767. Verse 17. And the dragon was angry against the woman, signifies the hatred of those who are meant by "the dragon" against the church that is the New Jerusalem, enkindled by a perception that it is favored by many. This is evident from the signification of "anger," as being, in reference to the dragon, hatred (of which above, n. 754, 758), therefore "to be angry" means to hate; that this is a grievous hatred enkindled by a perception that the church is favored by many, follows as a consequence from what precedes and from what follows; from what precedes, namely, that "the earth opened her mouth and helped the woman, and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth," which signifies that the church, in which there are also dragons, rendered assistance, and did not accept their keen reasonings respecting faith alone; and from what follows namely, that "the dragon went away to make war with the remnant of her seed," which signifies an ardent effort from that hatred to assault the truths of doctrine of that church. So "the anger of the dragon" here signifies such hatred enkindled by a perception that it is favored by many; for, as has been said above, "the woman fled into the wilderness into a place prepared by God" signifies that the church which is the New Jerusalem was among a few, while provision was making for it among many, and for its growing to fullness.

6286. Verses 17-20 And Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim's head, and it was wrong in his eyes; and he grasped his father's hand to remove it from upon Ephraim's head onto Manasseh's head. And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn; place your right hand on his head. And his father refused, and said, I know, my son, I know; he too will be a people, and he too will become great; but truly his younger brother will become greater than he, and his seed will be the fullness of nations. ¹ And he blessed them on this day, saying, In you will Israel bless, saying, May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh. And he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

'And Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim's head' means a discernment that he considered truth to occupy the first place. 'And it was wrong in his eyes' means displeasure. 'And he grasped his father's hand' means an influx into the power which his obscure discernment possessed. 'To remove it from upon Ephraim's head onto Manasseh's head' means to divert him from error. 'And Joseph said to his father, Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn' means a perceptible influx regarding good, that the first place belonged to this. 'Place your right hand on his head' means that good should accordingly occupy the first place. 'And his father refused' means non-compliance. 'And said, I know, my son, I know' means that though that is true the appearance is different. 'He too will be a people, and he too will become great' means that truth from good also, thus the celestial man, will be increased. 'But truly his younger brother will become greater than he' means that good from truth, thus the spiritual man, will receive even greater increase. 'And his seed will be the fullness of nations' means that truth - the truth of faith - will be predominant. 'And he blessed them on this day' means Foresight and Providence continuing for ever. 'Saying, In you will Israel bless, saying, May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh' means so that its own spiritual may reside in the truth of the understanding and the good of the will. 'And he put Ephraim before Manasseh' means that because he was spiritual he considered truth to occupy the first place.

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