6676. If it be a son, then ye shall kill him. That this signifies, if it is truth, that they should destroy it in any way they could, is evident from the signification of “son,” as being truth (see n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2623, 3373); and from the signification of “killing,” as being to destroy, for it is said of truth. But they were to destroy “in any way they could,” for the evil are not able to destroy truths with the good.

4723. And they saw him afar off. That this signifies perception of the Lord’s Divine Human remotely, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” as being perception (see n. 2150, 3764); from the signification of “afar off,” as being remotely; and from the representation of Joseph, who it was that they saw afar off, as being the Lord as to Divine truth (n. 4669). That it is the Lord’s Divine Human which is here meant by “Joseph,” is because this is the supreme of Divine truth. There are two essentials which constitute the church, and hence two principal things of doctrine—one, that the Lord’s Human is Divine; the other, that love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor make the church, and not faith separate from love and charity. Because these are the primary things of Divine truth, these also are represented by Joseph; for the same person that represents Divine truth in general, represents also the specific things of Divine truth; but what is specifically represented, is evident from the series.