Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 42:9-16
[2] They who have arrived at maturity, and still more they who have arrived at old age, and have not viewed with their own eyes the truths of the church, which are called doctrinal things, and seen whether they are true, and then been willing to live according to them, retain them merely as they do all other memory-knowledges; they are in their natural memory only, and thence on their lips; and when they utter them, they utter them not from their interior man or from the heart, but only from the exterior man and from the mouth. When a man is in this state he cannot possibly believe that the truths of the church are true, although it seems to him that he so believes. The reason why it seems to him that he believes them to be true, is that he relies on others, and has confirmed in himself the teachings of others. It is very easy to confirm things taken from others, whether true or false; for this needs nothing but ingenuity.
[3] These truths of the church, or they who are in this manner in the truths of the church, are signified by "spies coming to see the nakedness of the land." For they do not believe the doctrinal things of their church from any affection of truth, but from an affection of winning honors or getting gain; wherefore in themselves they believe scarcely anything, for the most part denying at heart, and regarding these doctrinal things as a merchant does his merchandise; and they appear to themselves learned and wise when from themselves they see that truths are not truths, and yet can persuade the common people that they are truths. That many of the church dignitaries are of this character, is very manifest from them in the other life; for wherever they go there, they are in the sphere of their affections and derivative thoughts, which sphere is plainly perceived by others, and it causes the quality of their affection of truth, and the quality of their faith, to be known to the very senses. In the world this is not made manifest, for there is not there any spiritual perception of such things; and this being so they do not expose themselves, for they would lose their gain.
[4] That they are spies may be evident enough from the fact that such persons seek nothing but faults in those who are in truths from good, in order that they may accuse and condemn them. Are such persons anything but spies, whether they belong to the so called Papists, or the Reformed, Quakers, Socinians, or Jews, when they have once confirmed in themselves the doctrinals of their church? They ridicule and condemn the veriest truths, if any such are to be found; for they do not comprehend that truths are true. The reason of this is that they have no affection of truth for its own sake, still less for the sake of life, but only for the sake of gain. Moreover when such men read the Word they search it with the sole end of confirming doctrinal memory-knowledges for the sake of gain; and many of them search the Word that they may see the nakedness of the land, that is, may see that the truths of the church are not truths, but only serviceable for persuading others that they are truths, for the sake of gain.
[5] But they who are in the affection of truth for the sake of truth and of life, consequently for the sake of the Lord’s kingdom, have indeed faith in the doctrinal things of the church; but still they search the Word for no other end than the truth, from which their faith and their conscience are formed. If anyone tells them that they ought to stay in the doctrine things of the church in which they were born, they reflect that if they had been born in Judaism, Socinianism, Quakerism, Christian Gentilism, or even out of the church, the same would have been told them; and that it is everywhere said, Here is the church! here is the church! here are truths and nowhere else! And this being the case the Word should be searched with devout prayer to the Lord for enlightenment. Such do not disturb anyone within the church, nor do they ever condemn others, knowing that everyone who is a church lives from his faith.
. To see the nakedness of the land ye are come. That this signifies that they would like nothing better than to know in themselves that there are no truths, is evident from the signification of "coming to see," as being to desire to know that it is so, thus that they would like nothing better than to know; from the signification of "nakedness," as being to be without truths, thus that there are no truths; and from the signification of "land," as being the church (n. 566, 662, 1067, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118, 3355, 4447, 4535); here therefore the "nakedness of the land" denotes no truths in the church. That "nakedness" signifies deprived of truths, or without truths, is because "garments" in general signify truths, and each specific garment signifies some particular truth (n. 2576, 3301, 4545, 4677, 4741, 4742, 4763, 5248, 5319). Hence "nakedness" signifies being without truths, as will also be seen below from passages taken from the Word.[2] How the case herein is, is plain from what was said just above (n. 5432) that they who learn truths not for the sake of truth and of life, but for the sake of gain, cannot but think within themselves that the truths of the church are not truths. The reason is that the affection of gain is an earthly affection, and the affection of truth is a spiritual affection. One or the other must have the dominion, for no man can serve two masters. Therefore where one affection is, the other is not; thus where there is the affection of truth, there is not the affection of gain; and where there is the affection of gain, there is not the affection of truth. Consequently, if the affection of gain has dominion, it must needs be that nothing is more desired than that truths should not be truths, and also that they should be believed to be truths by others; for if the internal man looks downward to earthly things, and vests everything in them, it is impossible for him to look upward, and to vest anything in heavenly things, because the earthly things completely absorb and stifle the heavenly things. The reason is that the angels of heaven cannot be with man in earthly things, and therefore they draw back, and the infernal spirits then come near, who and be with man in heavenly things. The result is that heavenly things are naught to him, and earthly things are everything; and when earthly things are everything to him, he believes himself to be more learned and wise than anyone else, in that to himself he denies the truths of the church, saying at heart that they are for the simple. Man must therefore be either in earthly affection or in heavenly affection, for he cannot be at the same time with the angels of heaven and with the infernals; because he would then hang between heaven and hell. But when he is in the affection of truth for the sake of truth, that Is, for the sake of the Lord‘s kingdom, where the Divine truth is, thus for the sake of the Lord Himself, he is then among angels, nor does he then despise gain so far as it is useful for his life in the world; but he has as the end, not gain, but uses therefrom, which he looks upon as mediate ends to the final heavenly end; thus by no means does he set his heart upon gain.
[3] That "nakedness" signifies to be without truths, may be seen from other passages in the Word, as in the Revelation:--
To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, Because thou sayest I am rich, and have been enriched, so that I have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and needy and blind and naked (Rev. 3:17);
where "naked" denotes penury of truth. In the same
I counsel thee to buy of Me gold purified in the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white garments, that thou mayest be clothed, and the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest (Rev. 3:18);
"to buy gold" denotes to procure and appropriate good to one’s self; "that thou mayest be rich," denotes being in celestial and spiritual good; "white garments" denote spiritual truths; the "shame of thy nakedness" denotes being without goods and truths. "To buy" is to procure and to appropriate to one‘s self, (n. 5374); also "gold" is celestial and spiritual good, (n. 1551, 1552); "garments" are truths, (n. 1073, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5319); and "white" is predicated of truth, because from the light of heaven, (n. 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319),
[4] Again:--
Behold I come as a thief, blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked (Rev. 16:15);
"he that keepeth his garments" denotes him that keepeth truths; "lest he walk naked," denotes being without truths. In Matthew:--
The King shall say unto them on His right hand, I was naked, and ye clothed Me; and to them on His left, I was naked, and ye clothed Me not (Matthew 25:36, 43);
where "naked" denotes the good who acknowledge that there is nothing of good and truth in themselves (n. 4958).
[5] In Isaiah:--
Is not this the fast, to break thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the afflicted that are cast out into thy house? when thou seest the naked that thou cover him? (Isa. 58:7);
where the meaning is similar. In Jeremiah:--
Jerusalem hath sinned a sin; therefore she hath become a menstrous woman; all that honored her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness (Lam. 1:8);
where "nakedness" denotes without truths. In Ezekiel:--
Thou hast come into comelinesses of comelinesses, the paps have been made firm, and thy hair was grown, yet thou wast naked and bare. I spread My skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness. Thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare (Ezek. 16:7, 8, 22);
[6] this is said of Jerusalem, by which is meant the Ancient Church, as it was when set up, and as it afterward became, namely, that at first it was without truths, but afterward was instructed in them, and at last rejected them. Again:--
If a just man who hath done judgment and justice give his bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment (Ezek. 18:5, 7);
where "to cover the naked with a garment" denotes to instruct in truths those who desire them. In Hosea:--
Lest I strip her naked, and show her as in the day that she was born, and make her as a wilderness, and set her like a land of drought, and slay her with thirst (Hosea 2:3);
where "stripping naked" denotes to deprive of truths. In Nahum:--
I will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame (Nahum 3:5);
where "showing the nations the nakedness" denotes to show the ugliness; for all ugliness is from want of truths, and all beauty is from truths (n. 4985, 5199).
. And they said unto him, Nay my lord, we are upright. That this signifies that they are truths in themselves, is evident from the signification of "saying to him, Nay my lord," as being that they did not come to seek gain, which is signified by Joseph’s words, "Ye are spies" (n. 5432), and that it was not the case that they would like nothing better than to know in themselves that there are no truths, as is signified by Joseph‘s words, "To see the nakedness of the land ye are come" (n. 5433); and from the signification of "we are upright," as being that they are truths in themselves; for in the internal sense "upright" signifies truth, in this as in many other passages of the Word. This meaning that they are truths in themselves follows from the series; for to those who have procured for themselves the truths of the church for the purpose of gain, truths are indeed not truths (n. 5433); yet they may be truths in themselves, for the very truths of the church in general are signified by the "sons of Jacob." That by the "upright" are meant truths in the abstract, is because in the internal sense everything is abstracted from person, and the idea of person is turned into the idea of thing (n. 5225, 5287). The reason of this is that otherwise the thought and derivative speech must needs be drawn away and lost from the thing itself and the view of it, to such things as are of person; and moreover the thought and derivative speech can in no other way become universal, and comprehend many things at the same time, still less things unlimited and unutterable, as with the angels. Nevertheless this abstracted idea involves persons, namely, those who are in the things in question. Hence it is that by "the upright" are signified truths. . But to buy food are thy servants come. That this signifies that they, namely these truths, are to be appropriated to the natural by means of good, is evident from the signification of "servants," as being things lower and relatively natural (n. 2541, 3019, 3020, 5161, 5164, 5305); hence also truths (n. 3409), for truths are subject to good, and things subject are in the Word called "servants" here therefore truths in the natural in respect to the celestial of the spiritual; from the signification of "buying," as being to be appropriated (n. 4397, 5374, 5406, 5410); and from the signification of "food," as being celestial and spiritual good (n. 5147), and also truth adjoined to good (n. 5340, 5342); here therefore truth to be adjoined to the natural by means of good, and thus to be appropriated. Truth is never appropriated to man otherwise than by means of good; but when it is so appropriated, then truth becomes good, because it then acts as one with it; for together they make as it were one body, the soul of which is good, the truths in this good being as it were the spiritual fibers which form the body. Wherefore by fibers are signified the inmost forms proceeding from good, and by nerves are signified truths (n. 4303, 5189). . We are all one man’s sons. That this signifies that these truths are from one origin, is evident from the signification of "sons," here the sons of Jacob, as being truths in general. That their being "one man‘s sons" signifies that they are from one origin, is evident without explication. . We are upright. That this signifies that thus they are truths in themselves, is evident from the signification of "we are upright," as being truths in themselves (n. 5434). . Thy servants are no spies. That this signifies that it was not for the sake of gain, is evident from the signification of "spies," as being those who are in the truths of the church for the sake of gain (n. 5432); here that it was not so . And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. That this signifies that they did not care whether there are truths, is evident from the signification of "coming to see the nakedness of the land," as being to like nothing better than to know in themselves that there are no truths (n. 5433); here, that they did not care whether there are truths. . And they said, We thy servants are twelve brethren. That this signifies that all things of faith were thus conjoined together, is evident from the signification of "twelve," as being all things, and when as here predicated of the sons of Jacob, or of the tribes named after them, and also of the apostles, all things of faith in one complex (n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 2553, 3272, 3488, 3858, 3862, 3913, 3926, 3939, 4060); and from the signification of "brethren," as being conjunction through good; for when truths are conjoined by means of good, they take on as it were a brotherhood among themselves. If when without good they appear conjoined, they nevertheless are not conjoined; for falsities of evil are always entering and disjoining them. The reason of this is that they have no+ one origin from which they are derived, nor one end to which they are directed. For there to be conjunction the first and the last must be conjoined; the first must be the good from which they come, and the last must be the good to which they tend. Furthermore, for truths to be conjoined, good must reign universally; for that which reigns universally, conjoins. A "brother" denotes the affection of good, thus good, (n. 2360, 2524, 3303, 3459, 3803, 3815, 4121), . The sons of one man. That this signifies from one origin, is evident from what was said just above (n. 5436), where similar words occur. . In the land of Canaan. That this signifies in the church, is evident from the signification of the "land of Canaan," as being the Lord’s kingdom and the church (n. 1413, 1437, 1607, 3038, 3481, 3686, 3705, 4447). . And behold the youngest is this day with our father. That this signifies that there was also conjunction with spiritual good, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, who is here "the youngest," as being an intermediate that conjoins and from the representation of Jacob, here Israel, who is the "father," as being spiritual good (n. 3654, 4598). That "Benjamin" is the spiritual of the celestial, which is an intermediate, may be seen above (n. 4592, 5411, 5413, 5419); that is, an intermediate between the natural, or the things of the natural, and the celestial of the spiritual, which is "Joseph." And as "Benjamin" is an intermediate, and "Israel" spiritual good, therefore by the words, "Behold the youngest is this day with our father" is signified conjunction with spiritual good. . And one is not. That this signifies that the Divine spiritual, which is the source, does not appear, is evident from the representation of Joseph, who here is the "one," as being the celestial of the spiritual, or what is the same thing, the Divine spiritual, or truth from the Divine (n. 3969, 4286, 4592, 4723, 4727, 4963, 5249, 5307, 5331, 5332, 5417), and because all conjunction of truth in the natural proceeds from the Divine spiritual, it is called "the Divine spiritual which is the source;" and from the signification of "is not," as being that it does not appear; for it was, but did not appear to them, because the intermediate which is "Benjamin," was not there. . And Joseph said unto them. That this signifies perception concerning this matter, namely, concerning the things which his brethren spake, is evident from the signification of "saying" in the historicals of the Word, as being perception (n. 1791, 1815, 1819, 1822, 1898, 1919, 2080, 2619, 3509). . This is it that I spake unto you. That this signifies that the truth is as I thought, is evident from the signification of "speaking," as being to think (n. 2271, 2287, 2619); that it signifies that this is the truth, is evident without explication. . Saying, ye are spies. That this signifies that they are in the truths of the church for the sake of gain, is evident from the signification of "spies," as being those who are in the truths of the church only to seek gain (n. 5432, 5438). . Hereby ye shall be proved. That this signifies that it will be seen whether it is so, is evident without explication. . By the life of Pharaoh. That this signifies of a certainty, is evident from the fact that "by the life of Pharaoh," is a form of emphatic assertion, thus implying that it is certain. Joseph indeed knew that they were not spies, and that they did not come to see the nakedness of the land; yet he so asserted because in the internal sense it was certain that the truths of the church, in whomsoever they are, without conjunction through good with the interior man, have as the end nothing but gain; but when they have been conjoined through good with the interior man, they have as the end good and truth itself, thus the church, the Lord‘s kingdom, and the Lord Himself; and when they have these as the end, then as much gain falls to their share as is needed, according to the Lord’s words in Matthew:--Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |