. And Pharaoh called Abram. That this signifies that the Lord bethought Himself, is evident from the signification of "Pharaoh," as being memory-knowledge. The memory-knowledge itself (scientia), that is, the matters of memory-knowledge (scientifica), which the Lord acquired when a child, are here called "Pharaoh;" thus it is that knowledge itself which thus addresses the Lord, that is, it is Jehovah who does so by means of that knowledge. Hence it is evident that these things signify that the Lord bethought Himself. Mental advertence comes by means of memory-knowledge, thus by means of Pharaoh, by whom, as before said, this knowledge is signified.
. And said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? That this signifies that it grieved Him, is also evident from the very indignation in which this is said: the grief itself is thus expressed. The internal sense is such that the affection itself that lies hidden in the words is what constitutes it; the words of the letter are not attended to, but are as if they had no existence. The affection in these words is the indignation as it were of the memory-knowledge, and the Lord’s grief; and in fact grief from this, that the memory-knowledges which He had learned with pleasure and delight should be thus destroyed. The case herein is like that of little children who when they love something their parents see to be hurtful to them, and it is taken away from them, are thereby grieved.
. That she was thy wife. That this signifies that He ought to have no other truth than that which was to be conjoined with what is celestial, is evident from the signification of a "wife," as being the truth that was to be conjoined with what is celestial (verse 12). There is here described the order in which the Lord advanced to intelligence, and thus to wisdom; so that, as He was wisdom itself as to His Divine Essence, so He should become wisdom itself as to His Human Essence.
GENESIS 12:18previous
- next
- text
- summary
- Genesis
- Full Page