4757. And they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit. That this signifies aid from them that it might not be among falsities, is evident from the signification of "drawing and lifting up," as being to set free and thus to lend aid (of which hereafter); and from the signification of a "pit," as being falsities (n. 4728), thus that it might not be among falsities. That drawing and lifting up here denotes lending aid, is because truth is what aids good; for power is ascribed to truth, because good exercises power by means of truth (n. 3091, 3563); and moreover it is truth by which falsity is known, thus by which anyone is aided so that he be not among falsities. Hence it is that the Midianites were those who drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and the Ishmaelites were those who bought him.