5937. 'And Pharaoh said to Joseph' means a perception received by the natural from the internal celestial. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' in the historical narratives of the Word as perception, dealt with often; from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as the natural in general, dealt with in 5160, 5799; and from the representation of 'Joseph' as the internal celestial, dealt with in 5869, 5877. Since the celestial, which 'Joseph' represents, is internal while the natural, which 'Pharaoh' represents, is external, the perception is therefore received by the natural from the internal celestial. For all perception comes from within; no perception ever exists within that comes from without; for wherever an influx comes from, perception is from the same source.

[2] Let a brief statement appear here about what perception, referred to so many times, is. Everyone possesses the ability to perceive whether something is true or not. The ability he has within himself, within his mind, to draw conclusions is what enables him to perceive it; yet this ability cannot possibly exist in him without influx from the spiritual world. It is a gift that one person possesses in greater measure than another. Those who possess it in smaller measure are people who draw few conclusions within themselves or their minds and so have little perception; and if they say a thing is true they do so because others in whom they put their trust have said it is. Those however who possess the gift in greater measure are people who do not rely on others but see for themselves that it is true. But this kind of perception that everyone has involves worldly matters; nobody at the present day has any perception in spiritual ones. The reason for this is that what flows in from the spiritual source to produce that perception is blotted out and virtually annihilated by the delights of worldly and selfish love. As a consequence people have no interest in spiritual things except where duty or custom require it. Take away the fear that duty engenders, and the delight that custom affords, and people would scorn, turn away from, and indeed deny the existence of spiritual things.

[3] To have perception in spiritual things a person must have an affection for truth stirred by good and must have an unceasing desire to know truths. This leads to an enlightenment of the understanding part of his mind; and once it has been enlightened he is able within himself to see a thing with perception. But if a person is not stirred by an affection for truth, then he knows what he knows to be true from the teaching of the Church on which he pins his faith, something he also knows because priest, presbyter, or monk has declared it to be. From all this one may see what perception is and that it exists in worldly matters but not in spiritual ones. This is further evident from the consideration that everyone adheres to the system of religious belief into which he was born; this includes those who were born Jews and those outside the Church, even though they live in places where the Church is situated. The same goes for the adherents to any heresy. If utter truths were stated and also proved to them they would still be totally incapable of perceiving that they were truths; they would be seen by them as falsities.

5867. Genesis 45

1. And Joseph could not contain himself before all those standing with him; and he cried out, Make every man go out from me. And no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers.

2. And he gave forth his voice in weeping; and the Egyptians heard, and the house of Pharaoh heard.

3. And Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph. Is my father still alive? And his brothers could not answer him, for they were filled with dismay at his presence.

4. And Joseph said to his brothers, Draw near to me, I beg you. And they drew near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt

5. And now, do not be grieved, and do not have any anger in your eyes, that you sold me here; for God sent me before you for the bestowal of life.

6. For this [is the situation] - there have been two years of famine in the midst of the land, and there are still five years, in which there will be no ploughing and harvest.

7. And God sent me before you to establish for you a remnant on the earth, and for the bestowal of life on you for a great escape.

8. And now, you did not send me here, but God; and He has established me as father to Pharaoh, and as lord for all his house; and I have dominion in all the land of Egypt.

9. Make haste and go up to my father, and say to him, Thus said your son Joseph: God has established me as lord for all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay.

10. And you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your sons, and the sons of your sons, and your flocks, and your herds, and everything that belongs to you.

11. And I will sustain you there, for there are still five years of famine, lest perhaps you are wiped out, you and your household, and all that belongs to you.

12. And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that with my mouth I am speaking to you.

13. And you must tell my father about all my glory in Egypt, and all that you see; and you must make haste, and cause my father to come down here.

14. And he fell on the neck ¹ of Benjamin his brother, and wept; and Benjamin wept on his neck. ¹

15. And he kissed all his brothers, and wept on them; and after that his brothers talked to him.

16. And a voice was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brothers have come. And it was good in Pharaoh's eyes, and in the eyes of his servants.

17. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Say to your brothers, Do this: Load your animals, and go, get you to the land of Canaan.

18. And take your father and your households, and come to me; and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.

19. And now carry out this command: Take for yourselves from the land of Egypt carts for your young children and your wives, and bring your father, and come.

20. And do not let your eye be sparing over your household utensils, for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.

21. And the sons of Israel did so, and Joseph gave them carts, according to Pharaoh's command; ² and he gave them provision for the way.

22. And to them all he gave each one changes of garments; and to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments.

23. And to his father he sent as follows: Ten asses carrying some of the good of Egypt, and ten she-asses carrying grain and bread, and food for his father for the way.

24. And he sent his brothers away, and they went; and he said to them, Do not quarrel on the way.

25. And they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan, to Jacob their father.

26. And they told him, saying, Joseph is still alive, and he has dominion in all the land of Egypt. And his heart failed, for he did not believe them.

27. And they spoke to him all Joseph's words which he had spoken to them; and he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, and the spirit of Jacob their father revived.

28. And Israel said, Enough, ³ Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.

CONTENTS

The previous chapter dealt with the internal man, which is 'Joseph' - with the initial steps taken by the internal man to become joined to the external natural man, which is 'Jacob's ten sons', through the intermediary, which is 'Benjamin'. The present chapter too deals with the internal man - with the actual joining of it to the external natural man. But since the two are not joined together except through spiritual good from the natural, which is 'Israel', the internal man prepares to link this good to itself first.

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