8169. 'For it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness?' means that damnation through the violence of falsity in the state of molestations would be preferable to damnation that came about through yielding in a state of temptations. This is clear from the meaning of 'being better for them' as that it would be preferable; from the meaning of 'serving the Egyptians' as yielding to the falsities of the molesters, for 'serving' means being under another's control, 6666, 6670, 6671, thus yielding, in this instance to the falsities of the molesters; from the meaning of 'dying' as damnation, as above in 8165; and from the meaning of 'the wilderness' as a state for undergoing temptations, dealt with in 8098. From all this it is evident that 'it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness' means that it would be preferable to yield to falsities, when molested by them, than to yield in temptations. Yielding in the former state is indeed preferable to doing so in the latter; for when a person yields in temptations his acceptance of falsities and evils in opposition to the truths and forms of the good of faith is made stronger. But when he yields in a state of molestations his acceptance of falsities and evils is made stronger, but not so plainly in opposition to the truths and forms of the good of faith. From this it is evident that yielding in temptations involves blasphemy against truth and goodness, and sometimes profanation of them; and the worst and most terrible damnation of all is damnation as a result of profanation.