5124. Shall Pharaoh lift up thy head. That this signifies what is provided, and therefore what is concluded, is evident from the signification of “lifting up the head,” as being to conclude, and in the supreme sense to provide; for the Divine conclusion, and execution of a thing concluded, is providence. “To lift up the head” was a customary form of passing sentence among the ancients, when the bound, or those in prison were adjudged either to life or to death; when to life, this was expressed by “lifting up the head,” as in the second book of Kings:
Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he was made king, did lift up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah out of the prison house, and spake good to him, and set his throne above the thrones of the kings that were with him in Babylon (2 Kings 25:27-28).
So in Jeremiah:
Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the [first] year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of the prison house (Jeremiah 52:31).
But when they were adjudged to death, it was expressed by “lifting up the head from off him,” as in what follows concerning the baker: “In yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee” (verse 19).
[2] This form of sentence had its origin among the ancients who were in representatives, from the representation of those who were bound in prison or in a pit; and as by these were represented those who were in vastation under the lower earth (n. 4728, 4744, 5038), therefore by “lifting up their head” was signified their liberation, for they are then elevated or lifted up out of vastation to the heavenly societies (n. 2699, 2701, 2704). “To be lifted up” or “to be elevated” is to advance toward the interior things; for what is elevated or high is predicated of these (n. 2148, 4210); and because it is toward interior things it is toward heaven, for heaven is in the interior things. This was signified by “lifting up the head.” But by “lifting the head from off” anyone was signified to adjudge him to death, because then those who were above those in the pit, or in vastation, were elevated to heaven, while the others were let down to lower depths. Because of this signification, therefore, this form of sentence was received in the Word. It is hence plain that by “lifting up the head” is signified what is concluded; and because what is concluded is signified, in the supreme sense is signified what is provided; for what the Divine concludes, this it provides.
