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<< Exodus I, II:  Bondage in Egypt >>

Bondage EgyptSOME three hundred and fifty years passed by and things were changed in Egypt. Joseph had died long ago, and the Pharaoh who made him  ruler. He was one of the  Hyksos, or "shepherd" kings who came into the country from the east, and for a while ruled northern Egypt. Afterwards the native Egyptian kings from higher up the Nile grew strong and drove out the invaders and brought all Egypt, including the land of Goshen under their rule. The "new king who knew not Joseph" was one of these.

We can learn a great deal about Egypt in those days when the children of Israel were persecuted and made slaves. Many of the great temples which still stand were built at Ihal, time, and the great Rameses II., whose statues and monuments are found everywhere in Egypt, and whose very mummy is preserved, was the king who oppressed the people most cruelly.

The capital of Egypt in those days was Thebes, far up the river, but the king held court in other places, and when he was at Zoan in the Delta he was near to Goshen and the children of Israel.

The pictures on the walls of temples show us this king going to war. Other pictures show us how the poor people were made to work at making bricks and building, with masters standing over them with sticks to keep them to their lask. So the children of Israel had to build for Pharaoh the store-cities, Pithom and Raamses. These were in the part of Egypt where the children of Israel lived, and were no doubt used to store grain for Pharaoh's armies which went out to war in Asia. Pitham has been found in the eastern end of Goshen, at a place called Tel el Maskhutah. There are there remains of large chambers buried in the sand. The walls, sometimes two or three yards in thickness, are built of bricks made from the Nile mud and hardened in the sun. These are probably some of the very walls which the children of Israel were made to build. You can almost think that you see them at their work when you watch the poor Egyptians of to-day toiling in the hot sun like a swarm of ants, upon a canal or other public work.

This was the hard lot of the children of Israel when Moses was born. His mother put him in a little ark. It was a basket. The bulrushes of which it was made were stalks of papyrus, which then was plenty in the canals and marshes of Egypt. It grows tall with a fine plumy head. The pith of the stalk was cut in strips, which were laid side by side and other strips across them and pressed hard. This made the papyrus on which the Egyptians wrote, from which we have our word "paper." The basket was made tight by daubing it with pitch and with "slime,"—that is, bitumen like the asphalt used for paving streets.

The little basket was put among the flags in the margin of some branch of the Nile near Pharaoh's palace. It was probably some religious ceremony of washing which brought the daughter of Pharaoh to the river where she took  pity on the little baby.

We must think of Moses in his own mother's care as a little child. Then as a young man he lived at the palace of Pharaoh and became "learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians." (Acts vii. 22, 23.) You will learn what else happened, as we read the story, and you will find the land of Midian on the east side of the peninsula of Sinai, a long way off from Egypt.

 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already. And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour... And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive. 

And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it. And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.

And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well. Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?  And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land. And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.---Exodus I. 1-14, 22; II.

Author: William L. Worcester 1904

Spiritual Correspondences

      Egypt becomes a place of bondage >> Natural States and Pleasures rule the mind

      Moses >> Divine Commandments and the Word

      Bricks of Egypt >> Man-made facts or falsities

      Ark of rushes (papyrus) >> Protection of the Lord's word by the letter

      Moses treated kindly by Egyptians >> The Word preserved by the worldly for its natural beauty

      Midian Shepherds >> Those who obey the Word of the Lord

      Moses watered and kept the flock >> The Word strengthens their affections

Spiritual Meaning

 EXODUS I

1-5. And these are the names of the sons of Israel that came into Egypt with Jacob; a man and his house they came. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. And all the souls that came out of the thigh of Jacob were seventy souls: and Joseph was in Egypt.               
 
  "And these are the names of the sons of Israel," signifies the quality of the church; "that came into Egypt with Jacob," signifies after truths had been initiated into memory-knowledges; "a man and his house they came," signifies as to truth and as to good; "Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher," signify this process from beginning to end; "and all the souls that came out of the thigh of Jacob," signifies all things that were from general truth; "were seventy souls," signifies what is full; "and Joseph was in Egypt," signifies that the internal celestial was in the natural.
 
 6, 7. And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the sons of Israel were fruitful, and were productive, and multiplied, and became very exceeding numerous; and the land was filled with them.
 
"And Joseph died," signifies that the case would now be different with the internal of the church; "and all his brethren, and all that generation," signifies also with the external in particular and in general; "and the sons of Israel were fruitful, and were productive," signifies that the truths of the church increased as to good; "and multiplied, and became very exceeding numerous," signifies that they increased very much as to truths from good; "and the land was filled with them," signifies even to fullness of the church.
 
 8-14. And there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many and numerous more than we. Come, let us use prudence with it; 6650-1 peradventure it will be multiplied, and it will be that wars will happen, and it will also join itself to our enemies, and fight against us, and go up out of the land. And they set over it princes of tributes, in order to afflict it with burdens. And it built cities of store-houses for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses. And as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied, and so it was increased. And they were moved with loathing because of the sons of Israel. And the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve with cruelty; and they rendered their life bitter with grievous service, in clay, and in bricks, and in all service in the field, with all their service wherein they made them serve with cruelty.
 
"And there arose a new king over Egypt," signifies separated memory-knowledges which are opposed to the truths of the church; "who knew not Joseph," signifies which were completely alienated from the internal; "and he said unto his people," signifies subordinate memory-knowledges; "Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many and numerous more than we," signifies that the truths of the church prevail over alienated memory-knowledges; "come, let us use prudence with it," signifies cunning; "peradventure it will be multiplied, and it will be that wars will happen," signifies prevalence if it grows; "and it will also join itself to our enemies and fight against us," signifies that thus their companions who would occasion evil would be strengthened; "and go up out of the land," signifies that thus the church will be set up anew; "and they set over it princes of tributes," signifies falsities that would compel to serve; "to afflict it with burdens," signifies a growing worse through servitudes; "and it built cities of storehouses for Pharaoh," signifies doctrines from falsified truths in the natural where alienated memory-knowledges are; "Pithom and Raamses," signifies their quality; "and as they afflicted it, so it was multiplied," signifies that truths grew according to the infestations; "and so it increased," signifies that they were strengthened; "and they were moved with loathing because of the sons of Israel," signifies greater aversion; "and the Egyptians made the sons of Israel to serve," signifies an intention to subjugate; "with cruelty," signifies unmercifulness; "and they rendered their life bitter with grievous service," signifies until the intention to subjugate became troublesome; "in clay, and in bricks," signifies by reason of the evils which they contrived, and the falsities which they devised; "and in all service in the field," signifies the intention to subjugate directed against the things of the church; "with all their service wherein they made them serve with cruelty," signifies the intention to subjugate in many ways by reason of unmercifulness.
 
 22. And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, Every son that is born, ye shall cast him forth into the river, and every daughter ye shall keep alive.
 
 "And Pharaoh commanded all his people," signifies general influx into the memory-knowledges opposed to the truths of the church; "saying, Every son that is born, ye shall cast him forth into the river," signifies that they should immerse in falsities all truths which appear; "and every daughter ye shall keep alive," signifies that they should not assault good.

EXODUS II

1-4. And there went a man from the house of Levi, and took a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son; and she saw him, that he was good, and she hid him three months. And she could no longer hide him; and she took for him an ark of rush, and daubed it with bitumen and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and she laid him in the sedge at the bank of the river. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.

 "And there went a man from the house of Levi," signifies the origin of truth from good; "and took a daughter of Levi," signifies conjunction with good; "and the woman conceived," signifies the first of the rising; "and bare a son," signifies the law Divine in its origin; "and she saw him, that he was good," signifies a noticing that it was through heaven; "and she hid him three months," signifies the fullness of time in which it did not appear; "and she could no longer hide him," signifies the time when it ought to appear; "and she took for him an ark of rush," signifies what is of low value round about, but nevertheless derived from truth; "and daubed it with bitumen and with pitch," signifies good mixed with evils and falsities; "and she put the child therein," signifies that inmostly therein was the law Divine in its origin; "and she laid him in the sedge at the bank of the river," signifies that at first it was among false memory-knowledges; "and his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him," signifies the truth of the church far away from it, and advertence.
 
5-9. And Pharaoh's daughter came down to wash at the river; and her girls were going at the side of the river; and she saw the ark in the midst of the sedge, and sent her handmaid, and took it. And she opened it and saw him, the child; and behold the boy wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. And his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call thee a woman, a nurse, from the Hebrew women, that she may suckle the child for thee? And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the girl went, and called the mother of the child. And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Take this child to thee, and suckle him for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child and suckled him.
 
 "And Pharaoh's daughter came down," signifies the religiosity there; "to wash at the river," signifies worship from falsity; "and her girls were going at the side of the river," signifies the ministries of that religiosity that was from falsity; "and she saw the ark in the midst of the sedge," signifies a perception of truth that it was of low value among false memory-knowledge; "and she sent her handmaid," signifies service; "and took it," signifies curiosity; "and she opened it, and saw him, the child," signifies investigation of its quality, and a perception that it was truth from the Divine; "and behold the boy wept," signifies sadness; "and she had compassion on him," signifies admonition from the Divine; "and she said, This is one of the Hebrews' children," signifies that it was of the church itself; "and his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter," signifies the truth of the church near the religiosity there; "Shall I go and call thee a woman a nurse from the Hebrew women?" signifies perception that good was to be instilled therein by the church itself; "and Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go," signifies consent from the religiosity there; "and the girl went and called the mother of the child," signifies the truth of good of the church, that it adjoined the things of the church; "and Pharaoh's daughter said to her," signifies consent from the religiosity there; "take this child to thee," signifies that it should adjoin it to itself; "and suckle him for me," signifies that it should insinuate into it good suited to the religiosity; "and I will give thee thy wages," signifies recompense; "and the woman took the child, and suckled him," signifies that good was instilled into it by the church.
 
Verse 10. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he was to her as a son. And she called his name Moses, and said, Because I drew him out of the waters.
 
"And the child grew," signifies that there was increase from good; "and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter," signifies the affection of memory-knowledges; "and he was to her as a son," signifies that from this it had the first truths; "and she called his name Moses," signifies the quality of the state then; "and said, Because I drew him out of the waters," signifies deliverance from falsities.

11-14. And it came to pass in those days, and Moses grew, and he went out unto his brethren, and saw their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian man smiting a Hebrew man, one of his brethren. And he looked forth hither and thither, and saw that there was no man, and he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. And he went out the second day, and behold two Hebrew men quarreling; and he said to the wicked one, Wherefore smitest thou thy companion? And he said, Who set thee for a man, a prince, and a judge over us? Sayest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely the word is known.
 
"And it came to pass in those days, and Moses grew," signifies when those states lasted, and there was increase in true memory-knowledges; "and he went out unto his brethren," signifies conjunction with the truths of the church; "and saw their burdens," signifies a noticing that they were infested by falsities; "and he saw an Egyptian man smiting a Hebrew man," signifies alienated memory-knowledge endeavoring to destroy the truth of the church; "one of his brethren," signifies with which he was conjoined; "and he looked forth hither and thither, and saw that there was no man," signifies foresight as to whether he was in safety; "and he smote the Egyptian," signifies that he destroyed the alienated memory-knowledge; "and hid him in the sand," signifies that he removed it to where falsities are; "and he went out the second day," signifies conjunction again with the church; "and behold two Hebrew men quarreling," signifies a noticing that within the church they were fighting among themselves; "and he said to the wicked one, Wherefore smitest thou thy companion?" signifies rebuke because one desired to destroy the faith of another; "and he said, Who set thee for a man a prince and a judge over us?" signifies perception that he was not yet so far advanced in the truths of the church as to settle differences within the church; "sayest thou to kill me," signifies wouldest thou destroy my faith; "as thou killedst the Egyptian," signifies as thou hast destroyed falsity; "and Moses feared, and said, Surely the word is known," signifies that he was among alienated memory-knowledges, and not yet in truths so as to be safe.
 
15-19. And Pharaoh heard this word, and he sought to kill Moses. And Moses fled from before Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he dwelt by a well. And the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came, and drew, and filled the troughs, to give drink to their father's flock. And the shepherds came, and drove them away; and Moses arose, and helped them; and he gave drink to their flock. And they came unto Reuel their father, and he said, Wherefore hasted ye to come today? And they said, An Egyptian man delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds; and also drawing he drew for us, and gave drink to the flock.
 
"And Pharaoh heard this word, and he sought to kill Moses," signifies that false memory-knowledge, noticing this, willed to destroy the truth which is of the law from the Divine; "and Moses fled from before Pharaoh," signifies that it was being separated from falsities; "and dwelt in the land of Midian," signifies life in the church with those who are in simple good; "and he dwelt by a well," signifies study there in the Word; "and the priest of Midian had seven daughters," signifies the holy things of that church; "and they came, and drew," signifies that they were instructed in truths from the Word; "and filled the troughs," signifies that from this they enriched the doctrine of charity; "to give drink to their father's flock," signifies that thereby they who were in good were instructed; "and the shepherds came, and drove them away," signifies that the teachers who were in evils set themselves in opposition; "and Moses arose and helped them," signifies aid from the truths which are of the law from the Divine; "and he gave drink to their flock," signifies that from this they who are in good were instructed; "and they came unto Reuel their father," signifies conjunction with the good itself of that church; "and he said, Wherefore hasted ye to come today?" signifies perception that now conjunction was sure; "and they said, An Egyptian man delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds," signifies because true memory-knowledge, which is of the church, prevailed over the power of the doctrine of falsity from evil; "and also drawing he drew for us," signifies that he instructed from the Word; "and gave drink to the flock," signifies those who were of the church there.
 
20-22. And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? Why is this that ye have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread. And Moses was willing to dwell with the man; and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare a son, and he called his name Gershom; for he said, I have been a sojourner in a strange land.
 
"And he said unto his daughters," signifies thought concerning the holy things of the church; "and where is he? Why is this that ye have left the man?" signifies how without that truth could they be conjoined with the good of the church; "call him," signifies that it must be conjoined; "that he may eat bread," signifies confirmation in good; "and Moses was willing to dwell with the man," signifies that they were in agreement; "and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter," signifies that he adjoined to it the good of his church; "and she bare a son," signifies truths thence; "and he called his name Gershom," signifies their quality; "for he said, I have been a sojourner in a strange land," signifies that he was instructed in truths in a church not his own.

23-25. And it came to pass in these many days that the king of Egypt died, and the sons of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God saw the sons of Israel, and God took knowledge.
 
"And it came to pass in these many days," signifies after many changes of state; "that the king of Egypt died," signifies the end of the former falsity; "and the sons of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage," signified sorrow on account of the attempt to subjugate the truth of the church; "and they cried," signifies entreaty; "and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage," signifies that they were heard; "and God heard their groaning," signifies aid; "and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob," signifies by reason of conjunction with the church through the Lord's Divine Human; "and God saw the sons of Israel," signifies that He endowed the church with faith; "and God took knowledge," signifies that He endowed with charity. [AC 6636-6806]

Author: Emanuel Swedenborg

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