8397. 'And they travelled on from Elim' means a further stage. This is clear from the meaning of 'travelling on' as a further stage and a continuation, dealt with in 4375, 4554, 4585, 5996, 8181, 8345; and from the meaning of 'Elim' as a state of comfort after temptation, dealt with in 8367. So it is that 'they travelled on from Elim' means a further stage in life so far as states involving temptations are concerned; for when those belonging to the spiritual Church undergo temptations they are led on from one temptation into another. This further stage is what 'travelling on' means here. The reason why 'travelling on' means a further stage in life is that extents of space, like periods of time, do not exist in the next life, but states instead, 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387, 4321, 4882, 5605, 7381. Consequently movements are not meant by 'movements', nor travellings on by 'travellings on', but changes of states and further stages.

5996. 'And Israel travelled on and all that he had' means the beginning of the joining together. This is clear from the meaning of 'travelling on' as a stage further and a continuation, dealt with in 4375, 4882, 5493, in this case a continuation of and further stage in the glorification of the Lord, who in the highest sense is 'Israel' and 'Joseph', whereas a continuation and further stage of a person's regeneration is meant in the internal sense. And since this chapter now reaches a further stage in and continues the subject of the joining of the natural man to the spiritual, or the external man to the internal, 'Israel travelled on and all that he had' means the beginning of the joining together.