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Genesis 47

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1 ἐλθὼν δὲ ιωσηφ ἀπήγγειλεν τῷ φαραω λέγων ὁ πατήρ μου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί μου καὶ τὰ κτήνη καὶ οἱ βόες αὐτῶν καὶ πάντα τὰ αὐτῶν ἦλθον ἐκ γῆς χανααν καὶ ἰδού εἰσιν ἐν γῇ γεσεμ

2 ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ παρέλαβεν πέντε ἄνδρας καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτοὺς ἐναντίον φαραω

3 καὶ εἶπεν φαραω τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ιωσηφ τί τὸ ἔργον ὑμῶν οἱ δὲ εἶπαν τῷ φαραω ποιμένες προβάτων οἱ παῖδές σου καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν

4 εἶπαν δὲ τῷ φαραω παροικεῖν ἐν τῇ γῇ ἥκαμεν οὐ γάρ ἐστιν νομὴ τοῖς κτήνεσιν τῶν παίδων σου ἐνίσχυσεν γὰρ ὁ λιμὸς ἐν γῇ χανααν νῦν οὖν κατοικήσομεν οἱ παῖδές σου ἐν γῇ γεσεμ

5 εἶπεν δὲ φαραω τῷ ιωσφη κατοικείτωσαν ἐν γῇ γεσεμ εἰ δὲ ἐπίστῃ ὅτι εἰσὶν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἄνδρες δυνατοί κατάστησον αὐτοὺς ἄρχοντας τῶν ἐμῶν κτηνῶν ἦλθον δὲ εἰς αἴγυπτον πρὸς ιωσηφ ιακωβ καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤκουσεν φαραω βασιλεὺς αἰγύπτου καὶ εἶπεν φαραω πρὸς ιωσηφ λέγων ὁ πατήρ σου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί σου ἥκασι πρὸς σέ

6 ἰδοὺ ἡ γῆ αἰγύπτου ἐναντίον σού ἐστιν ἐν τῇ βελτίστῃ γῇ κατοίκισον τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου

7 εἰσήγαγεν δὲ ιωσηφ ιακωβ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτὸν ἐναντίον φαραω καὶ εὐλόγησεν ιακωβ τὸν φαραω

8 εἶπεν δὲ φαραω τῷ ιακωβ πόσα ἔτη ἡμερῶν τῆς ζωῆς σου

9 καὶ εἶπεν ιακωβ τῷ φαραω αἱ ἡμέραι τῶν ἐτῶν τῆς ζωῆς μου ἃς παροικῶ ἑκατὸν τριάκοντα ἔτη μικραὶ καὶ πονηραὶ γεγόνασιν αἱ ἡμέραι τῶν ἐτῶν τῆς ζωῆς μου οὐκ ἀφίκοντο εἰς τὰς ἡμέρας τῶν ἐτῶν τῆς ζωῆς τῶν πατέρων μου ἃς ἡμέρας παρῴκησαν

10 καὶ εὐλογήσας ιακωβ τὸν φαραω ἐξῆλθεν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ

11 καὶ κατῴκισεν ιωσηφ τὸν πατέρα καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς κατάσχεσιν ἐν γῇ αἰγύπτου ἐν τῇ βελτίστῃ γῇ ἐν γῇ ραμεσση καθὰ προσέταξεν φαραω

12 καὶ ἐσιτομέτρει ιωσηφ τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ παντὶ τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ σῖτον κατὰ σῶμα

13 σῖτος δὲ οὐκ ἦν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ ἐνίσχυσεν γὰρ ὁ λιμὸς σφόδρα ἐξέλιπεν δὲ ἡ γῆ αἰγύπτου καὶ ἡ γῆ χανααν ἀπὸ τοῦ λιμοῦ

14 συνήγαγεν δὲ ιωσηφ πᾶν τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ εὑρεθὲν ἐν γῇ αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐν γῇ χανααν τοῦ σίτου οὗ ἠγόραζον καὶ ἐσιτομέτρει αὐτοῖς καὶ εἰσήνεγκεν ιωσηφ πᾶν τὸ ἀργύριον εἰς τὸν οἶκον φαραω

15 καὶ ἐξέλιπεν πᾶν τὸ ἀργύριον ἐκ γῆς αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐκ γῆς χανααν ἦλθον δὲ πάντες οἱ αἰγύπτιοι πρὸς ιωσηφ λέγοντες δὸς ἡμῖν ἄρτους καὶ ἵνα τί ἀποθνῄσκομεν ἐναντίον σου ἐκλέλοιπεν γὰρ τὸ ἀργύριον ἡμῶν

16 εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς ιωσηφ φέρετε τὰ κτήνη ὑμῶν καὶ δώσω ὑμῖν ἄρτους ἀντὶ τῶν κτηνῶν ὑμῶν εἰ ἐκλέλοιπεν τὸ ἀργύριον

17 ἤγαγον δὲ τὰ κτήνη πρὸς ιωσηφ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ιωσηφ ἄρτους ἀντὶ τῶν ἵππων καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν προβάτων καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν βοῶν καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν ὄνων καὶ ἐξέθρεψεν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἄρτοις ἀντὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ ἐκείνῳ

18 ἐξῆλθεν δὲ τὸ ἔτος ἐκεῖνο καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ἔτει τῷ δευτέρῳ καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ μήποτε ἐκτριβῶμεν ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν εἰ γὰρ ἐκλέλοιπεν τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ τὰ κτήνη πρὸς σὲ τὸν κύριον καὶ οὐχ ὑπολείπεται ἡμῖν ἐναντίον τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν ἀλλ' ἢ τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα καὶ ἡ γῆ ἡμῶν

19 ἵνα οὖν μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν ἐναντίον σου καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐρημωθῇ κτῆσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν γῆν ἡμῶν ἀντὶ ἄρτων καὶ ἐσόμεθα ἡμεῖς καὶ ἡ γῆ ἡμῶν παῖδες φαραω δὸς σπέρμα ἵνα σπείρωμεν καὶ ζῶμεν καὶ μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν καὶ ἡ γῆ οὐκ ἐρημωθήσεται

20 καὶ ἐκτήσατο ιωσηφ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν τῶν αἰγυπτίων τῷ φαραω ἀπέδοντο γὰρ οἱ αἰγύπτιοι τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν τῷ φαραω ἐπεκράτησεν γὰρ αὐτῶν ὁ λιμός καὶ ἐγένετο ἡ γῆ φαραω

21 καὶ τὸν λαὸν κατεδουλώσατο αὐτῷ εἰς παῖδας ἀπ' ἄκρων ὁρίων αἰγύπτου ἕως τῶν ἄκρων

22 χωρὶς τῆς γῆς τῶν ἱερέων μόνον οὐκ ἐκτήσατο ταύτην ιωσηφ ἐν δόσει γὰρ ἔδωκεν δόμα τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν φαραω καὶ ἤσθιον τὴν δόσιν ἣν ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς φαραω διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀπέδοντο τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν

23 εἶπεν δὲ ιωσηφ πᾶσι τοῖς αἰγυπτίοις ἰδοὺ κέκτημαι ὑμᾶς καὶ τὴν γῆν ὑμῶν σήμερον τῷ φαραω λάβετε ἑαυτοῖς σπέρμα καὶ σπείρατε τὴν γῆν

24 καὶ ἔσται τὰ γενήματα αὐτῆς δώσετε τὸ πέμπτον μέρος τῷ φαραω τὰ δὲ τέσσαρα μέρη ἔσται ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς εἰς σπέρμα τῇ γῇ καὶ εἰς βρῶσιν ὑμῖν καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις ὑμῶν

25 καὶ εἶπαν σέσωκας ἡμᾶς εὕρομεν χάριν ἐναντίον τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ ἐσόμεθα παῖδες φαραω

26 καὶ ἔθετο αὐτοῖς ιωσηφ εἰς πρόσταγμα ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης ἐπὶ γῆν αἰγύπτου τῷ φαραω ἀποπεμπτοῦν χωρὶς τῆς γῆς τῶν ἱερέων μόνον οὐκ ἦν τῷ φαραω

27 κατῴκησεν δὲ ισραηλ ἐν γῇ αἰγύπτῳ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς γεσεμ καὶ ἐκληρονόμησαν ἐπ' αὐτῆς καὶ ηὐξήθησαν καὶ ἐπληθύνθησαν σφόδρα

28 ἐπέζησεν δὲ ιακωβ ἐν γῇ αἰγύπτῳ δέκα ἑπτὰ ἔτη ἐγένοντο δὲ αἱ ἡμέραι ιακωβ ἐνιαυτῶν τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα ἑπτὰ ἔτη

29 ἤγγισαν δὲ αἱ ἡμέραι ισραηλ τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ιωσηφ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ εἰ εὕρηκα χάριν ἐναντίον σου ὑπόθες τὴν χεῖρά σου ὑπὸ τὸν μηρόν μου καὶ ποιήσεις ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἐλεημοσύνην καὶ ἀλήθειαν τοῦ μή με θάψαι ἐν αἰγύπτῳ

30 ἀλλὰ κοιμηθήσομαι μετὰ τῶν πατέρων μου καὶ ἀρεῖς με ἐξ αἰγύπτου καὶ θάψεις με ἐν τῷ τάφῳ αὐτῶν ὁ δὲ εἶπεν ἐγὼ ποιήσω κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου

31 εἶπεν δέ ὄμοσόν μοι καὶ ὤμοσεν αὐτῷ καὶ προσεκύνησεν ισραηλ ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ῥάβδου αὐτοῦ

   

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Exploring the Meaning of Genesis 47

Napsal(a) Helen Kennedy

This chapter continues the "Joseph story" and his family has come to Egypt to escape the famine in Canaan. Joseph is thrilled to have them with him, especially his father, Jacob. He gives them land in Goshen, the best part of Egypt. Pharaoh welcomes them, too, asking Joseph’s brothers about their work, and talking with Jacob, too.

In verses 1-6, Pharaoh corresponds here to external, scientific knowledge, while Joseph includes also the inner enlightenment that flows from the deepest things (Secrets of Heaven 6062). Without this influx our natural level does not have any life, for it is totally devoid of life on its own. Life comes to us directly from the Lord, and this chapter gives a glimpse of how the Lord creates life in us (Secrets of Heaven 6063).

When Joseph brings five of his brothers to meet Pharaoh, this means that some truths, meant by “five,” flowing from heaven reached into the natural part of us where factual things (Pharaoh) reside.

Pharaoh asks about their occupation, and they tell him that they are shepherds, as were their fathers. Here the natural part of us becomes aware of new things flowing in from the spiritual depths. It wonders what good these new insights will lead to. Since shepherds tend sheep that are innocently led, it follows that Joseph’s brothers represent truths that lead to innocence. In all innocence there is good from the Lord.

The brothers talking with Pharaoh means the perception the natural was having is continuing. Truth and knowledge sustain the human soul just as food does the body, but famine represents a severe lack of it. When we are regenerating or being made spiritual, we have a desire for knowledge and wisdom, and when we don’t find it, we are desolate, listless, and famished. Goshen is the best land in Egypt; living in it symbolizes that a person who is being regenerated has access to the types of natural knowledges that begin our heavenly instruction.

Pharaoh's generosity illustrates how the natural part of us starts perceiving some deeper things. Jacob’s father and brothers being permitted to dwell in “the best of the land” shows how delighted our external mind is in receiving insights from spiritual things. Any “competent men” or “energetic men” (the latter used in a different translation) signifies that the outermost part of us is perceiving the most powerful or important truths, letting them be first or foremost among known facts. An example could be the instruction in Deuteronomy 6:4 to “Love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul and all our strength.”

In verse 7, Joseph brings Jacob to meet Pharaoh, "and Jacob blessed Pharaoh." This shows the sequence in our spiritual growth: our inmost spirit (Joseph) flows into intermediate truths (Jacob) which become present in the outermost part of us (Pharaoh).

Pharaoh asks Jacob his age, which shows a continuing interest on the part of our outer selves to learn about spiritual things. (Secrets of Heaven 6093).

In verse 9, we read this:

"And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”

A pilgrimage is a journey for a spiritual end. Jacob’s has been full of temptations, producing inner feelings of anxiety and distress, which is why Jacob says his days have been “few and evil.” The natural person is particularly subjected to temptations when it is starting to receive the things of spiritual life. Evils of life and falsities of doctrine reside only in the outer or external part of us (Secrets of Heaven 6097).

Jacob’s blessing of Pharaoh, in verse 10, shows a heartfelt desire on the part of spiritual things to join natural ones. This will result in fruitfulness of life if we actually live according to inner dictates. The actuality of it has yet to be effected; so far there has only been an introduction to it. That Jacob “went out from Pharaoh” shows there still is some separation.

In verse 10 Joseph settles his father and brothers in the best land—an image of all the good and true things we receive from the innermost or celestial (Joseph) as it flows into the natural part of us. Then a true “church” can exist, a “church” being the place inside us where the things of the Lord are known (Secrets of Heaven 10761). That the natural acquiesces to this conjunction is shown by Pharaoh having commanded for Joseph’s family to be settled in the best land.

Joseph's providing for his father and brothers in verse 12 again shows the flow of good from the inmost or deepest level into the middle or spiritual level, and then into the outermost or natural levels of a person.

“According to their families.” Families, especially children, signify innocence, or a willingness to be led—here to receive this spiritual influx.

“No bread in the land” in verse 13 symbolizes what happens to us when we don't receive this inflowing spiritual good from an inner connection with the Lord. Even knowledges of spiritual things (represented by “Egypt" and “Canaan”) get desperate.

In verse 14 Joseph gathers up all the money found in Egypt and Canaan. This represents that all the factual knowledge of the Church that had truth in it, represented here by the money, was now being subordinated to the innermost or deepest part of ourselves, the part closest to the Lord and His leading. The knowledge was no longer going to be spurious or falsified because of being subject to our own evil loves and self-serving "truths," or things in our outer self only.

When the money failed in the land in verse 15, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence?” This happens when our life is so devastated that we no longer know anything, or have any truth, that leads to good. Even what we thought were our knowledges of truth and good have failed. This is because they came from ourselves and therefore were not life-giving. All of our being needs to turn toward the deepest of inner things, represented by Joseph.

In verse 16, Joseph says, “Give your livestock, and I will give you bread for your livestock, if the money is gone.” This sounds sort of harsh but, again, we need to look at the inner meaning. Giving livestock for bread shows that truths need to be filled in with good. In other words, it is no longer good enough to know truths for their own sake; they must serve good or have good within them. That can only be done by living according to them. We can't just know things. And we can’t do good from ourselves.

The following verses 17-27 deal with the actual joining together of spiritual with natural things. In verse 17 the Egyptians bring their livestock to Joseph and exchange them for bread. We bring the lesser things in our lives under the direction or control of our inmost spiritual selves. “Horses” represent things of our understanding; “flocks,” inner truths that contain good; “herds,” more external truths; and “donkeys,” things of our outermost self that serve inner things. Joseph's feeding the people corresponds to how our outer self is sustained and given life by an inflow from inner things.

In verses 18 and 19, things are getting much more serious. “When that year ended” means that a new state is beginning and the previous one has ended. “We will not hide from my lord” shows that our outermost self is now fully aware that it can only be helped by an inflow from deepest or inmost things. Nothing being left “but our bodies and our lands” shows the utter desolation of our outer self, completely lacking any knowledge of good, or the true things that lead to good. This desolation comes from trying to live in the outer or bodily self without any influx from the inner or spiritual parts of ourselves (Secrets of Heaven 6108).

“Why should we die” shows how our outer self gets more and more desperate. It realizes that it can’t be helped by anything external. Its desperation is becoming great, so great that it is willing to give up its autonomy and totally submit, becoming a servant to inward things.

The people are asking for seed. This is a sign that there can now be an inflow of charitable good and truth, because our outer self has become humbled and is willing to give up thinking it does things entirely on its own. It stops blocking the Lord's influx, fighting it, or twisting it into falsities. With help from "Joseph" or inner things, we no longer have to fear the damnation which is close at hand. “That the land may not be desolate” shows that now our minds can be cultivated with true things of the church, the “church” being the place inside a person where things from the Lord are known (Secrets of Heaven 10761).

In verse 20 “Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharoah” directly corresponds to how the inmost part of us now governs the entire natural mind, this because it is conjoined with the Lord. In other words we're no longer struggling on our own because of our self-centeredness. An example can be seen in a person who is destroying his or her life with an addiction, but who gets a realization of how bad things are, and slowly stops drinking or doing the drug, eventually getting away from it entirely, and becoming healed.

Joseph, in verse 21, moves the people into the cities, throughout Egypt. Cities correspond to doctrines which are organized sets of truths. Moving people into cities corresponds to the way that our inmost mind is now directing our thoughts into areas where there are knowledges that hold truths within them.

Joseph doesn't buy the priests' land (verse 22). Here Pharaoh’s priests represent the capacity to receive good that exists only from the inner levels flowing outward, not from anything that exists externally of itself (Secrets of Heaven 6148). “The priests having rations from Pharaoh all along” shows how important these capacities are. “Therefore they did not sell their lands” shows that those parts of us never did things on their own without inner guidance.

Joseph looks kindly on the people and quickly gives them seed (verse 23). This parallels how our inmost spiritual self is excited at being joined with outermost natural things. It quickly flows out with truths through which spiritual things can grow. The excitement here is parallel to the excitement Joseph felt when he first saw that his brothers came to Egypt to buy grain (Genesis 43).

In verse 24, there's an interesting division of the yield of the seed: “And it shall come to pass in the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh. Four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households, and as food for your little ones.”

As things of good and truth start to grow, the natural or outer part of us needs to constantly acknowledge that its good comes from somewhere other than itself. Giving one-fifth to Pharoah accomplishes that. Tithing, or giving a percentage of one’s salary to the church, is reminiscent of this. The people were able to keep four-fifths of the produce as their own, showing that there will still be lots of things we think and feel where it seems like they originate from ourselves. In the reality of spiritual life, though, they actually are coming from the Lord. The difference is that we do them “as of ourself” or “as if” they originate from us. “Your little ones” shows that when it is done this way, the person will be innocent or without fault.

In verses 25 and 26, the people are grateful. “You have saved our lives; let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” Our outer self starts with pride, self-centeredness, and some delusions that lead to a disconnectedness from the Lord's love and wisdom. But now, after hardship, temptation, and spiritual famine, we've made the decision to allow the Lord to flow into our minds, and to be governed by real love and wisdom. And now, finally, our outer self is grateful. To “find favor in the sight of my lord” shows a willingness to be led in this way.

We need to give consent in order for spiritual things to flow in; they will not be forced on us. When we give consent, we're on the road to having our whole life be nourished. The parallel to Joseph’s law is that we need to always respond to the prompting of inner leading. “To this day” means forever. “That Pharaoh should have one-fifth” shows that the Lord just wants us to acknowledge Him. He still wants us to have freedom, and the feeling that we do things on our own is signified by the four-fifths the people keep. For the sake of our spiritual life, at the same time we need to remember the Lord and recognize that our life comes from Him.

The Children of Israel thrive in Goshen (verse 27). Spiritual good is present with the person now. “Israel” means spiritual good, different from “Jacob,” which means natural truth. “In the country of Goshen”—the spiritual good is in the middle or best part of the natural. That Joseph’s family “grew and multiplied exceedingly” shows that goods and truths are being formed and shared with the natural, and the outermost part of us is responding to them (Secrets of Heaven 6172).

From verse 28 on, the focus is on Jacob and his impending death. Swedenborg says that Jacob living one hundred and forty-seven years is not easy to explain. The “numbers contain the entire state of reality represented by ‘Jacob’ and its essential nature” (Secrets of Heaven 6175). As for one hundred and forty-seven, it probably has something to do with “forty” meaning “temptations” (as seen in the story of Noah), and “seven” meaning “completeness."

Israel calls Joseph to his side (verse 29). As Israel dies, deeper things are present, because ‘Joseph’ represents inmost things. “Now if I have found favor in your sight” shows the desire on the part of our outer self for inner things to predominate. “Please put your hand under my thigh.” This was a way of expressing a sacred bond, the “hand” having to do with power in outer things and the “thigh” with things of heavenly married love. (Think of the sacred bond which is made at weddings.) That we are reaching a state of humility is shown in Israel’s request for Joseph to “deal kindly and truly with me.” Not wanting to be buried in Egypt indicates the desire to dwell in things of the spirit, i.e., heaven, and not be left only in knowledges of them, which are in our outermost self (Secrets of Heaven 6181).

Jacob's lying with his fathers represents our desire, when opening to inner things, to live the type of spiritual life that the earliest people on earth had. They lived in spiritual innocence. Carrying Jacob “out of Egypt” corresponds to being carried out of knowledges only. (See Secrets of Heaven 6183).

Swearing a vow is a sacred thing, an unchangeable agreement to do something (verse 31). The “head of the bed” is the part that is higher up when compared to the rest of the bed and “bowing oneself” indicates humility. This shows that natural truth meant by “Jacob” was raised to “spiritual good” meant by “Israel” (Secrets of Heaven 6188). The intention of the Lord in all this has been to join with us by flowing in and giving us the capacities to live according to heavenly truths. Knowledge is not enough; understanding is not enough; only living according to spiritual things will do.

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Arcana Coelestia # 6063

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6063. 'And Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said' means the presence of the internal celestial within the natural where factual knowledge resides, and the consequent influx and perception. This is clear from the meaning of 'coming to someone' as presence, as in 5934; from the representation of 'Joseph' as the internal celestial, dealt with in 5869, 5877; from the meaning of 'telling as an influx, dealt with in 5966; from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as the natural and therefore factual knowledge in general, dealt with in 5799, 6015; and from the meaning of 'saying' in historical narratives of the Word as perception, dealt with in 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3509, 5687. From all this it is evident that 'Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said' means the presence of the internal celestial within the natural where factual knowledge resides, and the consequent influx and perception.

[2] Reference has been made many times before this to the flowing of the internal into the natural or external, and to perception in the natural. It has been shown that the natural is kept in being and receives its life from an influx from the internal, that is, from the Lord through the internal. For without the influx from that source the natural does not have any life, since it exists on the natural level of creation and derives all that it is from there, and the natural level of creation is totally devoid of life. This being so, if a person's natural is to have life there must be an influx from the Lord. It must come not only directly from Him but also indirectly through the spiritual world, consequently into a person's internal, since this exists in the spiritual world, and from there into the natural so that it may have life. The human natural has been formed so that it may receive life thereby. This then is what is meant by a flowing of the internal celestial into the natural where factual knowledge resides. As a result of this influx from the internal, perception takes place in the external or natural, which 'Pharaoh' represents; for influx and perception answer to each other, 5743.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.