Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 18:1-5
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AC 8642. Verses 1-5. And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel His people, in that Jehovah had brought forth Israel out of Egypt; and Jethro, Moses‘ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her away. And her two sons, of which the name of the one was Gershom for he said, I have been a sojourner in a strange land. And the name of the other Eliezer; Because the God of my father was my help, and liberated me from the sword of Pharaoh. And Jethro Moses‘ father-in-law came, and his sons, and his wife, unto Moses, into the wilderness where he was encamped at the mount of God. "And Jethro the priest of Midian," signifies the Divine good; "Moses’ father-in-law," signifies from which is the good conjoined with truth Divine; "heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel His people," signifies the perception of those things which had been done for those who are of the Lord‘s spiritual kingdom; "in that Jehovah had brought forth Israel out of Egypt," signifies that they had been liberated by the Lord from infestations; "and Jethro Moses’ father-in-law took Zipporah, Moses‘ wife," signifies good from the Divine conjoined with truth Divine; "after he had sent her away," signifies separation hitherto relatively to the state of those who are of the spiritual church; "and her two sons," signifies the goods of truth; "of which the name of the one was Gershom, for he said I have been a sojourner in a strange land," signifies the quality of the good of truth of those who are out of the church; "and the name of the other was Eliezer," signifies the quality of the good of truth of those who are within the church; "because the God of my father was my help," signifies the Lord’s mercy and presence in the church; "and liberated me from the sword of Pharaoh," signifies liberation from the falsity of those who infested‘ "and Jethro Moses’ father-in-law came," signifies the Divine good; "and his sons," signifies the goods of truth; "and his wife," signifies good conjoined with truth Divine; "unto Moses unto the wilderness," signifies conjunction in the state before regeneration when there are temptations; "where he was encamped at the mount of God," signifies near to the good of truth.

AC 8643. And Jethro the priest off Midian. That this signifies the Divine good, is evident from the representation of Jethro the priest of Midian, as being the good of the church that is in the truth of simple good (n. 7015), but here he denotes the Divine good, for the reason that Moses, of whom Jethro was the father-in-law, represents Divine truth. For when the son-in-law represents truth, then the father-in-law represents the good in a higher degree, because he is the father of the other‘s wife. That the Divine good is here represented by Jethro, is because in this chapter the subject treated of is the setting in order of truths with the man of the spiritual church, and this is effected by Divine good through Divine truth; for all setting in order is by good through truth. This setting in order is effected with the man of the spiritual church when he begins to act no longer from truth, but from good; for this state is his second state, which arises after he has undergone temptations. For when he acts from truth, then he is tempted, to the intent that the truths with him may be confirmed; and when these have been confirmed, then they are reduced by the Lord into order; and when they have been reduced into order, then he enters the second state, which consists in willing truths and doing them, whereby they become of the life, and are called goods. This setting in order is treated of below.

AC 8644. Moses’ father-in-law. That this signifies from which is good conjoined with truth Divine, is evident from the signification of "father-in-law," as being the good from which is the good that is conjoined with truth (n. 6827); and from the representation of Moses, as being truth Divine (n. 6752, 6771, 7010, 7014, 7382). The reason why "a father-in-law" signifies good from which is good conjoined with truth, is that "a wife" signifies good when "the man" signifies truth (n. 2517, 4510, 4823). As in what follows, the conjunction of Divine good with Divine truth is treated of, whereby a setting in order may be effected in the man of the church, be it known that between Divine good and Divine truth there is this distinction that Divine good is In the Lord, and Divine truth is from the Lord. It is as with the fire of the sun and the light which is therefrom; the fire is in the sun, and the light is from the sun; in the light there is not fire but heat.

[2] Moreover in the other life the Lord is the Sun, and also is the light. In the Sun there, which is Himself, is Divine fire, which is the Divine good of the Divine love. From that Sun is Divine light, which is Divine truth from Divine good. In this Divine truth there is also Divine good, but not such as is in the Sun, it being accommodated to reception in heaven; for unless it were accommodated to reception, heaven could not have come into existence, because no angel can bear the flame from the Divine love. He would be consumed in a moment, would a man if the flame of the sun of this world should blow directly upon him.

[3] But how the Divine good of the Lord‘s Divine love is accommodated to reception, cannot be known by anyone, not even by the angels in heaven, because it is an accommodation of the Infinite to the finite; and the Infinite is such as to transcend all the understanding of the finite, insomuch that when the understanding of the finite desires to look in that direction, it falls as into the depth of the sea and perishes. That the Lord is the Sun in heaven, and that the Sun there is the Divine good of His Divine love, and that the light therefrom is Divine truth, from which is intelligence, (n. 1053, 1521-1533, 1619-1632, 2776, 3094, 3138, 3190, 3195, 3222, 3223, 3225, 3339, 3341, 3636, 3643, 3993, 4180, 4302, 4408, 4409, 4415, 4523, 4533, 4696, 7083, 7171, 7174, 7270, 8197).

AC 8645. Heard all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel His people. That this signifies the perception of those things which had been done for those who are of the Lord’s spiritual kingdom, is evident from the signification of "hearing," namely, all that God had done, as being perception (n. 5017, 8361); from the signification of "all that God had done," as being the things that had been done by the Divine; and from the representation of Israel, who here is Moses and the people for whom the things were done, as being those who are of the Lord‘s spiritual kingdom (n. 6426, 6637, 6862, 6868, 7035, 7062, 7198, 7201, 7215, 7223); for Moses together with the people represents this kingdom, Moses as the head, and the people as the things that are subject to the head; thus also Moses represents the Lord as to Divine truth, for from this is the spiritual kingdom.

AC 8646. In that Jehovah had brought forth Israel out of Egypt. That this signifies that they had been liberated by the Lord from infestations, is evident from the signification of "bringing forth," as being to liberate; from the representation of Israel, as being those who are of the spiritual kingdom (n. 8645); and from the signification of "Egypt," as being infestations by falsities (n. 7278). That "Egypt" signifies infestations, is because by "the Egyptians" and "Pharaoh" are signified those who by means of falsities infested in the other life those who were of the spiritual church (n. 7097, 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7317, 8148).

AC 8647. And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses‘ wife. That this signifies good from the Divine conjoined with truth Divine, is evident from the representation of Jethro Moses’ father-in-law, as being the Divine good from which is good conjoined with truth, in this case with the truth Divine which is represented by Moses (n. 8643, 8644); and from the representation of Zipporah, Moses‘ wife, as being good Divine For marriages represent the conjunction of good and truth; in the celestial church the husband represents good, and the wife the derivative truth; but in the spiritual church the man represents truth, and the wife good. Here, Moses’ wife represents good, because the spiritual kingdom is treated of (n. 2517, 4510, 4823, 7022).

AC 8648. After he had sent her away. That this signifies separation hitherto relatively to the state of those who are of the spiritual church, is evident from the signification of "sending away," as being separation. That it is relatively to the state of those who are of the spiritual church, is because in the first state of those who are in the spiritual church good does not appear, but only truth. How this is, can be seen from what has been already shown concerning the two states of those who are of the spiritual church; namely, that in the first state they act from truth and not from good, but in the second they act from good. In the first state, when they act from truth and not from good, good is as it were absent, and is like a wife that has been sent away; but in the second state, when they act from good, then good is present, and is like a wife that is conjoined with her man. This is what is meant in the internal sense by "after he had sent her away."

AC 8649. And her two sons. That this signifies the goods of truth, is evident from the signification of "sons," as being truths (n. 489, 491, 533, 1147, 2159, 2623, 3704, 4257), in this case the goods of truth, because they are called "sons of the wife," as is plain from the original tongue, in like manner as in the sixth verse following. Consequently as by "wife" is signified good conjoined with truth (n. 8647), by the "sons" are here signified the goods of truth. The goods of truth are truths which have become of the will and consequently of the life, and constitute the new will with the man of the spiritual church.

AC 8650. Of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a strange land. That this signifies the quality of the good of truth of those who are out of the church, is evident from the signification of "name" and of "calling the name," as being the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421, 6674). This quality is described by the words which Moses then said, namely, "I have been a sojourner in a strange land." That by these words is signified the good of truth of those who are out of the church, is because by "a sojourner" are signified those who were born out of the church, and yet were being instructed in the things of the church; and by "a strange land" is signified where the church is not. That "a sojourner" denotes those who were out of the church, and were being instructed in the things that belong to the church, (n. 1463, 4444, 7908, 8007, 8013). That "a strange land" denotes where the genuine church is not, is because by "land" is signified the church (n. 662, 1067, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 2928, 3355, 4447, 4535, 5577), and "strange" denotes where there is not what is genuine; for the Lord‘s church is scattered through the whole world, thus also among the Gentiles (n. 2049, 2284, 2589-2604). Moreover that when Gershom was born, Moses was out of his own church, and was among those who were in the good of simple truth, and who are signified by "the Midianites," (n. 6793-6796).

AC 8651. And the name of the other was Eliezer. That this signifies the quality of the good of truth of those who are within the church, is evident from the signification of "name" and of "calling the name," as being the quality (n. 8650). That it denotes the quality of the good of truth, is because by the "two sons" are signified the goods of truth (n. 8649). That the quality of this good of truth is that of those who are within the church, is plain from the words which Moses spoke concerning this son when he was born, namely, "because the God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh;" and from the fact that the quality of the good of truth, which was signified by "the name of the first son, Gershom," is that of those who are out of the church (n. 8650).

AC 8652. Because the God of my father was my help. That this signifies the Lord’s mercy and presence in the church, is evident from the signification of "father," as being the church as to good (n. 5581), and as being the Ancient Church (n. 6050, 6075, 6846); from the signification of "the God of my father," as being the Divine of the Ancient Church, which was the Lord (n. 6846, 6876, 6884); and from the signification of "help," when predicated of the Lord, as being mercy; for help from Him is of mercy, and is also of presence, because where the reception of mercy is, there is presence; and this is especially in the church, because there is the Word, and through the Word the Lord‘s presence.

AC 8653. And liberated me from the sword of Pharaoh. That this signifies the liberation from the falsity of those who infested, is evident from the signification of "a sword," as being truth, and in the opposite sense, falsity, fighting and vastating (n. 2799, 4499, 6353, 7102, 8294); and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being those who infest the upright in the other life by means of falsities (n. 7107, 7110, 7126, 7142, 7220, 7228, 7317).

AC 8654. And Jethro Moses’ father-in-law came. That this signifies the Divine good, is evident from the representation of Jethro and Moses, as being the Divine good and the Divine truth; and from the signification of "father-in-law" (n. 8643, 8644).

AC 8655. And his sons, signifies the goods of truth (n. 8649).

AC 8656. And his wife. That this signifies good conjoined with truth Divine, is evident from the representation of Moses‘ wife, as being good from the Divine conjoined with truth Divine (n. 8647).

AC 8657. Unto Moses unto the wilderness. That this signifies conjunction in the state before regeneration when there are temptations, is evident from the signification of "coming unto Moses," as being conjunction, namely, of the Divine good which is represented by Jethro with the Divine truth which is represented by Moses; and from the signification of "the wilderness," as being a state of undergoing temptations (n. 6828, 8098), thus the state before regeneration. That there are two states which those enter into who are being regenerated and are becoming a spiritual church, and that when they are in the former state they undergo temptations, see above (n. 8643). The former state is described by the state of the sons of Israel in the wilderness, and the latter state by their state in the land of Canaan under Joshua.

AC 8658. Where he was encamped at the mount of God. That this signifies near to the good of truth, is evident from the signification of "being encamped," as being the setting in order of the truth and good which are of the church with man (n. 8103, 8130, 8131, 8155); and from the signification of "the mount of God," as being the good of love (n. 795, 796, 2722, 4210, 6435, 8327), here the good of truth, because the subject treated of is the good of those who are of the spiritual church, who are represented by the sons of Israel. The good they have is the good of truth (this good is also the good of charity), and therefore it is called "the mount of God," because "God" is said where truth is treated of, and "Jehovah" where good is treated of (n. 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4295, 4402, 7268, 7873). From all this it is evident that by "he was encamped at the mount of God," is signified the setting in order of the good and truth of the church near to the good of truth. What is meant by this shall be briefly told. When man is in the former state, namely, when he acts from truth and not yet from good, that is, when he acts from faith and not yet from charity, he is In a state of undergoing temptations. By these he is progressively carried to the second state, namely, that he acts from good, that is, from charity and the affection of it. When therefore he comes near to this state, he is said to be "encamped at the mount of God," that is, at the good from which he will afterward act. This is said because in what now follows the subject treated of is the new disposition or setting in order of the truths for entering into this state, to which the man of the church comes after he has undergone temptations, and before the law Divine is inscribed on his heart. In what precedes the subject treated of was temptations, and in what now follows it is the law promulgated from Mount Sinai. "Mount Sinai" denotes the good in which is truth.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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