6498. The Internal Sense.
Verses 1-3. And Joseph fell upon the faces of his father, and wept upon him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father; and the physicians embalmed Israel. And forty days were fulfilled for him, for so are fulfilled the days of the embalmed; and the Egyptians wept for him seventy days. "And Joseph fell upon the faces of his father," signifies the influx of the internal into the affection of good; "and wept upon him," signifies sorrow; "and kissed him," signifies the first conjunction; "and Joseph commanded his servants the physicians," signifies preservation from the evils which hindered; "to embalm his father," signifies lest it should be infected with any contagion; "and the physicians embalmed Israel," signifies what was done for the preservation of the good which is from truth; "and forty days were fulfilled for him," signifies states of preparation by means of temptations; "for so are fulfilled the days of the embalmed," signifies that these are states of preservation; "and the Egyptians wept for him," signifies the sadness of the memory-knowledges of the church; "seventy days," signifies a full state.