6141. 'And the ground may not become a waste' means that the mind must be cultivated with facts known to the Church. This is clear from the meaning of 'the ground' as the receptacle of truth, as above in 6135-6137, the actual receptacle being the mind, in this instance the natural mind since it is the ground of Egypt; and from the meaning of 'being laid waste' as a situation in which there is no truth to be seen, at this point no facts known to the Church, for 'the Egyptians' means the facts known to the Church, 4749, 4964, 4966, 6004, which are also the truths present in the natural. 'The land of Egypt' means the natural mind where factual knowledge resides, see 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5701, and therefore 'the ground of Egypt' means that mind specifically. This now explains why 'the ground may not become a waste' means that the mind must be cultivated with facts [known to the Church].

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.