883. 'The dove returned to him at evening time' means that these started to show themselves a little; and 'evening time' is similar to pre-morning twilight. This in like manner becomes clear from that has been stated already at verse 8, and also from the fact that here it is called 'evening time'. Concerning 'evening', see what has been stated in Genesis 1, where six times the statement is made 'there was evening and there was morning'. 'Evening' is a word that has to do with regeneration and indeed with that state when a person is still in near-darkness, or when there is still only a tiny quantity of light showing itself to him. Morning itself is described in verse 13 below by 'he removed the roof from the ark and saw out'. Because 'evening' meant the pre-morning twilight, mention of the evening is made so many times in the Jewish Church. This also is why sabbaths and festivals began from evening onwards, and why Aaron was commanded to light the sacred lamp 'in the evening', Exodus 27:21.

6771. 'And Pharaoh heard of this matter and sought to kill Moses means that having discerned this matter false factual knowledge wished to destroy the truth which the law from God possessed. This is clear from the meaning of 'hearing' as discerning, dealt with in 5017; from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as factual knowledge which is opposed to the Church's truths, and so is false, dealt with in 6651, 6679, 6687; from the meaning of 'killing' as destroying, dealt with in 6767, so that 'seeking to kill' is wishing to destroy; and from the representation of 'Moses' as the law of God and God's truth, dealt with in 6752, and so the truth which the law of God possessed. The expression 'the truth which the law of God possessed', and not simply 'the law of God', is used because the subject is still the development of the law of God within the Lord's Human. From all this it is clear that 'Pharaoh heard of this matter and sought to kill Moses' means that having discerned this matter false factual knowledge wished to destroy the truth that the law of God possessed.