7387. 'And covered the land of Egypt' means that the natural mind became such. This is clear from the meaning of 'covering', since it is used in regard to the natural mind, as the fact that it became filled with falsities and consequent reasonings, thus became such; and from the meaning of 'the land of Egypt' as the natural mind, dealt with in 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301.

5300. 'For the seven years of famine' means as need arises when there is an absence [of truth]. This is clear from the meaning of 'famine' as an absence of truth, dealt with above in 5277, 5278. The fact that the time when truth is absent is a time of need is self-evident; for in the internal sense 'years' are states, as has frequently been shown above, and therefore 'for those [seven] years' means for those states when need arises.