The Bible

 

Genesis 45:3

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3 And Joseph saith unto his brethren, `I [am] Joseph, is my father yet alive?' and his brethren have not been able to answer him, for they have been troubled at his presence.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #6145

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6145. 'And the land was Pharaoh's' means that all things were made subject to the natural, which was under the control of the internal. This is clear from the meaning of 'the land was his' as the making its own of all things, meant by 'the land', and the subjection of them to itself; and from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as the natural in general, dealt with in 5160, 5799, 6015, into which factual knowledge, meant by 'Egypt', was gathered, 6115. The reason this was under the control of the internal is that the entire natural, both in general and in every part, was under it. Being under the control of the internal is meant by Joseph's being lord over all the land of Egypt, and also by his having been placed in charge over Pharaoh's house, Genesis 41:40-43; also Chapter 45 where it says,

Joseph said to his brothers, God has established me as father to Pharaoh, and lord for all his house; and I have dominion in all the land of Egypt. Genesis 45:8.

This now explains why it is said of the natural that it was under the control of the internal.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.