7826. 'In the land of Egypt' means when those belonging to the spiritual Church were still in close proximity to the molesters. This is clear from the meaning of 'the land of Egypt' as the place where the molesters were. For 'Pharaoh' and 'the Egyptians' represent and mean those belonging to the Church who have come to be governed by faith separated from charity and who molest the upright in the next life, 6692, 7097, 7107, 7110, 7116, 7142, 7317, and 'the land of Egypt' actual molestations, 7278, while 'the children of Israel' represent those belonging to the spiritual Church who undergo molestation, 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 72011 7215, 7223. And regarding the close proximity of the latter to molesters in the next life, see 7240. That close proximity is meant by the presence of the children of Israel in the middle of the land of Egypt - in the land of Goshen - and the molestations are meant by the burdens laid upon them. From this it is now evident that 'Jehovah said to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt' means instructions given by God's truth when those belonging to the spiritual Church were still in close proximity to the molesters.

7107. 'And Pharaoh said' means the will of those who molest the Church's truths. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' as the will, dealt with below; and from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as those who molest the Church's truths, dealt with in 6651, 6679, 6683, thus who molest those who belong to the spiritual Church, for the latter are said to be in possession of the Church's truths. The reason why the word 'saying' means the will or act of willing is that that word also includes what follows it; for when anyone wills something he verbalizes it. Since the word 'says' includes what follows it, it has various meanings, for example, a command, 7036; an urgent demand or an admonition, 5012, 7073, 7090; communication, 3060, 4131, 6228; thought, 7094; or perception, which is its proper meaning, 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2862, 3509, 5687.