6851. 'And Jehovah said, I have indeed seen the affliction of My people means the mercy shown towards those who belonged to the spiritual Church after molestations by falsities. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' in the historical narratives of the Word as perception, dealt with often, though when used in reference to Jehovah or the Lord 'saying' does not mean perception but omniscience, since the Lord has from eternity a perception and knowledge of every single thing; from the meaning of 'indeed seeing', when used in reference to Jehovah or the Lord, as mercy, for when the Lord sees someone in distress or suffering affliction He has compassion on him (the Lord, it is true, sees everyone and so has compassion on everyone; yet it cannot really be said of any apart from those who accept His mercy, namely those governed by good, that He has compassion on them); from the meaning of 'affliction' as molestation, 6663, here by falsities since the affliction came from the Egyptians, by whom false factual knowledge is meant, 6651, 6679, 6683; and from the meaning of 'people' as those who belong to the spiritual Church, dealt with in 2928 (those who belong to the celestial Church are referred to in the Word as 'a nation').

6651. 'And a new king arose over Egypt' means separated factual knowledge, which is opposed to the Church's truths. This is clear from the representation of Pharaoh, to whom 'king' refers here, as factual knowledge in general, dealt with in 6015. The word 'king' is used because in the genuine sense 'king' means truth, 1672, 2015, 2069, 3670, 4581, 4966, 5044, 6148, and in the contrary sense falsity; and since 'king' refers here to Pharaoh, false factual knowledge is meant, that is, factual knowledge that is opposed to the Church's truths. This also explains why the expression 'new king' is used, for the one who lived in Joseph's time represented factual knowledge that accorded with the Church's truths. For the meaning of 'Egypt' as factual knowledge, here that knowledge in particular, see above in 6638.