5311. Thou shalt be over my house. That this signifies that the natural mind shall be subordinate and submissive thereto, is evident from the signification of a “house,” as being the mind (see n. 3538, 4973, 5023), here the natural mind, because it is called “my house” by Pharaoh, by whom is represented the natural. That it shall be subordinate and submissive is signified by “thou shalt be over it,” for he that is over anyone’s house really rules it, and has all who are in it subordinate and submissive to him, though in appearance the master of the house still retains the name and dignity.

5253. And no one interpreteth it. That this signifies ignorance of what was therein, is evident from the signification of “interpreting” as being what was therein (n. 5093, 5105, 5107, 5141); hence ignorance of what was therein is signified by “no one interpreteth it.” In the internal sense by “no one” is not meant no one or none, the expression being merely negative; and here simply not, thus that it is not known, or that there is ignorance regarding it. The reason is, that in the internal sense no person, nor even anything determined to a person, is regarded (n. 5225); and in the expression “no one,” or none, something of person in general is implied. There are three things in general that perish from the literal sense of the Word when it becomes the internal sense, namely, what is of time, what is of space, and what is of person. The reason is that in the spiritual world there is neither time nor space, these two belonging to nature; and therefore it is said of those who die, that they pass out of time, and leave behind all that is of time. That in the spiritual world nothing is regarded as determined to person is because directing the attention in speech to person narrows and limits the idea, instead of extending it and making it unlimited. Extension and absence of limitation in speech cause it to be universal, and to comprise and be able to express innumerable and also ineffable things. Hence the speech of the angels is of this character, especially the speech of the celestial angels, which is relatively unlimited; and in consequence everything of their speech flows into the infinite and the eternal, consequently into the Divine of the Lord.