7655. 'Do you not yet know that Egypt is perishing?' means that the things which have taken place go to show that all who give those simple people trouble are cast into hell, from where there is no escape. This is clear from the meaning of 'do you not yet know?' as the fact that the things which have taken place may go to show; from the meaning of 'perishing' as being cast into hell, from where there is no escape (this is meant in the spiritual sense by 'perishing', just as 'dying' or 'death' - see 5407, 6119, 7494 - means damnation and hell); and from the meaning of 'Egypt' as molestation, dealt with in 7278, thus also those engaged in it. But since they are the speakers they are not referred to here as those who molest but as those who give trouble, for the evil excuse and make light of their evil. Nor are they spoken of as giving trouble to those who belong to the spiritual Church but to those simple people, for the word 'simple' is used by the evil to describe all who belong to the Church and lead a life in keeping with its truths and forms of good, which is a life of faith and charity.