5877. And Joseph said unto his brethren. That this signifies that the internal celestial gave the faculty of perception to truths in the natural, is evident from the signification of “saying,” in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (see n. 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 2862, 3395, 3509, 5687, 5743), here to give the faculty of perception (of which in what follows); from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal celestial (of which just above, n. 5869); and from the representation of the ten sons of Jacob, who are here the “brethren,” as being truths in the natural (n. 5403, 5419, 5458, 5512). Thus the internal sense is that the internal celestial gave the faculty of perception to truths in the natural. By “saying” is here signified to give the faculty of perception, because in what now follows the subject treated of is the conjunction of the internal celestial, which is “Joseph,” with truths in the natural, which are the “sons of Jacob,” and when there is conjunction there is given the faculty of perceiving, namely, through the affection of truth, and thus of good.
Arcana Coelestia # 3395
3395. And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her. That this signifies that it would not be received, is evident from what has been said above (n. 3387), at the words, “because he feared to say, She is my woman; lest the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah.” That to “say” signifies to perceive and to think, is better seen here than elsewhere.