Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 10:21-23
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AC 7708. Verses 21-23. And Jehovah said unto Moses, Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, and there shall be thick darkness upon the land of Egypt, and one shall grope in the thick darkness. And Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven; and there was dense thick darkness in the whole land of Egypt three days. They saw not a man his brother, and there rose not up anyone from what was under him for three days; and all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings. "And Jehovah said unto Moses," signifies instruction; "Stretch out thy hand toward heaven," signifies the rule of the power of truth Divine in heaven; "and there shall be thick darkness upon the land of Egypt," signifies a complete privation of truth and good; "and one shall grope in the thick darkness," signifies the density of the falsity from evil; "and Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven," signifies the rule of truth Divine in heaven; "and there was dense thick darkness in all the land of Egypt," signifies the complete privation of truth and good; "for three days," signifies a full state; "they saw not a man his brother," signifies that they did not perceive the truth of any good; "and there rose not up anyone from what was under him," signifies that there was no elevation of mind; "for three days," signifies a full state; "and all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings," signifies that those who were of the spiritual church had enlightenment everywhere in their minds.

AC 7709. And Jehovah said unto Moses, signifies instruction (n. 7672).

AC 7710. Stretch out thy hand toward heaven. That this signifies the rule of the power of truth Divine in heaven, is evident from the signification of "stretching out the hand," as being the rule of power (n. 7673); from the representation of Moses, who was to stretch out his hand, as being truth Divine (n. 6723, 6752, 7010, 7014, 7382); and from the signification of "heaven," as being the angelic heaven. How it is that the rule of the power of truth Divine in heaven should produce a new state among the infesters, which is signified by the "thick darkness," is evident from what was shown above (n. 7643, 7679), namely, that the Lord is continually setting heaven in order, and endowing those who are there, and those who newly arrive, with celestial and spiritual good. The effect of this setting in order is that the evil are gradually devastated; for this good flows in with a nearer presence to the evil who are in the opposite (for the Divine influx continues on even into the opposites, and in this way holds the hells together in connection and in bonds), and because the evil turn all good into evil, and therefore turn into greater evil the good which flows in more presently; and in so far as they do this, so far they resist the truth and good more strongly, that is, they infest more grievously. Hence it is that there are degrees of devastation, until finally they are cast down into hell, which is the last of the degrees of vastation. From all this it is evident that nothing but good proceeds from the Lord, and that He does not vastate the evil, still less cast them into hell, but that they themselves do this.

AC 7711. And there shall be thick darkness over the land of Egypt. That this signifies a complete privation of truth and good, is evident from the signification of "thick darkness," as being a complete privation of truth and good. In various places in the Word mention is made of "darkness" and also at the same time of "thick darkness," and then "darkness" is predicated of falsity, and "thick darkness" of evil together with it. But the word by which "thick darkness" is expressed in this verse means the densest darkness, by which in the internal sense are signified such falsities as spring from evil. Such falsities arise with those who have been of the church, and have lived a life of evil contrary to the precepts of faith which they have known. The evil from which these falsities spring, is against the church, against heaven, and against the Lord, thus is diametrically against good and truth. This state is now described by "thick darkness."

"judgment is far from us," and "righteousness overtaketh us not," denotes that there is neither truth nor good; "judgment" is predicated of truth, and "righteousness" of good, (n. 2235, 3997); "to await the light" denotes to await truth; and "to await brightnesses" denotes to await the good of truth, for the brightness of light is from good. That "darkness" is here opposed to "light" and "judgment," thus to truth; and that "thick darkness" is opposed to "brightness" and "righteousness," thus to good, is evident; and therefore "darkness" denotes the privation of truth, and "thick darkness," the privation of both truth and good. In Amos:--

where the meaning is similar.

where "darkness" denotes the privation of truth; and "thick darkness," the privation of truth and good; if "thick darkness" signified nothing more than "darkness," it would be an empty repetition, which would be far from the Holy Word.

[3] It is common in the Word to find two expressions of one thing, one of which relates to truth, or to falsity; and the other to good, or to evil. So in Isaiah:--

[4] "Darkness" also signifies ignorance of truth, such as there is with the Gentiles; and "thick darkness," ignorance of good; in Isaiah:--

"darkness" denotes falsities, (n. 7688).

AC 7712. And one shall grope in thick darkness. That this signifies the density of falsity from evil, is evident from the signification of "groping in thick darkness," as being that falsities from evil are so dense that nothing of truth and good can be known, but if it is sought it is as if one gropes in thick darkness, and stumbles and pushes in every direction; therefore in Isaiah thick darkness is called "the driven thick darkness" (Isa. 8:22); and it is described in the same prophet:--

AC 7713. And Moses stretched out his land toward heaven. That this signifies the rule of truth Divine in heaven, see (n. 7710), where are the same words.

AC 7714. And there was dense thick darkness in all the land of Egypt. That this signifies the complete privation of truth and good, is evident from what was shown above (n. 7711).

AC 7715. For three days. That this signifies a full state, is evident from the signification of "three days," as being a full state (n. 2788, 4495). By a full state is meant an entire state from beginning to end; for every state has its beginning, its increments, and its maximum. This period is what is meant by a full state, and is signified by "three days."

AC 7716. They saw not a man his brother. That this signifies that they did not perceive the truth of any good, is evident from the signification of "seeing," as being to understand and perceive (n. 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5400); from the signification of "a man" as being truth (n. 3134) and from the signification of "brother," as being good (n. 2360, 3303, 3803, 3815, 4121, 5409, 5686, 5692, 6756), and because "a man with his brother," denotes the good of truth (n. 3459). From all this it is evident that by "they saw not a man his brother" is signified that they did not perceive the truth of any good.

AC 7717. And there rose not up anyone from what was under him. That this signifies that there was no elevation of mind, is evident from the signification of "rising up," as being elevation toward the interiors, thus elevation of mind (n. 2401, 2785, 2912, 2927, 3171, 3458, 3723, 4103, 4881, 6010), therefore their "not rising up" denotes that there was no elevation.

AC 7718. For three days. This signifies a full state (n. 7715).

AC 7719. And all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings. That this signifies that those who were of the spiritual church had enlightenment everywhere in their minds, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual church (n. 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223); from the signification of "light," as being enlightenment, for the light which is from the Lord enlightens the understanding, because in that light there are intelligence and wisdom (n. 1521, 1524, 1619-1632, 2776, 3138, 3167, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3339, 3636, 3643, 3993, 4302, 4408, 4413, 4415, 5400, 6608); and from the signification of "dwellings," as being the things that belong to the mind; for by a "house" is signified the mind of man (n. 3538, 4973, 5023, 7353); and by "bedchambers" its interiors (n. 7353); but "dwellings" signify all things that belong to the mind. Moreover in the internal sense "to dwell" signifies to live (n. 1293, 3384, 3613, 4451, 6051); hence "dwellings" denote the place where are the things that belong to life, that is, where are the things that belong to intelligence and wisdom, which, as is known, belong to the mind. Moreover in the other life there is light in the dwellings or abodes of the angels in accordance with the intelligence and wisdom of their minds; and in so far as they have light, so far they who are in the opposite, who are those who had infested, have thick darkness.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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