Heavenly Secrets (Arcana Coelestia), Vol. VIII

[N. 5727] CHAPTER XLIV.

27. And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife This refers to Rachel, Jacob’s most beloved wife, who died giving birth to Benjamin bare me two sons:
28. And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely tearing he is torn in pieces; and I have not seen him hitherto.
29. And ye are taking this one also from my faces The phrase "from my faces" is a literal translation of the Hebrew idiom meaning "from my presence" or "from my sight", and if harm befall him, ye will make my gray hairs go down in evil to the grave.
30. And now when I come to thy servant my father, and the boy be not with us, and his soul is bound in his soul An ancient expression for a deep, inseparable emotional and spiritual bond,
31. And it shall come to pass when he seeth that the boy is not, that he will die; and thy servants will make thy servant our father’s gray hairs go down in sorrow to the grave.
32. For thy servant became surety surety: a formal guarantee or legal pledge. Judah had personally promised Jacob that he would take full responsibility for Benjamin’s safety for the boy from being with my father, saying, If I bring him not back unto thee I shall sin to my father all the days.
33. And now I pray let thy servant remain instead of the boy a servant to my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren.
34. For how shall I go up to my father and the boy be not with me? peradventure original: "peradventure" — meaning "perhaps" or "by chance" I shall see the evil that shall come upon my father.

THE CONTENTS.

5728. The subject treated of in this chapter in the internal sense: the deeper spiritual or symbolic meaning hidden beneath the literal words of the Bible is the intermediate between the internal celestial man: the highest part of the human spirit that is motivated by pure love and the external natural man: the part of the person concerned with the physical world and outward senses; and first that the internal celestial man filled the intermediate with spiritual truth from itself. The intermediate is “Benjamin,” the spiritual truth with it is “Joseph’s silver cup,” the internal celestial man is “Joseph,” and the external natural man is the “ten sons of Jacob.”

5729. The subject next treated of is the temptation of the external natural man, which continues until there is willing submission to the internal celestial. The temptation is described by their being accused, and by their returning in despair to Joseph. The willing submission is described by their all offering themselves for servants, and Judah’s offering himself to stay in Benjamin's place.