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5633. Verses 15-17. And the men took this present, and they took double silver in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. And Joseph saw Benjamin with them, and he said to him that was over his house, Bring the men to the house, and slaying slay, and make ready; for the men shall eat with me at noon. And the man did as Joseph said; and the man brought the men to Joseph's house. "And the men took this present," signifies that truths had with them the means for obtaining favor; "and they took double silver in their hand," signifies also truth received in the ability; "and Benjamin," signifies and the intermediate also; "and rose up and went down to Egypt," signifies elevation to life to be gained by them from the interior things of memory-knowledges; "and stood before Joseph," signifies the presence of the celestial of the spiritual there; "and Joseph saw Benjamin with them," signifies the perception by the celestial of the spiritual of a spiritual intermediate with truths; "and he said to him that was over his house," signifies to that which is of the external church; "Bring the men to the house," signifies that the truths in the natural were to be introduced thither; "and slaying slay and make ready," signifies through the goods of the exterior natural; "for the men shall eat with me at noon," signifies that they will be conjoined when with the intermediate; "and the man did as Joseph said," signifies bringing it about; "and the man brought the men to Joseph's house," signifies first introduction into the good which is from the celestial of the spiritual.

5634. And the men took this present. That this signifies that truths had with them the means for obtaining favor, is evident from the signification of "men," as being truths (n. 3134); and from the signification of a "present," which was given on approaching kings and priests, as being something to obtain favor (n. 5619).

5635. And they took double silver in their hand. That this signifies also truth received in the ability, is evident from what was said above (n. 5623), where the same words occur. It may also be seen there what is meant by truth received in the ability.

5636. And Benjamin. That this signifies and the intermediate also, is evident from the representation of Benjamin, as being the intermediate (see n. 5411, 5413, 5443).

5637. And rose up, and went down to Egypt. That this signifies elevation to life to be gained by them from the interior things of memory-knowledges is evident from the signification of "rising up," as being elevation to the things of spiritual life (see n. 2401, 2785, 2912, 2927, 3171, 4103, 4881); and from the signification of "going down," as being to life to be gained by them, for "going down" here involves the same as was meant before by the words, "Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, and we will live, and not die" (verse 8), by which is signified spiritual life according to degrees (n. 5605); and from the signification of "Egypt," as being memory-knowledges (n. 1164-1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966), here the interior things of memory-knowledges, because the celestial of the spiritual which is represented by Joseph was there; wherefore it is presently said that they "stood before Joseph." The interior things of memory-knowledges are spiritual things in the natural mind, and spiritual things are there when the memory-knowledges there are enlightened by the light of heaven, and they are so enlightened when the man has faith in the doctrinal things that are from the Word, and he has this faith when he is in the good of charity; for then truths and thereby memory-knowledges are enlightened by the good of charity as by a flame. From this they have their spiritual light. Hence it may be seen what is meant by the interior things of memory-knowledges.

5638. And stood before Joseph. That this signifies the presence of the celestial of the spiritu...

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