8161. 'And behold, the Egyptians were travelling after them' means the constantly increasing oppressiveness of falsity. This is clear from the meaning of 'the Egyptians' as those steeped in falsities arising from evil, thus also as the actual falsity arising from evil, dealt with in 8132, 8135, 8146, 8148; and from the meaning of 'travelling after them' as a more immediate influx and communication. 'Pharaoh drew near' has meant the influx of falsity arising from evil, 8159, and therefore 'travelling after them' means an influx even more immediate, and so more oppressive. So it is that the constantly increasing oppressiveness of falsity is meant. What immediately follows describes a temptation; and since this is brought about by the influx from the hells of falsity arising from evil, its getting nearer, that is, its increasing oppressiveness, is described now.

8132. 'And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel' means the thought of those lost in damnation regarding the state of those belonging to the spiritual Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' as thought, dealt with in 7094, 7107, 7244, 7937; from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as those who molest by means of falsities, dealt with in 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7317, at this point those who are lost in damnation, that is, who are steeped in utter falsities arising from evil since those thoroughly steeped in such falsities are lost in damnation (this state is meant by 'Pharaoh' and 'the Egyptians', after the firstborn there have been killed, for by the killing of the firstborn is meant damnation, 7766, 7778); and from the representation of 'the children of Israel' as those who belong to the spiritual Church, dealt with just above in 8128.