10437. 'Why should the Egyptians speak, saying' means those interested solely in outward things, what they say about those raised to inward things. This is clear from the representation of 'the Egyptians' as those interested solely in outward things; and from the meaning of 'to speak, saying' as what they say about those who are raised to inward things, the latter being the ones whom the words that directly follow refer to in the internal sense. The reason why those interested solely in outward things are represented by 'the Egyptians' is that in ancient times the Egyptians were some of those among whom the representative Church existed. For this Church had spread throughout very many regions of Asia, and at that time the Egyptians excelled all others in the knowledge of correspondences and representations, which were the characteristic of that Church. For they knew the inward things which outward ones represented and consequently were meaningful signs of. But in course of time the like happened to them as happens to others among whom the Church exists, when from being interested in inward things they become interested in outward ones, till at length they do not care about inward things, and make the whole of worship consist in outward things.

[2] When this also happened with the Egyptians the knowledge of correspondences and representations, in which they excelled all others in Asia, was turned into magic. This is what comes about when the inner things of worship, which are those of love and faith, are wiped out, while the outward representative worship still remains, together with knowledge of the inner things that are represented by it. Because the Egyptians came to be like this, in the Word they mean knowledge of inner things, and also that which is outward or natural. And since that which is outward devoid of what is inward is either magic or idolatry, both of which are hellish, 'Egypt' also means hell. From this it is evident why it is that 'why should the Egyptians say' means those interested solely in outward things.

[3] In Egypt as well the representative Church existed, see 7097, 7296, 9391.

'Egypt' means the knowledge of such things in both senses, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6673, 6679, 6683, 6750, 7926.

'Egypt' means that which is natural or external, 4967, 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160, 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301, 5799, 6004, 6015, 6147, 6252, 7353, 7355, 7648.

'Egypt' means hell, 7039, 7097, 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7240, 7278, 7307, 7317, 8049, 8132, 8135, 8138, 8146, 8148, 8866, 9197.

8146. 'And he harnessed his chariot' means doctrine championing falsity that belongs to separated faith in general. This is clear from the meaning of 'chariot' as doctrine, dealt with in 2760, 5321, 5945, in this case doctrine championing falsity that belongs to separated faith, since the chariot is Pharaoh's and 'Pharaoh' represents the falsities that belong to separated faith. For those who subscribe to faith separated from charity and at the same time lead a life of evil are inevitably steeped in falsities, 8094.

[2] The descriptions that follow on from here refer to the gathering together of all the falsities arising from evil that existed with people who subscribed to faith separated from charity and led a life of evil. Descriptions prior to this have dealt with the vastation of the truths of faith that exist with those people, and with the eventual reduction of those people to a condition which is such that they are steeped in utter falsities arising from evil, and so are lost in damnation. The present chapter now deals with their being cast down into hell, for being cast down into hell follows damnation. What happens in this state - a state in which people are cast down into hell - is as follows: When they are going to be cast down all the falsities that exist with them are first gathered together (which is accomplished by the opening up of all the hells with which they have had contact) and then are poured into them. As a result those people have around them dense masses of falsities arising from evil, which appear as waters to those looking on from outside, 8137, 8138; they are vapours emanating from their life. When they are engulfed by those dense masses they are in hell. When the falsities arising from evil are gathered into one and poured into them the purpose is that those people may become surrounded by the kinds of things that have come to be part of their life, and after that may be confined within them. The type of evil, together with the falsity arising from it, then mark them and their hell off from other hells.

[3] Because of the subject here - the gathering together of all the falsities arising from evil that existed with those people - references are made so many times in this chapter to Pharaoh's chariot, his horses, horsemen, army, and people; for these mean all the powers of falsity that reside with those people. Such references are,

He harnessed his chariot, and took his people with him. Verse 6.

He took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt. Verse 7.

And the Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh's chariot-horses, and his horsemen, and his army. Verse 9.

I will be glorified in Pharaoh, and in all his army, in his chariots, and in his horsemen. Verse 17, and similarly verse 18.

And the Egyptians pursued, and came after them, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. Verse 23.

Jehovah took off the wheels of their chariots. Verse 25.

Let the waters return onto the Egyptians, onto their chariots, and onto their horsemen. Verse 26.

The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh's army. Verse 28.

These references to them occur so many times because falsities arising from evil - their being gathered together and poured into those people - are the subject. The things referred to so many times mean all the powers of falsity arising from evil. 'Pharaoh' and 'the Egyptians' are the people themselves who are steeped in falsities arising from evil; 'the chariots' are doctrinal teachings that uphold falsity; 'the horses' are false factual knowledge belonging to a perverted understanding; 'the horsemen' are reasonings resting on that knowledge; and 'the army' and 'the people' are the falsities themselves.