Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6643

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6643. 'And Joseph was in Egypt' means that the internal celestial was within the natural. This is clear from the representation of 'Joseph' as the internal celestial, dealt with in 5869, 5877, 6224, and from the meaning of 'Egypt' as the natural, dealt with in 6147, 6252. The presence of the internal celestial within the natural, where factual knowledge resided, and its control of everything there was represented by Joseph's having been made lord over the whole land of Egypt and by his having been put in charge of Pharaoh's house. That presence of the internal celestial was represented because the internal sense had to do with the establishment of the spiritual Church and because the natural could not become the Church unless the internal celestial were there, accomplishing everything. But see what has been stated already about these matters in 6275, 6284, 6299, 6451, 6587.


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