Spiritual Meaning of EXODUS 5:5-9
[2] Who these are can be known from those in the other life who infest and inject falsities and evils, and from those who receive and communicate them. They who infest and inject falsities and evils are the hells, but in order that they may effect their purpose, they send forth from themselves emissaries, through whom they act. These appear not far from those who are being infested; and this is done in order that the thoughts and intentions of many may be concentrated, for otherwise they would be dispersed. These emissaries appear in certain fixed places of their own in the world of spirits, and from the very places where they appear it can be known from what hell they are; some appear above the head at various altitudes and in various directions; some near the head to the right or to the left and also behind it; some below the head in various situations relatively to the body, in planes from the head down to the soles of the feet. They flow in with such things as are ejected from hell, and the spirit or the man does not perceive or know otherwise than that the things which flow in are in himself that is, that he himself thinks and intends them. These emissaries are called "subjects" (n. 4403, 5856, 5983-5989). As these infest the most closely, they are signified by the "taskmasters;" but they who receive from them and communicate are the "officers," and are intermediate spirits; for as before said the officers were of the sons of Israel, but the taskmasters were of the Egyptians.
[3] Those were called "officers" among the Israelitish and Jewish people, who said what was to be done, and who gave commandment; wherefore they also sat in the gates with the judges and elders, and spake to the people the sentences of judgment, and also the things commanded by the leader, as can be seen from the following passages in Moses:--
Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, according to thy tribes, who shall judge the people with the judgment of justice (Deut. 16:18).
When they shall go forth to war, the priest shall speak to the people, and shall admonish them not to be afraid; afterward the officers shall say that he who has built a house shall return, and also the fearful (Deut. 20:3, 5, 8).
In Joshua:--
Joshua commanded the officers to say to the people that they should prepare provision for the journey, before they passed over Jordan (Joshua 1:10, 11).
At the end of three days it came to pass, when the officers passed through the midst of the camp, they gave commandment that when they saw the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, they should also go forward (Joshua 3:2, 3).
The officers were governors of the people, distinct from their princes, (Deut. 1:15);
also that they were distinct from the elders, (Deut. 31:28); and from the judges, (Joshua 8:33).
. Ye shall no more give the people straw. That this signifies the lowest memory-knowledges and the most general of all, is evident from the signification of "chaff" or "straw," as being truths of memory-knowledge (n. 3114), and indeed memory-knowledges the lowest and most general of all, for the lowest food in a spiritual sense is straw or chaff, because it is the food of beasts. Those knowledges are called lowest which are full of fallacies of the senses, which the evil abuse to pervert goods and truths, and thus to defend evils and falsities; for on account of fallacies these knowledges can be turned in favor of principles of falsity and of cupidities of evil. Moreover such knowledges are the most general of all, and unless they are filled with truths less general and more particular, they may be of service to falsities and evils, but in proportion as they are filled with truths, they are of less service to them. Such are the knowledges whereby they who in the world have professed faith alone, and yet have lived a life of evil, infest the upright n the other life; but as these knowledges are dispelled by the angels, it is now said that they should not give straw to make brick, that is, that they did not add these to the fictitious and false things that would be injected. Such is the internal sense of these words, which indeed appears remote from the sense of the letter; but be it known that there is nothing in the natural world which does not correspond to something in the spiritual world; and the angels with a man understand all things spiritually which the man understands naturally; they do not know what straw is, nor bricks; such things were known to them when they were in the world, but were forgotten when they came into heaven, because there they put on spiritual things. Hence it is that when the angels perceive the ideas of such things with a man, they turn them into corresponding spiritual things. That "straw" or "grass" denotes the lowest memory-knowledge, and that "bricks" denote things fictitious and false, can be seen from many considerations; for all herbage and straw have no other signification; but seeds, barley, wheat, and the like denote interior truths and goods; and stones not artificial denote truths. . To make bricks. That this signifies to make things fictitious and false that will be injected, is evident from the signification of "making bricks," as being to invent falsities (n. 1296, 6669). In the historic sense of the letter it is said that the sons of Israel made bricks, and thus as it were that they invented falsities but in the internal sense it is signified that the infernals who are in falsities injected them And since--as before said--such things appear to pertain to those who receive them, the sense of the letter is according to the appearance, which however is explained by the internal sense. There are very many such things in the sense of the letter, (n. 5094, 6400, 6948). . As yesterday and the day before yesterday. That this signifies not as in the former state, is evident from the signification of "yesterday and the day before yesterday," as being what is past (n. 6983); and as all times signify states (n. 2625, 2788, 2837, 3254, 3356, 4814, 4882, 4901, 4916), therefore "yesterday and the day before yesterday" signifies the former state. . Let them go and gather straw for themselves. That this signifies that they should procure for themselves these lowest memory-knowledges, is evident from the signification of "gathering as being to procure; and from the signification of "straw," as being the lowest memory-knowledges (n. 7112).) . And the tale of the bricks which they made yesterday and the day before yesterday, ye shall lay upon them. That this signifies that things fictitious and false must be injected in abundance as in the former state, is clear from the signification of "the tale," as being abundance, here the same abundance from the signification of "bricks," as being things fictitious and false (n. 7113); from the signification of "yesterday and the day before yesterday," as being the former state (n. 7114); and from the signification of "laying upon them," as being to inject, because it is said of things fictitious and false. From all this it is evident the by "laying upon them the tale of the bricks which they made yesterday and the day before yesterday" is signified that things fictitious and false were to be injected in the same abundance as in the former state. . Ye shall not take away from it. That this signifies without diminution, is evident without explication. . For they are idle. That this signifies that they are not assaulted enough, is evident from the signification of "being idle," as being not to be sufficiently infested by falsities, thus not to be assaulted enough. How the case herein is can also be known from those who are being infested by falsities in the other life. They who infest, as far as possible hinder the upright whom they infest from thinking about the Lord: as soon as any thought of the Lord openly occurs, they at once take it away, which they know how to do in a skillful manner. But as with those who are being infested, thought about the Lord is nevertheless universal, thus too interior to be in plain view (for it flows in through heaven), therefore as soon as they cease to be infested, they come into thought about the Lord for that which flows in from heaven and reigns universally, reveals itself in every free state. From all this it is evident what is the internal sense of the words, "For they are idle, therefore they cry, saying Let us go and sacrifice to our God." . Therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice unto our God. That this signifies that consequently they have so much thought about such worship, is evident from the signification of "crying," as here being thought for by "saying" and "speaking" is signified thought (n. 2271, 2287, 7094), and therefore also by "crying," but by "crying" is signified strong thought and with full intention of doing, hence it is said "so much thought;" and from the signification of "sacrificing to their God," as being the worship of the Lord (n. 6905, 7101). But because Pharaoh said that he did not know Jehovah (n. 7095, 7097), and because the Egyptians were averse to sacrifices (n. 1343), and because Moses said that they would go a way of three days into the wilderness (n. 6904, 7100), therefore it is said, "such worship." . Let the service be made heavier upon the men. That this signifies that the assault should be increased, is evident from the signification of "making heavier," as being to be increased from the signification of "service," when said by those who infest by means of falsities, as being the intention to subjugate (n. 6666, 6670, 6671), thus assault, for they intend to subjugate by means of this assault; and from the signification of "the men," as being those who are of the spiritual church. There are two words in the original language which signify man; the one is "Adam," and the other "Enosh." By the man called "Adam" is meant the man of the celestial church; but by the man called "Enosh" is meant the man of the spiritual church. Here "the men" are expressed by "Enosh," because the subject treated of is those who are of the spiritual church. . And let them do it. That this signifies to obtain the effect, is evident without explication. . And let them not regard the words of a lie. That this signifies lest they turn to truths, is evident from the signification of "regarding," as being to turn one’s self; and from the signification of "the words of a lie," when said by those who are in falsities, as being truths; for they who are in falsities call truths falsities, thus "the words of a lie;" and falsities they call truths, for they are in what is opposite. In these verses, in the internal sense, there has now been described the infestation by falsities of the upright in the other life; and there has also been set forth the way in which they are infested. Such infestation is permitted to the end that falsities may be removed, and truths be insinuated, which cannot possibly be done without infestation for after death there clings to a man, and there is in his memories, everything of his thought in the world, of his intention, of his will, of his speech, and of his action, for nothing is obliterated. These things have been impressed on his memories, especially on the interior memory, which is properly the memory of his spirit, (n. 2469, 2470, 2474, 2475). And this being so, it must needs be that there cling to him things foul and filthy, and also evil and false, from his life in the world; and which cause the truths which the man has also learned, and the goods which he has imbued, to be hidden. For truths and goods cannot come forth among such things; and therefore before truths and goods can appear, and the man be thus associated with those who are in heaven, it is necessary that these evils and falsities be uncovered, so that he may see them and know them, and thus learn what is true and what is good. This cannot possibly be done without combat with the evils and falsities in himself; which combat takes place actually, the evil spirits exciting falsities and evils, and the angels excusing if the end has been good, and insinuating truths. This is perceived as if it were in himself, as is the case with temptation in man, which is felt no otherwise than as being in him, when yet it is the combat of angels with evil spirits outside of him (n. 3927, 4249, 4307, 5036, 6657). That this is so has been granted me to know with certainty from much experience. These things have been said in order that it may be known why infestation by falsities takes place with those who are of the spiritual church, which infestation has been treated of in the above verses, and is treated of also in those which follow. EXODUS 5:5-9 previous - next - text - summary - Exodus - Full Page
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |