Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 50:12-13
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AC 6544. Verses 12, 13. And his sons did unto him as he had commanded them; and his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a sepulchre from Ephron the Hittite, upon the faces of Mamre. "And his sons did unto him as he had commanded them," signifies the effect according to the influx; "and his sons carried him to the land of Canaan," signifies that the church was transferred thither; "and buried him" signifies resuscitation there; "in the cave of the field of Machpelah," signifies the beginning of regeneration; "which Abraham bought with the field," signifies those whom the Lord had redeemed; "for a possession of a sepulchre, from Ephron the Hittite," signifies those who receive the truth and good of faith, and suffer themselves to be regenerated; "upon the faces of Mamre," signifies the quality and the quantity.

AC 6545. And his sons did unto him as he had commanded them. That this signifies the effect according to the influx, is evident from the signification of "doing," as being the effect; and from the signification of "commanding," as being influx (n. 5486, 5732).

AC 6546. And his sons carried him into the land of Canaan. That this signifies that the church was transferred thither, is evident from the signification of "they carried," as being to be transferred, that is, the church, for this is signified by the "land of Canaan" (n. 1413, 1437, 1607, 1866, 3038, 3481, 3705). Why the church was transferred thither, (n. 6516).

AC 6547. And buried him. That this signifies resuscitation there, is evident from the signification of "being buried," as being resuscitation (n. 5551, 6516).

AC 6548. In the cave of the field of Machpelah. That this signifies the beginning of regeneration, is evident from the signification of the "cave of the field of Machpelah," as being faith in obscurity (n. 2935); and "Machpelah" denotes regeneration (n. 2970); thus the signification is the beginning of regeneration, for then faith is in obscurity.

AC 6549. Which Abraham bought with the field. That this signifies those whom the Lord had redeemed, is evident from the signification of "buying," as being redemption (n. 6458, 6461); from the representation of Abraham, as being the Lord (n. 1965, 1989, 2011, 2172, 2198, 3245, 3305, 3439, 3703, 4615, 6098, 6185, 6276); and from the signification of "field," as being the church (n. 2971, 3766). Hence it is evident that by "which Abraham bought with the field" are signified those who are of the church, whom the Lord had redeemed.

AC 6550. For a possession of a sepulchre from Ephron the Hittite. That this signifies those who receive the truth and good of faith, and suffer themselves to be regenerated, is evident from the signification of a "sepulchre," as being regeneration (n. 2916, 2917, 5551, 6459); and from the representation of Ephron the Hittite, as being those with whom good and truth can be received (n. 6458).

AC 6551. Upon the faces of Mamre. That this signifies the quality and the quantity, is evident from the signification of "Mamre," as being the quality and quantity of that to which it is joined (n. 2970, 2980, 4613, 6456). That something special is signified by Abraham’s having bought the cave of the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, from Ephron the Hittite, is evident from its being said so many times, as in previous chapters:--

And in this chapter:--They buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a sepulchre, from Ephron the Hittite, upon the faces of Mamre. The special thing which is signified by this frequent repetition in nearly the same words, is that by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is represented the Lord; by their burial is represented resurrection and resuscitation; by the cave of the field of Machpelah, the beginning of regeneration; by Ephron the Hittite, those who receive the good of faith and suffer themselves to be regenerated; and by the sons of Heth, the spiritual church. And it is because all these things combined signify the setting up again of a spiritual church that they are so many times repeated.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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