5659. 'And we are bringing it back in our hand' means the submission as far as possible of what had been freely given. This is clear from the meaning of 'bringing back' here as submitting, and from the meaning of 'in our hand' as far as possible, dealt with above in 5624. The fact that it had been given freely is meant by 'the silver in the mouth of each man's pouch' which they were returning, 5657.

5624. 'And the silver that was put back in the mouth of your pouches you are to take back in your hand' means that through the truth freely given and present in the exterior natural they were to make themselves submissive as far as was possible. This is clear from the meaning of 'the silver that was put back' as truth freely given, dealt with in 5530; from the meaning of 'in the mouth of a sack' as in the opening of the exterior natural, dealt with in 5497; and from the meaning of 'in the hand' as within one's power, dealt with immediately above in 5623, thus as far as possible. Making themselves submissive through that truth is meant by the instruction that 'they were to put back' the silver; for when people in the spiritual world 'take back' truth to the Lord from whom they have received it freely they are making themselves submissive through it. But in what way they made themselves submissive through such truth is evident from the conversation, included in verses 18-24, which they had with the man who was over Joseph's house.