Spiritual Meaning of GENESIS 50:7-9
[2] That "princes" signify the primary truths which are of intelligence, may be seen above (n. 1482, 2089, 5044); but that "elders" signified the chief things of wisdom, and "old men," wisdom, is plain from the following passages. In David:--
Let them extol Jehovah in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders (Ps. 107:32);
where the "congregation of the people" denotes those who are in the truths that belong to intelligence, "congregation" being predicated of truths (n. 6355), and also "people" (n. 1259, 1260, 2928, 3295, 3581); and the "assembly of the elders" denotes those who are in good, which is of wisdom; for wisdom is of life, thus of good, but intelligence is of knowledges, thus of truth (n. 1555). Again:--
I am wiser than the elders, because I have kept Thy commandments (Ps. 119:100);
where the "elders" manifestly denote him who is wise. So in Job:--
In old men there is wisdom, and in length of days intelligence (Job 12:12).
In Moses:--
Thou shalt rise up before the grey head, and honor the faces of the old man (Lev. 19:32);
this was commanded because old men represented wisdom.
[3] In John:--
Upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, who had golden crowns upon their heads (Rev. 4:4);
"elders" denote the things which belong to wisdom, thus those which belong to good; that "elders" denote these things is evident from the description--that they "sat on thrones, were clothed in white garments, and had crowns of gold on their heads;" for "thrones" denote the truths of intelligence from the good of wisdom (n. 5313); in like manner "white garments". "Garments" are truths, (n. 1073, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5954); and "white" is predicated of truth, (n. 3301, 5319). "Golden crowns upon their heads" denote the goods of wisdom; for "gold" is the good of love (n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658), and the "head" is the celestial, where is wisdom (n. 4938, 4939, 5328, 6436). They are called "wise" who are in the third or inmost heaven, thus who are nearest the Lord; but they are called "intelligent" who are in the middle or second heaven, thus who are not so near the Lord.
[4] Again:--
All the angels stood round about the throne, and the elders, and the four animals (Rev. 7:11);
where also "elders" denote the things that belong to wisdom. So in the following passages. In Isaiah:--
The child will puff himself up against the old man, and the despised against the honored one (Isa. 3:5);
Again:--
Jehovah Zebaoth shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before His elders shall be glory (Isa. 24:23).
In Jeremiah:--
My priests and mine elders expired in the city, because they have sought food for themselves wherewith to refresh their soul (Lam. 1:19).
Again:--
Her king and her princes are among the nations, the law is not; the elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the earth, they keep silence (Lam. 2:9, 10).
Again:--
They ravished the women in Zion, the virgins in the cities of Judah; princes were hanged up by their hand; the faces of the old were not honored; the elders have ceased from the gate (Lam. 5:11, 12, 14).
In Ezekiel:--
Misery shall come upon misery, and rumor shall be upon rumor; therefore they shall seek a vision from the prophet; but the law hath perished from the priest, and counsel from the elders. The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with amazement (Ezek. 7:26, 27).
In Zechariah:--
There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for multitude of days (Zech. 8:4).
That the elders might represent the things that belong to wisdom, the spirit of Moses was taken and given them, whence they prophesied (Num. 11:16). In the opposite sense "elders" denote the things that are contrary to wisdom (Ezek. 8:11, 12).
. And all the elders of the land of Egypt. That this signifies that were in agreement with truth, is evident from the signification of "elders," as being the chief things of wisdom, thus those which agree with good (n. 6524), here those which agree with truth, for the things which agree with good, agree also with truth; and from the signification of the "land of Egypt," as being the natural mind where memory-knowledges are (n. 5276, 5278, 5280, 5288, 5301), thus also where truths are, for memory-knowledges are the truths of the natural mind, and when they are true, they are called truths of memory-knowledge. . And all the house of Joseph. That this signifies the celestial things of the spiritual, is evident from the representation of Joseph, as being the celestial of the spiritual (n. 4286, 4592, 4963, 5307, 5331, 5332); hence the "house of Joseph" denotes the celestial things of the spiritual. . And his brethren. That this signifies the truths thence derived, is evident from the representation of the sons of Israel, who here are the "brethren of Joseph," as being spiritual truths (n. 5414, 5879, 5951) which truths are also from the internal celestial which is "Joseph," but through spiritual good, which is "Israel." . And his father‘s house. That this signifies spiritual good, is evident from the representation of Israel, who here is the "father," as being spiritual good (n. 3654, 4598, 5801, 5803, 5806, 5812, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5833); hence his "house" denotes all those things in the complex that belong to this good. . Only their babes. That this signifies innocence, is evident from the signification of "babes," as being innocence (n. 430, 3183, 5608). . And their flocks. That this signifies charity, is evident from the signification of "flocks," as being the interior good of charity (n. 5913, 6048). . And their herds. That this signifies the practices of charity, is evident from the signification of "herds," as being the exterior goods of charity (n. 2566, 5913, 6048); thus the practices thereof, for these are the exterior goods of charity. . They left in the land of Goshen. That this signifies that these were in the inmost of the memory-knowledges of the church, is evident from the signification of the "land of Goshen," as being the middle or inmost in the natural, where are the memory-knowledges of the church (n. 5910, 6028, 6031, 6068). That the goods of innocence and charity, interior and exterior (n. 6529-6531), were in that inmost, is signified by their "leaving the little ones, the flocks, and the herds, in the land of Goshen;" for wherever things are left, there they are; thus by "they left" in the internal sense is not here signified leaving, but being there, namely, in the inmost of the memory-knowledges of the church, which is "the land of Goshen." . And there went up with him both chariots. That this signifies doctrinal things, is evident from the signification of "chariots," as being doctrinal things (n. 5321, 5945). . And horsemen. That this signifies intellectual things, is evident from the signification of "horsemen," as being things that belong to the intellect, for by a "horse" is signified the intellectual (n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321, 6125). That "horsemen" denote things that belong to the intellect or understanding, may be seen further from the following passages:--Jehovah alone did lead him; He made him ride upon the high places of the earth (Deut. 32:12, 13);
speaking of the Ancient Church; "to make him ride upon the high places of the earth" denotes to endow with higher understanding.
[2] In David:--
In thine honor mount up, and ride upon the Word of truth, and of gentleness, and of righteousness, and thy right hand shall teach thee wonderful things (Ps. 45:4);
speaking of the Lord; "riding upon the Word of truth" denotes being in the very understanding of truth. Again:--
Sing to God, praise ye His name; extol Him that rideth upon the clouds by His name Jah (Ps. 68:4);
this also is said of the Lord; the "clouds" denote the literal sense of the Word (n. 2135a, 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343); "to ride upon them" is to be in the internal sense, where truth is in its intelligence and wisdom.
[3] In Zechariah:--
In that day I will smite every horse with amazement, and his rider with madness, and I will open Mine eye upon the house of Judah; but will smite every horse of the peoples with blindness (Zech 12:4);
where "horse" denotes the intellectual; and "rider," the intellect. Who does not see that "horse" here does not mean horse, nor "rider" rider; but that something is signified which can be smitten with amazement and madness, also with blindness? That this pertains to the understanding is obvious.
[4] That by "horses" and "horsemen" are signified intellectual things, and in the opposite sense reasonings and falsities thence derived, may be seen in John:--
I saw and behold a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow, and there was given unto him a crown, and he went forth conquering. And there went forth another horse that was red, and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another, and there was given unto him a great sword. I saw and behold a black horse, and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand. And I saw and behold a pale horse, and him that sat upon it, whose name was Death (Rev. 6:2-8);
that here the "horses" and "they that sat upon them" signify such things as belong to the understanding of truth, and in the opposite sense such things as belong to falsity, is evident from all the details. The "white horse and he that sat thereon" denote the understanding of truth from the Word. That "he who sat upon the white horse" is the Lord as to the Word, is said in plain words (Rev. 19:11, 13, 16). The "red horse and he that sat thereon" denote reasonings from the cupidities of evil, whereby violence is done to truths from the Word; the "black horse and he that sat thereon" denote the intellectual of truth extinguished; and the "pale horse and he that sat upon it" denote the consequent damnation.
[5] In the opposite sense "horses" and "horsemen" denote the intellect perverted; and the consequent falsities, as in Ezekiel:--
Oholah committed whoredom under Me, and she doted on her lovers, governors and leaders, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses. Her sister Oholibah loved the sons of Asshur, governors and leaders, her neighbors, clothed in perfect attire, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men (Ezek. 23:5, 6, 12);
"Oholah" denotes the perverted spiritual church, which is "Samaria;" and "Oholibah" the perverted celestial church, which is "Jerusalem;" for the Israelites who were of Samaria represented the spiritual church, but the Jews who were of Jerusalem represented the celestial church. The "Assyrians" and "sons of Asshur" denote reasoning against the truths of faith (n. 1186);" horsemen riding on horses" denote the understanding perverted, whence come falsities.
[6] And in Habakkuk:--
I stir up the Chaldeans, a bitter and hasty nation, that goeth into the breadth of the earth, to inherit habitations not their own; their horses are swifter than leopards, and are sharper than the evening wolves, that their horsemen may spread themselves, whence their horsemen come from far (Habakkuk 1:6, 8);
the "Chaldeans" denote those who are in falsities, but in externals appear to be in truths, thus the profanation of truth, and "Babylon" the profanation of good (n. 1182, 1368). "Going into the breadth of the earth" denotes to destroy truths. The "breadth of the earth" is truth, (n. 3433, 3434, 4482). Hence it is evident that the "horsemen who spread themselves and come from far" denote the things that belong to perverted understanding, thus falsities.
. And the army was exceeding great. That this signifies truths and goods conjoined, is evident from the signification of "army," as being truths and goods (n. 3448); and as here the truths and goods signified by the "elders of the house of Pharaoh" and the "elders of the land of Egypt," and by the house of Joseph" and his "brethren" and also by the "house of their father," were together, therefore by "an exceeding great army" are here signified truths and goods conjoined. GENESIS 50:7-9 previous - next - text - summary - Genesis - Full Page
| Author: E. Swedenborg (1688-1772). | Design: I.J. Thompson, Feb 2002. | www.BibleMeanings.info |