5882. 'And Joseph said to his brothers' means the perception of a new natural. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' as perception, dealt with above in 5877; and from the representation of 'Jacob's sons' as the truths in the natural, also dealt with above in 5877, in this case the natural itself since those who represent the truths in the natural also represent the natural itself, just as Pharaoh, representing factual knowledge in general because he was the king of Egypt, also represents the natural itself in general, 5160, 5799. The truths there and the natural (or the natural man) itself act as one, for the truths are the contents and the natural their container; and because they act as one the container is meant at one point in the internal sense, the content at another, depending on what the train of thought is.

[2] The reason why 'the sons of Jacob' here represent a new natural is that the internal sense at this point describes the accomplishment of the joining together which in general terms is effected as the overall explanation [given in 5867] indicates, which is this: When the joining together of the internal and the external, or of good and truth, takes place, there is first imparted a power of perception that the person is moved by an affection for truth and thus for good; at that time he goes through turmoil, after which a more internal communication is established through influx, and so on. From all this it is evident that the natural, which 'the sons of Jacob' represent here, is a new natural, for its previous state has undergone change, 5881.

5160. 'On Pharaoh's birthday' means when the natural was to be regenerated. This is clear from the meaning of 'being born' as being regenerated, dealt with below; and from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as the interior natural, dealt with in 5080, 5095, in this case the natural in general because among regenerate persons the agreement of the interior natural with the exterior natural causes the two to act as one. The reason 'being born' means being regenerated is that in the internal sense spiritual matters are meant, and spiritual birth is regeneration, which is also called rebirth. When therefore birth is spoken of in the Word no other birth is understood in heaven than a birth effected through water and the spirit, that is, through faith and charity. For being born again or regenerated makes a person truly human and entirely different from animals, because in this case he becomes a son and heir of the Lord's kingdom. As regards the births which are mentioned in the Word meaning spiritual births, see 1145, 1255, 3860, 3868, 4070, 4668.