8049. Remember thou this day, in which ye went out from Egypt, out of the house of servants. That this signifies that especially must that state be recollected in which they were when liberated from spiritual captivity by the Lord, is evident from the signification of “remember thou,” as being that it is to be recollected; from the signification of “day,” as being state (see n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850, 5672, 5962, 7680); from the signification of “going out,” as being to be liberated, for by the “going out of the sons of Israel” is signified the liberation of those who are of the spiritual church by the Lord (of which liberation see n. 6854, 6914, 7091, 7828, 7932, 8018); and from the signification of “Egypt” and “the house of servants,” as being spiritual captivity; for by “Pharaoh and the Egyptians” were signified those who in the other life have infested the spiritual by means of falsities (n. 7097, 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7317). Hence by “the land of Egypt” is signified infestation (n. 7278); nor is infestation by means of falsities anything else than spiritual captivity; for when they are being infested they are held as it were captive in falsities, from which they continually labor to be liberated; hence in the Word they are also called “the bound in the pit” (n. 6854). This spiritual captivity is signified also by “the house of servants.” (That servitude is an assault by falsities, that is, infestation, see n. 7120, 7129)

4850. And the days were multiplied. That this signifies a change of state, is evident from the signification of “days being multiplied,” as being the changing of the states; for “day” or “time” in the internal sense is state (see n. 23, 487, 488, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785), and “being multiplied,” when predicated of days or times, is being changed. That it is a change of state which is signified, is evident also from what follows. It is said “were multiplied,” because a change of state is involved as to truths, for “multiplying” is predicated of truths (see n. 43, 55, 913, 983, 2846, 2847). As state and change of state are so often mentioned, and as few know what is meant, it will be well to explain. Time and the succession of time, or space and the extension of space, cannot be predicated of man’s interiors, that is, of his affections and the thoughts therefrom; because these interiors are not in time nor in place-although to the senses in the world it appears as if they were-but are in interior things which correspond to time and place. These interior things which correspond we have to call states, because there is no other word by which these corresponding things can be expressed. The state of the interiors is said to be changed when the mind or heart is changed as to affections and consequent thoughts-as from sadness to joy, or from joy to sadness again; from impiety to piety or devotion; and so on. These changes are called changes of state, and are predicated of the affections, and of the thoughts also insofar as they are governed by the affections; but changes of state of the thoughts are in those of the affections like particulars in generals, and are relatively variations.