5580. Which they had brought from Egypt. That this signifies which were from memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of “Egypt,” as being memory-knowledges (see n. 1164-1165, 1186, 1462), that they were “from these,” is signified by their “bringing it thence.” By “Egypt” in a good sense are signified the memory-knowledges of the church, namely, those which are of service for the form of the church (see n. 4749, 4964, 4966). By means of such knowledges man is introduced into the truths of the church as through a court into a house; for these knowledges are what first strike the senses, and thereby open a way to interior things; for it is known that the outward things of sense are first opened in man, and then the inner things of sense, and at last the things of the understanding; and that when these last have been opened, they are represented in the former so as to be comprehended. The reason is that things of the understanding arise from those of sense by a sort of extraction, for things of the understanding are conclusions, which when formed are separated, and rise to a higher plane. This is brought about by the influx of spiritual things through heaven from the Lord. From all this it is plain how it is that truths are from memory-knowledges.

4965. And Potiphar bought him, Pharaoh’s chamberlain. That this signifies that it was among the interior things of memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of “Pharaoh’s chamberlain,” as being the interior things of memory-knowledges (see n. 4789); his “buying” signifies that he ascribed these things to himself (n. 4397, 4487). The interior things of memory-knowledges are those which approach more nearly to spiritual things, and are applications of memory-knowledges to heavenly things; for these are what the internal man sees, when the external only sees the memory-knowledges in the outward form.