7779.“从坐宝座的法老的长子”表占据首位的信之被歪曲的真理。这从“长子”和“宝座”的含义，以及“法老”的代表清楚可知：“长子”（或头生的）是指信（参看352，2435，6344，7035节）；“法老”是指总体上败坏教会真理的记忆知识（6015，6651，6679，6683，6692节），因此，“法老的长子”是指由这类真理构成的信，也就是由信之被歪曲的真理构成的信；“宝座”是指真理的统治，在反面意义上是指虚假的统治（参看5313节）。“坐宝座的法老的长子”表示占据首位的信之被歪曲的真理，这一点从以下事实明显看出来：经上说“直到磨坊后的婢女的长子”，以此表示占据末位的信之被歪曲的真理；此外，王的儿子表示首先到来之物，因为王是头。
占据首位的被歪曲的真理是被视为基本真理的真理，如这样：信拯救人，无论他过着怎样的生活；它在人生命的最后时刻也能拯救他；这时，他就从罪中洁净了；因此，这些罪在一瞬间就被抹除了，就像手上的污垢被水洗干净一样。这些被歪曲的真理坚持认为无仁之信也存在，就人的救恩而言，他过着哪种生活无关紧要；还认为一个成为魔鬼的人能在一瞬间变成神的一位天使。这类观点和其它类似观点就是占据首位的被歪曲的真理；直接从它们衍生出来的观点是占据第二位的；远远地从它们衍生出来的观点是占据末位的。因为每个真理都有大量且处于一个长长系列的衍生物，其中有些衍生物直接进入，有些间接进入；仅仅触及的衍生物在最边缘。
这类观点和其它类似观点就是信之被歪曲的真理，这是很明显的。凡正确思考的人，谁不知道使得一个人成为属灵的，是信之生命，而不是信，除非这信已经融入他的生命？人的生命就是他的爱，凡他所爱的，他都意愿并盘算；凡他所意愿并盘算的，他都会行出来，这才是人的存在或本质，而不是他所知道并思考，但不意愿的。人的这种存在或本质绝无可能通过思想调解和救恩，只能通过新生而变成另一种不同的存在或本质；而新生的实现要历经他一生中的大部分时间。因为他必须成孕、出生、重新长大成人；而这一切是通过意愿和行动，而非思考和言说实现的。
之所以说这些事，是因为“法老的长子”和“埃及人的长子”表示与仁分离之信；前面已说明，与仁分离之信并非信，而是关于构成信的那类事物的记忆知识。埃及人的长子之所以代表这种信，是因为埃及人比构成大洪水时代之后的代表性教会的其他所有人都更精通有关教会宗教仪式的知识（参看4749，4964，4966，6004节）。那时，所有仪式都是天堂属灵事物的代表。埃及人比其他人掌握更多关于这些事物的知识；但随着时间推移，他们开始只爱知识。现在他们开始照当今的方式认为教会完全在于知道与教会有关的那类事物，而不再是仁爱的生活。他们就这样颠倒了教会的整个秩序，一旦这种秩序被颠倒，被称为信之真理的真理就不可避免地被歪曲。因为违背神性秩序应用的真理（如当真理用于邪恶时的情形，或在埃及人当中用于巫术的情形）对他们来说，不再是真理，而是从它们所用于的邪恶那里获得了虚假的性质。
通过埃及人当中的牛犊崇拜说明这一点。他们知道牛犊代表什么，即代表仁之良善。只要他们知道并思考这一点，那么当他们看见牛犊时，或当他们在诸如古人所办的那种仁爱筵席上预备牛犊时，或后来当牛犊被用于祭祀时，他们便以一种理智的方式进行思考，同时与天上的天使在一起，因为对天使来说，牛犊就是仁之良善。但当他们开始铸造金牛犊，把它们放在神殿中并崇拜它们时，他们以一种疯狂的方式进行思考，同时与地狱在一起。他们以这种方式将一个真实的代表变成了一个虚假的代表。
Potts(1905-1910) 7779
7779. From the firstborn of Pharaoh about to sit upon his throne. That this signifies the falsified truths of faith which are in the first place, is evident from the signification of "the firstborn," as being faith (see n. 352, 2435, 6344, 7035); from the representation of Pharaoh, as being memory-knowledge in general perverting the truths of the church (n. 6015, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692), thus "the firstborn of Pharaoh" denotes the faith of such, consequently the faith of the falsified truths of faith; and from the signification of "throne," as being the reign of truth, and in the opposite sense, the reign of falsity (see n. 5313). That the falsified truths of faith which are in the first place are meant by "the firstborn of Pharaoh about to sit upon his throne" is evident from the fact that it is said "even to the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the millstones," by which are signified the falsified truths of faith which are in the last place; and moreover, the son of a king is what comes first, because a king is the head. [2] Falsified truths in the first place are those which are acknowledged as essentials, such as these: that faith saves howsoever a man has lived; that it saves man in the last hour of his life; and that he then is pure from sins; thus that sins are wiped away in a moment, like the uncleanness of the hands by water; which insist that there is faith without charity, and that in respect to man's salvation the life effects nothing, also that a man-devil can in a moment be made an angel of God. Such and the like are falsified truths in the first place. Those which are thence next derived are in the second place. Those which are remotely derived are in the last place. For the derivations of every truth are ample, and in a long series, some of which enter directly, some indirectly; those which only touch being the last. [3] That such and the like are falsified truths of faith, is very evident; for who does not know, if he thinks justly, that the life of faith causes a man to be spiritual, but not faith except insofar as it has been implanted in the life. The life of man is his love, and that which he loves he wills and intends, and that which he wills and intends, he does. This is the being of man, but not that which he knows and thinks and does not will. This being of man cannot in any wise be changed into another being by thinking about mediation and salvation; but by regeneration anew, which is being effected during a great part of his life; for he must be conceived, born, and grown up anew; and this is not effected by thinking and speaking, but by willing and acting. [4] These things are said because by the "firstborn of Pharaoh," and the "firstborn of the Egyptians," is signified faith separated from charity, which has been shown in what precedes not to be faith, but the memory-knowledge of such things as are of faith. The firstborn of the Egyptians represented this faith because the Egyptians were versed in the knowledge of rituals of the church above the rest who constituted the representative church after the time of the flood (see n. 4749, 4964, 4966, 6004). At that time all rites were representative of the spiritual things which are in heaven. The Egyptians had more knowledge of these things than others, but in process of time they began to love the knowledges alone, and then, in like manner as is done at this day, to make everything of the church consist in the knowledge of such things as are of the church, and no longer in the life of charity. Thus they inverted the whole order of the church, which being inverted, the truths which are called truths of faith could not but be falsified; for the truths which are applied contrary to Divine order (as is the case when they are applied to evils, and among the Egyptians to magic) are no longer truths with them, but become falsities from the evils to which they are applied. [5] To illustrate this by the worship of a calf among the Egyptians. They knew what a calf represented, namely, the good of charity; so long as they knew this and thought this, when they saw calves, or when they prepared calves in feasts of charity such as the ancients held, and afterward when calves were applied in sacrifices, they then thought sanely and together with the angels in heaven, to whom a calf is the good of charity. But when they began to make calves of gold, and to place them in their temples and worship them, they then thought insanely and together with the infernals; and in this way they inverted a true representative into a false representative.
Elliott(1983-1999) 7779
7779. 'From Pharaoh's firstborn who is to sit on his throne' means falsified truths of faith that occupy the first place. This is clear from the meaning of 'firstborn' as faith, dealt with in 352, 2435, 6344, 7035; from the representation of 'Pharaoh' as factual knowledge in general perverting the Church's truths, dealt with in 6015, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, so that 'Pharaoh's firstborn' is faith consisting of such truths, that is, faith consisting of falsified truths of faith; and from the meaning of 'throne' as the rule of truth, and in the contrary sense the rule of falsity, dealt with in 5313. The fact that 'Pharaoh's firstborn who is to sit on his throne' means falsified truths of faith that occupy the first place is evident from the use of the words 'even to the firstborn of the servant-girl who is behind the mill', which mean falsified truths of faith that occupy the very last place; besides which the king's son means that which is primary since the king is the head.
[2] Falsified truths occupying the first place are those which are taken to be essential truths, such as these: Faith saves a person irrespective of the life he has been leading; it saves a person in the final hour of his life; he is at that point pure and free from sins, which means that these are removed in an instant like dirt on the hands by water. Those falsified truths posit that faith does exist without charity, that so far as a person's salvation is concerned it does not matter what kind of life he leads, and also that a person who is a devil can become an angel of God in an instant. Such notions and others like them are the falsified truths occupying the first place; those that are immediately derived from them occupy the second place; and those which are remotely derived from them occupy the last place. For every truth has a long wide-ranging sequence of derivations, some of which are in a direct line from it, some at an angle, while those that merely touch on that truth stand on the outermost edges.
[3] The fact that such notions and others like them are falsified truths of faith is very plain to see. Does anyone who thinks properly not know that the life of faith makes a person spiritual, not faith except to the extent that it has been integrated into his life? A person's life is his love, and what he loves, that he wills and intends; and what he wills and intends, that he does. This is the essential nature (esse) of the person, not what he knows, or what he thinks but does not will. That essential nature of a person cannot possibly be changed into a different one by his thinking about mediation and salvation, only by new birth, which is being effected throughout a large part of his life. For he must be conceived, be born, and mature anew; and this is not effected by thinking and speaking, but by willing and acting.
[4] These matters have been stated because 'Pharaoh's firstborn' and 'the firstborn of the Egyptians' mean faith separated from charity, which - as has been shown in what has gone before - is not faith but the knowledge of such things as constitute faith. The reason why 'the firstborn of the Egyptians' represented that kind of faith is that the Egyptians, more than all others who constituted the representative Church after the time of the Flood, possessed a knowledge of the religious observances of the Church, 4749, 4964, 4966, 6004. At that time all ceremonies were representative of spiritual realities in heaven. The Egyptians had a greater knowledge of these than all others had; but in course of time they began to love merely their knowledge of them. They now began to think, as one finds at the present day, that the Church consisted entirely in knowing the kinds of things that have to do with the Church, and no longer in a charitable life. Thus they turned the whole order of the Church upside down; and once this had been turned upside down truths which are called the truths of faith were inevitably falsified. For if truths are applied in ways contrary to Divine order - as happens when they are applied to evils, or in the case of the Egyptians to acts of magic - they are no longer truths with those people but acquire from the evils to which they are applied the nature of falsities.
[5] Let the calf-worship among Egyptians serve to illustrate this. They knew what a calf represented, namely the good of charity. As long as they knew this and had this in mind, then when they saw calves, or when they prepared calves at charitable feasts, such as the ancients held, or later on when calves were used in sacrifices, they thought in a way that was sane and at the same time in company with the angels in heaven since a calf is for them the good of charity. But when they began to make calves of gold, place them in their temples, and worship them, they thought in an insane manner and at the same time in company with the hells. In that way they turned a true representative into a false one.
Latin(1748-1756) 7779
7779. `A primogenito Pharaonis sessuro super throno illius': quod significet vera falsificata fidei quae primo loco, constat ex significatione `primogeniti' quod sit fides, de qua n. 352, 2435, 6344, 7035; ex repraesentatione `Pharaonis' quod sit scientificum in communi pervertens vera Ecclesiae, de qua n. 6015, 6651, (x) 6679, 6683, 6692; ita `primogenitus Pharaonis' est fides talium, proinde fides falsificatorum verorum fidei; et ex significatione `throni' quod sit regnum veri, ac in opposito sensu regnum falsi, de qua n. 5313; quod {1}intelligantur per `primogenitum Pharaonis sessurum super throno illius' vera falsificata fidei quae primo loco, patet ex eo quod dicatur `usque ad primogenitum ancillae quae post molas,' per quae significantur vera falsificata fidei quae postremo loco; et praeterea filius regis est primarium, quia rex est caput. 2 Vera falsificata primo loco sunt illa quae {2}pro essentialibus agnoscuntur, sicut haec, quod fides salvet utcumque vixerat homo, et quod {3}salvet hominem in ultima vitae ejus hora, et quod tunc purus sit a peccatis, ita quod haec abstergantur momento, sicut sordes manuum ab aquis; quae ponunt (d)quod fides detur (d)absque charitate, et quod, quoad salvationem hominis, vita nihil faciat, {4}tum quod homo diabolus possit momento angelus Dei fieri; talia et similia sunt vera falsificata primo loco; quae inde derivantur proxime sunt secundo; {5} quae remote, sunt ultimo; dantur enim cujusvis veritatis derivationes {6}amplae et longa serie, quarum quaedam intrant directe, quaedam oblique, {7}quae modo tangunt, (t)ultima sunt. 3 Quod talia et similia sint vera falsificata fidei, {8}manifeste patet; quis enim non scit, si juste cogitat, quod vita fidei faciat ut homo spiritualis sit, non autem fides nisi quantum ejus implantatum est vitae? vita hominis est ejus amor, et quod amat, hoc vult et hoc intendit, et quod vult et intendit, hoc facit; hoc est hominis esse, non autem quod scit et quod cogitat et non vult; id esse hominis nequaquam potest mutari in aliud esse per cogitare de mediatione et salvatione, sed per novam regenerationem, quae fit per multum vitae ejus; nam e novo concipietur, nascetur, adolescet {9}; hoc non fit per cogitare et loqui, sed per velle et agere. 4 Haec dicta sunt quia per `primogenitum Pharaonis et {10}primogenitos Aegyptiorum' significatur fides separata a charitate; quae quod non fides sit, sed {11} scientia talium quae sunt fidei, in praecedentibus ostensum est. Quod `Aegyptiorum primogeniti' illam fidem repraesentaverint, est causa quia Aegyptii prae reliquis, qui Ecclesiam repraesentativam post diluvii tempus constituerunt, {12}in scientia ritualium Ecclesiae erant n. 4749, 4964, 4966, 6004; eo {13} tempore omnes ritus {14} erant repraesentativi spiritualium quae in caelo; haec noverunt Aegyptii prae reliquis, sed successu temporis coeperunt amare solas cognitiones, ac tunc, similiter ac hodie, in scientia talium quae Ecclesiae sunt ponere omne Ecclesiae, et non amplius in charitatis vita; ita invertebant totum ordinem Ecclesiae, quo inverso, vera quae fidei vocantur non potuerunt non falsificari; nam vera quae contra ordinem Divinum applicantur, quod fit cum ad mala, et apud Aegyptios ad magica, non amplius {15} sunt vera apud illos, sed a malis ad quae applicantur, trahunt quod sint falsa {16}; sit illustrationi cultus {17}vituli apud Aegyptios: sciverunt quid vitulus 5 {18}repraesentabat, quod nempe bonum charitatis; quamdiu hoc sciverunt, et hoc cogitaverunt, cum vitulos viderent, aut cum pararent vitulos in conviviis charitatis, qualia {19}antiquis fuerunt, (c)et postea cum {20}vituli adhiberentur in sacrificiis, tunc sane cogitabant, et simul cum angelis in caelo, nam illis vitulus est bonum charitatis; cum autem inciperent vitulos ex auro facere, et illos in templis suis ponere, ac colere, tunc {21}insane cogitabant, et simul cum infernalibus; ita invertebant repraesentativum verum in repraesentativum falsum. @1 sint$ @2 essentialia vocantur, ut pro exemplo$ @3 hoc fieri posset in ultima vitae hora, ac ita quod peccata abstergantur momento, sicut manus illotae aquis$ @4 et$ @5 i et$ @6 in$ @7 quae altered to quaedam$ @8 quae in se non vera sunt, sed falsa, patet manifeste a Domini verbis de amore et charitate, deque vita; ubivis; et quod vita sit quae facit hominem, et sequatur illum From quod to facit ho is deleted, probably in error.$ @9 i, ac hoc est dein aetates percurret$ @10 per primogenitos reliquorum in Aegypto$ @11 i modo$ @12 habuerunt cognitiones rerum Ecclesiae et excoluerunt illas$ @13 i enim$ @14 i Ecclesiae$ @15 i dicenda$ @16 i, hoc est, separata a charitate falsum est$ @17 Aegyptiorum$ @18 significabat altered to significavit$ @19 eo tempore$ @20 adhiberent vitulos$ @21 consociabant se cum infernalibus, quia applicabant id quod bonum repraesentabat ad malum et ad magicum; quod tale verum per applicationem ad malum falsificatum sit, et ideo damnatum, patet$