6104. In the land of Rameses. That this signifies the inmost of the mind and its quality, is evident from the fact that all the names in the Word, both of persons and of places, signify things (see n. 1888, 3422, 4298, 4442, 5095, 5225); and as the “land of Goshen” denotes the inmost of the natural mind (n. 5910, 6028, 6031, 6068), therefore “Rameses,” which was the best tract of land in the land of Goshen, denotes the inmost of what is spiritual in the natural mind. But the nature of this inmost can scarcely be comprehended by man, for it contains innumerable and also ineffable things, which can only be seen in the light of heaven, thus by angels; as is the case with the rest of the names, of both places and persons, which occur in the word.

4298. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel. That this signifies a state of temptations, is evident from the series of the things; for in old times names were given to the places where anything peculiar happened that were significative of the thing which happened there and of its state (n. 340, 2643, 3422). To this place was given a name which signified a state of temptations, for a state of temptations is here described by the wrestling and contention of Jacob. In the original language “Peniel” means “the faces of God,” and “to see the faces of God” denotes to endure the most grievous temptations, as will be explained in what now follows.