As with common verbs in general, the meaning of “bring” is highly dependent on context, but in general, according to Swedenborg, it represents an introduction to a new spiritual state or to new spiritual ideas.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3943
3943. ‘And brought them to Leah his mother’ means application to the affection for external truth. This is clear from the meaning of ‘bringing to’ here as application, and from the representation of ‘Leah’ as the affection for external truth, dealt with in 3793, 3819.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 5543
5543. ‘If I do not bring him back to you’ means if no joining of the intermediary takes place. This is clear from the representation of Benjamin, to whom the one he would bring back refers here, as the intermediary, dealt with in 5411, 5413, 5443, 5539; and from the meaning of ‘bringing back’ as being joined.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 5641
5641. ‘Bring the men to the house’ means that the truths in the natural were to be introduced into it. This is clear from the meaning of ‘the sons of Jacob’ as the truths known to the Church that were present in the natural, dealt with in 5403, 5419, 5427, 5428, 5512 – their introduction into the external Church being meant by ‘bring them to the house’.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 5645
5645. ‘And the man brought the men to Joseph’s house’ means the first introduction into good coming from the celestial of the spiritual. This is clear from the meaning of ‘bringing to’ as an introduction, as above in 5641; from the meaning of ‘the sons of Jacob’ as truths known to the Church that are present within the natural, dealt with in 5403, 5419, 5427, 5428, 5512; from the meaning of ‘the house’ as good, dealt with in 3652, 3720, 4982, on account of which ‘the house’ is also the Church, 3720, for the Church is the Church by virtue of good; and from the representation of ‘Joseph’ as the celestial of the spiritual, often dealt with already. From all this it is evident that ‘the man brought the men to Joseph’s house’ means that truths in the natural were introduced into good coming from the celestial of the spiritual. The reason why a first introduction is meant is that at this point they merely ate with Joseph but did not recognize who he was. By this is meant a general joining together, which is a first introduction; for at this point there is a general inflow of truth from the Divine, but it is not recognized. When however a discernment of that inflowing truth does exist a second joining together is effected, and this is meant by Joseph revealing who he was to his brothers, dealt with further on in Chapter 45.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8988
8988. ‘[His] master shall bring him to God’ means the state he then enters in keeping with Divine order. This is clear from the meaning of ‘bringing to God’, when the subject is those who are imbued with truths and cannot be imbued with good, as causing them to enter a state in keeping with Divine order; for ‘bringing to’ means entering, and ‘God’ means Divine order, which is dealt with below.