Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6638

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6638. 'Who came to Egypt with Jacob' means after truths have been introduced into factual knowledge. This is clear from the meaning of 'Egypt' as factual knowledge, dealt with in 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125; from the representation of 'Jacob' as truth, and also good, in the natural, or the natural as regards truth and good, dealt with in 3305, 3509, 3525, 3546, 3576, 3599, 3659, 3669, 3677, 3775, 3829, 4009, 4134, 4286, 4337, 4538, 5506, 5533, 5535, 6001, 6236. The fact that 'coming to Egypt' means being introduced into factual knowledge may be recognized from the explanations of the contents in those chapters where the journeying of the sons of Jacob to Egypt to buy grain is dealt with, and after that their arrival there together with Jacob. For what the situation is when truths known to the Church are introduced into factual knowledge, see 6004, 6023, 6052, 6071, 6077 From all this it is evident that by 'the sons of Israel who came to Egypt' are meant truths that have been introduced into factual knowledge.


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