5575. The Internal Sense (Genesis 43:1-5).

Verses 1-5. And the famine became grievous in the land. And it came to pass when they had finished the eating of the produce which they had brought from Egypt, and their father said unto them, Go back, buy us a little food. And Judah spoke unto him, saying, Protesting the man did protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my faces except your brother be with you. If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food. And if thou wilt not send, we will not go down; for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my faces except your brother be with you. “And the famine became grievous,” signifies desolation from want of spiritual things; “in the land,” signifies about the things that were of the church; “and it came to pass,” signifies what is new; “when they had finished the eating of the produce,” signifies when truths failed; “which they had brought from Egypt,” signifies which were from memory-knowledges; “and their father said unto them,” signifies perception from the things of the church; “Go back, buy us a little food,” signifies that in order to live they must procure for themselves the good of spiritual truth; “and Judah spoke unto him,” signifies the good of the church; “saying, Protesting the man did protest unto us,” signifies that the spiritual derived from the internal was averse to them; “saying, Ye shall not see my faces,” signifies that there will be no compassion; “except your brother be with you,” signifies unless there is an intermediate for you; “if thou wilt send our brother with us,” signifies that if it is so done by the church that adjunction shall take place, there must be an intermediate; “we will go down and buy thee food,” signifies that then the good of truth will be procured there; “and if thou wilt not send him,” signifies if not; “we will not go down,” signifies that it cannot be procured; “for the man said unto us,” signifies perception concerning the spiritual; “Ye shall not see my faces,” signifies that there will be no compassion; “except your brother be with you,” signifies unless there is an intermediate for you.