Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8207

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8207. Verses 23-25 And the Egyptians pursued, and came after them - all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen - into the middle of the sea. And so it was in the morning watch, that Jehovah looked out onto the camp of the Egyptians, from within the pillar of fire and cloud, and troubled the camp of the Egyptians. And He took off the wheels of his chariots and made thema drive heavily; and the Egyptians said, Let us flee before Israel, for Jehovah fights for them against the Egyptians.

'And the Egyptians pursued' means the attempt by falsity arising from evil to do violence. 'And came after them' means the attempt to flow in. 'All Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen - into the middle of the sea' means factual knowledge belonging to a perverted understanding, doctrinal teachings upholding falsity, and reasonings - that they filled hell. 'And so it was in the morning watch' means a state of thick darkness and perdition for those steeped in falsity arising from evil, and a state of enlightenment and salvation for those guided by truth springing from good. 'That Jehovah looked out onto the camp of the Egyptians' means Divine influx reaching out from Him in the direction of those who were attempting to do violence by means of falsities. 'From within the pillar of fire and cloud' means thus the presence of God's goodness and truth there. 'And troubled the camp of the Egyptians' means that as a result all their reaching out with falsity arising from evil recoiled on them. 'And He took off the wheels of his chariots' means that the power to advance falsities was taken away. 'And made them drive heavily' means resistance and lack of power. 'And the Egyptians said' means their thought then. 'Let us flee before Israel' means separation from those governed by the good of truth and guided by the truth of good. 'For Jehovah fights for them against the Egyptians' means that the Lord alone endures the battle against falsities and evils.

Notes

a i.e. the wheels


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