8142. 'And it was pointed out to the king of Egypt that the people had fled' means the thought of those steeped in utter falsities arising from evil, that they had become entirely separated. This is clear from the meaning of 'pointing out to someone' as thinking and reflecting, dealt with in 2862, 5508; from the representation of Pharaoh as those steeped in falsities arising from evil, dealt with above in 8132, 8135, or - when he is called 'the king of Egypt' - as those steeped in utter falsities, 7220, 7228, since 'king' means truths, 1672, 2015, 2069, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148, and therefore in the contrary sense means falsities; and from the meaning of 'fleeing' as becoming separated.

8136. 'And he will pursue them' means that they would go on trying to bring them under their control. This is clear from the meaning of 'pursuing them' as trying to bring under their control, for their aim in pursuing them was to return them to the state of servitude, and 'serving', when the Egyptians are being referred to, means the aim to bring under their control, 6666, 6670, 6671.