Arcana Coelestia # 7039
7039. Behold I will slay thy son, thy firstborn. That this signifies the extinction of faith without charity, and the consequent devastation of truth with them, is evident from the signification of “slaying,” as being extinction; and from the signification of “son, the firstborn,” namely, of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, as being faith without charity (see n. 3325). For by Pharaoh and the Egyptians are represented the memory-knowledges which are of the church (n. 4749, 4964, 4966, 6004), thus which are of faith, for these are of the church. But because they turned these memory-knowledges into magic (n. 6692), and from this their works were evil, and devoid of any charity, therefore by their “firstborn” are signified such things as are of the memory-knowledge of faith, thus faith without charity. That these are signified by the “firstborn of Egypt,” is evident from the signification of the “firstborn of Israel,” as being the faith of charity (of which above n. 7035).
[2] It is said “faith without charity,” but by “faith” is here meant the memory-knowledge of such things as are of faith, for there is no faith where there is no charity. With those who are not in charity the things of faith are merely things of memory, and are in the memory under no other form than is any other memory-knowledge; and there is not there even the memory-knowledge of truth which is of faith, because it is defiled with ideas of falsity, and also serves as a means to defend falsities. As this is the case with faith without charity, it is therefore extinguished with the evil in the other life, and they are completely devastated as to truth, in order to prevent truths from being made into means for their evils, and thus lest hell should in some way have dominion in them over such things as are of heaven, and lest they should thereby hang between heaven and hell. This extinction and this devastation of truth are what is signified by the firstborn in Egypt being slain. That the Egyptians afterward perished in the sea Suph represented the subsequent state of damnation or the spiritual death of such persons, for as soon as the things of faith or of truth are taken away from them (which had been like wings that lifted them up), they soon sink down like weights into hell.
Exodus 5
1
Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.'"
2
Pharaoh said, "Who is Yahweh, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don't know Yahweh, and moreover I will not let Israel go."
3
They said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword."
4
The king of Egypt said to them, "Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!"
5
Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens."
6
The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
7
"You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8
The number of the bricks, which they made before, you require from them. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.'
9
Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor therein; and don't let them pay any attention to lying words."
10
The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you straw.
11
Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.'"
12
So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
13
The taskmasters were urgent saying, "Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!"
14
The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, "Why haven't you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?"
15
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you deal this way with your servants?
16
No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, 'Make brick!' and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people."
17
But he said, "You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to Yahweh.'
18
Go therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!"
19
The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, "You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!"
20
They met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
21
and they said to them, "May Yahweh look at you, and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us."
22
Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, "Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? why is it that you have sent me?
23
For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people; neither have you delivered your people at all."
