5286. And now let Pharaoh see. That this signifies the looking forward of the natural, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” or “looking,” as being to look forward; for “seeing” here implies activity, namely, in doing; but when it does not imply that something is to be done, it signifies understanding and perceiving (as was shown above, n. 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5114). With the looking forward of the natural the case is this. Man’s natural, or his natural mind, which is beneath his rational mind, does not of itself look forward to anything, although it appears to do this as of itself; but its looking forward is from within, for the inner looks forward in the outer very much as a man looks at himself in a mirror, in which the figure appears as if it were there. This is also presented in the internal sense by Joseph’s speaking thus to Pharaoh; for by Joseph is represented the celestial of the spiritual, which is inner, and by Pharaoh the natural, which is outer; and Joseph seemed to Pharaoh to be that very man intelligent and wise who is here spoken of.

5225. And no one interpreted these things to Pharaoh. That this signifies that it was not known what would happen, is evident from the signification of “interpreting,” as being to know what would happen (see n. 5141). Hence “no one interpreted” denotes not to know; for in the internal sense “no one” is the negative of a thing, and thus what is not; for the idea of a person is turned in the internal sense into the idea of a thing-as for instance the idea of a man, a husband, a woman, a wife, a son or daughter, a boy or maiden, is turned into the idea of truth or of good; and as above (n. 5223) the idea of a magician and wise man is turned into that of interior and exterior memory-knowledges. The reason of this is that in the spiritual world, or in heaven, not persons but things come into view, for persons limit the idea, and concentrate it upon something finite; whereas things do not limit and concentrate it, but extend it to the infinite, thus to the Lord. For this reason also, no person named in the Word is perceived in heaven, but in his stead the thing that is represented by that person; so also no people or nation is perceived, but only its quality. Nay, not even is any historic statement of the Word about a person, nation, or people, known in heaven; and consequently it is not known who Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Israelitish people, and the Jewish nation were, but it is there perceived what Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Israelitish people, and the Jewish nation denote; and the same in all other cases. Thus the angelic speech is without limitation, and is also relatively universal.