10437. Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying. That this signifies those who are in mere external things concerning those who are being raised into internal things, is evident from the representation of the Egyptians, as being those who are in mere external things; and from the signification of “speak, saying,” as being concerning those who are being raised into internal things, for in the internal sense these are treated of in what presently follows. The reason why by the Egyptians are represented those who are in mere external things, is that in ancient times the Egyptians were of those with whom there was a representative church; for this church was spread through many regions of Asia, and at that time the Egyptians were above all others in the science of correspondences and representations belonging to that church, for they were acquainted with the internal things which the external ones represented and consequently signified. But in course of time the like befell them as befell others among whom the church was instituted, in that from being internal men they became external, and at last did not care about internal things, but made all worship to consist in external things.

[2] When this came to pass with the Egyptians also, the science of correspondences and of representations, in which they were versed above all the rest of the nations of Asia, was turned into magic, as is the case when the internal things of worship, which are of love and faith, are blotted out, the external representative worship still remaining, together with the knowledge of the interior things which are represented. As the Egyptians became such, therefore by them in the Word is signified the memory-knowledge of such things, and also what is external or natural; and as this without what is internal is either magical or idolatrous, both of which are infernal, therefore by “Egypt” is also signified hell. From this it is evident whence it is that by “wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying,” are signified those who are in mere external things.

[3] (That in Egypt also there was a representative church, see n. 7097, 7296, 9391; and that “Egypt” denotes the memory-knowledge of such things in both senses, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6673, 6679, 6683, 6750, 7926; that “Egypt” denotes what is natural or external, n. 4967, 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160, 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301, 5799, 6004, 6015, 6147, 6252, 7353, 7355, 7648; and that “Egypt” denotes hell, n. 7039, 7097, 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7240, 7278, 7307, 7317, 8049, 8132, 8135, 8138, 8146, 8148, 8866, 9197)

5288. And set him over the land of Egypt. That this signifies that will bring into order all things in the natural mind, is evident from the signification of “setting over” anything, as being to appoint one who will bring into order, thus also to bring into order; and from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind (as above, n. 5276, 5278, 5279). By “him” is here meant a “man intelligent and wise,” by whom is signified truth and good. From this it is plain that by these words is signified that truth and good will bring into order all things in the natural. It is indeed good and truth that bring into order each and all things in the natural mind; for they flow in from within, and thus arrange them. One who does not know how the case is with man’s intellectual faculty, and how man can mentally view things, perceive them, think analytically, draw conclusions thence, and at last pass them over to the will, and through the will into act, sees nothing to wonder at in these things; he supposes that all things flow naturally in this way, being quite unaware that they are one and all from influx through heaven from the Lord, and that without this influx a man could not think at all, and that when the influx ceases so does everything of thought. So neither does he know that the good flowing in through heaven from the Lord brings all things into order, and insofar as the man allows, forms them after the image of heaven, and that from this the thought flows agreeably to the heavenly form. The heavenly form is that form into which the heavenly societies are brought into order, and they are brought into order in accordance with the form that is induced by the good and truth that proceed from the Lord.

8146. And he harnessed his chariot. That this signifies the doctrine of falsity, which is that of faith separate in general, is evident from the signification of a “chariot,” as being doctrine (see n. 2760, 5321, 5945), here the doctrine of falsity which is of faith separate, because it is the chariot of Pharaoh, and by Pharaoh are represented the falsities which are of faith separate; for they who are in faith separate from charity and at the same time in a life of evil must needs be in falsities (n. 8094).

[2] In what now follows, the subject treated of is the gathering together of all the falsities derived from evil with those who have been in faith separate from charity and in a life of evil. In what precedes, the vastation of the truths of faith with them was described, and their final reduction to the state of being in mere falsities from evil, thus in damnation. In this chapter their being cast down into hell is now treated of, for this follows damnation. With this state of being cast down into hell, the case is this. When this is to be done, all the falsities that appertain to them are gathered together into one, which is effected by the opening of all the hells with which they have had communication, and their being poured in upon them. Thence come the condensations around them of falsities from evil which appear as waters to those who look at them from without (n. 8137, 8138), for they are exhalations from their life; and when they are encompassed about with these, they are in hell. That the falsities from evil are gathered together into one and are poured in upon them, is done in order that they may be surrounded by such things as have been of their life, and may be afterward kept in them. Their kind of evil and its derivative falsity then distinguish them and their hell from other hells.

[3] As the subject treated of is the gathering together of all the falsities from evil which appertain to them, therefore such frequent mention is made in this chapter of the chariots of Pharaoh, his horses, horsemen, army, and people, for by these are signified all things of falsity which appertain to them, as in this verse, “He harnessed his chariot, and took his people with him;” in the seventh verse, “He took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt;” in the ninth verse, “And the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army;” in verse seventeen, “I will be glorified in Pharaoh, in all his army, in his chariots, and in his horsemen;” in like manner in verse eighteen; again in verse twenty-three, “And the Egyptians pursued, and came after them, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen;” in verse twenty-five, “Jehovah removed the wheel of their chariots;” in verse twenty-six, “That the waters may return upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen;” in verse twenty-eight, “The waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, even to all the army of Pharaoh.” These things are repeated so many times because the subject treated of is falsities from evil, in that these were gathered together and poured in upon them; for by the things mentioned above are signified all things of falsity from evil; by “Pharaoh and the Egyptians,” the men themselves who are in falsities from evil; by “chariots,” the doctrinal things of falsity; by “horses,” false memory-knowledges from a perverted understanding; by “horsemen,” the derivative reasonings; by “army,” and “people,” the falsities themselves.