5290. 'And let him place governors in charge over the land' means the ordering of general wholes within the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'placing in charge' as setting in order; from the meaning of 'governors' as general wholes, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'the land' - in this case the land of Egypt - as the natural mind, as just above in 5288. The reason 'governors' means general wholes is that particular aspects are contained within and subordinated to those wholes, see 917, 4269, 4325 (end), 4329, 4345, 4383, 5208, whereas 'princes' means things that come first and foremost, 1482, 2089, 5044.

1307. 'And its head in heaven' means to the extent of their ruling over things in heaven. This follows from what is said above, for 'having one's head in heaven' is being exalted even as far as that, as is also clear from the description of Babel in other parts of the Word and from what has been stated already in 257 about 'lifting up the head'. Self-love is the love which agrees least of all with heavenly life. Indeed it is the source of every form of evil, not only of hatred but also of revenge, cruelty, and adultery. It agrees still less when it enters into worship and profanes it. The hells therefore consist of such persons who, the more they wish to rear their heads up into heaven, the more deeply they force themselves down into hell and the harsher the punishments they plunge themselves into.