6784. And they said, An Egyptian man delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds. That this signifies because true memory-knowledge, which was adjoined to the church, prevailed over the power of the doctrine of falsity from evil, is evident from the signification of "an Egyptian man," as being true memory-knowledge; for by a "man" is signified truth (n. 3134), and by an "Egyptian" memory-knowledge (n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 4749, 4964, 4966, 4967, 5700, 6004, 6692). That Moses is here called "an Egyptian man," is because by Moses is here represented truth such as they have who are in truth of simple good, which is signified by the "daughters of the priest of Midian." They are in such truth because they are men of the external church (n. 6775); therefore also it is said, "true memory-knowledge which was adjoined to the church." And from the signification of "delivering from the hand of the shepherds," as being that true memory-knowledge prevailed over the power of falsity from evil; for "to deliver" is to prevail, because he who delivers out of the hand of others, prevails over them. (The "hand" is power, n. 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 5544; and "shepherds" are teachers, here teachers of falsity from evil, n. 6779; and because they are teachers, they are also such doctrine.)
[2] That true memory-knowledge prevails over the power of the doctrine of falsity from evil, is because the Divine is in all truth from good, whereas in falsity from evil there is the contrary, and what is contrary to the Divine does not prevail at all. Therefore in the other life a thousand who are in falsity from evil prevail not at all against one who is in truth from good; but at the presence of this one the thousand flee, and if they do not flee they are tortured and tormented. It is said falsity from evil, because this is truly falsity, whereas falsity not from evil, but from ignorance of the truth, is not so. Evil is that which is opposite to heaven, but not falsity from ignorance; nay, if in the ignorance there is anything of innocence, then this falsity is accepted by the Lord as truth; for they who are in such falsity receive truth.