8691. 'And Moses said to his father-in-law' means reciprocation in response. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' here as a response; for Moses is responding to his father-in-law. The reason why reciprocation is meant is that 'Moses' represents Divine Truth joined and united to Divine Good, 8664, 8666; and when they are joined and united there is reciprocation, good being active and truth reactive. Reaction is reciprocation in response. The same also applies in general to goodness and truth present with a person in whom they have been joined together.

8666. 'And they came into the tent' means the holiness of union. This is clear from the meaning of 'the tent' as the holiness of love, dealt with in 414, 1102, 2145, 2152, 4128, and so the holiness of union, since love consists in union. Consequently 'coming into the tent' means being united by holy love. The subject in the present verse is the union of Divine Good with God's truth; and since all union is brought about by the flowing of the one into the other, which results in perception, then by a bringing towards and placing in contact of one with the other, and after that a joining together of them, the influx and resulting perception is described first, 8660, then the bringing of one towards the other, 8662, and also the placing one in contact with the other, 8663, after that the joining together, 8664, and finally the union through love.