Arcana Coelestia, by Emanuel Swedenborg, [1749-56], tr. by John F. Potts [1905-10], at sacred-texts.com

Arcana Coelestia

In a quiet dream I saw some trees planted in a wooden receptacle, one of which was tall, another lower, and two were small. The lower tree delighted me very greatly, and all the while a very pleasant rest, such as I cannot express, affected my mind. On awaking from sleep I conversed with those who induced the dream. They were angelic spirits (see n. 1977, 1979), and they told me what was signified by what I had seen-that it was conjugial love, the tall tree signifying the husband, the lower tree the wife, and the two small ones the children. They told me further that the very pleasant rest which affected my mind indicated what pleasantness of peace those have in the other life who have lived in genuine conjugial love. They added that such are those who belong to the province of the thighs next above the knees, and that those who are in a still more pleasant state belong to the province of the loins. It was also shown that this province communicates through the feet with the soles and the heels. That this is so, is plain from that great nerve in the thigh which sends forth its branches not only through the loins to the members of generation (which are the organs of conjugial love), but also through the feet to the soles and the heels. It was also then discovered what is meant in the Word by the hollow and the nerve of the thigh which was put out of joint in Jacob, when he wrestled with the angel (Gen. 32:25, 31, 32; see n. 4280, 4281, 4314-4317). [2] I afterward saw a great dog, such as that called Cerberus by ancient writers, with a frightful open mouth; and I was told that such a dog signifies a guard to prevent man's passing over from heavenly conjugial love to the love of adultery, which is infernal; for heavenly conjugial love exists when a man together with his wife, whom he loves most tenderly, and with his children, lives content in the Lord. From this he has in this world an inward pleasantness, and in the other life heavenly joy; but when he passes from this love into the opposite, and finds in this a delight that seems to him heavenly, although it is infernal, then such a dog is presented as a guard lest there should be a communication between these opposite delights.

The Lord instills conjugial love through the inmost heaven, the angels of which are in peace beyond all others. Peace in the heavens is comparatively like springtime in the world, which renders all things joyous, for in its origin peace is the celestial itself. The angels who are in the inmost heaven are the wisest of all, and from their innocence they appear to others as infants, for they love infants much more than do their fathers and mothers. They are present with infants in the womb, and through them the Lord cares for the feeding and full development of the infants therein; thus they have charge over those who are with child.

There are heavenly societies to which correspond all and each of the members and organs allotted to generation in both sexes. These societies are distinct from others, just as this province in man is quite distinct and separate from the rest. The reason why these societies are celestial, is that conjugial love is the fundamental love of all loves (n. 686, 2733, 2737, 2738). It also excels the rest in use, and consequently in delight; for marriages are the nurseries of the whole human race, and are also the nurseries of the Lord's heavenly kingdom; for heaven is from the human race.

They who have loved infants most tenderly, as for instance such mothers, are in the province of the womb and the organs round about, namely, in the province of the neck of the womb and of the ovaries; and they who are there are in a life most sweet and soft, and are in heavenly joy beyond others.

But what and of what quality those heavenly societies are which belong to the several organs of generation, it has not been given me to know; for they are too interior to be comprehended by anyone who is in a lower sphere. They bear relation to the uses of these organs, which uses are hidden, and are far from ken, for the reason (which also is of Providence) that such things, in themselves most heavenly, may not suffer injury by filthy thoughts of lasciviousness, of whoredom, and of adultery, which are excited in very many persons at the bare mention of these organs. For this reason I may relate some of the more remote things that I have seen.

A certain spirit from another earth was with me (of which spirits from other earths of the Lord's Divine mercy I shall speak elsewhere), and he anxiously begged me to intercede for him, that he might come into heaven. He said that he was not aware of having done what is evil, except that he had rebuked the inhabitants of that earth (for there are spirits who chide and chastise those who do not live rightly, who also will be described when I speak of the inhabitants of other earths). He added that after chiding he instructed them. He then talked with as it were a broken voice, and he could move one to pity. But I could only reply that I could give him no help, and that admission into heaven is of the Lord alone, but that if worthy he might hope. He was then sent back among upright spirits from his own earth; but these said that he could not be in their company, because he was not such as they were. Yet because with intense longing he importuned to be let into heaven, he was sent into a society of upright spirits of this earth; but these also said that he could not remain with them. In the light of heaven he was of a black color; but he himself said that he was not of a black, but of a murrhine color. [2] I was told that they are such in the beginning who are afterward received among those who constitute the province of the seminal vesicles; for in these vesicles is collected the semen with its proper serum with which it is combined and thereby rendered fit, after it has been emitted, to be resolved in the neck of the womb, and thus to be serviceable for conception; and there is in such a substance an endeavor and as it were a longing to perform a use, thus to put off the serum with which it is clothed. Something similar showed itself in this spirit. He came again to me, but in vile clothing, and said that he was burning to come into heaven, and that he now perceived that he was fit for it. I was given to tell him that perhaps this was an indication that he would soon be received. He was then told by angels to cast off his garment; and in his longing he cast it off so quickly that scarcely anything could be quicker. By this was represented the nature of the ardent desires of those who are in the province to which the seminal vesicles correspond.

A large mortar was seen, and standing by it a man with an iron instrument, who from phantasy seemed to himself to pound men in that vessel, torturing them in direful ways. This he did with great delight, which was communicated to me, that I might know the quality and intensity of it in those who are of this nature. It was an infernal delight. I was told by angels that such was the ruling delight with the posterity of Jacob; and that they perceived nothing more delightful than to treat the nations with cruelty, to expose them when slain to be devoured by wild beasts and birds, to cut them alive with saws and axes, to make them pass through the brick-kiln (2 Sam. 12:31), and to dash their little children together and throw them away. Such things were never commanded, nor were they ever permitted except to those the nerve of whose thigh was out of joint (n. 5051). Such spirits dwell under the right heel, where are adulterers who are also cruel. [2] It is therefore surprising that anyone should ever have believed that that nation was chosen more than others; and from this also many confirm themselves in the idea that the life effects nothing, but that election, and hence reception into heaven, is of mere mercy, whatever the life may have been; when yet everyone from sound reason may see that to think in this way is contrary to the Divine, for the Divine is mercy itself, and therefore if heaven were of mere mercy without regard to the life, everybody would be received. To thrust down anyone into hell to be tormented there, when it would be possible to receive him into heaven, would be unmercifulness and not mercy; and to elect one in preference to another would be injustice, and not justice. [3] Wherefore they who have believed and have confirmed themselves in the idea that some are elected, and the rest not, and that admission into heaven is of mere mercy, without regard to the life, are told (as I have several times heard and seen) that heaven is never denied by the Lord to anyone, and that if they desire they may know this from experience. For this purpose they are taken up into some society of heaven where are those who have lived in the affection of good, or in charity; but being evil, as soon as they come there they begin to be tormented and to be inwardly tortured, because their life is contrary; and when the heavenly light appears, they appear in it like devils, almost devoid of human form, some with the face sunken, some like grates of teeth, and some monstrous in other ways. Thus they abhor themselves, and cast themselves down headlong into hell, and for them the deeper the better.

There was also a certain person who in the world had been a man of position, and who was then known to me, although not as to his inner quality; but in the other life, after some revolvings of the state of his life, it became evident that he was deceitful. When he had been for some time among the deceitful in the other life, and had suffered hard things there, he desired to be separated from them. I heard him then saying that he desired to come into heaven; and he too had believed that reception is of mere mercy. But he was told that if he got there he could not stay there, and that he would be tormented like those who in the world are in the death agony. Nevertheless he insisted, and was therefore admitted into a society consisting of the simple good who are in front above the head; but as soon as he arrived he began to act craftily and deceitfully, according to his life. The result was that within an hour the good in that society, who were simple, began to lament, saying that he took away from them their perception of good and of truth, and consequently their delight, thus destroying their state. Then some light from the interior heaven was admitted, in which he appeared as a devil, with the upper part of his nose loathsomely furrowed with a foul wound. He also began to be inwardly tortured; and when he felt this, he cast himself down into hell. From this it is plain that it is not election and reception from mercy, but the life, that makes heaven; nevertheless all things of the life of good and of the faith of truth are from mercy given to those who receive mercy in the world; and with these there is reception from mercy, and they are those who are called the "elect" (see n. 3755e, 3900).

When those have approached me who have lived in what is contrary to conjugial love-that is, in adulteries-they always injected pain in the loins, more or less severe according to the life of adulteries which they had lived; from which influx also it has been evident that the loins correspond to conjugial love. The hell of these is under the hinder part of the loins, beneath the buttocks, where they dwell in filth and excrements; and these things are delightful to them because in the spiritual world they are in correspondence with these pleasures. But more will be said about these spirits, when of the Lord's Divine mercy I come to speak of the hells in general and in particular.

Who they are that correspond to the testicles, was in like manner evident to me from those who are in what is contrary to conjugial love, and who inflict pain on the testicles; for when societies operate they act upon those parts and those members of the body to which they correspond-heavenly societies by a gentle, sweet, delightful influx; and infernal ones, who are in what is contrary, by a severe and painful influx. But their influx is perceived by those only whose interiors have been opened, and who thereby have received perceptible communication with the spiritual world. They who are in what is contrary to conjugial love and who inflict pain on the testicles, are those who ensnare by love, friendship, and kind offices. When such spirits approached me they desired to speak with me in private, being exceedingly fearful lest anyone should be present, for this had been their character in the life of the body; and being such then, they are such in the other life also, because everyone's life remains with him. [2] There arose from the region about Gehenna somewhat aerial and inconspicuous. It was a company of such spirits, but though there were many in it, it afterward appeared to me as only one spirit hampered with bandages, which however he seemed to himself to remove, whereby was signified that they desired to remove obstacles; for in such a manner do the thoughts and efforts of the mind appear representatively in the world of spirits, and when they appear, it is instantly perceived what they signify. Afterward it seemed as if there came forth from his body a little snow-white spirit, who drew near to me, by which was represented their thought and intention-that they desired to assume a state of innocence, so that no one might suspect their real character. When he came to me, he let himself down toward the loins, and seemed to wind himself as it were about both of them, whereby was represented that they desired to exhibit themselves in chaste conjugial love; afterward he seemed to wind himself about the feet in spiral coils, whereby was represented that they desired to insinuate themselves by such things as are delightful in nature. At last that little spirit became almost invisible, by which was represented that they desire to lie wholly concealed. [3] I was told by angels that such instilling belongs to those who seek to ensnare in conjugial love, that is to say, those who in the world have instilled themselves with the end to commit adultery with wives, by speaking chastely and sanely about conjugial love, by caressing the children, by praising the husband in every possible way, so as to be believed to be friendly, chaste, and innocent, when yet they are deceitful adulterers. Their quality was also shown me, for after these things had been done, that little snow-white spirit became visible, and appeared dusky and very black, and also very deformed; and he was cast out into his hell, which was deep under the middle part of the loins. There they dwell in the foulest excrements; and they are also among the robbers there who bear relation to the general involuntary sense (n. 4327). I afterward conversed with such spirits, and they were surprised that anyone should make adultery a matter of conscience, that is, that from conscience he would not lie with another's wife when allowed; and when I talked with them about conscience, they denied that anyone has conscience. I was told that such spirits are for the most part from Christendom, and seldom from other parts of the world.

By way of corollary I may add this memorable circumstance. There were some spirits who had long lain concealed, shut up in a peculiar hell, from which they could not break out. I sometimes wondered who they were. One evening they were let out, and then was heard from them a very tumultuous noise of murmurs, which continued a long time; and when opportunity was given, I heard from them scoffings against me, and perceived that they desired and were endeavoring to come up and destroy me. I asked the angels the reason of this; and they said that during their lifetime these persons had hated me, although I had never harmed them; and I was instructed that when such spirits merely perceive the sphere of the person whom they have hated, they breathe his destruction; but they were sent back into their own hell. From this it is evident that those who have hated each other in the world meet in the other life, and attempt many evils against each other, as has often been granted me to know by other examples. For hatred is opposite to love and charity, and is an aversion, and as it were a spiritual antipathy; and therefore the moment that such spirits perceive in the other life the sphere of the person against whom they have borne hatred, they come as it were into a fury. It is plain from this what is involved in the Lord's words in Matthew 5:22-26.

A continuation concerning correspondence with the Grand Man will be found at the end of the following chapter.

CHAPTER THE FORTIETH. In the preface to the preceding chapter an explication was given of what the Lord said concerning the Judgment upon the good and the evil, in Matthew 25, verses 34 to 36. Then follow these words: Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee hungry and fed Thee? or thirsty and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger and gathered Thee? or naked and clothed Thee? When saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? But the King shall say to them, Verily I say to you, Insofar as ye did it to one of the least of these My brethren, ye did it to Me. Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me ye cursed into the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and ye gave Me not to eat, I was thirsty and ye gave Me not to drink, I was a stranger and ye gathered Me not, naked and ye clothed Me not, sick, and in prison, and ye visited Me not. Then shall they also answer Him, saying, Lord, when saw we Thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee? Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say to you, Insofar as ye did it not to one of these least, ye did it not to Me. And these shall go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into life eternal (Matt. 25:37-46).

In the prefatory remarks to the preceding chapter (n. 4954-4959), it was explained what is signified in the internal sense by "giving meat to the hungry and drink to the thirsty," by "gathering the stranger, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and him that is in prison"-that it is the essence of charity which is involved and is thus described. By the "hungry," the "thirsty," and the "stranger," is signified the affection of good and truth; and by the "naked," the "sick," and "those who are in prison," self-acknowledgment (see n. 4956, 4958).

As the same things are thrice repeated in what has already been quoted and explained, it is unnecessary to show in detail, or word by word, what these expressions signify in the internal sense. In this place I will merely state what is signified by the answer made both by those on the right hand, and by those on the left-that they had not seen Him hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, and in prison; and afterward what is signified by the "King," and also by the "righteous and eternal life," and by the "cursed and eternal fire."

The answer made by those on the right hand: Lord, when saw we Thee hungry and fed Thee? or thirsty and gave Thee drink? When saw we Thee a stranger and gathered Thee? or naked and clothed Thee? When saw we Thee sick, or in prison, and came unto Thee? signifies that if they had seen the Lord Himself, everyone of them would have performed these offices; yet not from love toward Him, but from fear because He was to be the judge of the universe; thus not for His sake, but for the sake of themselves; thus not from within or from the heart, but from without and in act only. This is as when one sees a king whose favor he desires to gain in order that he may become great or rich, and therefore bears himself submissively toward him. It is similar with those who are in holy external worship, in which they as it were see the Lord, and submit themselves to Him, believing that in this way they will receive eternal life; and yet they have no charity, and do no good to anyone except for their own sake, thus only to themselves. They are like persons who in outward form pay court to their king with much respect, and yet deride his commands because at heart they disregard him. These and similar things are what are signified by those on the right hand so answering; and as the evil also do the like things in outward form, therefore they who were on the left made nearly the same answer.

As therefore the Lord cares not for external but for internal things, and as man testifies to his internal things, not by worship only, but by charity and its acts, the Lord answered: Verily I say to you, Insofar as ye did it to one of the least of these My brethren, ye did it to Me; those are called "brethren" who are in the good of charity and of life; for the Lord is with them, because they are in good itself; and it is they who are properly meant by the neighbor. In these also the Lord does not manifest Himself, for in respect to Him they are vile; but the man manifests himself before the Lord, in that he worships Him from within.

That the Lord calls Himself "King"-in these words: When the Son of man shall come in His glory, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory, then shall the King say unto them; is because the Lord's royalty is the Divine truth, from which and according to which judgment is effected. But from and according to it the good are judged in one way, and the evil in another. The good, because they have received Divine truth, are judged from good, and thus from mercy; the evil, because they have not received Divine truth, are judged from truth, and thus not from mercy; for this they have rejected, and hence they continue to reject it in the other life. To receive Divine truth is not only to have faith, but also to practice it, that is, to cause that which is of doctrine to become of the life. It is from this that the Lord calls Himself "King." (That the Lord's royalty is the Divine truth has been shown above, n. 1728, 2015, 3009, 3670, 4581, 4966.)

That they on the right hand are called "the righteous:"- Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying, etc., and, The righteous shall go into eternal life; signifies that they are in the Lord's righteousness. All who are in the good of charity are called the "righteous"-not that they are righteous from themselves, but from the Lord, whose righteousness is appropriated to them. They who believe themselves righteous from themselves, or made so righteous that there is no longer anything of evil in them, are not among the righteous, but among the unrighteous; for they attribute good to themselves, and also feel self-merit on account of it, and such can never adore the Lord from true humiliation; so that those who in the Word are called the "righteous," and the "saints," are those who know and acknowledge that all good is from the Lord, and that all evil is from themselves, that is, is theirs from hell.

The "eternal life" which is given to the righteous, is life from good. Good has life in itself, because it is from the Lord, who is life itself. In the life which is from the Lord there are wisdom and intelligence; for to receive good from the Lord and thence to will good, is wisdom; and to receive truth from the Lord and thence to believe truth, is intelligence; and they who have this wisdom and intelligence have life; and as happiness is joined to such life, eternal happiness also is signified by "life." The contrary is the case with those who are in evil. These do indeed appear-especially to themselves-as if they had life, but it is such life as in the Word is called "death," and also is spiritual death; for they are not wise in any good, nor intelligent in any truth. This may be seen by everyone who takes the matter into consideration, for as there is life in good and in its truth, there cannot be life in evil and in its falsity, because these are opposite and extinguish life. Therefore the persons in question have no other life than such as belongs to the insane.

That they on the left hand are called "cursed," and their punishment "eternal fire," as where it is said: Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me ye cursed into the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; and, These shall go away into eternal punishment; is because they have averted themselves from good and truth, and have turned to evil and falsity. A "curse," in the internal sense of the Word, signifies a turning away (n. 245, 379, 1423, 3530, 3584). The "eternal fire" into which they must depart is not natural fire, nor is it torment of conscience, but is concupiscence of evil; for the concupiscences in man are spiritual fires which consume him in the life of the body, and torment him in the other life. By these fires the infernals torture one another in direful ways. [2] That "eternal fire" is not natural fire, is evident. That it is not torment of conscience, is because all who are in evil have no conscience, and they who have had none in the life of the body cannot have any in the other life. But that it is concupiscence is because all vital fire is from the loves in man-heavenly fire from the love of good and truth, and infernal fire from the love of evil and falsity-or what is the same, heavenly fire is from love to the Lord and love toward the neighbor, and infernal fire is from the love of self and the love of the world. That all the fire or heat within man is from this source, anyone may know if he pays attention to the matter. It is for this reason also that love is called spiritual heat, and that by "fire" and "heat" in the Word nothing else is signified (n. 934e, 1297, 1527, 1528, 1861, 2446, 4906). The vital fire in the evil is such that when they are in the vehemence of their concupiscences, they are also in a kind of fire, from which they are in the ardor and fury of tormenting others; but the vital fire in the good is such that when in a high degree of affection, they also are in a kind of fire, but from it they are in the love and zeal of benefiting others. GENESIS 40 1. And it came to pass after these words that they sinned, the butler of the king of Egypt and the baker, to their lord the king of Egypt. 2. And Pharaoh was wroth over his two court ministers, over the prince of the butlers, and over the prince of the bakers. 3. And he put them into the custody of the house of the prince of the guards, unto the prison house, the place where Joseph was bound. 4. And the prince of the guards set Joseph over them, and he ministered to them; and they were for days in custody. 5. And they dreamed a dream both of them, each his dream in one night, each according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison house. 6. And Joseph came unto them in the morning, and saw them, and behold they were troubled. 7. And he asked Pharaoh's court ministers that were with him in the custody of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore are your faces evil today? 8. And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it me, I pray. 9. And the prince of the butlers told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream behold a vine was before me. 10. And in the vine were three shoots, and it was as though it budded, its blossom went up, and the clusters thereof ripened grapes. 11. And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup upon the palm of Pharaoh. 12. And Joseph said to him, This is the interpretation of it; the three shoots three days are these. 13. In yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head, and shall bring thee back upon thy station, and thou shalt give Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler. 14. But remember me with thee when it is well with thee, and do mercy I pray with me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house. 15. For being carried off by theft I was carried away out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the pit. 16. And the prince of the bakers saw that he had interpreted good, and he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and behold three baskets with holes in them upon my head. 17. And in the uppermost basket there was of all food for Pharaoh, the work of the baker; and the birds did eat them out of the basket from upon my head. 18. And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof. The three baskets three days are these. 19. In yet three days shall Pharaoh lift off thy head from upon thee, and shall hang thee upon wood; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from upon thee. 20. And it came to pass on the third day, on Pharaoh's birthday, and he made a feast unto all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the prince of the butlers and the head of the prince of the bakers in the midst of his servants. 21. And he brought back the prince of the butlers upon his butlership; and he gave the cup upon Pharaoh's palm. 22. And he hanged the prince of the bakers; as Joseph interpreted to them. 23. And the prince of the butlers did not remember Joseph, and he forgot him.

The Contents. In the internal sense of this chapter the subject is continued of a state of temptations, by which even bodily things might be brought into correspondence. Bodily things properly so called are sensuous things 5072-1 which are of two kinds, some being subordinate to the intellectual part, and some to the will part. Those which are subordinate to the intellectual part are represented by the butler of the king of Egypt, and those which are subordinate to the will part are represented by his baker; that the former are for a time retained, but the latter cast out, is represented by the butler returning to his place, and the baker being hanged. The rest will be plain from the series in the internal sense.

The Internal Sense. Verses 1-4. And it came to pass after these words that they sinned, the butler of the king of Egypt and the baker, to their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was wroth over his two court ministers, over the prince of the butlers, and over the prince of the bakers. And he put them into the custody of the house of the prince of the guards, unto the prison house, the place where Joseph was bound. And the prince of the guards set Joseph over them, and he ministered to them; and they were for days in custody. "And it came to pass," signifies a new state, and the things which follow; "after these words," signifies after the things which precede; "that they sinned," signifies inverted order; "the butler of the king of Egypt," signifies in those things in the body which are subject to the intellectual part; "and the baker," signifies in those things in the body which are subject to the will part; "to their lord the king of Egypt," signifies that they were contrary to the new state of the natural man; "and Pharaoh was wroth," signifies that the new natural man averted itself; "over his two court ministers" signifies from the sensuous things of the body of both kinds; "over the prince of the butlers, and over the prince of the bakers," signifies in general from the sensuous things subordinate to the intellectual part and to the will part; "and he put them into the custody," signifies rejection; "of the house of the prince of the guards," signifies by those things which are primary for interpretation; "unto the prison house," signifies among falsities; "the place where Joseph was bound," signifies the state of the celestial of the natural now as to these things; "and the prince of the guards set Joseph over them," signifies that the celestial of the natural taught them from things primary for interpretation; "and he ministered to them," signifies that he instructed them; "and they were for days in custody," signifies that they were long in a state of rejection.

And it came to pass. That this signifies a new state and the things which follow, is evident from the fact that the expression "it came to pass," or "it was," in the Word, involves a new state (see n. 4979, 4999); and that in the original language it serves as a mark of distinction between the series of things which precede and those which follow (see n. 4987); hence it also signifies the things which follow.

After these words. That this signifies after the things which precede, is evident from the signification of "words," in the original language, as being things; here therefore "after these words" means after these things, thus after the things which precede. That "words," in the original language signify things also, is because "words," in the internal sense signify truths of doctrine; and therefore all Divine truth in general is called the "Word," and the Lord Himself, from whom comes all Divine truth, is in the supreme sense the "Word" (n. 1288). And because nothing that exists in the universe is anything, that is, is a real thing, unless it is from Divine good by Divine truth, therefore "words" in the Hebrew language mean things also. That nothing in the universe is anything, that is, a real thing, unless it is from Divine good by Divine truth, that is, by the "Word," is plain in John: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made (John 1:1, 3). [2] The interior significations of expressions for the most part originate in the interior man, which is among spirits and angels; for every man as to his spirit, or as to that very man which lives after the decease of the body, is in company with angels and spirits, although the external man is not aware of this; and because he is in company with them, he is also with them in the universal language, and thus in the origins of words. Hence there are imparted to words many significations which in the external form appear out of agreement, although in the internal form they are entirely in agreement-as here, that "words" signify things. It is the same in a host of cases, as that the understanding is called the inward "sight," light being attributed to it; that attention and obedience are called "hearing" and "hearkening;" that the perception of a thing is called "smelling;" and so forth.

That they sinned. That this signifies inverted order, is evident from the signification of "sinning," as being to act contrary to Divine order: whatever is contrary to this is "sin." Divine order itself is Divine truth from Divine good. All are in this order who are in truth from good, that is, who are in faith from charity, for truth is of faith, and good is of charity; and they are contrary to this order who are not in truth from good, consequently who are in truth from evil, or in falsity from evil; nothing else is signified by "sin." Here by their "sinning"-the butler and the baker-is signified that external sensuous things were in inverted order relatively to interior things, so that they did not accord or did not correspond.

The butler of the king of Egypt. That this signifies in those things in the body which are subject to the intellectual part, is evident from the signification of a "butler," as being that external sensuous, or sensuous of the body, which is subordinate or subject to the intellectual part of the internal man (of which hereafter); and from the signification of the "king of Egypt," as being the natural man (of which below, n. 5079). As the butler and the baker are treated of in the following verses, and as they signify the external sensuous things which are of the body, something must first be said about these sensuous things. It is known that the external or bodily senses are five, namely, sight, hearing, smelling, taste, and touch, and that these constitute all the life of the body; for without these senses the body does not live at all, and therefore when deprived of them it dies and becomes a corpse; so that the very bodily part of man is nothing else than a receptacle of sensations, and consequently of the life from them. The sensitive is the principal, and the bodily is the instrumental. The instrumental without its principal to which it is adapted cannot even be called that bodily with which man is invested during his life in the world; but only the instrumental together with the principal, when they act as one. This therefore is the bodily part. [2] All the external sensuous things of man bear relation to his internal sensuous things, for they are given to man and placed in his body in order that they may serve the internal man while it is in the world, and be subject to its sensuous things; and therefore when a man's external sensuous things begin to rule over his internal sensuous things, the man is lost; for then the internal sensuous things are considered to be mere servants, to serve for confirming those things which the external sensuous things command with authority. When the external sensuous things are in this state, they are in the inverted order spoken of just above (n. 5076). [3] As before said, the external sensuous things of man bear relation to his internal sensuous things; in general, to his intellectual part and to his will part; there are therefore external sensuous things which are subject or subordinate to his intellectual part, and there are those which are subject to his will part. That sensuous which is especially subject to the intellectual part is the sight; that which is subject to the intellectual part and secondarily to the will part is the hearing; that which is subject to both together is the sense of smell, and still more the taste; but that which is subject to the will part is the touch. That the external sensuous things are subject to these parts, and in what manner, might be abundantly shown; but to enter upon the investigation of this now would lead us too far afield; yet the facts may in some measure be known from what has been shown concerning the correspondence of these senses, at the end of the preceding chapters. [4] And be it known further that all the truths which are said to be of faith pertain to the intellectual part; and that all the goods which are of love and charity are of the will part. Consequently it belongs to the intellectual part to believe, to acknowledge, to know, and to see truth and also good, but to the will part to be affected with and to love these; and that which man is affected with and loves, is good. But how the intellect flows into the will, when truth passes into good; and how the will flows into the intellect, when it acts upon it, are matters of still deeper investigation, concerning which, of the Lord's Divine mercy more will be said below as occasion offers. [5] The reason why a "butler" signifies that sensuous which is subject or subordinate to the intellectual part of the internal man, is that everything which serves for drinking, or which is drunk-as wine, milk, water-bears relation to truth, which is of the intellectual part, thus bears relation to the intellectual part; and because it is an external sensuous, or sensuous of the body, that subserves, therefore by a "butler" is signified this sensuous, or this part of the sensuous things. (That "to give to drink" and "to drink" are in general predicated of the truths which are of the intellectual part, may be seen above, n. 3069, 3071, 3168, 3772, 4017, 4018; and that specifically they are predicated of the truth which is from good, or of the faith which is from charity, n. 1071, 1798; and that "water" is truth, n. 680, 2702, 3058, 3424, 4976.) From all this it may now be seen what is signified by a "butler."

And the baker. That this signifies in those things in the body which are subject to the will part, is evident from the signification of a "baker," as being that external sensuous, or sensuous of the body, which is subordinate or subject to the will part of the internal man. A "baker" has this signification because everything that serves for food, or that is eaten, such as bread, food in general, and all the work of the baker, is predicated of good, and therefore bears relation to the will part; for all good is of this part, just as all truth is of the intellectual part (as was said just above, n. 5077). (That "bread" is the celestial, or good, may be seen above, n. 1798, 2165, 2177, 3478, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217, 4735, 4976.) [2] The reason why here and in the following verses of this chapter the external sensuous things of both kinds are treated of in the internal sense is that in the previous chapter the subject treated of was the Lord, and how He glorified or made Divine the interiors of His natural; here therefore the subject treated of is the Lord, and how He glorified or made Divine the exteriors of His natural. The exteriors of the natural are what are properly called the bodily things, or the sensuous things of both kinds together with their recipient organs, for these together constitute what is called the body (as shown above, n. 5077). The Lord made the very bodily in Himself Divine, both its sensuous things and their recipient organs; and He therefore rose again from the sepulcher with His body, and likewise after His resurrection said to the disciples: Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; feel Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have (Luke 24:39). [3] Most of those who are of the church at this day believe that everyone is to rise again at the last day, and with his body; which opinion is so universal that from doctrine scarcely anyone believes otherwise. But this opinion has prevailed because the natural man supposes that it is only the body that lives; and therefore unless he believed that the body would receive life again, he would deny the resurrection altogether. But the truth of the matter is this. Man rises again immediately after death, and he then appears to himself in a body just as in this world, with a similar face, members, arms, hands, feet, breast, belly, and loins; so that when he sees and touches himself, he says that he is a man as in the world. Nevertheless what he sees and touches is not his external which he carried about in the world, but it is the internal which constitutes that very human which is alive, and which had an external about it, or outside of every part of it, by which it could be in the world and be adapted for acting and performing its functions there. [4] The earthly bodily part is no longer of any use to him, he being in another world where are other functions, and other powers and abilities, to which the nature of his body there is adapted. This body he sees with his eyes, not those which he had in the world, but those which he has there, which are the eyes of his internal man and by which through the eyes of the body he had before seen worldly and earthly things. This body he also feels with the touch, not with the hands or the sense of touch which he enjoyed in the world, but with the hands and the sense of touch which he enjoys there, which is that from which his sense of touch in the world came forth. Moreover, every sense is more exquisite and more perfect there, because it is the sense of the internal of man freed from the external; for the internal is in a more perfect state, because it gives to the external the power of sensation; but when it acts into the external, as is the case in the world, sensation is dulled and obscured. Moreover, it is the internal which is sensible of the internal, and the external which is sensible of the external. Thus it is that men after death see one another, and are in company together according to their interiors. In order that I might be certain in regard to this matter, it has been given me to touch the spirits themselves, and often to converse with them about it (see n. 322, 1630, 4622). [5] Men after death, who are then called spirits, and if they have lived in good, angels, marvel exceedingly that the man of the church believes that he is not to see eternal life until the last day when the world shall perish, and that he is then to be clothed again with the cast-off dust; when yet the man of the church knows that he rises again after death; for when a man dies, who does not then say that his soul or spirit is in heaven or else in hell? And who does not say of his children who have died that they are in heaven? And who does not comfort a sick person, or one appointed to die, by the assurance that he will shortly come into the other life? And he who is in the agony of death and is prepared, believes no otherwise; nay, from this belief many also claim for themselves the power of delivering others from places of damnation, and of admitting them into heaven, while saying masses on their behalf. Who does not know what the Lord said to the thief, "Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise" (Luke 23:43), and what He said of the rich man and Lazarus, that the former was carried into hell, but the latter borne by the angels into heaven (Luke 16:22-23)? And who does not know what the Lord taught concerning the resurrection, that "He is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (Luke 20:38)? [6] A man knows these things, and so thinks and speaks when he thinks and speaks from his spirit; but when he thinks and speaks from his doctrine, he says very differently-that he is not to rise again till the last day; when yet the last day to everyone is when he dies, and then also is his judgment, as indeed many say. What is meant by "being encompassed with skin, and from the flesh seeing God" (Job 19:25, 26), may be seen above (n. 3540e). These things are said in order that it may be known that no man rises again in the body with which he was clothed in the world; but that the Lord alone so rose, and this because He glorified His body, or made it Divine, while He was in the world.

Against their lord the king of Egypt. That this signifies that they-namely, the external sensuous things, or those of the body, signified by "the butler and the baker"-were contrary to the new state of the natural man, is evident from the signification of the "king of Egypt" as being memory-knowledge in general (see n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966). For the same is signified by the "king of Egypt" as by "Egypt," the king being the head of the nation; and it is the same in other passages also where mention is made of the "king" of any nation (n. 4789). As memory-knowledge in general is signified by the "king of Egypt," the natural man is also signified thereby, because all memory-knowledge is the truth of the natural man (4967): the good itself of the natural man is signified by "lord" (n. 4973). That a new state of the natural man is here signified, is because in the preceding chapter there was described the making new of the interiors of the natural, and in the supreme sense, which relates to the Lord, that they were glorified; but the subject here treated of is the exteriors of the natural, which were to be reduced to harmony or correspondence with the interiors. Those interiors of the natural which were new, or what is the same thing, the new state of the natural man, is what is signified by "their lord the king of Egypt;" and the exteriors which were not reduced into order, and hence were contrary to order, are what are signified by "the butler and the baker." [2] There are interiors and there are exteriors of the natural, the interiors of the natural being memory-knowledges and the affections of them, while its exteriors are the sensuous things of both kinds, spoken of above (n. 5077). When a man dies he leaves behind him these exteriors of the natural, but carries with him into the other life the interiors of the natural, where they serve as a plane for things spiritual and celestial. For when a man dies he loses nothing except his bones and flesh; he has with him the memory of all that he had done, spoken, or thought, and he has with him all his natural affections and desires, thus all the interiors of the natural. Of its exteriors he has no need; for he does not see, nor hear, nor smell, nor taste, nor touch, what is in this world, but only such things as are in the other life, which indeed look for the most part like those which are in this world; but still are not like them, for they have in them what is living, which those things which properly belong to the natural world have not. For all and each of the things in the other life come forth and subsist from the sun there, which is the Lord, whence they have in them what is living; whereas all and each of the things in the natural world come forth and subsist from its sun, which is elementary fire, and hence have not in them what is living. What appears living in them is from no other source than the spiritual world, that is, through the spiritual world from the Lord.

And Pharaoh was wroth. That this signifies that the new natural man averted itself, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh, or the king of Egypt, as being the new natural man, or the new state of the natural man (spoken of just above, n. 5079); and from the signification of "being wroth or angry," as being to avert itself (n. 5034); here therefore it signifies that the interior natural, which was made new, averted itself from the exterior natural or bodily sensuous part, because this did not correspond with it.

Against his two courtministers. That this signifies that it averted itself from the sensuous things of the body, of both kinds, is evident from the signification of "courtministers," who here are the butler and the baker, as being the sensuous things of both kinds (of which above, n. 5077, 5078). The sensuous things of the body, namely, the sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, are as it were ministers of the court relatively to the interior man, who is their lord the king; for they minister to him, so that from the things in the visible world and in human society he may come into the teachings of experience, and may in this way acquire intelligence and wisdom. For man is not born into any knowledge, still less into any intelligence or wisdom, but only into the capability of receiving and becoming imbued with them. This is effected in two ways, namely, by an internal way, and by an external way. By the internal way flows in what is Divine, by the external way flows in what is of the world. These meet within man, and then insofar as he suffers himself to be enlightened by what is Divine, he comes into wisdom. The things which flow in by the external way, flow in through the sensuous things of the body; although they never flow in of themselves, but are called forth by the internal man to serve as a plane for the celestial and spiritual things which flow in by the internal way from the Divine. From this it is evident that the sensuous things of the body are like the ministers of a court. In general, all exterior things are ministers relatively to interior things. Relatively to the spiritual man the whole natural man is nothing else. [2] In the original language the term here used means a minister, courtier, chamberlain, or eunuch; in the internal sense it signifies, as here, the natural man as to good and truth, but specifically the natural man as to good; as in Isaiah: Let not the son of the stranger, that cleaveth to Jehovah, speak, saying, Jehovah will surely separate me from His people; neither let the eunuch say, Behold I am dry wood. For thus hath said Jehovah to the eunuchs that keep My sabbaths, and choose that wherewith I am delighted, and are holding My covenant; I will give them in My house and within My walls a place and a name, a good better than sons and daughters; I will give them a name of eternity that shall not be cut off (Isa. 56:3-5); here a "eunuch" denotes the natural man as to good, and the "son of the stranger" the natural man as to truth; for the church of the Lord is external and internal, and they who are of the external church are natural, while they who are of the internal church are spiritual. They who are natural, and yet are in good, are "eunuchs," and they who are in truth are the "sons of the stranger;" and as the truly spiritual or internal are to be found only within the church, therefore also by the "sons of the stranger" are signified those who are outside the church, or the Gentiles, and yet are in truth according to their religiosity (n. 2049, 2593, 2599, 2600, 2602, 2603, 2861, 2863, 3263); and by "eunuchs," those who are in good.

Over the prince of the butlers, and over the prince of the bakers. That this signifies in general from the sensuous things subordinate to the intellectual part and to the will part, is evident from the signification of a "butler," as being the sensuous subordinate and subject to the intellectual part (of which above, n. 5077); and from the signification of a "baker," as being the sensuous subordinate and subject to the will part (of which also above, n. 5078); and from the signification of a "prince," as being what is primary (see n. 1482, 2089, 5044), here in general or in common; for what is primary is also common, because it rules in the rest; for particulars bear relation to primaries as to generals, in order that they may make a one and that no contradiction should appear.

And he put them into the custody. That this signifies rejection, is evident from the signification of "putting into custody," as being rejection; for he who is put into custody is rejected.

Of the house of the prince of the guards. That this signifies by those things which are primary for interpretation, is evident from the signification of the "prince of the guards," as being what is primary for interpretation (n. 4790, 4966). Here therefore the signification is that the sensuous things of both kinds were rejected by the things primary for interpretation, namely those which are of the Word as to the internal sense; and these sensuous things are said to be rejected when they have no faith in such things; for sensuous things and those which by their means enter immediately into the thought, are fallacious, and all the fallacies which prevail in man are from this source. It is from these that few believe the truths of faith, and that the natural man is opposed to the spiritual, that is, the external man to the internal; and therefore if the natural or external man begins to rule over the spiritual or internal man, the things of faith are no longer believed; for fallacies overshadow and cupidities suffocate them. [2] As few know what the fallacies of the senses are, and few believe that they induce so great a shade on rational things, and most of all on the spiritual things of faith, even so as to extinguish them, especially when the man is at the same time in the delight of the cupidities from the love of self and the love of the world, the subject may be illustrated by examples, showing first what are the fallacies of the senses which are merely natural, or in those things which are in nature, and then what are the fallacies of the senses in spiritual things. (1) It is a fallacy of merely natural sense, or that which is in nature, to believe that the sun revolves once each day around this earth, and also the sky with all the stars; and although it is said that it is incredible-because impossible-that so great an ocean of fire as is the sun, and not only the sun but also innumerable stars, should revolve around the earth once every day without any change of place relatively to one another, and although it is added that it may be seen from the planets that the earth performs a daily and annual motion by rotation and revolution, the planets also being earths, some of them with moons revolving around them, and making - as is known by observation - daily and annual motions like our earth; nevertheless with very many persons the fallacy of sense prevails, that it is as it appears to the eye. [3] (2) It is a fallacy of merely natural sense, or that which is in nature, that there is only a single atmosphere, and that this is merely successively purer from one portion to another, and that where it ceases there is a vacuum. When only the external sensuous of man is consulted, it apprehends no otherwise. (3) It is a fallacy of merely natural sense, that from the first creation there has been impressed on seeds a property of growing up into trees and flowers, and of reproducing themselves, and that from this is the coming into existence and subsistence of all things. And if it is urged that it is not possible for anything to subsist unless it perpetually comes into existence, according to the law that subsistence is a perpetual coming into existence, and also that everything not connected with something prior to itself falls into nothing, still the sensuous of the body and the thought from this sensuous does not apprehend it, nor that each and all things subsist in the same way that they came into existence, by influx from the spiritual world, that is to say through the spiritual world from the Divine. [4] (4) Hence it is a fallacy of merely natural sense that there are simple substances, which are monads and atoms; for whatever is within the range of the external sensuous, the natural man believes to be a simple substance, or else nothing. (5) It is a fallacy of merely natural sense that all things are of nature and from nature, and that there indeed is something in purer or interior nature which is not apprehended; but if it is said that within or above nature there is what is spiritual and celestial, this is rejected; and it is believed that if it is not natural, it is nothing. (6) It is a fallacy of sense that only the body lives, and that its life perishes when it dies. The sensuous does not at all apprehend that the internal man is in every particular of the external man, and that the internal man is within nature, and in the spiritual world; hence it does not believe, because it does not apprehend, that the internal man will live after death unless it is again clothed with the body (n. 5078, 5079). [5] (7) Hence it is a fallacy of sense that man cannot live after death any more than the beasts, because these also have a life similar in many respects to that of man, man being only a more perfect animal. The sensuous, that is, the man who thinks and draws conclusions therefrom, does not apprehend that man is above the beasts and has a higher life, because he can think not only about the causes of things, but also about the Divine, and can by faith and love be conjoined with the Divine, and also receive influx therefrom and make it his own, thus that as there is reciprocity in man there is also reception, as is by no means the case with beasts. [6] (8) It is a fallacy thence derived that the very living part of man, which is called the soul, is merely something ethereal, or flamy, which is dissipated when the man dies; and that it resides in the heart, or in the brain, or in some part of this, and from thence rules the body as if this were a machine. That the internal man is in every part of the external man, and that the eye does not see from itself, nor the ear hear from itself, but from the internal man, the sensuous man does not apprehend. (9) It is a fallacy of sense that light, and also heat, can come from no other source than the sun or elementary fire. That there is light in which is intelligence, and heat in which is heavenly love, and that all the angels are in this light and heat, the sensuous does not apprehend. (10) It is a fallacy of sense that man believes that he lives of himself, or that life has been imparted to him; for so it appears to the sensuous mind. That it is the Divine alone which has life of itself, and thus that there is only one life, and that the lives in the world are only recipient forms, the sensuous mind does not at all apprehend (see n. 1954, 2706, 2886-2889, 2893, 3001, 3318, 3337, 3338, 3484, 3742, 3743, 4151, 4249, 4318-4320, 4417, 4523, 4524, 4882). [7] (11) The sensuous man believes from fallacy that adulteries are allowable; for from the sensuous he concludes that marriages are instituted merely in behalf of order for the sake of the education of the offspring; and that so long as this order is not destroyed, it is immaterial from whom the offspring comes; and also that what is of marriage differs from lasciviousness merely in its being allowed; thus also that it would not be contrary to order to marry more than one wife, if it were not forbidden by the Christian world from Holy Scripture. If they are told that there is a correspondence between the heavenly marriage and marriages on earth, and that no one can have in himself anything of marriage unless he is in spiritual truth and good, also that genuine marriage cannot possibly exist between a husband and several wives, and hence that marriages are in themselves holy, these things are rejected by the sensuous man as of no account. (12) It is a fallacy of sense that the Lord's kingdom, or heaven, resembles an earthly kingdom in respect that the joy and happiness there consist in one being greater than another, and hence having more glory than another; for the sensuous does not at all comprehend what is meant by the least being greatest, or the last first. If they are told that joy in heaven or to the angels consists in serving others by benefiting them, without any thought of merit or recompense, this strikes them as something sad. (13) It is a fallacy of sense that good works merit reward, and that to benefit anyone for the sake of self is a good work. (14) It is also a fallacy of sense that man is saved by faith alone, and that faith can exist in one who has no charity, and also that it is the faith, and not the life, that remains after death. In like manner in very many other instances. When therefore what is sensuous rules in man, the rational enlightened from the Divine sees nothing and is in thick darkness, and it is then believed that everything is rational which is concluded from what is sensuous.

Unto the prison house. That this signifies among falsities, is evident from the signification of a "prison house," as being the vastation of falsity, and hence falsity (n. 4958, 5037, 5038).

The place where Joseph was bound. That this signifies the state of the celestial of the natural now as to these things, is evident from the signification of "place," as being state (see n. 2625, 2837, 3356, 3387, 4321, 4882); from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual from the rational (n. 4286, 4585, 4592, 4594, 4963), here the celestial of the natural, because now in the natural from which are temptations (n. 5035, 5039); and from the signification of "being bound," as being a state of temptations (see n. 5037). In the foregoing chapter the subject treated of is the state of temptations of the celestial of the spiritual in the natural as to those things which were of the interior natural, and here as to those things which are of the exterior natural.

And the prince of the guards set Joseph over them. That this signifies that the celestial of the natural taught them from things primary for interpretation, is evident from the signification of the "prince of the guards," as being things primary for interpretation (n. 4790, 4966, 5084); from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the natural (of which just above, n. 5086); and from the signification of "to be set over," as here being to teach; for he who for the purpose of exploration or amendment is set over those things which are being rejected, performs the office of a teacher.

And he ministered to them. That this signifies that he instructed them, is evident from the signification of "ministering," as being to instruct. That "ministering" does not here mean ministering as a servant, is evident from the fact that Joseph was set over them, and therefore "to minister" here denotes to furnish the things which would be of benefit to them; and because the subject here treated of is the new natural or external sensuous, by "being set over" is signified to teach, and by "ministering" is signified to instruct. "To be set over" is predicated of the good which is of life; and to "minister" of the truth which is of doctrine (n. 4976).

And they were for days in custody. That this signifies that they were long in a state of rejection, is evident from the signification of "days," as being states (see n. 23, 487, 488, 493, 893, 2788, 3462, 3785, 4850); here therefore "for days" means that they were long in the state of rejection which is signified by "custody" (n. 5083). The particulars which are contained in the internal sense cannot be here set forth more fully, because they are of such a nature that no idea can be formed of them from the things in this world; as for instance of the celestial of the spiritual man, and of its state in the natural when the interior natural is being made new, and afterward, when it has been made new and the exterior natural is rejected. But of these and similar things an idea may be formed from the things in heaven, which idea is such that it does not fall into any idea formed from the things in this world, except with those who while in thought can be withdrawn from sensuous things. [2] Unless man's thought can be elevated above sensuous things, so that these are seen as below him, he cannot understand any interior thing in the Word, still less such things as are of heaven abstracted from those which are of the world; for sensuous things absorb and suffocate them. It is for this reason that those who are sensuous and have zealously devoted themselves to getting knowledges, rarely apprehend anything of the things of heaven; for they have immersed their thoughts in such things as are of the world, that is, in terms and distinctions drawn from these, thus in sensuous things, from which they can no longer be elevated and thus kept in a point of view above them; thus neither can their thought be any longer freely extended over the whole field of the things of the memory, so as to select what agrees and reject what is in opposition, and apply whatever is in connection; for as already said their thought is kept closed and immersed in terms, and thus in sensuous things, so that it cannot look around. This is the reason why the learned believe less than the simple, and are even less wise in heavenly things; for the simple can look at a thing above terms and above mere knowledges, thus above sensuous things; whereas the learned cannot do so, but look at everything from terms and knowledges, their mind being fixed in these things, and thus bound as in jail or in prison.

Verses 5-8. And they dreamed a dream both of them, each his dream in one night, each according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were bound in the prison house. And Joseph came unto them in the morning, and saw them, and behold they were troubled. And he asked Pharaoh's courtministers that were with him in the custody of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore are your faces evil today? And they said unto him, we have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it me, I pray. "And they dreamed a dream both of them," signifies foresight concerning them; "each his dream in one night," signifies concerning the event which to them was in obscurity; "each according to the interpretation of his dream," signifies which they had in themselves; "the butler and the baker," signifies concerning the sensuous things of both kinds; "of the king of Egypt," signifies which were subordinate to the interior natural; "who were bound in the prison house," signifies which were among falsities; "and Joseph came unto them in the morning," signifies revealed and clear to the celestial of the natural; "and saw them," signifies perception; "and behold they were troubled," signifies that they were in a sad state; "and he asked Pharaoh's court ministers" signifies the sensuous things in question; "that were with him in the custody of his lord's house," signifies which were rejected; "saying, Wherefore are your faces evil today?" signifies from what affection was this sadness; "and they said unto him," signifies perception concerning these things; "We have dreamed a dream," signifies prediction; "and there is no interpreter of it," signifies that no one knows what is in them; "and Joseph said unto them," signifies the celestial of the natural; "Do not interpretations belong to God?" signifies that the Divine is in these things; "tell it me, I pray," signifies that it should be known.

And they dreamed a dream both of them. That this signifies foresight concerning them, is evident from the signification of a "dream," as being foresight (n. 3698); "both of them," denotes the sensuous things of both kinds signified by "the butler and the baker." That the dreams were concerning these things is plain from the following verses. That a "dream" in the supreme sense denotes foresight, is because dreams which flow in immediately through heaven from the Lord foretell things to come. Such were the dreams of Joseph, the dreams of the butler and the baker, the dream of Pharaoh, the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, and prophetic dreams in general. The things to come which are foretold by such dreams are from no other source than the Lord's Divine foresight. Hence also it may be known that all things both in general and in particular are foreseen.

Each his dream in one night. That this signifies concerning the event which to them was in obscurity, is evident from the signification of a "dream," as being foresight, and hence prediction, and because it signifies prediction, it also signifies the event, for prediction is concerning the event; and from the signification of "night," as being obscurity. "Night" in the spiritual sense signifies a state of shade brought on by falsity from evil (n. 1712, 2353), thus also obscurity, namely, of the mind. The obscurity of night in the world is natural obscurity; but the obscurity of night in the other life is spiritual obscurity. The former arises from the absence of the sun of this world and the deprivation of light therefrom, but the latter from the absence of the sun of heaven which is the Lord, and the deprivation of light (that is, of intelligence) therefrom. This deprivation does not arise from the sun of heaven setting, like the sun of the world, but from a man or spirit being in falsity from evil, and removing himself, and thus bringing obscurity upon himself. From the mere idea of night and its obscurity in both senses, it is evident how the spiritual sense stands relatively to the natural sense of this same thing. Moreover, spiritual obscurity is threefold, one kind being from the falsity of evil, the second from ignorance of truth, and the third is that of exterior things relatively to interior things, thus of the sensuous things of the external man relatively to the rational things of the internal man. All these kinds of obscurity however, arise from the fact that the light of heaven (or intelligence and wisdom from the Lord) is not received; for this light is continually flowing in, but it is rejected, suffocated, or perverted by the falsity of evil; is but little received by ignorance of truth; and is dulled by being made general by the sensuous things of the external man.

Each according to the interpretation of his dream. That this signifies which they had in themselves (namely, the event), is evident from the signification of the "interpretation of a dream," as being the unfolding of it, and hence the knowledge of the event, thus the event which they had in themselves. That a "dream" denotes the event may be seen just above (n. 5092).

The butler and the baker. That this signifies concerning the sensuous things of both kinds, is evident from the signification of a "butler," as being the sensuous subordinate to the intellectual part (see n. 5077); and from the signification of a "baker," as being the sensuous subordinate to the will part (n. 5078). That these were rejected by the interior natural has been said above (n. 5083, 5089). Be it known, however, that it was not the sensuous things themselves-namely, those of the sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch-that were rejected, for from these the body lives; but it was the views or thoughts, and also the affections and desires, from them. Objects from the world enter into the external or natural memory of man through these sensuous things on the one hand, and objects through rational things on the other. These objects separate themselves in his memory. Those which have entered through rational things take a more interior place, but those which have entered through the sensuous things have a more exterior place; hence as before said the natural becomes twofold, interior and exterior. [2] The interior natural is what is represented by Pharaoh the king of Egypt, but the exterior natural by the butler and the baker. What the difference is may be seen from their respective views of things, or thoughts, and the conclusions thence derived. One who thinks and concludes from the interior natural is so far rational as he imbibes what enters through the rational; but one who thinks and concludes from the exterior natural, is so far sensuous as he imbibes what enters from sensuous things. Such a man is also called a sensuous man, but the other a rational man. When a man dies he takes with him all the natural; and such as it has been formed with him in the world, such it remains; insofar as he has become imbued with what is from the rational, insofar he is rational; and insofar as he has become imbued with what is from the sensuous, so far he is sensuous. The difference is that insofar as the natural has drawn and appropriated to itself what is from the rational, so far it looks at as beneath itself the sensuous things of the exterior natural, and insofar it has dominion over them, deeming worthless and rejecting the fallacies thence derived, whereas insofar as the natural has drawn and appropriated to itself anything from the sensuous things of the body, so far it looks at rational things as beneath itself, deeming them worthless and rejecting them. [3] For example, the rational natural man can comprehend that man does not live from himself, but by an influx of life through heaven from the Lord; but the sensuous man cannot comprehend this, for he says that he plainly feels and perceives that life is in himself, and that it is idle to speak contrary to the evidence of the senses. As another example: the rational natural man comprehends that there is a heaven and a hell, whereas the sensuous man denies this, because he does not apprehend that there is any purer world than that which he sees with his eyes. The rational natural man comprehends that there are spirits and angels who are unseen; but the sensuous man does not comprehend this, supposing that to be nothing which he does not see and touch. [4] As still another example: the rational natural man comprehends that it is the part of an intelligent man to look at ends, and to foresee and to dispose the means to some ultimate end. When he looks at nature from the order of things, he sees that nature is a complex of means, and he then perceives that a Supreme Being of intelligence has disposed them; but to what ultimate end he does not see unless he becomes spiritual. On the other hand the sensuous man does not comprehend that there can be anything distinct from nature, thus neither that there can be any Entity which is above nature. What it is to understand, to be wise, to look at ends, and to dispose means, he does not apprehend unless it is called natural; and when it is called natural, he has an idea of these operations like that which an artificer has of an automaton. From these few instances it may be seen what is meant by the interior natural and the exterior natural, and also what by sensuous things being rejected; namely, not the rejection of the things of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, in the body, but of the conclusions therefrom concerning interior things.

Of the king of Egypt. That this signifies which were subordinate to the interior natural, is evident from the representation of Pharaoh or the king of Egypt in this chapter, as being a new state of the natural (n. 5079, 5080), consequently the interior natural, for this was made new. What the interior natural is, and what the exterior, may be seen just above (n. 5094). What is the nature of the internal sense in the historic and prophetic portions of the Word, must be briefly told. Where several persons are mentioned in the historic sense-as here Joseph, Pharaoh, the prince of the guards, the butler and the baker-in the internal sense they indeed signify various things; but only in one person. The reason is that names signify things, as for instance Joseph here represents the Lord as to the celestial spiritual from the rational and also in the natural, Pharaoh represents Him as to the new state of the natural or as to the interior natural, the butler and the baker represent Him as to those things which are of the exterior natural. Such is the internal sense; and it is the same in other places, as where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are mentioned. In the sense of the letter these are three persons, but in the supreme sense all three represent the Lord-Abraham the Divine Itself, Isaac the Divine intellectual, and Jacob His Divine natural. It is the same in the prophets, where sometimes the narration consists of mere names, such as those of persons, kingdoms, or cities, and yet in the internal sense these names together present and describe one thing. One who is not aware of this may easily be led away by the sense of the letter into thinking of a variety of things, and thus the idea of one thing is dissipated.

Who were bound in the prison house. That this signifies which were among falsities, is evident from the signification of "being bound in a prison house," as being to be among falsities (see n. 4958, 5037, 5038, 5085). They who are in falsities, and still more they who are in evils, are said to be "bound," and in "prison"-not that they are in any bond, but for the reason that they are not in freedom, for those who are not in freedom are interiorly bound. For they who have confirmed themselves in falsity are no longer in any freedom to choose and receive truth; and they who have much confirmed themselves therein are not even in freedom to see truth, still less to acknowledge and believe it; for they are in the persuasion that falsity is truth, and truth falsity. This persuasion is such that it takes away all freedom to think anything else, and consequently holds the very thought in bonds and as it were in prison. This has become evident to me from much experience with those in the other life who have been in persuasion of falsity through confirmations in themselves. [2] They are such as not at all to admit truths, but to reflect or strike them back again, and this with hardness according to the degree of the persuasion, especially when the falsity is from evil, or when evil has persuaded them. These are they who are meant in the Lord's parable in Matthew: Some seeds fell upon the hard way, and the birds came and devoured them (Matt. 13:4); the "seeds" are Divine truths; the "hard rock" is persuasion; the "birds" are principles of falsity. They who are such do not even know that they are in bonds or in prison, for they are affected with their own falsity, and love it for the sake of the evil from which it springs; hence they suppose that they are in freedom, for whatever is of the affection or love appears free. But they who are not in confirmed falsity-that is, in the persuasion of falsity-easily admit truths, and see and choose them, and are affected with them, and afterward see falsities as it were beneath themselves, and also see how they who are in the persuasion of falsity are bound. These are in so much freedom that in view and thought they can as it were range through the whole heaven to innumerable truths; but no one can be in this freedom unless he is in good; for from good man is in heaven, and in heaven truths appear from good.

And Joseph came unto them in the morning. That this signifies revealed and clear to the celestial of the spiritual, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 4286, 4592, 4963); and from the signification of "morning," as being a state of enlightenment, (n. 3458), thus what is revealed and clear. That "morning" has this signification is because all times of the day, like all times of the year, signify various states in accordance with the variations of the light of heaven. The variations of the light of heaven are not variations like those of the light of the world every day and every year, but are variations of intelligence and love; for the light of heaven is nothing else than Divine intelligence from the Lord, which is bright before the eyes; and the heat of this light is the Lord's Divine love, which is warm to the sense. It is this light which gives man understanding, and this heat which gives him vital warmth and a will of good. Morning in heaven is a state of enlightenment as to those things which are of good and truth, which state exists when it is acknowledged, and still more when it is perceived, that good is good and that truth is truth. Perception is internal revelation; hence by the "morning" is signified what is revealed; and because then that becomes clear which before was obscure, by "morning" is also signified what is clear. [2] Moreover, by "morning" is signified in the supreme sense the Lord Himself, for the reason that the Lord is the Sun from which comes all the light in heaven, and He is always in the rising, thus in the morning. Moreover, He is always rising with everyone who receives the truth which is of faith and the good which is of love, but He is setting with everyone who does not receive these-not that the Sun there sets, for as just said He is always in the rising; but that he who does not receive, causes Him as it were to set with himself. This may be compared in some degree to the changes of the sun of this world in respect to the inhabitants of the earth; for neither does this sun set, since it always remains in its place and is always shining thence; but it appears as if it set, because the earth rotates about its axis once every day, and at the same time removes its inhabitant from the sight of the sun (see n. 5084); and therefore the setting is not in the sun, but in the removal of the inhabitant of the earth from its light. This comparison is illustrative; and because in every part of nature there is something representative of the Lord's kingdom, it also instructs us that the deprivation of the light of heaven-that is, of intelligence and wisdom-does not take place because the Lord, who is the Sun of intelligence and wisdom, sets with anyone, but because the inhabitant of His kingdom removes himself, that is, suffers himself to be led by the hell by which he is removed.

And saw them. That this signifies perception, is evident from the signification of "seeing," as being to understand and perceive (n. 2150, 3764, 4567, 4723).

And behold they were troubled. That this signifies that they were in a sad state, is evident without explication.

And he asked Pharaoh's court ministers. That this signifies the sensuous things in question, is evident from the signification of "Pharaoh's court ministers" as being the sensuous things of both kinds-those which are subordinate to the intellectual part, and those which are subordinate to the will part (of which above, n. 5081).

Footnotes

5072-1 That which Swedenborg calls the sensuous region of the natural degree of the mind (Divine Love and Wisdom n. 254:3), or more briefly "the sensuous (sensuale)," is the lowest or ultimate of man's life (Arcana Coelestia n. 9996); and what he calls "sensuous things (sensualia)," are those which belong to this lowest region of the mind. [Reviser.]