Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7450

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7450. Verses 21-28 And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, Go, sacrifice to your God in the land. And Moses said, It is ill-advised to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God. Behold, should we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? We will go a way of three daysa into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Jehovah our God, as He has said to us. And Pharaoh said, I will send you away to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in the wilderness; only you must certainly not go far away. Plead for me. And Moses said, Behold, I go out from you, and I will plead with Jehovah to remove the noxious flying insects from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only do not let Pharaoh act deceitfully again in not sending the people away to sacrifice to Jehovah. And Moses went out from Pharaoh and pleaded with Jehovah. And Jehovah did according to the word of Moses; and He removed the noxious flying insects from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one was left. And Pharaoh made his heart stubborn this time also, and did not send the people away.

'And Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron' means the presence of the law of God. 'And said, Go, sacrifice to your God in the land' means that they would not stand in the way of their worshipping their God, provided that they did so in a place near them. 'And Moses said' means the reply. 'It is ill-advised to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God' means that what was vile, foul, and hellish would enter in. 'Behold, should we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes' means that if offered in their presence Divine worship would be molested by such things. 'Will they not stone us?' means that they would thereby demolish the truths of faith that related to worship. 'We will go a way of three days into the wilderness' means that they would remove themselves altogether, so as to be in freedom. 'And sacrifice to Jehovah our God' means that then there would be worship. 'As He has said to us' means as He had commanded. 'And Pharaoh said, I will send you away to sacrifice to Jehovah your God in the wilderness' means that they would leave them and not molest them, in order that they might worship their God in freedom. 'Only you must certainly not go far away' means although they would remain nearby. 'Plead for me means that they should intercede. 'And Moses said, Behold, I go out from you ' means the removal of the appearance of God's truth among them. 'And I will plead with Jehovah' means intercession. 'To remove the noxious flying insects from Pharaoh, from his servants, [and] from his people' means in order that there may be an end to that state involving the malevolent falsities. 'Tomorrow' means for evermore. 'Only do not let Pharaoh act deceitfully again in not sending the people away to sacrifice to Jehovah' means provided that he does not deceive with lies and fail to leave, so that they may worship their God in freedom. 'And Moses went out from Pharaoh' means the removal of the appearance of God's truth among those steeped in malevolent falsities. 'And pleaded with Jehovah' means intercession. 'And Jehovah did according to the word of Moses' means that it was so done according to the Lord's word. 'And He removed the noxious flying insects from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people' means the end of this state of falsity. 'Not one was left' means a complete removal. 'And Pharaoh made his heart stubborn this time also' means obstinacy once again. 'And did not send the people away' means that they did not leave those who belonged to the spiritual Church.

Notes

a i.e. a three days' journey


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