4
Und indem er säte, fiel etliches an den Weg; da kamen die Vögel und fraßen's auf.
Arcana Coelestia # 5096
5096. 'Who were bound in the prison house' means which were among falsities. This is clear from the meaning of 'being bound in the prison-house' as being among falsities, dealt with in 4958, 5037, 5038, 5085. Those who are engrossed in falsities, more so those steeped in evils, are called 'the bound" and 'in prison', not because they are held in any physical bonds but because they are not in freedom; for people who are not in freedom are inwardly in bonds. Indeed once they subscribe to falsity they no longer have any freedom to choose or receive what is true; and those who subscribe heavily to it do not have any freedom even to see it, let alone acknowledge it and believe it, because they are quite convinced that what is false is true and what is true is false. That conviction is so powerful in them that it removes all freedom to think anything different, and is so strong that it holds their actual thought in bonds, in prison so to speak. This has been made clear to me from considerable experience among those in the next life who have become quite convinced of falsity by harbouring ideas that serve to prove to it. They are the kind of people who do not entertain any truths at all but turn or drive these away, doing so with a degree of ruthlessness which matches the intensity of their conviction. This is primarily so when such falsity is the product of evil, that is, when evil causes them to be convinced of it. These are the ones who are meant in the Lord's parable in Matthew,
Other seeds fell on the hard path, and the birds came and devoured them. Matthew 13:4.
'Seeds' means Divine truths, 'hard rock' conviction, and 'birds' false assumptions.
[2] People like these are not even aware that they are in bonds or in prison, for they are full of affection for their falsity, loving it because of the evil which produces it. This leads them to think that they are in freedom, since everything they have an affection for or love seems to make them feel free. But those who have not really subscribed to falsity, that is, who have not become convinced of it, entertain truths easily. They see them, choose them, and are full of affection for them, after which they look down on falsities so to speak, and then see how those convinced of falsity have come to be in bonds. Having such freedom they are able in their contemplation and thought to roam so to speak through the whole of heaven in search of countless truths. But nobody can have this freedom except one who is governed by good; for it is by virtue of good that he is in heaven and by virtue of good that truths are seen there.
Genesis 40
1
It happened after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
2
Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
3
He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
4
The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he took care of them. They stayed in prison many days.
5
They both dreamed a dream, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison.
6
Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw them, and saw that they were sad.
7
He asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?"
8
They said to him, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it." Joseph said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me."
9
The chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "In my dream, behold, a vine was in front of me,
10
and in the vine were three branches. It was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes.
11
Pharaoh's cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand."
12
Joseph said to him, "This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days.
13
Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head, and restore you to your office. You will give Pharaoh's cup into his hand, the way you did when you were his cupbearer.
14
But remember me when it will be well with you, and please show kindness to me, and make mention of me to Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.
15
For indeed, I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon."
16
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, "I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head.
17
In the uppermost basket there was all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head."
18
Joseph answered, "This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days.
19
Within three more days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from off you, and will hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from off you."
20
It happened the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants, and he lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants.
21
He restored the chief cupbearer to his position again, and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand;
22
but he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.
23
Yet the chief cupbearer didn't remember Joseph, but forgot him.
