47. That these words contain arcana concerning regeneration becomes additionally clear from the fact that verse 24 above spoke of the earth bringing forth 'living creatures, beasts, and wild animals of the earth', while in the verse that followed the order was different, namely that God made the wild animals of the earth first and then the beasts. Indeed a person does first produce things so to speak from himself, and continues to do so until he becomes celestial. And so regeneration begins with the external man and moves on to the internal. This is why there is a different order here, with external things coming first.

5296. 'Under the hand of Pharaoh' means for when there is need and the consequent power of disposal in the natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'the hand' as power, dealt with in 878, 3387, 4931-4937, and therefore 'under the hand of' means at the disposal of when any need arises, since that which is within anyone's power is at his disposal; and from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as the natural, dealt with already.