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ACV8 S32 6521-6543
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6521. Verses 7-9. And Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh; the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, and all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father’s house: only their babes, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and the army was exceeding great. “And Joseph went up to bury his father,” signifies the internal toward the setting up again of the church; “and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh,” signifies that it adjoined to itself the memory-knowledges of the natural; “the elders of his house,” signifies that were in agreement with good; “and all the elders of the land of Egypt,” signifies that were in agreement with truth; “and all the house of Joseph,” signifies the celestial things of the spiritual; “and his brethren,” signifies the truths thence derived; “and his father’s house,” signifies spiritual good; “only their babes” signifies innocence; “and their flocks” signifies charity; “and their herds,” signifies practices of charity; “they left in the land of Goshen,” signifies that these were in the inmost of the memory-knowledges of the church; “and there went up with him both chariots,” signifies doctrinal things; “and horsemen,” signifies intellectual things; “and the army was exceeding great,” signifies truths and goods conjoined.
6522. And Joseph went up to bury his father. That this signifies the internal toward the setting up again of the church, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal (see n. 6499); from the signification of “being buried,” as being resuscitation (n. 6516), thus a setting up again, because it is said of the church; and from the representation of Israel, who is here the “father,” as being the church (n. 4286, 6426).
6523. And with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh. That this signifies that it adjoined to itself the memory-knowledges of the natural, is evident from the signification of “going up with him,” as being to adjoin to himself, for as it was by command that they went up, he adjoined them to himself; and from the signification of the “servants of Pharaoh,” as being the memory-knowledges of the natural. For by Pharaoh is represented the natural in general (see n. 5160, 5799, 6015); and because in the natural there are memory-knowledges, these are what are signified by his “servants,” as also by the “Egyptians” (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004).
6524. The elders of his house. That this signifies that were in agreement with good, is evident from the signification of “elders,” as being the chief things of wisdom, thus those which agree with good (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “house,” as being good (see n. 2559, 3652, 3720, 4982). That “elders” denote the chief things of wisdom is because in the Word “old men” signify the wise, and in a sense abstracted from person, wisdom. As the “twelve tribes of Israel” signified all truths and goods in the complex, there were set over them princes and elders, and by “princes” were signified the primary truths which are of intelligence, and by “elders” the chief things of wisdom, thus those which are of good.
[2] That “princes” signify the primary truths which are of intelligence, may be seen above (n. 1482, 2089, 5044); but that “elders” signified the chief things of wisdom, and “old men,” wisdom, is plain from the following passages. In David:
Let them extol Jehovah in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders (Ps. 107:32);
where the “congregation of the people” denotes those who are in the truths that belong to intelligence, “congregation” being predicated of truths (n. 6355), and also “people” (n. 1259, 1260, 2928, 3295, 3581); and the “assembly of the elders” denotes those who are in good, which is of wisdom; for wisdom is of life, thus of good, but intelligence is of knowledges, thus of truth (n. 1555). Again:
I am wiser than the elders, because I have kept Thy commandments (Ps. 119:100);
where the “elders” manifestly denote him who is wise. So in Job:
In old men there is wisdom, and in length of days intelligence (Job 12:12).
In Moses:
Thou shalt rise up before the gray head, and honor the faces of the old man (Lev. 19:32);
this was commanded because old men represented wisdom.
[3] In Revelation:
Upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, who had golden crowns upon their heads (Rev. 4:4);
“elders” denote the things which belong to wisdom, thus those which belong to good; that “elders” denote these things is evident from the description-that they “sat on thrones, were clothed in white garments, and had crowns of gold on their heads;” for “thrones” denote the truths of intelligence from the good of wisdom (n. 5313); in like manner “white garments” (that “garments” are truths, n. 1073, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5954; and that “white” is predicated of truth, n. 3301, 5319). “Golden crowns upon their heads” denote the goods of wisdom; for “gold” is the good of love (n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658), and the “head” is the celestial, where is wisdom (n. 4938, 4939, 5328, 6436). They are called “wise” who are in the third or inmost heaven, thus who are nearest the Lord; but they are called “intelligent” who are in the middle or second heaven, thus who are not so near the Lord.
[4] Again:
All the angels stood round about the throne, and the elders, and the four animals (Rev. 7:11);
where also “elders” denote the things that belong to wisdom. So in the following passages. In Isaiah:
The child will puff himself up against the old man, and the despised against the honored one (Isa. 3:5);
Again:
Jehovah Zebaoth shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before His elders shall be glory (Isa. 24:23).
In Jeremiah:
My priests and mine elders expired in the city, because they have sought food for themselves wherewith to refresh their soul (Lam. 1:19).
Again:
Her king and her princes are among the nations, the law is not; the elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the earth, they keep silence (Lam. 2:9, 10).
Again:
They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah; princes were hanged up by their hand; the faces of the old were not honored; the elders have ceased from the gate (Lam. 5:11, 12, 14).
In Ezekiel:
Misery shall come upon misery, and rumor shall be upon rumor; therefore they shall seek a vision from the prophet; but the law hath perished from the priest, and counsel from the elders. The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with amazement (Ezek. 7:26, 27).
In Zechariah:
There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for multitude of days (Zech. 8:4).
That the elders might represent the things that belong to wisdom, the spirit of Moses was taken and given them, whence they prophesied (Num. 11:16, et seq.). In the opposite sense “elders” denote the things that are contrary to wisdom (Ezek. 8:11, 12).
6525. And all the elders of the land of Egypt. That this signifies that were in agreement with truth, is evident from the signification of “elders,” as being the chief things of wisdom, thus those which agree with good (see n. 6524), here those which agree with truth, for the things which agree with good, agree also with truth; and from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind where memory-knowledges are (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301), thus also where truths are, for memory-knowledges are the truths of the natural mind, and when they are true, they are called truths of memory-knowledge.
6526. And all the house of Joseph. That this signifies the celestial things of the spiritual, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (see n. 4286, 4592, 4963, 5307, 5331, 5332); hence the “house of Joseph” denotes the celestial things of the spiritual.
6527. And his brethren. That this signifies the truths thence derived, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, who here are the “brethren of Joseph,” as being spiritual truths (see n. 5414, 5879, 5951); which truths are also from the internal celestial which is “Joseph,” but through spiritual good, which is “Israel.”
6528. And his father’s house. That this signifies spiritual good, is evident from the representation of Israel, who here is the “father,” as being spiritual good (see n. 3654, 4598, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833); hence his “house” denotes all those things in the complex that belong to this good.
6529. Only their babes. That this signifies innocence, is evident from the signification of “babes,” as being innocence (see n. 430, 3183, 5608).
6530. And their flocks. That this signifies charity, is evident from the signification of “flocks,” as being the interior good of charity (see n. 5913, 6048).
6531. And their herds. That this signifies the practices of charity, is evident from the signification of “herds,” as being the exterior goods of charity (see n. 2566, 5913, 6048); thus the practices thereof, for these are the exterior goods of charity.
6532. They left in the land of Goshen. That this signifies that these were in the inmost of the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of the “land of Goshen,” as being the middle or inmost in the natural, where are the memory-knowledges of the church (see n. 5910, 6028, 6031, 6068). That the goods of innocence and charity, interior and exterior (n. 6529-6531), were in that inmost, is signified by their “leaving the little ones, the flocks, and the herds, in the land of Goshen;” for wherever things are left, there they are; thus by “they left” in the internal sense is not here signified leaving, but being there, namely, in the inmost of the memory-knowledges of the church, which is “the land of Goshen.”
6533. And there went up with him both chariots. That this signifies doctrinal things, is evident from the signification of “chariots,” as being doctrinal things (see n. 5321, 5945).
6534. And horsemen. That this signifies intellectual things, is evident from the signification of “horsemen,” as being things that belong to the intellect, for by a “horse” is signified the intellectual (see n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6125). That “horsemen” denote things that belong to the intellect or understanding, may be seen further from the following passages:
Jehovah alone did lead him; He made him ride upon the high places of the earth (Deut. 32:12, 13);
speaking of the Ancient Church; “to make him ride upon the high places of the earth” denotes to endow with higher understanding.
[2] In David:
In thine honor mount up, and ride upon the Word of truth, and of gentleness, and of righteousness, and thy right hand shall teach thee wonderful things (Ps. 45:4),
speaking of the Lord; “riding upon the Word of truth” denotes being in the very understanding of truth. Again:
Sing to God, praise ye His name; extol Him that rideth upon the clouds by His name Jah (Ps. 68:4);
this also is said of the Lord; the “clouds” denote the literal sense of the Word (see the preface to Gen. 18, n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343e); “to ride upon them” is to be in the internal sense, where truth is in its intelligence and wisdom.
[3] In Zechariah:
In that day I will smite every horse with amazement, and his rider with madness, and I will open Mine eye upon the house of Judah; but will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness (Zech. 12:4);
where “horse” denotes the intellectual; and “rider,” the intellect. Who does not see that “horse” here does not mean horse, nor “rider” rider; but that something is signified which can be smitten with amazement and madness, also with blindness? That this pertains to the understanding is obvious.
[4] That by “horses” and “horsemen” are signified intellectual things, and in the opposite sense reasonings and falsities thence derived, may be seen in John:
I saw and behold a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow, and there was given unto him a crown, and he went forth conquering. And there went forth another horse that was red, and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another, and there was given unto him a great sword. I saw and behold a black horse, and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand. And I saw and behold a pale horse, and him that sat upon it, whose name was Death (Rev. 6:2-8);
that here the “horses” and “they that sat upon them” signify such things as belong to the understanding of truth, and in the opposite sense such things as belong to falsity, is evident from all the details. The “white horse and he that sat thereon” denotes the understanding of truth from the Word. That “he who sat upon the white horse” is the Lord as to the Word, is said in plain words (Rev. 19:11, 13, 16). The “red horse and he that sat thereon” denotes reasonings from the cupidities of evil, whereby violence is done to truths from the Word; the “black horse and he that sat thereon” denotes the intellectual of truth extinguished; and the “pale horse and he that sat upon it” denotes the consequent damnation.
[5] In the opposite sense “horses” and “horsemen” denote the intellect perverted; and the consequent falsities, as in Ezekiel:
Oholah committed whoredom under Me, and she doted on her lovers, governors and leaders, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses. Her sister Oholibah loved the sons of Asshur, governors and leaders, her neighbors, clothed in perfect attire, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men (Ezek. 23:5, 6, 12);
“Oholah” denotes the perverted spiritual church, which is “Samaria;” and “Oholibah” the perverted celestial church, which is “Jerusalem;” for the Israelites who were of Samaria represented the spiritual church, but the Jews who were of Jerusalem represented the celestial church. The “Assyrians” and “sons of Asshur” denote reasoning against the truths of faith (n. 1186); “horsemen riding on horses” denotes the understanding perverted, whence come falsities.
[6] And in Habakkuk:
I stir up the Chaldeans, a bitter and hasty nation, that goeth into the breadth of the earth, to inherit habitations not their own; their horses are swifter than leopards, and are sharper than the evening wolves, that their horsemen may spread themselves, whence their horsemen come from far (Hab. 1:6, 8);
the “Chaldeans” denote those who are in falsities, but in externals appear to be in truths, thus the profanation of truth, and “Babylon” the profanation of good (n. 1182, 1368). “Going into the breadth of the earth” denotes to destroy truths. (That the “breadth of the earth” is truth may be seen above, n. 3433, 3434, 4482.) Hence it is evident that the “horsemen who spread themselves and come from far” denotes the things that belong to perverted understanding, thus falsities.
6535. And the army was exceeding great. That this signifies truths and goods conjoined, is evident from the signification of “army,” as being truths and goods (see n. 3448); and as here the truths and goods signified by the “elders of the house of Pharaoh” and the “elders of the land of Egypt,” and by the “house of Joseph” and his “brethren” and also by the “house of their father,” were together, therefore by “an exceeding great army” are here signified truths and goods conjoined.
6536. Verses 10, 11. And they came to the threshing-floor Atad, which is in the passage of the Jordan, and they wailed there a very great and grievous wailing; and he made a mourning for his father seven days. And the inhabitant of the land, the Canaanite, saw the mourning in the threshing-floor Atad, and they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians; wherefore they called the name of it Abel-mizraim, which is in the passage of the Jordan. “And they came to the threshing-floor Atad,” signifies the first state; “which is in the passage of the Jordan,” signifies which is a state of initiation into the knowledges of good and truth; “and they wailed there a very great and grievous wailing,” signifies grief; “and he made a mourning for his father seven days,” signifies the end of the grief; “and the inhabitant of the land, the Canaanite, saw the grievous mourning in the threshing-floor Atad,” signifies a perception of grief by the good of the church; “and they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians,” signifies that memory-knowledges have grief before they are initiated into the truths of the church; “wherefore they called the name of it Abel-mizraim,” signifies the quality of the grief.
6537. And they came to the threshing-floor Atad. That this signifies the first state, is evident from the signification of “threshing-floor,” as being where the good of truth is, for in a threshing-floor there is grain, and by “grain” is signified the good that is from truth (see n. 5295, 5410), and also the truth of good (n. 5959); and from the signification of “Atad,” as being the quality of this state, according to the signification of names of places elsewhere. That by the “threshing-floor Atad” is signified a state, namely as to the good and truth of the church, is because it was at the passage of the Jordan, and by this passage is signified initiation into the knowledges of good and truth (of which presently). For the Jordan was the first boundary in respect to the land of Canaan; and as by the “land of Canaan” is signified the church, therefore by the “Jordan” is signified those things which are the first of the church, or by means of which entrance to the church is opened.
[2] Hence it is that by the “threshing-floor Atad” is signified the first state; and as the first state was signified, mourning was made near the threshing-floor, because it was on their side of the Jordan, and the land, of Canaan, by which is signified the church, was there in sight. That a “threshing-floor” signifies where are the good of truth and the truth of good, thus where are the things of the church, is evident in Joel:
Rejoice ye sons of Zion, and be glad in Jehovah your God; the threshing-floors are full of grain, and the presses overflow with new wine and oil (Joel 2:23, 24);
where the “sons of Zion” denote truths from good; the “threshing-floors full of grain,” the abundance of truths and goods.
[3] In Hosea:
Be not glad O Israel because thou hast committed whoredom from under thy God, thou hast loved harlot hire upon all the grain-floors; the threshing-floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall cheat her (Hos. 9:1, 2);
where “committing whoredom and loving harlot hire” denotes falsifying truths and loving what is falsified; “grain-floors” denote the truths of good falsified.
[4] As a “threshing-floor” signified good and also truth, therefore at the time when they gathered from the floor, they celebrated the feast of tabernacles, of which in Moses:
Thou shalt make to thee the feast of tabernacles seven days, when thou hast gathered in from thy threshing-floor, and from thy wine-press (Deut. 16:13);
the “feast of tabernacles” signified holy worship, thus worship from good and truth (n. 3312, 4391).
6538. Which is in the passage of the Jordan. That this signifies which is a state of initiation into the knowledges of good and truth, is evident from the signification of the “Jordan,” as being initiation into the knowledges of good and truth, thus that which is first of the Lord’s kingdom and church in respect to entrance, and last in respect to exit (see n. 4255); (that the rivers bounding the land of Canaan were representative of the ultimates in the Lord’s kingdom, may be seen above, n. 1585, 4116, 4240); hence by the “passage of Jordan” is signified initiation into the knowledges of good and truth, for the knowledges of good and truth are the first things whereby man is initiated into the things that belong to the church.
6539. And they wailed there a very great and grievous wailing. That this signifies grief, is evident from the signification of a “wailing,” as being grief. The grief here signified is the grief of initiation (see n. 6537); for before the knowledges of good and truth, which are the initiaments, can be planted in good, and thus become the good of the church, there is grief; because another state must be induced on the natural, and the memory-knowledges there must be set in a different order; thus those which the man had previously loved must be destroyed; and therefore he must undergo temptations. Hence comes the grief which is represented by the grievous wailing which they wailed.
6540. And he made a mourning for his father seven days. That this signifies the end of the grief, is evident from the signification of “mourning,” as being grief before the knowledges of good and truth have been implanted (see n. 6539); and from the signification of “seven days,” as being an entire period from beginning to end (n. 728, 2044, 3845, 6508); here therefore the end, because when those days were finished, they passed over the Jordan.
6541. And the inhabitant of the land, the Canaanite, saw the grievous mourning in the threshing-floor Atad. That this signifies a perception of grief by the good of the church, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” as being a perception (n. 2150, 3764, 4723, 5400); from the signification of “inhabitant,” as being good (n. 2268, 2451, 2712, 3613); from the signification of “land,” here the land of Canaan, where was its “inhabitant the Canaanite,” as being the church (n. 1413, 1437, 1607, 1866, 3038, 3481, 3705); from the signification of “mourning,” as being grief (n. 6539, 6540); and from the signification of the “threshing-floor Atad,” as being the first state, namely that of initiation (n. 6537, 6538). Hence it is plain that by the “inhabitant of the land, the Canaanite, saw the grievous mourning in the threshing-floor Atad,” is signified a perception of grief by the good of the church.
6542. And they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians. That this signifies that memory-knowledges have grief before they are initiated into the truths of the church, is evident from what has been said above (n. 6539), where these words were unfolded.
6543. Wherefore they called the name of it Abel-mizraim. That this signifies the quality of the grief, is evident from the signification of a “name” and of “calling by name,” as being the quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421), and because in old time names were given which signified things and states, thus the quality (n. 1946, 3422, 4298); therefore the quality itself is signified by “Abel-mizraim,” by which name in the original tongue is meant “the mourning of the Egyptians.”
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6521. Verses 7-9. And Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh; the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, and all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father’s house: only their babes, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and the army was exceeding great. “And Joseph went up to bury his father,” signifies the internal toward the setting up again of the church; “and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh,” signifies that it adjoined to itself the memory-knowledges of the natural; “the elders of his house,” signifies that were in agreement with good; “and all the elders of the land of Egypt,” signifies that were in agreement with truth; “and all the house of Joseph,” signifies the celestial things of the spiritual; “and his brethren,” signifies the truths thence derived; “and his father’s house,” signifies spiritual good; “only their babes” signifies innocence; “and their flocks” signifies charity; “and their herds,” signifies practices of charity; “they left in the land of Goshen,” signifies that these were in the inmost of the memory-knowledges of the church; “and there went up with him both chariots,” signifies doctrinal things; “and horsemen,” signifies intellectual things; “and the army was exceeding great,” signifies truths and goods conjoined.
6522. And Joseph went up to bury his father. That this signifies the internal toward the setting up again of the church, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the internal (see n. 6499); from the signification of “being buried,” as being resuscitation (n. 6516), thus a setting up again, because it is said of the church; and from the representation of Israel, who is here the “father,” as being the church (n. 4286, 6426).
6523. And with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh. That this signifies that it adjoined to itself the memory-knowledges of the natural, is evident from the signification of “going up with him,” as being to adjoin to himself, for as it was by command that they went up, he adjoined them to himself; and from the signification of the “servants of Pharaoh,” as being the memory-knowledges of the natural. For by Pharaoh is represented the natural in general (see n. 5160, 5799, 6015); and because in the natural there are memory-knowledges, these are what are signified by his “servants,” as also by the “Egyptians” (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004).
6524. The elders of his house. That this signifies that were in agreement with good, is evident from the signification of “elders,” as being the chief things of wisdom, thus those which agree with good (of which in what follows); and from the signification of “house,” as being good (see n. 2559, 3652, 3720, 4982). That “elders” denote the chief things of wisdom is because in the Word “old men” signify the wise, and in a sense abstracted from person, wisdom. As the “twelve tribes of Israel” signified all truths and goods in the complex, there were set over them princes and elders, and by “princes” were signified the primary truths which are of intelligence, and by “elders” the chief things of wisdom, thus those which are of good.
[2] That “princes” signify the primary truths which are of intelligence, may be seen above (n. 1482, 2089, 5044); but that “elders” signified the chief things of wisdom, and “old men,” wisdom, is plain from the following passages. In David:
Let them extol Jehovah in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders (Ps. 107:32);
where the “congregation of the people” denotes those who are in the truths that belong to intelligence, “congregation” being predicated of truths (n. 6355), and also “people” (n. 1259, 1260, 2928, 3295, 3581); and the “assembly of the elders” denotes those who are in good, which is of wisdom; for wisdom is of life, thus of good, but intelligence is of knowledges, thus of truth (n. 1555). Again:
I am wiser than the elders, because I have kept Thy commandments (Ps. 119:100);
where the “elders” manifestly denote him who is wise. So in Job:
In old men there is wisdom, and in length of days intelligence (Job 12:12).
In Moses:
Thou shalt rise up before the gray head, and honor the faces of the old man (Lev. 19:32);
this was commanded because old men represented wisdom.
[3] In Revelation:
Upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, who had golden crowns upon their heads (Rev. 4:4);
“elders” denote the things which belong to wisdom, thus those which belong to good; that “elders” denote these things is evident from the description-that they “sat on thrones, were clothed in white garments, and had crowns of gold on their heads;” for “thrones” denote the truths of intelligence from the good of wisdom (n. 5313); in like manner “white garments” (that “garments” are truths, n. 1073, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5954; and that “white” is predicated of truth, n. 3301, 5319). “Golden crowns upon their heads” denote the goods of wisdom; for “gold” is the good of love (n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658), and the “head” is the celestial, where is wisdom (n. 4938, 4939, 5328, 6436). They are called “wise” who are in the third or inmost heaven, thus who are nearest the Lord; but they are called “intelligent” who are in the middle or second heaven, thus who are not so near the Lord.
[4] Again:
All the angels stood round about the throne, and the elders, and the four animals (Rev. 7:11);
where also “elders” denote the things that belong to wisdom. So in the following passages. In Isaiah:
The child will puff himself up against the old man, and the despised against the honored one (Isa. 3:5);
Again:
Jehovah Zebaoth shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before His elders shall be glory (Isa. 24:23).
In Jeremiah:
My priests and mine elders expired in the city, because they have sought food for themselves wherewith to refresh their soul (Lam. 1:19).
Again:
Her king and her princes are among the nations, the law is not; the elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the earth, they keep silence (Lam. 2:9, 10).
Again:
They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah; princes were hanged up by their hand; the faces of the old were not honored; the elders have ceased from the gate (Lam. 5:11, 12, 14).
In Ezekiel:
Misery shall come upon misery, and rumor shall be upon rumor; therefore they shall seek a vision from the prophet; but the law hath perished from the priest, and counsel from the elders. The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with amazement (Ezek. 7:26, 27).
In Zechariah:
There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for multitude of days (Zech. 8:4).
That the elders might represent the things that belong to wisdom, the spirit of Moses was taken and given them, whence they prophesied (Num. 11:16, et seq.). In the opposite sense “elders” denote the things that are contrary to wisdom (Ezek. 8:11, 12).
6525. And all the elders of the land of Egypt. That this signifies that were in agreement with truth, is evident from the signification of “elders,” as being the chief things of wisdom, thus those which agree with good (see n. 6524), here those which agree with truth, for the things which agree with good, agree also with truth; and from the signification of the “land of Egypt,” as being the natural mind where memory-knowledges are (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301), thus also where truths are, for memory-knowledges are the truths of the natural mind, and when they are true, they are called truths of memory-knowledge.
6526. And all the house of Joseph. That this signifies the celestial things of the spiritual, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (see n. 4286, 4592, 4963, 5307, 5331, 5332); hence the “house of Joseph” denotes the celestial things of the spiritual.
6527. And his brethren. That this signifies the truths thence derived, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, who here are the “brethren of Joseph,” as being spiritual truths (see n. 5414, 5879, 5951); which truths are also from the internal celestial which is “Joseph,” but through spiritual good, which is “Israel.”
6528. And his father’s house. That this signifies spiritual good, is evident from the representation of Israel, who here is the “father,” as being spiritual good (see n. 3654, 4598, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833); hence his “house” denotes all those things in the complex that belong to this good.
6529. Only their babes. That this signifies innocence, is evident from the signification of “babes,” as being innocence (see n. 430, 3183, 5608).
6530. And their flocks. That this signifies charity, is evident from the signification of “flocks,” as being the interior good of charity (see n. 5913, 6048).
6531. And their herds. That this signifies the practices of charity, is evident from the signification of “herds,” as being the exterior goods of charity (see n. 2566, 5913, 6048); thus the practices thereof, for these are the exterior goods of charity.
6532. They left in the land of Goshen. That this signifies that these were in the inmost of the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of the “land of Goshen,” as being the middle or inmost in the natural, where are the memory-knowledges of the church (see n. 5910, 6028, 6031, 6068). That the goods of innocence and charity, interior and exterior (n. 6529-6531), were in that inmost, is signified by their “leaving the little ones, the flocks, and the herds, in the land of Goshen;” for wherever things are left, there they are; thus by “they left” in the internal sense is not here signified leaving, but being there, namely, in the inmost of the memory-knowledges of the church, which is “the land of Goshen.”
6533. And there went up with him both chariots. That this signifies doctrinal things, is evident from the signification of “chariots,” as being doctrinal things (see n. 5321, 5945).
6534. And horsemen. That this signifies intellectual things, is evident from the signification of “horsemen,” as being things that belong to the intellect, for by a “horse” is signified the intellectual (see n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6125). That “horsemen” denote things that belong to the intellect or understanding, may be seen further from the following passages:
Jehovah alone did lead him; He made him ride upon the high places of the earth (Deut. 32:12, 13);
speaking of the Ancient Church; “to make him ride upon the high places of the earth” denotes to endow with higher understanding.
[2] In David:
In thine honor mount up, and ride upon the Word of truth, and of gentleness, and of righteousness, and thy right hand shall teach thee wonderful things (Ps. 45:4),
speaking of the Lord; “riding upon the Word of truth” denotes being in the very understanding of truth. Again:
Sing to God, praise ye His name; extol Him that rideth upon the clouds by His name Jah (Ps. 68:4);
this also is said of the Lord; the “clouds” denote the literal sense of the Word (see the preface to Gen. 18, n. 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343e); “to ride upon them” is to be in the internal sense, where truth is in its intelligence and wisdom.
[3] In Zechariah:
In that day I will smite every horse with amazement, and his rider with madness, and I will open Mine eye upon the house of Judah; but will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness (Zech. 12:4);
where “horse” denotes the intellectual; and “rider,” the intellect. Who does not see that “horse” here does not mean horse, nor “rider” rider; but that something is signified which can be smitten with amazement and madness, also with blindness? That this pertains to the understanding is obvious.
[4] That by “horses” and “horsemen” are signified intellectual things, and in the opposite sense reasonings and falsities thence derived, may be seen in John:
I saw and behold a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow, and there was given unto him a crown, and he went forth conquering. And there went forth another horse that was red, and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another, and there was given unto him a great sword. I saw and behold a black horse, and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand. And I saw and behold a pale horse, and him that sat upon it, whose name was Death (Rev. 6:2-8);
that here the “horses” and “they that sat upon them” signify such things as belong to the understanding of truth, and in the opposite sense such things as belong to falsity, is evident from all the details. The “white horse and he that sat thereon” denotes the understanding of truth from the Word. That “he who sat upon the white horse” is the Lord as to the Word, is said in plain words (Rev. 19:11, 13, 16). The “red horse and he that sat thereon” denotes reasonings from the cupidities of evil, whereby violence is done to truths from the Word; the “black horse and he that sat thereon” denotes the intellectual of truth extinguished; and the “pale horse and he that sat upon it” denotes the consequent damnation.
[5] In the opposite sense “horses” and “horsemen” denote the intellect perverted; and the consequent falsities, as in Ezekiel:
Oholah committed whoredom under Me, and she doted on her lovers, governors and leaders, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses. Her sister Oholibah loved the sons of Asshur, governors and leaders, her neighbors, clothed in perfect attire, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men (Ezek. 23:5, 6, 12);
“Oholah” denotes the perverted spiritual church, which is “Samaria;” and “Oholibah” the perverted celestial church, which is “Jerusalem;” for the Israelites who were of Samaria represented the spiritual church, but the Jews who were of Jerusalem represented the celestial church. The “Assyrians” and “sons of Asshur” denote reasoning against the truths of faith (n. 1186); “horsemen riding on horses” denotes the understanding perverted, whence come falsities.
[6] And in Habakkuk:
I stir up the Chaldeans, a bitter and hasty nation, that goeth into the breadth of the earth, to inherit habitations not their own; their horses are swifter than leopards, and are sharper than the evening wolves, that their horsemen may spread themselves, whence their horsemen come from far (Hab. 1:6, 8);
the “Chaldeans” denote those who are in falsities, but in externals appear to be in truths, thus the profanation of truth, and “Babylon” the profanation of good (n. 1182, 1368). “Going into the breadth of the earth” denotes to destroy truths. (That the “breadth of the earth” is truth may be seen above, n. 3433, 3434, 4482.) Hence it is evident that the “horsemen who spread themselves and come from far” denotes the things that belong to perverted understanding, thus falsities.
6535. And the army was exceeding great. That this signifies truths and goods conjoined, is evident from the signification of “army,” as being truths and goods (see n. 3448); and as here the truths and goods signified by the “elders of the house of Pharaoh” and the “elders of the land of Egypt,” and by the “house of Joseph” and his “brethren” and also by the “house of their father,” were together, therefore by “an exceeding great army” are here signified truths and goods conjoined.
6536. Verses 10, 11. And they came to the threshing-floor Atad, which is in the passage of the Jordan, and they wailed there a very great and grievous wailing; and he made a mourning for his father seven days. And the inhabitant of the land, the Canaanite, saw the mourning in the threshing-floor Atad, and they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians; wherefore they called the name of it Abel-mizraim, which is in the passage of the Jordan. “And they came to the threshing-floor Atad,” signifies the first state; “which is in the passage of the Jordan,” signifies which is a state of initiation into the knowledges of good and truth; “and they wailed there a very great and grievous wailing,” signifies grief; “and he made a mourning for his father seven days,” signifies the end of the grief; “and the inhabitant of the land, the Canaanite, saw the grievous mourning in the threshing-floor Atad,” signifies a perception of grief by the good of the church; “and they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians,” signifies that memory-knowledges have grief before they are initiated into the truths of the church; “wherefore they called the name of it Abel-mizraim,” signifies the quality of the grief.
6537. And they came to the threshing-floor Atad. That this signifies the first state, is evident from the signification of “threshing-floor,” as being where the good of truth is, for in a threshing-floor there is grain, and by “grain” is signified the good that is from truth (see n. 5295, 5410), and also the truth of good (n. 5959); and from the signification of “Atad,” as being the quality of this state, according to the signification of names of places elsewhere. That by the “threshing-floor Atad” is signified a state, namely as to the good and truth of the church, is because it was at the passage of the Jordan, and by this passage is signified initiation into the knowledges of good and truth (of which presently). For the Jordan was the first boundary in respect to the land of Canaan; and as by the “land of Canaan” is signified the church, therefore by the “Jordan” is signified those things which are the first of the church, or by means of which entrance to the church is opened.
[2] Hence it is that by the “threshing-floor Atad” is signified the first state; and as the first state was signified, mourning was made near the threshing-floor, because it was on their side of the Jordan, and the land, of Canaan, by which is signified the church, was there in sight. That a “threshing-floor” signifies where are the good of truth and the truth of good, thus where are the things of the church, is evident in Joel:
Rejoice ye sons of Zion, and be glad in Jehovah your God; the threshing-floors are full of grain, and the presses overflow with new wine and oil (Joel 2:23, 24);
where the “sons of Zion” denote truths from good; the “threshing-floors full of grain,” the abundance of truths and goods.
[3] In Hosea:
Be not glad O Israel because thou hast committed whoredom from under thy God, thou hast loved harlot hire upon all the grain-floors; the threshing-floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall cheat her (Hos. 9:1, 2);
where “committing whoredom and loving harlot hire” denotes falsifying truths and loving what is falsified; “grain-floors” denote the truths of good falsified.
[4] As a “threshing-floor” signified good and also truth, therefore at the time when they gathered from the floor, they celebrated the feast of tabernacles, of which in Moses:
Thou shalt make to thee the feast of tabernacles seven days, when thou hast gathered in from thy threshing-floor, and from thy wine-press (Deut. 16:13);
the “feast of tabernacles” signified holy worship, thus worship from good and truth (n. 3312, 4391).
6538. Which is in the passage of the Jordan. That this signifies which is a state of initiation into the knowledges of good and truth, is evident from the signification of the “Jordan,” as being initiation into the knowledges of good and truth, thus that which is first of the Lord’s kingdom and church in respect to entrance, and last in respect to exit (see n. 4255); (that the rivers bounding the land of Canaan were representative of the ultimates in the Lord’s kingdom, may be seen above, n. 1585, 4116, 4240); hence by the “passage of Jordan” is signified initiation into the knowledges of good and truth, for the knowledges of good and truth are the first things whereby man is initiated into the things that belong to the church.
6539. And they wailed there a very great and grievous wailing. That this signifies grief, is evident from the signification of a “wailing,” as being grief. The grief here signified is the grief of initiation (see n. 6537); for before the knowledges of good and truth, which are the initiaments, can be planted in good, and thus become the good of the church, there is grief; because another state must be induced on the natural, and the memory-knowledges there must be set in a different order; thus those which the man had previously loved must be destroyed; and therefore he must undergo temptations. Hence comes the grief which is represented by the grievous wailing which they wailed.
6540. And he made a mourning for his father seven days. That this signifies the end of the grief, is evident from the signification of “mourning,” as being grief before the knowledges of good and truth have been implanted (see n. 6539); and from the signification of “seven days,” as being an entire period from beginning to end (n. 728, 2044, 3845, 6508); here therefore the end, because when those days were finished, they passed over the Jordan.
6541. And the inhabitant of the land, the Canaanite, saw the grievous mourning in the threshing-floor Atad. That this signifies a perception of grief by the good of the church, is evident from the signification of “seeing,” as being a perception (n. 2150, 3764, 4723, 5400); from the signification of “inhabitant,” as being good (n. 2268, 2451, 2712, 3613); from the signification of “land,” here the land of Canaan, where was its “inhabitant the Canaanite,” as being the church (n. 1413, 1437, 1607, 1866, 3038, 3481, 3705); from the signification of “mourning,” as being grief (n. 6539, 6540); and from the signification of the “threshing-floor Atad,” as being the first state, namely that of initiation (n. 6537, 6538). Hence it is plain that by the “inhabitant of the land, the Canaanite, saw the grievous mourning in the threshing-floor Atad,” is signified a perception of grief by the good of the church.
6542. And they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians. That this signifies that memory-knowledges have grief before they are initiated into the truths of the church, is evident from what has been said above (n. 6539), where these words were unfolded.
6543. Wherefore they called the name of it Abel-mizraim. That this signifies the quality of the grief, is evident from the signification of a “name” and of “calling by name,” as being the quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421), and because in old time names were given which signified things and states, thus the quality (n. 1946, 3422, 4298); therefore the quality itself is signified by “Abel-mizraim,” by which name in the original tongue is meant “the mourning of the Egyptians.”
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