6580. 'And Joseph dwelt in Egypt' means the life of the Church's factual knowledge from the internal. This is clear from the meaning of 'dwelling' as the life, dealt with in 1293, 3384, 3613, 4451, 6051; from the representation of 'Joseph' as the internal, dealt with above in 6499; and from the meaning of 'Egypt' as the Church's factual knowledge, dealt with in 4749, 4964, 4966, 6004. The subject in the previous parts of this chapter is the spiritual Church that is to be established; but now, after the external or natural has become totally submissive to the internal or spiritual, which is meant by the action of Joseph's brothers when they fell down before him and offered to be his slaves, the subject is that Church once it has been established. It is described in these verses by the statement that Joseph dwelt in Egypt and by the reference to the birth of sons descended from Ephraim and from Machir, Manasseh's son. With the person who is a spiritual Church life from the internal exists within the Church's factual knowledge; for the factual knowledge residing with him has been made subordinate and brought into a state of order which is such that it may receive an influx of goodness and truth, thus may be a receptacle of an influx from the internal. It is different with those who are not a Church. With them factual knowledge has been organized in such a way that facts which affirm what is true and good have been banished to the peripheries, and so are far removed from the light of heaven, and as a consequence the ones that remain are recipients of falsity and evil.

4749. 'Taking them down to Egypt' means teaching based on factual knowledge. This is clear from the meaning of 'Egypt' as facts, dealt with in 1164, 1165, 1462; and because 'spices, resin, and stacte' means interior truths based on the facts possessed by those in whom simple good is present, like that present in gentiles, therefore 'taking them down to that place' means receipt of teaching. The position is this: The facts meant by 'Egypt' are facts which contribute to spiritual life and correspond to spiritual truths, for in former times the Ancient Church had existed there also. But once the Church there had been turned into magic, facts which pervert spiritual things were meant after that by 'Egypt'. This explains why facts are meant in the Word, both in the good sense and in the contrary sense, by 'Egypt', see 1164, 1165, 1462; in this case in the good sense.

[2] The factual knowledge on which the interior truths meant by the spices, resin, and stacte which the Ishmaelites were carrying on their camels are based are not the kind of facts which the Church possesses but the kind found among gentiles. The truths obtained from these facts found among gentiles cannot receive correction and be made sound except by means of the facts which the genuine Church possesses, and so by instruction in those facts. These are the matters meant at this point.