9160. Even unto God shall come the word of them both; he whom God shall condemn. That this signifies a searching and a judging by means of truth, is evident from the signification of “even unto God shall come the word,” as being a searching by means of truth (of which below); and from the signification of “condemning,” as being a judging and awarding of the penalty to him who has transgressed. That “even unto God shall come the word” signifies a searching by means of truth, is because “coming to God” denotes to come to the judges, who from truth were to search concerning this matter. Therefore also it is said “he whom God shall condemn,” with the verb in the plural number. Moreover, in the original tongue God is called El, in the singular number, but more frequently Elohim, in the plural; for the reason that the Divine truth proceeding from the Lord is shared in heaven in many ways among the angels; for as many as are the angels, so many are the recipients of truth Divine, each in his own manner (n. 3241, 3744-3746, 3986, 4149, 5598, 7236, 7833, 7836). Hence it is that the angels are called “gods” (n. 4295, 4402, 7268, 7873, 8301); and also “judges,” because the judges were not to judge from themselves, but from the Lord. They judged also from the law of Moses, and thus from the Word which is from the Lord. Even at this day judgment is administered from the Lord when it is done from conscience, in accordance with truths.

[2] In the Word the Lord is called “God” from the Divine truth which proceeds from Him; and “Jehovah” from the Divine good (n. 4402, 6303, 6905, 7268, 8988). Hence where good is treated of in the Word, the Lord is called “Jehovah,” and “God” where truth is treated of (n. 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4402, 7268, 8988); thus “God” denotes truth (n. 4287, 7010, 7268). From all this it is now evident what is signified by “if the thief be not caught, the lord of the house shall be brought unto God” (verse 7); and here by “even unto God shall come the word of them both, and he whom God shall condemn, shall repay;” and also what is signified by “God” in the following passages:

Aaron shall speak for thee unto the people; and it shall come to pass that he shall be to thee for a mouth, and thou shall be to him for God (Exodus 4:16).

That “Moses” denotes the Divine truth, or the Law; and that “for a mouth” denotes the doctrine therefrom, which was represented by Aaron, see n. 7010. Again:

Jehovah said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet (Exodus 7:1. 7265).

And in the first book of Samuel:

Aforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come and let us go to the Seer; for he that is now called the prophet was beforetime called the Seer (1 Samuel 9:9); where “the Seer” and “the prophet” denote truth Divine, and the doctrine of truth and good thence derived (n. 2534, 7269).

7264. EXODUS 7

1. And Jehovah said unto Moses, See, I have given thee a god to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.

2. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee, and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, and let him send the sons of Israel out of his land.

3. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.

4. And Pharaoh will not hear you; and I will give My hand upon the Egyptians, and lead forth My armies, My people, the sons of Israel, out of the land of Egypt, with great judgments.

5. And the Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah, when I stretch forth My hand upon Egypt, and lead forth the sons of Israel from the midst of them.

6. And Moses and Aaron did so; as Jehovah commanded them, so did they.

7. And Moses was a son of eighty years, and Aaron a son of three and eighty years, when they spoke unto Pharaoh.

8. And Jehovah said unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

9. When Pharaoh shall say unto you, saying, Give you a wonder, and thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, it shall become a water-serpent.

10. And Moses and Aaron came unto Pharaoh, and they did so as Jehovah had commanded; and Aaron cast his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a water-serpent.

11. And Pharaoh called also the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did so with their enchantments.

12. And they cast forth every man his rod, and they became water-serpents; and Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.

13. And Pharaoh’s heart was made firm, and he heard them not; as Jehovah had spoken.

14. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is made heavy, he refuseth to let the people go.

15. Go unto Pharaoh in the morning; behold he goeth out unto the waters; and stand thou to meet him near the bank of the river; and the rod which was turned into a serpent take in thy hand.

16. And thou shalt say unto him, Jehovah the God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness; and behold hitherto thou hast not heard.

17. Thus said Jehovah, In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah; behold I smite with the rod that is in my hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned into blood.

18. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall labor to drink waters from the river.

19. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thy hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, and over their pools, and over every gathering of their waters, and they shall be blood; and there shall be blood in all the land of Egypt, both in the woods and in the stones.

20. And Moses and Aaron did so, as Jehovah commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, unto the eyes of Pharaoh, and unto the eyes of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned into blood.

21. And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink water from the river; and there was blood in all the land of Egypt.

22. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh’s heart was made firm, and he heard them not, as Jehovah had spoken.

23. And Pharaoh looked back, and came unto his house, and did not set his heart even to this.

24. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for waters to drink; for they could not drink of the waters of the river.

25. And seven days were fulfilled after that Jehovah had smitten the river.

26. ¹ And Jehovah said unto Moses, Come unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Let My people go, and let them serve Me.

27. And if thou refuse to let them go, behold I will smite all thy border with frogs.

28. And the river shall make frogs to creep forth, and they shall go up and come into thy house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and into that of thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading-troughs.

29. And on thee, and on thy people, and on all thy servants, shall the frogs go up.

THE CONTENTS.

The subject treated of in the internal sense in what follows is the vastation, and at last the damnation, of those who are in falsities and evils. The process of their devastation is described by the eleven plagues brought on the Egyptians and their land.

V: