Arcana Coelestia # 7678
7678. And Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt. That this signifies the rule of the power of truth Divine over the whole natural of the infesters, is evident from the signification of “stretching out the rod,” as being the rule of power (of which above, n. 7673); from the representation of Moses, as being truth Divine (see n. 6752, 7004, 7010, 7382); and from the signification of “the land of Egypt,” as being the natural of the infesters (of which above, n. 7674). The Divine power which is described by “the hand of Moses” is the power of truth Divine (that all power is of truth, see n. 3091, 5623, 6344, 6423, 6948); nay, such power has the Divine truth which proceed from the Divine good, that through it have been created all things in the universe. “The Word” signifies this truth in John:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word, all things were made by Him (John 1:1, 3);
and from this it is that miracles were done by Moses, for Moses represents Divine truth. It is believed by most people that the Word, or Divine truth, is only speech from Jehovah, and a command that it be so done, and nothing further; but it is the very Essential, from which and by which are all things. That being [Esse] which proceeds from Him, and consequently the coming forth [existere] of all things, is what is meant by “Divine truth.” This can be illustrated from the angels; from whom there proceeds a sphere of charity and faith that is sensibly perceived, and that also produces wonderful effects; from which some idea can be formed of the Divine truth that proceeds from the Divine good of the Lord.
Exodus 10
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Yahweh said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs in the midst of them,
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and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son's son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am Yahweh."
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Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, "This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.
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Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country,
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and they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won't be able to see the earth. They shall eat the residue of that which has escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field.
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Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither your fathers nor your fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.'" He turned, and went out from Pharaoh.
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Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve Yahweh, their God. Don't you yet know that Egypt is destroyed?"
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Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are those who will Go?"
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Moses said, "We will go with our young and with our old; with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast to Yahweh."
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He said to them, "Yahweh be with you if I will let you go with your little ones! See, evil is clearly before your faces.
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Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is what you desire!" They were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
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Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left."
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Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and Yahweh brought an east wind on the land all that day, and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
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The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.
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For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
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Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and he said, "I have sinned against Yahweh your God, and against you.
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Now therefore please forgive my sin again, and pray to Yahweh your God, that he may also take away from me this death."
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He went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh.
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Yahweh turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the borders of Egypt.
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But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he didn't let the children of Israel go.
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Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt."
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Moses stretched forth his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.
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They didn't see one another, neither did anyone rise from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
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Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, "Go, serve Yahweh. Only let your flocks and your herds stay behind. Let your little ones also Go with you."
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Moses said, "You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our God.
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Our livestock also shall go with us. Not a hoof shall be left behind, for of it we must take to serve Yahweh our God; and we don't know with what we must serve Yahweh, until we come there."
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But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he wouldn't let them go.
28
Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Be careful to see my face no more; for in the day you see my face you shall die!"
29
Moses said, "You have spoken well. I will see your face again no more."
