5455. Verses 17-20 And he shut them up in custody for three days. And Joseph said to them on the third day, Do this and you will live, [for] I fear God: If you are upright men, let one brother among you be in bonds in the house of your custody, and you, go, take corn for the famine of your houses. And bring your youngest brother to me, and your words will be verified, and you will not die. And they did so.
'And he shut them up in custody' means a separation of them from himself. For three days' means that which is complete. And Joseph said to them on the third day' means a perception of the celestial of the spiritual regarding those truths separated from itself, when completion is reached. Do this and you will live, [for] I fear God' means that so it will be if they have life from the Divine. 'If you are upright men' means if truths are indeed present within them. One brother among you is to be in bonds in the house of your custody' means that faith in the will must be separated. And you, go, take corn for the famine of your houses' means that in the meantime they will be left in freedom to consider their own interests. And bring your youngest brother to me means until the intermediary is present. 'And your words will be verified' means that in this case those truths will be exactly as they have been declared to be. 'And you will not die' means that the truths will thereby possess life. 'And they did so' means the end of this state.