4712. 'And he said to him, Go now, see the peace of your brothers' means every coming of the Lord, and a perception of what the situation was with those who taught. This is clear from the meaning of 'laying' as perception, dealt with just above in 4708; from the meaning of 'peace' as salvation, dealt with in 4681, and so a perception of what the situation was; and from the representation of 'brothers' here as those teaching from faith, dealt with above in 4705. From this it is evident that the words used here mean a perception of what the situation was with those who taught. The reason every coming of the Lord is also meant is that 'Joseph' represents the Lord's Divine Spiritual, 4669, 4708, 4710, and therefore when it is said that Joseph was told to 'go and see the peace of his brothers' His coming is meant. The expression 'every coming' is used to describe whenever truth enters into thought from the Word.

4710. 'Go, and I will send you to them' means that it would teach Divine spiritual forms of good. This is clear from the representation of 'Joseph' as the Lord's Divine Spiritual, dealt with in 4669, 4708. When this Spiritual is said 'to be sent', the teaching of Divine spiritual forms of good is meant. In the internal sense 'being sent' means coming out and going forth, 2397, and also at the same time means teaching; here therefore Divine spiritual forms of good which go forth from the Lord's Divine Spiritual are meant Divine spiritual forms of good are attributes of love and charity, whereas Divine spiritual truths are attributes of faith derived from love and charity. Anyone who teaches those forms of good also teaches these truths, for these truths derive from and have reference to those forms of good. The fact that 'being sent' means going forth and teaching may be seen from many places in the Word. It may be seen in the phrase used many times, that the Lord 'was sent from the Father', meaning that He came forth from Him, that is, from Divine Good. It may also be seen in references to the Lord sending the Paraclete or the Spirit of truth, meaning that holy truth goes forth from Him. The prophets too 'were sent', and by this is meant that they were to teach that which goes forth from the Lord. Anyone may confirm these matters from the Word, for they occur frequently there.