5950. Verses 21-23. And the sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them carts, according to the mouth of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. And to all of them he gave each changes of garments; and to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of garments. And to his father he sent after this manner: ten asses carrying of the good of Egypt, and ten she-asses carrying grain and bread and nourishment for his father for the way. “And the sons of Israel did so,” signifies the effect from spiritual truths in the natural; “and Joseph gave them carts, according to the mouth of Pharaoh,” signifies that from the internal they had doctrinal things as was pleasing; “and gave them provision for the way,” signifies support meanwhile from good and truth; “and to all of them he gave each changes of garments,” signifies truths initiated in good; “and to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver,” signifies that the intermediate had fullness of truth from good; “and five changes of garments,” signifies much of truth from the natural; “and to his father he sent after this manner,” signifies what was given gratuitously to spiritual good; “ten asses carrying of the good of Egypt,” signifies better memory-knowledges with many things of service; “and ten she-asses carrying grain and bread,” signifies the truth of good and the good of truth, also with many things of service; “and nourishment for his father for the way,” signifies interior truth for spiritual good meanwhile.

5301. That shall be in the land of Egypt. That this signifies that shall be in the natural, is evident from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind (see n. 5276, 5278, 5279, 5288). It is here and elsewhere said “the natural,” and thereby is meant the natural mind; for man has two minds, a rational mind and a natural mind; the rational mind is of the internal man, and the natural mind is of the external man. This mind or this man is what is meant by “the natural” simply so called. That the mind is the man himself, will be seen in what now follows.