Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 2:10
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AC 6748. Verse 10. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he was to her as a son. And she called his name Moses, and said, Because I drew him out of the waters. "And the child grew," signifies that there was increase from good; "and she brought him to Pharaoh‘s daughter," signifies the affection of memory-knowledges; "and he was to her as a son," signifies that from this it had the first truths; "and she called his name Moses," signifies the quality of the state then; "and said, Because I drew him out of the waters," signifies deliverance from falsities.

AC 6749. And the child grew. That this signifies that there was increase from good, is evident from the signification of "growing," as being increase; that it is from good is because he grew by suckling, and suckling by a Hebrew woman denotes the insinuation of the good of the church (n. 6745).

AC 6750. And she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter. That this signifies the affection of memory-knowledges, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh‘s daughter, as being a religiosity (n. 6729); but here the affection of memory-knowledges. For it is the third state which is described in this verse, and in this case by "daughter" is signified affection (n. 2362, 3963), and by "Pharaoh," memory-knowledge in general (n. 6015), thus by Pharaoh’s daughter," the affection of memory-knowledges. This is evident also from the series of things in the internal sense; for as Moses represents the Lord as to the law Divine, he could not be brought to Pharaoh‘s daughter and be to her as a son, if by her was signified a religiosity, as before; and moreover memory-knowledges are what they who are being regenerated must first learn, because they are a plane for the things of the understanding, and the understanding is the recipient of the truth of faith (n. 6125), and the truth of faith is the recipient of the good of charity. Hence it can be seen that memory-knowledge is the first plane when man is being regenerated.

[2] That memory-knowledge was also the first plane with the Lord when He made His Human Divine truth, or the Divine law, is signified by the Lord, when an infant, being brought into Egypt (Matt. 2:13, 14), as follows in the prophetic utterance in Hosea: "Out of Egypt have I called My Son" (Hosea 11:1; Matt. 2:15). That by "Egypt" are signified memory-knowledges, has been often shown; but by memory-knowledges are not meant those of philosophy, but those of the church (n. 4749, 4964-4966, 6004). These are the memory-knowledges which also, in the genuine sense, are signified by "Egypt." The first plane is formed by means of these, (n. 5901).

AC 6751. And he was to her as a son. That this signifies that from this it had the first truths, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh’s daughter, who is here meant by "her," as being the affection of memory-knowledges (n. 6750); and from the signification of " son," as being truth (n. 489, 491, 533, 2623, 3373); here the first truth, for "to be to her as a son" denotes to be in the first truths by means of memory-knowledges; for the first truths are born from memory-knowledges, and thus are as sons from a mother, which is the affection of memory-knowledges. Memory-knowledge is a plane for truths which are of understanding and of faith, (n. 6750). When he is being regenerated, a man advances in the things of faith almost as he advances in the truths not of faith when he is growing to maturity; in this growth, sensuous things are the first plane; then memory-knowledges; and upon these planes judgment afterward grows, with one person more, with another less. During man‘s regeneration, the generals of faith, or the rudiments of the doctrine of the church, are the first plane; then the particulars of doctrine and of faith; afterward successively things more interior. These planes are what are enlightened by the light of heaven; hence comes the intellectual, and the power of perceiving faith and the good of charity.

AC 6752. And she called his name Moses. That this signifies the quality of state then, is evident from the signification of a "name," and "calling a name, as being the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421, 6674); here the quality of the state, because when anyone is named, the name itself then signifies the state (n. 1946, 2643, 3422, 4298). The quality of state which is signified, is that of the law Divine in the beginning with the Lord, and that of truth Divine in the beginning with the man who is being regenerated. Two men especially represent the Lord as to the Word, namely, Moses and Elias; Moses as to the historic books, Elias as to the prophetic. There are besides, Elisha, and lastly John the Baptist, wherefore this is he who is meant by "Elias who was to come" (Matt. 17:10-13; Luke 1:17). But before it can be shown that Moses represents the law Divine, what this is must be told. The law Divine in a wide sense signifies the whole Word; in a sense less extended the historic Word; in a close sense, what was written through Moses; and in the closest sense, the ten commandments written on the tables of stone upon Mount Sinai. Moses represents the law in the less wide sense, also in the close, and likewise in the closest sense.

[2] That "the law," in a wide sense, is the whole Word, both historic and prophetic, is evident in John:--

that by "the law" here is meant also the prophetic Word, is plain, for this is written in (Isa. 9:6, 7; Ps. 110:4; Dan. 7:13, 14). Again in John:--

where the sense is the same, for this is written in (Ps. 35:19). In Matthew:--

where law" in the wide sense denotes the whole Word.

[3] That "the law" in a sense less wide is the historic Word, is evident in these passages:--

here the Word is distinguished into the law and the prophets, and because the Word is distinguished into the historic and prophetic, it follows that by "the law" is meant the historic Word, and by "the prophets" the prophetic Word.

The law and the prophets were until John: from that time the kingdom of God is evangelized (Luke 16:16; Matt. 11:13).

[4] That "the law" in a close sense is the Word that was written through Moses, is evident in these passages:--

"the book of the law" denotes the books of Moses.

where the meaning is the same.

"the law of Jehovah" denotes the books of Moses, for the prophetic books were not yet written, nor the historic except those of Joshua and of Judges. Besides passages in which the "law of Moses" is mentioned, to be seen below.

[5] That "the law" in the closest sense is the ten commandments written on tables of stone upon Mount Sinai, is known (Josh. 8:32); but this law is also called "the testimony" (Exod. 25:16, 21).

[6] That Moses represents the law in a less wide sense, or the historic Word, and also the law in a close sense, and likewise in the closest sense, is evident from those passages where instead of "the law" mention is made of "Moses;" and where the law is called "the law of Moses," as in Luke:--

here by "Moses and the prophets" the like is signified as by "the law and the prophets," namely, the historic and the prophetic Word; from which it is evident that "Moses" denotes the law, or the historic Word. Again:--

[7] It is said "the law of Moses" because by Moses is represented the Lord as to the law, that is, as to the Word; and in a sense less wide, as to the historic Word. Hence it is that to Moses is attributed what is of the Lord, as in these passages:--

And because on account of the representation there is attributed to Moses what is of the Lord, it is said both "the law of Moses," and "the law of the Lord," in Luke:--

[8] As Moses represented the law, he was allowed to enter in unto the Lord on Mount Sinai, and not only to receive the tables of the law there, but also to hear the statutes and judgments of the law, and to deliver them to the people; and it is also said that "from this, they should believe in Moses forever"

it is said "in the thickness of the cloud" because by a "cloud" is meant the Word in the letter, and from this when Moses entered in unto the Lord on Mount Sinai, it is said that he "entered into the cloud" (Exod. 20:18; 24:2, 18; 34:2, 5). A "cloud" denotes the literal sense of the Word, (n. 2135a, 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343).

[9] And as Moses represented the law or the Word, therefore also when he came down from Mount Sinai,

the "shining of the faces" signified the internal of the law, for this is in the light of heaven, and is therefore called "glory" (n. 5922); and the "veil" signified the external of the law. That he veiled his face when he spake with the people was because with then’ the internal was covered; and was so obscured to that people that they could not endure any of the light from it. The "face" denotes the internal, (n. 1999, 2434, 3527, 3573, 4066, 4796-4805, 5102, 5695). As by Moses was represented the Lord as to the historic Word, and by Elias the Lord as to the prophetic Word, therefore when the Lord was transfigured, Moses and Elias were seen talking with Him (Matt. 17:3); nor could any others talk with the Lord when His Divine appeared in the world than they who represented the Word, for talking with the Lord is done through the Word. Elias represented the Lord as to the Word, (n. 2762, 5247).

[10] And as both Moses and Elias together represented the whole Word, therefore where it is said of Elias that he should be "sent before the Lord," mention is made of both:--

these words involve that one would go before to announce the advent according to the Word.

AC 6753. And she said, Because I drew him out of the waters. That this signifies deliverance from falsities, is evident from the signification of "waters," here the waters of the river of Egypt, as being falsities (n. 6693); and from the signification of "drawing out," as being deliverance. In these words is contained the quality of the state signified by the name "Moses;" which quality in the supreme sense involves that the Lord, in order that He might become the law Divine as to the Human, delivered it from every falsity which cleaved to His Human from the mother, and this until He became the Divine law, that is, the Divine truth itself, and afterward when glorified became the Divine good, which is the Esse of Divine truth, that is, is Jehovah.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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