6284. 'And the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac' means, and the essential nature of internal goodness and truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'the name' as the essential nature, as immediately above in 6283; and from the representation of 'Abraham and Isaac' as internal goodness and truth, dealt with above in 6276. Internal goodness and truth must be present within external goodness and truth if the latter are to be goodness and truth. For as stated above in 6275, the external is merely something that provides an outward form in which the internal can exist and lead a life in accord with what flows into it from the Lord. And the internal too is merely something providing an outward form when considered in relation to what is supreme, namely the Lord. He is the Source of all life, and things below Him are forms that are merely receivers of life, ranged by degrees in order down to the last and lowest, which is the body.

5876. Verses 3-5 And Joseph said to his brothers, I am Joseph. Is my father still alive? And his brothers could not answer him, for they were filled with dismay at his presence. And Joseph said to his brothers, Draw near to me, I beg you. And they drew near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. And now, do not be grieved, and do not have any anger in your eyes, that you sold me here; for God sent me before you for the bestowal of life.

'And Joseph said to his brothers' means that the internal celestial imparted a power of perception to the truths in the natural. 'I am Joseph' means a revelation. 'Is my father still alive?' means the presence of spiritual good from the natural. 'And his brothers could not answer him' means that the truths in the natural were not yet in a state of being able to talk. 'For they were filled with dismay at his presence' means turmoil among them. 'And Joseph said to his brothers' means the perception by a new natural. 'Draw near to me, I beg you' means a more internal communication. 'And they drew near' means the effect. 'And he said, I am Joseph your brother' means a revelation made by means of influx. 'Whom you sold into Egypt' means the internal which they had alienated. 'And now, do not be grieved' means anxiety in the heart or will. 'And do not have any anger in your eyes' means sadness in the spirit or understanding. 'That you sold me here' means that they had alienated [it by banishing it] to the lowest parts. 'For God sent me before you for the bestowal of life' means the spiritual life they received as ordained by Providence.