Arcana Coelestia # 7022
7022. 'And Moses took his wife' means the good linked to [the law from God]. This is clear from the representation of 'Moses' as the Lord in respect of the law or truth from God, dealt with already; and from the meaning of 'wife' as the good linked to it, dealt with in 4510, 4823. In the internal sense, and also in the highest sense in which the Lord is the subject, 'the wife' who was married to Moses represents the good that had been joined to truth, the reason for this being that every single thing in the spiritual world and in the natural world has the likeness of a marriage within it. The likeness of a marriage exists wherever there is that which is active and that which is passive; and both must be present with each other wherever anything comes into being. Unless they are joined together nothing can possibly be produced. One reason why the likeness of a marriage is present in all things is that all things have a connection with goodness and truth and so with the heavenly marriage, which is a marriage of goodness and truth; and the heavenly marriage has a connection with the Divine marriage, which is a marriage of Divine Good and Divine Truth. And another reason is, as has been stated, that nothing can be produced or brought into being unless there is that which is active and that which is passive, and so unless the likeness of a marriage exists. From all this it is plainly evident that the truth of faith devoid of the good of charity cannot produce anything, and neither can the good of charity devoid of the truth of faith. The two must be joined together to bear fruit and to establish the life of heaven in a person. Regarding the likeness of a marriage present in every single thing, see 1432, 2177, 2516, 5194. And since each detail of the Word has the marriage of goodness and truth within it, 683, 793, 801, 2516, 2712, 4138 (end), 5138, 6343, each detail of the Word has heaven within it, for heaven constitutes that actual marriage. And since each detail of the Word has heaven within it, each detail has the Lord within it, because the Lord is the All in all of heaven. All this shows how it comes about that 'the wife of Moses' represents the good that had been joined to truth, even in the highest sense in which the Lord is the subject, in the same way as Sarah the wife of Abraham represents such good, dealt with in 2063, 2065, 2172, 2173, 2198, and also Rebekah the wife of Isaac, in 3012, 3013, 3077.
Exodus 5
1
Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.'"
2
Pharaoh said, "Who is Yahweh, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don't know Yahweh, and moreover I will not let Israel go."
3
They said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword."
4
The king of Egypt said to them, "Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!"
5
Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens."
6
The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
7
"You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8
The number of the bricks, which they made before, you require from them. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.'
9
Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor therein; and don't let them pay any attention to lying words."
10
The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you straw.
11
Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.'"
12
So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
13
The taskmasters were urgent saying, "Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!"
14
The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, "Why haven't you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?"
15
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you deal this way with your servants?
16
No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, 'Make brick!' and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people."
17
But he said, "You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to Yahweh.'
18
Go therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!"
19
The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, "You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!"
20
They met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
21
and they said to them, "May Yahweh look at you, and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us."
22
Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, "Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? why is it that you have sent me?
23
For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people; neither have you delivered your people at all."
