7650. And he looked back, and went out from before Pharaoh. That this signifies privation of discernment, and separation is evident from the representation of Moses, of whom it is said that he “looked back and went out,” as being truth from the Divine; from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who infest (of whom above, n. 7631); from the signification of “looking back,” as being the privation of discernment, for a man is deprived of discernment when truth from the Divine looks back, that is, averts itself, that is to say, when the man averts himself from it; and from the signification of “going out,” as being separation (see n. 6100, 7404).

6100. And he went out from before Pharaoh. That this signifies separation in respect to time, is evident from the signification of “going out,” as being to be separated, here to be separated in respect to time from the natural where memory-knowledges are, which are represented by Pharaoh. In regard to this, that by “going out” is signified separation in respect to time, the case is this. In the foregoing pages the subject treated of has been the conjunction of spiritual good from the natural, which is “Israel,” and also of the truths of the church in the natural, which are his “sons,” with the internal celestial, which is “Joseph;” but conjunction with the natural has not yet been treated of, but only insinuation. But in what now follows this conjunction is treated of, from verse thirteen to verse twenty-seven of this chapter (see the Contents, n. 6059, 6060). Hence it is that by “Jacob went out from before Pharaoh” is signified separation in respect to time.