注复活的知识或科学，这样的知识或科学本身是属世人的真知识或科学，或真理，或也可说，与仁结合之信，与仁结合之信本身就是信，这一点可从以下经文明显看出来。
以赛亚书：
当那日，埃及地必有五城用迦南的口唇说话，又指着万军之耶和华起誓；每一城都必称为Cheres城(太阳城)。当那日，在埃及地中间必有一座祭坛献给耶和华，在埃及的边界上必有一根柱献给耶和华。他们因受欺压呼求耶和华，祂必给他们派遣一位救主和君王。耶和华必被埃及所认识，当那日，埃及人必认识耶和华，也要献牲祭和素祭。耶和华必击打埃及，又击打又医治；他们就回转归向耶和华，祂必被他们恳求，医治他们。当那日，必有从埃及通往亚述的大道，亚述要进入埃及，埃及也进入亚述，埃及人与亚述要服侍；当那日，以色列必与埃及和亚述并列第三，成为地中间的祝福，万军之耶和华必赐福给它们，说，埃及我的百姓，亚述我手的工作，以色列我的产业，都有福了。(以赛亚书19:18–25)
此处“埃及”表示与属灵人结合的属世人，因而表示在教会之外的各个民族和人民；这些人因未处于真理，故是属世人，但当他们听到福音时，就承认主，当他们由此在教义真理上被教导时，就接受信仰。此处五次提到的“当那日”表示主的降临。“当那日，埃及地必有五城用迦南的口唇说话”表示他们中间必有与教会本身的教义真理一致的许多教义，“五”表示许多，“城”表示教义，“埃及地”表示这些民族的教会，“迦南的口唇”表示教会教义的真理；“每一城都必称为Cheres城(太阳城)”表示每个人里面的仁之良善的教义，“城”表示教义，“Cheres”(在希伯来语，这个词是指太阳及其光辉)表示仁和由此而来的信之良善。
“当那日，在埃及地中间必有一座祭坛献给耶和华，在埃及的边界上必有一根柱献给耶和华”表示那时出于仁之良善，以及由此出于在属世人的一切事物中的信之真理对主的敬拜；“献给耶和华的祭坛”表示出于仁之良善的敬拜，“柱”表示出于信之真理的敬拜，“在埃及地中间”表示在属世人的各个地方和一切事物中，“边界”表示真知识或科学。
“他们因受欺压呼求耶和华，祂必给他们派遣一位救主和君王”表示他们因属灵真理和由此而来的属灵良善的缺乏而悲痛，以及主的降临，他们将从主接受这些；“呼求”表示悲痛，“欺压”表示属灵真理和由此而来的缺乏，“救主和君王”表示主，主凭爱之良善而被称为“救主”，凭信之真理而被称为“君王”；“耶和华必被埃及所认识，当那日，埃及人必认识耶和华”表示对主及其神性的承认；“也要献牲祭和素祭”表示照其来自圣言、因而来自教义真理和爱之良善的戒律(precepts，或训词)对主的敬拜；“耶和华必击打埃及，又击打又医治；他们就回转归向耶和华，祂必被他们恳求，医治他们”表示试探，因而转变，以及通过真理从虚假中得医治。
“当那日，必有从埃及通往亚述的大道，亚述要进入埃及，埃及也进入亚述”表示那时理性层必通过真知识或科学真理在他们里面打开，以致人能理性地，因而聪明地看待属世人的知识或科学；“埃及”表示属世人的知识或科学，“亚述”表示理性层；“当那日，以色列必与埃及和亚述并列第三，成为地中间的祝福”表示来自属灵之光的进入这两者的流注；“以色列”表示拥有来自天堂的光的属灵人，“埃及”表示拥有来自世界的光的属世人，“亚述”表示在中间从属灵人接收光，把它传到属世人，并光照属世人的理性层；“耶和华必赐福”表示来自主的流注；“说，埃及我的百姓，有福了”表示被光照的属世人；“亚述我手的工作”表示不是从自我，而是从主理性的理性人；“以色列我的产业”表示属灵人，这属灵人被称为“产业”，是因为一切属灵事物，或整个属灵层都属于主，它就是祂发出的神性，天堂和教会都来自这发出的神性。若无灵义，谁能理解这些预言呢？
弥迦书：
这就是人必从亚述，从埃及的城邑，从埃及到大河，从这海到那海，从这山到那山，都归到你这里的那日。(弥迦书7:12)
这些话论及主在外邦人中间建立教会，这些话描述了这个教会从这头到那头的延伸。迦南地的一头是幼发拉底河，另一头是埃及河。“从这海到那海”表示真理从这头到那头的延伸，“从这山到那山”表示良善从这头到那头的延伸。
表示教会的迦南地从埃及河延伸到幼发拉底河，就是亚述河，这一点明显可见于摩西五经：
当那日，耶和华与亚伯兰立约，说，我要把这地赐给你的种，从埃及河直到大河，幼发拉底河。(创世记15:18)
列王纪上：
所罗门统治列国，从幼发拉底河到非利士人的地，直到埃及地。(列王纪上4:21)
本身属灵的教会在属世人中，也就是在它的理性和认识能力，或它的理性和科学中有它的边界，因为理性层是内层属世人，是它的理解力；认识能力或科学也在它里面。理性层通过知识或科学出生，因为它在这些知识或科学中，如同在一面镜子中看到它的结论，并通过它们确认，不过是从属灵人那里如此行；没有这属灵人，人既没有理性层，也没有任何真正的认识能力，或真科学，取代理性能力的，是推理，取代真正的认识能力或真科学的，是虚假的认识能力或假科学。因此，这两者构成“迦南地”所表示的属灵教会的边界。
以西结书：
人子啊，你要向埃及王法老和他的众人说，在威望上谁能与你相比呢？看哪，亚述，黎巴嫩的香柏树，枝条美丽，成荫之林，树身高大，树顶在交织的枝干中；众水使它长大，深渊使它长高，使它的江河流出，环绕所栽之地，汊出的水道流到田野的众树，所以树身高大，因它发出的多水枝条长长。天上的一切飞鸟都在它枝子上搭窝，田野的一切走兽都在它树枝下生产；所有大民族都住在它的荫下；它树大枝长，极为荣美，因它的根在多水旁。神园中的香柏树不能遮蔽它；松树不及它的枝子，神园中的树都没有它荣美；他们使它枝条繁多，极为荣美；在神的园中，伊甸所有的树都嫉妒它。(以西结书31:2–9)
由于“埃及王法老”表示属世人的理解力，这理解力从理性所看见的科学真理或真知识中生出和形成，所以他在此被称为表示理性层的“亚述”，并被描述为香柏树及其高，以及它枝条的长长和众多，这是因为在圣言中，“香柏树”表示理性层。前面(可参看AE 650d节)解释了这段经文的大部分内容。由于理性层在智力真理或直觉真理(intellectual truths)方面具有这种性质和品质，属世层在真知识或科学真理方面是这样，所以经上说：“神园中的香柏树不能遮蔽它；松树不及它的枝子，神园中的树都没有它荣美。”“神园”表示处于纯正真理的教会之人所拥有的聪明，“香柏树”表示他那来自一个属灵源头的理性层，“松树”表示属世人的感知能力，“荣美”表示对真理的情感和由此而来的聪明；“他们使它枝条繁多，极为荣美”表示理性感知到的真知识或科学真理的丰富；“在神的园中，伊甸所有的树都嫉妒它”表示对来自属天良善的真理的感知，智慧由此而来，“树”在论述属天人的地方表示感知，在论述属灵人的地方表示认知，“神园中的伊甸”表示来自爱之良善的智慧。法老和埃及在此由“亚述”和“香柏树”来表示并描述，这一点也可从这一章的最后一节经文看出来，在那里，经上说：“法老和他所有的群众乃是如此。”由于属灵人的一切聪明和智慧都终止于属世心智，在那里使自己变得可见，所以在前面引用的经文中，埃及王法老被比作“神园中的香柏树”，因“法老”表示在属世人中从科学真理或真知识出生并形成的智力或理解力；因此，“神园”所指的，正是埃及地，正如在摩西五经中：
罗得举目看见约旦河的全平原，整个都得到很好的灌溉，如同耶和华的园子，也像到琐珥时的埃及地。(创世记13:10)
亚述王的首领西拿基立，也描述了在其理解力方面的属世人，如前面以西结书所描述的那样，不过是以他的亵渎来描述的，如这些话：
你藉你使者的手辱骂主说，我率领许多战车登上高山，到黎巴嫩的两侧，在那里我要砍伐它高大的香柏树和上好的松树，我要进到他边界的住处，进入他肥田的树林。我挖了井，喝了外来的水；我用脚掌踏干埃及的一切河。(列王纪下19:23, 24)
此处所表示的事物，与前面引用的经文相似，即表示由真知识或科学真理形成，并从属灵神性被光照的教会之人的理性事物；然而，在此表示扭曲的理性层的亚述王却想摧毁它们，因为他向犹大王希西家开战。但由于他亵渎这些事物，威胁要摧毁教会的一切事物，从初至末，而教会在人里面是从属灵之物在他的理性和属世之物中形成的，所以在那夜，耶和华的使者在亚述营中击杀了十八万五千人(列王纪下19:35)。此处亚述王的“许多战车”表示教义的虚假；他想登上的“高山，黎巴嫩的两侧”表示他想摧毁的教会的一切良善和真理；他想砍伐的“高大的香柏树和上好的松树”表示在感知方面的理性和属世真理；“肥田的树林”表示知识或科学；他要用脚掌踏干的“埃及的河”表示来自一个属灵源头的属世人的知识(或科学)，他将通过他的感官层灭绝和抹除这些知识，“亚述王的脚掌”表示感官层和由此而来的推理，这推理只来自谬误；“埃及河”表示属世人从来自一个属灵源头，就是当被用于确认属灵的教会真理时的知识或科学中获得的聪明。
654c.凡教会将要在里面植入的人都必须在知识或科学上被教导，因为除非属世人通过知识或科学，也就是来自世俗的事物和联系的各种经历被教导，否则一个人无法变得理性；他若没有变得理性，就无法变得属灵；因为人的理性人一方面与属灵人，也就是天堂结合，另一方面与属世人，也就是世界结合。由于这个原因，还由于教会将要在以色列人中间建立，所以对他们来说，属世人要首先被教导，也就是说，在属世和科学地理解的真理上被教导。为叫这一切可以被代表和表示，其后裔将要代表教会，并且自己为其首的亚伯拉罕与他的妻子寄居在埃及，并在那里住了一段时间(创世记12:10等)；后来，雅各与被称为以色列人的他的子孙按吩咐下埃及，并住在歌珊地，就是埃及最好的一块地，在那里呆了很长时间(创世记46章等)。这样做是因为人在属灵地被教导之前，必须在真理上科学和属世地被教导。
因为每个人都通过科学和属世地理解的真理为自己获得属灵层能够流入并在其中运作的理性层；事实上，人通过属于其理解力的理性层接受天堂之光，也就是属灵之光，通过被属灵层光照的理性层审视认知和知识或科学，从中拣选诸如与属灵的天堂和教会的纯正真理和良善一致的那类，弃绝不一致的；人正是这样在自己里面建立教会的根基。这就是为何经上论到亚伯拉罕和雅各说，他们因迦南地的饥荒下埃及，在那里寄居；这是由于饥荒，因为“饥荒”表示良善和真理的知识(或认知)的缺乏，连同对它们的渴望；在圣言中，“寄居”表示被教导。
由此明显可知，诗篇中的这些话是什么意思：
你从埃及挪出一棵葡萄树，赶出列族，把这树栽上，你在它面前清除出一块地方，使它的根深深扎入，充满这地；你发出它的枝子，直到大海，发出嫩枝，延到大河。(诗篇80:8, 9, 11)
“从埃及挪出的一棵葡萄树”表示教会，该教会由以色列人来代表；“赶出列族”表示赶出属世人的邪恶，它们是通过真理被赶出去的；“把这树栽上，你在它面前清除出一块地方，使它的根深深扎入”表示按照次序教导，也就是说，首先充满认知和知识或科学，然后如在旷野并受试探，后来被引入迦南地，也就是被引入教会；“你把这树栽上，在它面前清除出一块地方，使它的根深深扎入，充满这地”按次序就表示这些事物；“发出它的枝子，直到大海”表示聪明的增长，它甚至延伸到教会的良善和真理的终端；“发出嫩枝，延到大河”表示直到理性层。“河”，即幼发拉底河，表示理性层(参看AE 569节)。
何西阿书：以色列还是幼童的时候，我已经爱他，从埃及召我的儿子出来。(何西阿书11:1)
“以色列”在灵义上表示教会，在至高意义上表示主，主因是天堂的全部，故也是教会的全部。由于以色列人要代表教会，按照神序，他们应首先在诸如将服务于理性层，并通过理性层服务于属灵层的那类事物上接受教导，所以他们首先寄居在埃及，后来被领进旷野，好叫他们可以经历试探，属世人可以通过这些试探被征服；因为人不会变得理性，直到空虚和虚假的知识或科学被移走，属世人由此被洁净，这主要是通过试探实现的。
654d.由于“以色列”在至高意义上表示主，所以根据马太福音中的这些话，当主还是一个婴孩时，祂自己被带下埃及：
主的使者在梦中向约瑟显现，说，起来，带着孩子逃到埃及去，在那里直到我吩咐你。约瑟就起来，连夜带着孩子和他母亲往埃及去，在那里，直到希律死了；为的是要应验先知所说的，我从埃及召我的儿子出来。(马太福音2:13–15)
这也表示主的最初教导，因为主和其他人一样接受教导，但却凭祂的神性比其他人更聪明、更智慧地领受一切事物。但这往埃及去只代表教导；由于犹太和以色列教会的一切代表都关注主，所以祂也在自己里面代表它们，完成它们，因为这样祂就成全了律法的一切。由于代表是天堂和教会的终端，一切在先事物，也就是理性、属灵和属天事物，都进入终端，并在它们里面，所以主通过它们在终端里面；由于一切力量都在终端中，所以主从初通过终征服所有地狱，并使天堂里的一切事物都恢复秩序。这就是为何主在世上的整个一生都具有代表性，甚至包括福音书所记载关于祂受难的一切事，这些事代表那时教会违反神性、反对天堂和教会的一切良善和真理的品质。
654e.由此明显可知，“埃及”是什么意思，以下经文论述了主将要在那里建立教会。以赛亚书：
耶和华如此说，埃及的劳碌，以及古实和身量高大的西巴人的货物必过来归你，也要属你；他们必带着锁链过来随从你，又向你下拜，向你祈求；神只在你们中间，此外再没有神。(以赛亚书45:14)
这些话论及主，这一整章论述了祂。“埃及的劳碌，以及古实和西巴人的货物”表示由真理和良善的知识的获得所产生的属世之爱的快乐；这些知识本身由“西巴人”来表示，他们因良善而被称为“身量高大的人”，因为“身量高大”(即长)表示良善及其品质，“宽”表示真理及其品质；“他们必归你，也要属你，又向你下拜”表示这些人将来到教会，承认并敬拜主；“他们必带着锁链过来”表示他们里面的属世人将服侍属灵人，从而服侍主，因为经上说这些人“带着锁链过来”，属世人的欲望在他们里面受到约束；“他们向祂祈求；神只在你们中间，此外再没有神”表示他们将承认唯独主是神。
诗篇：
肥胖的人要从埃及出来，古实要急忙向神伸出手来；地上的列国啊，你们要向神歌唱，要歌颂主。(诗篇68:31, 32)
“肥胖的人要从埃及出来”表示处于对认识真理的情感的外邦人，“古实”表示那些出于属世人的快乐吸收真理的人；“古实”具有这种含义，这可从圣言中提到古实的其它经文看出来(如创世记2:13; 西番雅书3:5, 9, 10; 但以理书11:43)；“地上的列国啊，你们要向神歌唱，要歌颂主”表示列族将从主接受天堂和教会的真理和良善。
何西阿书：
他们必带着尊荣，如从埃及出来的鸟儿，又如从亚述地出来的鸽子来到，我必使他们住自己的房屋。(何西阿书11:11)
这些话也论及主，祂即将在外邦人或列族中间建立一个教会；经上说“如从埃及出来的鸟儿”，是因为“鸟”表示出于科学真理或真知识的思维；经上说“如从亚述地出来的鸽子”，是因为“鸽子”表示来自属灵良善的理性良善，“亚述”表示理性层本身；“使他们住自己的房屋”表示通过来自良善的真理形成的心智的内层，因而表示那些免受邪恶之虚假侵扰的人。
以赛亚书：
以色列人哪，到那日，耶和华必从河的谷穗打到埃及溪河；你们将被一一收集；当那日，必发大角声，在亚述地将要灭亡的，并从埃及地被赶散的，都要来，在耶路撒冷圣山上向耶和华下拜。(以赛亚书27:12, 13)
“到那日”表示主的降临；“耶和华必从河的谷穗打到埃及溪河”表示将服务于属灵人的所有理性真理和科学真理或真知识；经上说“谷穗”，是因为它包含谷物，谷物表示为属灵人提供营养的真理和良善。“当那日，必发大角声”表示被主召集到教会；“在亚述地将要灭亡的，并从埃及地被赶散的，都要来”表示那些否则，就会通过用于确认虚假的基于知识的推理而灭亡的人将来到教会；“他们要在耶路撒冷圣山上向耶和华下拜”表示他们将敬拜主，一个教会将在他们中间形成，“圣山”表示生活良善方面的教会，“耶路撒冷”表示教义真理方面的教会。这些话论及在亚述和埃及被掳的以色列人；但“以色列人”在此处和其它地方都表示将要构成教会的外邦人，他们在亚述和埃及“被掳”表示一个人因宗教虚假所处的属灵囚禁。
撒迦利亚书：
我必领他们出埃及地，把他们从亚述聚集起来；我要领他们到基列地和黎巴嫩。他必经过苦海，击打海浪，亚述的骄傲必被抑制，埃及的权杖必消逝。(撒迦利亚书10:10, 11)
这些话也论述了主对教会的恢复。“领他们出埃及地，从亚述聚集起来”与前面所解释的以赛亚书中的经文具有相同的含义；“基列地和黎巴嫩”表示属世人中的教会的良善和真理；“他必经过苦海，击打海浪，亚述的骄傲必被抑制，埃及的权杖必消逝”表示属世人的邪恶和虚假，以及确认它们的基于知识或科学的推理将被驱散，“经过苦海”表示试探，“海浪”表示虚假和邪恶，“亚述的骄傲”表示出于自我聪明的骄傲的推理，“埃及的权杖”表示确认性的知识或科学。
以西结书：
四十年终了以后，我必将埃及从他们分散到的列民中聚集起来，我必将他们带回到巴忒罗地，就是他们的贸易之地，叫他们在那里成为低微的国，不再自高于列族之上；我必减少他们，以致不再统治列族。(以西结书29:13–16)
“埃及”在此表示那些出于属世快乐处于道德生活之人中间的教会；“四十年”表示这些人必须承受的试探，好叫属世人不统治属灵人；耶和华将从他们分散到的列民中聚集起来的“埃及”表示他们用来确认虚假的知识或科学；“我必将他们带回到巴忒罗地”表示他们通过真理的知识所获得的光照，巴忒罗地因这些人为自己所获得的知识而被称为他们的贸易之地，因为“贸易”表示获得并交流知识；“他们在那里必成为低微的国，不再自高于列族之上；我必减少他们，以致不再统治列族”表示属世人的知识或科学不应该膨胀，得意洋洋地向教会的真理和良善行恶，并统治它们；先提到的“列族”表示教会的真理，后提到的“列族”表示教会的良善。
撒迦利亚书：
所有来攻击耶路撒冷的民族中剩下的人，必年年上来敬拜君王万军之耶和华，并守住棚节；凡不上来的，必无雨降在他们上面；埃及族若不上来，也不降在他们身上，必有耶和华用来击打列族的灾殃。(撒迦利亚书14:16–18)
这些话也论及主的降临，以及祂对一个教会的建立。他们要敬拜的“君王万军之耶和华”是指主；“住棚节”表示良善通过真理的植入；“凡不上来的，必无雨降在他们上面”表示那些没有来到祂教会的人将没有来自主的真理和良善的流注；“埃及族若不上来，必有耶和华用来击打列族的灾殃”表示那些只处于来自知识或科学的属世之光，良善无法通过真理在里面植入的人将处于各种邪恶和虚假。
以赛亚书：
我是耶和华你的神，是以色列的圣者，你的救主；我使埃及作你的赎价，使古实和西巴代替你；我使人代替你，使人民替换你的灵魂。(以赛亚书43:3, 4)
这些话同样论及主，以及对那些承认祂，并出于情感从祂那里领受真理之人的救赎；“赎价”、“代替你”和“替换你的灵魂”表示救赎；“埃及”、“古实”和“西巴”表示来自属灵情感的对认识真理的属世情感；“人”表示由此而来的他们的聪明，“人民”表示来自他们的教会。
654f.由于“埃及”表示属世人，属灵人的一切聪明都在属世人及其认知和知识或科学中有它的极限或终结和基础，所以没有它们，人不聪明、不智慧，甚至不理性，因为属灵人必与属世人如原因与结果那样行如一体，并且它通过对应行如一体；这就是为何在古代，就是埃及有一个代表性教会的时候，埃及王或法老被称为智慧人的儿子，古时君王的儿子(以赛亚书19:11)；埃及还被称为支派的房角石(以赛亚书19:13)，因为众“支派”表示综合或总起来的教会的一切真理和良善，“房角石”表示它们的基础。
因此，这话也是指着所罗门说的，所罗门代表在其属天国度和属灵国度方面的主，所罗门的智慧超过所有东方人的智慧和埃及人的一切智慧(列王纪上4:30)，“东方人”表示那时所有处于真理和良善的知识(或认知、科学)，并通过它们变得智慧的人，“埃及人”表示所有在知识(或科学)，尤其在对应学或对应知识上有学问，因而处于聪明的人。这就是为何在但以理书，埃及人的知识被称为“金银宝藏和宝物”：
北方王必伸手攻击各地，埃及地也不得逃脱，他必掌管埃及的金银宝藏和一切宝物。(但以理书11:42, 43)
因此，当以色列人出埃及时，他们被吩咐向埃及人借金器、银器和衣裳，掠夺埃及(出埃及记12:35, 36)。“金银器皿”和“衣裳”表示从埃及掠夺的真理和良善的知识或科学和认知，因为埃及人把它们用于确认邪恶和虚假，并将它们变成偶像崇拜和巫术的东西；因此，当埃及人被剥夺它们，从而变成纯属世的时，不久之后，他们就淹死在红海。这代表那些滥用知识(科学)，以确认邪恶和虚假之人的命运；因为他们死后就被剥夺一切真理和良善的知识或认知，当这些被夺去时，他们就被扔进地狱，这一点也由埃及人淹死在红海来代表。
由于埃及表示知识(科学)，而人从知识(科学)中获得聪明，所以在论述推罗的地方，经上说：
你的帆是用埃及绣花细麻布作的，可作你的旗帜。(以西结书27:7)
“推罗”表示真理的知识或认知，“埃及绣花细麻布”表示来自属灵真理的知识，“绣花”表示知识，“细麻布”表示属灵真理；“帆”和“旗帜”表示显现，属灵真理通过知识(科学)显现，因为它们通过这些知识(科学)向属世人的视觉和感知显现。
由于服务于属灵人以确认真理的一切知识或科学(也就是说，把它们都用于确认天堂和教会的真理和良善)都来自主，所以约瑟被带到埃及，在那里成为全地的统治者(创世记41章)。“约瑟”在至高意义上表示属灵神性，因而教义真理方面的主，教义真理建立在属世人的知识或科学的基础上(如前所述，AE 448节)；由于属世人或人的属世层必须从属于属灵人，以用来确认并执行属灵人的决定，所以约瑟因代表这种统治权，故被立为埃及的统治者，在他的指挥下，埃及有了丰富的收成或谷物，以至于邻国，甚至连迦南地本身都从那里得到供应。
由于所罗门代表属天国度和属灵国度方面的主，还由于所有属于这两个国度的人都通过真理和良善的认知或知识，并通过确认它们的知识或科学而处于聪明和智慧，所以所罗门娶了法老的女儿为妻，接她进入大卫城(列王纪上3:1)；后来他为法老的女儿建了一座与廊子类似的房屋(列王纪上7:8)；这也代表“埃及”在好的意义上所表示的知识或科学，一切聪明和智慧都建立在这知识或科学的基础上。由于每个教会之人都有一个属灵层，一个理性层和一个属世层，所以所罗门建了三个房屋，即代表属灵层的神的房屋，或圣殿，代表理性层的黎巴嫩的森林房屋(因为“香柏树”、因而“黎巴嫩”表示理性层)，代表属世层的法老女儿的房屋。这些奥秘没有出现在圣言的历史意义中，但仍隐藏在圣言的灵义中。
654g.到目前为止，我们已经解释了“埃及”在好的意义上是何含义；现在还必须解释“埃及”在坏的或反面意义上是何含义。在坏的意义上，“埃及”表示与属灵人分离的属世人，或与属灵良善分离的科学真理或真知识，这种科学真理或真知识本身是虚假；或也可说，它表示与仁分离之信，这信本身不是信。因为人生来是属世的，起初是从他的老师和父母，以及阅读的书籍，同时从他在世上的生活获得知识；除非人变得属灵，也就是重新出生，否则他会将所获得的知识或科学用来为属世人的欲望和享乐，总之，就是其全都违反神序的爱辩护；这属世人就是“埃及”在反面意义上所表示的，这可从以下经文看出来。
以西结书：
因法老以高大而被高举，把他的顶端置于密枝当中，他的心因高大而被抬高，我必把他交给列族中强人的手里；我照他的邪恶把他驱逐出去，因此外邦人，就是列族中强暴的，必将他砍断抛弃；他的枝条掉落山间和谷中；地上的众民都离开他的荫影，抛弃了他；空中的一切飞鸟都住在他的废墟上，田野的一切野兽也都在他的枝条中；所有人都被交与死亡，到低地去了，在人子中间，到下坑的人那里。他下地狱的那日，我使深渊遮盖他，拦住河流，大水停流。我也使黎巴嫩为他发黑，田野所有的树木都因他发昏。论荣耀和伟大，在伊甸的诸树中，谁能与你相比呢？然而你要与伊甸的诸树一同下到低地，在未受割礼的人中间，与被剑所杀的人一同躺卧。这就是法老和他所有的群众。(以西结书31:10–18)
“法老”与“埃及”所表相同，即表示知识(或科学)和由此而来的聪明方面的属世人。“法老以高大而被高举，把他的顶端置于密枝当中，他的心因高大而被抬高”表示来自知识的自我聪明的骄傲；“密枝”表示属世人的知识或科学。“我必把他交给列族中强人的手里”表示这些知识或科学被用来为对邪恶和虚假的欲望辩护，“列族中的强人”表示邪恶之虚假。“外邦人，就是列族中强暴的，必将他砍断抛弃”表示邪恶之虚假将毁灭他。
“他的枝条掉落山间和谷中”表示邪恶和虚假驱散了一切真知识或科学真理和理性真理；“地上的众民都离开他的荫影，抛弃了他”表示教会的一切真理都被赶走了；“空中的一切飞鸟都住在他的废墟上，田野的一切野兽也都在他的枝条中”表示虚假的思维和情感取而代之；“所有人都被交与死亡，到低地去了，在人子中间，到下坑的人那里”表示一切事物都受到诅咒，并成为地狱的，“人子”表示那些处于自我聪明的人，“坑”表示那些处于教义虚假的人所在之处；“我使深渊遮盖他，拦住河流”表示防止任何真知识或科学真理和理性真理进入；“使大水停流”表示也防止属灵真理进入；“我也使黎巴嫩为他发黑”表示他必没有理性。
“田野所有的树木都因他发昏”表示他必没有属于教会的真理的知识；“论荣耀和伟大，在伊甸的诸树中，谁能与你相比呢”表示由于自我聪明的骄傲，他必不再有对真理的任何理解，或对良善知识的任何感知；“然而你要与伊甸的诸树一同下到低地”表示因为良善的知识因用于邪恶已经被扭曲了，“伊甸的诸树”表示来自圣言的良善的知识，属世人败坏和歪曲了这些知识；“在未受割礼的人中间，与被剑所杀的人一同躺卧”表示那些因与仁爱的生活分离的信仰在自己里面灭绝了一切真理的人必身处地狱里的人当中，在圣言中，“被剑所杀的人”表示那些通过虚假在自己里面灭绝真理的人。“这就是法老和他所有的群众”表示所有这些话都是指着被剥夺了来自属灵人的光的属世人说的，“法老”表示属世人，“他的群众”表示其中的一切知识或科学。
同一先知书：
人子啊，你要发预言说，你们要哀号！哀哉这日！那是密云之日，列族之期，必有剑临到埃及，他们必夺去她的群众，倾覆她的根基；扶助埃及的必倾倒，她力量的骄傲必下降，他们从色弗尼塔起必在其中倒在剑下；他们在荒凉的地中间必成为荒凉，她的城邑必在荒凉的城中间；我在埃及点火，叫所有帮助她的，都被破灭，那时，他们就知道我是耶和华。我必藉巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒的手，使埃及的民众消没，他和随从他的人民，就是列族中强暴的，必被带进来毁灭这地；他们必拔剑攻击埃及，使此地充满被杀的人。我必使江河干涸，将地卖在恶人的手中，我必藉外邦人的手，使这地和其中所充满的变为荒废；必不再有首领出自埃及地。我必在埃及点火，将埃及分散到列族，把他们散布在各地。(以西结书30:1至末尾)
这是这一章的摘要；这是对教会因支持属世人的邪恶的虚假而荒废的哀悼；因为扭曲和摧毁教会的真理和良善的一切邪恶和由此而来的一切虚假都是从与属灵人分离的属世人流出的。“你们要哀号！哀哉这日！那是密云之日，列族之期”表示对这种荒废的哀悼，“密云之日”表示来自不被理解的真理，因而来自虚假的教会状态；“列族之期”表示来自邪恶的教会状态；“必有剑临到埃及，他们必夺去她的群众，倾覆她的根基”表示虚假将因用于邪恶而摧毁整个属世人和其中的一切事物。
“扶助埃及的必倾倒，她力量的骄傲必下降”表示属世人的知识或科学不会确认和证实真理，“他们从色弗尼塔起必在其中倒在剑下”表示虚假将摧毁对真理的理解；“他们在荒凉的地中间必成为荒凉，她的城邑必在荒凉的城中间”表示教会的一切事物和教会教义的一切事物都将灭亡；耶和华将在埃及所点的“火”表示来自属世人的恶欲；“叫所有帮助她的，都被破灭”表示将不再有来自属世人的对真理的任何确认；“巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒的手，就是他和随从他的人民”表示自我之爱的欲望和由此而来的虚假将毁灭。
“列族中强暴的，必被带进来毁灭这地，拔剑攻击埃及，使此地充满被杀的人”表示因此，教会将被向仁之良善和信之真理施暴的的邪恶之虚假摧毁；“我必使江河干涸”表示因此，真理不被理解；“将地卖在恶人的手中，我必藉外邦人的手，使这地和其中所充满的变为荒废”表示因为在教会中，邪恶取代了良善，虚假取代了真理；“必不再有首领出自埃及地”表示不会有为首的真理，因而不会有来自主的生活真理；“我必在埃及点火，将埃及分散到列族”表示只有出于自我之爱的邪恶将占据属世人；“把他们散布在各地”表示因此，教会的一切事物都将消散。
以赛亚书：
南方牲畜的预言；在艰难困苦之地；幼狮、老狮、毒蛇、火焰的飞蛇都在他们面前；他们把财物驮在驴背上，将宝物驮在骆驼的后背上，往那无益于他们的民那里去；埃及，就是徒然和空虚，必是他们的帮助。(以赛亚书30:6, 7)
“南方牲畜”表示来自属世人、熄灭教会之人要从圣言所获得的光的欲望；“艰难困苦之地”表示将不会有仁之良善和信之真理的教会；在他们面前的“幼狮、老狮”表示摧毁教会的真理和良善的虚假的能力；“毒蛇、火焰的飞蛇”表示狡猾而巧妙推理的感官层；“他们把财物驮在驴背上，将宝物驮在骆驼的后背上”表示感官和属世人的知识，他们从中得出一切结论，“财物”和“宝物”表示来自圣言的真理和良善的知识或认知，但在此表示假知识或科学，因为出于自我聪明；“驴”表示感官人的事物，“骆驼”表示属世人的事物；“埃及，就是徒然和空虚”表示感官人和属世人，它们就本身而言，没有良善，也没有真理。
同一先知书：
那些下埃及求帮助的有祸了，他们倚靠马匹，信靠甚多战车，并信靠强壮的马兵，却不仰望以色列的圣者，也不求问耶和华。因为埃及是人，并不是神，他的马匹是血肉，并不是灵。(以赛亚书31:1, 3)
这些话描述了那些在天堂和教会的事物上想靠自己，因而靠自我聪明，而不是靠主变得智慧的人；由于这些人是纯属世的，因而从感官谬误和错误应用的知识或科学中汲取一切，并败坏和歪曲教会的真理和良善，所以论到他们，经上说：“那些下埃及求帮助的有祸了，他们不仰望以色列的圣者，也不求问耶和华。”他们所倚靠的“埃及马匹”表示来自感官谬误的幻想之物；“他们信靠甚多战车”表示大量知识或科学所确认的教义虚假；他们所信靠的强壮“马兵”表示他们用来攻击真理的由此而来的推理；“埃及是人，并不是神”表示属世人凭自己没有对神性事物的理解；“他的马匹是血肉，并不是灵”表示他的聪明来自自我，或他自己的东西，其中没有生命，“埃及的马匹”表示幻想的事物，这些事物本身是死的，因为它们是谬误；“血肉”表示人的自我，或人自己的东西，“灵”表示来自主的生命。
654h.耶利米书：
论到埃及，就是埃及王法老的军队，这军队在幼发拉底河边，是巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒所击败的。这像溪河涨起，其水翻腾像溪流的是谁呢？埃及像溪河涨起，其水翻腾像溪流；因为他说，我要涨起，遮盖这地，我要毁灭城邑和住在其中的。马匹啊，你们上去吧！战车啊，你们要疾行！勇士啊，你们出去吧！剑必吞吃饱足，饮血满足。埃及的处女啊，要上基列去取乳香；你虽服用许多药，还是徒然，你不得医治。(耶利米书46:2, 7–11, 14–26)
从所有这些细节清楚可知，当按灵义来看时，“埃及”在此表示当与属灵人分离时，属世人及其知识或科学，这种分离是由通过基于知识或科学的推理摧毁教会的真理和良善的自我聪明的骄傲导致的。因为在幼发拉底河边的“埃及王的军队”表示错误应用的知识或科学和来自它们的推理；“巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒所击败的”表示这些因自我聪明的骄傲而毁灭；“这像溪河涨起，其水翻腾像溪流的是谁呢”表示自我聪明及其努力摧毁教会真理的虚假；“埃及像溪河涨起，其水翻腾像溪流”表示属世人从自己或自我来推理反对教会的真理；“因为他说，我要涨起，遮盖这地，我要毁灭城邑和住在其中的”表示摧毁教会，以及教会教义的真理和良善的努力和渴望；“马匹啊，你们上去吧！战车啊，你们要疾行！勇士啊，你们出去吧”表示通过来自谬误的幻想事物，以及知识或科学所确认的教义虚假，他们由此在自己看来很强壮。
“剑必吞吃饱足，饮血满足”表示属世人因虚假和对真理的歪曲而彻底毁灭；“埃及女子啊，要上基列去取乳香”表示圣言字义的真理，以及由此而来的推理和保护；因为“基列”表示基于圣言字义的推理，虚假由此被确认，因为基列离幼发拉底河不远，蜡、乳香和没药就来自那里，它成为玛拿西的子孙和迦得半支派的产业(创世记31:21; 37:25; 民数记32:29; 约书亚记13:25)。因此，除了其它事物外，“基列”还表示基于圣言字义的推理；“乳香”表示虚假的应用和由此的确认，“埃及女子”表示属于这样一个教会的对虚假的情感。“你虽服用许多药，还是徒然，你不得医治”表示这些事物提供不了帮助，无论它们多么极大丰富，因为真理本身由此被歪曲了。
摩西五经：
埃及人追袭以色列人，跟在他们后头，法老一切的马匹、战车和马兵都进入海中间。但耶和华眺望埃及人的营，使他们混乱了，又使他们的车轮脱落；水就回流，淹没了战车和马兵，以及法老全军。(出埃及记14:23–25, 28; 15:19, 21)
“法老的马匹”表示幻想的事物，因为它们是谬误，也就是来自一个用来确认虚假的扭曲理解力的知识；“他的战车”表示虚假的教义，“马兵”表示由此而来的推理；“车轮”表示推理的能力。《属天的奥秘》(8208–8219, 8332–8335, 8343节)解释了这些事物。
由于“埃及马匹”的这种含义，所以经上藉着摩西吩咐：
若百姓想要一个王，要立耶和华神从以色列人中间拣选的人为王管理他们；不可立你弟兄以外的人为王管理他们。只是王不可为自己加添马匹，也不可将百姓带回埃及，为要加添马匹；因耶和华曾对你们说，不可再回那条路去；他也不可为自己加添妻子，恐怕他的心偏离；也不可为自己多积银和金。(申命记17:15–17)
人若不知道“王”、“以色列人”、“埃及及其马匹”，以及“妻子”、“银和金”表示什么，就无法看出对王的这些指示表示什么。“王”表示来自良善的真理；“埃及”表示属世人；“他的马匹”表示知识；“妻子”表示对真理和良善的情感；“银和金”表示教会的真理和良善，在反面意义上表示教会的虚假和邪恶；由于“王”表示来自良善的真理，“以色列人”表示那些处于来自良善的真理之人所构成的教会，所以经上说“若百姓想要一个王，要立耶和华神从以色列人中间拣选的人为王管理他们；不可立你弟兄以外的人为王管理他们”，“弟兄以外的人”表示不一致的宗教原则，如其中没有良善的虚假。
由于“埃及”表示属世人，“马匹”表示幻想的假知识，所以经上说：“只是王不可为自己加添马匹，也不可将百姓带回埃及，为要加添马匹。”由于“妻子”表示对真理和良善的情感，当一个人娶数个妻子时， 这些情感就变成对邪恶和虚假的情感，所以经上说：“他也不可为自己加添妻子，恐怕他的心偏离。”由于“银和金”表示教会的真理和良善，但在此当仅从属世人来看待它们时，表示虚假和邪恶，所以经上说：“也不可为自己多积银和金。” 但为了更接近主题，这些话规定真理不可统治良善，如当属世人统治属灵人时所行的那样；“不可将百姓带回埃及，为要加添马匹，也不可为自己加添妻子”表示决不可以这样做，因为“妻子和丈夫”表示与对真理的情感相对应的对良善的情感，这种对应存在于一个男人与一个妻子，而不是与多个妻子的婚姻之中。关于王的律法还规定了其它类似的事(撒母耳记上8:10–18)。由于所罗门不仅从埃及为自己获得马匹，还加添妻子，累积银、金，所以他变成偶像崇拜者，死后国就分裂了。
以赛亚书：
关于埃及的预言：耶和华驾着轻快的云，来到埃及；因此，埃及的偶像在祂面前哗然，埃及人的心在祂中间消溶。我必将埃及人交在残忍主的手中；强暴王必辖制他们。然后水必从海中绝尽，河也消没干涸，溪流必退去，埃及河必枯干，芦苇和菖蒲必枯萎。因此，打鱼的必哀哭，一切把钩投到溪河中的必悲伤，在水面上撒网的必都衰残。用亚麻作丝织物，织帘子的，也必羞愧。你们怎敢对法老说，我是智慧人的儿子，我是古时君王的子孙？你的智慧人在哪里？就让他们告诉吧；现在来，他们必知道耶和华对埃及忠告了什么。琐安的首领变为愚昧，挪弗的首领被掳去，他们迷惑埃及，就是埃及支派的房角石；必没有为埃及可以造头和尾，棕枝和灯草的任何工作。(以赛亚书19:1–17)
就其灵义而言，从这一切也可以看出，“埃及”表示与属灵人分离的属世人；当人在生活中关注自己和世界，不关注主时，他就变成纯属世的；因此，他处于自我聪明的骄傲，这在有学问的人中间是很常见的，这会扭曲他们里面的理性层，关闭属灵心智。为叫人们知道“埃及”表示属世人，“埃及河”表示自我聪明，“埃及的河水”表示虚假，我将依次解释此处所引用的这一章的摘要。“耶和华驾着轻快的云，来到埃及”表示从属灵-属世的神性真理察访属世人，因为察访就是检查一个人的品质，检查是通过神性真理进行的；“轻快的云”表示属灵-属世的神性真理，由此明显可知，一个人在其属世层方面是何品质；“因此，埃及的偶像在祂面前哗然，埃及人的心在祂中间消溶”表示属世人中的虚假的聚集和拥挤，属世人的敬拜就来自这些虚假，以及它因察访感到的恐惧。
“我必将埃及人交在残忍主的手中；强暴王必辖制他们”表示邪恶之虚假和虚假之邪恶将在其中掌权，“残忍主”表示虚假之邪恶，“强暴王”表示邪恶之虚假；“然后水必从海中绝尽，河也消没干涸”表示属世人里面将没有真理，也没有由此而来的任何聪明；“溪流必退去，埃及河必枯干”表示它将使自己从真理转向虚假，聪明因此没有来自属灵人之光的真理，故会死亡；“芦苇和菖蒲必枯萎”表示否则，属世人会拥有的对来自圣言字义的真理和良善的一切感知都将消失；“因此，打鱼的必哀哭，一切把钩投到溪河中的必悲伤，在水面上撒网的必都衰残”表示那些教导和指导的人通过来自圣言的真理改造属世人将是徒然的劳碌，“打鱼的”和“在水面上撒网的”表示那些从圣言，尤其从圣言的字义教导和指导的人；“鱼”表示由此而来的认知，“悲伤和衰残”表示劳碌。
“用亚麻作丝织物，织帘子的，也必羞愧”表示那些以属世的方式教导属灵真理的人，“亚麻丝织物”表示属灵真理，“帘子”表示来自一个属灵源头的属世真理，“作”和“织”这些表示教导；“你们怎敢对法老说，我是智慧人的儿子，我是古时君王的子孙？你的智慧人在哪里”表示来自属灵人的属世人的智慧和聪明灭亡了，因为属世人被形成，是为了从属灵人那里接受聪明和智慧，当它们像原因和结果那样行如一体时，这一切才会发生；“琐安的首领变为愚昧，挪弗的首领被掳去”表示来自属世人中的属灵之光的智慧和聪明的真理变成疯狂的虚假；琐安和挪弗在埃及地，并表示属世人从属灵之光获得的光照；“他们迷惑埃及，就是埃及支派的房角石”表示属世人已经扭曲了，而教会的一切真理和良善都建立在属世人的基础上；“必没有为埃及可以造头和尾，棕枝和灯草的任何工作”表示他们不再拥有任何聪明或真理的知识，因而不再拥有真理，无论属灵的还是属世的。
654i.以西结书：
人子啊，你要向埃及王法老板着脸，向他和全埃及说预言；发言说，主耶和华如此说，埃及王法老，这卧在自己河中间的大鲸鱼，看哪，我与你作对；你曾说，我的河是我自己的，是我自己造的；因此，我必用钩子钩住你的腮颊，又使你河中的鱼贴住你的鳞甲；我必把你和你河中所有的鱼都抛在旷野；你必倒在田间地面上，不被收殓，不被聚集；我已将你给地上野兽、空中飞鸟作食物，使埃及所有的居民知道我是耶和华，因他们向以色列家成了芦苇的杖；当他们用手持住你的时候，你就断折，为他们刺透一切肩膀；当他们倚靠你的时候，你就折断，使他们所有的腰都站立。看哪，我必使剑临到你，把人与牲畜从你中间剪除，使埃及地成为凄凉荒废；因为他说，这河是我的，我造了它，所以我与你和你的河作对，我要把埃及地，从色弗尼塔直到古实边界，都交给荒凉，她的城必凄凉四十年。(以西结书29:2–12)
这也是对因来自知识和随之自我聪明的自负而被剥夺一切真理和良善的属世人的描述。由于“埃及王法老”表示属世人的知识和由此而来的自我聪明，所以经上说“埃及王法老，这卧在自己河中间的大鲸鱼，看哪，我与你作对”，“大鲸鱼”表示总体上属世人的知识，在此表示假知识或假科学，“河”表示自我聪明；“你曾说，我的河是我自己的，是我自己造的”表示来自自我，而非来自主的聪明；因此，这些话涉及自我聪明的自负；“因此，我必用钩子钩住你的腮颊”表示假话，它将为此受惩罚；“又使你河中的鱼贴住你的鳞甲”表示来自感官谬误的最低种类的假知识，“鱼”表示知识，“鳞甲”表示感官谬误，也就是最低种类的知识。
“我必把你和你河中所有的鱼都抛在旷野”表示剥夺真理和聪明所来自的一切知识；“你必倒在田间地面上，不被收殓，不被聚集”表示没有连贯性、无法重建的宗教原则；“我已将你给地上野兽、空中飞鸟作食物”表示被虚假的情感和思维吞噬；“使埃及所有的居民知道我是耶和华”表示叫人们知道并相信，一切真理和良善，甚至属世人中的，都来自主；“因他们向以色列家成了芦苇的杖”表示对感官人的知识，也就是教会之人当中的谬误的信心，“芦苇的杖”表示这种信心(参看AE 627b节)；“当他们用手持住你的时候，你就断折，为他们刺透一切肩膀”表示真理的一切能力都通过对这些的信仰而被摧毁；“当他们倚靠你的时候，你就折断，使他们所有的腰都站立”表示接受爱之良善的能力通过对这些的信心而被摧毁。
“看哪，我必使剑临到你，把人与牲畜从你中间剪除”表示虚假将摧毁属世人中对真理的一切理解和对良善的情感；“使埃及地成为凄凉荒废”表示结果，属世人没有任何真理和良善；“因为他说，这河是我的，我造了它”表示由于自我聪明的自负；“我要把埃及地，从色弗尼塔直到古实边界，都交给荒凉”表示教会在属世人中，从最初事物到最后事物的毁灭；“她的城必凄凉四十年”表示来自纯粹的虚假，直到没有任何真理剩下的教义，“四十年”表示教会荒废的整个时期，以及试探的整个持续时间。
列王纪下：
你倚靠这压伤的苇杖、埃及；人若靠它，它就刺进他的手，把它刺透；埃及王法老对一切倚靠他的人就是这样。(列王纪下18:21)
“苇杖”和“倚靠它”与刚才的具有相同的含义。因此，在诗篇，埃及被称为：
芦苇中的野兽、分散列民的强者的会众。(诗篇68:30)
“芦苇中的野兽”表示对来自感官人的知识或科学，也就是谬误的虚假的情感或贪心；这些被称为“强者的会众”，因为它们强烈说服人；由于这些驱散教会的真理，所以经上说：“分散列民。”
何西阿书：
以法莲必像无心的愚蠢鸽子。他们呼求埃及，投奔亚述；他们有祸了，因他们飘离了我；他们必遭毁灭，因为他们违背了我；他们的首领必因舌头的愤怒倒在剑下，这在埃及地必作他们的讥笑。(何西阿书7:11, 13, 16)
这段经文论述了以色列的骄傲，以色列的骄傲表示在诸如属于教会的那类事物上，自我聪明的自负。“埃及”表示属世人及其知识，这一点从以下考虑明显看出来：该先知书大量论述的“以法莲”表示属世人中教会的理解和教义真理，这就是“以法莲”的含义(参看AE 440节)；因此，“以法莲必像无心的愚蠢鸽子”表示现在将没有理解，因为没有真理，也没有对真理和良善的情感；“他们呼求埃及，投奔亚述”表示他们对属世人的知识，以及由此而来的骗人推理的信任；“他们有祸了，因他们飘离了我”表示厌恶来自圣言的真理；“他们必遭毁灭，因为他们违背了我”表示由于他们的背离，一切真理的丧失；“他们的首领必倒在剑下”表示主要真理将被虚假摧毁；“因舌头的愤怒，这在埃及地必作他们的讥笑”表示属世人对教义的辱骂和蔑视。
同一先知书：
以色列啊，你行邪淫离弃你的神；他们必不得住耶和华的地，以法莲要回到埃及，他们要在亚述吃不洁之物；看哪，他们因毁灭离去；埃及要收殓他们，摩弗要埋葬他们；他们的银制宝物，蓟草必占据；荆棘必在他们的帐棚中。(何西阿书9:1, 3, 6)
这一整章都在论述被摧毁的对圣言的理解，这理解在此由“以法莲”来表示。“以色列行邪淫离弃他的神”表示圣言的真理被歪曲了；“他们必不得住耶和华的地”表示他们将没有如天堂中的那样的良善生活；“以法莲要回到埃及”表示对真理的理解被摧毁了，他们由此变得属世；“他们要在亚述吃不洁之物”表示充斥着邪恶之虚假的理性层；“看哪，他们因毁灭离去”表示因对真理的歪曲而转身离开主；“埃及要收殓他们”表示他们已经变成纯属世的；“摩弗要埋葬他们”表示因将圣言字义的真理用于邪恶之虚假而导致的属灵死亡；“他们的银制宝物”表示真理的知识；“蓟草必占据”表示邪恶将扭曲它们；“荆棘必在他们的帐棚中”表示敬拜中的邪恶之虚假。
又：
以色列必不返回埃及，亚述人却要作他们的王。(何西阿书11:5)
“以色列必不返回埃及”表示当教会之人变得属灵时，他必不变得属世；“亚述人却要作他们的王”表示那时基于虚假的推理将掌权。当教会之人将信与仁分离，也就是相信圣言，却不照其诫命生活时，他就从属灵的变成属世的；当他自称聪明，却不将聪明归于主时，也是如此；使人变得属世的自负由此而来。因为人首先是属世的，然后变得理性，最后变得属灵。当人是属世的时，他在埃及；当变得理性时，他在亚述；当变得属灵时，他在迦南地，因而在教会。
又：
以法莲吃风，且追赶东风；每天增添虚谎和毁灭；他们与亚述立约，油被送到埃及。(何西阿书12:1)
“以法莲”表示对真理的理解被摧毁的教会；“吃风”表示吸收虚假；他追赶的“东风”表示真理的枯干和消散；“油被送到埃及”表示爱之良善被属世人的知识或科学扭曲了。对这段经文进一步的解释，可参看前文(AE 419e节)。
654j.以赛亚书：
祸哉！这些悖逆的儿子。他们设下计谋，却不出于我，造铸像，却不靠我的灵，以致罪上加罪；起身下埃及去，并没有求问我的口；并信靠埃及的荫影。所以，法老的力量必成为你们的羞辱，对埃及荫影的信心成为困惑。(以赛亚书30:1–3)
“祸哉！悖逆的”表示对那些转身离开之人所受诅咒的哀悼；“设下计谋，却不出于我”表示来自自我，而不是来自主的关于天堂事物的思维和结论；“造铸像，却不靠我的灵”表示出于地狱的虚假，而不是出于神性真理的敬拜；“起身下埃及去，并没有求问我的口”表示来自属世人的自我，而不是来自圣言；“并信靠埃及的荫影”表示信任和信仰诸如属世人所提出的那类事物，属世人没有天堂之光。“所以，法老的力量必成为羞辱，对埃及荫影的信心成为困惑”表示凭自我聪明没有抵制邪恶的能力，凭属世人的知识也没有这种能力，“羞辱和困惑”表示当这些人由于邪恶被视为卑鄙时，他们的状态。
耶利米书：
耶和华你的神在路上引导你的时候，你离弃了祂。你为何在埃及路上喝西曷的水呢？你为何在亚述路上要喝大河的水呢？你为什么这样积极改变你的道路？你必因埃及蒙羞，像从前因亚述蒙羞一样。(耶利米书2:17, 18, 36)
这也论述了因教义的虚假和生活的邪恶而变得外在和纯属世的教会之人。“耶和华你的神在路上引导你的时候，你离弃了祂”表示转去不让主通过引导的真理改造；“你为何在埃及路上喝西曷的水呢”表示仅来自属世人的教会，从中有纯粹的虚假；“你为何在亚述路上要喝大河的水呢”表示来自属世人的推理，信之虚假就来自这些推理；“你为什么这样积极改变你的道路”表示强烈反对被如此改造以至于变得属灵；“你必因埃及蒙羞，像从前因亚述蒙羞一样”表示被属世人和由此而来的推理引导是一种反常和卑鄙的状态，因为这是被出于自我的虚假和邪恶引导。
耶利米哀歌：
我们的产业归与外邦人，我们的房屋归与异族。我们出银钱才得水喝，我们的柴也是付代价而来的。我们授手于埃及和亚述，为要得粮饱足。奴仆辖制我们，无人救我们脱离他们的手。(耶利米哀歌5:2, 4, 6, 8)
“我们的产业归与外邦人”表示教会的真理变为虚假；“我们的房屋归与异族”表示教会的良善变为邪恶；“我们出银钱才得水喝”表示仅来自我们自己的教导，这是纯粹虚假的源头；“我们的柴也是付代价而来的”表示仅来自我们自己的教导，这是纯粹邪恶的源头。由于人自由地被主教导和改造，也就是“不用银钱，不用价值”(以赛亚书55:1)，所以“出银钱”才得喝，出价值才取得柴、获得温暖表示仅从我们自己；由于仅从我们自己被教导，就是仅被属世人及其知识，以及由此而来的结论被教导，所以经上说“我们授手于埃及和亚述，为要得粮饱足”，“埃及”表示属世人，它是虚假的源头，“亚述”表示基于虚假推理的属世人，邪恶由此而来；属于属世人的事物相对来说都是服务的事物，因属世人被造是为了服务属灵人，所以当属世人统治属灵人时，仆人就有了统治权，这就是“奴仆辖制我们，无人救我们脱离他们的手”的意思。
654k.耶利米书：
倘若你们说，我们不住在这地；说，不，我们要去埃及地，在那里看不到战争，听不见号角的声音，也不会因粮食而饥饿；我们要住在那里。但你们若摆脸进入埃及，到那里寄居，你们所惧怕的剑，在埃及地必追上你们！你们所惧怕的饥荒，在埃及要紧紧地跟随你们！你们必死在那里；凡摆脸进入埃及在那里寄居的人，必因剑、饥荒和瘟疫而死，他们无人存留、逃脱；你们受咒诅、惊骇、辱骂、羞辱，并且你们不得再见这地方。(耶利米书42:13–18等)
我们经常在圣言的历史部分和预言部分读到，以色列人热切渴望回到埃及，他们被禁止这样做，若如此行，就受到灾祸和惩罚的威胁；但迄今为止，没有人知道其中的原因。原因在于，以色列人要代表一个教会，从它最初兴起直到它结束；教会首先通过属世人中的知识和认知在人那里形成，因为属世人首先通过这些得到培养，事实上，每个人生来都是属世的，因此属世人必须首先得到培养，好叫它最终可以作为人的聪明和智慧的基础。然后通过植入属世人的知识和认知，智力被形成，好叫人变得理性。但为使一个人从理性变得属灵，他必须忍受试探，因为理性人通过这些试探被如此征服，以至于不从属世人中召唤出诸如赞成欲望，摧毁理性人的那类事物。最终，当人以这种方式变得理性时，他就变得属灵，因为理性人是属灵人和属世人之间的媒介，因此属灵人流入理性人，并通过理性人流入属世人。
总之，一个人必须首先用知识丰富记忆；然后他的理解力必须通过这些知识得到培养，最终意愿得到培养。记忆属于属世人，理解力属于理性人，意愿属于属灵人。这就是人的改造和重生的方式。这就是为何以色列人首先被带到埃及，然后被带到旷野，以经历试探，最后被带到迦南地，因为如前所述，他们要代表教会，从它的最初兴起直到它的最后结束。他们居住并寄居在埃及代表属世人的教导；他们在旷野漂流四十年代表试探，理性人通过试探得以形成；他们最终被领进的迦南地代表教会，就本身而言，教会是属灵的。
但那些不愿被改造和重生的人就停在第一个阶段，仍旧属世；这就是为何不愿意的以色列人如此频繁地渴望回到埃及(《出埃及记》经常提到他们的这种渴望)；因为他们是属世的，几乎不能变得属灵；然而，他们又要代表那些属于属灵教会的事物；因此，他们被带到埃及，后来被带到旷野，最后被带到迦南地，从而代表人里面教会的兴起、发展和最终建立。这清楚表明，为何以色列人被强烈禁止回到埃及；因为他们通过如此行会代表他们从属灵人变成属世人，当一个属灵人变成属世的时，他不再看见任何真理，也感知不到任何良善，而是陷入各种虚假和邪恶。
不过，要回头解释前面的话。“倘若你们说，我们不住在这地；说，不，我们要去埃及地”表示厌恶那些属教会的人所处的属灵状态，渴望属世状态和属于属世人的事物；“在那里看不到战争，听不见号角的声音，也不会因粮食而饥饿”表示那时将没有来自虚假和邪恶的侵扰，也没有试探，“战争”表示虚假和邪恶所带来的侵扰和争战，“不因粮食而饥饿”表示不渴望良善，这是那些处于虚假和邪恶的人、因而那些纯属世之人的状态；这些人不被邪恶和虚假侵扰，因为他们就处于其中，对真理和良善一无所知；“我们要住在那里”表示一种属世生活。
“但你们若摆脸进入埃及，到那里寄居”表示如果他们出于自己的爱渴望一种属世生活；“你们所惧怕的剑，在埃及地必追上你们”表示虚假摧毁真理，“你们所惧怕的饥荒，在埃及要紧紧地跟随你们”表示真理和良善的知识的缺乏；“你们必死在那里”表示随之而来的教会的荒凉，以及诅咒；“凡摆脸进入埃及在那里寄居的人，必因剑、饥荒和瘟疫而死”和前面所表相同，“瘟疫”表示一切良善和真理的荒废；“他们无人存留、逃脱”表示真理和良善的任何东西都不会幸存下来；“你们受咒诅、惊骇、辱骂、羞辱”表示属于诅咒的一切事物；“并且你们不得再见这地方”表示他们里面将不再有教会的任何东西。
654l.以西结书：
有两个女子，一母的女儿，在埃及行淫；她们名叫阿荷拉，即姐姐，就是撒玛利亚，和阿荷利巴，就是耶路撒冷。阿荷拉归我之后却仍行淫，贪恋她的邻邦亚述人，与所有亚述人中上等的放纵淫行。她从埃及的时候，就没有离开过淫乱，因为她年轻时，他们就与她同寝。因此，我将她交在她所爱的人，就是亚述人手中。他们就露了她的裸体，掳掠她的儿女，最后用剑杀了她。她妹妹阿荷利巴虽然看见了，却还败坏她的爱，比她更甚，她的淫行在她姐姐的淫行之上；她贪恋亚述人。因为她加增淫行，她看见画在墙上的人，就是用鲜红色所画迦勒底人的像，都是军长的形状，仿照巴比伦人和迦勒底人的形像。巴比伦人来到她那里，上了她爱情的床，用他们的淫行玷污她。她还加增她的淫行，追念她年轻时在埃及地行淫的日子。她贪恋他们的妾，因为其肉体是驴的肉体，其射精是马的射精。你从埃及妆饰胸部的时候，就这样称赞你年轻时的罪行。因此，阿荷利巴啊，我必激动你的爱人攻击你，就是巴比伦人，所有迦勒底人和同着他们的所有亚述人。他们必掳去你的儿女，你的后裔必被火吞灭。他们必剥去你的衣服，夺取你妆饰的珠宝。这样，我必使你的罪行和你从埃及地染来的淫乱止息了，使你不再举目仰望亚述，也不再怀念埃及。你必酩酊大醉，满有愁苦、荒废和荒凉的杯。(以西结书23:2–33, 直到末尾)
为叫人们清楚知道，“埃及”表示属世人，在此表示与属灵人分离的属世人，“亚述”表示理性人，在此表示基于属于属世人的事物的推理，我要对上述这些话作简要解释。“有两个女子，一母的女儿，在埃及行淫”表示对真理和良善的歪曲，由于雅各的子孙都是纯属世人，所以他们接受了埃及人的偶像崇拜，这表示他们歪曲了教会的一切真理；“她们名叫阿荷拉，即姐姐，就是撒玛利亚，和阿荷利巴，就是耶路撒冷”表示属灵教会和属天教会，它们由雅各的后裔来代表，撒玛利亚的以色列人代表属灵教会，耶路撒冷的犹太人代表属天教会，两者都来自同一个母亲，也就是神性真理。
“阿荷拉归我之后却仍行淫”表示对圣言中的神性真理的歪曲；“贪恋她的邻邦亚述人，与所有亚述人中上等的放纵淫行”表示通过推理确认；“她从埃及的时候，就没有离开过淫乱，因为她年轻时，他们就与她同寝”表示他们仍追随其偶像崇拜；“因此，我将她交在她所爱的人，就是亚述人手中”表示确认偶像崇拜的推理；“他们就露了她的裸体，掳掠她的儿女，最后用剑杀了她”表示剥夺一切真理和良善，由此灭绝他们中间的教会，“裸体”表示剥夺，“儿女”表示真理和良善，“阿荷拉”表示教会；“她妹妹阿荷利巴虽然看见了，却还败坏她的爱，比她更甚，她的淫行在她姐姐的淫行之上”表示由耶路撒冷的犹太民族代表的属天教会的毁灭，当它扭曲和玷污圣言、因而教义的良善时，经上就说它“败坏她的爱，比她姐姐更甚”；因为败坏或扭曲教会的良善，比败坏或扭曲教会的真理犯的罪更大。
“她贪恋亚述人”表示通过推理反对真理和良善如此行；“她加增淫行，她看见画在墙上的人，就是用鲜红色所画迦勒底人的像”表示属于属世人的来自感官谬误的幻想，以及由此而来的争论，歪曲就来自这些争论；“都是军长的形状，仿照巴比伦人和迦勒底人的形像”表示表象，即：它们是优于其它所有真理的卓越真理；“巴比伦人来到她那里，上了她爱情的床，用他们的淫行玷污她”表示与出于自我之爱的邪恶之虚假结合；“她还加增她的淫行，追念她年轻时在埃及地行淫的日子”表示对他们的偶像崇拜和从属世人那里所吸收的邪恶之虚假的确认，因而其歪曲的增长；“她贪恋他们的妾，因为其肉体是驴的肉体，其射精是马的射精”表示对这些事物的爱之渴望或欲望，因为是出于他们自愿的自我，并由此出于他们智力的自我，“驴的肉体”表示自愿的自我，“马的射精”表示由此而来的智力自我，它们扭曲一切事物。
“你从埃及妆饰胸部的时候，就这样称赞你年轻时的罪行”表示从最早的年龄植入的对虚假的爱，以及由此而来的享受；“因此，阿荷利巴啊，我必激动你的爱人攻击你，就是巴比伦人，所有迦勒底人和同着他们的所有亚述人”表示教会因出于自我之爱的邪恶和出于自我聪明的骄傲自负的虚假而毁灭，其中有反对教义的良善和真理的致命仇恨。“他们必掳去你的儿女”表示他们将要摧毁的教会的真理和良善；“你的后裔必被火吞灭”表示由此而来的剩下的东西将因尘世之爱而灭亡；“他们必剥去你的衣服，夺取你妆饰的珠宝”表示剥夺一切聪明和知识或科学，也就是教会的荣耀或妆饰；“这样，我必使你的罪行和你从埃及地染来的淫乱止息了”表示这样真理就无法再被歪曲了；“使你不再举目仰望亚述，也不再怀念埃及”表示不再有对真理的任何理解，或真理的知识；“你必酩酊大醉，满有愁苦”表示在属灵事物上的疯狂和对它们的厌恶；“荒废和荒凉的杯”表示彻底摧毁和荒凉教会的一切良善和真理的邪恶之虚假。
同一先知书：
你和你那肉体肥大的邻邦埃及人行淫，增添你的淫乱；你又与亚述人行淫，你仍不满足。于是你增多你的淫乱，甚至直到迦勒底，就是你的贸易之地，即使这样，你仍不满足。(以西结书16:26, 28, 29)
这些话论及耶路撒冷的可憎之事，耶路撒冷表示教义方面的教会；“淫乱”表示对教义和圣言的真理的歪曲；因此，“你和你那肉体肥大的邻邦埃及人行淫”表示属世人的歪曲，一切邪恶和虚假都在这些歪曲中，“肉体”表示人的自我，或人自己的东西，人的自我就居于属世人，它本身无非是邪恶和由此而来的虚假；“你又与亚述人行淫”表示通过推理歪曲；“你仍不满足”表示无止境地歪曲真理的欲望；“于是你增多你的淫乱，甚至直到迦勒底，就是你的贸易之地”表示来自感官人，就是纯粹的谬误所在之处的歪曲，人由此完全弃绝和否认真理，甚至亵渎它们；“贸易之地”表示获取一切虚假所在之处，感官人是一切邪恶和由此而来的一切虚假的源头。此外，人生来最初是感官的，后来变成属世的，然后变得理性，最后变得属灵；歪曲教会真理的人则再次变得属世，最后变成感官的。“即使这样，你仍不满足”表示对 摧毁教会真理的无尽欲望。
654m.约珥书：
埃及必然荒废，以东变为荒废的旷野，都因向犹大人所行的强暴，又因在本地流无辜人的血。(约珥书3:19)
“埃及必然荒废”表示属世人将没有真理，因而处于纯粹的虚假；“以东变为荒废的旷野”表示属世人将没有良善，由此处于纯粹的邪恶；“都因向犹大人所行的强暴，又因在本地流无辜人的血”表示因为他们向他们所扭曲的圣言的真理和良善施暴。
以色列人与埃及人之间的战争，以及以色列人与亚述人之间的战争也涉及类似的事(如列王纪下23:29-37; 24; 以赛亚书10:3-5)；在列王纪上，经上说：
埃及王示撒上来攻打耶路撒冷，夺了耶和华家的宝物和君王家的宝物；又夺去所罗门制造的盾牌，以及其它许多东西。(列王纪上14:25, 26)
圣言的一切历史部分，以及圣言的预言部分都有灵义，因为圣言中的一切历史细节都代表属于天堂和教会的属灵和属天事物，那里的话都具有意义。因此，“埃及王夺了耶和华家的宝物和君王家的宝物”，以及其余的话代表教会在良善和真理的认知方面通过错误应用的属世人中的知识或科学而毁灭。
《出埃及记》的内义充分描述了当属世人服从属灵人时，它是何品质，当属世人与属灵人分离时，它又是何品质。约瑟，以及以色列人被约瑟呼召到埃及，他们住在歌珊地，也就是埃及最好的一块地的故事描述了当属世人服从属灵人，从而与它结合时，属世人是何品质。约瑟的故事描述了主对属世人的掌管，因为在灵义上，“约瑟”表示主，“埃及”表示属世人，“以色列人”表示属灵人。但后来，法老让以色列人服苦役则描述了当属世人与属灵人分离时，它是何品质；在埃及所行的神迹，也就是如此多的灾殃，描述了它随后在教会的一切真理和良善方面的荒废；法老及其全军淹死在红海描述了它的最终毁灭。
在灵义上描述了与属灵人分离的属世人的荒废的神迹是这些：亚伦的杖变成蛇；河里的水变成血，以至于鱼都死了，河也发臭(出埃及记7章)。青蛙从河和池中上了埃及地；地上的尘土变成了虱子；大群讨厌的苍蝇进入法老和他臣仆的房屋，进入埃及全地(出埃及记8章)。在人和牲畜身上，起了起脓疱的疮；极重的冰雹雨夹杂着火如下雨降在埃及地上(出埃及记9章)。蝗虫被带到地上，吞吃地上一切的菜蔬和树上的一切果子；幽暗临到埃及全地(出埃及记10章)。埃及地一切头生的都死了(出埃及记11章)。最后，当以色列人向他们借了金银器皿和衣裳(这些东西表示良善和真理的知识)，从而掠夺他们时(出埃及记12:35, 36)。埃及人被淹死在红海(出埃及记14:28)，红海表示地狱。这一切描述了属世人是如何荒废的，当他抛弃教会的一切真理和良善，吸收虚假和邪恶，直到不再剩下教会的任何真理或良善时，这种荒废就会发生。可参看《属天的奥秘》解释出埃及记的地方在其灵义上对所有这些事物的详解。由此可见，埃及的灾殃和病症(申命记7:15; 28:60)表示什么；淹死在埃及河里(阿摩司书8:8; 9:5)表示什么；以及为何埃及被称为奴役之地(弥迦书6:4)；又为何被称为含地(诗篇105:23)；以及铁炉(申命记4:20; 列王纪上8:51)。这一切都与埃及有关，由此明显可知，“埃及”表示两种意义上的属世人。
654. That Egypt here signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual, and thus falsities flowing forth from the evils of the love of self, consequently, from the pride of [man's] own intelligence, shall now be explained. For when the Natural of man is separated from the Spiritual, which takes place chiefly from the love of self, then from the evils of that love falsities flow forth, all falsity being derived from evil. For falsity is the defence of evil, and the evil of the will is formed in the understanding by means of the ideas of thought; these ideas are called falsities, and because falsities flowing forth from the evils of the love of self are attended with pride, since a man then thinks from his proprium; therefore also Egypt here signifies the pride of [man's] own intelligence.
[2] But since Egypt signifies the natural man in both senses, that is both when it is conjoined with the spiritual man and when separated from it, thus in a good sense and in a bad sense, therefore the various things of the natural man are also signified by Egypt, and these in general have reference to knowledges and scientifics (cognitiones et scientifica). For the truths and falsities of the natural man are called knowledges and scientifics (cognitiones et scientifica). But when the truths themselves have acquired life, which is effected by means of a life of faith, which is charity, they then pertain to the spiritual man. These with their affections and pleasures do not appear to man's manifest sense and sight, as do the knowledges and scientifics of the natural man, because man, so long as he lives in the world, thinks naturally and speaks naturally, and a man feels and perceives this by a kind of sight belonging to his understanding. But his spiritual thought, which is conjoined to the affection for truth or for falsity is not apparent until a man has put off the natural body, and put on the spiritual body, which takes place after his death or departure from this world, and his entrance into the spiritual world; then he thinks spiritually and speaks spiritually, and no longer naturally as before. This takes place with every man, whether he be merely natural or at the same time spiritual; and thought with the merely natural man after death is still spiritual, but gross without the understanding of truth or affection for good, for it consists of corresponding ideas, which, indeed, appear to be material, but still are not material. But, the Lord being willing, more will be said elsewhere concerning the spiritual thought and also the speech therefrom of merely natural men in the spiritual world.
[3] Egypt, in the Word, signifies the natural man in both senses, good and bad, consequently everything that properly belongs to the natural man, because in Egypt knowledges (scientiae) were cultivated, especially the knowledge (scientia) of correspondences and representations, at the time when churches were representative. But, because they made for themselves images according to correspondences, and began to worship these with holy rites and make idols of them when from internal they became altogether external, therefore they turned the representatives of spiritual and celestial things into idolatrous things, and also into magical things, and thus Egypt, in the Word, in a bad sense, which is the opposite of the former, signifies the false scientific of the natural man, and also what is idolatrous and magical.
[4] That such things are signified by Egypt is evident from many places in the Word; but before we prove this from the Word it should be known that with every man there is an internal that sees from the light of heaven, which is called the internal-spiritual man, or the internal-spiritual mind, and an external that sees from the light of the world, which is called the external-natural man, or the external-natural mind. With every man of the church the internal must be conjoined with the external, or the internal-spiritual man with the external-natural man; and when they are conjoined, then the spiritual man, because it is in the light of heaven, has dominion over the natural man, which is in the light of the world, and rules it as a master rules his servant, and teaches it as a master his pupils. A man is a man of the church and an angel from this conjunction. But when the natural man is not conjoined with the spiritual and subject to it, as is especially the case when the spiritual man is closed - and it is closed with those who deny the Divine things of the Word and of the church, for such see nothing from the light of heaven - then the natural man is in blindness as to spiritual things, and by means of his Rational perverts all the truths of the church, and by means of his ideas of these turns them into falsities. The question of the conjunction of the spiritual man with the natural, and the separation of the natural man from the spiritual, is much treated of in the Word, especially where Egypt is spoken of, since Egypt signifies the natural man both conjoined with the spiritual man and separated from it. And where the natural man separated from the spiritual is treated of, Egypt is censured and rejected;
[5] and because Egypt, in a broad sense, signifies the natural man, therefore Egypt also signifies the true scientific (scientificum verum) and the false scientific, for truths and falsities in the natural man are called scientifics. And because true and false scientifics are signified by Egypt, faith also is signified by it, and since faith is of truth, and truth is of faith, therefore faith conjoined with charity is also signified by Egypt in a good sense, and faith separated from charity in a bad sense. For faith is conjoined with charity when the spiritual man is conjoined with the natural, and then Egypt signifies true scientifics; but faith is separated from charity when the natural man is separated from the spiritual, and then Egypt signifies the false scientific. For when the natural man is separated from the spiritual man, then man has no truths, and if he draws truths from the Word, or from the doctrine of the church, still he falsifies them by the ideas of his thought; therefore all truth with such a man of the church becomes falsity.
[6] So far concerning the signification of Egypt in the Word. It shall now therefore be first proved from the Word itself that Egypt signifies the natural man conjoined with the spiritual, or the scientific vivified by the influx of spiritual light, or, what is the same, faith conjoined with charity, which is in itself faith. Afterwards it shall be proved that Egypt, in the opposite sense, signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual, or the scientific not vivified by any influx of spiritual life, or, what is the same thing, faith separated from charity, which in itself is not faith. That Egypt signifies the natural man conjoined with the spiritual, also the scientific vivified by the influx of spiritual light, which in itself is the true scientific, or the truth of the natural man, and what is similar, faith conjoined with charity, which in itself is faith, is evident from the following passages.
[7] In Isaiah:
"In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt, speaking with the lip of Canaan, and swearing to Jehovah Zebaoth; every one shall be called the city of Cheres. In that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a statue at the boundary thereof to Jehovah. They shall cry unto Jehovah on account of oppressions, who shall send unto them a Saviour and Prince. Then shall Jehovah become known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know Jehovah in that day, and shall make the sacrifice and meal-offering. So Jehovah shall smite Egypt, smiting and healing, whence they shall turn themselves unto Jehovah, who shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them. In that day there shall be a highway from Egypt into Assyria, and Assyria shall come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with Assyria; in that day Israel shall be a third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land, which Jehovah Zebaoth will bless, saying, Blessed be my people Egypt, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance" (19:18-25).
Here Egypt is put for the natural man conjoined with the spiritual, thus for the nations and peoples who were outside the church, and these, not being in truths, were natural men, but having heard the Gospel, they acknowledged the Lord, and being instructed therefrom in the truths of doctrine, they received faith. The coming of the Lord is meant by the term "in that day," which is here five times used. In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt, speaking with the lip of Canaan, signifies that there shall be with them many doctrinals agreeing with the truths of the doctrine of the church itself, five denoting many, cities doctrinals, the land of Egypt the church of such nations, and the lip of Canaan the truths of the doctrine of the church. Every one shall be called the city Cheres signifies the doctrine of the good of charity in every one, city denoting doctrine, and Cheres - which in the Hebrew means the sun and its brightness - denoting the good of charity and faith therefrom.
[8] In that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a statue at the boundary thereof to Jehovah, signifies that then there shall be the worship of the Lord from the goods of charity, and thence from the truths of faith in all things pertaining to the natural man. The altar to Jehovah signifies worship from the good of charity, and the statue, worship from the truths of faith; in the midst of the land of Egypt signifies every where and in all things of the natural man, and the boundary signifies truth scientific (verum scientificum).
[9] They shall cry unto Jehovah on account of oppressions, who shall send to them a Saviour and Prince, signifies their grief because of the defect of truth, and of spiritual good therefrom, and the advent of the Lord from whom they will receive them; to cry signifying grief, oppressions the want of truth and spiritual good therefrom, and Saviour and Prince the Lord, who is called preserver or Saviour from the good of love, and Prince from the truth of faith. Then shall Jehovah become known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know Jehovah in that day, signifies the acknowledgment of the Lord and of His Divine. And they shall make the sacrifice and meal-offering, signifies the worship of the Lord according to His precepts from the Word, thus from truths of doctrine and from the good of love. So Jehovah shall smite Egypt, smiting and healing, whence they shall turn themselves unto Jehovah, and He shall be entreated of them and shall heal them, signifies temptations and thus conversion, and healing from falsities by means of truths.
[10] In that day there shall be a highway from Egypt into Assyria, so that Assyria may come into Egypt and Egypt into Assyria, signifies that then the Rational shall be opened in them by means of truths scientific (vera scientifica), and so that man may regard the scientifics of the natural man rationally, and thus intelligently. Egypt denotes the Scientific of the natural man, and Assyria denotes the Rational. In that day Israel shall be a third with Egypt and with Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land, signifies influx into each from spiritual light, Israel being the spiritual man, which has light from heaven, Egypt the natural man, which has light from the world, and Asshur the rational man, which is the middle, and which, receiving light from the Spiritual, transmits it into the Natural and illustrates it. Which Jehovah shall bless, signifies influx from the Lord; saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, signifies the natural man enlightened; and Assyria the work of my hands signifies the rational man, rational not from self but from the Lord; and Israel mine inheritance signifies the spiritual man, called an inheritance because the entire Spiritual is of the Lord, for it is His proceeding Divine from which are heaven and the church. Who could understand these prophecies without the spiritual sense?
[11] In Micah:
"This is the day in which they shall come even unto thee from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and thence from Egypt unto the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain" (7:12).
These things are also said concerning the establishment of a church by the Lord with the nations, and by these words are described the extension of that church from one end to the other. One extremity of the land of Canaan was the river Euphrates, and the other was the river of Egypt; the extension of truth from one end to the other is signified by from sea to sea, and the extension of good from one end to the other, by from mountain to mountain.
[12] That the extension of the land of Canaan, which signifies the church, was from the river of Egypt to the river of Assyria (Euphrates), is evident in Moses:
"In this day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, To thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river, the river Euphrates" (Genesis 15:18).
And in the First Book of Kings:
"Solomon was ruler over all the kingdoms from the river" Euphrates "to the land of the Philistines, and even to the lands" (4:21).
For the church, which in itself is spiritual, terminates in the natural man, that is, in its Rational and Scientific, for the Rational is in the interior-natural man, and is its understanding; in it also is the Scientific. The Rational is born by means of scientifics, for in these it sees its conclusions as in a mirror, and, confirms itself by means of them, but yet from the Spiritual, without which man can neither have the Rational nor a true Scientific, but in place of the Rational ability to reason, and instead of a true Scientific a false Scientific. These two therefore form the boundaries of the spiritual church, which is signified by the land of Canaan.
[13] In Ezekiel:
"Son of man, say unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and unto his multitude, Whom art thou like in thy greatness? Behold Asshur was a cedar in Lebanon, beautiful in branch, and a shady forest, and high in stature, and its shoot was among the interwoven boughs; the waters caused it to grow, the deep made it high so that with its rivers it went about the plant, and sent out its conduits to all the trees of the field, whence its stature became high, and its branches became long, because of the many waters which it sent out. In its branches all the birds of the heavens made their nests, and under its branches every beast of the field brought forth, and in its shade dwelt all great nations; it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches, for its root was with many waters. The cedars in the garden of God hide it not; the fir trees were not equal to its branches; nor was any tree in the garden of God equal to it in beauty; they made it beautiful by the multitude of its branches, and all the trees of Eden which are in the garden of God envied it" (31:2-9).
Because Pharaoh, king of Egypt, signifies the Intellectual of the natural man, which is born and formed from truths scientific (vera scientifica) rationally seen, he is therefore here called Asshur, which signifies the Rational, and is described by a cedar and its height, and the length and multitude of its branches; and this because a cedar also, in the Word, signifies the Rational. But the greater part of this passage has been explained above (650:26). Because the Rational is of such a nature and quality as to intellectual truths, and thence the Natural is such as to scientific truths, therefore it is said that the cedars in the garden of God hide it not, that the fir trees were not equal to its branches, nor any tree in the garden of God equal to it in beauty. The garden of God signifies the intelligence which the man of the church has, who is in genuine truths; the cedar signifies his Rational which is from a spiritual origin; the fir tree the perceptive [faculty] of the natural man; and beauty signifies affection for truth, and intelligence therefrom. By making it fair by the multitude of branches is signified abundance of scientific truths rationally perceived; all the trees of Eden in the garden of God envied it signifies the perceptions of truth from celestial good, whence comes wisdom, trees signifying perceptions, where the celestial man is treated of, cognitions where the spiritual man is treated of, and Eden in the garden of God the wisdom which is from the good of love. That Pharaoh and Egypt are here meant and described by Asshur and the cedar is evident also from the last verse of the same chapter, where it is said, "This is Pharaoh and all his multitude."
Since all the intelligence and wisdom of the spiritual man becomes ultimated in the natural man, and there renders itself visible, therefore, in the passage above cited, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who signifies the Intellectual which is born and formed in the natural man from scientific truths, is compared to a cedar in the garden of God; consequently it is the land of Egypt that is meant by the garden of God, similarly as in Moses:
"Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that the whole of it was well watered, as the garden of Jehovah, as the land of Egypt, in coming to Zoar" (Genesis 13:10).
[14] The natural man as to his Intellectual, as described above in Ezekiel, is also described by Sennacherib, the chief captain of the king of Assyria, but by his blasphemies, in these words:
"By the hand of thy messengers thou hast insulted the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, the sides of Lebanon, where I will cut down the height of the cedars thereof, the choice of the fir trees thereof, and I will come on to the lodging-place of his border, the forest of his fruitful field; I have digged and drunk strange waters, and I will dry up with the sole of my footsteps all the rivers of Egypt" (2 Kings 19:23, 24).
Similar things are here signified as in the passage cited above, namely, the rational things appertaining to the men of the church formed from scientific truths, and illustrated from the spiritual Divine, which still the king of Assyria, who here signifies the perverted rational, desired to destroy, for he made war upon Hezekiah, king of Judah. But because he blasphemed those things, and threatened to destroy all things of the church from first to last which is formed in man from the Spiritual in his Rational and Natural, therefore in that night a hundred and eighty-five thousand were smitten in his camp by the angel of Jehovah (ver. 35). Here the multitude of chariots of the king of Assyria signifies falsities of doctrine; the height of the mountains, and the sides of Lebanon which he wished to ascend, signify all the goods and truths of the church which he desired to destroy. The height of the cedars and the choice of fir trees which he wished to cut down signify rational and natural truths as to perception; the forest of the fruitful field signifies scientifics. The rivers of Egypt which he would dry up with the sole of his footsteps signify the knowledge (scientia) of the natural man from a spiritual origin, which he would annihilate and blot out by means of his Sensual, the sole of the footsteps of the king of Assyria denoting the Sensual and reasoning therefrom, which is from fallacies alone; and the rivers of Egypt denote the intelligence of the natural man from the scientifics that are from a spiritual origin, when they are applied to confirm the truths of the church, which are spiritual.
[15] Every man in whom the church is to be implanted must first be instructed in scientifics, for unless the natural man be instructed by means of scientifics, which consist of various experiences from worldly things and associations, a man cannot become rational, and if he does not become rational he cannot become spiritual, for the Rational of man conjoins itself on one side with the Spiritual, that is, with heaven, and on the other side with the Natural, that is, with the world. For this reason and because the church was to be instituted with the sons of Israel therefore the natural man with them had first to be instructed, that is, in truths naturally and also scientifically understood.
In order that this might be represented and signified, it came to pass that Abraham, whose posterity was to represent the church, and himself to be the head thereof, sojourned in Egypt with his wife, and abode there for a time, (Genesis 12:10, and following verses); and afterwards, Jacob with his sons, who were then called the sons of Israel, went by command into Egypt, and dwelt in Goshen, which was the best of the lands of Egypt, and remained there a long time (Gen. xlvi., and following chapters).
[16] This was done to the intent that they might first be instructed in truths scientifically and naturally, before being instructed spiritually. For by truths scientifically and naturally understood every one procures to himself a Rational into which the spiritual can flow and become operative; for man receives the light of heaven, which is spiritual light, through the Rational, which belongs to his understanding, and through the Rational enlightened from the Spiritual he surveys knowledges and scientifics, selecting such as are in agreement with the genuine truths and goods of heaven and the church, which are spiritual, and rejecting those which do not agree. Thus does a man establish the church in himself. This is the reason it is said of Abraham and Jacob, that on account of the famine in the land of Canaan they went to Egypt to sojourn there; it is said on account of the famine, because a famine signifies a deficiency of the knowledges of truth and good, and also an ardent desire for them, and to sojourn, in the Word, signifies to be instructed.
[17] From this it is evident what is meant by these words in David:
"Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt, thou hast driven out the nations, and hast planted it, thou hast made clean before it, and caused it to take root, so that it filled the land; thou hast sent out its shoots unto the sea, and its little branches to the river" (569).
[18] In Hosea:
"When Israel was a boy, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt" (11:1).
Israel, in the spiritual sense, signifies the church, and in the highest sense the Lord, who, as He is the all of heaven, is also the all of the church. And because the sons of Israel were to represent the church, and it was according to Divine order that they should first be instructed in such things as might serve the Rational and by means of this the Spiritual, therefore they first sojourned in Egypt, and afterwards were led into the wilderness that they might undergo temptations, and that the natural man by means of these might be subdued. For man does not become rational until useless and false scientifics are removed, and the natural man is thus purified, which takes place chiefly by means of temptations.
[19] Since Israel, in the highest sense, means the Lord, therefore also the Lord Himself, when an infant, was carried down into Egypt, according to these words in Matthew:
"An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the boy, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word; and he arose and took the boy and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, Out of Egypt have I called my son" (2:13-15).
This also signifies the first instruction of the Lord; for the Lord was instructed like any other man, but by virtue of His Divine He received all things more intelligently and wisely than all others. But this departure into Egypt only represented instruction; for as all the representatives of the Jewish and Israelitish church looked to Him, therefore He also represented them in Himself and accomplished them, for thus He fulfilled all things of the Law. Since representatives were the ultimates of heaven and of the church, and since all prior things - which are rational, spiritual, and celestial things - enter into ultimates and are in them, therefore it was that the Lord was in ultimates by means of them. And because all strength resides in ultimates, therefore from primaries by means of ultimates He subjugated all the hells, and reduced to order all things in the heavens. For this reason the entire life of the Lord in the world was representative, even also as to all things related by the Evangelists concerning His passion, which represented the quality of the church at that time as being contrary to the Divine, and opposed to all the goods and truths of heaven and of the church.
[20] From these things it is evident what is meant by Egypt, where the church to be established by the Lord is treated of in the following passages.
In Isaiah:
"Thus said Jehovah: The labour of Egypt and the merchandize of Cush and of the Sabeans, men of length, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine; they shall come after thee, in bonds shall they come over unto thee, so that they shall bow themselves down towards thee, they shall pray towards thee; only in thee is God, and there is no God beside" (45:14).
These things are said of the Lord, who is treated of in the whole of that chapter. By the labour of Egypt, and by the merchandize of Cush and of the Sabeans, is signified the delight of natural love arising from the acquisition of the knowledges of truth and good; those knowledges themselves are signified by the Sabeans, who are called men of length from good, for length signifies good and its quality, and breadth truth and its quality. That they will be added to the church, and acknowledge and worship the Lord, is signified by they shall come over unto thee, they shall be thine, they shall bow themselves down towards thee. That the natural man in them will serve the spiritual, and thus the Lord, is signified by the words, in bonds shall they come over, for those are said to come in bonds, in whom the desires of the natural man are restrained; that they shall acknowledge the Lord alone to be God is meant by the words, they shall pray towards Him, only in Him is God, and there is no God beside.
[21] In David:
"Those that are fat shall come out of Egypt, Cush shall hasten her hands unto God; sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord" (Psalm 68:31, 32).
Those that are fat out of Egypt signify the nations who are in the affection of knowing truths, and Cush signifies those who imbibe them from the delight of the natural man. This signification of Cush is evident from other passages in the Word where it is mentioned, as in Genesis 2:13; Zeph. 3:5, 9, 10; Dan. 11:43. That the nations will receive the goods and truths of heaven and of the church from the Lord is signified by the words, "Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord."
[22] In Hosea:
"With honour shall they come as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove from the land of Assyria, and I will cause them to dwell upon their houses" (11:11).
These things are also said of the Lord as about to establish a church with the nations. It is said, as a bird out of Egypt, because a bird signifies thoughts from scientific truths; and as a dove from the land of Assyria, because a dove signifies rational good from spiritual, and Assyria the Rational itself. By causing them to dwell upon their houses are signified the interiors of the mind formed by means of truths from good, and thus safe from infestation by falsities of evil.
[23] In Isaiah:
"It shall come to pass in that day Jehovah shall beat out from the spike of the river unto the river of Egypt; and ye shall be gathered one to another, O sons of Israel; moreover it shall come to pass in that day that the great trumpet shall sound, and the perishing in the land of Assyria shall come, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt, and they shall bow themselves down to Jehovah in the mountain of holiness, in Jerusalem" (27:12, 13).
In that day signifies the coming of the Lord; from the spike of the river unto the river of Egypt which Jehovah shall beat out signifies all rational and scientific truth subservient to spiritual; it is said, from the spike, because it contains the corn, which signifies the truth and good that serve the spiritual man for nourishment. In that day the great trumpet shall sound, signifies a calling together unto the church by the Lord; that those shall be added to the church who otherwise would have perished by reasonings from scientifics applied to confirm falsities, is signified by the perishing in the land of Assyria shall come, and the outcasts from the land of Egypt. They shall bow themselves down to Jehovah in the mountain of holiness in Jerusalem, signifies that they will worship the Lord, and that a church will be formed from them, the mountain of holiness signifying the church as to the good of life, and Jerusalem the church as to truth of doctrine. These things are said of the sons of Israel who were held captive in Assyria and Egypt; but by the sons of Israel there and also elsewhere are meant the nations who were to form the church, and by their captivity in Assyria and Egypt is signified the spiritual captivity which a man is in from falsities of religion.
[24] In Zechariah:
"I will bring them back out of the land of Egypt, and I will gather them together out of Assyria, and I will lead them to the land of Gilead and Lebanon. He shall pass through the sea of affliction, but he shall smite the waves in the sea, and the pride of Asshur shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart" (10:10, 11).
These things also treat of the restoration of the church by the Lord. By bringing back out of the land of Egypt, and gathering them together out of Assyria, are signified things similar to those in the above passage in Isaiah, which have been explained. The land of Gilead and Lebanon signify the goods and truths of the church in the natural man. He shall pass through the sea of affliction, but shall smite the waves in the sea, and the pride of Asshur shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt shall depart, signifies that the evils and falsities of the natural man shall be dispersed, and the reasonings from scientifics which confirm them. To pass through the sea of affliction signifies temptations; waves signify falsities and evils; the pride of Asshur signifies reasonings from the pride of [one's] own intelligence; and the staff of Egypt signifies the confirmatory scientific.
[25] In Ezekiel:
"At the end of forty years I will gather together Egypt from the peoples, whither they were scattered, and I will bring them back into the land of Pathros, upon the land of their trading, that they may be there a humble kingdom, that thou mayest not exalt thyself any more over the nations; and I will diminish them so that they shall not rule over the nations" (29:13-16).
Egypt here signifies the church with those who are in a moral life from natural light (naturali lumine). The temptations which such must endure in order that the natural man may not rule over the spiritual, is signified by forty years; the scientifics by which they confirmed falsities are signified by Egypt which Jehovah will gather from the peoples among whom they were scattered; their enlightenment by the knowledges of truth is signified by, I will bring them back into the land of Pathros, which is called the land of their trading, from the knowledges which such will procure for themselves, for to trade signifies to procure and communicate knowledges. They shall be a humble kingdom, that thou mayest not exalt thyself any more over the nations; and I will diminish them so that they shall not rule over the nations, signifies that the scientifics of the natural man shall not be puffed up, and in their elation do evil to the truths and goods of the church, and rule over them. The nations first mentioned signify the truths of the church, and the nations last mentioned signify its goods.
[26] In Zechariah:
"Every one that is left of all the nations that come against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to adore the king, Jehovah Zebaoth, and to keep the feast of tabernacles; whoso shall not go up, upon them there shall be no rain; and if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, nor be with them, there shall be a plague with which Jehovah will smite the nations" (14:16-18).
These words also are said of the coming of the Lord, and the establishment of the church by Him. The king, Jehovah Zebaoth, whom they shall adore, means the Lord; the feast of tabernacles signifies the implantation of good by means of truths. Whoso shall not go up, upon them there shall be no rain, signifies that there is no influx of truth and good from the Lord with those who do not come to His church. That those who are in natural light from scientifics only, and with whom good cannot be implanted by means of truths, will be in evils and falsities of every kind, is signified by, "if the family of Egypt go not up, there shall be a plague with which Jehovah will smite the nations."
[27] In Isaiah:
"I am Jehovah thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour; I have given Egypt a ransom for thee, Cush and Sheba, in place of thee; I will give a man in place of thee, and a people for thy soul" (43:3, 4).
These things also are said of the Lord and the redemption of those who acknowledge Him and from affection receive truths from Him; redemption is signified by "ransom," "in place of thee," and "for thy soul." The natural affection for knowing truths from spiritual affection is signified by Egypt, Cush, and Sheba; their intelligence thence is signified by a man; and the church from them, by a people.
[28] Since Egypt signifies the natural man, and all the intelligence of the spiritual man has its end and foundation in the natural man, and in its knowledges and scientifics, therefore a man without them is not intelligent or wise, nor indeed rational, for the spiritual man must act as one with the natural man, as cause with effect, and he acts as one by correspondences. This is the reason why in ancient times, when there was a representative church also in Egypt, that the king of Egypt, or Pharaoh, was called "the son of the wise," and "the son of the kings of olden time" (Is. 19:11); and Egypt "the corner-stone of the tribes" (ver. 13), for the tribes signify all the truths and goods of the church collectively, and the corner-stone signifies their foundation.
[29] So also it is said of Solomon, who represented the Lord as to His celestial kingdom and His spiritual kingdom, that "his wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the sons of the East, and all the wisdom of the Egyptians" (1 Kings 5:10). The sons of the East mean all those who at that time were in the knowledges of truth and good, and became wise through these. The Egyptians mean all those who were learned in knowledges (scientiis), especially in the knowledge (scientia) of correspondences, and were consequently in intelligence. The knowledges of the Egyptians are therefore called "the hidden things of gold and silver," and "desirable things," in Daniel:
The king of the north "shall put forth his hands over the lands, and the land of Egypt shall not escape, for he shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the desirable things of Egypt" (11:42, 43).
[30] On this account also the sons of Israel, when they went out of Egypt, were commanded to borrow of the Egyptians vessels of gold and vessels of silver and raiment, which they took away out of Egypt" (Exodus 12:35, 36). Vessels of gold and silver, and raiment, signified the knowledges and cognitions of truth and good, which were taken away from Egypt, because the Egyptians applied them to confirm evils and falsities, and perverted them to idolatrous and magical purposes. When, therefore, the Egyptians were deprived of them, and thus became merely natural, they were shortly afterwards drowned in the sea Suph (Red Sea), which represented the lot of those who make an improper use of knowledges (scientiae) to confirm evils and falsities; for after death they are deprived of all cognition of truth and good, and, when this is accomplished, they are cast down into hell, and this was also represented by the drowning of the Egyptians in the sea Suph (Red Sea).
[31] Because Egypt signifies knowledge (scientia), from which man has intelligence, therefore where Tyre is treated of it is said that fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was her sail, and that it was to her for a sign (Ezekiel 27:7). Tyre signifies the cognitions of truth, and fine linen with broidered work from Egypt signifies knowledge from spiritual truth, broidered work denoting knowledge, and fine linen, spiritual truth. A sail and a sign signify manifestation, spiritual truths being made manifest by means of knowledges (scientias), for by means of these they appear to the sight and perception of the natural man.
[32] Since all scientifics that serve the spiritual man for the confirmation of truths are from the Lord, that is, all the application of them to confirm the truths and goods of heaven and the church, therefore Joseph was carried down into Egypt, and was there made ruler of the whole land (Gen. xli.). For Joseph, in the highest sense, means the Lord as to the spiritual Divine, and thus also the truth of doctrine, which is based upon the scientifics of the natural man, as was said above (448). And because the natural man, or the Natural of man, must be subordinate to the spiritual, that it may be serviceable for confirming and executing the decisions of the spiritual man, therefore Joseph, on account of the representation of that dominion, was made ruler over Egypt, and, under his direction, Egypt had provision or corn in abundance so that the neighbouring countries were supplied therefrom, and the land of Canaan itself.
[33] Since Solomon represented the Lord as to both the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom, and as all in both kingdoms are in intelligence and wisdom by means of the cognitions of truth and good and by means of the scientifics which confirm them, therefore Solomon took the daughter of Pharaoh to wife, and brought her into the city of David (1 Kings 3:1); and also afterwards built for the daughter of Pharaoh a house like unto the porch (1 Kings 7:8); this also represented, that knowledge (scientia) all intelligence and wisdom is founded, is signified by Egypt in a good sense. And because every man of the church has a Spiritual, a Rational and a Natural, therefore Solomon built three houses, the house of God, or the temple, representing the Spiritual, the house of the forest of Lebanon the Rational - for the cedar, and thence Lebanon, signifies the Rational - and the house of the daughter of Pharaoh the Natural. These interior truths (arcana) do not appear in the historical sense of the Word, but still they lie concealed in its spiritual sense.
[34] So far we have treated of the signification of Egypt in a good sense, now also the signification of Egypt in a bad or opposite sense must be treated of. In this sense Egypt signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual, or truth scientific separated from spiritual good, which in itself is falsity; or, what is the same thing, faith separated from charity, which in itself is not faith. For man is born natural, and at first acquires scientifics from his teachers and parents, also from the reading of books, and at the same time from his life in the world; and unless he becomes spiritual, that is, is born anew, he applies the scientifics which he has acquired to justify the appetites and pleasures of the natural man - in a word, his loves, which are all contrary to Divine order. It is this natural man that is signified by Egypt, in the opposite sense, as is evident from the following passages:
[35] In Ezekiel:
"Because" Pharaoh "is lifted up in stature, and hath set his top among the interwoven boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height, I will give him into the hand of the strong one of the nations; according to his impiety I have rejected him, wherefore strangers shall cut him off, the violent of the nations, and shall cast him down; upon the mountains and the valleys have his branches fallen; whence all the peoples of the earth are gone down from his shadow and have forsaken him; upon his ruin shall dwell every bird of the heavens, and every wild beast of the field shall be upon his branches; all shall be delivered up to death, unto the lower earth, in the midst of the sons of man, unto them that go down into the pit. In the day that he shall go down into hell (infernum = Hebrew, sheol) I will cover over him the abyss, and I will restrain the streams thereof, that the great waters may be shut up, and I will darken Lebanon over him, and all the trees of the field shall languish over him. To whom art thou thus become like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? when thou shalt be brought down with the trees of Eden into the lower earth, when thou shalt be in the midst of the uncircumcised, with them that are slain with the sword. This is Pharaoh, and all his multitude" (31:10-18).
Pharaoh here signifies the same as Egypt, namely, the natural man as to knowledge (scientia) and intelligence therefrom. The pride of (man's) own intelligence from knowledge is meant by his being lifted up in stature, and setting his top amongst the interwoven boughs, and by his heart being lifted up in his height; the interwoven boughs signify the scientifics of the natural man. I will give him into the hand of the strong one of the nations signifies that scientifics were applied to justify desires for evil and falsity, the strong one of the nations denoting the falsity of evil. That the falsities of evil will destroy him is signified by the strangers shall cut him off, the violent of the nations shall cast him down.
[36] Upon the mountains and the valleys have his branches fallen signifies that all scientific and rational truths were dispersed by evils and falsities. That all the truths of the church were driven away is signified by, all the peoples of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have forsaken him; that the thoughts of and affections for falsity succeed in the place of these is signified by, upon his ruin shall dwell every bird of the heavens, and every wild beast of the field shall be upon his branches. That all things are damned and infernal is signified by, all shall be delivered up to death, unto the lower earth, in the midst of the sons of man, unto them that go down into the pit; the sons of man denote those who are in [their] own intelligence, and the pit means where those are who are in falsities of doctrine; the prevention of any scientific and rational truths from entering is signified by, I will cover over him the abyss, and I will restrain the streams thereof; the same is meant of spiritual truths by, the great waters shall be shut up; that he shall have no Rational is signified by, I will darken over him Lebanon.
[37] That he shall have no knowledges of truth pertaining to the church is signified by, all the trees of the field shall languish over him. To whom art thou thus become like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden, signifies that he shall no longer have any understanding of truth, nor any perception of the knowledges of good, on account of the pride of [his] own intelligence. When thou shalt be brought down with the trees of Eden into the lower earth, signifies because the knowledges of good were utterly perverted by application to evil, the trees of Eden denoting knowledges of good from the Word, which the natural man has perverted and falsified. That they shall be among those in hell who by a faith separated from the life of charity have extinguished in themselves all truth, is signified by the words, when thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword, the slain with the sword denoting in the Word those who have extinguished truths in themselves by falsities; that all these things are said of the natural man deprived of light from the spiritual man is signified by, this is Pharaoh and all his multitude, Pharaoh denoting the natural man, and his multitude every scientific therein.
[38] In the same prophet:
"Son of man, prophesy and say, Howl ye, Alas, the day, a day of cloud, it shall be the time of the nations, in which a sword shall come into Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and shall overturn her foundations; and they that uphold Egypt shall fall, and the pride of her strength shall come down, from the tower of Seveneh they shall fall in it by the sword; then shall they be devastated in the midst of the lands that are devastated, and the cities thereof shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted; that they may know that I am Jehovah, when I have set a fire in Egypt that all her helpers may be broken; and I will cause the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, he and his people with him, the violent of the nations, who shall be brought to destroy the land; and they shall draw their sword against Egypt, and shall fill the land with the slain; then will I make the rivers dry land, and I will sell the land into the hand of the wicked, and I will lay waste the land and the fulness thereof by the hand of strangers, there shall no more be a prince out of the land of Egypt; I will set a fire in Egypt, and I will scatter Egypt among the nations, and I will disperse them through the lands" (30:1 to end).
This is an abstract of that chapter. It is a lamentation over the vastation of the church by falsities which favour the evils of the natural man; for from the natural man separated from the spiritual flow all evils, and falsities therefrom, which pervert and destroy the truths and goods of the church. Lamentation over that vastation is signified by, howl ye, Alas, the day, a day of cloud, it shall be the time of the nations, a day of cloud denoting the state of the church from truths not understood, consequently from falsities, and the time of the nations denotes the state of the church from evils. That falsity will destroy the whole natural man, and all things that are therein by application to evils, is signified by, a sword shall come into Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and shall overturn her foundations.
[39] That there will be no confirmations and corroborations of truth by the scientifics of the natural man is signified by, they that uphold Egypt shall fall, and the pride of her strength shall come down. That falsities will destroy the understanding of truth is signified by the words, from the tower of Seveneh, they shall fall in it by the sword. That all things of the church and of the doctrine of the church will perish is signified by, then shall they be devastated in the midst of the lands that are devastated, and the cities thereof [shall be] in the midst of the cities that are wasted. The evil desires from the natural man are signified by the fire which Jehovah will set in Egypt. That there will be no longer any confirmations of truth from the natural man is signified by, all her helpers shall be broken. That the desires of the love of self and falsities therefrom will devastate is signified by, the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, of him and his people.
[40] That thus the church will be devastated by the falsities of evil doing violence to the goods of charity and the truths of faith, is signified by the violent of the nations being brought to destroy the land, and drawing their sword against Egypt, and filling the land with the slain. That thus truth is not understood is signified by, I will make the rivers dry land; because, instead of good in the church there is evil, and instead of truth falsity, is signified by, I will sell the land into the hand of the wicked, and I will lay waste the land and the fulness thereof by the hand of strangers. That there will be no truth as chief, and consequently no truth of life from the Lord, is signified by, there shall be no more, a prince out of the land of Egypt. That nothing but evils from the love of self will occupy the natural man is signified by, I will set fire in Egypt, and I will scatter Egypt among the nations; that hence all things of the church will be dissipated is signified by, I will disperse them through the lands.
[41] In Isaiah:
"The prophecy of the beasts of the south; in a land of distress and anguish, the young lion and the old lion are before them, the viper and the fiery flying serpent; they carry their wealth upon the shoulder of asses, and their treasures upon the back of camels, unto a people that shall not profit, and Egypt, vanity and emptiness, will be their help" (30:6, 7).
The beasts of the south signify the desires, which are from the natural man, extinguishing the light which the man of the church ought to possess from the Word. The land of distress and anguish signifies the church where there will be no good of charity nor truth of faith. The young lion and the old lion that were before them signify the power of falsity destroying the truth and good of the church; the viper and fiery flying serpent signify the Sensual reasoning subtly and craftily. They carry their wealth upon the shoulder of asses, and their treasures upon the back of camels, signifies the scientifics of the sensual and natural man, from which they draw all their conclusions, wealth and treasures denoting the knowledge of truth and good from the Word, but in this case false scientifics, because from [man's] own intelligence, asses denoting the things of the sensual man, and camels those of the natural. Egypt, which is vanity and emptiness, signifies both the Sensual and the Natural, which regarded in themselves are without good and without truths.
[42] In the same prophet:
"Woe to them that go down into Egypt for help, and stay on horses, and trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very mighty; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, and seek not Jehovah; for Egypt is man and not a god, and his horses are flesh and not spirit" (31:1, 3).
These words describe the state of those who desire to be wise from themselves, consequently from [their] own intelligence, and not from the Lord, in those things which pertain to heaven and the church, and because such are merely natural, and therefore take up every thing from the fallacies of the senses, and from scientifics wrongly applied, and pervert and falsify the truths and goods of the church, therefore it is said of them, Woe to them that go down into Egypt for help, and look not unto the Holy One of Israel, and seek not Jehovah. Things of the imagination from the fallacies of the senses are signified by the horses of Egypt on which they stay; falsities of doctrine confirmed from scientifics in great abundance are signified by their trusting in chariots, because they are many; and the reasonings therefrom with which they fight against truths are signified by the horsemen in whom they trust because they are very mighty. That the natural man has no understanding of Divine things from himself is signified by, Egypt is man and not a god; that his intelligence is from the proprium, in which there is no life, is signified by, his horses are flesh and not spirit, the horses of Egypt denoting things of the imagination, which in themselves are dead, because they are fallacies, flesh denoting the proprium of man, and spirit life from the Lord.
[43] In Jeremiah:
"Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates, which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, smote. Who is this that cometh up like a stream, whose waters are tossed like the streams? Egypt cometh up like a stream, and like streams his waters are tossed; for he saith, I will go up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and the inhabitants therein; go up ye horses, and rage, ye chariots, and come forth, ye mighty men; the sword shall devour and be satisfied, and shall be made drunk with their blood. Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt, in vain hast thou multiplied medicines, there is no healing for thee" (46:2, 7-11, and also 14-26).
It is clear from all these details when seen in the spiritual sense that Egypt here also signifies the natural man with its scientifics, when separated from the spiritual, which results from the pride of [man's] own intelligence, which destroys the truths and goods of the church by reasonings from scientifics. For the army of the king of Egypt which was by the river Euphrates signifies scientifics falsely applied and reasonings from them; which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel, smote signifies the destruction of these by the pride of [man's] own intelligence. Who is this that cometh up like a stream, whose waters are tossed like the streams? signifies [man's] own intelligence and its falsities endeavouring to destroy the truths of the church. Egypt cometh up like a stream, and like streams his waters are tossed, signifies the natural man reasoning from himself, or from the proprium, against the truths of the church. For he said, I will go up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and the inhabitants therein, signifies the effort and desire to destroy the church, and the truths and goods of its doctrine. Go up, ye horses, and rage, ye chariots, and go forth, ye mighty men, signifies by means of imaginary things from fallacies, and by means of falsities of doctrine confirmed from scientifics, from which they appear to themselves to be strong.
[44] The sword shall devour and be satisfied, and shall be made drunk with their blood, signifies the total destruction of the natural man by falsities and by falsifications of truth. Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O daughter of Egypt, signifies the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, also reasoning and protection therefrom, Gilead signifying reasoning from the sense of the letter of the Word by which falsities are confirmed; for Gilead was not far from the Euphrates, and wax, balm, and myrrh came from there, and it was made the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh and the half tribe of Gad (Genesis 31:21; 37:25; Numbers 32:29; Joshua 13:25). Gilead therefore, in addition to other things, signifies reasonings from the sense of the letter of the Word; by balm is signified the application and thence confirmation of falsity, and by the daughter of Egypt the affection for falsity pertaining to such a church. In vain hast thou multiplied medicines, there is no feeling for thee, signifies that such things afford no help, however great their abundance, since truths themselves are thus falsified.
[45] In Moses:
"The Egyptians pursued the sons of Israel, and came behind them, all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea; but Jehovah looking unto the camp of the Egyptians, disturbed them, and took off the wheel of their chariots, and the waters returned, and covered the chariots and horsemen, with the whole army of Pharaoh" (Arcana Coelestia 8208-8219, 8332-8335, 8343).
[46] Because of such signification of the horses of Egypt, it was directed through Moses, that if the people desire a king, a king shall be set over them, whom Jehovah God shall choose out of the midst of the sons of Israel, a man, a stranger who is not thy brother, shall not be set over them,
"only he shall not multiply to himself horses, nor bring back the people into Egypt, that he may multiply horses; for Jehovah hath said to you, Ye shall not return this way any more: neither shall he multiply to himself wives that his heart may not turn back, neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold" (Deuteronomy 17:15-17).
What these directions to a king signify cannot possibly be seen, unless it be known what is signified in the spiritual sense by a king, by the sons of Israel, by Egypt and its horses, also by wives, and by silver and gold. A king signifies truth from good, Egypt the natural man; his horses signify scientifics, wives the affections for truth and good, and silver and gold the truths and goods of the church, and in the opposite sense, its falsities and evils. And because a king signifies truth from good, and the sons of Israel signify the church from those who are in truths from good, therefore it is said that if the people desire it, a king shall be set over them, whom Jehovah God shall choose out of the midst of the sons of Israel, and that a man, a stranger who is not a brother, shall not be set over them, a man, a stranger who is not a brother, denoting a non-concordant religion; also falsity in which there is no good.
[47] And as Egypt signifies the natural man, and horses signify false scientifics which are imaginary things, it is therefore said, "only he shall not multiply to himself horses, nor bring back the people into Egypt that he may multiply horses." As wives signify affections for truth and good, which become affections for evil and falsity when one man has several wives, it is therefore said, "Neither shall he multiply to himself wives that his heart may not turn back;" and because silver and gold signify the truths and goods of the church, but here falsities and evils since they are regarded only by the natural man, it is therefore said, "Neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold." But to come nearer to the point, these words prescribe that truth shall not have rule over good, as is the case when the natural man rules over the spiritual; that this must not be done is signified by he shall not bring back the people into Egypt and thence multiply horses, nor take several wives, for wife and husband signify the affection for good corresponding to the affection for truth, which correspondence exists in the marriage of a man with one wife, but not with several. Other things of a similar nature are prescribed in the law of a king (1 Sam, 8:10-18). Because Solomon not only procured horses for himself from Egypt, but also multiplied wives, and heaped up silver and gold, therefore he became idolatrous, and after his death the kingdom was divided.
[48] In Isaiah:
"The prophecy concerning Egypt: Jehovah rideth upon a light cloud, and cometh into Egypt, whence the idols of Egypt shall be moved before him, and the heart of the Egyptian shall melt in the midst of him. I will shut up Egypt in the hand of a hard lord, and a fierce king shall rule over them. Then the waters shall fail in the sea, and the river shall dry up and become quite dry, and the streams shall recede, and the rivers of Egypt shall be dried up, the reed and the flag shall wither. Therefore the fishers shall mourn, and all that cast the hook into the stream shall be sad, and they that spread the net upon the faces of the waters shall languish; they also that make the thread of silks, and the weavers of curtains, shall be ashamed. How say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of the kings of olden time? Where now are thy wise men that they may declare? Come now; and let them know what Jehovah hath purposed upon Egypt. The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are carried away, and they have seduced Egypt the corner-stone of his tribes; there shall be no work for Egypt, that may make head and tail, branch and rush" (19:1-15).
That Egypt signifies the Natural of man separated from his Spiritual is evident also from these words considered in their spiritual sense. And man becomes merely natural when in his life he does not look to the Lord, but only to himself and to the world, consequently he is in the pride of [his] own intelligence - a common thing among the learned; and this perverts their Rational, and closes up the spiritual mind. In order that it may be known that the natural man is signified by Egypt, [man's] own intelligence by its river, and that falsities are signified by the waters of the river of Egypt, I will explain in their connection the things summarily cited from that chapter. Jehovah rideth upon a light cloud, and cometh into Egypt, signifies the visitation of the natural man from spiritual-natural Divine Truth, for visitation is an examination into the quality of a man, and examination is made by means of Divine Truth; a light cloud denotes spiritual-natural Divine Truth, from which the quality of man as to his Natural becomes evident. Whence the idols of Egypt shall be moved before Him, and the heart of the Egyptian shall melt in the midst of Him, signifies a mass and crowd of falsities in the natural man from which worship exists, and its terror on account of visitation.
[49] I will shut up Egypt in the hand of a hard lord, and a fierce king shall rule over them, signifies that the evil of falsity and the falsity of evil will reign therein, a hard lord denoting the evil of falsity, and a fierce king the falsity of evil. Then, the waters shall fail in the sea, and the river shall dry up and become quite dry, signifies that there will be no truths in the natural man, nor any intelligence therefrom. And the streams shall recede and the rivers of Egypt shall be dried up, signifies that it will turn from truths to falsities, and that consequently intelligence, being without truths from the light of the spiritual man, will become dead. The reed and the flag shall wither, signifies that all perception of truth and good from the sense of the letter of the Word which the sensual man would otherwise possess will vanish. Therefore the fishers shall mourn, and all that cast the hook into the stream shall be sad, and they that spread the net upon the faces of the waters shall languish, signifies that those who teach and instruct will labour in vain to reform the natural man by means of truths from the Word, fishermen and those who spread the net upon the faces of the waters signifying those that teach and instruct natural men from the Word, specifically from the sense of its letter; fish signify knowledges therefrom, and to be sad and to languish signifies to labour.
[50] They that make the thread of silks, and the weavers of curtains, shall be ashamed, signifies those who teach spiritual truths in a natural manner, thread of silks denoting spiritual truth, curtains denoting natural truths from a spiritual origin, and to make and weave these denoting to teach. How say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of the kings of olden time, where now are thy wise men? signifies that the wisdom and intelligence of the natural from the spiritual man have perished; for the natural man is formed to receive intelligence and wisdom from the spiritual man, and this takes place when both act as one, like cause and effect. The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are carried away, signifies that the truths of wisdom and intelligence from spiritual light in the natural man are turned into the falsities of insanity. Zoan and Noph were in the land of Egypt, and signified the enlightenment of the natural man from spiritual light. And they have seduced Egypt the corner-stone of the tribes, signifies that the natural man has been perverted; and in the natural man, nevertheless, all the truths and goods of the church have their foundation. There shall be no work for Egypt, that may make head and tail, branch and rush, signifies that they no longer have any intelligence, or knowledge (scientia) of truth, consequently no truth either spiritual or natural.
[51] In Ezekiel:
"Son of man, set thy faces against Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt; speak and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, Behold I am against thee, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great whale, that lieth in the midst of his rivers, who hath said, The river is mine, and I have made it for myself; wherefore I will put hooks into thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will leave thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers; upon the faces of the field thou shalt fall, thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered; to the wild beast of the earth and to the bird of heaven have I given thee for food, that all the inhabitants of Egypt may know that I am Jehovah, because they have been a staff of a reed to the house of Israel; when they took hold of thee by the hand, thou wast broken, and thou piercedst through all their shoulder, and when they leaned upon thee, thou wast broken, and didst make all their loins to be at a stand. Behold I bring against thee the sword, and I will cut off from thee man and beast, that the land of Egypt may become a desert and a waste, because he hath said, The river is mine, and I have made it; therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will give the land of Egypt unto desolations from the tower of Seveneh unto the border of Cush, and her cities shall be a desert forty years" (29:2-12).
These words also describe the natural man deprived of all truth and good through pride of knowledge and of [its] own intelligence therefrom. And because Pharaoh, king of Egypt, signifies the knowledge of the natural man, and [its] own intelligence therefrom, it is therefore said, "Behold I am against thee, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great whale, that lieth in the midst of his rivers;" by the great whale is signified the scientific of the natural man in general, in this case the false scientific, and by the river is signified [man's] own intelligence. Who hath said, the river is mine, and I have made it for myself, signifies that intelligence is from one's self (ex me) and not from the Lord, thus these words involve the pride of [man's] own intelligence. Wherefore I will put a hook into thy jaws, signifies false speaking and chastisement in consequence of it. And I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, signifies false scientifics of the lowest kind which are from the fallacies of the senses, fishes denoting scientifics, and scales the fallacies of the senses, which are scientifics of the lowest kind.
[52] And I will leave thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers, signifies to be deprived of truths together with all scientifics from which intelligence comes. Upon the faces of the field shalt thou fall, thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered, signifies a religion without any coherence and which cannot be re-established. To the wild beast of the earth and to the bird of heaven have I given thee for food, signifies to be consumed by the affections for and thoughts of falsity. That all the inhabitants of Egypt may know that I am Jehovah, signifies that they may know and believe that all truth and good, even in the natural man, are from the Lord. Because they have been a staff of a reed to the house of Israel, signifies confidence in the scientifics of the sensual man, which are fallacies in the men of the church; that staff of a reed signifies such confidence may be seen above (n. 627). When they took hold of thee by the hand thou wast broken and thou piercedst through all their shoulder, signifies that by such faith all the power of truth perishes; and when they leaned upon thee thou wast broken, and didst make all their loins to be at a stand, signifies that by confidence in them the faculty of receiving the good of love perishes.
[53] Behold I will bring against thee the sword, and I will cut off from thee man and beast, signifies that falsity will destroy all intelligence of truth and affection for good in the natural man. That the land of Egypt may become a desert and a waste, signifies that the natural man will thence be destitute of all truth and of all good. Because he said, The river is mine, and I have made it, signifies on account of the pride of [its] own intelligence. And I will give the land of Egypt unto desolation from the tower of Seveneh unto the border of Cush, signifies the destruction of the church from primaries to ultimates in the natural man. Her cities shall be a desert forty years, signifies doctrinals from pure falsities until no truth remains, forty years signifying the entire period of the vastation of the church, and also the entire duration of temptations.
[54] In the Second Book of Kings:
"Thou hast trusted thyself upon the staff of a bruised reed, upon Egypt, upon which if a man lean it entereth into his hand, and pierceth it; so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him" (18:21).
By the staff of a reed and by leaning upon it similar things to those above are signified. Therefore also Egypt is called in David, "The wild beast of the reed, the company of the strong, which scattereth the peoples" (Psalm 68:30). The wild beast of the reed signifies the affection or desire for falsity from the scientifics of the sensual man, which are fallacies; these are called the company of the strong, because they strongly persuade; and because they disperse the truths of the church, it is said, "which scattereth the people."
[55] In Hosea:
"Ephraim shall be as a silly dove, without heart; they have called Egypt, they have gone to Assyria; woe unto them, because they have wandered from me, devastation to them, because they have transgressed against me; their princes shall fall by the sword, for the rage of their tongue; this is their derision in the land of Egypt" (440). Therefore by, Ephraim shall be as a silly dove, without heart, is signified that now there will be no Intellectual, because no truth, and no affection for truth and good. They have called Egypt and gone to Assyria, signifies their confiding in the scientifics of the natural man and in reasonings therefrom, which deceive. Woe unto them, because they have wandered from me, signifies aversion from truths from the Word. Devastation to them, because they have transgressed against me, signifies deprivation of all truth because of their falling away. Their princes shall fall by the sword, signifies that primary truths will be destroyed by falsities. For the rage of their tongue, this is their derision in the land of Egypt, signifies the condemnation of doctrine by the natural man, and contempt for it.
[56] In the same:
"Israel, thou hast gone a whoring under thy God; they shall not dwell in the land of Jehovah, and Ephraim shall return into Egypt, and they shall eat the unclean thing in Assyria; lo, they are gone away because of devastation; Egypt shall gather them, Moph shall bury them; the desirable [things] for their silver the thistle shall possess them; the thorn shall be in their tents" (9:1, 3, 6).
The subject treated of in the whole of that chapter is the understanding of the Word destroyed, which is here signified by Ephraim. Israel gone a whoring under thy God signifies the falsified truth of the Word. They shall not dwell in the land of Jehovah, signifies that they shall not possess the life of good, such as it is in heaven; and Ephraim shall return into Egypt, signifies the understanding of truth destroyed, in consequence of which they become natural. And they shall eat the unclean thing in Assyria, signifies the Rational swarming with falsities of evil. Lo, they are gone away because of devastation, signifies a turning away from the Lord through the falsification of truth. Egypt shall gather them, signifies that they have become merely natural; Moph shall bury them, signifies spiritual death through the application of the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word to falsities of evil. The desirable [things] for their silver, signify the knowledges of truth; the thistle shall possess them, signifies that evil shall pervert them; the thorn shall be in their tents, signifies the falsity of evil in worship.
[57] In the same:
"Israel shall not return into Egypt, the Assyrian, he is their king " (11:5).
Israel shall not return to Egypt, signifies that, the man of the church having become spiritual shall not become natural; the Assyrian, he is their king, signifies that reasonings from falsities will then rule. The man of the church from spiritual becomes natural when he separates faith from charity, that is, believes the Word, and does not live according to its precepts; also when he claims to himself intelligence, and does not ascribe it to the Lord, thence springs the pride, from which man becomes natural. For man is first natural, afterwards he becomes rational, and lastly spiritual. When a man is natural, he is then in Egypt, when he becomes rational, he is then in Assyria, and when he becomes spiritual, he is then in the land of Canaan, thus in the church.
[58] In the same:
"Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind; every day he multiplieth falsehood and desolation, and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried down into Egypt" (12:1).
Ephraim signifies the church, in which the understanding of truth is destroyed; feeding on wind signifies to imbibe falsity; the east wind which he followeth after signifies the drying up and dispersion of truth; oil is carried down into Egypt signifies that the good of love is perverted by the scientifics of the natural man. But these words are more fully explained above (419:18).
[59] In Isaiah:
"Woe to the refractory sons, that take counsel but not of me, and that make a molten image but not by my spirit, that they may add sin to sin; who depart to go down into Egypt, but have not asked at my mouth, and to confide in the shadow of Egypt; therefore the strength of Pharaoh shall become a shame, and trust in the shadow of Egypt a disgrace" (30:1-3).
Woe to the refractory [sons], signifies lamentation concerning the damnation of those who turn themselves away; taking counsel but not of me signifies thoughts and conclusions concerning the things of heaven from self and not from the Lord; and that make a molten image but not by my spirit, signifies worship from infernal falsity, and not from Divine Truth. Who depart to go down into Egypt, but have not asked at my mouth, signifies from the proprium of the natural man, and not from the Word; and to confide in the shadow of Egypt signifies lest they have faith and confidence in such things as are suggested by the natural man, which is not in the light of heaven. Therefore the strength of Pharaoh shall become a shame, and confidence in the shadow of Egypt a disgrace, signifies that there will be no ability to resist evils from [man's] own intelligence, nor from the knowledge (scientia) of the natural man, shame and disgrace signifying the state of such, when on account of evils they are reputed vile.
[60] In Jeremiah:
"Thou didst forsake Jehovah thy God, in the time when he led thee into the way; what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? and what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? why goest thou actively about to change thy way? thou shalt also be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria" (2:17, 18, 36).
These words also treat of the man of the church who by falsities of doctrine and evils of life therefrom becomes external and merely natural. Thou didst forsake Jehovah at the time when he led thee into the way, signifies a turning away from being reformed by the Lord by means of truths that lead; what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? signifies instruction solely from the natural man, whence come mere falsities. What hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? signifies reasonings therefrom, whence come falsities of faith. Why goest thou actively about to change the way, signifies strong resistance to being so reformed as to become spiritual; thou shalt also be ashamed of Egypt as thou wast ashamed of Assyria, signifies that it is a perverse and vile state to be led by the natural man, and by reasonings therefrom, because this is to be led by falsities and evils from the proprium.
[61] In Lamentations:
"Our inheritance is turned unto strangers, our houses unto aliens; we drink our waters for silver; our wood cometh for a price; we have given the hand to Egypt, to Assyria, that we may be satisfied with bread; servants rule over us, no one delivereth us out of their hands" (5:2, 4, 6, 8).
Our inheritance is turned unto strangers, signifies the truths of the church changed into falsities; our houses unto aliens, signifies the goods of the church turned into evils; we drink our waters for silver, signifies instruction from ourselves, whence come mere falsities; our wood cometh for a price, signifies instruction also from ourselves, whence come mere evils, since man is freely instructed and reformed, that is, without silver and price, by the Lord (Isaiah 55:1), therefore to drink for silver and to procure wood for a price, and thence to grow warm, signifies from ourselves; and as to be instructed from ourselves is to be instructed from the natural man and its scientifics and conclusions therefrom, therefore it is said, We have given the hand to Egypt, to Assyria, that we may be satisfied with bread; by Egypt is signified the natural man, from which falsities come, and by Assyria, the natural man reasoning from falsities, from which evils come. And because the things pertaining to the natural man are respectively things of service - for the natural man was formed to serve the spiritual - therefore when it rules over the spiritual, then the servants have dominion, and this is what is meant by, servants rule over us, no one delivereth us out of their hands.
[62] In Jeremiah:
"If ye say, We will not dwell in this land, saying, No, but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war, and shall not hear the sound of the trumpet, and shall not hunger for bread, and there will we dwell. But if ye set your faces to go to Egypt, and go to sojourn there, it shall come to pass that the sword of which ye were afraid, shall there overtake you in the land of Egypt [and the famine of which ye were afraid shall cleave to you there in Egypt] and there shall ye die; and all the men who set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, none of them shall remain or escape, and ye shall be for a curse, an astonishment, an execration, and a reproach, neither shall ye see this place any more" (42:13-18, and following verses).
We frequently read, in both the historical and prophetical parts of the Word, that the people of Israel were inflamed with a desire to return into Egypt, and that this was forbidden them, and that they were threatened with plagues and punishment if they did so; but no one has heretofore known the reason for this. The reason was, that the sons of Israel were to represent the church from its first beginning to its end; and the church with man is first formed by means of knowledges (scientiae) and cognitions in the natural man, which is first cultivated by means of these. For every man is born natural, therefore the natural man must first be cultivated in order that it may also ultimately serve as a basis for man's intelligence and wisdom. Afterwards, by means of the knowledges (scientiae) and cognitions which are implanted in the natural man, the Intellectual is formed in order that man may become rational. But in order that from rational he may become spiritual, be must of necessity undergo temptations, for by means of these the Rational is so subdued that it cannot call forth from the Natural such things as favour lusts (concupiscentiae) and destroy the Rational. Finally, when man has in this way been made rational, he then becomes spiritual, for the Rational is the medium between the Spiritual and the Natural, therefore the Spiritual flows into the Rational, and by means of this into the Natural.
[63] In a word, man must first enrich the memory with knowledges (scientiae), afterwards his understanding, and finally the will, must be cultivated by means of these. Memory belongs to the natural, the understanding to the rational, and the will to the spiritual man; this is the way of man's reformation and regeneration. It was for this reason that the sons of Israel were first led into Egypt, afterwards into the wilderness to undergo temptations, and, finally, into the land of Canaan; for, as stated, they were to represent the church from its first rise to its final end. Their abiding and sojourning in Egypt represented the instruction of the natural man; their wanderings for forty years in the wilderness represented temptations, by which the rational man is formed; and the land of Canaan, into which they were finally brought, represented the church, which, considered in itself, is spiritual.
[64] But those who are not willing to be reformed and regenerated stop at the first stage, and remain natural. Therefore the sons of Israel, because they were not willing, desired so often to return into Egypt, of which desire so much is said in the Book of Exodus; for they were natural, and were hardly capable of becoming spiritual, but still they could represent those things which belong to the spiritual church, and for this reason they were led into Egypt, and afterwards into the wilderness, and finally into the land of Canaan, and this represented the rise, progress, and final establishment of the church in man.
From these things it is evident why the sons of Israel were so severely forbidden to return into Egypt; for had they done so they would have represented that from spiritual they had become natural; and when a spiritual man becomes natural, then he no longer sees any truths or perceives goods, but falls into falsities and evils of every kind.
[65] But let us proceed to the explanation of the words themselves. If ye say, We will not dwell in this land, saying No, but we will go into the land of Egypt, signifies a turning away from the spiritual state, in which those are who are of the church, and a longing for a natural state, and for those things that pertain to the natural man. Where we shall not see war, and shall not hear the sound of the trumpet, and shall not hunger for bread, signifies that there will then be no infestation from falsities and evils and no temptations; war signifies infestation and combat from falsities and evils, and not to hunger for bread signifies not to desire good, which is the case with those who are in falsities and evils, consequently with those who are merely natural; evils and falsities do not infest these, because they are in them, and do not know anything concerning truths and goods.
[66] And there will we dwell signifies natural life. But if ye set your faces to go to Egypt, and go to sojourn there, signifies if from love they desire natural life; it shall come to pass that the sword of which ye were afraid shall there overtake you in the land of Egypt, signifies falsities destroying truths; and the famine of which ye were afraid, shall cleave to you there in Egypt, signifies the deficiency of the knowledges of truth and good; and there shall ye die, signifies the consequent desolation of the church and damnation. And all the men who set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, signifies similar things as before, pestilence denoting the vastation of all good and truth; none of them shall remain or escape, signifies that nothing at all of truth and good shall remain; and ye shall be for a curse, an astonishment, an execration, and a reproach, signifies all things pertaining to damnation; neither shall ye see this place any more, signifies that there shall be nothing of the church with them any more.
[67] In Ezekiel:
"There were two women, the daughters of one mother, who committed whoredom in Egypt; their names were Ohola, the elder, which is Samaria, and Oholibah, which is Jerusalem; Ohola committed whoredom while under me, and loved the Assyrians her neighbours, and bestowed her whoredoms upon the choice of all the sons of Asshur; nevertheless she forsook not her whoredoms from Egypt, for they lay with her in her youth; therefore I delivered her into the hand of her lovers, the sons of Asshur, they uncovered her nakedness, they took her sons and her daughters, and at length slew her with the sword. Her sister Oholibah saw and corrupted her love more than she, and her whoredoms above the whoredoms of her sister; she doted upon the sons of Asshur. For she added to her whoredoms when she saw men painted upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans painted with vermilion, all having the semblance of princes, the likeness of the sons of Babel, of the Chaldeans. And the sons of Babel came to her to the couch of loves, and they polluted her by their whoredom. She multiplied her whoredoms while she remembered the days of her youth, in which she committed whoredom in the land of Egypt; she doted upon their concubines, because their flesh was the flesh of asses, and their issue the issue of horses. Thus didst thou favour the wickedness of thy youth, when thou adornedst thy paps from Egypt; therefore Oholibah, I will stir up thy lovers against thee, the sons of Babel, and all the Chaldeans and all the Assyrians with them; they shall take thy sons and thy daughters, and thy posterity shall be consumed by fire. They shall strip thee of thy garments, and shall take the vessels of thine adorning; thus will I cause thy wickedness to cease from thee, and thy whoredom from the land of Egypt, that thou mayest not lift up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt any more; thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sadness, with the cup of wasting and desolation" (23:2-33, and further on to the end).
In order that it may be known that Egypt signifies the natural man, in this case separated from the spiritual, and Asshur the rational, here reasoning from those things which pertain to the natural man, I will give a summary explanation of the above words. There were two women, the daughters of one mother, who committed whoredom in Egypt, signifies the falsifications of truth and good; and because the sons of Jacob were merely natural men, they imbibed the idolatries of the Egyptians, which signified that they falsified all the truths of the church. Their names were Ohola, the elder, which is Samaria, and Oholibah, which is Jerusalem, signifies the spiritual church and the celestial church, which the descendants of Jacob represented; the Israelites who were in Samaria representing the spiritual church, and the Jews who were in Jerusalem the celestial church, both from the same mother, which is Divine Truth.
[68] Ohola committed whoredom while under me signifies the falsification of Divine Truth which is in the Word; and she loved the Assyrians her neighbours, and bestowed her whoredoms upon the choice of all the sons of Asshur, signifies confirmations by many reasonings; nevertheless she forsook not her whoredoms from Egypt, for they lay with her in her youth, signifies that they still pursued their idolatries. Therefore I delivered her into the hand of her lovers the sons of Asshur, signifies reasonings confirming idolatries; they uncovered her nakedness, they took her sons and her daughters, and at length slew her with the sword, signifies deprivation of all truth and good and consequent extinction of the church with them, nakedness denoting deprivation, sons and daughters truths and goods, and Ohola, the church. Her sister Oholibah saw, and corrupted her love more than she, and her whoredoms above the whoredoms of her sister, signifies the devastation of the celestial church represented by the Jewish nation in Jerusalem, which is said to have corrupted her love more than her sister, when she perverted and adulterated the goods of the Word and of doctrine thence, for he who corrupts or perverts and adulterates the goods of the church commits a greater sin than he who does the same to its truths.
[69] She doted upon the sons of Asshur, signifies by reasonings against truths and goods; she added to her whoredoms, when she saw men painted upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans painted with vermilion, signifies fancies from the fallacies of the senses, which are of the sensual man, and argumentations therefrom whence come falsifications; all having the semblance of princes, the likeness of the sons of Babel, of the Chaldeans, signifies the appearance of being as it were pre-eminent truths to be preferred to all others. And the sons of Babel came to her, and polluted her by their whoredom, signifies conjunction with the falsities of evil from the love of self. She multiplied her whoredoms, while she remembered the days of her youth, in which she committed whoredom in the land of Egypt, signifies confirmation of their idolatries, and of the falsities of evil imbibed from the natural man, and thus increase of their falsifications. She doted upon their concubines, because their flesh was the flesh of asses, and their issue the issue of horses, signifies the desires of love for those things, because from their voluntary proprium, and thus from their intellectual proprium, the flesh of asses denoting the voluntary proprium, and the issue of horses the intellectual proprium therefrom, which pervert all things.
[70] Thus didst thou favour the wickedness of thy youth, when thou adornedst thy paps from Egypt, signifies the love of falsity implanted from the earliest age, and enjoyment therefrom. Therefore Oholibah, I will stir up thy lovers against thee, the sons of Babel, and all the Chaldeans, and the Assyrians with them, signifies the destruction of the church by evils from the love of self, and by falsities from the pride of [their] own intelligence, wherein there is a deadly hatred against the goods and truths of doctrine. They shall take thy sons and thy daughters, signifies the truths and goods of the church, which they will destroy; and thy posterity shall be consumed by fire signifies that the remaining things therefrom shall perish through earthly loves. They shall strip thee of thy garments, and take the vessels of thine adorning, signifies the deprivation of all intelligence and knowledge (scientia), which are the adornment of the church. Thus will I cause thy wickedness to cease from thee, and thy whoredom from the land of Egypt, signifies that so truths can no longer be falsified. That thou mayest not lift up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt any more, signifies when there is no longer any understanding of truth, or knowledge of truth. Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sadness, signifies insanity in, and a turning away from, spiritual things; with the cup of wasting and desolation, signifies the falsities of evil which entirely devastate and desolate all the goods and truths of the church.
[71] In the same:
"Thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt thy neighbours, great of flesh, and hast multiplied thy whoredom, and thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Asshur, and there was no satiety in thee; and thou hast multiplied thy whoredom even to Chaldea, the land of thy trading, but neither then wast thou satiated" (16:26, 28, 29).
This is said of the abominations of Jerusalem, which signifies the church as to doctrine; and whoredoms signify the falsifications of the truth of doctrine and of the Word. Therefore thou committedst whoredom with the sons of Egypt thy neighbours, great of flesh, signifies falsifications by the natural man, in which are all evils and falsities, flesh denoting the proprium of man, which resides in the natural man, and in itself is nothing but evil and falsity therefrom. And thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Asshur, signifies falsifications by means of reasonings. And there was no satiety in thee, signifies the desire of falsifying truths without end. And thou hast multiplied thy whoredom even unto Chaldea, the land of thy trading, signifies falsifications from the sensual man, where are mere fallacies, from which man altogether rejects and denies, and also blasphemes truths, the land of trading signifying whence all falsities are procured; and the Sensual is the source of all evils and of falsities therefrom. Man also is born at first sensual, afterwards he becomes natural, then rational, and at length spiritual, and he who falsifies the truths of the church becomes again natural, and at length sensual. But neither wast thou satiated with this signifies a measureless desire of destroying the truths of the church.
[72] In Joel:
"Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom a wilderness of desolation, because of violence to the sons of Judah, whose innocent blood they shed in their land" (3:19).
Egypt shall be a desolation, signifies that the natural man will be without truths, and thence in mere falsities; and Edom a wilderness of desolation, signifies that the natural man will be without goods, and thence in mere evils; because of violence to the sons of Judah, whose innocent blood they shed, signifies because they offered violence to the truths and goods of the Word, which they perverted.
Similar things are involved in the wars between the sons of Israel and the Egyptians; also in those between the sons of Israel and the Assyrians, and in those between the Assyrians and Egyptians, (2 Kings 23:29 to end; xxiv.; Is. 10:3-5).
[73] In the First Book of Kings it is said, that under king Rehoboam, the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took the treasures of the house of Jehovah and the treasures of the house of the king; and that he took the shields which Solomon had made, and many other things (14:25, 26). In all the historical as well as in the prophetical parts of the Word, there is a spiritual sense, for all the historical details of the Word are representative of spiritual and celestial things pertaining to heaven and the church, and the words here are significative. Thus by the king of Egypt taking the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and of the house of the king, and many other things, was represented the devastation of the church as to the cognitions of good and truth by scientifics in the natural man falsely applied.
[74] The quality of the natural man, when subject to the spiritual, and when separated from it, is fully described in the internal sense of Exodus. The quality of the natural man when subject to, and thus conjoined to the spiritual, is described where it treats of Joseph and of the sons of Israel called thither by Joseph, and dwelling in the land of Goshen, which was the best of the lands of Egypt. Where Joseph is treated of, the dominion of the Lord over the natural man is described, for by Joseph, in the spiritual sense, is meant the Lord, by Egypt the natural man, and by the sons of Israel the spiritual man. But afterwards the quality of the natural man, when separated from the spiritual, is described by Pharaoh's making the sons of Israel to serve grievously; and its vastation afterwards as to all the truths and goods of the church is described by the miracles performed there, which were so many plagues; and, lastly, its destruction, by the drowning of Pharaoh and all his host in the Sea Suph (Red Sea). The miracles by which the vastation of the natural man separated from the spiritual is described in the spiritual sense, were these:
[75] The staff of Aaron was turned into a serpent; the waters in the river were turned into blood, so that the fish died, and the river stank (Exodus vii.). From the rivers and pools were brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt; the dust of the earth as turned into lice; swarms of noxious flying things were sent into the houses of Pharaoh and of his servants, and into all the land of Egypt (Exodus viii.). There was a boil breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast; a rain of grievous hail mingled with fire rained upon the land of Egypt (Exodus ix.). Locusts were sent upon the land, which devoured the herb, and all the fruit of the trees; a thick darkness came over all the land of Egypt (Exodus x.). All the first-born in the land of Egypt died (Exodus xi.). Finally, after the sons of Israel had borrowed of them, and thus spoiled them of their vessels of gold and silver, and their raiment, (which signify the knowledges of good and truth) the Egyptians were drowned in the Sea Suph (Exodus 14:28), which signifies hell. By all those things is described how the natural man is vastated, which takes place when he casts away from himself all the truths and goods of the church, and imbibes falsities and evils, until there is no longer any truth and good of the church remaining. But all these things may be seen explained at large as to their spiritual sense in the Arcana Coelestia, where the Book of Exodus is unfolded. It is then clear what is signified by the plagues and diseases of Egypt (Deuteronomy 7:15; 28:60); also by being drowned in the river of Egypt (Amos 8:8; 9:5) and why it is that Egypt is also called "a land of bondage" (Micah 6:4); "the land of Ham" (Psalm 105:23); and a "furnace of iron," (Deuteronomy 4:20; 1 Kings 8:51). These things are said of Egypt. From these things it is clear that Egypt signifies the natural man in both senses.
654. That "Egypt" here signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual, and thence falsities flowing forth from the evils of the love of self, consequently from the pride of self-intelligence, shall now be explained. For when the natural of man is separated from his spiritual, which is effected chiefly by the love of self, then from the evils of that love falsities flow forth, for every falsity is from an evil, for the falsity is the protector of the evil, and the evil of the will takes form in the understanding by means of the ideas of the thought, and these ideas are called falsities. And as the falsities that flow forth from the evils of the love of self have in them pride, for man then thinks from what is his own [proprium], therefore "Egypt" here signifies also the pride of self-intelligence.
[2] But as "Egypt" signifies the natural man in both senses, that is, both when it is conjoined to the spiritual man and when it is separated from it, thus both in a good sense and in a bad sense, so the various things belonging to the natural man, which have reference in general to cognitions and knowledges, are signified by "Egypt." For the truths and falsities of the natural man are called cognitions and knowledges; but when the truths themselves have acquired life, which is effected by a life of faith, which is charity, they belong to his spiritual man. These with their affections and pleasantnesses do not appear to man's manifest sense and sight, as the cognitions and knowledges of the natural man do, for the reason that so long as a man lives in the world he thinks naturally and speaks naturally, and this a man sensibly feels and perceives by a kind of sight that belongs to his understanding. But his spiritual thought, which is conjoined to the affection of truth or of falsity, is not apparent until man has put off the natural body and put on the spiritual body, which takes place after his death, or his departure from this world and his entrance into the spiritual world; then he thinks spiritually and speaks spiritually, and not naturally as before. This takes place with every man, whether he be merely natural or also spiritual; and even with the merely natural man after death thought is spiritual, but gross and without the understanding of truth or the affection of good; for it consists of correspondent ideas, which appear to be material, and yet they are not material. But the Lord willing, more shall be said elsewhere of the spiritual thought and the speech therefrom of men in the spiritual world who are merely natural.
[3] "Egypt" signifies in the Word the natural man in both senses, good and bad, consequently everything that properly belongs to the natural man, because in Egypt knowledges [scientiae] were cultivated, especially the knowledge of correspondences and representations, at the time when churches were representative. But because they made for themselves images according to correspondences, and because when from being internal they became altogether external they began to worship them with holy rites and thereby made them their idols, therefore they turned the representatives of things spiritual and celestial into things idolatrous and also into things magical, therefore in the Word "Egypt" came to signify in a bad sense, which is the contrary of the former sense, the false knowledge [scientificum] of the natural man, and also what is idolatrous and magical.
[4] That such is the signification of "Egypt" can be seen from very many passages in the Word; but before we proceed to confirm this it should be known that in every man there is both an internal that sees from the light of heaven, and that is called the internal-spiritual man or the internal-spiritual mind, and an external that sees from the light of the world, and that is called the external-natural man or the external-natural mind. With every man of the church the internal must be conjoined to the external, or the internal-spiritual man to the external-natural man; and when these are conjoined the spiritual man, because it is in the light of heaven, has dominion over the natural man which is in the light of the world, and rules it as a master rules a servant, and teaches it as a teacher teaches a pupil. It is from this conjunction that a man is a man of the church and an angel. But when the natural man is not conjoined to the spiritual and subject to it, as is especially the case when the spiritual man is closed up (and it is closed up with those who deny the Divine things of the Word and of the church, for they then see nothing from the light of heaven), then the natural man is blind in respect to spiritual things, and by his rational perverts all the truths of the church, and by his ideas of them turns them with himself into falsities. This subject, namely, the conjunction of the spiritual man with the natural, and the separation of the natural man from the spiritual, is treated of in many places in the Word, especially where it treats of Egypt, since "Egypt" signifies the natural man both when conjoined to the spiritual man and when separated from it. And when the natural man separated from the spiritual is treated of there is condemnation and rejection of Egypt.
[5] Because "Egypt" signifies in a broad sense the natural man, it also signifies true knowledge [scientificum] and false knowledge, for the truths and falsities that are in the natural man are called knowledges [scientifica]. And because true and false knowledges are signified by "Egypt," faith also is signified by it, since faith is of truth and truth is of faith; for this reason also faith conjoined to charity is signified by "Egypt" in a good sense, and faith separated from charity in an evil sense; for faith is conjoined to charity when the spiritual man is conjoined to the natural, and then "Egypt" signifies true knowledges; but faith is separated from charity when the natural man is separated from the spiritual, and then "Egypt" signifies false knowledge. For when the natural man is separated from the spiritual, man has no truths, and if he draws truths from the Word or from the doctrine of the church, yet he falsifies them by the ideas of his thought; therefore with such a man of the church every truth becomes a falsity.
[6] Thus much on the signification of "Egypt" in the Word. In the first place, it shall be shown from the Word that "Egypt" signifies the natural man conjoined to the spiritual, or knowledge made living by the influx of spiritual light, or what is similar, faith conjoined to charity, which is in itself faith. Afterwards it shall be shown that "Egypt" signifies in the contrary sense the natural man separated from the spiritual, or knowledge not made living by any influx of spiritual life, or what is similar, faith separated from charity, which in itself is not faith. That "Egypt" signifies the natural man conjoined to the spiritual, also knowledge made alive by the influx of spiritual light, which in itself is true knowledge or the truth of the natural man, and what is similar, faith conjoined to charity, which in itself is faith, can be seen from the following passages.
[7] In Isaiah:
In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lip of Canaan, and that swear to Jehovah of Hosts; every one of them shall be called the city of Cheres. In that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Jehovah beside the border thereof. They shall cry unto Jehovah because of oppressions, and He shall send them a Savior and Prince. Then shall Jehovah become known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know Jehovah in that day, and shall offer the sacrifice and meal-offering. So Jehovah shall smite Egypt, smiting and healing; therefore they shall turn themselves to Jehovah, and He shall be entreated of them and shall heal them. In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt into Assyria, that Assyria may come into Egypt and Egypt into Assyria, and the Egyptians may serve with Assyria; in that day Israel shall be a third to Egypt and to Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land that Jehovah of Hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance (Isaiah 19:18-25).
Here "Egypt" stands for the natural man conjoined to the spiritual, thus for the nations and peoples that were outside of the church; and as these were not in truths they were natural men, but when they heard the Gospel they acknowledged the Lord, and when they had been instructed thereby in the truths of doctrine they received faith. The Lord's coming is meant by "in that day," which is here five times mentioned. "In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lip of Canaan" signifies that there shall be with them many doctrinals that are in accord with the truths of the doctrine of the church itself, "five" meaning many, "cities" doctrinals, "the land of Egypt" a church of such nations, and "the lip of Canaan" the truths of doctrine of the church; "every one of them shall be called the city of Cheres" signifies the doctrine of the good of charity in every one, "city" signifying doctrine, and "Cheres," which in the Hebrew means the sun and its beams, signifying the good of charity and faith therefrom.
[8] "In that day there shall be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Jehovah at the border thereof" signifies the worship of the Lord at that time from the goods of charity and from the truths of faith therefrom in all things of the natural man; "an altar to Jehovah" signifying worship from the good of charity, "pillar" the worship from truths of faith, "in the midst of the land of Egypt" everywhere and in all things of the natural man, and "border" true knowledge.
[9] "They shall cry unto Jehovah because of oppressions, and He shall send them a Savior and Prince" signifies their grief because of a lack of spiritual truth and of spiritual good therefrom, and the coming of the Lord, from whom they will receive these; "to cry" signifying grief, "oppressions" signifying the lack of spiritual truth and of spiritual good therefrom, and "Savior and Prince" the Lord, who is called "Savior" from the good of love, and "Prince" from the truths of faith; "then Jehovah shall become known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know Jehovah in that day" signifies the acknowledgment of the Lord and of His Divine; "and shall offer a sacrifice and meal offering" signifies the worship of the Lord according to His precepts from the Word, thus from the truths of doctrine and from the good of love; "so Jehovah shall smite Egypt, smiting and healing; therefore they shall turn themselves to Jehovah, and He shall be entreated of them and shall heal them" signifies temptations and thus conversion, and being healed of falsities by truths.
[10] "In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt into Assyria, that Assyria may come into Egypt and Egypt into Assyria" signifies that then the rational shall be opened to them by true knowledges, so that man may look at knowledges that belong to the natural man rationally, and thus intelligently, "Egypt" meaning the knowledge of the natural man, and "Assyria" the rational; "in that day Israel shall be a third to Egypt and to Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the land" signifies influx into both from spiritual light; "Israel" meaning the spiritual man which has light from heaven, "Egypt," the natural man which has light from the world, and "Assyria," the rational man which is between, and which receives light from the spiritual and transmits it to the natural, which it enlightens; "that Jehovah shall bless" signifies influx from the Lord; "saying, Blessed be Egypt My people" signifies the natural man enlightened; "and Assyria the work of My hands" signifies the rational man that is rational not from self but from the Lord; "and Israel Mine inheritance" signifies the spiritual man, which is called "an inheritance" because everything spiritual is of the Lord, for it is His Divine proceeding, from which is heaven and the church. Without the spiritual sense who could understand these prophecies?
[11] In Micah:
This is the day in which they shall come unto thee even from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, and thus from Egypt even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain (Mic. Micah 7:12).
This is said of the establishment of the church by the Lord with the Gentiles, and these words describe the extension of that church from one end to the other. One end of the land of Canaan was the river Euphrates and the other was the river of Egypt. The extension of truth from one end to the other is signified by "from sea to sea," and the extension of good from one end to the other by "from mountain to mountain. "
[12] That the land of Canaan, which signifies the church, extended from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates, the river of Assyria, appears in Moses:
In that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, To thy seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river, the river Euphrates (Genesis 15:18).
And in the first book of Kings:
Solomon was ruler over all kingdoms from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, and even to the lands of Egypt (1 Kings 4:21).
For the church, which in itself is spiritual, has its boundaries in the natural man, that is, in its rational and knowing faculties, for the rational is in the interior natural man, for it is its understanding; in it also is the knowing faculty; and the rational is born by means of knowledges, for in these it sees its conclusions as in a mirror, and confirms itself by them, but yet from the spiritual; without this man has no rational, nor has he any true knowing faculty, but in place of the rational he has an ability to reason, and in place of a true knowing faculty he has a false knowing faculty; so these two constitute the boundaries of the spiritual church, which is signified by "the land of Canaan. "
[13] In Ezekiel:
Son of man, say unto Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude, Whom art thou like in thy greatness? Behold Asshur, a cedar in Lebanon, beautiful in branch and with shady boughs, and lofty in stature, and its top was among the interwoven boughs; the waters made it grow, the deep made it exalted, so that with its rivers it went about the plant and sent out conduits unto all the trees of the field, whence its stature became lofty, and its branches became long, because of the many waters which it sent out. In its branches all the birds of the heavens built their nests, and under its branches every beast of the field has brought forth, and in its shade dwelt all great nations; it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches, for its root was by many waters. The cedars in the garden of God have not hidden it; the fir trees were not equal to its branches, nor was any tree in the garden of God equal to it in its beauty; they have made it beautiful by the multitude of its branches, and all the trees of Eden which are in the garden of God envied it (Ezekiel 31:2-9).
It is because "Pharaoh king of Egypt" signifies the understanding of the natural man, which is born and formed out of true knowledges rationally seen, that he is here called "Asshur," which signified the rational, and is described by a cedar and its height, and the length and multitude of its branches, and this is because the "cedar" signifies in the Word the rational. (But most of this passage may be seen explained above, n. Genesis 13:10).
[14] The natural man in respect to its understanding, as described above in Ezekiel, is also described by Sennacherib, the chief captain of the king of Assyria, but by his blasphemies, as follows:
By the hand of thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, where I will cut down the stature of the cedars thereof, the choice of the fir trees thereof, and I will come to the lodging place of his end, the wood of his cultivated field. I have digged and drunk strange waters, and I will dry up with the sole of my footsteps all the rivers of Egypt (2 Kings 19:23, 24).
Similar things are signified here as in the passage cited above, namely, the rational things of the men of the church formed out of true knowledges, and enlightened from the Divine spiritual, and yet the king of Assyria (signifying here a perverted rational) wished to destroy these, for he made war upon Hezekiah, king of Judah; but because he blasphemed these, and threatened to destroy all things of the church from first to last, which church is formed with man in his rational and his natural from the spiritual, therefore in that night a hundred and eighty-five thousand were smitten in his camp by the angel of Jehovah (verse 35). Here the "multitude of chariots" of the king of Assyria signifies the falsities of doctrine; "the height of the mountains, the sides of Lebanon," which he wished to ascend, signify all the goods and truths of the church, which he wished to destroy; "the stature of the cedars and the choice of the fir trees" which he wished to cut down signify rational and natural truths in respect to perception; "the wood of the cultivated field" signifies knowledges; "the rivers of Egypt which he would dry up with the sole of his footsteps" signify the knowledge of the natural man from a spiritual origin, which he would annihilate and blot out by means of his sensual, "the sole of the footsteps" of the king of Assyria meaning the sensual and reasoning therefrom, which is from mere fallacies, and "the rivers of Egypt" meaning the intelligence of the natural man from knowledges that are from a spiritual origin, when these are applied to confirm the truths of the church, which are spiritual.
[15] Every man with whom the church is to be implanted must first be instructed in knowledges, for unless the natural man is instructed by means of knowledges, which are also various experiences from worldly things and associations, a man cannot become rational; and if he does not become rational he cannot become spiritual; for the rational of man is conjoined on one side to the spiritual, that is, to heaven, and on the other side to the natural, that is, to the world. For this reason, and because a church was to be instituted with the sons of Israel therefore the natural man with them was first to be instructed, that is, in truths naturally and also scientifically understood. And in order that this might be represented and signified it came to pass that Abraham, whose posterity was to represent the church, and who was himself the head of it:
Sojourned in Egypt with his wife, and abode there for a time (Genesis 12:10, et seq.);
and afterwards:
Jacob with his sons, who were then called the sons of Israel, went down by command into Egypt, and dwelt in Goshen, which was the best of the lands of Egypt, and there remained a long time (Genesis 46, et seq.)
This was done because man must be instructed in truths scientifically and naturally before he is instructed spiritually.
[16] For every man by truths scientifically and naturally understood acquires for himself a rational into which the spiritual can flow in and operate; for through the rational which belongs to his understanding man receives the light of heaven, which is spiritual light, and through the rational enlightened by the spiritual he surveys cognitions and knowledges, selecting from them such as are in accord with the genuine truths and goods of heaven and the church, which are spiritual, and rejecting those that are not; thus it is that man lays the foundation of the church in himself. This is why it is said of Abraham and Jacob that it was because of the famine in the land of Canaan that they went down into Egypt to sojourn there; it was "because of the famine," since "famine" signifies a lack of the knowledges (cognitiones) of good and truth, together with a desire for them, and "to sojourn" in the Word signifies to be instructed.
[17] This makes evident what is meant by these words in David:
Thou hast caused a vine to go forth out of Egypt, thou hast driven out the nations and planted it, thou hast cleared a place before it, and hast caused its roots to be inrooted so that it filled the land; thou hast sent out its shoots unto the sea and its branches to the river (569.)
[18] In Hosea:
When Israel was a child then I loved him, and called My son out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1).
"Israel" signifies in the spiritual sense the church, and in the highest sense the Lord, who as He is the all of heaven is also the all of the church. And as the sons of Israel were to represent the church, and it was according to Divine order that they should first be instructed in such things as would be serviceable to the rational and through this to the spiritual, they first sojourned in Egypt, and afterwards were led into the wilderness that they might undergo temptations, and that through these the natural man might be subdued; for man does not become rational until empty and false knowledges [scientifica] are removed, and the natural man is thus purified, which is effected mainly by temptations.
[19] Because "Israel" in the highest sense means the Lord, the Lord Himself when He was an infant was carried down into Egypt, according to these words in Matthew:
An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the child and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee. And he arose and took the child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, Out of Egypt have I called My son (Matthew 2:13-16).
This, again, signifies the first instruction of the Lord, for the Lord was instructed like another man, but by virtue of His Divine He received all things more intelligently and wisely than others. But this departure into Egypt was merely a representation of instruction; for as all the representatives of the Jewish and Israelitish church looked to Him, so He also represented them in Himself and completely observed them, thus fulfilling all things of the law. Since representatives were the ultimates of heaven and the church, and all prior things, which are things rational, spiritual, and celestial, enter into ultimates and are in them, so through these the Lord was in ultimates; and as all strength is in ultimates, so it was from firsts through ultimates that He subjugated all the hells, and reduced to order all things in the heavens. This is why the whole life of the Lord in the world was representative, even also all things related in the Gospels respecting His passion, which represented the quality of the church then in its contrariety to the Divine and to all the goods and truths of heaven and the church.
[20] This makes evident what is meant by "Egypt," where the church to be established by the Lord is treated of in the following passages. In Isaiah:
Thus said Jehovah, The labor of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall pass over unto Thee, and they shall be Thine; they shall go after Thee, in bonds shall they pass over; so they shall bow themselves down towards Thee, they shall pray towards Thee; only in Thee is God, and there is no God beside (Isaiah 45:14).
This is said of the Lord, of whom this whole chapter treats. "The labor of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush and of the Sabeans" signifies the delight of natural love from the acquisition of the knowledges of truth and good; the knowledges themselves are signified by the "Sabeans," who are called "men of stature" from good, for "stature" (length) signifies good and its quality, and "breadth" truth and its quality; that such will come to the church and acknowledge and worship the Lord is signified by "they shall pass over unto Thee, they shall be Thine, they shall bow themselves down towards Thee;" that the natural man with them will serve the spiritual, and thus the Lord, is signified by "in bonds shall they pass over," for those are said "to come in bonds" in whom the cupidities pertaining to the natural man are restrained; that they will acknowledge the Lord alone to be God is meant by "they shall pray towards Him; only in Him is God, and there is no God beside."
[21] In David:
Those that are fat shall come out of Egypt, Cush shall hasten her hands unto God; sing to God, O ye kingdoms of the earth, sing psalms unto the Lord (Psalms 68:31, 32).
"Those that are fat out of Egypt" signify the Gentiles who are in the affection of knowing truths, and "Cush" signifies those who imbibe truths from the delight of the natural man; that "Cush" has this signification can be seen from other passages in the Word where Cush is mentioned (as i n Genesis 2:13; Zephaniah 3:5, 9, 10; Daniel 11:43); that the nations will receive the truths and goods of heaven and the church from the Lord is signified by "the kingdoms of the earth shall sing to God and shall sing psalms unto the Lord."
[22] In Hosea:
With honor shall they come, as a bird out of Egypt and as a dove from the land of Assyria, and I will make them to dwell upon their houses (Hosea 11:11).
This, too, is said of the Lord as about to establish a church with the Gentiles; it is said "as a bird out of Egypt," because a "bird" signifies thoughts from true knowledges; and it is said "as a dove from the land of Assyria," because a "dove" signifies rational good from spiritual good, "Assyria" signifying the rational itself; "to make them to dwell upon their houses" signifies the interiors of a mind formed by truths from good, and thus those who are safe from the infestation of the falsities of evil.
[23] In Isaiah:
It shall come to pass in that day that Jehovah shall beat out from the ear of grain of the river even unto the brook of Egypt; and ye shall be collected one to another, O sons of Israel; moreover it shall come to pass in that day that the great horn shall sound, and the perishing in the land of Assyria shall come, and the outcasts from 1the land of Egypt, and shall bow down to Jehovah in the mountain of holiness, in Jerusalem (Isaiah 27:12, 13).
"In that day" signifies the coming of the Lord; "from the ear of grain of the river even unto the brook of Egypt, which Jehovah shall beat out," signifies all rational truth and true knowledge that will be serviceable to the spiritual; it is said the "ear of grain" because that is what contains the grain, which signifies the truth and good that is serviceable to the spiritual man for nourishment. To be called by the Lord to the church is signified by "in that day the great horn shall sound;" that those will come to the church who would otherwise have perished through reasonings from knowledges applied to confirm falsities is signified by "the perishing in the land of Assyria shall come, and the outcasts from 1the land of Egypt;" that they will worship the Lord, and that out of them a church will arise, is signified by "they shall bow down to Jehovah in the mountain of holiness, in Jerusalem," "the mountain of holiness" signifying the church in respect to the good of life, and "Jerusalem" the church in respect to the truth of doctrine. These things are said of the sons of Israel who were made captives in Assyria and in Egypt; but "the sons of Israel" here and elsewhere mean the Gentiles who were to constitute the church, and "their captivity" in Assyria and in Egypt signifies the spiritual captivity which a man is in from the falsities of religion.
[24] In Zechariah:
I will bring them back out of the land of Egypt, and I will gather them together out of Assyria, and I will lead them to the land of Gilead and Lebanon. He shall pass through the sea of distress, but he shall smite the waves in the sea, and the pride of Asshur shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt depart away (Zechariah 10:10, 11).
This, too, treats of the restoration of the church by the Lord. "To bring back out of the land of Egypt, and to gather together out of Assyria" has a similar signification as above in Isaiah where the explanation is given; "the land of Gilead and Lebanon" signifies the goods and truths of the church in the natural man; "he shall pass through the sea of distress, but shall smite the waves in the sea, and the pride of Asshur shall be cast down, and the staff of Egypt depart away" signifies that the evils and falsities of the natural man and the reasonings from knowledges [scientifica] that confirm them shall be dispersed; "to pass through the sea of distress" signifying temptations, the "waves" falsities and evils, "the pride of Asshur" signifies reasonings from the pride of self-intelligence, and "the staff of Egypt" knowledge confirming.
[25] In Ezekiel:
At the end of forty years I will gather Egypt together from the peoples whither they were scattered, and I will bring them back into the land of Pathros, upon the land of their traffic, that they may be there a lowly kingdom, that thou lift not thyself up anymore over the nations; and I will diminish them that they have not dominion among the nations (Ezekiel 29:13-16).
"Egypt" here signifies the church with those who are in a moral life from natural light, the temptations that such must endure that the natural man may not rule over the spiritual is signified by "forty years;" the knowledges by which they have confirmed falsities are signified by "Egypt" which Jehovah "will gather together from the peoples whither they were scattered;" their enlightenment by the knowledges of truth is signified by "I will bring them back upon the land of Pathros," which is called "the land of their traffic" from the knowledges that such will acquire for themselves, for "to traffic" signifies to acquire and communicate knowledges; that the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man shall not be puffed up, and in their elation do evil to the truths and goods of the church and rule over them, is signified by "they shall be a lowly kingdom, that thou lift not thyself up anymore over the nations, and I will diminish them that they may not have dominion over the nations;" the "nations" first mentioned signify the truths of the church, and the "nations" last mentioned its goods.
[26] In Zechariah:
Everyone remaining of all the nations that came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the king, Jehovah of Hosts, and to celebrate the feast of tabernacles; whoso goeth not up, upon them there shall be no rain; and if the family of Egypt go not up and come not, neither be with them, there shall be the plague with which Jehovah will smite the nations (Zechariah 14:16-18).
This also treats of the Lord's coming, and of the establishment of a church by Him. "The king, Jehovah of Hosts," whom they shall worship, means the Lord; "the feast of tabernacles" signifies the implantation of good by means of truths; that those who do not come to His church will have no influx of truth and good from the Lord is signified by "whoso goeth not up, upon them there shall be no rain;" that such as are in natural light from mere knowledges [scientifica], and in whom good cannot be implanted by means of truths, will be in evils and falsities of every kind, is signified by "if the family of Egypt go not up there shall be the plague with which Jehovah will smite the nations."
[27] In Isaiah:
I am Jehovah thy God, the Holy one of Israel, thy Savior; I have given Egypt as thy expiation, Cush and Seba in place of thee; I will give a man in place of thee, and a people for thy soul (Isaiah 43:3, 4).
This, again, is said of the Lord and the redemption of those who acknowledge Him and from affection receive truths from Him; redemption is meant by "expiation" and "in place of thee" and "for thy soul;" the natural affection of knowing truths that is from spiritual affection is signified by "Egypt," "Cush," and "Seba;" a "man" signifies their intelligence therefrom, and a "people" a church from them.
[28] Since "Egypt" signifies the natural man, and all the intelligence of the spiritual man has its limit and foundation in the natural man and in his cognitions and knowledges, so without these man is not intelligent and wise and not even rational, for the spiritual man must act as one with the natural man, as cause with effect, and it acts as one by correspondences; this is why in ancient times, when there was a representative church also in Egypt:
The king of Egypt, or Pharaoh, was called the son of the wise, and the son of the kings of olden time (Isaiah 19:11);
also Egypt was called the cornerstone of the tribes (verse 13), for the "tribes" signify all the truths and goods of the church in the complex, and the "cornerstone" signifies their foundation.
[29] Therefore also it is said of Solomon, by whom the Lord in relation to His celestial kingdom and His spiritual kingdom was represented,
That his wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the sons of the East and all the wisdom of the Egyptians (1 Kings 4:30),
"the sons of the East" meaning all who at that time were in the knowledges [cognitiones] of truth and good, and through these were made wise, and the "Egyptians" all who were learned in knowledges [scientiae], especially in the knowledge of correspondences, and were consequently intelligent. This is why the knowledges [scientiae] of the Egyptians are called "the hidden things of gold and silver" and "desirable things" in Daniel:
The king of the north shall put forth his hands over the lands, and the land of Egypt shall not escape, for he shall rule over the hidden things of gold and silver, and over all the desirable things of Egypt (Daniel 11:42, 43).
[30] For this reason again the sons of Israel, when they went out of Egypt, were commanded:
To borrow of the Egyptians vessels of gold and vessels of silver, and raiment, which they took away out of Egypt (Exodus 12:35, 36).
"Vessels of gold and silver" and "raiment" signify the knowledges and cognitions of truth and good which were taken away from Egypt, because the Egyptians applied them to confirm evils and falsities, and turned them into things idolatrous and magical; consequently when the Egyptians were deprived of them and thus became merely natural they were shortly afterwards drowned in the Sea Suph. This represented the lot of those who abuse knowledges [scientiae] to confirm evils and falsities; for after death they are deprived of all knowledge [cognitio] of truth and good, and when these have been taken away they are cast down into hell, and this was represented by the drowning of the Egyptians in the Sea Suph.
[31] Because Egypt signifies knowledge [scientia], from which man has intelligence, where Tyre is treated of it is said that:
Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was thy sail, which was to thee for a sign (Ezekiel 27:7).
"Tyre" signifies the knowledges of truth, and "fine linen with broidered work from Egypt" signifies knowledge [scientificum] from spiritual truth, "broidered work" meaning knowledge, and "fine linen" spiritual truth; a "sail" and a "sign" signify manifestation, for spiritual truths are made manifest by means of knowledges [scientiae], for it is through these that they appear to the sight and perception of the natural man.
[32] Because all knowledges [scientifica] that are serviceable to the spiritual man for the confirming of truths are from the Lord, that is, all application of them to confirm the truths and goods of heaven and the church so:
Joseph was carried down into Egypt, and was there made ruler over the whole land (448; and as the natural man, or the natural of man, must be subordinate to the spiritual, that it may be serviceable in confirming and executing the decisions of the spiritual man, therefore Joseph, that this dominion might be represented, was made ruler over Egypt, and under his direction Egypt had crops or corn in abundance, so that the neighboring countries were supplied therefrom, even the land of Canaan itself.
[33] Because Solomon represented the Lord in relation to both the celestial and the spiritual kingdoms, and as all who are of both these kingdoms are in intelligence and wisdom through the knowledges [cognitiones] of truth and good and knowledges [scientifica] that confirm these, therefore:
Solomon took the daughter of Pharaoh to wife, and brought her into the city of David (1 Kings 3:1);
And afterwards he built for the daughter of Pharaoh a house beside the porch (1 Kings 7:8);
By this also was represented that knowledge [scientia], upon which all intelligence and wisdom is based, is signified by "Egypt" in a good sense. And as every man of the church has a spiritual, a rational, and a natural, therefore Solomon built three houses, the house of God or the temple to stand for the spiritual, the house of the forest of Lebanon for the rational (for a "cedar" and thence "Lebanon" signifies the rational), and the house of the daughter of Pharaoh for the natural. These arcana are not apparent in the historical sense of the Word, but still they lie concealed in its spiritual sense.
[34] Thus far the signification of "Egypt" in a good sense has been explained; now it follows that also the signification of "Egypt" in an evil or contrary sense shall be explained. In that sense "Egypt" signifies the natural man separated from the spiritual, or true knowledge [verum scientificum] separated from spiritual good, which in itself is falsity; or what is the same, faith separated from charity, which in itself is not faith. For man is born natural, and at first acquires knowledges [scientifica] from his teacher and parent, as also from the reading of books, and at the same time from his life in the world; and unless man becomes spiritual, that is, is born anew, the knowledges [scientifica] that he has acquired he applies to justify the appetites and pleasures of the natural man, in a word, its loves, which are all contrary to Divine order; and this natural man is what is signified by "Egypt" in the contrary sense, as can be seen from the following passages.
[35] In Ezekiel:
Because Pharaoh is lofty in stature, and hath set his top among the interwoven boughs, and his heart is exalted in his loftiness, I will give him into the hand of the strong one of the nations; according to his wickedness I have driven him out, therefore strangers shall cut him off, the violent of the nations, and they shall cast him down; upon the mountains and the valleys are his branches fallen; whence all peoples of the earth have gone down from his shadow and have deserted him; upon his ruin every bird of the heavens shall dwell, and every wild beast of the field shall be upon his branches; all shall be delivered up to death, unto the lower earth, in the midst of the sons of man, unto them that go down into the pit. In the day when he shall go down into hell I will cover the abyss for him, and I will restrain the rivers thereof, that the great waters may be held back; and I will make Lebanon black for him, and all the trees of the field shall faint for him. To whom art thou thus become like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? when thou shalt be brought down with the trees of Eden into the lower earth, and shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with them that are slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh, and all his multitude (Ezekiel 31:10-18).
"Pharaoh" has a similar signification as "Egypt," namely, the natural man in respect to knowledge [scientia] and intelligence therefrom. The pride of self-intelligence from knowledge is meant by "he is lofty in stature, and hath set his top among the interwoven boughs, and his heart is exalted in his loftiness;" "the interwoven boughs" signify the knowledges [scientifica] of the natural man. That knowledges were applied to justify the cupidities of evil and falsity is signified by "I will give him into the hand of the strong one of the nations," "the strong one of the nations" signifying the falsity of evil. That the falsities of evil will destroy him is signified by "strangers shall cut him off, the violent of the nations shall cast him down. "
[36] That all true knowledges and rational truths were scattered by evils and falsities is signified by "upon the mountains and the valleys are his branches fallen;" that all truths of the church were driven away is signified by "all the peoples of the earth have gone down from his shadow and have deserted him;" that the thoughts and affections of falsity have taken their place is signified by "upon his ruin every bird of the heavens shall dwell, and every wild beast of the field shall be upon his branches;" that all things have become damned and infernal is signified by "all shall be delivered up to death, unto the lower earth, in the midst of the sons of man, unto them that go down into the pit," "sons of man" meaning those who are in self-intelligence, and "pit" meaning where those are who are in the falsities of doctrine; preventing the entrance of any true knowledges or rational truths is signified by "I will cover the abyss for him, and I will restrain the rivers thereof;" also of spiritual truths is signified by "that the great waters may be held back;" that he shall have no rational is signified by "I will make Lebanon black for him."
[37] That he shall have no knowledges of truth pertaining to the church is signified by "all the trees of the field shall faint for him;" that he shall no longer have any understanding of truth or any perception of the knowledges of good, because of the pride of self-intelligence, is signified by "to whom art thou become like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden?" because the knowledges of good have been wholly perverted by the application to evil is signified by "when thou shalt be brought down with the trees of Eden into the lower earth," the "trees of Eden" meaning the knowledges of good from the Word, which the natural man has perverted and falsified; that they shall be among those in hell who, by a faith separated from a life of charity have extinguished in themselves all truth, is signified by "when thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain by the sword," "slain by the sword" meaning in the Word those who have extinguished truths in themselves by means of falsities. That all these things are said of the natural man deprived of light from the spiritual man is signified by "this is Pharaoh and all his multitude," "Pharaoh" meaning the natural man, and "his multitude" all knowledges therein.
[38] In the same:
Son of man, prophesy and say, Howl ye! alas the day! a day of cloud, it shall be the time of the nations, in which a sword shall come into Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be overthrown; and they that uphold Egypt shall fall, and the pride of her strength shall come down, from the tower of Seveneh they shall fall in it by the sword; then shall they be desolate in the midst of the lands that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are desolate; that they may know that I am Jehovah, when I have set a fire in Egypt that all her helpers may be broken. I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, he and his people with him, the violent of the nations, who shall be brought in to destroy the land; and they shall draw out their sword against Egypt, to fill the land with the slain. Then will I make the rivers dry, and will sell the land into the hand of evil ones, and I will make the land a waste and the fullness thereof, by the hand of strangers; there shall no more be a prince out of the land of Egypt. I will set a fire in Egypt, and I will scatter Egypt among the nations, and I will disperse them into the lands (Ezekiel 30 to end).
This is an abstract of this chapter; it is a lamentation over the vastation of the church by falsities that favor the evils from the natural man; for all evils and all falsities therefrom that pervert and destroy the truths and goods of the church flow forth from the natural man separated from the spiritual. Lamentation over that vastation is signified by "howl ye! alas the day! a day of cloud, it shall be the time of the nations," "a day of cloud" meaning the state of the church from truths not understood, consequently from falsities; "the time of the nations" the state of the church from evils; that falsity will destroy the entire natural man and all things therein by application to evils, is signified by "a sword shall come into Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be overthrown. "
[39] That there will be no confirmations and corroborations of truth by the knowledges of the natural man is signified by "they that uphold Egypt shall fall, and the pride of her strength shall come down," that falsities will destroy the understanding of truth is signified by "from the tower of Seveneh they shall fall in it by the sword;" that all things of the church and all things of the doctrine of the church will perish is signified by "then shall they be desolate in the midst of the lands that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are desolate;" the evil cupidities from the natural man are signified by the "fire" that Jehovah will set in Egypt; that there will no longer be any confirmations of truth from the natural man is signified by "that all her helpers may be broken;" that the cupidities of the love of self and the falsities therefrom will devastate is signified by "the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, he and his people."
[40] That thus the church will be devastated by the falsities of evil that will do violence to the goods of charity and the truths of faith is signified by "the violent of the nations shall be brought in to destroy the land, and shall draw their sword against Egypt, to fill the land with the slain;" that thus truth is not understood is signified by "I will make the rivers dry;" since instead of good there is evil, and instead of truth falsity in the church, is signified by "I will sell the land into the hand of evil ones, and I will make the land a waste and the fullness thereof by the hand of strangers;" that there will be no truth as head, and consequently no truth of life from the Lord, is signified by "there shall no more be a prince out of the land of Egypt;" that nothing but evils from the love of self will occupy the natural man is signified by "I will set a fire in Egypt, and I will scatter Egypt among the nations;" that thus all things of the church will be dissipated is signified by "I will disperse them into the lands."
[41] In Isaiah:
The prophecy of the beasts of the south, In a land of distress and of anguish; the young lion and the old lion are before them, the viper and the fiery flying serpent; they carry their wealth upon the shoulder of asses, and their treasures upon the back of camels, unto a people that they shall not profit; and Egypt, a vanity and emptiness, shall be their help (Isaiah 30:6, 7).
"Beasts of the south" signify the cupidities that are from the natural man extinguishing the light which the man of the church should have from the Word; "a land of distress and of anguish" signifies a church where there will be no good of charity nor truth of faith; "the young lion and the old lion" that are before them signify the power of the falsity that destroys the truth and good of the church; "the viper and fiery flying serpent" signify the sensual craftily and subtly reasoning; "they carry their wealth upon the shoulder of asses, and their treasures upon the back of camels" signifies the knowledges of the sensual and natural man, from which they draw all conclusions, "wealth" and "treasures" meaning the knowledges [cognitiones] of truth and good from the Word, but here false knowledges [scientifica] because from self-intelligence; "asses" mean the things of the sensual man, and "camels" the things of the natural; "Egypt, which is a vanity and emptiness," signifies both the sensual and the natural, which regarded in themselves are without good and without truths.
[42] In the same:
Woe to them that go down into Egypt for help, and stay on horses, and trust in the chariot because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very mighty, but they have no respect unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek after Jehovah. For Egypt is man and not God, and his horses are flesh and not spirit (Isaiah 31:1, 3).
This describes the state of those who wish to be wise in the things of heaven and the church from themselves, thus from self-intelligence and not from the Lord; and as such are merely natural, and thus take everything from the fallacies of the senses, and from knowledges wrongly applied, and pervert and falsify the truths and goods of the church, therefore it is said of them, "Woe to them that go down into Egypt for help, and have no respect unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek after Jehovah;" fanciful things from the fallacies of the senses are signified by "the horses of Egypt" on which they stay; the falsities of doctrine confirmed by knowledges in great abundance are signified by "they trust in the chariot because they are many;" and reasonings therefrom with which they assault truths are signified by the "horsemen" in whom they trust because they are very mighty; that the natural man has no understanding of Divine things from himself is signified by "Egypt is man and not God;" that his intelligence is from what is his own, in which there is no life, is signified by "his horses are flesh and not spirit," "the horses of Egypt" meaning fanciful things, which in themselves are dead because they are fallacies; "flesh" means what is man's own, and "spirit" life from the Lord.
654h.
[43] In Jeremiah:
Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaoh king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon smote. Who is this that cometh up like a stream, whose waters are tossed like the rivers? Egypt cometh up like a stream, and his waters are tossed like rivers; for he saith, I will come up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and those that dwell in it. Go up ye horses, and rage ye chariots, and go forth ye mighty ones. The sword shall devour and be satiate, and shall be made drunk with their blood. Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt; in vain hast thou multiplied medicines, there is no cure for thee (Jeremiah 46:2, 7-11, and also 14-26).
It is clear from these particulars, when viewed in the spiritual sense, that "Egypt" here signifies the natural man with its knowledges [scientifica] when it is separated from the spiritual, which is effected by the pride of self-intelligence, which destroys the truths and goods of the church by reasonings from knowledges [scientifica]. For "the army of the king of Egypt which was by the river Euphrates" signifies knowledges [scientifica] falsely applied and reasonings from them; "which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon smote" signifies the destruction of these by the pride of self-intelligence; "Who is this that cometh up like a stream, whose waters are tossed like the rivers?" signifies self-intelligence and its falsities endeavoring to destroy the truths of the church; "Egypt cometh up like a stream, and his waters are tossed like rivers" signifies the natural man reasoning from himself, or from what is his own [proprium], against the truths of the church; "for he said, I will come up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city and those that dwell in it," signifies the effort and desire to destroy the church and the truths and goods of its doctrine; "go up ye horses, and rage ye chariots, and go forth ye mighty ones," signifies by fanciful things from fallacies, and by the falsities of doctrine confirmed by knowledges [scientifica] which makes them appear to themselves to be strong.
[44] "The sword shall devour and shall be satiate, and shall be made drunk with their blood," signifies the entire destruction of the natural man by falsities and falsifications of truth; "go up to Gilead, and take balm, O daughter of Egypt," signifies the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word, and reasoning and protection therefrom; for "Gilead" signifies reasoning from the sense of the letter of the Word by which falsities are confirmed, since Gilead was not far from the Euphrates, and wax, balm, and myrrh were from it, and it became the inheritance of the sons of Manasseh and the half tribe of Gad (Genesis 31:21; 37:25; Numbers 32:29; Joshua 13:25). Thence "Gilead" signifies, besides other things, reasonings from the sense of the letter of the Word; "balm" signifies the application to falsity and thence the confirmation of falsity, and "the daughter of Egypt" the affection of falsity which belongs to such a church. "In vain hast thou multiplied medicines, there is no cure for thee," signifies that such things, however great their abundance, afford no help, since truths themselves are thereby falsified.
[45] In Moses:
The Egyptians pursued the sons of Israel, and came after them, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea. But Jehovah looking forth unto the camp of the Egyptians, discomfited them, and took off the wheel of their chariots; and the waters returned and covered the chariots and horsemen, with the whole army of Pharaoh (Arcana Coelestia 8208-8219, 8332-8335, 8343.)
[46] Because of this signification of "the horses of Egypt" it was commanded through Moses, that:
If the people desire a king, a king should be set over them whom Jehovah God should choose out of the midst of the sons of Israel; a man that is an alien who is not thy brother shall not be set over them. Only he shall not multiply to himself horses, nor shall he bring back the people into Egypt that he may multiply horses; for Jehovah hath said to you, You shall not return by this way anymore; neither shall he multiply to himself wives, that his heart turn not away; neither shall he multiply exceedingly to himself silver and gold (Deuteronomy 17:15-17).
What these directions to a king signify no one can see who does not know what is signified in the spiritual sense by a "king," by the "sons of Israel," by "Egypt and its horses," also by "wives," and by "silver and gold." A "king" signifies truth from good; "Egypt" the natural man; "his horses" knowledges; "wives" the affections of truth and good; and "silver and gold" the truths and goods of the church, and in the contrary sense its falsities and evils; and as a "king" signifies truth from good, and the "sons of Israel" the church from those who are in truths from good, it is said that "if the people desire, a king shall be set over them whom Jehovah God shall choose out of the midst of the sons of Israel; a man that is an alien who is not thy brother shall not be set over them," "a man that is an alien who is not a brother" signifying a religious principle not agreeing, as also falsity in which there is no good.
[47] As "Egypt" signifies the natural man, and "horses" false knowledges, which are fanciful, therefore it is said "only he shall not multiply to himself horses, nor shall he bring back the people into Egypt that he may multiply horses." As "wives" signify the affections of truth and good, which become the affections of evil and falsity when one man has several wives, it is said "neither shall he multiply to himself wives that his heart turn not away." And as "silver and gold" signify the truths and goods of the church, but here falsities and evils, when they are regarded only from the natural man, it is said, "neither shall he multiply exceedingly to himself silver and gold." But to come nearer to the point, these words prescribe that truth shall not rule over good, as is done when the natural man rules over the spiritual; that this must not be done is signified by "he shall not bring back the people into Egypt that he may thereby multiply horses, nor take many wives," for "wife and husband" signify the affection of good corresponding to the affection of truth, which correspondence exists in the marriage of a man with one wife, but not with many. Other like things are prescribed in the law of the king (1 Samuel 8:10-18). Because Solomon not only procured for himself horses from Egypt, but also multiplied wives, and heaped up silver and gold, he became an idolater, and after his death the kingdom was divided.
[48] In Isaiah:
The prophecy concerning Egypt: Jehovah rideth upon a light cloud, and cometh into Egypt; therefore the idols of Egypt shall be in commotion before Him, and the heart of the Egyptian shall melt in the midst of him. I will shut up Egypt in the hand of a hard lord, and a strong king shall rule over them. Then the waters shall fail in the sea, and the river shall dry up and become dry, and the streams shall recede, and the rivers of Egypt shall be dried up, the reed and the flag shall wither. Therefore the fishers shall moan, and all they that cast the hook into the streams shall mourn, and they that spread the net upon the faces of the waters shall languish. Moreover, they that make the flax of silks, and the weavers of curtains, shall be ashamed. How say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of the kings of olden time? Where now are thy wise men? Let them tell; come now, and they shall know what Jehovah hath counseled respecting Egypt. The princes of Zoan have become fools, the princes of Noph are carried away, and they have seduced Egypt, the cornerstone of her tribes; there shall be no work for Egypt that may make head or tail, branch or rush (Isaiah 19:1-17).
From all this also regarded in its spiritual sense it can be seen that "Egypt" signifies the natural of man separated from his spiritual; and man becomes merely natural when in his life he has regard to himself and to the world and not to the Lord; thence he is in the pride of self-intelligence, which is common with the learned, and this perverts the rational in them, and closes up the spiritual mind. That it may be known that the natural man is signified by "Egypt," self-intelligence by "its river," and falsities by "the waters of the river of Egypt," I will explain in series the summary of this chapter here cited. "Jehovah rideth upon a light cloud, and cometh into Egypt," signifies the visitation of the natural man from Divine truth spiritual-natural, for visitation is examination into the quality of a man, and examination takes place by means of Divine truth; a "light cloud" signifies Divine truth spiritual-natural, from which it becomes evident what is the quality of a man in respect to his natural; "therefore the idols of Egypt shall be in commotion before Him, and the heart of the Egyptian shall melt in the midst of him," signifies a collection and crowd of falsities in the natural man from which is its worship, and its terror because of visitation.
[49] "I will shut up Egypt in the hand of a hard lord, and a strong king shall rule over them," signifies that the evil of falsity and the falsity of evil will reign therein, "a hard lord" meaning the evil of falsity, and "a strong king" the falsity of evil; "then the waters shall fail in the sea, and the river shall dry up and become dry," signifies that there will be no truths in the natural man, nor any intelligence therefrom; "and the streams shall recede and the rivers of Egypt shall be dried up" signifies that it will turn itself from truths to falsities, and as intelligence will be, in consequence, without truths from the light of the spiritual man, it will become dead; "the reed and the flag shall wither," signifies that all perception of truth and good from the sense of the letter of the Word, which the sensual man would otherwise have, will vanish; "therefore the fishers shall moan and all they that cast the hook into the stream shall mourn, and they that spread the net upon the faces of the waters shall languish," signifies that those who teach and instruct will labor in vain to reform the natural man by truths from the Word, "fishers" and "they that spread the net upon the faces of the waters" signifying those that teach and instruct natural men from the Word, in particular from the sense of its letter; "fish" signifies the cognitions therefrom, and "to mourn and to languish" signifies to labor.
[50] "They that make the flax of silks, and the weavers of curtains, shall be ashamed," signifies those who teach spiritual truths in a natural manner, "the flax of silks" meaning spiritual truth, "curtains" natural truths from a spiritual origin, and "to make" and "to weave" these meaning to teach; "how say ye unto Pharaoh, I am the son of the wise, the son of the kings of olden time? Where now are thy wise men?" signifies that the wisdom and intelligence of the natural man from the spiritual have perished, for the natural man is formed to receive intelligence and wisdom from the spiritual man, and this takes place when they both act as one, like cause and effect; "the princes of Zoan have become fools, the princes of Noph are carried away," signifies that the truths of wisdom and intelligence from spiritual light in the natural man are turned into the falsities of insanity; Zoan and Noph were in the land of Egypt, and signified the enlightenment of the natural man from spiritual light; "and they have seduced Egypt, the cornerstone of the tribes" signifies that the natural man has been perverted, on which, nevertheless, all the truths and the goods of the church have their foundation; "there shall be no work for Egypt that may make head and tail, branch and rush" signifies that they no longer have any intelligence or knowledge of truth, consequently no truth either spiritual or natural.
[51] In Ezekiel:
Son of man, set thy faces against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt; speak and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovih, Behold I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great whale, that lieth in the midst of his rivers, that hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself; therefore I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales; and I will abandon thee in the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers; upon the faces of the field thou shalt fall, thou shalt not be gathered nor brought together; I have given thee for food to the wild beast of the land and to the bird of heaven, that all the inhabitants of Egypt may know that I am Jehovah, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel; when they laid hold of thee by the hand thou wast broken and didst pierce every shoulder for them, and when they leaned upon thee thou wast broken, and didst make all their loins to be at a stand. Behold I will bring against thee the sword, and I will cut off from thee man and beast, that the land of Egypt may become a solitude and a waste; because he hath said, The river is mine, and I made it, therefore I am against thee and against thy rivers, and I will give the land of Egypt unto desolations, from the tower of Seveneh even to the border of Cush, and her cities shall be a solitude forty years (Ezekiel 29:2-12).
This, too, is a description of the natural man deprived of all truth and good by conceit from knowledge and the consequent self-intelligence. Because "Pharaoh king of Egypt" signifies the knowledge of the natural man and self-intelligence therefrom, it is said, "Behold I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great whale that lieth in the midst of his rivers," "great whale" signifying the knowledge of the natural man in general, here false knowledge, and "river" signifying self-intelligence; "who saith, The river is mine, and I have made it myself," signifies intelligence from self and not from the Lord; thus the words involve the conceit of self-intelligence; "therefore I will put a hook in thy jaws" signifies false speaking, for which it will be chastised; "and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales" signifies the false knowledges of the lowest kind which are from the fallacies of the senses, "fish" meaning knowledges, and "scales" the fallacies of the senses, which are knowledges of the lowest kind.
[52] "And I will abandon in the wilderness thee and all the fish of thy rivers," signifies to be stripped of truths and of all knowledges from which is intelligence; "upon the faces of the field thou shalt fall, thou shalt not be gathered nor brought together," signifies a religious principle without coherence and that cannot be re-established; "I have given thee for food to the wild beast of the land and to the bird of heaven" signifies to be consumed by the affections and thoughts of falsity; "that all the inhabitants of Egypt may know that I am Jehovah" signifies that it may be known and believed that all truth and good, even in the natural man, are from the Lord; "because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel" signifies confidence in the knowledges of the sensual man, which are fallacies with men of the church (that "a staff of reed" signifies such confidence, see above, n. 627; "when they laid hold of thee by the hand thou wast broken, and didst pierce every shoulder for them" signifies that through faith in these all the power of truth is destroyed; "and when they leaned upon thee thou wast broken, and didst make all their loins to be at a stand," signifies that through confidence in these the faculty to receive the good of love is destroyed.
[53] "Behold I will bring against thee the sword, and I will cut off from thee man and beast," signifies that falsity will destroy all the understanding of truth and the affection of good in the natural man; "that the land of Egypt may become a solitude and a waste" signifies that in consequence the natural man is without any truth and good; "because he hath said, The river is mine, and I made it," signifies because of the conceit of self-intelligence; "and I will give the land of Egypt unto desolation from the tower of Seveneh unto the border of Cush" signifies the destruction of the church from first things to last in the natural man; "her cities shall be a solitude forty years" signifies doctrinals from mere falsities until there is no truth left, "forty years" signifying the entire period of vastation of the church, and also the entire duration of temptations.
[54] In the second book of Kings:
Thou hast trusted thyself upon the staff of a bruised reed, upon Egypt, upon which if a man lean it entereth into his hand and pierceth it; so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him (2 Kings 18:21).
"Staff of a reed" and "to lean upon it" have a similar signification as just above. Therefore Egypt is called in David:
The wild beast of the reed, the congregation of the strong, which scattereth the peoples (Psalms 68:30).
"The wild beast of the reed" signifies the affection or cupidity of falsity from the knowledges [scientifica] of the sensual man, which are fallacies; these are called "the congregation of the strong," because they strongly persuade; and because these disperse the truths of the church it is said, "which scattereth the peoples."
[55] In Hosea:
Ephraim shall be like a silly dove, without heart. They have called Egypt, they have gone away to Assyria; woe unto them, for they have wandered away from Me; devastation to them, for they have transgressed against Me; their princes shall fall by the sword, for the indignation of their tongue; this is their derision in the land of Egypt (440; so "Ephraim shall be like a silly dove, without heart," signifies that now there will be no understanding, because there is no truth and no affection of truth and good; "they have called Egypt and have gone away to Assyria" signifies their confiding in the knowledges of the natural man and in reasonings therefrom, which deceive; "woe unto them, for they have wandered away from Me," signifies aversion from the truths which are from the Word; "devastation to them, for they have transgressed against Me," signifies the loss of all truth because of their falling away; "their princes shall fall by the sword" signifies that the leading truths will be destroyed by falsities; "for the indignation of their tongue; this is their derision in the land of Egypt," signifies the vituperation of doctrine by the natural man, and contempt for it.
[56] In the same:
Israel, thou hast gone a-whoring from thy God; they shall not dwell in the land of Jehovah, and Ephraim shall return unto Egypt, and they shall eat what is unclean in Assyria; lo, they are gone away because of devastation; Egypt shall gather them together, Moph shall bury them; as to the desirable things of their silver the thistle shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tents (Hosea 9:1, 3, 6).
The whole of this chapter treats of the understanding of the Word destroyed, which is here signified by "Ephraim." "Israel gone a-whoring from his God" signifies the truth of the Word falsified; "they shall not dwell in the land of Jehovah" signifies that they shall have no life of good, like that in heaven; "and Ephraim shall return unto Egypt" signifies the understanding of truth destroyed, whence they become natural; "and they shall eat what is unclean in Assyria" signifies the rational swarming with falsities of evil; "lo, they are gone away because of devastation," signifies a turning away from the Lord through the falsification of truth; "Egypt shall gather them together," signifies that they have become merely natural; "Moph shall bury them" signifies spiritual death through the application of the truths of the sense of the letter of the Word to the falsities of evil; "the desirable things of their silver" signify the knowledges of truth; "the thistle shall possess them" signifies that evil shall pervert them; "thorns shall be in their tents" signifies the falsity of evil in worship.
[57] In the same:
Israel shall not return to Egypt, the Assyrian he is their 2king (Hosea 11:5).
"Israel shall not return to Egypt" signifies that when the man of the church has become spiritual he must not become natural; "the Assyrian he is their king" signifies that reasonings from falsities will then rule. The man of the church from being spiritual becomes natural when he separates faith from charity, that is, believes the Word but does not live according to its commands; so also when he claims to himself intelligence and does not attribute it to the Lord; from this is the conceit whereby man becomes natural. For man is first natural, afterwards he becomes rational, and lastly spiritual. When man is natural he is in Egypt, when he becomes rational, he is in Assyria, and when he becomes spiritual he is in the land of Canaan, thus in the church.
[58] In the same:
Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind; every day he multiplieth falsehood and devastation; and they make a covenant with the Assyrian, and oil is conveyed down into Egypt (419.)
[59] In Isaiah:
Woe to the refractory sons, that make counsel but not of Me, and that make a molten image but not by My spirit, that they may add sin to sin; that go to descend into Egypt, but have not asked at My mouth; and to confide in the shadow of Egypt. Therefore the strength of Pharaoh shall become to you a shame, and confidence in the shadow of Egypt a confusion (Isaiah 30:1-3).
"Woe to the refractory" signifies lamentation over the damnation of those who turn themselves away; "that make counsel but not of Me" signifies thoughts and conclusions respecting the things of heaven from self and not from the Lord; and "that make a molten image, but not by My spirit," signifies worship from infernal falsity and not from Divine truth; "that go to descend into Egypt, but have not asked at My mouth," signifies from the selfhood [proprium] of the natural man, and not from the Word; "and to confide in the shadow of Egypt" signifies confiding and having faith in such things as are suggested by the natural man, which has no heavenly light. "Therefore the strength of Pharaoh shall become a shame, and confidence in the shadow of Egypt a confusion," signifies no ability to resist evils from self-intelligence, nor from the knowledge [scientia] of the natural man, "shame and confusion" signifying the state of such, when they are reputed vile because of evils.
[60] In Jeremiah:
Thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, at the time when He led thee in the way. What hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor; and what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? Why goest thou off actively to change thy way? Thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt also as thou wast ashamed of Assyria (Jeremiah 2:17, 18, 36).
This, too, treats of the man of the church who by the falsities of doctrine and the evils of life therefrom becomes external and merely natural. "Thou hast forsaken Jehovah at the time when He led thee in the way" signifies a turning away from being reformed by the Lord by means of truths that lead; "what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor?" signifies instruction solely from the natural man, from which there are mere falsities; "what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?" signifies reasonings from the natural man from which are the falsities of faith; "why goest thou off actively to change thy way?" signifies strong opposition to being so reformed as to become spiritual; "thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt also as thou wast ashamed of Assyria" signifies that it is a perverse and vile state to be led by the natural man and by reasonings therefrom, because this is to be led by falsities and evils from the selfhood [proprium].
[61] In Lamentation:
Our inheritance has been turned away unto strangers, our houses unto aliens. We have drunken our waters for silver; our wood cometh for a price. We have given the hand to Egypt, to Assyria, that we may be satisfied with bread. Servants rule over us, there is no one to set us free from their hands (Lamentations 5:2, 4, 6, 8).
"Our inheritance has been turned away unto strangers" signifies the truths of the church converted into falsities; "our houses unto aliens" signifies the goods of the church turned into evils; "we have drunken our waters for silver" signifies instruction only from ourselves, which is the source of mere falsities; "our wood cometh for a price" signifies instruction only from ourselves, which is the source of mere evils. Because man is instructed and reformed freely by the Lord, that is, "without silver and without price" (Isaiah 55:1), therefore to drink "for silver" and to procure wood and gain warmth "for a price," signifies solely from ourselves; and as to be instructed solely from ourselves is to be instructed by the natural man and its knowledges [scientifica] and conclusions therefrom, therefore it is said "we have given the hand to Egypt, to Assyria, that we may be satisfied with bread," "Egypt" signifying the natural man, which is the source of falsities, and "Assyria" the natural man reasoning from falsities, whence are evils; and as the things belonging to the natural man are relatively things of service, since the natural man was created to serve the spiritual, therefore when the natural rules over the spiritual, servants have dominion, and this is what is meant by "servants rule over us, there is no one to set us free from their hands.
[62] In Jeremiah:
If ye say, We will not dwell in this land, saying, No, but we will come into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, and shall not hear the sound of the trumpet and shall not hunger for bread, and there will we dwell. But if ye set your faces to enter into Egypt, and come to sojourn there, it shall be that the sword which ye fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and there ye shall die; and it shall be with all the men who set their faces to come into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, none of them shall be a residue nor escape; and ye shall be for a curse, an astonishment, and an execration and a reproach, and ye shall see this place no more (Jeremiah 42:13-18 et seq.).
We frequently read, in both the historical and the prophetical parts of the Word, that the Israelitish people burned with a desire to return into Egypt, and that this was forbidden them, and they were threatened with plagues and punishments if they did so; but the reason for this has heretofore been known to no one. The reason was that the sons of Israel were to represent a church from its first rise to its end; and the church is first formed with man by knowledges and cognitions in the natural man, for by these the natural man is first cultivated; for every man is born natural, therefore the natural must first be cultivated in order that it may finally serve as a basis for man's intelligence and wisdom. Afterwards by means of knowledges and cognitions which are implanted in the natural man, an intellectual is formed, that man may become rational. But in order that a man from being rational may become spiritual he must needs endure temptations, for by these the rational is so subdued, as not to call forth from the natural such things as favor the lusts, and destroy the rational. Finally when man has in this way been made rational he then is made spiritual, for the rational is the medium between the spiritual and the natural, consequently the spiritual flows into the rational, and through this into the natural.
[63] In a word, a man must first enrich the memory with knowledges [scientiae], afterwards by these his understanding must be cultivated, and finally the will. The memory belongs to the natural man, the understanding to the rational, and the will to the spiritual. This is the way of man's reformation and regeneration. This is why the sons of Israel were first led into Egypt, afterwards into the wilderness to undergo temptations, and finally into the land of Canaan, for as has been said, they were to represent the church from its first rise to its last end. Their abiding and sojourning in Egypt represented the instruction of the natural man; their wanderings forty years in the wilderness represented the temptations by which the rational man is formed; and the land of Canaan, into which they were finally brought, represented the church, which regarded in itself is spiritual.
[64] But they who are not willing to be reformed and regenerated stop at the first stage, and remain natural; and this is why the sons of Israel, who were not willing, so often desired to return to Egypt (which desire of theirs is frequently mentioned in the book of Exodus); for they were natural, and were scarcely capable of becoming spiritual, and yet they were to represent those things that belong to the spiritual church; for this reason they were led into Egypt, and afterwards into the wilderness, and finally into the land of Canaan, thus representing the rise, progress, and final establishment of the church with man. This makes clear why the sons of Israel were so strongly forbidden to return into Egypt; for by so doing they would have represented that from being spiritual men they had become natural, and when a spiritual man becomes natural he no longer sees any truths and does not perceive any goods, but falls into falsities and evils of every kind.
[65] But to return to the explanation of the above words. "If ye say, We will not dwell in this land, saying, No, but we will go into the land of Egypt," signifies the aversion from a spiritual state, in which they are who are of the church, and a longing for a natural state and for the things that pertain to the natural man; "where we shall see no war and shall not hear the sound of the trumpet, and shall not hunger for bread," signifies that there will then be no infestation from falsities and evils, and no temptations, "war" signifying infestation and combat by falsities and evils, and "not to hunger for bread" signifying not to desire good, which is the state of those who are in falsities and evils, and thus of those who are merely natural; such are not infested by evils and falsities because they are in them, and know nothing about truths and goods; "and there will we dwell" signifies a natural life.
[66] "But if ye set your faces to enter into Egypt, and come to sojourn there," signifies if from their love they long for a natural life; "it shall be that the sword which ye fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt" signifies falsities destroying truths, "and the famine whereof ye were afraid shall cleave to you there in Egypt" signifies a lack of the knowledges of truth and good; "and there shall ye die" signifies the consequent desolation of the church and damnation; "and all the men who set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence," signifies the like as before, "pestilence" signifying the vastation of all good and truth; "none of them shall be a residue or escape" signifies that nothing whatever of truth and good will survive; "and ye shall be for a curse, an astonishment, an execration, and a reproach," signifies all things belonging to damnation; "and ye shall see this place no more" signifies that nothing of the church shall be in them any longer.
[67] In Ezekiel:
There were two women, the daughters of one mother, who committed whoredom in Egypt; their names were Oholah the elder, which is Samaria, and Oholibah, which is Jerusalem. Oholah committed whoredom while subject to Me, and loved the Assyrians her neighbors, and bestowed her whoredoms upon the choice of all the sons of Asshur. Yet she forsook not her whoredoms from Egypt, for they lay with her in her youth. Therefore I gave her into the hand of her lovers, the sons of Asshur. They disclosed her nakedness, they took her sons and her daughters, and her they finally slew with the sword. Her sister Oholibah saw, and corrupted her love more than she, and her whoredoms above the whoredoms of her sister; she doted upon the sons of Asshur. For she increased her whoredoms, when indeed she saw men painted upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans painted with vermilion, all having the semblance of captains, the likeness of the sons of Babylon, of the Chaldeans. And the sons of Babylon came to her to the bed of loves, and they defiled her with their whoredom. She multiplied her whoredoms when she remembered the days of her youth, in which she committed whoredom in the land of Egypt. She doted upon their concubines, because their flesh was the flesh of asses, and their issue the issue of horses. Thus didst thou commend the crime of thy youth, when thou didst adorn thy breasts from Egypt. Therefore, Oholibah, I will stir up thy lovers against thee, the sons of Babylon, and all the Chaldeans, and all the Assyrians with them. They shall take thy sons and thy daughters, and thy posterity shall be devoured by fire. They shall strip thee of thy garments, and shall take away the jewels of thine adorning. Thus will I make thy crime to cease from thee, and thy whoredom from the land of Egypt, that thou lift not up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt anymore. Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and grief, with the cup of wasting and desolation (Ezekiel 23:2-33, and further to the end).
To make clear that "Egypt" signifies the natural man, here the natural separated from the spiritual, and "Asshur" the rational, here reasoning from things belonging to the natural man, I will give a summary explanation of the above. "There were two women, the daughters of one mother, who committed whoredom in Egypt," signifies the falsifications of truth and good, and as the sons of Jacob were merely natural men, they imbibed "the idolatries of the Egyptians," which signifies that they falsified all the truths of the church; "their names were Oholah the elder, which is Samaria, and Oholibah which is Jerusalem," signifies both the spiritual and the celestial church, which were represented by the posterity of Jacob, the Israelites who were in Samaria representing the spiritual church, and the Jews in Jerusalem the celestial church, both from the same mother, which is Divine truth.
[68] "Oholah committed whoredom while subject to Me" signifies the falsification of Divine truth which is in the Word; "and loved the Assyrians her neighbors, and bestowed her whoredoms upon the choice of all the sons of Asshur," signifies confirmations by many reasonings; "yet she left not her whoredoms from Egypt, for they lay with her in her youth," signifies that they still followed after their idolatries; "therefore I gave her into the hand of her lovers, the sons of Asshur," signifies reasonings confirming idolatries; "they disclosed her nakedness, they took her sons and her daughters, and her they finally slew with the sword," signifies the deprivation of all truth and good and the consequent extinction of the church with them, "nakedness" meaning deprivation, "sons and daughters" truths and goods, and "Oholah" 2the church; "her sister Oholibah saw, and corrupted her love more than she, and her whoredoms above the whoredoms of her sister," signifies the devastation of the celestial church represented by the Jewish nation in Jerusalem, which is said "to have corrupted her love more than her sister," when it perverted and adulterated the goods of the Word, and thence of doctrine; for it is a greater sin to corrupt or pervert the goods of the church than its truths.
[69] "She doted upon the sons of Asshur" signifies that this was done by reasonings against truths and goods; "she increased her whoredoms, when she saw men painted upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans painted with vermilion" signifies fancies from the fallacies of the senses, which are of the sensual man, and arguings therefrom, from which are falsifications; "all having the semblance of captains, the likeness of the sons of Babylon, of the Chaldeans" signifies the appearance that they are pre-eminent truths, to be preferred above the others; "and the sons of Babylon came to her, and they defiled her with their whoredom" signifies the conjunction with the falsities of evil from the love of self; "she multiplied her whoredoms when she remembered the days of her youth, in which she committed whoredom in the land of Egypt," signifies the confirmation of their idolatries and of the falsities of evil which have been imbibed from the natural man, and thus increase of their falsifications; "she doted upon their concubines, because their flesh was the flesh of asses, and their issue the issue of horses," signifies the cupidities of love for these, because from their voluntary selfhood, and thence from their intellectual selfhood, "the flesh of asses" meaning the voluntary selfhood, and the "issue of horses" the intellectual selfhood therefrom which pervert all things.
[70] "Thus didst thou favor the crime of thy youth, when thou didst adorn thy breasts from Egypt," signifies the love of falsity implanted from the earliest age, and enjoyment therefrom; "therefore, Oholibah, I will stir up thy lovers against thee, the sons of Babylon, and all the Chaldeans, and the Assyrians with them," signifies the destruction of the church by evils from the love of self, and by falsities from the conceit of self-intelligence, in which there is a deadly hatred against the goods and truths of doctrine. "They shall take thy sons and thy daughters" signifies the truths and goods of the church, which they will destroy; "and thy posterity shall be devoured by fire" signifies that the remaining things therefrom will perish through earthly loves; "they shall strip thee of thy garments, and shall take away the jewels of thine adorning" signifies the deprivation of all intelligence and knowledge [scientia], which are the glory of the church; "thus will I make thy crime to cease from thee, and thy whoredom from the land of Egypt," signifies that thus truths can no longer be falsified; "that thou lift not up thine eyes upon them, nor remember Egypt anymore," signifies when there is no longer any understanding of truth or knowledge [scientia] of truth; "thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and grief" signifies insanity in things spiritual, and aversion to them; "with the cup of wasting and desolation" signifies the falsities of evil which wholly devastate and desolate all the goods and truths of the church.
[71] In the same:
Thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt thy neighbors, great of flesh, and hast multiplied thy whoredom; and thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Asshur, and there was no satiety to thee. And thou hast multiplied thy whoredom even to Chaldea, the land of thy traffic, and even then wast thou not satisfied (Ezekiel 16:26, 28, 29).
This is said of the abominations of Jerusalem, which signifies the church in respect to doctrine; and "whoredoms" signify the falsifications of the truth of doctrine and of the Word; therefore "thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Egypt thy neighbors, great of flesh," signifies falsifications by the natural man, in which are all evils and falsities, "flesh" signifying what is man's own [proprium], which has its seat in the natural man, and in itself is nothing but evil and falsity therefrom; "and thou hast committed whoredom with the sons of Asshur" signifies falsifications by means of reasonings; "and there was no satiety to thee" signifies the cupidity for falsifying truths without limit; "and thou hast multiplied thy whoredoms even to Chaldea, the land of thy traffic," signifies the falsifications from the sensual man, where are mere fallacies, from which man wholly rejects and denies truths, and even blasphemes them; "the land of traffic" signifies where all falsities are procured, and the sensual is the fountain of all evils and all falsities therefrom. Moreover, man is born at first sensual, afterwards he becomes natural, then rational, and at length spiritual, and he who falsifies the truths of the church becomes again natural, and at length sensual. "And yet thou wast not satisfied" signifies an immense cupidity for destroying the truths of the church.
[72] In Joel:
Egypt shall be a waste, and Edom a waste wilderness, because of the violence to the sons of Judah, whose innocent blood they have shed in their land (Joel 3:19).
"Egypt shall be a waste" signifies that the natural man will be without truths, and thus in mere falsities; "and Edom a waste wilderness" signifies that the natural man will be without goods and thence in mere evils; "because of the violence to the sons of Judah, whose innocent blood they have shed," signifies because they have offered violence to the truths and goods of the Word, which they have perverted.
[73] Like things are involved in the wars between the sons of Israel and the Egyptians; also in the wars between the sons of Israel and the Assyrians; as also between the Assyrians and Egyptians, as in 2 Kings 23:29-37 to the end ; 24; Isaiah 10:3-5; and also in the first book of Kings:
That under king Rehoboam the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took the treasures of the house of Jehovah and the treasures of the house of the king; and took the shields which Solomon had made, and many other things (1 Kings 14:25, 26).
For in all the historical parts of the Word, as well as in its prophetical parts, there is a spiritual sense; since all the historical occurrences in the Word are representative of spiritual and celestial things that belong to heaven and the church, and the words there are significative; thus that "the king of Egypt took the treasures of the house of Jehovah and of the house of the king" and the rest, represented the devastation of the church in respect to the cognitions of good and truth through knowledges [scientifica] wrongly applied, which are in the natural man.
[74] What the quality of the natural man is when it is subject to the spiritual, and what it is when it is separated from it, is fully described in Exodus in the internal sense. What the quality of the natural man is when it is subject to the spiritual and thus conjoined to it, is described in the story of Joseph, and of the sons of Israel called thither by Joseph and their dwelling in the land of Goshen, which was the best of the lands of Egypt. The story of Joseph describes the dominion of the Lord over the natural man, for "Joseph" means in the spiritual sense the Lord, and "Egypt" the natural man, and "the sons of Israel" the spiritual man. But afterwards what the quality of the natural man is when separated from the spiritual is described by Pharaoh's making the sons of Israel to serve grievously; and its subsequent vastation in respect to all the truths and goods of the church is described by the miracles wrought in Egypt, which were so many plagues; and its final destruction is described by the drowning of Pharaoh and all his host in the Sea Suph.
[75] The miracles by which the vastation of the natural man separated from the spiritual is described in the spiritual sense, were these:
The staff of Aaron was turned into a serpent; the waters in the river were turned into blood, so that the fish died, and the river stank (Exodus 7:12);
From the rivers and pools frogs were brought up upon the land of Egypt; the dust of the earth was turned into lice; swarms of noxious flying insects were sent into the house of Pharaoh, of his servants, and into all the land of Egypt (Exodus 8:1-11);
Locusts were sent upon the land, which devoured the herb and all the fruit of the tree; a thick darkness came over all the land of Egypt (Exodus 9);
Boils broke forth with blains upon man and upon beast; a rain of grievous hail mingled with fire rained upon the land of Egypt (Exodus 10);
All the firstborn in the land of Egypt died (Exodus 11);
Finally when the sons of Israel had borrowed of them and thus spoiled them of their vessels of gold and silver, and raiment (which signify the knowledges of good and truth) (Exodus 12:35, 36);
The Egyptians were drowned in the Sea Suph, which signifies hell (Exodus 14:28).
All this describes how the natural man is vastated, which takes place when he casts away from himself all the truths and goods of the church, and imbibes falsities and evils, until there is no longer any truth or good of the church remaining. (But all these things as to the spiritual sense may be seen explained at length in the Arcana Coelestia, where Exodus is unfolded.) From this it can be seen what is signified by:
The plagues and diseases of Egypt (Deuteronomy 7:15; 28:60);
Also what by:
Being drowned by the river of Egypt (Amos 8:8; 9:5).
Also why it is that Egypt is called:
A land of bondage (Micah 6:4);
Likewise the land of Ham (Psalms 105:23);
And a furnace of iron (Deuteronomy 4:20; 1 Kings 8:51).
All this has reference to Egypt, from which it manifestly appears that "Egypt" signifies the natural man in both senses.
Footnotes:
1. The Hebrew has "in," as found in 405 and Arcana Coelestia 2588.
2. The Hebrew has "the king thereof," as found in Arcana Coelestia 2799.
654. Quod "Aegyptus" hic significet naturalem hominem separatum a spirituali, et inde falsa profluentia ex malis amoris sui, proinde ex fastu propriae intelligentiae, nunc dicetur: cum enim naturale hominis separatur a spirituali ejus, quod fit imprimis ex amore sui, tunc ex malis illius amoris profluunt falsa; nam omne falsum est ex malo, falsum enim est patrocinium mali, ac malum voluntatis formatur in intellectu per ideas cogitationis, quae ideae vocantur falsa: et quia falsa profluentia ex malis amoris sui, fastum secum habent, homo enim tunc cogitat ex proprio, ideo etiam per "Aegyptum" hic significatur fastus propriae intelligentiae.
[2] Sed quoniam per "Aegyptum" significatur naturalis homo in utroque sensu, nempe, tam conjunctus cum spirituali homine quam separatus ab illo, ita in sensu bono et in sensu malo, ideo per "Aegyptum" quoque significantur varia quae sunt naturalis hominis, quae in genere se referunt ad cognitiones et scientifica; nam vera et falsa naturalis hominis vocantur cognitiones et scientifica; ipsa autem vera, quando vitam adepta sunt, quod fit per vitam fidei quae est charitas, sunt spiritualis ejus hominis: haec, cum illorum affectionibus et amoenitatibus, non apparent ad manifestum hominis sensum et visum, sicut cognitiones et scientifica naturalis hominis, ex causa quia homo, quamdiu vivit in mundo, naturaliter cogitat et naturaliter loquitur, et hoc sentitur et percipitur ab illo quodam visu, qui est intellectus ejus: at spiritualis ejus cogitatio, quae conjuncta est cum affectione veri, aut falsi, non apparet priusquam homo exuit corpus naturale, et induit corpus spirituale, quod fit post obitum seu decessum ex hoc mundo, et ingressum in mundum spiritualem; tunc spiritualiter cogitat et spiritualiter loquitur, et non ut prius naturaliter. Hoc fit apud unumquemvis hominem, sive sit mere naturalis sive sit simul spiritualis; et cogitatio apud mere naturalem hominem post mortem usque est spiritualis, sed crassa absque intelligentia veri et affectione boni; nam consistit ex ideis correspondentibus, quae quidem apparent sicut materiales, sed usque non sunt materiales: sed de spirituali cogitatione et inde loquela etiam mere naturalium hominum in mundo spirituali, alibi, volente Domino, plura dicentur.
[3] Quod per "Aegyptum" in Verbo significetur naturalis homo in utroque sensu, bono et malo, consequenter omne id quod proprie est naturalis hominis, erat causa quia in Aegypto excolebantur scientiae, imprimis scientia correspondentiarum et repraesentationum, tempore quando ecclesiae fuerunt repraesentativae: sed quia secundum correspondentias sibi fecerunt simulacra, quae, dum ab internis facti sunt prorsus externi, ritu sancto inceperunt colere, unde facta sunt illis idola, quare verterunt repraesentativa spiritualium et caelestium in idololatrica, et quoque in magica, inde est quod per "Aegyptum" in Verbo in sensu malo, qui est priori oppositus, significetur scientificum falsum naturalis hominis, et quoque idololatricum et magicum.
[4] Quod talia per "Aegyptum" significentur, constare potest ex perpluribus locis in Verbo: sed antequam accedimus ad confirmandum illud ex Verbo, scire debemus quod apud unumquemvis hominem sit internum quod ex luce caeli videt, quod internum vocatur homo internus spiritualis, seu mens interna spiritualis, et externum quod ex luce mundi videt, quod externum vocatur homo externus naturalis, seu mens externa naturalis: apud omnem hominem ecclesiae erit internum conjunctum externo, seu internus spiritualis homo conjunctus externo naturali homini; et quando conjuncti sunt, tunc spiritualis homo, quia in luce caeli est, dominatur super naturalem hominem qui in luce mundi est, ac regit eum sicut herus famulum, ac docet sicut magister discipulum; ex illa conjunctione homo est homo ecclesiae et est angelus. At vero quando naturalis homo non conjunctus est cum spirituali et ei subordinatus, quod fit imprimis quando spiritualis homo occlusus est, (et occlusus est apud illos qui negant Divina Verbi et ecclesiae, tunc enim nihil vident ex luce caeli, ) tunc naturalis homo in caecitate quoad spiritualia est, et per rationale suum pervertit omnia vera ecclesiae, et per ideas apud se vertit illa in falsa. De hac re, nempe, de conjunctione spiritualis hominis cum naturali, et de separatione naturalis hominis a spirituali, multis agitur in Verbo, imprimis ubi de Aegypto;
[5] quoniam per "Aegyptum" significatur naturalis homo, tam conjunctus cum spirituali homine quam separatus ab illo; et ubi agitur de naturali homine separato a spirituali, Aegyptus vituperatur et rejicitur. Et quia per "Aegyptum" in lato sensu significatur naturalis homo, ideo per "Aegyptum" etiam significatur scientificum verum et scientificum falsum; nam vera et falsa, quae in naturali homine sunt, vocantur scientifica: et quia scientifica vera et falsa significantur per "Aegyptum", etiam per illam significatur fides, quoniam fides est veri ac verum est fidei; unde fides conjuncta charitati etiam significatur per "Aegyptum" in bono sensu, at fides separata a charitate in malo sensu: nam fides conjuncta charitati est dum spiritualis homo conjunctus est naturali, et tunc per "Aegyptum" significantur scientifica vera; at fides separata a charitate est dum naturalis homo separatus est a spirituali, et tunc per "Aegyptum" significatur scientificum falsum: quando enim naturalis homo separatus est a spirituali homine, tunc homini nulla vera sunt; et si vera haurit ex Verbo seu ex doctrina ecclesiae, usque per ideas cogitationis suae falsificat illa; inde apud hominem ecclesiae talem omne verum fit falsum.
[6] Haec de significatione Aegypti in Verbo: quare primum ex Verbo demonstrandum est quod per "Aegyptum" significatur naturalis homo conjunctus spirituali, seu scientificum vivificatum per influxum lucis spiritualis; seu quod simile, fides conjuncta charitati, quae in se est fides: et postea demonstrabitur quod per "Aegyptum" in opposito sensu significetur naturalis homo separatus a spirituali, seu scientificum non vivificatum per aliquem influxum vitae spiritualis; seu quod simile, fides separata a charitate, quae in se non est fides.
Quod per "Aegyptum" significetur naturalis homo conjunctus spirituali, tum scientificum vivificatum per influxum lucis spiritualis, quod in se est verum scientificum seu verum naturalis hominis, et quod simile, fides conjuncta charitati, quae in se est fides, constat ex sequentibus his locis:
[7] - Apud Esaiam,
"In die illo erunt quinque urbes in terra Aegypti loquentes labia Canaanis, et jurantes Jehovae Zebaoth; urbs Cheres dicetur unaquaevis. In die illo erit altare Jehovae in medio terrae Aegypti, et statua apud terminum ejus Jehovae. .... Clamabunt ad Jehovam propter oppressiones, qui mittet illis Servatorem et Principem.... : tunc notus fiet Jehovah Aegypto, et cognoscent Aegyptii Jehovam in die illo, et facient sacrificium et mincham. .... Sic percutiet Jehovah Aegyptum percutiendo et sanando; unde convertent se ad Jehovam, qui exorabitur illis, et sanabit illos. In die illo erit semita ex Aegypto in Aschurem, ut veniat Aschur in Aegyptum, et Aegyptus in Aschurem, et servient Aegyptii cum Aschure: in die illo erit Israel trina Aegypto et Aschuri, benedictio in medio terrae, cui benedicet Jehovah Zebaoth, dicendo, Benedictus populus meus Aegyptus, et opus manuum mearum Aschur, et hereditas mea Israel" (19:18-25):
hic "Aegyptus" pro naturali homine conjuncto spirituali, ita pro gentibus et populis qui extra ecclesiam fuerunt: et quia non in veris, naturales homines fuerunt; sed cum audiverunt Evangelium agnoverunt Dominum, et inde instructi in veris doctrinae fidem receperunt. Adventus Domini intelligitur per "In die illo", quod quinquies ibi dicitur. "In die illo erunt quinque urbes in terra Aegypti loquentes labia Canaanis" significat quod apud illos erunt plura doctrinalia secundum vera doctrinae ipsius ecclesiae; "quinque" significant plura, "urbes" doctrinalia "terra Aegypti" ecclesiam gentium talium, "labia Canaanis" vera doctrinae ecclesiae: "urbs Cheres dicetur unaquaevis" significat doctrinam boni charitatis in singulis; "urbs" est doctrina, et "Cheres", quae in lingua Hebraea significat solem et ejus jubar, est bonum charitatis et inde fides:
[8] "in die illo erit altare Jehovae in medio terrae Aegypti, et statua apud terminum ejus Jehovae", significat quod tunc cultus Domini ex bonis charitatis et inde veris fidei, in omnibus quae sunt naturalis hominis; per "altare Jehovae" significatur cultus ex bono charitatis, et per "Statuam" cultus ex veris fidei, per "in medio terrae Aegypti" significatur ubique et in omnibus naturalis hominis, et per "terminum" verum scientificum:
[9] "clamabunt ad Jehovam propter oppressiones, qui mittet illis Servatorem et Principem", significat dolorem illorum propter defectum veri et inde boni spiritualis, et adventum Domini a quo illa recepturi; "clamare" significat dolorem, "oppressiones" significant defectum veri et inde boni spiritualis, ac "Servator et Princeps" significant Dominum, qui "Servator" seu "Salvator" dicitur ex bono amoris, ac "Princeps" ex veris fidei: "tunc notus fiet Jehovah Aegypto, et cognoscent Aegyptii Jehovam in die illo", significat agnitionem Domini ac Divini Ipsius: "et facient sacrificium et mincham" significat cultum Domini secundum praecepta Ipsius ex Verbo, ita ex veris doctrinae et bono amoris: "sic percutiet Jehovah Aegyptum percutiendo et sanando, unde convertent se ad Jehovam, et exorabitur illis, et sanabit illos", significat tentationes, et sic conversionem, ac sanationem a falsis per vera:
[10] "in die illo erit semita ex Aegypto in Aschurem, ut veniat Aschur in Aegyptum et Aegyptus in Aschurem", significat quod tunc illis aperietur rationale per vera scientifica, ut homo scientifica quae sunt naturalis hominis rationaliter et sic intelligenter intueatur; "Aegyptus" est scientificum naturalis hominis, et "Aschur" est rationale: "in die illo Israel erit trina Aegypto et Aschuri, benedictio in medio terrae", significat influxum in utrumque ex spirituali luce; "Israel" est spiritualis homo cui lux est e caelo, "Aegyptus" est naturalis homo cui lux est e mundo, et "Aschur" est rationalis homo qui est medius, ac lucem recipit ex spirituali, et transmittit in naturalem, et illustrat illum: "cui benedicet Jehovah" significat influxum a Domino; "dicendo, Benedictus populus meus Aegyptus", significat naturalem hominem illustratum; "et opus manuum mearum Aschur", significat rationalem hominem non a se sed a Domino; "et hereditas mea Israel", significat spiritualem hominem, qui "hereditas" vocatur quia omne spirituale est Domini, est enim Divinum procedens Ipsius, ex quo caelum et ecclesia. Quis illa prophetica absque sensu spirituali intellecturus esset
[11] Apud Micham,
"Dies hic quo usque ad Te venient ab Aschure et urbibus Aegypti, et inde ab Aegypto usque ad fluvium, et a mari ad mare, et a monte ad montem" (7:12):
haec etiam dicta sunt de instauratione ecclesiae a Domino apud gentes, et per illa verba describitur extensio ecclesiae illius ab uno fine ad alterum: unus finis terrae Canaanis fuit fluvius Euphrates, et alter fuit fluvius Aegypti; extensio veri ab uno fine ad alterum significatur per "a mari ad mare", et extensio boni ab uno fine ad alterum per "a monte ad montem."
[12] Quod extensio terrae Canaanis, per quam significatur ecclesia, fuerit a fluvio Aegypti ad fluvium Assyriae (Euphratem), constat apud Mosen,
"Die hoc pepigit Jehovah foedus cum Abramo, dicendo, Semini tuo dabo terram hanc a fluvio Aegypti usque ad fluvium magnum, fluvium Euphratem" (Genesis 15:18);
et in Libro Primo Regum,
"Salomo fuit dominans in omnia regna a fluvio" Euphrate "ad terram Philisthaeorum, et usque ad terras Aegypti" (5:1 [B.A. 4:21]):
ecclesia enim, quae in se est spiritualis, terminatur in naturali homine, nempe in ejus rationali et scientifico; nam rationale est in naturali homine interiori, est enim ejus intellectus; similiter in eo est scientificum; ac nascitur rationale per scientifica, nam videt in his sua conclusa sicut in speculo, et confirmat se per illa, sed tamen ex spirituali; absque hoc non est homini rationale, nec scientificum verum, sed pro rationali est ratiocinatio, et pro scientifico vero est scientificum falsum; illa bina itaque faciunt terminos spiritualis ecclesiae, quae per "terram Canaanem" significatur.
[13] Apud Ezechielem,
"Fili hominis, dic ad Pharaonem regem Aegypti, et ad multitudinem ejus, Cui similis factus es in magnitudine tua? Ecce Aschur cedrus in Libano, pulchra ramo et silva umbrosa, et alta altitudine, et inter implexa fuit surculus ejus; aquae crescere fecerunt eam, abyssus altam fecit eam, ita ut cum fluviis suis irent circum plantam, et aquaeductus emiserit ad omnes arbores agri; unde alta facta est altitudo ejus, .... et longi facti rami ejus per aquas multas quas emisit: in ramis ejus nidificarunt omnes aves caelorum, et sub ramis ejus pepererunt omnis bestia agri, ac in umbra ejus habitarunt omnes gentes magnae: pulchra fuit magnitudine sua, longitudine ramorum suorum, nam fuit radix ejus apud aquas multas. Cedri non occultarunt eam in horto Dei, abietes non pares fuerunt ramis ejus; .... omnis arbor in horto Dei non par fuit illi in pulchritudine ejus; pulchram fecerunt eam per multitudinem ramorum ejus, et aemulatae sunt illi omnes arbores Eden, quae in horto Dei" (Ezech. 31:2-9 1
):
quoniam per "Pharaonem regem Aegypti" significatur intellectuale naturalis hominis, quod nascitur et formatur ex veris scientificis rationaliter visis, inde est quod ille hic dicatur "Aschur", per quem significatur rationale, et describitur per "cedrum" ac ejus altitudinem, et ramorum ejus longitudinem et multitudinem, et hoc quia "cedrus" in Verbo etiam significat rationale. (sed pleraque hic allata supra, n. 650 [d] , explicata sunt.) Quia tale est rationale quoad intellectualia, et tale inde naturale quoad vera scientifica, ideo dicitur quod "cedri non occultaverint illam in horto Dei", et quod "abietes non pares fuerint ramis ejus", et quod "omnis arbor in horto Dei non par fuerit illi in pulchritudine"; per "hortum Dei" significatur intelligentia quae est homini ecclesiae qui in genuinis veris; per "cedrum" significatur rationale ejus quod ex origine spirituali est; per "abietes" significatur perceptivum naturalis hominis; per "pulchritudinem" significatur affectio veri et inde intelligentia; quod "pulchram fecerint eam per multitudinem ramorum", significat abundantiam verorum scientificorum rationaliter perceptorum; quod "aemulatae sint illi omnes arbores Edenis in horto Dei", significat perceptiones veri ex bono caelesti, unde sapientia; "arbores" significant perceptiones ubi de caelesti homine agitur, et cognitiones ubi de spirituali; "Eden in horto Dei" significat sapientiam quae ex bono amoris; quod sit Pharao et Aegyptus, quae per "Aschurem" et "cedrum" hic intelligitur et describitur, constat quoque ex versu ultimo hujus capitis, ubi dicitur, "Hic est Pharao et omnis multitudo ejus." Quoniam omnis intelligentia et sapientia spiritualis hominis desinit in naturalem, et ibi conspicuam se reddit, ideo in loco supra allato comparatur Pharao rex Aegypti, per quem significatur intellectuale quod est in naturali homine natum et formatum ex veris scientificis, "cedro in horto Dei"; proinde terra Aegypti est quae intelligitur per "hortum Dei": similiter ut apud Mosen,
"Lothus sustulit oculos suos, et vidit omnem planitiem Jardenis, quod tota aquis abundaret sicut hortus Jehovae, sicut terra Aegypti, qua venitur Zoar" (Genesis 13:10).
[14] Naturalis homo quoad ejus intellectuale, sicut supra apud Ezechielem, etiam describitur a Sancheribo, praefecto regis Assyriae, sed per blasphemias, his verbis,
"Per manum legatorum tuorum ignominia affecisti Dominum, ac dixisti, Per multitudinem curruum meorum ego ascendi altitudinem montium, latera Libani, ubi exscindam altitudinem cedrorum ejus, electionem abietum ejus, et perveniam ad diversorium finis ejus, silvam arvi ejus: ego fodi et bibi aquas alienas, et exsiccabo vola gressuum meorum omnes fluvios Aegypti" (2 Regnum 19:23, 24):
per haec similia significantur quae in loco supra allato, nempe, rationalia hominum ecclesiae formata ex veris scientificis, et illustrata ex Divino spirituali; quae tamen rex Assyriae, per quem hic significatur rationale perversum, destruere voluit, nam Chiskiae regi Jehudae bellum intulit; verum quia blasphemavit illa, et minatus omnia ecclesiae a primo ad ultimum, quae apud hominem formatur ex spirituali in rationali et naturali ejus, destruere, ideo illa nocte percussa sunt ab angelo Jehovae "centum octoginta quinque millia" (vers. 35): per "multitudinem curruum regis Assyriae" ibi significantur falsa doctrinae; per "altitudinem montium, latera Libani", quae ascendere voluit, significantur omnia bona et vera ecclesiae, quae voluit destruere; per "altitudinem cedrorum et electionem abietum", quae voluit exscindere, significantur vera rationalia et naturalia quoad perceptionem; per "silvam arvi" significantur scientifica: per "fluvios Aegypti", quos vola gressuum exsiccaret, significatur 2
scientia naturalis hominis ex spirituali origine, quam per sensuale suum annihilaret et deleret; "vola gressuum regis Assyriae" est sensuale et inde ratiocinatio, quae est ex solis fallaciis; "fluvii Aegypti" sunt intelligentia naturalis hominis ex scientificis, quae ex origine spirituali sunt, quando applicantur ad confirmanda vera ecclesiae quae sunt spiritualia.
[15] Quoniam omnis homo apud quem ecclesia implantanda est, primum instruendus est in scientificis, (nam absque instructione naturalis hominis per scientifica, quae etiam sunt variae experientiae ex mundanis et consortiis, homo non potest rationalis fieri, et si non fit rationalis nec fieri potest spiritualis, nam rationale hominis conjungit se ab una parte cum spirituali, hoc est, cum caelo, et ab altera parte cum naturali, hoc est, cum mundo, ) et quia ecclesia instituenda fuit apud filios Israelis, ideo primum naturalis homo apud illos instruendus erat, quod erat in veris naturaliter et quoque scientifice intellectis. Hoc ut repraesentaretur et significaretur, factum est, ut Abraham, cujus posteri repraesentaturi erant ecclesiam, et ipse caput ejus,
Peregrinatus sit in Aegypto cum sua uxore, et ibi aliquantum commoratus (Genesis 12:10, seq.);
et dein,
Quod Jacobus cum filiis suis, qui tunc filii Israelis vocati sunt, ex mandato abiverint in Aegyptum, et habitaverint in Goschen, quae fuit optima terrarum Aegypti, ac ibi diu permanserint (Gen. 46, seq.);
et hoc propterea ut in veris primum scientifice et naturaliter instruerentur, antequam spiritualiter:
[16] quisque enim per vera scientifice et naturaliter intellecta comparat sibi rationale, in quod spirituale potest influere et operari; nam homo lucem caeli, quae est lux spiritualis, per rationale, quod est intellectus ejus, haurit, et per rationale illustratum a spirituali intuetur in cognitiones et scientifica, et ex illis eligit quae cum genuinis veris et bonis caeli et ecclesiae, quae sunt spiritualia, concordant, et rejicit quae discordant; ita homo fundat ecclesiam apud se: quare de Abrahamo et de Jacobo dicitur, quod propter famem in terra Canaane Aegyptum abirent ad peregrinandum ibi; quod "propter famem", erat quia "fames" significat defectum cognitionum veri et boni, et quoque desiderium ad illas; et "peregrinari" in Verbo significat instrui.
[17] Ex his patet quid intelligitur per haec apud Davidem,
"Vitem ex Aegypto proficisci fecisti, expulisti gentes, plantasti eam purgasti ante eam, et radicari fecisti radices ejus, ut impleverit terram; .... emisisti propagines ejus usque ad mare, et ad fluvium ramusculos ejus" (Psalms 80:9, 10 [, 12] [B.A. 8, 9, 11]):
per "vitem ex Aegypto" significatur ecclesia, quam filii Israelis repraesentarunt; per "expellere gentes" significatur mala naturalis hominis quae per vera expelluntur; per "plantare eam", purgare ante eam, et "radicari facere radices ejus", significatur instructio secundum ordinem; qui est ut cognitiones et scientifica imbuant, dein ut in deserto sint et tententur, et postea in terram Canaanem, hoc est, in ecclesiam, introducantur; illa in suo ordine significantur per "Plantasti eam, purgasti ante eam, radicari fecisti radices ejus, ut impleverit terram"; per "emittere propagines ejus usque ad mare" significatur incrementum intelligentiae et extensio usque ad ultima boni et veri ecclesiae; et per "emittere ramusculos usque ad fluvium" significatur ad rationale. (Quod per "fluvium", nempe Euphratem, significetur rationale, videatur supra, n. 569.)
[18] Apud Hoscheam,
"Cum puer Israel tunc dilexi eum, et ex Aegypto vocavi filium meum" (11:1):
per "Israelem" in sensu spirituali significatur ecclesia, et in supremo sensu Dominus, qui sicut est omne caeli ita est omne ecclesiae: et quia filii Israelis repraesentaturi erant ecclesiam, et secundum Divinum ordinem erat ut primum instruerentur in talibus quae inservitura erunt rationali et per hoc spirituali, ideo in Aegypto primum peregrinati sunt, et deinde in desertum acti, ut tentationes subirent et per illas domaretur naturalis homo; nam homo non rationalis fit nisi scientifica inania et falsa removentur, et sic expurgetur naturalis homo, quod imprimis fit per tentationes.
[19] Quoniam per "Israelem" in supremo sensu intelligitur Dominus, ideo etiam Ipse, dum infans, in Aegyptum delatus est, secundum haec apud Matthaeum,
"Angelus Domini apparuit in somnio Josepho, dicens, Experrectus assume Puerum, et fuge in Aegyptum, et estote ibi usque dum dixero; .... ille experrectus assumpsit Puerum et matrem Ipsius noctu, et concessit in Aegyptum, et erat ibi usque ad mortem Herodis: ut impleretur quod dictum est.... a Propheta, ..Ex Aegypto vocavi Filium meum" (2:13-15):
per haec etiam significabatur prima instructio Domini, nam Dominus sicut alius homo instructus est, sed ex Divino suo hausit omnia intelligentius et sapientius quam omnes alii: sed hic secessus in Aegyptum modo repraesentavit instructionem; nam sicut omnia repraesentativa Ecclesiae Israeliticae et Judaicae Ipsum spectabant, ideo etiam in Se repraesentavit et perfecit illa, ita enim implevit omnia Legis. Quippe repraesentativa erant ultima caeli et ecclesiae, et omnia priora, quae sunt rationalia, spiritualia et caelestia, in ultima intrant et in illis sunt, quare Dominus per illa in ultimis fuit; et quia in ultimis est omne robur, ideo ex primis per ultima subjugavit omnia inferna, et redegit in ordinem omnia in caelis. Inde erat quod tota vita Domini in mundo fuerit repraesentativa, usque etiam ad omnia illa quae apud Evangelistas memorantur de passione Ipsius, quae repraesentabant qualis tunc fuit ecclesia contra Divinum et contra bona et vera caeli et ecclesiae.
[20] Ex his constare potest quid intelligitur per "Aegyptum", ubi de ecclesia instauranda a Domino agitur, in sequentibus locis:
Apud Esaiam,
"Sic dixit Jehovah, Labor Aegypti et merces Cuschi et Sabaeorum, virorum longitudinis, apud Te praeteribunt, et Tibi erunt, post Te ibunt, in vinculis praeteribunt; ita ut erga Te incurvent se, erga Te orent; tantummodo in Te Deus, et praeterea non Deus" (45:14):
haec de Domino, de quo in toto illo capite agitur: per "laborem Aegypti" et per "mercedem Cuschi et Sabaeorum" significatur jucundum amoris naturalis ex acquisitione cognitionum veri et boni; ipsae cognitiones significantur per "Sabaeos", qui vocantur "viri longitudinis" ex bono, nam "longitudo" significat bonum et ejus quale, ac "latitudo" verum et ejus quale: quod accessuri ad ecclesiam, et Dominum agnituri et adoraturi, significatur per "Apud Te praeteribunt, Tibi erunt, erga Te incurvabunt se": quod naturalis homo apud illos serviturus spirituali et sic Domino, significatur per quod "in vinculis praeteribunt"; nam "in vinculis ire" dicuntur, apud quos coercentur cupiditates quae sunt naturalis hominis: quod agnituri quod solus Dominus sit Deus, intelligitur per quod "erga Ipsum orabunt, tantummodo in Ipso Deus, et praeterea non Deus."
[21] Apud Davidem,
"Venient pingues ex Aegypto, Cusch accelerabit manus suas Deo; regna terrae, cantate Deo, psallite Domino" (Psalms 68:32, 33 [B.A. 31, 32]):
per "pingues ex Aegypto" significantur gentes, qui in affectione sciendi vera, et per "Cuschum" significantur qui ex jucundo naturalis hominis hauriunt illa; quod per "Cuschum" illud significetur, constat ex aliis locis ubi nominatur; (Ut Genesis 2:13; Zephanias 3:5, 9, 10; Daniel 11:43): quod gentes recepturae vera et bona caeli et ecclesiae a Domino, significatur per quod "regna terrae canerent Deo, et psallerent Domino."
[22] Apud Hoscheam,
"Cum honore advenient sicut avis ex Aegypto, et sicut columba e terra Assyriae, et habitare faciam eos super domibus suis" (11:11);
haec quoque de Domino instauraturo ecclesiam apud gentes; "sicut avis ex Aegypto" dicitur, quia "avis" significat cogitationes ex veris scientificis; "et sicut columba e terra Assyriae" dicitur, quia "columba" significat bonum rationale ex spirituali, "Assyria" ipsum rationale; per "habitare facere super domibus suis" significantur interiora mentis formatae per vera ex bono, sic tuti ab infestatione a falsis mali.
[23] Apud Esaiam,
"Erit in die illo excutiet Jehovah de spica fluvii usque ad fluvium Aegypti; et vos colligemini alteri unus, filii Israelis: erit porro, in die illo clangetur buccina magna, et venient pereuntes in terra Aschuris, et expulsi 3
e terra Aegypti, et incurvabunt se Jehovae in monte sanctitatis in Hierosolyma" (27:12, 13):
"in die illo" significat adventum Domini: "de spica fluvii usque ad fluvium Aegypti", quam Jehovah excutiet, significat omne verum rationale et scientificum inserviturum spirituali; "spica" dicitur quia continens est frumenti, per quod significatur verum et bonum quod inservit spirituali homini pro nutritione: convocatio ad ecclesiam a Domino significatur per "In die illo clangetur buccina magna"; quod accessuri ad ecclesiam qui alioqui perituri essent per ratiocinia ex scientificis ad falsa confirmanda applicatis, significatur per "Venient pereuntes in terra Aschuris et expulsi 4
e terra Aegypti": quod adoraturi Dominum, et ex illis fiet ecclesia, significatur per quod "incurvabunt se Jehovae in monte sanctitatis in Hierosolyma"; "mons sanctitatis" significat ecclesiam quoad bonum vitae, et "Hierosolyma" ecclesiam quoad verum doctrinae: dicuntur quidem haec de filiis Israelis, qui captivi facti in Assyria et in Aegypto; sed per "filios Israelis", ibi et quoque alibi, intelliguntur gentes, a quibus ecclesia; et per "captivitatem eorum" in Assyria et in Aegypto significatur captivitas spiritualis, quae homini est ex falsis religionis.
[24] Apud Sachariam,
"Reducam eos e terra Aegypti, et ex Assyria congregabo eos, et ad terram Gileadis et Libanum adducam illos.... : transibit per mare angustiae, sed percutiet in mari fluctus; .... et dejicietur superbia Aschuris, et baculus Aegypti recedet" (10:10, 11):
etiam haec de restauratione ecclesiae a Domino: per "reducere e terra Aegypti", et "congregare ex Assyria", significantur similia quae mox supra apud Esaiam, quae explicata sunt; per "terram Gileadis" et per "Libanum" significantur bona et vera ecclesiae in naturali homine: per quod "transibit per mare angustiae, sed percutiet in mari fluctus, et dejicietur superbia Aschuris, et recedet baculus Aegypti", significatur qua dispergentur mala et falsa naturalis hominis, ac ratiocinia ex scientificis confirmantibus illa; "transire per mare angustiae" significat tentationes, "fluctus" significant falsa et mala, "superbia Aschuris" significat ratiocinia ex fastu propriae intelligentiae, ac "baculus Aegypti" scientificum confirmans.
[25] Apud Ezechielem,
"A fine quadraginta annorum congregabo Aegyptum ex populis, quo dispersi fuerunt, .... et reducam eos in terram Pathros, super terram negotiationis eorum, ut sint ibi regnum humile ut non exaltes te amplius super gentes; et diminuam eos ut non dominentur in gentibus" (29:13-16):
per "Aegyptum" hic significatur ecclesia apud illos qui in morali vita ex naturali lumine sunt; tentationes quas illi subituri, ne naturalis homo dominetur super spiritualem, significatur per "quadraginta annos"; scientifica per quae confirmarunt falsa, significantur per "Aegyptum" quam Jehovah "congregabit ex populis quo dispersi fuerunt" illustratio eorum per cognitiones veri, significatur per "Reducam eos super terram Pathros", quae "terra negotiationis eorum" vocatur ex cognitionibus quas sibi comparabunt, nam "negotiari" significat comparare et communicare cognitiones: ne scientifica naturalis hominis se efferant, et in elatione malefaciant veris et bonis ecclesiae et dominentur super illa, significatur per quod "erunt regnum humile, ut non exaltes te amplius super gentes, et diminuam eos ut non dominentur super gentes"; per "gentes in priori loco significantur vera ecclesiae, et per "gentes" in posteriori loco, bona ejus.
[26] Apud Sachariam,
"Omnis residuus ex omnibus gentibus venientibus contra Hierosolymam ascendent de anno in annum ad adorandum Regem Jehovam Zebaoth, et ad feriandum festum Tabernaculorum; ...qui non ascenderit, .... non super eos erit pluvia; et si familia Aegypti non ascenderit, nec venerit, neque cum illis, erit plaga qua percutiet Jehovah gentes" (14:16-18):
haec quoque de adventu Domini et de instauratione ecclesiae ab Ipso: per "Regem Jehovam Zebaoth", quem adoraturi, intelligitur Dominus; per "festum Tabernaculorum" significatur implantatio boni per vera; quod non influxus veri et boni a Domino sit illis qui non ad ecclesiam Ipsius accedunt, significatur per "Qui non ascenderit, non super eos erit pluvia"; qui in naturali lumine ex solis scientificis sunt, et non apud illos implantari bonum per vera potest, quod in omnis generis malis et falsis erunt, significatur per "Si familia Aegypti non ascenderit, erit plaga qua percutiet Jehovah gentes."
[27] Apud Esaiam,
"Ego Jehovah Deus tuus, Sanctus Israelis, Salvator tuus, dedi expiationem tui Aegyptum, Cusch et Sebam loco tui, .... dabo hominem loco tui, et populum pro anima tua" (43:3, 4):
haec quoque de Domino, et de redemptione illorum qui agnoscunt Ipsum, et ex affectione recipiunt vera ab Ipso; redemptio significatur per "expiationem", perque "loco tui" et "pro anima tua"; affectio naturalis sciendi vera ex affectione spirituali, significatur per "Aegyptum, Cusch et Sebam"; intelligentia eorum inde, significatur per "hominem", et ecclesia ex illis per "populum."
[28] Quoniam per "Aegyptum" significatur naturalis homo, et omnis intelligentia spiritualis hominis finitur et fundatur in naturali homine, inque ejus cognitionibus et scientificis, quare homo absque illis non est intelligens et sapiens, et ne quidem rationalis, nam spiritualis homo unum aget cum naturali homine sicut causa cum effectu, et unum agit per correspondentias, inde est quod antiquis temporibus, quando ecclesia repraesentativa etiam in Aegypto fuit,
Rex Aegypti seu Pharao dictus sit "filius sapientum", et "filius regum antiquitatis" (Esaias 19:11):
Ac Aegyptus, "angularis lapis tribuum" (vers. 13);
per "tribus" enim significantur omnia vera et bona ecclesiae in complexu, et per "angularem lapidem" significatur fundamentum eorum.
[29] Ideo quoque dicitur de Salomone, per quem repraesentatus est Dominus quoad regnum caeleste et quoad regnum spirituale,
Quod sapientia illius fuerit "prae sapientia omnium filiorum orientis, et prae omni sapientia Aegyptiorum" (1 Regnum 5:10 [B.A. 4:[30]):
per "filios orientis" intelliguntur omnes qui eo tempore in cognitionibus veri et boni fuerunt, et per illas sapientes facti sunt; ac per "Aegyptios" intelliguntur omnes qui eruditi ex scientiis, imprimis ex scientia correspondentiarum, et inde in intelligentia. Quare etiam scientiae Aegyptiorum vocantur "recondita auri et argenti", et "desiderabilia", apud Danielem,
Rex septentrionis "mittet manus suas in terras, nec terra Aegypti erit in evasionem, si quidem dominabitur in recondita auri et argenti, et in omnia desiderabilia Aegypti" (11:42, 43).
[30] Ideo quoque mandatum est filiis Israelis, cum exirent ex Aegypto,
Ut mutuo peterent ab Aegyptiis vasa auri et vasa argenti et vestes, quae sic eripuerunt Aegypto (Exodus 12:35, 36):
per "vasa auri et argenti" et per "vestes" significantur scientiae et cognitiones veri et boni, quae ereptae Aegypto, quia illas applicuerunt ad confirmanda mala et falsa, et verterunt illas in idololatrica et magica; quapropter cum Aegyptii illis deprivati sunt, et sic facti mere naturales, brevi post submersi sunt in mari Suph: per quae repraesentabatur sors illorum qui scientiis abutuntur ad confirmanda mala et falsa; deprivantur enim omni cognitione veri et boni post mortem; et cum illis deprivati sunt, conjiciuntur in infernum, quod etiam repraesentatum est per submersionem Aegyptiorum in mari Suph.
[31] Quia per "Aegyptum" significatur scientia, ex qua homini intelligentia, ideo ubi agitur de Tyro, dicitur
Quod byssus ex acupictura ex Aegypto fuerit expansio, quae esset ei in signum (Ezech. 27:7 5
):
per "Tyrum" significantur cognitiones veri, et per "byssum ex acupictura ex Aegypto" significatur scientificum ex vero spirituali; "acupictura" est scientificum, et "byssus" est verum spirituale: "expansio" et "signum" significant manifestationem, nam vera spiritualia per scientias manifestantur, apparent enim per illas ad visum et ad perceptionem naturalis hominis.
[32] Quoniam omnia scientifica quae inserviunt spirituali homini ad confirmationem veritatum, sunt a Domino, nempe omnis applicatio eorum ad confirmanda vera et bona caeli et ecclesiae, ideo
Josephus in Aegyptum delatus est, et ibi factus est totius terrae dominator (Gen. 41);
per "Josephum" enim in supremo sensu intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinum spirituale, et inde quoque verum doctrinae, quod fundatur super scientificis naturalis hominis (ut supra, n. 448, dictum est): et quia naturalis homo seu naturale hominis subordinatum erit spirituali, ut inservire possit confirmandis et exsequendis spiritualis hominis arbitriis, ideo Josephus propter repraesentationem illius dominii factus est dominator Aegypti, et sub illius auspicio fuit in Aegypto annona seu frumentum in abundantia, usque ut ex eo nutrirentur regiones vicinae, ac ipsa terra Canaan.
[33] Quoniam Salomo repraesentavit Dominum quoad utrumque regnum tam caeleste quam spirituale, et omnes qui ab utroque illo regno sunt, per cognitiones veri et boni ac per scientifica illas confirmantia, in intelligentia et sapientia sunt, ideo
Salomo "accepit filiam Pharaonis in uxorem, et adduxit illam in urbem Davidis" (1 Regnum 3:1);
Et quoque postea aedificavit filiae Pharaonis domum juxta porticum (1 Regnum 7:8):
per quae etiam repraesentatum est quod scientia, super qua fundatur omnis intelligentia et sapientia, per "Aegyptum" in bono sensu significetur. Et quia unicuique homini ecclesiae est spirituale, rationale et naturale, ideo Salomo aedificavit tres domos, Domum Dei seu Templum pro spirituali, Domum silvae Libani pro rationali (nam "cedrus" et inde "Libanus" significat rationale), ac Domum filiae Pharaonis pro naturali; haec arcana non apparent in sensu historico Verbi, sed usque in spirituali ejus sensu recondita latent.
[34] Hactenus de significatione "Aegypti" in bono sensu actum est; nunc sequitur ut quoque de significatione "Aegypti" in sensu malo seu opposito agatur: in hoc sensu "Aegyptus" significat naturalem hominem separatum a spirituali, seu verum scientificum separatum a bono spirituali, quod in se est falsum; seu, quod idem, fidem separatam a charitate, quae in se non est fides. Homo enim nascitur naturalis, et primum haurit scientifica ex magistro et parente, tum ex lectione librorum, et simul ex vita in mundo; et nisi homo fit spiritualis, hoc est, e novo nascitur, tunc scientifica quae hausit, applicat ad confirmandum naturalis hominis appetitus et voluptates, verbo ejus amores, qui omnes sunt contra Divinum ordinem; et hic naturalis homo est qui significatur per "Aegyptum" in sensu opposito, ut constare potest ex sequentibus locis:
[35] - Apud Ezechielem,
"Quoniam" Pharao "elatus est altitudine, et dedit fastigium..inter implexa, et elatum est cor ejus in altitudine sua, dabo eum in manum fortis gentium; .... juxta impietatem ejus rejeci eum; quare exscindent eum alieni, violenti gentium, et dejicient eum, super montibus et vallibus ceciderunt rami ejus; .... unde descenderunt ex umbra ejus omnes populi terrae, et deseruerunt eum; super ruina ejus habitabunt omnis avis caelorum, et super ramis ejus erunt omnis fera agri: .... omnes tradentur morti, ad terram inferiorem in medio filiorum hominis ad descendentes in foveam. In die illo, quo descensurus est in infernum, ...obtegam super eo abyssum, et inhibebo flumina ejus, ut occludantur aquae magnae, et atrabo super eo Libanum, et omnes arbores agri super eo languescent. Cui similis factus es sic in gloria et in magnitudine inter arbores Edenis? cum descendere factus fueris cum arboribus Edenis in terram inferiorem, in medio praeputiatorum cubueris cum confossis gladio: hic est Pharao et omnis multitudo ejus" (31:10-18):
per "Pharaonem" simile significatur quod per "Aegyptum", nempe, naturalis homo quoad scientiam et inde intelligentiam: fastus propriae intelligentiae ex scientia intelligitur per quod "elatus sit altitudine, et dederit fastigium inter implexa", et quod "elatum sit cor ejus altitudine sua"; per "implexa" significantur scientifica naturalis hominis: quod scientifica applicata sint confirmandis cupiditatibus mali et falsi, significatur per "Dabo eum in manum fortis gentium"; "fortis gentium" significat falsum mali: quod falsa mali destruent eum, significatur per "Exscindent eum alieni, violenti gentium dejicient eum:"
[36] quod omnia vera scientifica et rationalia dispersa sint per mala et falsa, significatur per "Super montibus et vallibus ceciderunt rami ejus": quod omnia vera ecclesiae abacta sint, significatur per "Descenderunt ex umbra ejus omnes populi terrae, et deseruerunt eum": quod loco eorum successerint cogitationes et affectiones falsi, significatur per quod "super ruina ejus habitabunt omnis avis caelorum, et super ramis ejus erunt omnis fera agri"; quod omnia damnata sint et infernalia, significatur per quod "omnes tradentur morti, ad terram inferiorem in medio filiorum hominis ad descendentes in foveam"; "filii hominis" sunt qui in propria intelligentia, et "fovea" est ubi illi qui in falsis doctrinae; inhibitio ne aliqua vera scientifica et rationalia intrent, significatur per "Obtegam super eo abyssum, et inhibebo flumina ejus; quod nec vera spiritualia, significatur per "ut occludantur aquae magnae"; quod non illi rationale, significatur per "Atrabo super eo Libanum;"
[37] quod nec illi aliquae cognitiones veri quae ecclesiae, significatur per quod "omnes arbores agri super eo languescent"; quod illi non amplius aliquis intellectus veri, nec aliqua perceptio cognitionum boni, propter fastum propriae intelligentiae, significatur per "Cui similis factus es in gloria et in magnitudine inter arbores Edenis?" quia cognitiones boni per applicationes ad mala prorsus perversae sunt, significatur per "cum descendere factus fueris cum arboribus Edenis in terram inferiorem"; "arbores Edenis" sunt cognitiones boni ex Verbo, quas naturalis homo pervertit et falsificavit: quod inter illos in inferno erunt qui per fidem separatam a vita charitatis omne verum apud se exstinxerunt, significatur per "cum in medio praeputiatorum cubueris inter confossos gladio"; per "confossos gladio" intelliguntur in Verbo qui vera apud se per falsa exstinxerunt: quod illa omnia dicta sint de naturali homine deprivato luce a spirituali homine, significatur per "Hic est Pharao et omnis multitudo ejus"; "Pharao" est naturalis homo, et "multitudo ejus" est omne scientificum ibi.
[38] Apud eundem,
"Fili hominis, propheta et dic, .... Ejulate, heu diem; .... dies nubis, tempus gentium erit, quo veniet gladius in Aegyptum, .... et accipient multitudinem ejus, et evertentur fundamenta ejus, .... et cadent suffulcientes Aegyptum, et descendet superbia roboris ejus, a turri Sevene gladio cadent in illa.... ; tunc devastabuntur in medio terrarum devastatarum, et urbes ejus in medio urbium desolatarum erunt: ut cognoscant quod Ego sim Jehovah, cum dederim ignem in Aegyptum, ut frangantur omnes auxiliatores ejus; .... et faciam cessare multitudinem Aegypti per manum Nebuchadnezaris regis Babelis, 6
illius et populi ejus cum illo, violenti gentium, qui adducentur ad perdendum terram, et evaginabunt gladium suum contra Aegyptum, ut impleant terram confosso: tunc dabo fluvios aridam, et vendam terram in manum malorum, et vastabo terram et plenitudinem ejus per manum alienorum; .... princeps e terra Aegypti non erit amplius; .... dabo ignem in Aegyptum, et dispergam Aegyptum inter gentes, et disjiciam eos in terras" (30:1 ad fin. ):
haec summatim ex eo capite desumpta sunt; est lamentatio super vastatione ecclesiae per falsa faventia malis quae ex naturali homine; nam ex illo separato a spirituali scaturiunt omnia mala et inde falsa, quae ecclesiae vera et bona pervertunt et destruunt: lamentatio super vastatione illa significatur per "Ejulate, heu diem, dies nubis, tempus gentium erit"; "dies nubis" est status ecclesiae ex non intellectis veris, proinde ex falsis, "tempus gentium" est status ecclesiae ex malis; quod falsum destruet totum naturalem hominem, et omnia quae ibi, per applicationem ad mala, significatur per "quod veniet gladius in Aegyptum, et accipient multitudinem ejus, et evertentur fundamenta ejus;"
[39] quod non confirmationes et corroborationes veri per scientifica naturalis hominis, significatur per "Cadent suffulcientes Aegyptum, et descendet superbia roboris ejus"; quod falsa destruent intellectum veri, significatur per "A turri Sevene gladio cadent in illa"; quod omnia ecclesiae ac omnia doctrinae ecclesiae peritura sint, significatur per "Tunc devastabuntur in medio terrarum devastatarum, et urbes ejus in medio urbium desolatarum"; cupiditates malae ex naturali homine significantur per "ignem" quem Jehovah dabit in Aegyptum; ut non amplius ex naturali homine confirmationes veri sint, significatur per "ut frangantur omnes auxiliatores ejus"; quod cupiditates amoris sui et inde falsitates devastabunt, significatur per "manum Nebuchadnezaris regis Babelis, 7
illius et populi ejus;"
[40] quod sic devastabitur ecclesia per falsa mali vim illatura bonis charitatis et veris fidei, significatur per quod "violenti gentium adducentur ad perdendum terram, et evaginabunt gladium suum contra Aegyptum, ut impleant terram confosso"; quod sic non intelligatur verum, significatur per "Dabo fluvios aridam"; quia loco boni malum et loco veri falsum in ecclesia, significatur per "Vendam terram in manum malorum, et vastabo terram et plenitudinem ejus per manum alienorum"; quod non aliquod verum quod caput, et inde non aliquod verum vitae a Domino significatur per quod "princeps e terra Aegypti non erit amplius"; quod non nisi quam mala ex amore sui 8
occupatura sint naturalem hominem, significatur per "Dabo ignem in Aegyptum, et dispergam Aegyptum inter gentes"; quod inde dissipatio omnium ecclesiae, significatur per "Disjiciam eos in terras."
[41] Apud Esaiam,
"Propheticum bestiarum meridiei: in terra angustiae et angoris; leo juvenis et leo vetus prae illis, vipera et prester volans, portant super humero asinorum opes suas, et super dorso camelorum thesauros suos, ad populum non proderunt, et Aegyptus vanitas et inanitas, auxiliabuntur" (30:6, 7):
per "bestias meridiei" significantur cupiditates quae ex naturali homine sunt, exstinguentes lucem quae homini ecclesiae erit ex Verbo; per "terram angustiae et angoris" significatur ecclesia ubi non erit bonum charitatis nec verum fidei; per "leonem juvenem et leonem veterem" qui prae illis, significatur potentia falsi destruentis verum et bonum ecclesiae; per "viperam et presterem volantem" significatur sensuale astute et callide ratiocinans: per "Portant super humero asinorum opes suas, et super dorso camelorum thesauros suos", significantur scientifica sensualis et naturalis hominis, ex quibus concludunt omnia; "opes" et "thesauri" sunt cognitiones veri et boni ex Verbo, hic autem scientifica falsa quia ex propria intelligentia; "asini" sunt quae sensualis hominis, et "cameli" quae naturalis: per "Aegyptum" quae "vanitas et inanitas", significatur utrumque tam sensuale quam naturale, quae in se spectata absque bono et absque veris sunt.
[42] Apud eundem,
"Vae descendentibus in Aegyptum pro auxilio, et super equis innituntur, et confidunt super curru quod multus, et super equitibus quod validi sint valde: sed non respiciunt ad Sanctum Israelis, et Jehovam non quaerunt; .... nam Aegyptus homo et non deus, et equi ejus caro et non spiritus" (31:1, 3):
per haec describitur status illorum qui ex se ipsis, ita ex propria intelligentia, in illis quae caeli et ecclesiae sunt, volunt sapere, et non ex Domino; et quia tales mere 9
naturales sunt, et ideo ex fallaciis sensuum et ex scientificis male applicatis omnia desumunt, pervertunt et falsificant vera et bona ecclesiae, quare de illis dicitur, "Vae descendentibus in Aegyptum pro auxilio, et non respiciunt ad Sanctum Israelis, et Jehovam non quaerunt": imaginaria quae ex fallaciis sensuum, significantur per "equos Aegypti" quibus innituntur; falsa doctrinae confirmata ex scientificis in multa copia, 10
significantur per "Confidunt super curru quod multus"; ac ratiocinia inde quibus impugnant vera significantur per "equites" quibus confidunt quod validi valde; quod naturalis homo non intelligat Divina ex se, significatur per quod "Aegyptus homo et non deus"; quod intelligentia sit ex proprio in quo non vita, significatur per quod "equi ejus sint caro et non spiritus"; "equi Aegypti" sunt imaginaria quae in se mortua quia fallaciae, "caro" est proprium hominis, ac "spiritus", est vita a Domino.
[43] Apud Jeremiam,
"Contra Aegyptum, contra exercitum Pharaonis..regis Aegypti, qui fuit apud fluvium Euphratem..., quem percussit Nebuchadnezar rex Babelis: .... Quis hic sicut flumen ascendit, cujus aquae sicut flumina commoventur? Aegyptus sicut flumen ascendit, et sicut flumina commoventur aquae; dicit enim, Ascendam, obtegam terram, perdam urbem et habitantes in ea: ascendite equi, et insanite currus, et exite fortes; .... comedet gladius et saturabitur, et inebriabitur sanguine eorum: .... ascende Gilead, et sume balsamum, virgo filia Aegypti; in vanum multiplicasti medicamenta, sanatio non tibi" (46:2, 7-9 [, 11] ; et porro 14-26):
quod hic per "Aegyptum" etiam significetur naturalis homo cum ejus scientificis separatus a spirituali, quod fit per fastum propriae intelligentiae, quae per ratiocinia ex scientificis destruit vera et bona ecclesiae, ex singulis his in sensu spirituali visis patet: per "exercitum" enim "regis Aegypti, qui fuit apud flumen Euphratem", significantur scientifica false applicata, et ex illis ratiocinia; "quem percussit Nebuchadnezar rex Babelis" significat interitum ejus per fastum propriae intelligentiae; "Quis hic sicut flumen ascendit, cujus aquae sicut flumina commoventur?" significat propriam intelligentiam, et ejus falsa destruere conantia vera ecclesiae; "Aegyptus sicut flumen ascendit, et sicut flumina commoventur aquae", significat naturalem hominem ex se seu ex proprio contra vera ecclesiae ratiocinantem; "dixit enim, Ascendam, obtegam terram, perdam urbem et habitantes in ea", significat conatum et desiderium perdendi ecclesiam, et doctrinae ejus vera et bona; "Ascendite equi, et insanite currus, et exite fortes", significat per imaginaria quae ex fallaciis, et per falsa doctrinae confirmata ex scientificis, ex quibus sibi apparent validi;
[44] "comedet gladius, et saturabitur, et inebriabitur a sanguine eorum", significat destructionem totalem naturalis hominis per falsa et per falsificationes veri; "Ascende Gilead, et sume balsamum filia Aegypti", significat vera sensus litterae Verbi, et inde ratiocinationem et patrocinationem; per "Gilead" enim significatur ratiocinatio ex sensu litterae Verbi, per quam confirmantur falsa, nam Gilead erat non procul ab Euphrate, et inde erat cera, opobalsamum et stacte, et facta est hereditas filiis Menassis et dimidiae tribui Gadis (Genesis 31:21; 37:25; Numeri 32:29; Joshua 13:25); unde per "Gileadem", praeter alia, significantur ratiocinia ex sensu litterae Verbi, per "balsamum" significatur applicatio et inde falsi confirmatio, et per "filiam Aegypti" affectio falsi quae tali ecclesiae: "in vanum multiplicasti medicamenta, sanatio non tibi", significat quod talia in quacunque copia nihil opis ferant, quoniam sic ipsa vera falsificantur.
[45] Apud Mosen,
"Persecuti sunt Aegyptii filios Israelis, et venerunt post illos, omnes equi Pharaonis, currus ejus, et equites ejus in medium maris: .... sed Jehovah prospicens ad castra Aegyptiorum, .... perturbavit" illa, .. "removit rotam curruum ejus et reversae sunt aqua", et operuerunt currus et equites cum universo exercitu Pharaonia" (Exod. 14 [23, 24,] 25-28; 15:19, 21):
11
per "equos Pharaonis" significantur imaginaria quia fallaciae, quae sunt scientifica ex intellectuali perverso applicata ad confirmandum falsa, per "currus ejus" doctrinalia falsi, et per "equites" ratiocinia inde; per "rotam curruum" significatur facultas ratiocinandi. (Sed haec in Arcanis Caelestibus, n. 8208-8219, 8332-8335, 8343, explicata sunt.)
[46] Quoniam per "equos Aegypti" talia significantur, ideo praescriptum est per Mosen,
Si populus velit regem, ponetur rex super illos, quem elegerit Jehovah Deus e medio filiorum Israelis, non ponetur vir alienigena qui non frater tuus, "modo non multiplicet sibi equos, nec reducat populum in Aegyptum ut multiplicet equos; Jehovah enim dixit vobis, Non addetis reverti in via hac amplius; nec multiplicabit sibi uxores, ut non recedat cor ejus, nec argentum et aurum multiplicabit sibi nimis" (Deutr. 17:15-17):
quid per haec, quae praescripta sunt regi, significantur, nemo videre potest nisi sciat quid in sensu spirituali significatur per "regem", per "filios Israelis", per "Aegyptum" et "equos ejus", tum per "uxores", et per "argentum et aurum": per "regem" significatur verum ex bono, [per "filios Israelis" ecclesia ex illis qui in veris ex bono sunt,] per "Aegyptum" naturalis homo, per "equos ejus" scientifica, per "uxores" affectiones veri et boni, ac per "argentum et aurum" vera et bona ecclesiae, et in opposito sensu falsa et mala ejus: et quia per "regem" significatur verum ex bono, et per "filios Israelis" ecclesia ex illis qui in veris ex bono sunt, ideo dicitur, quod "si populus velit, ponetur rex super illos quem elegerit Jehovah Deus e medio filiorum Israelis, non ponetur vir alienigena qui non frater tuus"; per "virum alienigenam qui non frater" significatur religiosum non concordans, tum falsum in quo non bonum;
[47] et quia per "Aegyptum" significatur naturalis homo, et per "equos" scientifica falsa quae imaginaria, ideo dicitur, "modo non multiplicet sibi equos, nec reducat populum in Aegyptum ut multiplicet equos"; quia per "uxores" significantur affectiones veri et boni, quae affectiones mali et falsi fiunt quando plures uxores uni viro sunt, ideo dicitur, "nec multiplicet sibi uxores, ut non recedat cor ejus"; et quia per "argentum et aurum" significantur vera et bona ecclesiae, hic autem falsa et mala, quando spectantur solum a naturali homine, ideo dicitur, "nec argentum et aurum multiplicabit sibi nimis." Sed propius ad rem, per illa verba praescriptum est ne verum dominetur super bonum, quod fit quando naturalis homo dominatur super spiritualem; ne hoc fiat, significatur per "ne reduceret populum in Aegyptum, et inde multiplicaret equos", tum etiam "ne plures uxores duceret"; nam per "uxorem et maritum" significatur affectio boni correspondens affectioni veri, quae correspondentia datur in conjugio viri cum una uxore, non autem cum pluribus. Similia amplius praescripta sunt in Jure Regis (1 Samuelis 8:10-18). Quia Salomo non modo comparavit sibi equos ex Aegypto, sed etiam multiplicavit uxores, ut et argentum et aurum congessit, ideo idololatra factus est, ac regnum post ejus mortem divisum est.
[48] Apud Esaiam,
"Propheticum de Aegypto: Jehovah equitans super levi nube, et venit [in] Aegyptum; unde commovebuntur idola Aegypti coram Ipso, et cor 12
Aegyptii liquefiet in medio ejus; .... concludam Aegyptum in manum domini duri, et rex vehemens dominabitur in eos. ...Tunc deficient aquae in mari, et fluvius exsiccabitur et exarescet, et recedent flumina, et... exsiccabuntur fluvii Aegypti, calamus et ulva marcescent: .... ideo lugebunt piscatores, et tristes erunt omnes projicientes in flumen hamum, et expandentes rete super facies aquarum languescent: erubescent etiam facientes linum sericorum, et textores aulaeorum. .... Quomodo dicitis ad Pharaonem, Filius sapientum ego, filius regum antiquitatis: ubi nunc sapientes tui? ut indicent, age tibi, et cognoscant quid consuluit Jehovah..super Aegyptum: stulti facti sunt principes Zoanis, ablati sunt principes Noph, et seduxerunt Aegyptum angularem lapidem tribuum ejus; .... non erit Aegypto opus quod faciat caput et caudam, 13
ramus et juncus" (19:1-17):
quod per "Aegyptum" significetur naturale hominis separatum a spirituali ejus, etiam ex his in sensu spirituali spectatis constare potest; et homo fit mere naturalis quando in vita sua non spectat ad Dominum, sed ad semet et ad mundum; inde ei fastus propriae intelligentiae, qui communis est eruditis, et apud illos pervertit rationale, et occludit mentem spiritualem. Ut sciatur quod naturalis homo per "Aegyptum", propria intelligentia per "flumen ejus", et falsa per "aquas fluminis Aegypti", significentur, velim in serie explicare illa quae ex capite illo summatim huc allata sunt: "Jehovah equitans super levi nube, et venit in Aegyptum", significat visitationem naturalis hominis ex Divino Vero naturali spirituali, visitatio enim est inquisitio qualis homo est, et inquisitio fit per Divinum Verum; "levis nubes" significat Divinum Verum naturale spirituale, ex quo apparet qualis est homo quoad suum naturale: "unde commovebuntur idola Aegypti coram Ipso, et cor 14
Aegyptii liquefiet in medio ejus", significat congeriem et turbam falsorum in naturali homine, ex quibus cultus, et ejus terrorem propter visitationem:
[49] "Concludam Aegyptum in manum domini duri, et rex vehemens dominabitur in eos", significat quod ibi regnet malum falsi et falsum mali; "dominus durus" est malum falsi, et "rex vehemens" est falsum mali: "tunc deficient aquae in mari, et fluvius exsiccabitur et exarescet", significat non esse aliqua vera in naturali homine, et inde non aliquam intelligentiam: "et recedent flumina, et exsiccabuntur fluvii Aegypti", significat quod se a veris ad falsa vertet; unde intelligentia, quia absque veris ex luce spiritualis hominis, erit mortua "calamus et ulva marcescent" significat quod evanitura omnis perceptio veri et boni ex sensu litterae Verbi, quae alioqui est sensuali homini: "ideo lugebunt piscatores, et tristes erunt omnes projicientes in flumen hamum, et expandentes rete super facies aquarum languescent", significat quod docentes et erudientes frustra allaborent per vera ex Verbo reformare naturalem hominem; "piscatores" et "expandentes rete super facies aquarum" significant docentes et erudientes naturales homines ex Verbo, in specie ex sensu litterae ejus: "piscis" significat cognitiones inde, "tristes esse" et "languescere" significat allaborare:
[50] "erubescent etiam facientes linum sericorum, et textores aulaeorum", significat illos qui vera spiritualia naturaliter docent; "linum sericorum" est verum spirituale, "aulaea" sunt vera naturalia ex origine spirituali, ac "facere" et "texere" illa est docere: "quomodo dicitis ad Pharaonem, Filius sapientum ego, filius regum antiquitatis; ubi nunc sapientes tui?" significat quod sapientia et intelligentia naturalis hominis ex spirituali perierit; naturalis enim homo formatus est ut intelligentiam et sapientiam recipiat ex spirituali homine, quod fit quando uterque homo unum agit sicut causa et effectus: "stulti facti sunt principes Zoanis, ablati sunt principes Noph", significat quod vera sapientiae et intelligentiae ex spirituali luce in naturali homine versa sint in falsa insaniae; Zoan et Noph erant in terra Aegypti, et significabant illustrationem naturalis hominis ex luce spirituali: "et seduxerunt Aegyptum angularem lapidem tribuum" significat quod perversus sit naturalis homo, in quo tamen fundantur omnia vera et bona ecclesiae: "non erit Aegypto opus, quod faciat caput et caudam, 15
ramus et juncus", significat quod illis non amplius intelligentia nec scientia veri, proinde non verum spirituale nec verum naturale.
[51] Apud Ezechielem,
"Fili hominis, pone facies tuas contra Pharaonem regem Aegypti, et propheta contra illum, et contra Aegyptum totam; loquere et dic, Sic dixit Dominus Jehovih, Ecce Ego contra te, Pharao rex Aegypti, cete magne, qui cubat in medio fluviorum suorum, qui dixit, Meus fluvius.., et ego feci me; propterea dabo hamos in maxillas tuas, et adhaerere faciam piscem fluviorum tuorum squamis tuis, .... et derelinquam te in deserto, te et omnem piscem fluviorum tuorum, super facies agri cades, non colligeris, neque congregaberis, ferae terrae et avi caeli dedi te in cibum; ut cognoscant omnes habitatores Aegypti quod Ego Jehovah; propterea quod illi fuerint baculus arundinis domui Israelis; quando tenuerunt te manu, confractus es, et perfodisti illis omnem humerum; et quando innixi sunt tibi, fractus es, et stare fecisti..omnes lumbos. .... Ecce Ego adducens contra te gladium, et exscindam ex te hominem et bestiam, ut fiat terra Aegypti solitudo et vastitas propterea quod dixit, Fluvius meus, et ego feci; ideo Ego contra te, et contra fluvios tuos, et dabo terram Aegypti in vastitates...a turri Sevene usque ad terminum Cusch, .... et urbes ejus.... erunt solitudo quadraginta annos" (29:1-12):
per haec verba etiam describitur naturalis homo deprivatus omni vero et bono per fastum ex scientia et inde ex propria intelligentia: quoniam per "Pharaonem regem Aegypti" significatur scientia naturalis hominis et inde propria intelligentia, ideo dicitur, "Ecce Ego contra te, Pharao rex Aegypti, cete magne, qui cubat in medio fluviorum suorum"; per "cetum magnum" significatur scientificum naturalis hominis in communi, hic scientificum falsum, et per "fluvium" significatur propria intelligentia: qui dicit, "Meus est fluvius, et ego feci me", significat quod ex me intelligentia, et non ex Domino; ita verba illa involvunt fastum propriae intelligentiae: "propterea dabo hamum in maxillas tuas" significat falsiloquium propter quod castigabitur: "et adhaerere faciam piscem fluviorum tuorum squamis tuis" significat scientifica falsa infimae sortis quae ex fallaciis sensuum; "pisces" sunt scientifica, "squamae" sunt fallaciae sensuum, quae sunt scientifica infimae sortis:
[52] "et derelinquam te in deserto, te et omnem piscem fluviorum tuorum", significat exutum veris cum omnibus scientificis ex quibus intelligentia: "Super facies agri cades, non colligeris neque congregaberis", significat religiosum absque omni cohaerentia et restitutione: "ferae terrae et avi caeli dedi te in cibum" significat consumendum ab affectionibus et cogitationibus falsi; "ut cognoscant omnes habitatores Aegypti quod Ego Jehovah", significat ut sciant et credant quod omne verum et bonum etiam in naturali homine sint a Domino: "propterea quod illi fuerint baculus arundinis domui Israelis" significat fiduciam super scientificis sensualis hominis quae sunt fallaciae apud homines ecclesiae; (quod "baculus arundinis" illam fiduciam significet, videatur supra, n. 627 [b]): "quando tenuerunt te manu confractus es, et perfodisti illis omnem humerum", significat quod per fidem eorum omnis potentia veri pereat; et quando innixi sunt tibi, fractus es, et stare fecisti omnes lumbos", significat quod per fiduciam super illis pereat facultas recipiendi bonum amoris:
[53] "ecce adducam contra te gladium, et exscindam ex te hominem et bestiam", significat quod falsum destruet omnem intelligentiam veri et affectionem boni in naturali homine; "ut fiat terra Aegypti solitudo et vastitas", significat quod inde naturalis homo sit absque omni vero et absque omni bono; "propterea quod dixit, Fluvius meus, et ego feci", significat propter fastum propriae intelligentiae: "et dabo terram Aegypti in vastitatem a turri Sevene usque ad terminum Cusch", significat destructionem ecclesiae a primis ad ultima in naturali homine: "urbes ejus erunt solitudo quadraginta annis" significat doctrinalia ex meris falsis usque dum non aliquod verum residuum sit; "quadraginta anni" significant integram periodum vastationis ecclesiae, et quoque integram durationem tentationum.
[54] In Libro Secundo Regum,
"Si confisus es tibi super baculo arundinis contusae super Aegypto, super quo si nititur vir, intrat in manum ejus, et perforat illam: sic Pharao rex Aegypti omnibus confidentibus in illo" (18:21):
per "baculum arundinis", ac per "niti super illo", similia quae mox supra significantur. Inde etiam Aegyptus vocatur apud Davidem,
Fera arundinis, congregatio fortium, quae dispergit populos (Psalms 68:31 [B.A. 30]):
per "feram arundinis" significatur affectio seu cupiditas falsi quod ex scientificis sensualis hominis, quae sunt fallaciae; quae "congregatio fortium" vocantur quia fortiter persuadent; et quia dispergunt vera ecclesiae, dicitur "Dispersit populos."
[55] Apud Hoscheam,
"Erit Ephraim sicut columba stulta, non cor: Aegyptum vocarunt, Assyriam abiverunt: .... vae illis quia divagati sunt a Me, devastatio illis quia praevaricati sunt contra Me: .... cadent gladio principes eorum, ex indignatione linguae eorum; haec subsannatio eorum in terra Aegypti" (7:11, 13, 16):
agitur ibi de superbia Israelis, per quam significatur fastus propriae intelligentiae in talibus quae sunt ecclesiae: quod per "Aegyptum" significetur naturalis homo et scientia ejus, constat ex eo, quod per "Ephraimum", de quo apud hunc prophetam multum agitur, significetur intellectuale ecclesiae et verum doctrinae ejus in naturali; (quod id per "Ephraim" significetur, videatur supra, n. 440); quare per "Erit Ephraim columba stulta, non cor", significatur quod nunc non intellectuale quia non verum, nec affectio veri et boni; per quod "Aegyptum vocaverint et Assyriam abiverint", significatur quod fiderint scientificis naturalis hominis et inde ratiocinationibus, quae fallunt: "Vae illis quia divagati sunt a Me" significat aversionem a veris quae ex Verbo; "devastatio illis quia praevaricati sunt contra Me", significat deprivationem omnis veri propter recessionem; "cadent gladio principes eorum" significat quod primaria vera destruentur per falsa; "ex indignatione linguae eorum; haec subsannatio eorum in terra Aegypti", significat vituperationem doctrinae ex naturali homine, et hujus contemptum.
[56] Apud eundem,
"Israel, .... scortatus sub Deo tuo, .... non habitabunt in terra Jehovae, et revertetur Ephraim [in] Aegyptum, et in Assyria immundum comedent: .... ecce abiverunt prae devastatione; Aegyptus congregabit eos, Moph sepeliet eos, desiderabile argento eorum carduus possidebit ea; spina in tentoriis eorum" (9:1, 3, 6):
agitur in toto illo capite de intellectu Verbi deperdito, qui hic est "Ephraim": "Israel scortatus sub Deo tuo" significat falsificatum verum Verbi; "non habitabunt in terra Jehovae" significat non illis vitam boni qualis in caelo; "et revertetur Ephraim in Aegyptum" significat intellectum veri deperditum, unde naturales facti sunt; "et in Assyria immundum comedent" significat rationale scatens falsis mali: "ecce abiverunt prae devastatione" significat aversionem a Domino per falsificationem veri; "Aegyptus congregabit eos" significat quod mere naturales facti sint; "Moph sepeliet eos" significat mortem spiritualem per applicationem veritatum sensus litterae Verbi ad falsa mali; "desiderabile argento eorum" significat cognitiones veri; "carduus possidebit ea" significat quod malum pervertet illas; "spina in tentoriis eorum" significat falsum mali in cultu.
[57] Apud eundem,
"Israel non revertetur ad Aegyptum, Assyrius hic rex 16
eorum" (11:5):
"Israel non revertetur [ad] Aegyptum" significat quod homo ecclesiae spiritualis factus non fiet naturalis; "Assyrius hic rex eorum" significat quod tunc ratiocinia ex falsis dominatura sint. Homo ecclesiae a spirituali fit naturalis quando fidem separat a charitate, hoc est, credit Verbum et non vivit secundum praecepta ibi, tum quando arrogat sibi intelligentiam et non illam tribuit Domino; inde fastus ex quo homo fit naturalis: homo enim primum est naturalis, postea fit rationalis, et demum spiritualis; quando homo est naturalis tunc est in Aegypto, quando fit rationalis tunc est in Assyria, et cum fit spiritualis tunc est in terra Canaane, ita in ecclesia.
[58] : per "Ephraim" significatur ecclesia in qua intellectus veri deperditus est; per "pascere ventum" significatur imbuere falsum; per "eurum", quem persequitur, significatur exsiccatio et dissipatio veri; per quod "oleum deferatur in Aegyptum" significatur quod bonum amoris per scientifica naturalis hominis pervertatur. (Sed haec amplius supra, n. 419 [e] , explicata sunt.)
[59] Apud Esaiam,
"Vae filiis refractariis...faciendo consilium sed non a Me, et fundendo fusile sed non a spiritu meo, ut addant peccatum super peccatum: qui abeunt ad descendendum [in] Aegyptum, sed os meum non interrogarunt; .... et ad confidendum in umbra Aegypti; ideo fiet..robur Pharaonis in pudorem, et fiducia in umbra Aegypti in ignominiam" (30:1-3):
"vae refractariis" significat lamentationem de damnatione illorum qui se avertunt; "faciendo consilium sed non a Me" significat cogitationes et conclusiones de rebus caeli a se et non a Domino; "et fundendo fusile sed non a spiritu meo" significat cultum ex infernali falso et non a Divino Vero; "qui abeunt ad descendendum [in] Aegyptum, sed os meum non interrogarunt", significat ex proprio naturalis hominis et non ex Verbo; "et ad confidendum in umbra Aegypti" significat ne fidant et fidem habeant talibus quae naturalis homo, qui in nulla luce caeli est, suggerit: "ideo fiet robur Pharaonis in pudorem, et fiducia in umbra Aegypti in ignominiam", significat nullam facultatem resistendi malis ex propria intelligentia, nec ex scientia naturalis hominis; "pudor" et "ignominia" significant statum illorum quando propter mala viles habentur.
[60] Apud Jeremiam,
"Deseruisti Jehovam Deum tuum, quo tempore duxit te in viam; ..quid tibi cum via Aegypti, ut bibas aquas Schichoris? et quid tibi cum via Assyriae, ut bibas aquas fluvii? .... quid abis strenue ad mutandum viam tuam? etiam ab Aegypto pudefies, sicut pudefactus es ab Assyria" (2:17, 18, 36):
haec quoque de homine ecclesiae qui per falsa doctrinae et inde mala vitae fit externus et mere naturalis; "Deseruisti Jehovam quo tempore duxit te in viam" significat aversionem ne reformetur a Domino per vera ducentia; "quid tibi cum via Aegypti, ut bibas aquas Schichoris?" significat instructionem solum a naturali homine, unde mere falsa; "quid tibi cum via Assyriae, ut bibas aquas fluvii?" significat ratiocinationes inde, unde falsa fidei; "quid abis strenue ad mutandum viam?" significat renitentiam fortem ne reformetur ut fiat spiritualis; "etiam ab Aegypto pudefies sicut pudefacta es ab Assyria significat statum perversum et vilem duci a naturali homine et a ratiociniis inde, quia sic a falsis et malis quae ex proprio.
[61] In Threnis,
"Hereditas nostra aversa est ad alienos, domus nostrae ad alienigenas; .... aquas nostras pro argento bibimus; ligna nostra pro pretio veniunt; .... Aegypto dedimus manum, Assyriae ut satiemur pane; .... servi dominantur in nos, nec liberans e manu illorum" (5:2, 4, 6, 8):
"hereditas nostra aversa est ad alienos" significat ecclesiae vera conversa in falsa; "domus nostrae ad alienigenas" significat ecclesiae bona versa in mala; "aquas nostras pro argento bibimus" significat instructionem a nobismet ipsis, unde mere falsa; "ligna nostra pro pretio veniunt" significat instructionem a nobismet ipsis, unde mere mala; quoniam homo gratis seu "absque argento et pretio" a Domino instruitur et reformatur (Esaias 55:1), ideo "pro argento" bibere et "pro pretio" ligna comparare et calefieri, significat a nobis ipsis; et quia a nobis ipsis instrui est a naturali homine et ejus scientificis et inde conclusis, ideo dicitur, "Aegypto dedimus manum, Assyriae ut satiemur pane"; per "Aegyptum" Significatur naturalis homo unde falsa, per "Assyriam" naturalis homo ex falsis ratiocinans, unde mala: et quia illa quae naturalis hominis sunt respective servitia sunt, nam naturalis homo factus est ut inserviat spirituali, ideo quando ille dominatur super spiritualem tunc servi dominantur; hoc intelligitur per quod "servi dominentur in nos, nec liberans e manu illorum."
[62] Apud Jeremiam,
"Si dicitis vos, Non habitabimus in terra hac dicendo, Non, sed [in] terram Aegypti veniemus, ubi non videbimus bellum, et vocem buccinae non audiemus, et panem non esuriemus, et ibi habitabimus: .... sed si vos posueritis facies vestras ad veniendum Aegyptum; ac veneritis ad peregrinandum ibi, erit gladius, a quo vos timetis vobis, ibi prehendet vos in terra Aegypti, [et fames de qua vos solliciti estis, ibi adhaerebit post vos in Aegypto,] et ibi moriemini; et erunt omnes viri qui posuerunt facies ad veniendum Aegyptum, ad peregrinandum ibi, morientur gladio, fame et peste, non erit illis residuus aut evadens et eritis in maledictionem, in stuporem et in execrationem, et in opprobrium, neque videbitis amplius locum hunc" (Jer. 42:13-18, seq.):
in historicis Verbi, et quoque in propheticis ejus, saepius legitur quod populus Israeliticus flagraverit desiderio "redeundi in Aegyptum", et quod hoc illis interdictum fuerit, et ne id facerent denuntiatae sint illis plagae et poenae; sed nemo hactenus novit causam. Causa erat quia filii Israelis repraesentaturi erant ecclesiam a primo ejus ortu ad finem; et ecclesia primum formatur apud hominem per scientias et cognitiones in naturali homine, qui illis primum excolitur; nam quisque homo nascitur naturalis; quare ille primum excolendus ob finem ut quoque ultimo inserviat intelligentiae et sapientiae hominis pro basi: deinde per scientias et cognitiones, quae naturali homini implantatae sunt, formatur intellectuale, ut homo fiat rationalis: ut autem a rationali fiat spiritualis, omnino tentationes subiturus est, per illas enim domatur rationale, ne evocet e naturali talia quae favent concupiscentiis, et quae destruunt illud; demum cum homo per illam viam rationalis factus est, tunc fit spiritualis, nam rationale est medium inter spirituale et naturale, quare spirituale influit in rationale et per id in naturale:
[63] verbo, homo primum memoriam locupletabit scientiis, postea per illas excoletur intellectus ejus, et demum voluntas; memoria est naturalis hominis, intellectus est rationalis, ac voluntas est spiritualis; haec via est reformationis et regenerationis hominis. Propter hanc causam filii Israelis primum perducti sunt in Aegyptum, postea in desertum ut tentationes subirent, et demum in terram Canaanem; nam illi ecclesiam, ut dictum est, a primo ortu ad ultimum finem repraesentaturi erant. Per commorationem et peregrinationem eorum in Aegypto repraesentata est instructio naturalis hominis; per errores quadraginta annorum in deserto repraesentatae sunt tentationes, per quas rationalis homo formatur; et per terram Canaanem, in quam demum introducti sunt, repraesentata est ecclesia, quae in se spectata est spiritualis.
[64] Sed illi qui non volunt reformari ac regenerari, subsistunt in prima via, et permanent naturales; quapropter filii Israelis, quia non voluerunt, toties cupiverunt "redire in Aegyptum", de qua illorum cupiditate saepius in Exodo legitur; erant enim naturales, et aegre fieri potuerunt spirituales, at usque repraesentare debuerunt illa quae spiritualis ecclesiae sunt; inde est quod perducti sint in Aegyptum, et postea in desertum, et demum in terram Canaanem, per quae repraesentabatur ortus, progressus, et demum instauratio, ecclesiae apud hominem. Ex his nunc constare potest unde est quod tam severe interdictum fuerit filiis Israelis "redire in Aegyptum"; nam per id repraesentavissent quod a spirituali homine facti sint naturales; et quando spiritualis homo fit naturalis tunc non amplius aliqua vera videt et bona percipit, sed cadit in falsa et mala omnis generis.
[65] Sed ad explicationem ipsorum verborum: - "Si dicitis vos, Non habitabimus in terra hac, dicendo, Non, sed [in] terram Aegypti veniemus", significat aversionem pro statu spirituali, in quo sunt illi qui ab ecclesia, et desiderium ad statum naturalem et ad illa quae naturalis hominis sunt; "ubi non videbimus bellum, et vocem buccinae [non] audiemus, et panem non esuriemus", significat tunc non infestationem a malis et falsis, atque tunc non tentationes; "bellum" significat infestationem et pugnam a falsis et malis, ac "panem non esurire" significat non desiderare bonum, quod fit illis qui in falsis et malis sunt, proinde illis qui mere naturales sunt; mala et falsa non infestant illos, quia in illis sunt, et non sciunt aliquid de veris et bonis; "et ibi habitabimus" significat vitam naturalem;
[66] "Sed si vos posueritis facies vestras ad veniendum Aegyptum, et veneritis ad peregrinandum ibi", significat si ex amore desiderent vitam naturalem; "erit gladius, a quo vos timetis vobis, ibi prehendet vos in terra Aegypti", significat falsa destruentia vera; "et fames de qua vos solliciti estis, ibi adhaerebit post vos in Aegypto", significat defectum cognitionum veri et boni; "et ibi moriemini" significat inde desolationem ecclesiae ac damnationem; "et omnes viri qui posuerunt facies suas ad veniendum in Aegyptum, ad peregrinandum ibi, morientur gladio, fame et peste", significat similia quae prius ("pestis" significat vastationem omnis boni et veri); "nec erit illis residuus aut evadens" significat quod prorsus nihil veri et boni supererit; "et eritis in maledictionem, in stuporem, in execrationem et in opprobrium", significat damnationis omnia; "neque videbitis amplius locum hunc" significat quod non aliquid ecclesiae erit apud illos amplius.
[67] Apud Ezechielem,
"Duae mulieres filiae unius matris fuerunt, quae scortatae sunt in Aegypto; .... nomina earum Ohola major natu, ...quae Samaria..., et Oholiba...quae Hierosolyma. Ohola scortata est sub Me, et amavit..Assyrios propinquos, .... et dedit scortationes suas super delectum filiorum Aschuris omnium, .... attamen scortationes suas ex Aegypto non deseruit, nam cum ea concubuit in adolescentia sua; .... ideo tradidi eam in manum amasiorum ejus, ...filiorum Aschuris...; illi revelarunt nuditatem ejus, filios ejus et filias ejus ceperunt, et ipsam gladio tandem occiderunt. .... Vidit soror ejus Oholiba, et corrupit amorem suum plus quam illa, et scortationes suas supra scortationes sororis suae, filios Aschuris adamavit; .... addidit enim ad scortationes suas, quando enim vidit viros pictos super pariete, imagines Chaldaeorum pictas minio, .... quibus omnibus species ducum, similitudinem filiorum Babelis, Chaldaeorum; .... et venerunt ad eam filii Babelis ad concubitum amorum, et polluerunt eam per scortationem suam; .... multiplicavit scortationes suas dum recordata est dierum adolescentiae suae, quibus scortata est in terra Aegypti, adamavit supra pellices eorum, eo quod caro asinorum caro eorum, et effluvium equorum effluvium eorum; ita commendasti scelus adolescentiae tuae, cum ornasti ex Aegypto mammas tuas.... : quamobrem, Oholiba, .... excitabo amasios tuos contra te filios Babelis et omnes Chaldaeos, .... et omnes Assyrios cum illis; .... filios tuos et filias tuas capient, et posteritas tua consumetur per ignem, exuent tibi vestes tuas, et sument vasa ornatus tui: ita cessare faciam facinus tuum a te, et scortationem tuam e terra Aegypti, ut non tollas oculos tuos ad illos, et Aegypti non recorderis amplius; .... ebrietate et tristitia impleberis, calice devastationis et desolationis" (23:2-33, et porro ad finem):
ut sciatur quod per "Aegyptum" significetur naturalis homo, hic separatus a spirituali, et per "Aschurem" rationale, hic ratiocinatio ex illis quae naturalis hominis sunt, velim etiam summatim illa explicare: "Duae mulieres filiae unius matris fuerunt, quae scortatae in Aegypto", significat falsificationes veri et boni; et quia filii Jacobi mere naturales homines fuerunt, idololatrica Aegyptiorum imbuerunt, per quod significatur quod falsificaverint omnia vera ecclesiae: "nomina earum Ohola major natu, quae Samaria, et Oholiba, quae Hierosolyma", significat utramque ecclesiam spiritualem et caelestem, quas repraesentaverunt posteri Jacobi; Israelitae qui in Samaria ecclesiam spiritualem, et Judaei in Hierosolyma ecclesiam caelestem, utraque ex eadem matre, quae est Divinum Verum:
[68] "Ohola scortata est sub Me" significat falsificationem Divini Veri quod in Verbo: "et amavit Assyrios propinquos, et dedit scortationes suas supra delectum filiorum Aschuris omnium", significat confirmationes per multa ratiocinia: "attamen scortationes suas ex Aegypto non deseruit, nam cum ea concubuit in adolescentia sua", significat quod usque prosecuti sint idololatrica: "ideo tradidi eam in manum amasiorum ejus filiorum" significat ratiocinia confirmantia idololatrica; "illi revelarunt nuditatem ejus, filios ejus et filias ejus ceperunt, et ipsam gladio tandem occiderunt", significat deprivationem omnis veri et boni, et inde exstinctionem ecclesiae apud illos; "nuditas" est deprivatio, "filii et filiae" sunt vera et bona, et " 17
Ohola" est ecclesia: "vidit soror ejus Oholiba, et corrupit amorem suum plus quam illa, et scortationes suas supra scortationes sororis suae", significat devastationem ecclesiae caelestis, quam gens Judaica, quae in Hierosolyma, repraesentavit; quae "corrupisse amorem [plus] quam ejus soror" dicitur, cum perverterit et adulteraverit bona Verbi et inde doctrinae; nam plus peccat qui corrumpit seu pervertit bona ecclesiae quam qui vera ejus:
[69] "filios Aschuris adamavit" significat per ratiocinationes contra vera et bona: "addidit super scortationes suas, cum vidisset viros pictos super pariete, imagines Chaldaeorum pictos minio", significat phantasias ex fallaciis sensuum, quae sunt sensualis hominis, et exinde argumentationes, unde falsificationes: "quibus omnibus species ducum, similitudinem filiorum Babelis, Chaldaeorum", significat apparentiam sicut veritatum praecipuarum, quae reliquis praeferendae: "et venerunt ad eam filii Babelis, et polluerunt eam per scortationem suam", significat conjunctionem cum falsis mali ex amore sui: "multiplicavit scortationes suas, dum recordata est dierum adolescentiae suae, quibus scortata est in terra Aegypti", significat quod confirmaverit idololatrica sua, et falsa mali, quae ex naturali homine imbuerat, et sic falsificata sua auxerit: "adamavit supra pellices eorum, eo quod caro asinorum caro eorum, et effluvium equorum effluvium eorum", significat cupiditates amoris erga illa, quia ex proprio voluntario eorum, et inde ex proprio intellectuali; "caro asinorum" est proprium voluntarium, et "effluvium equorum" est proprium intellectuale inde, quae pervertunt omnia:
[70] "ita commendasti scelus adolescentiae tuae, cum ornasti [ex] Aegypto mammas tuas", significat amorem falsi implantatum a prima aetate, et ex illa delectationem: "quamobrem, Oholiba, excitabo amasios tuos contra te, filios Babelis et omnes Chaldaeos, et Assyrios cum illis", significat destructionem ecclesiae per mala ex amore sui, et per falsa ex fastu propriae intelligentiae, quibus internecinum odium inest contra bona et vera doctrinae: "filios tuos et filias tuas capient" significat vera et bona ecclesiae quae destruent: "et posteritas tua consumetur per ignem" significat quod reliqua inde peritura sint per amores terrestres: "exuent tibi vestes tuas, et sument vasa ornatus tui", significat quod deprivabunt omni intelligentia et scientia, quae ecclesiae decus; "ita cessare faciam facinus tuum a te, et scortationem tuam e terra Aegypti", significat quod sic falsificari vera non possint: "ut non tollas oculos tuos ad illos, et Aegypti non recorderis amplius", significat dum non amplius est aliquis intellectus veri, nec scientia veri: "ebrietate et tristitia impleberis" significat insaniam in spiritualibus et aversationem: "calice devastationis et desolationis" significat falsa mali quae prorsus devastant et desolant omnia bona et vera ecclesiae.
[71] Apud eundem,
"Scortata es cum filiis Aegypti, vicinis tuis magnis carne, et multiplicasti scortationem tuam, .... et scortata es cum filiis Aschuris, et satietas tibi nulla; .... et multiplicasti scortationem tuam usque ad terram negotiationis tuae Chaldaeam, sed neque tunc satiata es" (16:26, 28, 29):
haec de abominationibus Hierosolymae, per quam significatur ecclesia quoad doctrinam; et per "scortationes" significantur falsificationes veri doctrinae ac Verbi: "quare scortata es cum filiis Aegypti, vicinis tuis magnis carne", significat falsificationes a naturali homine, ubi sunt omnia mala et falsa; "caro" significat proprium hominis quod residet in naturali homine, et in se non est nisi quam malum et inde falsum: "et scortata es cum filiis Aschuris" significat falsificationes per ratiocinationes: "et satietas tibi nulla" significat cupiditatem falsificandi vera absque fine: "et multiplicasti scortationem tuam usque ad terram negotiationis tuae Chaldaeam" significat falsificationes ex sensuali homine, ubi mere fallaciae, ex quibus homo prorsus rejicit et negat et quoque blasphemat vera; "terra negotiationis" significat unde omnia falsa comparantur, et sensuale est scaturigo omnium malorum et inde falsorum; homo etiam nascitur primum sensualis, dein fit naturalis, tum rationalis, et tandem spiritualis, et qui falsificat vera ecclesiae fit iterum naturalis et tandem sensualis: "sed neque hoc satiata es" significat cupiditatem destruendi vera ecclesiae immensam.
[70] : "Aegyptus in vastitatem erit" significat quod naturalis homo absque veris, et inde in meris falsis erit; "et Edom in desertum vastitatis" significat quod naturalis homo absque bonis et inde in meris malis erit; "propter violentiam filiorum Jehudae, quorum fuderunt sanguinem innocentem", significat quia vim intulerunt veris et bonis Verbi, quae perverterunt.
[73] Similia involvunt bella inter filios Israelis et Aegyptios, tum bella inter filios Israelis et Assyrios, ut et inter Assyrios et Aegyptios (Ut 2 Regnum 23:29 ad fin. ; cap. 241 : Esaias 10:3-5); et in Libro Primo Regum,
Quod sub rege Rechabeamo ascenderit rex Aegypti contra Hierosolymam, et sumpserit thesauros Domus Jehovae, et thesauros domus regis, et quod sumpserit scuta quae fecerat Salomo, et plura alia (14:25, 26);
nam in omnibus historicis Verbi, aeque ac in propheticis ejus, est sensus spiritualis; omnia enim historica Verbi sunt repraesentativa spiritualium et caelestium quae caeli et ecclesiae, et verba ibi sunt significativa: per id quod "rex Aegypti sumpserit thesauros domus Jehovae et domus regis", et plura, repraesentabatur devastatio ecclesiae quoad cognitiones boni et veri a scientificis false applicatis quae in naturali homine.
[74] Qualis est naturalis homo quando subordinatus spirituali, et qualis est quando separatus ab illo, plene describitur in Exodo, in sensu interno ibi: qualis est naturalis homo quando subordinatus et sic conjunctus spirituali, describitur ibi ubi agitur de Josepho, et de filiis Israelis a Josepho illuc vocatis, et habitantibus in terra Goschen, quae fuit optima terrarum Aegyptum; ubi agitur de Josepho, describitur dominium Domini super naturalem hominem, nam per "Josephum" in sensu spirituali intelligitur Dominus, et per "Aegyptum" naturalis homo, perque "filios Israelis" spiritualis homo. At postea describitur naturalis homo qualis est cum separatus a spirituali, per Pharaonem, quod filios Israelis graviter servire fecerit; et dein vastatio ejus quoad omnia vera et bona ecclesiae describitur per miracula, quae erant totidem plagae, ibi facta, et demum interitus per submersionem Pharaonis et omnis exercitus ejus in Mari Suph.
[75] Miracula, per quae in sensu spirituali describitur vastatio naturalis hominis separati a spirituali, erant sequentia:
Quod baculus Aharonis conversus sit in serpentem: quod aquae in flumine conversae sint in sanguinem, ita ut moreretur piscis, et feteret flumen (Exod. 7):
Quod ex fluviis et stagnis productae sint ranae super terram Aegypti: quod pulvis terrae Versus sit in pediculos: quod colluvies volatilium noxiorum immissa sit in domum Pharaonis, servorum ejus, et in omnem terram Aegypti (Exod. 8):
Quod ulcus efflorescens pustulis factum sit super hominem et super bestiam: quod pluvia grandinis gravis commixtae igni depluerit super Aegyptum (Exod. 9):
Quod locusta immissa sit super terram, quae comedit herbam et omnem fructum arboris: quod caligo tenebrarum facta sit in omni terra Aegypti (Exod. 10):
Quod omnia primogenita in terra Aegypti mortua sint (Exod. 11):
Demum quod Aegyptii, postquam filii Israelis mutuo petierint ab illis, et sic surripuerint illis vasa auri et argenti, ac vestes [ (Exodus 12:35, 36)] , (per quae significantur cognitiones boni et veri, ) submersi sint in Mari Suph [ (Exodus 14:28)] (per quod significatur infernum).
Per omnia illa describitur quomodo vastatur naturalis homo, quod fit quando a se rejicit omnia vera et bona ecclesiae, et imbuit falsa et mala, usque dum amplius non aliquod verum et bonum ecclesiae residuum est. (sed illa omnia ample quoad sensum spiritualem in Arcanis Caelestibus quae super explicata videantur.) Inde constare potest quid significatur
Per "plagas et morbos Aegypti" (Deuteronomius 7:15; 28:60);
Quid per "submergi flumine Aegypti" (Amos 8:8; cap. 9:5 18
):
et unde est quod Aegyptus dicatur
"Terra servitutis" (Micham 6:4);
Tum "terra Chami" (Psalm. 105:23 19
);
Ac "fornax ferri" (Deuteronomius 4:20; 1 Reg. 8:51 20
).
Haec de Aegypto; ex quibus manifeste patet quod "Aegyptus" significet naturalem hominem in utroque sensu.
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