5619. And carry down the man a present. That this signifies obtaining favor, is evident from the signification of “offering a present to the man,” here to Joseph, who is called the “lord of the land,” as being to obtain favor. It was customary in the Ancient representative Church, and thence in the Jewish, to give some present to judges, and at a later period to kings and priests, when they were approached; moreover, this was commanded. The reason was that the presents they gave them represented such things in man as ought to be offered to the Lord when He is approached, which are things that are from freedom, consequently from the man himself; for his freedom is what is from the heart, and what is from the heart is from the will, and what is from the will is from the affection which is of the love, and what is from the affection which is of the love is free, thus of the man himself (see n. 1947, 2870-2893, 3158). From this it is that a present should be given by man to the Lord on approaching Him. It was this present that was represented; for kings represented the Lord as to Divine truth (n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4581, 4966, 5044), and priests as to Divine good (n. 1728, 2015, 3670). That these presents were initiations, see n. 4262; and initiations are for obtaining favor.

6771. And Pharaoh heard this word, and he sought to kill Moses. That this signifies that false memory-knowledge, noticing this, willed to destroy the truth of the law from the Divine, is evident from the signification of “to hear,” as being to notice (see n. 5017); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being memory-knowledge that is opposed to the truths of the church, thus falsity (see n. 6651, 6679, 6683); from the signification of “to kill,” as being to destroy (n. 6767), thus “to seek to kill” is to will to destroy; and from the representation of Moses, as being the law Divine and truth Divine (n. 6752), thus truth which is of the law Divine. It is said “truth of the law Divine,” not “the law Divine,” because the subject treated of is still the progress of the law Divine in the Lord’s Human. From all this it is evident that by “Pharaoh heard this word and sought to kill Moses” is signified that false memory-knowledge, noticing this, willed to destroy the truth which is of the law Divine.