Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 12:14-15
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AC 1478. Verse 14. And it came to pass when Abram was come into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. "It came to pass when Abram was come into Egypt," signifies when the Lord began to be instructed; "and the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful," signifies that the memory-knowledge of knowledges is of such a nature as to be highly pleasing to itself.

AC 1479. It came to pass when Abram was come into Egypt. That this signifies when the Lord began to be instructed, is evident from the representation of Abram, which in the internal sense is the Lord when a child; and from the signification of "Egypt," as being the memory-knowledge of knowledges, as before shown, at (verse 10). Hence it is evident that "to come into Egypt‘ is to be instructed.

AC 1480. And the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. That this signifies that the memory-knowledge of knowledges is of such a nature as to be highly pleasing to itself, is evident from what was before said, at (verse 11), that such is the nature of memory-knowledge during childhood; for this is as it were innate in memory-knowledge, because it is innate in man, that at the very first it pleases for no other end than for the sake of knowing. Such is every man; his spirit is greatly delighted to know, so that there is scarcely anything it desires more; this is its food, by which it is sustained and refreshed, as the external man is by earthly food. This sustenance, which is that of his spirit, is communicated to the external man, to the end that this may be adapted to the internal man. But the various foods succeed one another in the following order: celestial food is all the good of love and charity from the Lord; spiritual food is all the truth of faith: on these foods the angels live; and from them comes forth the food, likewise celestial and spiritual, but of a lower angelic degree, on which angelic spirits live; from this again there comes a still lower celestial and spiritual food, which is that of reason and thence of memory-knowledge, on which good spirits live; and lastly comes corporeal food, which is proper to man while he lives in the body. These foods correspond to one another in a wonderful manner. From this it is also evident why and how memory-knowledge is very pleasing to itself; for the case therewith is the same as it is with appetite and taste and therefore eating, with man, corresponds to memory-knowledges in the world of spirits; and appetite and taste themselves correspond to the desire for these knowledges; as is evident from experience, concerning which, of the Lord’s Divine mercy hereafter.

AC 1481. Verse 15. And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken to Pharaoh‘s house. "The princes of Pharaoh saw her," signifies the primary precepts, which are "the princes of Pharaoh;" "and they praised her to Pharaoh," signifies that they were pleasing; "and the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house," signifies that they captivated the lower mind (animus).

AC 1482. The princes of Pharaoh saw her. That this signifies the primary precepts, which are "the princes of Pharaoh," is evident from the signification of "princes," and of "Pharaoh." In both the historical and prophetical parts of the Word, "princes" signify the things which are primary; and "Pharaoh" signifies the same as "Egypt;" and here "Egypt," or "Pharaoh," is used in the best sense, because predicated of the memory-knowledge of knowledges which the Lord first acquired in childhood. That they were primary precepts from the Word, is evident from the signification of these things in the internal sense. That, speaking generally, by "Pharaoh" in the Word is signified the same as by "Egypt," may be confirmed from many passages; as also that by the kings of other kingdoms, who are named, the same is signified as by the names of the kingdoms; but by "princes" are signified their primary things, as in Isaiah:--

AC 1483. And they praised her to Pharaoh. That this signifies that they were pleasing, may be seen without explication.

AC 1484. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh‘s house. That this signifies that they captivated the lower mind, is evident from the signification of "woman," and from the signification of "house." A "woman" signifies truth, here the truth that was in the memory-knowledges with the delights of which the Lord was captivated in childhood. The delights of truth are those which come from the intellectual truth which is signified by a "sister." A "house" signifies the things that are in man, especially those which are of his will, as before shown (n. 710); here therefore those which are of the lower mind, or of the affection of knowing and learning.

Author:  E. Swedenborg (1688-1772).

Design:  I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002.

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