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Arcana Coelestia, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1749-56], tr. by John F. Potts [1905-10], at sacred-texts.com

Arcana Coelestia

The spirits and angels who are from other earths, are all separate from one another, in accordance with the earths, and do not appear together in one place. The reason is that the inhabitants of one earth are of a totally different genius from those of another; nor are they associated together in the heavens, except in the inmost or third heaven. Those who come thither are together from every earth, and constitute that heaven in closest conjunction.

At the end of the following chapter I shall tell about the spirits of the planet Mercury.

Exodus 2 THE DOCTRINE OF CHARITY As prefatory to the chapters of the Book of Exodus I have undertaken to deliver the doctrine of charity, it must first be told what the neighbor is, because it is he toward whom charity is to be exercised. For unless it is known who the neighbor is, charity may be exercised in the same manner and without distinction equally toward the evil as toward the good, whereby charity becomes no charity; for by virtue of its benefactions the evil do ill to the neighbor; but the good do well.

The general opinion at the present day is that every man is equally the neighbor, and that everyone who is in need of help must be benefited. But it is the part of Christian prudence to search well the quality of a man's life, and to exercise charity in accordance therewith. The man of the internal church does this with discrimination, thus with intelligence; but as the man of the external church cannot thus discriminate, he does it indiscriminately.

The ancients reduced the neighbor into classes, and named each class according to the names of those who in the world appear to be especially in need; and they taught how charity was to be exercised toward those who were in one class, and how toward those in another; and in this way they reduced the doctrine, and the life according to it, into order. Hence the doctrine of their church contained the laws of life, and hence they saw of what quality was this or that man of the church whom they called "brother," but with a distinction in the internal sense in accordance with his exercise of charity from the genuine doctrine of the church, or from the doctrine as changed by himself; for as everyone desires to appear blameless, he defends his own life, and therefore either explains or changes the laws of doctrine in his own favor.

The distinguishing differences of the neighbor, which the man of the church ought to wholly know, in order that he may know the quality of charity, vary in accordance with the good which is with everyone; and as all good proceeds from the Lord, the Lord is the neighbor in the highest sense, and in a surpassing degree; and from Him the neighbor originates. From this it follows that in proportion as anyone has of the Lord in him, in the same proportion he is the neighbor; and as no two persons receive the Lord (that is, receive the good which proceeds from Him) in the same way, therefore no two persons are the neighbor in the same way; for without exception all persons in the heavens and on earth differ in good. Precisely one and the same good never exists in two persons; it must vary in order for each person to subsist by himself. But all these varieties, thus all the distinguishing differences of the neighbor, which are according to the reception of the Lord, that is, of the good proceeding from Him, can never be known to any man, nor even to any angel, except in general, thus as to their genera and some species of these. Nor does the Lord require more of the man of the church than to live according to what he knows.

From all this it is now clear that the quality of Christian good determines in what degree each one is the neighbor; for the Lord is present in good, because it is His, and He is present according to the quality of it. And as the origin of the neighbor must be drawn from the Lord, therefore the distinguishing differences of the neighbor are according to the Lord's presence in good, thus according to the quality of the good.

That the neighbor is according to the quality of the good, is plain from the Lord's parable of the man who fell among thieves, whom, while half dead, the priest passed by, and also the Levite; but the Samaritan, when he had bound up his wounds and poured in oil and wine, set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him; and he, because he exercised the good of charity, is called the "neighbor" (Luke 10:29-37). Hence it may be known that they are the neighbor who are in good; whereas they who are in evil are indeed the neighbor, but in quite a different respect; and for this reason they are to be benefited in a different way. But on this subject, of the Lord's Divine mercy more will be said hereafter.

As it is the quality of the good which determines how everyone is the neighbor, it is the love which does this; for there is not any good which is not of love; from this comes forth all good, and from this also comes forth the quality of the good.

That it is the love which makes a man to be the neighbor, and that each person is the neighbor according to the quality of his love, is very manifest from those who are in the love of self. These acknowledge as the neighbor those who love them the most; that is, insofar as they are theirs; thus are in themselves. These they embrace, these they kiss, these they benefit, and these they call brethren; nay, because they are evil, they say that these are the neighbor more than others. All the rest they hold to be the neighbor according as these love them, thus according to the quality and the amount of the love. Much derive the origin of the neighbor from themselves, for it is the love that is the determinant.

But they who do not love themselves more than others, as is the case with all who are of the Lord's kingdom, will derive the origin of the neighbor from Him whom they ought to love above all things, that is, from the Lord; and will regard everyone as the neighbor according to the quality of his love to Him. They therefore who love others as themselves, and especially those who-like the angels-love others more than themselves, all derive the origin of the neighbor from the Lord; for the Lord Himself is in good, because it proceeds from Him. Hence also it can be seen that the quality of the love determines who is the neighbor. That the Lord is in good, He Himself teaches in Matthew; for He says to those who had been in good, that they "had given Him to eat," that they "had given Him to drink, had gathered Him, clothed Him, visited Him, and had come to Him in prison;" and afterward, that "insofar as they had done it to one of the least of His brethren, they had done it to Him" (Matt. 25:34-40).

From all this it is now evident whence the origin of neighbor is to be drawn by the man of the church; and that everyone is the neighbor in the degree in which he is near the Lord; and because the Lord is in the good of charity, that the neighbor is according to the quality of the good, thus according to the quality of the charity. EXODUS 2 1. And there went a man from the house of Levi, and took a daughter of Levi. 2. And the woman conceived, and bare a son; and she saw him, that he was good, and she hid him three months. 3. And she could no longer hide him; and she took for him an ark of rush, and daubed it with bitumen and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and laid him in the sedge at the bank of the river. 4. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. 5. And Pharaoh's daughter came down to wash at the river; and her girls were going at the side of the river; and she saw the ark in the midst of the sedge, and sent her handmaid, and took it. 6. And she opened it, and saw him, the child; and behold the boy wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. 7. And his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call thee a woman, a nurse, from the Hebrew women, that she may suckle the child for thee? 8. And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the girl went, and called the mother of the child. 9. And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Take this child to thee, and suckle him for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child and suckled him. 10. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he was to her as a son. And she called his name Moses, and said, Because I drew him out of the waters. 11. And it came to pass in those days, and Moses grew, and he went out unto his brethren, and saw their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian man smiting a Hebrew man, one of his brethren. 12. And he looked forth hither and thither, and saw that there was no man, and he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. 13. And he went out the second day, and held two Hebrew men quarreling; and he said to the wicked one, Wherefore smitest thou thy companion? 14. And he said, Who set thee for a man, a prince, and a judge over us? Sayest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely the word is known. 15. And Pharaoh heard this word, and he sought to kill Moses. And Moses fled from before Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian, and he dwelt by a well. 16. And the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came, and drew, and filled the troughs, to give drink to their father's flock. 17. And the shepherds came, and drove them away; and Moses arose, and helped them; and he gave drink to their flock. 18. And they came unto Reuel their father, and he said, Wherefore hasted ye to come today? 19. And they said, An Egyptian man delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds; and also drawing he drew for us, and gave drink to the flock. 20. And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? Why is this that ye have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread. 21. And Moses was willing to dwell with the man; and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. 22. And she bare a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a strange land. 23. And it came to pass in these many days that the king of Egypt died; and the sons of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25. And God saw the sons of Israel, and God took knowledge.

The Contents. In this chapter in the internal sense the subject treated of is truth Divine, its beginnings and successive states with the man of the church.

In the supreme sense the subject treated of is the Lord, how He as to the Human became the law Divine. Moses represents the Lord as to the law Divine, which is the Word; and in the relative sense he represents truth Divine with the man of the church.

The Internal Sense. Verses 1-4. And there went a man from the house of Levi, and took a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son; and she saw him, that he was good, and she hid him three months. And she could no longer hide him; and she took for him an ark of rush, and daubed it with bitumen and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and she laid him in the sedge at the bank of the river. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. "And there went a man from the house of Levi," signifies the origin of truth from good; "and took a daughter of Levi," signifies conjunction with good; "and the woman conceived," signifies the first of the rising; "and bare a son," signifies the law Divine in its origin; "and she saw him, that he was good," signifies a noticing that it was through heaven; "and she hid him three months," signifies the fullness of time in which it did not appear; "and she could no longer hide him," signifies the time when it ought to appear; "and she took for him an ark of rush," signifies what is of low value round about, but nevertheless derived from truth; "and daubed it with bitumen and with pitch," signifies good mixed with evils and falsities; "and she put the child therein," signifies that inmostly therein was the law Divine in its origin; "and she laid him in the sedge at the bank of the river," signifies that at first it was among false memory-knowledges; "and his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him," signifies the truth of the church far away from it, and advertence.

And there went a man from the house of Levi. That this signifies the origin of truth from good, is evident from the signification of "a man," as being truth (see n. 3134); and from the signification of "from the house," as being the origin; and from the representation of Levi, as being good; for Levi in the supreme sense represents the Divine love (n. 3875), and in the internal sense spiritual love (n. 3875, 4497, 4502, 4503); and because he represents love, he represents good, for all good is of love. As regards the origin of truth from good, which is here signified by "a man from the house of Levi," be it known that in what follows, in the supreme sense, the subject treated of is the Lord, how as to His Human He became the law Divine, that is, truth itself. It is known that the Lord was born as are other men, and that when a child He learned to speak like other children, and that He then grew in knowledge, and also in intelligence, and in wisdom. [2] From this it is evident that His Human was not Divine from birth, but that He made it Divine by His own power. That He did this by His own power was because He was conceived of Jehovah, and hence the inmost of His life was Jehovah Himself; for the inmost of the life of every man, which is called the "soul," is from the father; but what this inmost puts on, which is called the "body," is from the mother. That the inmost of life, which is from the father, is continually flowing and working into the external, which is from the mother, and is in the effort to make this like itself, even in the womb, can be seen from sons, in that they are born into the disposition of the father, and sometimes grandsons and great-grandsons into that of the grandfather and great grandfather. The reason of this is that the soul, which is from the father, continually wills to make the external, which is from the mother, a likeness and image of itself. [3] This being the case with man, it can be seen that it was especially so with the Lord. His inmost was the Divine Itself, because it was Jehovah Himself, for He was His only-begotten Son; and because the inmost was the Divine Itself, was not this, more than in any man, able to make the external, which is from the mother, an image of itself, that is, like itself? thus making the Human, which was external and from the mother, Divine; and this by His own power, because the Divine, which was inmost, from which He worked into the Human, was His, as the soul of man, which is the inmost, is man's. And as the Lord advanced according to Divine order, He made His Human, when He was in the world, Divine truth; but afterward, when He was fully glorified, He made it Divine good, thus one with Jehovah. [4] How this was done is described in this chapter in the supreme sense, but as the things contained in the supreme sense, all of which treat of the Lord, surpass human understanding, I may in what follows set forth the things contained in this chapter in the internal sense. These treat of the beginning and successive states of truth Divine with the man of the church, that is, with the man who is being regenerated (see n. 6713, 6714). The reason why these things are contained in the internal sense, is that the regeneration of man is an image of the glorification of the Lord's Human (n. 3138, 3212, 3245, 3246, 3296, 3490, 4402, 5688).

And took a daughter of Levi. That this signifies conjunction with good, is evident from the signification of "taking a daughter" (that is, to wife), as being conjunction; and from the representation of Levi, as being good (see n. 6716). How it is to be understood that the truth whose origin is from good, is conjoined with good, shall be told. The truth which is instilled by the Lord in the man who is being regenerated, has its origin from good. In the first period the good does not show itself, because it is in the internal man, but the truth shows itself, because it is in the external man; and as the internal acts into the external, and not the converse (n. 6322), it is good which acts into truth, and makes this its own, for nothing else than good acknowledges and receives truth. This is apparent from the affection of truth that is present in the man who is being regenerated. The affection itself is from good, for an affection which is of love cannot come from any other source. But this truth which is received in this first period, that is, before regeneration, is not the genuine truth of good, but it is the truth of doctrine. For at this time the man does not consider whether it is truth, but acknowledges it because it is of the doctrine of the church; and so long as he does not consider whether it is truth, and from this acknowledges it, it is not his, and therefore is not appropriated to him. This is the first state with the man who is being regenerated. [2] But when he has been regenerated, then good shows itself, especially by his loving to live according to the truth which he of himself acknowledges to be truth. Then because he wills the truth which he acknowledges, and acts according to it, it is appropriated to him; because it is not as before merely in the understanding, but is also in the will, and what is in the will is appropriated. And as the understanding then makes one with the will, for the understanding acknowledges and the will performs, there is a conjunction of the two, namely, of good and truth. When this conjunction has been effected, then as from a marriage, offspring are continually born, which are truths and goods with their blessednesses and delights. These two states are what are meant by the origin of truth from good, and by their conjunction. [3] But the truth which is being conjoined with good, which is here signified by "there went a man from the house of Levi and took a daughter of Levi," is not such truth as is received by a man in the first state, for this is the truth of the doctrine of that church in which he has been born; but it is the very truth itself; for the subject treated of in the supreme sense is the Lord, how He became the law Divine as to the Human; and the truth of this law is what is meant. That its origin is good, is because the Divine, which was the Lord's inmost and the esse of His life, brought it forth in His Human. Thus was conjunction effected of this truth with good; for the Divine is nothing else than good.

And the woman conceived. That this signifies the first of the rising, namely, of the law Divine in the Lord's Human, is evident from the signification of "conceiving," as being the first of a rising. By the "woman" is here signified the same as just above by the "daughter of Levi," whom the man of the house of Levi took, namely, truth conjoined with good.

And bare a son. That this signifies the law Divine in its origin, is evident from the signification of "bearing," as being a coming forth (see n. 2621, 2629), thus origin; and from the signification of a "son," as being truth (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373), here the law Divine, because by the son is meant Moses; and that Moses represented the Lord as to the law Divine, or the Word, will be shown in what follows.

And she saw him, that he was good. That this signifies a noticing that it was through heaven, is evident from the signification of "to see," as being a noticing (see n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723, 5400); and from the signification of "good," here denoting through heaven, because it is said of the law Divine in the Lord. But that "good" here signifies through heaven, is a secret that cannot be known unless it is disclosed. When the Lord made His Human Divine, He did this from the Divine, by means of a transflux through heaven-not that heaven contributed anything from itself, but that in order that the Divine Itself might flow into the human, it flowed in through heaven. This transflux was the Divine Human before the advent of the Lord, and was Jehovah Himself in the heavens or the Lord. The Divine which flowed through heaven was the Divine truth, or the Divine law, which Moses represented; and the Divine which flows through heaven, is good. Hence it is evident whence it is, that by "she saw him," namely the son, "that he was good," is signified a noticing that it was through heaven.

And she hid him three months. That this signifies the fullness of time in which it did not appear, is evident from the signification of "being hid," as being not to appear; and from the signification of "three months," as being fullness of time and fullness of state. (That "three" denotes what is full, or an entire period from beginning to end, may be seen above, n. 2788, 4495; and also that a "month," like a "day" and a "year," denotes time and state, n. 2788.) Hence "for three months," denotes a new state.

And she could no longer hide him. That this signifies the time when it ought to appear, is evident from the signification of "being hid," as being not to appear (see n. 6721); hence "to be hid no longer," denotes to appear. That the time is meant when it ought to appear is because by the three months in which he was hid was signified fullness of time from beginning to end (as just above, n. 6721).

And she took an ark of rush. That this signifies what is of low value round about, but nevertheless derived from truth, is evident from the signification of "an ark," 6723-1 as being what is round about, or that in which anything is inclosed (of which in what follows); and from the signification of "rush," as being what is of low value, but nevertheless derived from truth. That "rush" denotes what is of low value is evident, and that it denotes what is derived from truth is because a "rush" has this signification, as is clear in Isaiah: Woe to the land that is overshadowed with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Cush; that sendeth envoys to the sea, even in vessels of rush upon the faces of the waters (Isa. 18:1-2); "the land overshadowed with wings" denotes the church, which darkens itself by means of reasonings from memory-knowledges; "beyond the rivers of Cush" denotes to the knowledges whereby they confirm false principles (n. 1164); "to send envoys to the sea" denotes to consult memory-knowledges (see n. 28); "in vessels of rush upon the faces of the waters," denotes the lowest receptacles of truth. [2] In the opposite sense: The dry place shall become a pool, and the thirsty place springs of waters; there shall be grass instead of the reed and the rush (Isa. 35:7); "grass instead of the reed and the rush," denotes that there will be true memory-knowledge instead of things in which there is no truth. That "grass" denotes true memory-knowledge is plain from the passages in the Word where it is mentioned. [3] As it was provided that Moses should represent the Lord as to the law Divine, or the Word, specifically the historic Word, it was therefore brought about that when he was an infant he was placed in a little ark, but in one of low value, because he was in his first rising, and because his being there was only a representative; but that afterward when the law Divine itself had shone forth from Mount Sinai, it was placed in an ark which was called the "ark of the testimony." (That the law Divine was placed in the ark, see Exod. 40:20; 1 Kings 8:9; and also that the books of Moses were placed in it, Deut. 31:24-26.) [4] Hence the ark was most holy, because it represented the Lord's Divine Human as to the Divine law; for from the Lord's Divine Human proceeds the Divine law, or the Divine truth, which is the same as the "Word" mentioned in John: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word; and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father (John 1:1, 14). And as the ark represented that most holy thing, the propitiatory with the cherubs was placed over the ark; and near the veil thereof the lampstand with its lamps, and the golden table with loaves, both of which signified the Divine love. This then is the reason why Moses, when an infant, because he represented the law Divine, was placed in a little ark.

And daubed it with bitumen and with pitch. That this signifies good mixed with evils and falsities, is evident from the signification of "bitumen," as being good mixed with evils; and from the signification of "pitch," as being good mixed with falsities. Bitumen and pitch have these significations from their being of a fiery nature, and in the Word by what is fiery is signified good, and in the opposite sense evil; but as they are sulphurous, and also black, they signify evil and falsity; as in Isaiah: The day of the vengeance of Jehovah; the torrents thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into sulphur, and the land thereof into burning pitch (Isa. 34:8-9); "pitch" and "sulphur" denote falsities and evils. Hence then it is that by "she daubed it with bitumen and pitch," is signified good mixed with evils and falsities. [2] As regards the thing itself-that encompassing the truth Divine there was good mixed with evils and falsities, no one can understand this unless he knows how the case is with the reformation of man. When a man is being reformed, he is kept by the Lord as to his internal in good and truth, but as to his external he is let into his evils and falsities, consequently among infernal spirits who are in these evils and falsities. These hover round him, and endeavor by every method to destroy him. But the good and truth which flow in through the internal render him so safe that the infernal spirits cannot do him the least harm; for that which acts inwardly prevails immeasurably over that which acts outwardly; because what is interior, in consequence of being purer, acts upon each and every individual particular of the exterior, and thus disposes the external to its will. But in this case there must be good and truth in the external, wherein the influx from the internal can be fixed; and in this way good can be among evils and falsities, and yet be in safety. Everyone who is being reformed is let into this state, and in this way the evils and falsities in which he is, are removed, and goods and truths are inserted in their place. [3] Unless this secret is known, it cannot possibly be known why around the Divine truth in a man there are goods mixed with evils and falsities, signified by the bitumen and pitch wherewith the little ark was daubed in which the infant was laid. Be it known further that good can be mixed with evils and falsities, but that nevertheless they are not on this account conjoined, for each shuns the other, and by a law of order each separates itself from the other. For good is of heaven, and evil and falsity are of hell; therefore, as heaven and hell are separate, so also each and all things from them separate themselves.

And she put the child therein. That this signifies that inmostly therein was the law Divine in its origin, is evident from the signification of "putting therein," as being to be inmostly there, because in the little ark; and from the representation of Moses, as being the law Divine (of which in what follows), here the law Divine in its origin, because he was an infant.

And she laid him in the sedge at the bank of the river. That this signifies that at first it was among false memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of "sedge," as being memory-knowledges (of which presently); and from the signification of the "river of Egypt," as being falsity (see n. 6693). (How the case herein is, that they who are being initiated into truth Divine are at first placed among falsities, see just above, n. 6724.) That "sedge" denotes memory-knowledge, is because every herb in the Word signifies some kind of memory-knowledge; the sedge that is at the bank of a river signifies memory-knowledge of low value; as also in Isaiah: The streams shall recede, and the rivers of Egypt shall be dried up; the reed and the sedge shall wither away (Isa. 19:6); "streams" denote things of intelligence (n. 2702, 3051); "the rivers of Egypt shall be dried up" denotes things of memory-knowledge; "the reed" and "the sedge" denote the lowest memory-knowledges, which are sensuous. "Sedge" denotes false memory-knowledges in Jonah: The waters compassed me about even to the soul; the deep was round about me, the sedge [here seaweed] was bound about my head (Jonah 2:5); in this prophetic utterance is described a state of temptations; "the waters which compassed even to the soul" denote falsities (that "inundations of waters" denote temptations and desolations, see n. 705, 739, 790, 5725); "the deep round about" is the evil of falsity; "the seaweed bound about the head" denotes false memory-knowledges besetting truth and good, as is the case in a state of desolation.

And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. That this signifies the truth of the church far away from it, and advertence, is evident from the signification of "sister," as being rational truth (see n. 1495, 2508, 2524, 2556, 3160, 3386), thus the truth of the church, for this truth is rational truth; and from the signification of "to know what would be done to him," as being advertence.

Verses 5-9. And Pharaoh's daughter came down to wash at the river; and her girls were going at the side of the river; and she saw the ark in the midst of the sedge, and sent her handmaid, and took it. And she opened it and saw him, the child; and behold the boy wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. And his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call thee a woman, a nurse, from the Hebrew women, that she may suckle the child for thee? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the girl went, and called the mother of the child. And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Take this child to thee, and suckle him for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child and suckled him. "And Pharaoh's daughter came down," signifies the religiosity there; "to wash at the river," signifies worship from falsity; "and her girls were going at the side of the river," signifies the ministries of that religiosity that was from falsity; "and she saw the ark in the midst of the sedge," signifies a perception of truth that it was of low value among false memory-knowledge; "and she sent her handmaid," signifies service; "and took it," signifies curiosity; "and she opened it, and saw him, the child," signifies investigation of its quality, and a perception that it was truth from the Divine; "and behold the boy wept," signifies sadness; "and she had compassion on him," signifies admonition from the Divine; "and she said, This is one of the Hebrews' children," signifies that it was of the church itself; "and his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter," signifies the truth of the church near the religiosity there; "Shall I go and call thee a woman a nurse from the Hebrew women?" signifies perception that good was to be instilled therein by the church itself; "and Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go," signifies consent from the religiosity there; "and the girl went and called the mother of the child," signifies the truth of good of the church, that it adjoined the things of the church; "and Pharaoh's daughter said to her," signifies consent from the religiosity there; "take this child to thee," signifies that it should adjoin it to itself; "and suckle him for me," signifies that it should insinuate into it good suited to the religiosity; "and I will give thee thy wages," signifies recompense; "and the woman took the child, and suckled him," signifies that good was instilled into it by the church.

And Pharaoh's daughter came down. That this signifies the religiosity there, is evident from the signification of "daughter," as being the affection of truth and good, and hence the church (see n. 2362, 3963); and in the opposite sense the affection of falsity and evil, and hence the religiosity that is from these (n. 3024); here a religiosity from false memory-knowledges, because it was the daughter of Pharaoh, for by Pharaoh is here represented false memory-knowledge (see n. 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692). That by "daughters" in the Word are signified churches, can be seen from the numerous passages in which the church is called the "daughter of Zion," and the "daughter of Jerusalem;" and that by "daughters" are also signified the false religiosities of many nations, is plain also from the passages in which these are called "daughters;" as the "daughter of Tyre" (Ps. 45:12); the "daughter of Edom" (Lam. 4:22); the "daughter of the Chaldeans" and "of Babylon" (Isa. 47:1, 5; Jer. 50:41, 42; 51:33; Zech. 2:7; Ps. 137:8); the "daughter of the Philistines" (Ezek. 16:27, 57); the "daughter of Tarshish" (Isa. 23:10); the "daughter of Egypt," in Jeremiah: Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt. Make thee vessels of migration, O thou inhabitress daughter of Egypt. The daughter of Egypt is put to shame; she is given into the hand of the people of the north (Jer. 46:11, 19, 24); the "daughter of Egypt" denotes the affection of reasoning about the truths of faith, whether a thing be so, from memory-knowledges, when what is negative reigns; thus it denotes the religiosity which thence arises, which is of such nature that nothing but falsity is believed.

To wash at the river. That this signifies worship from falsity, is evident from the signification of "washing," as being purification from filth spiritually understood (see n. 3147), hence it denotes worship, because worship is for the sake of purification; and from the signification of "river," in this case the river of Egypt, as being falsity (see n. 6693).

And her girls were going at the side of the river. That this signifies the ministries of that religiosity that was from falsity, is evident from the signification of "girls," as being ministries, for when the "daughter of Pharaoh" signifies a religiosity, her "girls" signify its ministries; and from the signification of the "river," as being falsity (see n. 6730). Thus the ministries of a religiosity from falsity are signified by "the girls going at the side of the river."

And she saw the ark in the midst of the sedge. That this signifies a perception of truth that it was of low value among false memory-knowledge, is evident from the signification of "seeing," as being a perception (n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723, 5400); from the signification of an "ark of rush," as being what is of low value but nevertheless derived from truth (n. 6723), thus truth which is of low value; and from the signification of "sedge," as being false memory-knowledge (n. 6726); thus "in the midst of the sedge" denotes among such memory-knowledge. How the case herein is has been unfolded above.

And she sent her handmaid. That this signifies service is evident without explication.

And took it. That this signifies curiosity, is evident from the signification of "taking it," namely, the ark, when it was perceived that there was some truth that was of low value among the memory-knowledge (n. 6732), as being curiosity, namely, to know the quality of that truth.

And she opened it, and saw him, the child. That this signifies investigation of its quality, and a perception that it was truth from the Divine, is evident from the signification of "to open," as being to investigate of what quality it was, for he who opens in order to see what and of what quality a thing is, investigates; and from the signification of "seeing" as being perception (see n. 6732); and from the representation of Moses, who is here "the child," as being the law Divine or truth Divine (of which in what follows), thus truth from the Divine.

And behold the boy wept. That this signifies sadness, is evident without explication.

And she had compassion on him. That this signifies admonition from the Divine, is evident from the signification of "having compassion," as being an influx of charity from the Lord; for when anyone from charity sees another in misery (as here Pharaoh's daughter saw the child in the ark of rush and weeping), compassion arises; and as this is from the Lord, it is an admonition. Moreover, when they who are in perception feel compassion, they know that they are admonished by the Lord to give aid.

And she said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. That this signifies that it was of the church itself, is evident from the signification of "the Hebrews," as being the things of the church (see n. 6675, 6684); thus the "children of the Hebrews" denote those who are of the church itself. That the "Hebrews" signify the things of the church, is because when the Ancient Church ceased, the Hebrew Church, which was the second Ancient Church, began. This church retained many of the representatives and significatives of the Ancient Church, and also acknowledged Jehovah; hence it is that by the "Hebrews" is signified the church. (Concerning the Hebrew Church, see n. 1238, 1241, 1343, 4516, 4517, 4874, 5136.)

And his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter. That this signifies the truth of the church near the religiosity there, is evident from the signification of "sister," as being the truth of the church (see n. 6727); and from the signification of "Pharaoh's daughter," as being the religiosity there (n. 6729). Near is signified by her being at hand when Pharaoh's daughter opened the ark.

Shall I go and call thee a woman a nurse from the Hebrew women? That this signifies perception that there was to be instilled therein good from the church itself, is evident from the signification of "a woman, a nurse," as being the instilling of good (see n. 4563), for by the milk which the nurse gently introduces is signified the good of truth, or what is the same, the celestial spiritual (n. 2184); and from the signification of "the Hebrew women," as being the things of the church (n. 6675, 6684). Its being a perception that good thence derived was to be instilled is signified by her saying, "Shall I go and call?" because in the internal sense the truth of good which has perception is meant; but in the sense of the letter is meant a girl who had no perception. That a "nurse" denotes the instilling of good, is plain also in Isaiah: They shall bring thy sons in their bosom, and thy daughters shall be carried upon the shoulder. And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers (Isa. 49:22-23); "kings shall be thy nursing fathers" denotes the instilling of truth, which is of intelligence; "queens, nursing mothers," denotes the instilling of good, which is of wisdom. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all are gathered together, they come to thee; thy sons come from far, and thy daughters are carried by nurses at the side (Isa. 60:4); "sons who come from far" denote truths with the Gentiles, which being far off from the truth of the church, are said to "come from far;" "daughters that are carried by nurses at the side" denote the goods which are continually being instilled; for "daughters" are goods, and "nurses" they who insinuate.

And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. That this signifies consent from that religiosity, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh's daughter, as being a religiosity (of which above n. 6729); that consent is meant is plain without explication.

And the girl went, and called the mother of the child. That this signifies the truth of good of the church, that it adjoined the things of the church, is evident from the signification of "girl," as being the truth of good of the church (of which in what follows); from the signification of "calling," as being to adjoin, for the girl called in order to adjoin; and from the signification of "mother," as being the church (see n. 289, 2691, 2717, 5581); thus also the things of the church. Mention is made in the Word of a "virgin," and also of a "girl," but the latter in the original rarely by the name used here. A "virgin" signifies the good of the celestial church, but a "girl," the truth of good, which is of the spiritual church; as in David: They have seen Thy goings, O God, the goings of my God, of my King, in the sanctuary. The singers went before, the players after, in the midst of the girls playing on timbrels (Ps. 68:24-25). The words in these verses are all said of the truths of good, which are of the spiritual church. (That the term "God" is used where truth is treated of, may be seen above, n. 2769, 2807, 2822, 4402; also that "king" denotes truth, n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148; that "singers" are predicated of the truths which are of the spiritual church, n. 418-420; and "they who play on timbrels," of spiritual good, n. 4138.) Hence it can be known that "girls" denote the truths of good, which are of the spiritual church.

And Pharaoh's daughter said to her. That this signifies consent from the religiosity there, is evident; for she gave the child to the mother to suckle him. Consent from that religiosity is here signified, as above (n. 6741), where like words occur.

Take this child to thee. That this signifies that it should adjoin it to itself, is evident from the signification of "taking to," as being to adjoin; from the signification of "mother," who is here meant by "to thee," as being the church (see n. 6742); and from the representation of Moses, who is here the "child," as being the law Divine in its origin; in the supreme sense in the Lord, when He made His Human to be the law Divine; and in the relative sense in the man who is being regenerated, when he is being initiated into truth Divine (see above, n. 6716).

And suckle him for me. That this signifies that it should insinuate into it good suited to the religiosity, is evident from the signification of "suckling," as being to insinuate good (of which in what follows); and from the representation of Pharaoh's daughter, as being a religiosity (see n. 6729); and as she said, "Suckle him for me," it signifies that it should insinuate good suited to the religiosity. [2] That "to suckle" denotes to insinuate good is plain from the signification of a "nurse," or of one that gives suck, as being the instilling of good (n. 6740); and also from the passages there quoted from the Word, and likewise from the following: They shall call the peoples into the mountains; there shall they sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness; for they shall suck the affluence of the sea; and the hidden things of the secrets of the sand (Deut. 33:19); a prophetic utterance of Moses about Zebulun and Issachar; "to call the peoples into the mountain, there to sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness" signifies worship from love; "to suck the affluence of the sea" signifies that they will then learn true memory-knowledge in abundance, or that it will be instilled. [3] "To suck," in this passage, is the same expression as "to suckle," as also in the following passages: I will set thee for a magnificence of eternity, a joy of generation and generation; and thou shalt suck the milk of the nations, yea, thou shalt suck the breasts of kings (Isa. 60:15-16); speaking of "Zion and Jerusalem," which denote the celestial church, "Zion" its internal, and "Jerusalem" its external; "to suck the milk of nations" denotes the instilling of celestial good; "to suck the breasts of kings" denotes the instilling of celestial truth. Everyone can see that in these words there lies hid a sense which does not appear in the letter, and that what lies hid in that sense is holy, because the Word is Divine; otherwise what could it mean to suck the milk of the nations, and to suck the breasts of kings? The sense which lies hid and which is holy, is not at all manifest unless it is known what is signified by "sucking," what by "milk," by "nations," by "breast," and by "kings." (That "milk" denotes the spiritual of the celestial, or the truth of good, may be seen above, n. 2184; also that "nations" denote goods in worship, n. 1259, 1260, 1416, 1849, 6005; that "breasts" denote the affections of good and truth, n. 6432; that "kings" denote truths, n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148; and that "to suck" denotes the instilling of good.) [4] From all this it can now be known what is the meaning of the above words when applied to the celestial church, which is "Zion and Jerusalem." When "Zion and Jerusalem" are mentioned together, the celestial church is signified by them, by "Zion" its internal, and by "Jerusalem" its external, as before said; but when "Jerusalem" is mentioned without "Zion," then for the most part the spiritual church is signified. [5] In the same: Ye shall suck and be satisfied with the breast of the consolations of Jerusalem; ye shall press out and be delighted with the splendor of her glory. Behold I will expand peace over her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; that ye may suck, be taken up to the side, and be dandled upon the knees (Isa. 66:11-12); here also "to suck" denotes the instilling of good. [6] In Jeremiah: Even the whales offer the teat, they give suck to their young; the daughter of my people is cruel, the tongue of the sucking child hath cleaved to the roof of his mouth with thirst (Lam. 4:3-4); "the daughter of my people" denotes the spiritual church, here this church vastated; that she is said not to suckle her young, when yet the whales suckle theirs, denotes that there is then no instilling of truth; that "the tongue of the sucking child hath cleaved to the roof of his mouth with thirst" denotes such a lack of truth that all innocence perishes. The "sucking child" denotes innocence, and "thirst" the lack of truth.

And I will give thee thy wages. That this signifies recompense, is evident without explication.

And the woman took the child, and suckled him. That this signifies that good was instilled into it by the church, is evident from the signification of "woman," as being the church (see n. 252, 253); and from the signification of "to suckle," as being the instilling of good (of which just above, n. 6745). It is the second state which is here described; the first state was a state of immission among evils and falsities (n. 6724), and this second one is a state of instilling of the good of the church.

Verse 10. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he was to her as a son. And she called his name Moses, and said, Because I drew him out of the waters. "And the child grew," signifies that there was increase from good; "and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter," signifies the affection of memory-knowledges; "and he was to her as a son," signifies that from this it had the first truths; "and she called his name Moses," signifies the quality of the state then; "and said, Because I drew him out of the waters," signifies deliverance from falsities.

And the child grew. That this signifies that there was increase from good, is evident from the signification of "growing," as being increase; that it is from good is because he grew by suckling, and suckling by a Hebrew woman denotes the instilling of the good of the church (see n. 6745).

And she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter. That this signifies the affection of memory-knowledges, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh's daughter, as being a religiosity (see n. 6729); but here the affection of memory-knowledges. For it is the third state which is described in this verse, and in this case by "daughter" is signified affection (n. 2362, 3963), and by "Pharaoh," memory-knowledge in general (n. 6015), thus by "Pharaoh's daughter," the affection of memory-knowledges. This is evident also from the series of things in the internal sense; for as Moses represents the Lord as to the law Divine, he could not be brought to Pharaoh's daughter and be to her as a son, if by her was signified a religiosity, as before; and moreover memory-knowledges are what they who are being regenerated must first learn, because they are a plane for the things of the understanding, and the understanding is the recipient of the truth of faith (n. 6125), and the truth of faith is the recipient of the good of charity. Hence it can be seen that memory-knowledge is the first plane when man is being regenerated. [2] That memory-knowledge was also the first plane with the Lord when He made His Human Divine truth, or the Divine law, is signified by the Lord, when an infant, being brought into Egypt (Matt. 2:13, 14), as follows in the prophetic utterance in Hosea: "Out of Egypt have I called My Son" (Hos. 11:1; Matt. 2:15). That by "Egypt" are signified memory-knowledges, has been often shown; but by memory-knowledges are not meant those of philosophy, but those of the church (concerning which see n. 4749, 4964-4966, 6004). These are the memory-knowledges which also, in the genuine sense, are signified by "Egypt." (That the first plane is formed by means of these, see n. 5901.)

Footnotes

6723-1 The Latin here is capsa seu arcula, "a repository or little ark;" the Latin term used in the text "she took an ark of rush" being capsa. The Hebrew word thus rendered is the same as that used to designate the ark built by Noah.