As with common verbs in general, the meaning of “come” in the Bible is highly dependent on context – its meaning is determined largely by who is coming to whom and the circumstances of the action.
In general, though, to come to someone — or to come to a place — represents the presence of one spiritual state with another, communication from one to the other and ultimately conjunction between them. This is clearly illustrated when a man “comes in” to be with a woman, a common biblical euphemism for a physical relationship.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3850
- ‘And he came [in] also to Rachel’ means a joining to the affection for internal truth. This is clear from the meaning of ‘coming [in] to’ as being joined to, and from the representation of ‘Rachel’ as the affection for internal truth, dealt with already.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 3914
- ‘Go [in] to her’ means that with this means there exists the ability to join together. This is clear from the meaning of ‘going to someone’ or going in, when used in a marital context, as a joining together, in this case the ability to be joined to an affirmative attitude. For the first requirement in that joining together is an affirmative attitude, that is, that the thing is indeed so.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4612
- ‘Jacob came to Isaac his father’ means that at this point the Divine Rational was joined to the Divine Natural. This is clear from the representation of ‘Jacob’ as the Divine Natural during the state dealt with just above in 4604-4610, and from the representation of ‘Isaac’ as the Divine Rational, dealt with in 1893, 2066, 2072, 2083, 2630, 3012, 3194, 3210. A joining together is meant by these words stating that he came to him.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 4740
- ‘It happened, when Joseph came to his brothers’ means when a declaration was made concerning Him. This is clear from the representation of ‘Joseph’ as Divine truth, in particular concerning the Lord’s Divine Human. When this is said ‘to come to them’ the meaning is that it is declared to them, for ‘his brothers’ represents the Church that adheres to faith separated from charity, whose members have that truth declared to them.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 5249
- ‘And came to Pharaoh’ means a communication with the new natural. This is clear from the meaning of ‘coming’ in this instance as a communication through influx; and from the representation of ‘Pharaoh’ as the new natural, dealt with in 5079, 5080, 5244. What the words in this verse hold within them is evident from the explanations of them that have been given; for those words describe how Joseph was set free from the pit and came to Pharaoh. In the internal sense ‘Joseph’ represents the Lord so far as the celestial of the spiritual is concerned, while ‘Pharaoh’ represents the natural or external man. ‘The pit’ in which Joseph was confined represents a state of temptation endured by the Lord which involved the celestial of the spiritual, while his being called from the pit by Pharaoh means a state of release from temptations, and also a state of influx and communication after that with the new natural. From all this it is evident that the internal sense contains a description at this point of how the Lord made His Natural new and at length Divine.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6117
- ‘And all Egypt came to Joseph’ means a turning to the internal. This is clear from the meaning of ‘coming to him’ as turning to; from the meaning of ‘Egypt’ as factual knowledge, dealt with already; and from the representation of ‘Joseph’ as the internal, also dealt with already. The consideration that all factual knowledge in the natural was subject to the control of the internal is meant by Joseph’s being master over the whole land of Egypt. But the joining of the Church’s truths to known facts in the natural is what the internal sense is describing here.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 6782
- ‘And they came to Reuel their father’ means a joining to the actual good of that Church. This is clear from the meaning of ‘coming to someone’ as being joined together; and from the representation of ‘Reuel’, since he was a priest, as good. For the meaning of ‘a priest’ as the good of love, see 1728, 7670, 6148. The joining together meant here is a joining of the Church’s truths to its good.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 9382
- ‘And Moses came and reported to the people’ means enlightenment and instruction by the Lord, imparted through Divine Truth which springs from Him. This is clear from the representation of ‘Moses’ as the Lord in respect of the Word, and so in respect of Divine Truth since the Word is this, dealt with above in 9372; from the meaning of ‘coming’ – when it refers to the Lord in respect of the Word or Divine Truth, represented by ‘Moses’ – as enlightenment, for when the Lord comes or He is present in the Word there is enlightenment; and from the meaning of ‘reporting’ as instruction. From all this it is evident that ‘Moses came and reported to the people’ means enlightenment and instruction by the Lord, imparted through Divine Truth.