6266. And he bowed himself with his face to the earth. That this signifies their humiliation, is evident from the signification of “bowing himself with his face to the earth,” as being interior humiliation (see n. 5682); for such bowing is a bodily act that corresponds to humiliation of mind; hence they who adore God from the heart, thus bow themselves. It is said “he bowed himself,” because Joseph was in their stead, not then before Israel, but before the Lord, from whom was the blessing by Israel. That this was done by Joseph in their stead, is because such is the case in things spiritual; the good of the will and the truth of the intellectual in the natural cannot from themselves humble themselves before the Lord, but only from the internal by means of influx; for without influx through the internal into the natural, there is nothing of will and understanding therein, and not even anything of life; for the internal is the intermediate through which is life from the Lord therein.