Bible

 

士師記 4

Studie

   

1 以笏後,以色列人又行耶和華眼中看為惡的事,

2 耶和華就把他們付與在夏瑣作王的迦南王耶賓中;他的將軍是西西拉,外邦人的夏羅設。

3 耶賓王有輛。他大大欺壓以色列人二十年,以色列人就呼求耶和華

4 有一位女先知名叫底波拉,是拉比多的妻,當時作以色列的士師。

5 以法蓮拉瑪伯特利中間,在底波拉的棕樹以色列人都上他那裡去聽判斷

6 他打發從拿弗他利的基低斯將亞比挪菴的兒子巴拉召了來,對他耶和華以色列的吩咐你:你率領一萬拿弗他利和西布倫上他泊去。

7 我必使耶賓的將軍西西拉率領他的車輛和全軍往基順,到你那裡去;我必將他交在你中。

8 巴拉:你若同我去,我就去;你若不同我去,我就不去。

9 底波拉:我必與你同去,只是你在所行的上得不著榮耀,因為耶和華要將西西拉交在一個婦人裡。於是底波拉起來,與巴拉一同往基低斯去了。

10 巴拉就招聚西布倫和拿弗他利到基低斯,跟他上去的有一萬。底波拉也同他上去。

11 摩西岳父(或譯:內兄)何巴的後裔,基尼人希百曾離開基尼族,到靠近基低斯撒拿音的橡樹旁支搭帳棚。

12 有人告訴西西拉說:亞比挪菴的兒子巴拉已經上他泊了。

13 西西拉就聚集所有的輛,和跟隨他的全軍,從外邦人的夏羅設出來,到了基順

14 底波拉對巴拉:你起來,今日就是耶和華將西西拉交在你的日子。耶和華豈不在你前頭行麼?於是巴拉了他泊,跟隨他有一萬

15 耶和華使西西拉和他一切車輛全軍潰亂,在巴拉面前被刀殺敗;西西拉車步行逃跑

16 巴拉追趕車輛、軍隊,直到外邦人的夏羅設。西西拉的全軍都倒在刀下,沒有留下人。

17 只有西西拉步行逃跑,到了基尼人希百之妻雅億的帳棚,因為夏瑣王耶賓與基尼人希百家和好。

18 雅億出來迎接西西拉,對他:請我進來,不要懼;西西拉就進了他的帳棚。雅憶用被將他遮蓋。

19 西西拉對雅億:我渴了,求你給我一點喝。雅億就打開皮袋,給他奶子喝,仍舊把他遮蓋。

20 西西拉又對雅億:請你站在帳棚口,若有問你:有在這裡沒有?你就:沒有。

21 西西拉疲乏沉睡。希百的妻雅億取了帳棚的橛子,裡拿著錘子,輕悄悄到他旁邊,將橛子從他鬢邊進去,裡。西西拉就死了

22 巴拉追趕西西拉的時候,雅億出迎接他罷,我將你所尋找給你。他就進入帳棚,見西西拉已經死了,倒在地上,橛子還在他鬢中。

23 這樣,使迦南王耶賓被以色列人制伏了。

24 從此以色列人越發有力,勝了迦南王耶賓,直到將他滅絕了。

   

Komentář

 

Ephraim

  
Jacob blessing the sons of Joseph, by Januarius Zick

Ephraim was the second son born to Joseph in Egypt and was, along with his older brother Manasseh, elevated by Jacob to the same status as Joseph’s brothers. Thus when the tribes of Israel are named, Ephraim and Manasseh are named as patriarchs along with their uncles – Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin -- but Joseph is not. According to Swedenborg, Ephraim represents the intellectual aspect of the church, the part that explores and understands what is true – especially the true ideas that can be drawn from the Bible. Manasseh, meanwhile, represents the affectional aspect of the church, the part that feels and loves and cares. This plays into the best-known story of Ephraim’s life. When Jacob was old and nearing death, Joseph brought his two sons to be blessed. He presented Manasseh to Jacob’s right hand as the elder, and Ephraim to Jacob’s left hand. But Jacob crossed his hands and gave Ephraim the primary blessing. According to Swedenborg, Manasseh was the elder son because ultimately, what we love makes us who we are; our loves form our lives. So our loves are the most central, leading aspect of our human existence, with our intellect playing a secondary role. But as we develop, we need to reverse those. We can use our intellect to understand what is good and right and force ourselves to do it, even when our desires are for what’s selfish. If we stick to that out of a determination to follow the Lord and be good people, the Lord will eventually remove the selfishness from our hearts so we can truly love what is good. By having Jacob bless Ephraim above Manasseh, the Lord is telling us that we have to put our intellect first to pursue our spiritual journey.