5329. 'In all the land of Egypt' means in both parts of the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'all the land of Egypt' as both parts of the natural, dealt with above in 5276. Matters like those that are being presented now are what angels perceive when man reads,

Pharaoh took off his ring from upon his hand and put it onto Joseph's hand, and clothed him in robes of fine linen, and placed a chain of gold onto his neck. And he made him ride in the second chariot that he had; and they cried out before him, Abrek! and he set him over all the land of Egypt.

[2] For angels cannot have any perception at all of actual historical details since these are the kind of things that belong to the world and not to heaven; things that belong to the world are not seen by them. Yet because everything in the world has a correspondence with something in heaven angels therefore have a perception of heavenly things when man's perception is of worldly ones. If this were not so no angel from heaven could ever be present with man; but so that an angel can be present with him the Word has been provided, in which angels perceive a Divine holiness that they can communicate to the person with whom they are present.

4749. 'Taking them down to Egypt' means teaching based on factual knowledge. This is clear from the meaning of 'Egypt' as facts, dealt with in 1164, 1165, 1462; and because 'spices, resin, and stacte' means interior truths based on the facts possessed by those in whom simple good is present, like that present in gentiles, therefore 'taking them down to that place' means receipt of teaching. The position is this: The facts meant by 'Egypt' are facts which contribute to spiritual life and correspond to spiritual truths, for in former times the Ancient Church had existed there also. But once the Church there had been turned into magic, facts which pervert spiritual things were meant after that by 'Egypt'. This explains why facts are meant in the Word, both in the good sense and in the contrary sense, by 'Egypt', see 1164, 1165, 1462; in this case in the good sense.

[2] The factual knowledge on which the interior truths meant by the spices, resin, and stacte which the Ishmaelites were carrying on their camels are based are not the kind of facts which the Church possesses but the kind found among gentiles. The truths obtained from these facts found among gentiles cannot receive correction and be made sound except by means of the facts which the genuine Church possesses, and so by instruction in those facts. These are the matters meant at this point.