Arcana Coelestia #5647
5647. 'And the men were afraid' means a drawing back. This is clear from the meaning here of 'being afraid' as a drawing back, a drawing back from being joined to the internal. Fear arises from various causes, such as those dangerous situations when people can lose their lives, the gains they have made, and also both their positions and reputations, as well as the fear that they may be led into some kind of slavery, resulting in the loss of freedom together with the delight life holds within itself. This matter is dealt with below, for the men's fear was that they would become linked to the internal, which would cause them to lose their own identity, and with their own identity their freedom, and with their freedom the delight life holds within itself since that delight depends on the existence of freedom. This is the reason why 'the men were afraid' means a drawing back, a drawing back lest they should become linked [to the internal].
[2] Let a brief preliminary statement be made here about the nature of that joining together, that is to say, of the external or natural man to the internal or spiritual man. The external or natural man reigns from the earliest period in life, unaware of the existence of the internal or spiritual man. That being so, when a person undergoes reformation and from being a natural or external man starts to become a spiritual or internal one, the natural rebels initially. For that person receives teaching to the effect that the natural man must be made subservient; that is, all his strong evil desires and the accompanying ideas that lend support to these must be rooted out. Consequently when left to himself the natural man thinks that in that case he may be completely destroyed, since he knows nothing other than that the natural is all there is, being totally ignorant of the fact that things beyond measure or description reside within the spiritual. When the natural man thinks like this he draws back, having no wish to be made subservient to the spiritual. This then is what is meant here by 'fear'.
Genesis 43
1
The famine was severe in the land.
2
It happened, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, "Go again, buy us a little more food."
3
Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'
4
If you'll send our brother with us, we'll go down and buy you food,
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but if you'll not send him, we'll not go down, for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.'"
6
Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?"
7
They said, "The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'"
8
Judah said to Israel, his father, "Send the boy with me, and we'll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.
9
I'll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don't bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever,
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for if we hadn't delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now."
11
Their father, Israel, said to them, "If it must be so, then do this. Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;
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and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.
13
Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.
14
May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved."
15
The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon."
17
The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph's house.
18
The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, "Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time, we're brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys."
19
They came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
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and said, "Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.
21
When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.
22
We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don't know who put our money in our sacks."
23
He said, "Peace be to you. Don't be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money." He brought Simeon out to them.
24
The man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
25
They prepared the present for Joseph's coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26
When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to him to the earth.
27
He asked them of their welfare, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?"
28
They said, "Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive." They bowed the head, and did homage.
29
He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother's son, and said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?" He said, "God be gracious to you, my son."
30
Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.
31
He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, "Serve the meal."
32
They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians, that ate with him, by themselves, because the Egyptians don't eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
33
They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled one with another.
34
He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.
