6116. 'And when the silver had been used up in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan' means that factual knowledge that held truth in it and was appropriate could be seen no longer in the natural or within the Church on account of the desolation. This is clear from the meaning of 'being used up' as being seen no longer; from the meaning of 'silver' as factual knowledge that holds truth in it and is appropriate, dealt with above in 6112; from the meaning of 'the land of Egypt' as the natural where factual knowledge resides, dealt with above in 6111; and from the meaning of 'the land of Canaan' as the Church, also dealt with above, in 6067. The fact that it was on account of the desolation is evident from what has gone before, see 6110.

6112. 'And Joseph gathered up all the silver' means all factual knowledge that held truth in it and was appropriate. This is clear from the meaning of 'gathering up' as bringing together into a single whole; from the representation of 'Joseph' as the internal celestial, often dealt with already; and from the meaning of 'silver' as truth, dealt with in '551, 2954, 5658, but in this case factual knowledge that holds truth in it and is appropriate, for this silver existed, as stated in the words that immediately follow, in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan. All this shows that 'Joseph gathered up all the silver' means that the internal celestial brought together into a single whole all factual knowledge that held truth in it and that was appropriate. Factual knowledge is said to hold truth in it and to be appropriate when there are no illusions to darken it, for as long as these cannot be dispelled, factual knowledge is rendered inappropriate. The same is true of factual knowledge which has not become perverted through applications of it to falsities and to evils by others or by oneself, for once imprinted on factual knowledge such falsities and evils remain. Factual knowledge therefore which does not languish under these defects is factual knowledge that holds truth in it and is appropriate.