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Ganito inalis ng Dios ang mga hayop ng inyong ama, at ibinigay sa akin.
Arcana Coelestia #4197
4197. And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day; therefore he called the name of it Galeed. That this signifies that it will be so to eternity, hence its quality again, is evident from the signification of a “heap,” as being good (see n. 4192); and from the signification of a “witness,” as being the confirmation of good by truth (concerning which below); from the signification of “this day,” as being eternity (n. 2838, 3998); and from the signification of “calling a name,” as being the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 2009, 2724, 3421). The quality itself is contained in the name “Galeed;” for in ancient times the names imposed contained the quality (n. 340, 1946, 2643, 3422). From this it is manifest what is signified by, “Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day; therefore he called the name of it Galeed,” namely, a testification of the conjunction of the good here signified by “Laban” with the good Divine of the Lord’s natural, consequently the conjunction of the Lord with the Gentiles by good; for this good is what is now represented by Laban (n. 4189). The truths of this good are what testify of the conjunction; and yet so long as they live in the world their good is aside, because they have not truths Divine. But they who live in this good (that is, in mutual charity), although they have no truths Divine direct from the Divine fountain (that is, from the Word), they nevertheless have not their good closed up, but such that it can be opened; and it also is opened in the other life, when they are there instructed in the truths of faith, and concerning the Lord. It is otherwise with Christians, of whom those who are in mutual charity, and still more those who are in love to the Lord, are in direct good while living in the world, because they are in truths Divine; and therefore they enter into heaven without such instruction, provided there have not been in their truths falsities, which must first be dispelled. But those Christians who have not lived in charity have closed heaven against themselves, and very many of them to such a degree that it cannot be opened; for they know truths, and deny them, and also harden themselves against them, if not with the mouth, yet in the heart.
[2] Laban’s first calling the heap “Jegar-sahadutha” in his own idiom, and then “Galeed” in the idiom of Canaan, when both have nearly the same meaning, is for the sake of the application, and of the conjunction thereby. To speak in the idiom of Canaan, or “with the lip of Canaan,” is to apply one’s self to the Divine; for by “Canaan” is signified the Lord’s kingdom, and in the supreme sense the the Lord, (n. 1607, 3038, 3705); as is manifest in Isaiah:
In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan, and that swear to Jehovah Zebaoth. In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to Jehovah. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness to Jehovah Zebaoth in the land of Egypt (Isaiah 19:18-20).
[3] That a “witness” denotes the confirmation of good by truth, and of truth by good, and that hence a “testimony” denotes the good from which is truth, and the truth which is from good, may be seen from the Word in other passages. That a “witness” denotes the confirmation of good by truth and of truth by good, is evident from the following passages.
In Joshua:
Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves, that ye have chosen Jehovah to serve Him. And they said, We are witnesses. Now therefore put away the strange gods which are in the midst of you, and incline your heart unto Jehovah the God of Israel. And the people said unto Joshua, Jehovah our God will we serve, and unto His voice will we be obedient. And Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and a judgment in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak that was in the sanctuary of Jehovah. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be for a witness to us, for it hath heard all the words of Jehovah which He spake unto us; and it shall be to you for a witness, lest ye deny your God (Josh. 24:22-27).
That a “witness” here is confirmation, is manifest, and indeed the confirmation of a covenant, and accordingly of conjunction; for a “covenant” signifies conjunction (n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021). And as conjunction with Jehovah or the Lord is not possible except by good; nor the good which conjoins except that which has its quality from truth; it follows that a “witness” denotes the confirmation of good by truth. The good here meant is conjunction with Jehovah or the Lord by their choosing Him to serve Him; the truth by which the confirmation was made being the “stone.” (That a “stone” denotes truth may be seen above, n. 643, 1298, 3720) In the supreme sense, the “stone” is the Lord Himself, because all truth is from Him, and therefore He is called the “Stone of Israel” (Genesis 49:24); and it is also said, “Behold, this stone shall be for a witness to us, for it hath heard all the words of Jehovah which He spake unto us.”
[4] In John:
I will give unto my two witnesses, that they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive-trees and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth. And if any man desire to hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies; these have power to shut heaven. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and shall overcome them, and shall kill them. And after three days and a half, the breath of life from God entered into them, so that they stood upon their feet (Revelation 11:3-7, 11).
That the “two witnesses” here mentioned are good and truth (that is, the good in which is truth, and the truth which is from good), both confirmed in hearts, is manifest from its being said that the two witnesses are the two olive-trees and the two lampstands. (That an “olive-tree” is such good, may be seen above, n. 886.) The “two olive-trees” denote celestial good and spiritual good. Celestial good is that of love to the Lord, and spiritual good is that of charity toward the neighbor. The “lampstands” are the truths of these goods, as will appear when of the Lord’s Divine mercy the subject of lampstands is treated of. That these goods and truths have power to shut heaven and to open heaven may be seen in the preface to the twenty-second chapter. That “the beast out of the abyss (that is, out of hell) will kill them,” signifies the vastation of good and truth within the church; and that “the spirit of life from God entered into them, so that they stood upon their feet,” signifies a new church.
[5] That as in ancient times heaps were placed as witnesses, so afterwards were altars, is evident in Joshua:
The Reubenites and the Gadites said, Behold the pattern of the altar of Jehovah which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, and not for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you. And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar, A witness between us that Jehovah is God (Josh. 22:28, 34).
(An “altar” is the good of love, and in the supreme sense the Lord Himself, n. 921, 2777, 2811.) In the internal sense a “witness” denotes the confirmation of good by truth.
[6] As by a “witness” is signified the confirmation of good by truth and of truth by good, therefore in the supreme sense by a “witness” is signified the Lord, because He is the Divine truth that confirms; as in Isaiah:
I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the true mercies of David; behold I have given Him for a Witness to the peoples, a prince and commander to the peoples (Isaiah 55:4).
In John:
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful Witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5).
In the same:
These things saith the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14).
[7] The command given in the representative church, that all truth shall stand on the word of two or three witnesses, and not on that of one (Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6-7; 19:15; Matthew 18:16), is founded on the Divine law that one truth does not confirm good, but a number of truths; for one truth without connection with others is not confirmatory, but a number together, because from one may be seen another. One does not produce any form, and thus not any quality, but only a number that are connected in a series. For as one tone does not produce any melody, still less harmony, so neither does one truth. These are the things on which the law in question is founded, although in the outward form it appears to be founded in the civic state; the one however is not contrary to the other, as is also the case with the precepts of the Decalogue, concerning which see above (n. 2609).
[8] That a “testimony” denotes the good from which is truth, and the truth which is from good, follows from what has been said; and also from the fact that the ten precepts of the Decalogue written upon the tables of stone are called in one word the “testimony,” as in Moses:
Jehovah gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God (Exodus 31:18).
In the same:
Moses went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand, tables that were written on their two sides (Exodus 32:15).
And as the tables were placed in the ark, the ark is called the “ark of the testimony,” as in Moses:
Jehovah said to Moses, Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee (Exodus 25:16, 21).
Moses took and put the testimony into the ark (Exodus 40:20).
In the same:
I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the mercy-seat from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony (Exodus 25:22).
In the same:
That the cloud of incense may cover the mercy-seat, that is upon the testimony (Leviticus 16:13).
In the same:
The rods of the twelve tribes were left in the tent of meeting before the testimony (Numbers 17:4).
(That from this the ark was also called the “ark of the testimony,” see, besides the passage cited, Exodus 25:22; 31:7; Revelation 15:5)
[9] The precepts of the Decalogue were therefore called the “testimony,” because they were of the covenant, thus of the conjunction between the Lord and man; which conjunction cannot come into existence unless man keeps the precepts, not only in external form, but also in internal. What the internal form of these precepts is, may be seen above (n. 2609); and therefore it is good confirmed by truth, and truth derived from good, which is signified by the “testimony.” Because this is so, the tables were also called the “tables of the covenant;” and the ark, the “ark of the covenant.” From all this it is manifest what in the genuine sense is signified in the Word by the “testimony” (as in Deuteronomy 4:45; 6:17, 20; Isaiah 8:16; 2 Kings 17:15; Psalms 19:7; 25:10; 78:5; 93:5; 119:2, 22, 24, 59, 79, 88, 138, 167; 122:3-4; Revelation 6:9; 12:17; 19:10).
2 Kings 17
1
In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel, [and reigned] nine years.
2
He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him.
3
Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and brought him tribute.
4
The king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.
5
Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
6
In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
7
It was so, because the children of Israel had sinned against Yahweh their God, who brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods,
8
and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom Yahweh cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they made.
9
The children of Israel did secretly things that were not right against Yahweh their God: and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city;
10
and they set them up pillars and Asherim on every high hill, and under every green tree;
11
and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the nations whom Yahweh carried away before them; and they worked wicked things to provoke Yahweh to anger;
12
and they served idols, of which Yahweh had said to them, "You shall not do this thing."
13
Yet Yahweh testified to Israel, and to Judah, by every prophet, and every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets."
14
Notwithstanding, they would not listen, but hardened their neck, like the neck of their fathers, who didn't believe in Yahweh their God.
15
They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified to them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and [went] after the nations that were around them, concerning whom Yahweh had commanded them that they should not do like them.
16
They forsook all the commandments of Yahweh their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served Baal.
17
They caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger.
18
Therefore Yahweh was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
19
Also Judah didn't keep the commandments of Yahweh their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.
20
Yahweh rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21
For he tore Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drove Israel from following Yahweh, and made them sin a great sin.
22
The children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they didn't depart from them;
23
until Yahweh removed Israel out of his sight, as he spoke by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away out of their own land to Assyria to this day.
24
The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they possessed Samaria, and lived in the cities of it.
25
So it was, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they didn't fear Yahweh: therefore Yahweh sent lions among them, which killed some of them.
26
Therefore they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, "The nations which you have carried away, and placed in the cities of Samaria, don't know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them, because they don't know the law of the god of the land."
27
Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, "Carry there one of the priests whom you brought from there; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the law of the god of the land."
28
So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear Yahweh.
29
However every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived.
30
The men of Babylon made Succoth Benoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,
31
and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burnt their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.
32
So they feared Yahweh, and made to them from among themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.
33
They feared Yahweh, and served their own gods, after the ways of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.
34
To this day they do what they did before: they don't fear Yahweh, neither do they follow their statutes, or their ordinances, or the law or the commandment which Yahweh commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel;
35
with whom Yahweh had made a covenant, and commanded them, saying, "You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them;
36
but you shall fear Yahweh, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, and you shall bow yourselves to him, and you shall sacrifice to him.
37
The statutes and the ordinances, and the law and the commandment, which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do forevermore. You shall not fear other gods.
38
You shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you; neither shall you fear other gods.
39
But you shall fear Yahweh your God; and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies."
40
However they did not listen, but they did what they did before.
41
So these nations feared Yahweh, and served their engraved images. Their children likewise, and their children's children, as their fathers did, so they do to this day.
