7826. 'In the land of Egypt' means when those belonging to the spiritual Church were still in close proximity to the molesters. This is clear from the meaning of 'the land of Egypt' as the place where the molesters were. For 'Pharaoh' and 'the Egyptians' represent and mean those belonging to the Church who have come to be governed by faith separated from charity and who molest the upright in the next life, 6692, 7097, 7107, 7110, 7116, 7142, 7317, and 'the land of Egypt' actual molestations, 7278, while 'the children of Israel' represent those belonging to the spiritual Church who undergo molestation, 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 72011 7215, 7223. And regarding the close proximity of the latter to molesters in the next life, see 7240. That close proximity is meant by the presence of the children of Israel in the middle of the land of Egypt - in the land of Goshen - and the molestations are meant by the burdens laid upon them. From this it is now evident that 'Jehovah said to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt' means instructions given by God's truth when those belonging to the spiritual Church were still in close proximity to the molesters.

7240. 'And so it was on the day Jehovah spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt' means the state of the Church at that time, when the command was given through the law from God to those who belonged to the Lord's spiritual kingdom, when they were still in close proximity to those in hell. This is clear from the meaning of 'the day' as the state, dealt with in 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850, 6110, here the state of the Church since that is the subject; from the meaning of 'Jehovah speaking' as the command, here the command given to those who belonged to the Lord's spiritual kingdom; from the representation of 'Moses' as the law from God, dealt with in 6771, 6827; and from the meaning of 'the land of Egypt' as the place where those who belonged to the Lord's spiritual kingdom were molested by falsities. This place was on the lower earth, which is next to the hells, see 7090. 'The land of Egypt' where the children of Israel were, and which was called Goshen, means that lower earth; but the place where the Egyptians were means the surrounding hells, the source of the molestations by falsities.