7199. 'That the Egyptians make them serve' means with those steeped in falsities who endeavour to bring them under their control. This is clear from the meaning of 'the Egyptians' as those steeped in falsities, dealt with in 6692, 7097, 7107, 7110, 7126, 7141; and from the meaning of 'making them serve' as endeavouring to bring them under their control, dealt with in 6666, 6670, 6671.

7107. 'And Pharaoh said' means the will of those who molest the Church's truths. This is clear from the meaning of 'saying' as the will, dealt with below; and from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as those who molest the Church's truths, dealt with in 6651, 6679, 6683, thus who molest those who belong to the spiritual Church, for the latter are said to be in possession of the Church's truths. The reason why the word 'saying' means the will or act of willing is that that word also includes what follows it; for when anyone wills something he verbalizes it. Since the word 'says' includes what follows it, it has various meanings, for example, a command, 7036; an urgent demand or an admonition, 5012, 7073, 7090; communication, 3060, 4131, 6228; thought, 7094; or perception, which is its proper meaning, 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2862, 3509, 5687.