4986. Verses 7-9 And it happened after these events, that his lord's wife lifted up her eyes towards Joseph and said, Lie with me. And he refused and said to his lord's wife, Behold, my lord does not concern himself with anythinga in the house, and all that he has he has given into my hand. He himself is no greater in this house than I am, and he has not held back anything from me except yourself, in that you are his wife. How then shall I do this great evil, and sin against God?
'And it happened after these events' means a third state. 'That his lord's wife lifted up her eyes towards Joseph' means unspiritual natural truth wedded to natural good, and its perception. 'And said, Lie with me' means that it desired a joining together. 'And he refused' means an aversion. 'And he said to his lord's wife' means a perception regarding that truth. 'Behold, my lord does not concern himself with anything in the house' means that natural good did not have even the desire to make anything its own. 'And all that he has he has given into my hand' means that everything was subject to its power and control. 'He himself is no greater in this house than I am' means that that good is prior in respect of time but not of state. 'And he has not held back anything from me except yourself' means that becoming joined to the truth wedded to that good was forbidden. 'In that you are his wife' means because this truth must not be joined to any other good. 'How then shall I do this great evil, and sin against God?' means that, this being so, they exist set apart and not joined together.
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