6249. 'And Israel saw Joseph's sons' means a discernment regarding the Church's understanding and will. This is clear from the meaning of 'seeing' as discernment, dealt with in 2150, 3764, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5400; and from the representation of Ephraim and Manasseh as the Church's understanding and will, born from the internal, which is 'Joseph', dealt with in 5354, 6222.

2685. 'Withdrawing herself about a bowshot' means the extent to which the state was away from the doctrine of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'being withdrawn from' as being away from, and from the meaning of 'a bow' as the doctrine of truth, dealt with in the next paragraph. 'Shot' means that it was as far away as possible, as far away as an arrow could be shot from a bow. Here the expression 'a bowshot' is used because the bow is used in reference to the spiritual man, who is also called 'an archer', as he is in verse 20 - 'and he dwelt in the wilderness, and was an archer'.