5013. See, he hath brought us a Hebrew man. That this signifies a servant, is evident from the signification of a “Hebrew man” as being predicated of service (n. 1703), and as is also clear from what is said later, where Joseph is called a “Hebrew servant,” and also simply a “servant:” “the Hebrew servant whom thou hast brought to us came to me” (verse 17); “according to these words did thy servant to me” (verse 19). That a “Hebrew man” here is a servant, is chiefly for the reason that those who are in truth and good natural not spiritual, who are here represented by Potiphar and his wife, regard spiritual truth and good, which is represented by Joseph, no otherwise than as a servant; for in both life and doctrine they are in inverted order, because with them the natural rules and the spiritual serves; when yet it is according to order that the spiritual should rule and the natural serve; for the spiritual is prior, interior, and higher, and nearer the Divine; while the natural is posterior, exterior, and lower, and more remote from the Divine. For this reason the spiritual in man and in the church is compared to heaven, and is also called heaven; and the natural is compared to earth, and is also called earth. Hence also it is that they who are spiritual, that is, in whom the spiritual has ruled, appear in the other life in the light of heaven with the head upward toward the Lord, and with the feet downward toward hell; whereas they who are natural, that is, they in whom the natural has ruled, appear in the light of heaven with the feet upward and the head downward, however differently they may appear in their own light, which is a fatuous light resulting from the evil affections and consequent phantasies in which they are (n. 1528, 3340, 4214, 4418, 4531, 4532). That natural men regard spiritual things as subservient, was also represented by the Egyptians regarding the Hebrews no otherwise than as servants; for by the Egyptians were represented those who are in natural knowledge and who therefore are natural, but by the Hebrews, those who are of the church and are therefore relatively spiritual. Moreover the Egyptians regarded the Hebrews as being so vile-as servants-that it was an abomination to them to eat with the Hebrews (Genesis 43:32); and the sacrifices offered by the Hebrews were also an abomination to them (Exodus 8:26).

1434. And Lot his brother’s son. That this signifies sensuous truth, and thus the first that was insinuated into the Lord when a child, is evident from the signification of “Lot,” as being the sensuous-as stated in the explication of the preceding verse—and from the signification of “son,” as being truth (see n. 264, 489, 491, 533); and also from the signification of “brother,” as being the truth of faith n. 367 us sensuous truth is what is here signified, for in the internal sense there is no reflection on the persons and words, but only upon their signification. In heaven they do not know who Lot is, but only the quality that is represented by him; nor do they know what a son is, but the spiritual state by which one is relatively as a son; nor do they know what a brother is, except from brotherhood such as there is in heaven. As regards sensuous truth, it is the first truth that insinuates itself; for in childhood the judgment does not go higher. Sensuous truth consists in seeing all earthly and worldly things as being created by God, and each and every thing for a purpose, and in all things whatsoever a certain image of God’s kingdom. This sensuous truth is insinuated solely with the celestial man; and as the Lord alone was a celestial man, these and similar sensuous truths were insinuated into Him in earliest childhood: whereby He was prepared for the reception of celestial things.