. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph. That this signifies the perception of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being to perceive; and from the representation of Pharaoh, as being the natural (n. 5079, 5080, 5095, 5160); and from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 4286, 4592, 4594, 4963, 5086, 5087, 5106, 5249). That the perception of the celestial of the spiritual from the natural is signified, is because the Lord is represented both by Joseph and by Pharaoh--by Joseph as to the celestial of the spiritual, and by Pharaoh as to the natural. Hence by "Pharaoh said unto Joseph" is signified the Lord‘s perception from the celestial of the spiritual in the natural. But what and of what quality this perception is, cannot be told so as to be apprehended, unless there has first been formed some idea of spiritual perception, and of the celestial of the spiritual, and also of the manner in which the natural is distinct from the spiritual. On these subjects some things have indeed been said already, which should now be recalled.
. I have dreamed a dream. That this signifies prediction, is evident from the signification of a "dream," as being foresight and hence prediction (n. 3698, 5091, 5092, 5104, 5233); that a "dream" here is prediction is plain also from what follows, for in the dream the seven years of abundance of provision and the seven years of famine were foretold.
. And no one interpreteth it. That this signifies ignorance of what was therein, is evident from the signification of "interpreting" as being what was therein (n. 5093, 5105, 5107, 5141); hence ignorance of what was therein is signified by "no one interpreteth it." In the internal sense by "no one" is not meant no one or none, the expression being merely negative; and here simply not, thus that it is not known, or that there is ignorance regarding it. The reason is, that in the internal sense no person, nor even anything determined to a person, is regarded (n. 5225); and in the expression "no one," or none, something of person in general is implied. There are three things in general that perish from the literal sense of the Word when it becomes the internal sense, namely, what is of time, what is of space, and what is of person. The reason is that in the spiritual world there is neither time nor space, these two belonging to nature; and therefore it is said of those who die, that they pass out of time, and leave behind all that is of time. That in the spiritual world nothing is regarded as determined to person is because directing the attention in speech to person narrows and limits the idea, instead of extending it and making it unlimited. Extension and absence of limitation in speech cause it to be universal, and to comprise and be able to express innumerable and also ineffable things. Hence the speech of the angels is of this character, especially the speech of the celestial angels, which is relatively unlimited; and in consequence everything of their speech flows into the infinite and the eternal, consequently into the Divine of the Lord.
. And I have heard upon thee, signifies the capacity of the celestial of the spiritual; saying thou hearest a dream to interpret it, signifies of perceiving what is in the things foreseen; as is evident from the signification of "hearing upon thee," as being to perceive and know that it is such, and consequently that there is the capacity; from the representation of Joseph, to whom these words are spoken, as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 4286, 4592, 4594, 4963, 5086, 5087, 5106); from the signification of "hearing," as being to perceive (n. 5017); from the signification of a "dream," as being what is foreseen (n. 5252); and from the signification of "interpreting," as being what was therein (n. 5253). From this it is plain that by the words "I have heard upon thee, saying, thou hearest a dream to interpret it," is signified the capacity of the celestial of the spiritual for perceiving what is in the things foreseen.
. And Joseph answered Pharaoh. That this signifies knowledge, is evident from the signification of "answering" to anything when questioned, as being to give one to know how the case is, consequently knowledge.
. Saying, Not unto me. That this signifies that it was not from the human alone, is evident from the signification of "not unto me," or not belonging to him, when said of the Lord, who is represented by Joseph, as being not to be from the human alone, but from the Divine; for the Divine foresees, consequently knows what is therein. For when the Lord was in the world He indeed had foresight and providence in the human, but from the Divine; but since His glorification these are from the Divine alone; for the Human glorified is the Divine. Regarded in itself the human is nothing but a form receptive of life from the Divine; but the Lord’s glorified Human, or His Divine Human, is not a form recipient of life from the Divine, but is the very being of life; and that which proceeds therefrom is life. Such is the idea that the angels have in regard to the Lord; but they who at this day come from the Christian Church into the other life have nearly all an idea of the Lord as being like any other man, not only separate from the Divine (though indeed they adjoin what is Divine to Him), but also separate from Jehovah, and what is more, separate even from the holy that proceeds from Him. They do indeed say "one God," but still they think of three; and they actually divide the Divine among three; for they distinguish it into persons, calling each God, and attribute to each a distinct property. Consequently it is said of Christians in the other life that they worship three gods, because they think of three, however much they may say one. But they who have been Gentiles and have been converted to Christianity, in the other life adore the Lord alone; and this for the reason that they have believed that it could not but be that the Supreme God has manifested Himself on earth as a man, and that the Supreme God is a Divine man; and that if they had not this idea of the Supreme God they could have none at all, and so could not think about God, consequently could not know Him, still less love Him.
. God shall answer peace to Pharaoh. That this signifies from the Divine Human by conjunction, is evident from what was said just above (n. 5256); and from the signification of the "peace that God shall answer," as being from the Lord‘s Divine Human. That "God" denotes the Divine is evident without any unfolding, and that "peace" in the supreme sense is the Lord may be seen above (n. 3780, 4681). That this answer comes through conjunction, namely, with the celestial of the spiritual, and thereby with the natural, is because this conjunction is here treated of.
GENESIS 41:15-16previous
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