354. "Come and see," signifies attention and perception. This is evident from the signification of "coming" when anything is presented to be seen, as being to give attention; for in a spiritual sense, "to come" means to draw near with the sight, thus to give attention; all attention also is a presence of the sight in the object. It is evident also from the signification of "to see," as being perception, for "to see" in the Word signifies to understand (See above, n. 11, 260); here it signifies to perceive, because this was out of the inmost heaven, since what comes out of the inmost heaven is perceived, but what comes out of the middle heaven is understood, for the reason that the inmost heaven is in the good of love, but the middle heaven is in the truths therefrom, and all perception is from good, and all understanding is from truths. (On this see above, n. 307; what perception is, see in The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 140.)

4752. 'Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites' means that those in whom simple good is present acknowledge Him. This is clear from the meaning of 'selling' as alienating something from oneself and so its acceptance by others, dealt with in 4098, and when used in reference to truth, as it is here, it means being acknowledged by others; and from the representation of 'the Ishmaelites' as those in whom simple good is present, dealt with above in 4747. The fact that those in whom simple good is present acknowledge Divine Truth, in particular regarding the Lord's Divine Human, has been shown already.