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创世记 41

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1 过了两年,法老做梦,梦见自己站在河边,

2 只母从河里上来,又美好又肥壮,在芦荻中吃

3 又有只母从河里上来,又丑陋又乾,与那只母一同站在河边。

4 这又丑陋又乾只母尽了那又美好又肥壮的只母法老就醒了。

5 他又睡着,第二回做梦,梦见棵麦子长了个穗子,又肥大又佳美,

6 又长了个穗子,又细弱又被东风吹焦了。

7 这细弱的穗子了那个又肥大又饱满的穗子。法老醒了,不料是个梦。

8 到了早晨法老心里不安,就差人召了埃及所有的术士和博士来;法老就把所做的梦告诉他们,却没有人能给法老圆解。

9 那时酒政对法老:我今日想起我的罪来。

10 从前法老恼怒臣仆,把我和膳长下在护卫长府内的监里。

11 我们同夜各做梦,各梦都有讲解。

12 在那里同着我们有一个希伯来的少年,是护卫长的仆人我们告诉他,他就把我们的梦圆解,是按着各的梦圆解的。

13 後来正如他给我们圆解的成就了;我官复原职,膳长被起来了。

14 法老遂即差人去召约瑟,他们便急忙带他出监,他就剃头,刮脸,换衣裳,进到法老面前。

15 法老对约瑟:我做了一梦,没有人能解;我见人,你了梦就能解。

16 约瑟回答法老:这不在乎我,必将平安的话回答法老

17 法老对约瑟:我梦见我站在河边,

18 只母从河里上来,又肥壮又美好,在芦荻中吃

19 又有只母上来,又软弱又丑陋又乾瘦,在埃及,我没有见过这样不好的。

20 这又乾瘦又丑陋的母尽了那以先的只肥母

21 吃了以後却看不出是吃了,那丑陋的样子仍旧和先前一样。我就醒了。

22 我又梦见棵麦子,长了个穗子,又饱满又佳美,

23 又长了个穗子,枯槁细弱,被东风吹焦了。

24 这些细弱的穗子了那个佳美的穗子。我将这梦告诉了术士,却没有人能给我解说。

25 约瑟对法老法老的梦乃是个。已将所要做的事指示法老了。

26 年,穗子也是年;这梦乃是个。

27 那随上来的只又乾瘦又丑陋的母年,那个虚空、被东风吹焦的穗子也是年,都是个荒年。

28 这就是我对法老已将所要做的事显明给法老了。

29 埃及丰年,

30 又要来个荒年,甚至埃及忘了先前的丰收,全必被饥荒所灭。

31 因那以的饥荒甚大,便不觉得先前的丰收了。

32 至於法老两回做梦,是因命定这事,而且必速速成就。

33 所以,法老当拣选一个有聪明有智慧的,派他治理埃及

34 法老当这样行,又派员管理这。当个丰年的时候,征收埃及的五分之一,

35 叫他们把将丰年一切的粮食聚敛起,积蓄五谷,收存在各城里做食物,归於法老的

36 所积蓄的粮食可以防备埃及将来的个荒年,免得这被饥荒所灭。

37 法老和他一切臣仆都以这事为妙。

38 法老对臣仆:像这样的,有的灵在他里头,我们岂能得着呢?

39 法老对约瑟既将这事都指示你,可见没有人像你这样有聪明有智慧。

40 你可以掌管我的家;我的民都必听从你的话。惟独在宝座上我比你大。

41 法老又对约瑟:我派你治理埃及

42 法老就摘下上打印的戒指,戴在约瑟的上,给他穿上细麻衣,把炼戴在他的颈项上,

43 约瑟坐他的副车,喝道的在前呼叫说:跪下。这样、法老派他治理埃及

44 法老对约瑟:我是法老,在埃及,若没有你的命令,不许擅自办事(原文作动)。

45 法老赐名约瑟,撒发那忒巴内亚,又将安城的祭司波提非拉的女儿亚西纳他为妻。约瑟就出去巡行埃及

46 约瑟见埃及法老的时候年三十岁。他从法老面前出去,遍行埃及

47 个丰年之内,的出产极丰极盛(原文作一把一把的),

48 约瑟聚集埃及个丰年一切的粮食,把粮食积存在各城里;各城周围田的粮食都积存在本城里。

49 约瑟积蓄五谷甚多,如同边的沙,无法计算,因为谷不可胜

50 荒年未到以前,安城的祭司波提非拉的女儿亚西纳给约瑟生了两个儿子。

51 约瑟给长子起名玛拿西(就是使之忘了的意思),因为他使我忘了一切的困苦和我父的全家。

52 他给次子起名以法莲(就是使之昌盛的意思),因为他使我在受苦的方昌盛。

53 埃及个丰年一完,

54 个荒年就来了。正如约瑟所的,各都有饥荒;惟独埃及有粮食。

55 及至埃及有了饥荒,众民向法老哀求粮食,法老对他们:你们往约瑟那里去,凡他所的,你们都要做。

56 当时饥荒遍满天下,约瑟开了各处的仓,发粮给埃及人;在埃及饥荒甚大。

57 的人都往埃及去,到约瑟那里籴粮,因为天下的饥荒甚大。

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 5354

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5354. And the name of the second called he Ephraim. That this signifies a new understanding in the natural, and its quality, is evident from the signification of a “name” and “calling a name,” as being the quality (see n. 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421); and from the representation of Ephraim, as being the understanding in the natural (of which in what follows). But first must be told what is meant by the new understanding and the new will signified by “Ephraim and Manasseh.” In the church it is indeed known that man must be born again (that is, must be regenerated) in order that he may enter the kingdom of God; for the Lord has plainly declared this in John 3:3, 5 (John 3:5). But what it is to be born again is known only to few, for the reason that few know what good and evil are, and this because they do not know what charity toward the neighbor is; if they knew this, they would also know what good is, and from good what evil is; for all that is good which comes from genuine charity toward the neighbor.

[2] But no one can be in this good from himself, because it is the celestial itself which flows in from the Lord. This celestial flows in continually, but evils and falsities stand in the way of its being received; and therefore in order that it may be received it is necessary for man to remove evils, and as far as he is able falsities also, and thus dispose himself to receive the influx. When after evils have been removed the man receives the influx, he at the same time receives a new will and a new understanding; and from the new will he feels delight in doing good to the neighbor from no selfish end, and from the new understanding he perceives delight in learning what is good and true for its own sake and for the sake of the life. Inasmuch as this new understanding and new will come into existence through influx from the Lord, the man who has been regenerated acknowledges and believes that the good and truth with which he is affected are not from himself but from the Lord, and also that whatever is from himself, or of his own, is nothing but evil.

[3] From all this it is plain what it is to be born again, and also what the new will and new understanding are. But the regeneration through which come the new understanding and the new will is not accomplished in a moment, but goes on from earliest infancy even to the close of life, and afterward in the other life to eternity, and this by Divine means, innumerable and unspeakable; for man of himself is nothing but evil, which continually exhales as from a furnace, and continually endeavors to extinguish the nascent good. The removal of such evil, and the inrooting of good in its place, cannot be effected short of the whole course of life, and through Divine means numberless and unspeakable. Of these means scarcely any are known at the present day, for the reason that man does not suffer himself to be regenerated, nor does he believe regeneration to be anything, because he does not believe in a life after death. The process of regeneration, which includes indescribable things, makes up the main part of angelic wisdom, and is of such a nature that it cannot be fully exhausted by any angel to eternity. Hence it is that this is the chief subject treated of in the internal sense of the Word.

[4] That “Ephraim” is the new understanding in the natural, is plain from very many passages in the Word, especially in the prophet Hosea, which treats much of “Ephraim,” and in which we read as follows:

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from Me, in that thou hast wholly committed whoredom, O Ephraim, Israel is defiled. Israel and Ephraim shall go to ruin by their iniquity; Judah shall also go to ruin with them. Ephraim shall become a solitude in the day of reproof. And I am as a moth to Ephraim, and as a boring-worm to the house of Judah. And Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his wound, and Ephraim went to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb; and this one could not heal you (Hos. 5:3, 5, (Hosea 5:5) 9 (Hosea 5:9), 12-13).

Again in the same prophet:

When I healed Israel, then was the iniquity of Ephraim unveiled, and the evils of Samaria; for they have wrought a lie; and a thief cometh, and a troop spreadeth itself abroad. And Ephraim was like a silly dove without heart; they called Egypt, they went to Assyria. When they shall go I will spread my net over them (Hos. 7:1, 11-12).

[5] Again:

Israel is swallowed up; now shall they be among the nations as a vessel wherein is no desire; when they went up to Assyria, a wild ass alone; Ephraim winneth him loves with a harlot’s hire (Hosea 8:8-9;

Israel shall not dwell in the land of Jehovah, and Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat what is unclean in Assyria (Hos. 9:3);

Ephraim hath compassed me about with a lie, and the house of Israel with deceit; and Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints; Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind; every day he multiplieth a lie and wasting, and they make a covenant with the Assyrian, and oil is carried down into Egypt (Hos. 11:12; 12:1);

besides many other passages in the same prophet concerning Ephraim (as Hosea 4:17-19; 5:3, 5, 9, 11-14; 7:8-9; 9:8, 11, 16; 10:6, 11; 11:3, 8-9; 12:8, 14; 13:1, 12; 14:8).

[6] In all these passages by “Ephraim” is meant the intellectual of the church, by “Israel” its spiritual, and by “Judah” its celestial; and it is because the intellectual of the church is signified by “Ephraim” that it is so often said of him that he “goes away into Egypt,” and “into Assyria;” for by “Egypt” are signified memory-knowledges, and by “Assyria” reasonings from these; both being predicated of the understanding. (That “Egypt” signifies memory-knowledge may be seen above, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 3325, 4749, 4964, 4966; and also that “Assyria” signifies reason and reasoning, n. 119, 1186)

[7] In like manner in the following passages by “Ephraim” is signified the understanding of the church:

Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion; sound, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy King cometh to thee. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and I will cut off the battle bow; He shall speak peace against the nations; and His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth. I will bend Judah for Me, I will fill Ephraim with the bow, and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, with thy sons, O Javan (Zech. 9:9-10, 13);

said of the coming of the Lord and of the church of the Gentiles. “To cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem” denotes to cut off all the understanding of the church; “to fill Ephraim with the bow” denotes to give a new understanding. That a “chariot” signifies what is of doctrine may be seen above (n. 5321), a “horse,” what is of the understanding (n. 2760-2762, 3217, 5321); and a “bow” also what is of doctrine (2685, 2686, 2709); for what is of doctrine depends on what is of the understanding, for it is believed as it is understood, the understanding of the doctrine determining the quality of the faith.

[8] Hence also the sons of Ephraim are called “shooters with the bow,” in David:

The sons of Ephraim, who were armed and shooters with the bow, turned back in the day of battle (Psalms 78:9).

In Ezekiel:

Son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the sons of Israel his companions; then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and of all the house of Israel his companions; afterward join them for thee one to another into one stick, that the two may become one in my hand. Behold I will take the stick of Joseph that is in the hands of Ephraim and of the tribes of Israel his companions, and will add those who are upon it with the stick of Judah, and I will make them one stick, that they may be one in My hand (Ezekiel 37:16-17, 19); where also by “Judah” is meant the celestial of the church, by “Israel” its spiritual, and by “Ephraim” its intellectual. That these are made one through the good of charity, is signified by one stick being made out of two. (That a “stick of wood” is the good of charity and consequently the good of works, may be seen above, n. 1110, 2784, 2812, 3720, 4943)

[9] In Jeremiah:

There shall be a day that the watchman from the mountain of Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, let us go up to Zion unto Jehovah our God. I will be a father to Israel, and Ephraim My firstborn is he (Jeremiah 31:6, 9).

In the same:

I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a calf unaccustomed; turn Thou me, that I may be turned. Is not Ephraim a precious son to Me? Is he not a child of delights? For after I have spoken against him, I will surely remember him again (Jeremiah 31:18, 20).

I will bring back Israel to his habitation, that he may feed in Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be sated in the mountain of Ephraim and in Gilead (Jeremiah 50:19).

In Isaiah:

Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, and to the fading flower and to the glory of his adornment, which are upon the head of the valley of the fat ones that are troubled with wine (Isaiah 28:1).

[10] In these passages also by “Ephraim” is signified the understanding of the church. The understanding of the church is the understanding the men of the Church have of truths and goods, that is, of the doctrinal things of faith and charity; thus their notion, concept, or idea about them. Truth itself is the spiritual of the church, and good is its celestial; but truth and good are understood differently by different men; such therefore as is the understanding of truth, such is the truth with everyone. It is similar with the understanding of good.

[11] What the will of the church is that is signified by “Manasseh,” may be known from its understanding, which is “Ephraim.” It is with the will of the church as with its understanding, namely, that it is varied with each person. “Manasseh” signifies this will in Isaiah:

In the wrath of Jehovah Zebaoth the land is darkened, and the people is become like food for the fire; no man shall spare his brother; they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: they together are against Judah (Isaiah 9:19-21); where “every man eating the flesh of his own arm, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Ephraim, Manasseh” denotes that the will of the man of the church will be against his understanding, and his understanding against his will.

[12] In David:

God hath spoken by His holiness: I will exult, I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; and Ephraim is the strength of My head (Psalms 60:6-7

Again:

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that sittest upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up Thy might (Psalms 80:1-2); where also “Ephraim” denotes the understanding of the church, and “Manasseh” its will. The same is plain also from the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh by Jacob before his death (Genesis 48:13-20); and also from Jacob’s accepting Ephraim in place of Reuben, and Manasseh in place of Simeon (Genesis 48:3, 5); for by Reuben was represented the understanding of the church, or faith in the understanding and in doctrine (see n. 3861, 3866), and by Simeon, faith in act, or obedience and will to do the truth, from which and by which is charity, and thus truth in act, which is the good of the new will (n. 3869-3872).

[13] The reason why Jacob, then Israel, blessed Ephraim in preference to Manasseh, by putting his right hand upon the former and his left upon the latter (Genesis 48:13-20), was the same that Jacob had for diverting to himself the birthright of Esau, and the same as in the case of Perez and Zerah the sons of Judah by Tamar, when Zerah, who was the firstborn, came forth after Perez (Genesis 38:28-30). This reason was that the truth of faith, which is of the understanding, is apparently in the first place during man’s regeneration, and then the good of charity, which is of the will, is apparently in the second place; and yet good is actually in the first place, and is manifestly so when the man has been regenerated (as may be seen above, n. 3324, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247, 4337, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930, 4977).

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.