7500. 'Send My people away, and let them serve Me' means that they should leave those who belong to the spiritual Church, in order that these may worship the Lord. This is clear from the meaning of 'sending away' as leaving, as often before; from the representation of the children of Israel, to whom 'My people' refers here, as those who belong to the spiritual Church, dealt with in 4286, 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223; and from the meaning of 'and let them serve Me' as in order that they may worship the Lord. The meaning of 'serving' as worshipping is self-evident; and Jehovah whom they are to serve is the Lord, see immediately above in 7499.

6738. 'And said, This is one of the children of the Hebrews' means that it belonged to the true Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'the Hebrews' as the things that constitute the Church, dealt with in 6675, 6684, so that 'the children of the Hebrews' means those who belong to the true Church. The reason why 'the Hebrews' means the things that constitute the Church is that when the Ancient Church came to an end, the Hebrew Church began, which was the second Ancient Church. This Church retained a large number of the representative forms and meaningful signs of the Ancient Church; and it also acknowledged Jehovah. Here is why 'the Hebrews' means the Church. Regarding the Hebrew Church, see 1238, 1241, 1743, 4516, 4517, 4874, 5136, 6739,