6263. 'I did not think to see your face' means that he had not entertained any hope of an inflowing of his love. This is clear from the meaning of 'face' as the interiors, dealt with in 358, 2434, 3527, 3573, 4066, 4796, 4798, 5695, thus the affections since they shine primarily from the face, 4796, 5102 - 'God's face' therefore is Divine love and accordingly mercy, 5585; and from the meaning of 'I did not think' as not entertaining any hope. As regards an inflowing of love, this is meant by 'seeing the face', as is also evident from what is stated in the narrative immediately before and after.

358. 'The face ¹ falling' means change taking place as to interiors. This is clear from the meaning of 'the face' and from the meaning of 'falling'. Among the ancients the face meant internal things, for it is through the face that internal things shine forth. What is more, people in most ancient times were such that the face was in complete accord with internal things, so that anyone could see from another person's face the character of his disposition or mind (animus aut mens). They considered it something monstrous to express one thing in the face and to be thinking another; pretence and deceit in those times were abhorrent. Consequently the face meant things that were internal. When charity shone out of the face, the face was said to be 'lifted up', but when the reverse happened the face was said to 'fall'. This also explains why the Lord is referred to as lifting up His face upon man, as in the Blessing in Numbers 6:26 and Psalms 4:6, which means the Lord's gift of charity to man. What 'the falling of the face' means is clear in Jeremiah,

I will not cause My face to fall upon you, for I am merciful, said Jehovah. Jeremiah 3:12.

By 'Jehovah's face' is meant mercy. When He 'lifts up His face' on anyone, He is from His mercy imparting charity to him. The reverse is the case when He 'causes His face to fall', that is, when man's face falls.

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