Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 12:17-20
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AC 7896. Verses 17-20. And ye shall observe the unleavened things, because in this same day I have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt; and ye shall keep this day in your generations by an eternal statute. In the first (month), on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening, ye shall eat unleavened things, until the one and twentieth day of the month, in the evening. Seven days leaven shall not be found in your houses; for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the assemblage of Israel, in the sojourner, and in the native of the land. I shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings ye shall eat things unleavened. "And ye shall observe the unleavened things," signifies that there must be no falsity; "because in this same day I have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt," signifies because then there is a state of charity and faith, through which there is separation from those who are in evils and falsities; "and ye shall keep this day in your generations by an eternal statute," signifies worship from faith and charity according to the order of heaven; "in the first (month), on the fourteenth day of the month," signifies in the beginning of a holy state; "in the evening," signifies the end of the former state and the beginning of a new one; "ye shall eat things unleavened," signifies the appropriation by good, of truth purified from falsity; "until the one and twentieth day of the month," signifies the end of this holy state; "in the evening," signifies the end of the former state and the beginning of a new one; "seven days," signifies the entire period of this state; "leaven shall not be found in your houses," signifies that nothing whatever of falsity shall come near good; "for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the assemblage of Israel," signifies that he who adjoins falsity to his good is damned; "in the sojourner and in the native of the land," signifies who is of the church, whether not born in it, or born in it; "ye shall eat nothing leavened," signifies that every caution is to be used to prevent falsity from being appropriated; "in all your dwellings ye shall eat things unleavened," signifies that in the interiors, where good is, truth shall be appropriated.

AC 7897. And ye shall observe the unleavened things. That this signifies that there must be no falsity, is evident from the signification of "unleavened things," as being what is purified from all falsity (n. 2342).

AC 7898. For in this same day I have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. That this signifies because then there is a state of charity and faith, through which there is separation from those who are in evils and falsities, is evident from the signification of "day," as being state (n. 7881); from the signification of "armies," as being the things that he long to charity and faith (n. 3448, 7236); from the signification of "bringing out," as being to be separated; and from the signification of "the Egyptians," as being those who are in evils and falsities.

AC 7899. And ye shall keep this day in your generations by an eternal statute. That this signifies worship from faith and charity according to Divine order, is evident from the signification of "to keep," as being worship, for that day was kept when the passover was revered on it; from the signification of "generations," as being those things which are of faith and charity (n. 7883); and from the signification of "an eternal statute," as being according to Divine order (n. 7884).

AC 7900. In the first (month), on the fourteenth day of the month. That this signifies in the beginning of a holy state, is evident from the signification of "in the first" as being a beginning (n. 7887, 7891); and from the signification of "the fourteenth day," as being a holy state. The number "fourteen" denotes what is holy, (n. 7842); and "day" denotes state, (n. 7881). The number "fourteen" denotes what is holy, because it arises from seven; and "seven," where mentioned in the Word, signifies what is holy; for the simple and the compound numbers involve what is similar (n. 5291, 5335, 5708). As the passover was the most holy of the feast days, it was therefore commanded that it should be celebrated on the fourteenth day of the month, should continue seven days, and should be ended on the twenty-first day, by which is also signified what is holy. For the same reason it was also ordained that those who could not celebrate the passover in the first month should celebrate it in the following month, also on the fourteenth day, of which we read in Moses:--

AC 7901. In the evening. That this signifies the end of the former state and the beginning of a new one, is evident from the signification of "evening," as being the end of a former state and the beginning of a second one (n. 7844).

AC 7902. Ye shall eat things unleavened. That this signifies the appropriation by good, of truth purified from falsity, is evident from the signification of "to eat," as being appropriation (n. 2187, 2343, 3168, 3513, 3596, 4745), that it denotes the appropriation of truth by good, is because truth is appropriated by good, and good, as previously shown in various places, has its quality from truth, and therefore in order that truth may be appropriated it must be appropriated by good, and in order that good may be appropriated it must be appropriated through truth; and from the signification of "unleavened," as being truth purified from all falsity (n. 2342). As regards truths purified from all falsity, be it known that pure truth is never possible with man, both because falsity is continually flowing forth from the evil in which he is and which has its seat in him, and because truths have a mutual connection, and therefore if one he false, and especially if more than one, the remaining real truths are thence defiled, and partake some what of falsity. But truth is said to be purified from falsity when the man is capable of being kept by the Lord in the good of innocence. Innocence consists in acknowledging that in one’s self there is nothing but evil, and that all good is from the Lord; and also in believing that man does not know or perceive anything from himself, but from the Lord, thus also the truth which is of faith. then man is in this state, then falsity can he removed from him, and truth can be insinuated by the Lord. This state is what is signified by the unleavened things, and also by the eating of the paschal lamb.

AC 7903. Until the one and twentieth day of the month. That this signifies the end of this holy state, is evident from the signification of "the one and twentieth day," as being a holy state, and also the end of this state. That it denotes a holy state, is because it is the product of seven and three multiplied into each other, and "seven" signifies what is holy, and so also does "three." That "the one and twentieth day" denotes the end of this state, is evident, because it was the last day.

AC 7904. In the evening. That this signifies the end of the former state and the beginning of a new one, has been shown above (n. 7901).

AC 7905. Seven days. That this signifies the entire period of this state, is evident from the signification of "seven days," as being a holy state (n. 7885), and also an entire period from beginning to end, or a full state (n. 728, 6508), in like manner as a "week" (n. 2044, 3845). As these things were signified, it was ordained that this feast should continue seven days.

AC 7906. Shall no leaven be found in your houses. That this signifies that nothing whatever of falsity shall come near good, is evident from the signification of "leaven," as being falsity; and from the signification of "house," as being good (n. 3652, 3720, 4982, 7833-7835). "Leaven" denotes falsity can be seen from those passages where "leaven" and "leavened," and also "unleavened," are mentioned, as in Matthew:--

where "leaven" manifestly means false doctrine. As "leaven" signified falsity, it was forbidden to sacrifice upon what was leavened the blood of the sacrifice (Exod. 23:18; 34:25); for by the "blood of the sacrifice" was signified holy truth, thus truth. pure from all falsity (n. 4735, 6978, 7317, 7326, 7846, 7850). It was also ordained that the meat-offering which was to be offered upon the altar was not to be baked leavened (Lev. 6:17); and that the cakes and wafers also should be unleavened (Lev. 7:11-13).

[2] As further regards what is leavened and what is unleavened, be it known that the purification of truth from falsity with man cannot possibly exist without fermentation so called, that is, without the combat of falsity with truth and of truth with falsity; but after combat has existed, and truth has conquered, then falsity falls down like dregs, and the truth comes forth purified, like wine which grows clear after fermentation, the dregs falling to the bottom. This fermentation or combat exists chiefly when the state with man is being changed, that is, when he begins to act from the good that is of charity, and not as before from the truth that is of faith; for the state has not as yet been purified when the man acts from the truth of faith, but it has been purified when he acts from the good which is of charity; for then be acts from the will; previously only from the understanding.

[3] Spiritual combats or temptations are fermentations in the spiritual sense; for then falsities are desirous to conjoin themselves with truths; but truths reject them, and finally cast them down as it were to the bottom, consequently they purify. In this sense is to be understood what the Lord teaches about leaven in Matthew:--

"meal" denotes the truth from which is good. Also in Hosea:--

Because, as before said, such combats as are signified by fermentations arise with man in the state previous to newness of life, therefore it was also ordained that when the new meatoffering on the feast of the first-fruits was offered, the bread of waving was to be baked leavened, and was to be the first-fruits to Jehovah (Lev. 23:16, 17).

AC 7907. For whosoever eateth that which is leavened, that soul shall be cut off from the assemblage of Israel. That this signifies that he who adjoins falsity to his good is damned, is evident from the signification of "to eat," as being to appropriate (n. 2343, 3168, 3513, 3596, 4745), thus also to conjoin (n. 2187), for he who appropriates anything to himself conjoins it with himself; from the signification of "that which is leavened," as being falsity (n. 7906); from the signification of "to be cut off," as being to be separated and damned (n. 7889); from the signification of "soul," as being man; and from the signification of "the assemblage of Israel," as being those who are of the spiritual church (n. 7830, 7843). From all this it is evident that by "whosoever eateth that which is leavened, that soul shall be cut off from the assemblage of Israel" is signified that he who adjoins falsity to his good will be separated from the spiritual church, and will be damned.

AC 7908. In the sojourner and in the native of the land. That this signifies who is of the church, whether not born there, or born there, is evident from the signification of a "sojourner," as being one who is being instructed in the truths and goods of the church and receives them (n. 1463, 4444), thus who is not born within the church, but still accedes to it; and from the signification of a "native of the land," as being one who has been born within the church.

AC 7909. Ye shall eat nothing leavened. That this signifies that every caution is to be used to prevent falsity from being appropriated, is evident from the signification of "that which is leavened," as being falsity (n. 7906); and from the signification of "to eat," as being to appropriate to one‘s self (n. 7907). The frequent prohibition against eating what is leavened-as at (verses 15 to 19) involves that the utmost caution is to be used against falsity. This utmost caution against falsity is to be used in order that man may be in good. Falsity does not agree with good, but destroys good; for falsity is of evil, and truth is of good. If falsity is appropriated, that is, firmly believed, there is no reception of the good of innocence, consequently no liberation from damnation. It is one thing to appropriate falsity to one’s self, and another to adjoin it. They who adjoin falsity, if they are in good, reject it when the truth appears to them; but they who appropriate falsity to themselves, retain it and resist the truth itself when it appears. This then is the reason why it is so often said that what is leavened must not be eaten.

AC 7910. In all your dwellings ye shall eat things unleavened. That this signifies that in the interiors, where good is, truth shall be appropriated, is evident from the signification of "dwellings," as being the things which are of the mind, thus which are of intelligence and wisdom (n. 7719), consequently the interiors, for here are intelligence and wisdom, and good also; and from the signification of "eating unleavened things," as being to appropriate truth to one‘s self. As to appropriation being effected in the interiors, and good being there, be it known that with those who are in the Lord, that is, who are in the life of faith and charity, good dwells in the interiors, and the more interiorly it dwells with them, the purer and the more heavenly the good is; but truth dwells in the exteriors, and the more exteriorly it dwells with them, the more is truth widowed from good. The reason is that man as to his interiors is in heaven, and as to his inmosts is near the Lord, but as to exteriors he is in the world; and hence it is that the truths which are of faith enter by an external way, but good by an internal way (n. 7756, 7757), also that the appropriation of truth is effected in the interiors where good is.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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