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民數記 2

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1 耶和華曉諭摩西亞倫

2 以色列人要各歸自己的纛下,在本族的號那裡,對著會幕的四圍安營。

3 在東邊,向日出之地,照著軍隊的是猶大的纛。有亞米拿達的兒子拿順作猶大人的首領。

4 軍隊被數的,共有七萬名。

5 挨著他安營的是以薩迦支派。有蘇押的兒子拿坦業作以薩迦人的首領。

6 軍隊被數的,共有五萬名。

7 又有西布倫支派。希倫的兒子以利押作西布倫人的首領。

8 軍隊被數的,共有五萬名。

9 凡屬猶大、按著軍隊被數的,共有十八萬六名,要作第一隊往前行。

10 在南邊,按著軍隊是流便的纛。有示丟珥的兒子以利蓿作流便人的首領。

11 軍隊被數的,共有四萬六名。

12 挨著他安營的是西緬支派。蘇利沙代的兒子示路蔑作西緬人的首領。

13 軍隊被數的,共有五萬名。

14 又有迦得支派。丟珥的兒子以利雅薩作迦得人的首領。

15 軍隊被數的,共有四萬五五十名,

16 凡屬流便、按著軍隊被數的,共有十五萬五十名,要作第二隊往前行。

17 隨後,會幕要往前行,有利未在諸中間。他們怎樣安就怎樣往前行,各按本位,各歸本纛。

18 在西邊,按著軍隊以法蓮的纛。亞米忽的兒子以利沙瑪作以法蓮人的首領。

19 軍隊被數的,共有四萬零五名。

20 挨著他的是瑪拿西支派。比大蓿的兒子迦瑪列作瑪拿西人的首領。

21 軍隊被數的,共有三萬名。

22 又有便雅憫支派。基多尼的兒子亞比但作便雅憫人的首領。

23 軍隊被數的,共有三萬五名。

24 凡屬以法蓮、按著軍隊被數的,共有十萬零名,要作第三隊往前行。

25 邊,按著軍隊是但的纛。亞米沙代的兒子亞希以謝作但人的首領。

26 軍隊被數的,共有六萬名。

27 挨著他安營的是亞設支派。俄蘭的兒子帕結作亞設人的首領。

28 軍隊被數的,共有四萬名。

29 又有拿弗他利支派。以南的兒子亞希拉作拿弗他利人的首領。

30 軍隊被數的,共有五萬三名。

31 凡但被數的,共有十五萬名,要歸本纛作末隊往前行。

32 這些以色列人,照他們的宗族,按他們的軍隊,在諸中被數的,共有十萬零五十名。

33 惟獨利未人沒有數在以色列人中,是照耶和華所吩咐摩西的

34 以色列人就這樣行,各人照他們的家室、宗族歸於本纛,安營起行,都是照耶和華所吩咐摩西的

   

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Apocalypse Explained # 447

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447. Verse 8. Of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand sealed, signifies the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the third heaven. This is evident from the representation and consequent signification of "Zebulun" and the tribe named from him, as meaning the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the third heaven; because "Zebulun" in the Hebrew means cohabitation, and cohabitation signifies in the spiritual sense conjunction, such as exists with those who love each other. Here "Zebulun" signifies the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the third heaven, because the nine preceding tribes signify all those who are in the heavens and who come into the heavens; and there are three heavens, the inmost, the middle, and the lowest, and no one comes into heaven except those whom the Lord conjoins to Himself; therefore the three tribes last mentioned signify conjunction with the Lord, "the tribe of Zebulun" the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the third heaven, "the tribe of Joseph" the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the second heaven, and "the tribe of Benjamin" the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the lowest heaven.

[2] "Zebulun" signifies in the highest sense the union of the Divine Itself and the Divine Human in the Lord, in the internal sense the Lord's conjunction with heaven and the church; and in particular, the conjunction of good and truth therein, for by this conjunction the conjunction with the Lord of those who are in the three heavens and in the church is effected; for with such the Lord flows in with the good of love and charity, and conjoins that good to the truths that are with them, and thereby conjoins man and angel to Himself. This is what is signified by "cohabitation," which is the meaning of "Zebulun." That this is the meaning of "Zebulun" can be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 3960, 3961), where the words of Leah his mother when he was born are explained, which are as follows:

And Leah conceived, and bare a sixth son to Jacob. And Leah said, God hath endowed me with a good dowry; this time will my husband cohabit with me, because I have borne him six sons; and she called his name Zebulun (Genesis 30:19, 20).

[3] From this signification of "Zebulun" what is signified by him in the following passages can be seen. As in the prophecy of Israel respecting his sons:

Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the seas; and he shall dwell at a haven of ships; and his side shall be unto Zidon (Genesis 49:13).

Here "Zebulun" signifies the conjunction of good and truth, which is called the heavenly marriage; "to dwell at a haven of the sea" signifies the conjunction of things spiritual with natural truths, "seas" meaning knowledges (scientifica), which are natural truths; "to dwell at a haven of ships" signifies the spiritual conjunction with doctrinals from the Word, "ships" meaning doctrinals and knowledges of all kinds; "his side shall be unto Zidon" signifies extension to the knowledges of good and truth from the celestial kingdom. (For further explanation of this see Arcana Coelestia 6382-6386.)

[4] The like is meant in the prophecy of Moses respecting the sons of Israel:

Of Zebulun he said, Be glad, Zebulun; in thy going out, and Issachar in thy tents. They shall call the peoples unto the mountain; there they shall sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness; for they shall suck the abundance of the seas, and the hidden things of the secret things of the sand (Deuteronomy 33:18, 19).

Here, too, "Zebulun" signifies the marriage of good and truth, as may be seen in the preceding article n. 445, where the prophecy is explained. So again in the prophecy of Deborah and Barak in the book of Judges:

Out of Machir shall come down lawgivers, and out of Zebulun they that draw the staff of the scribe. Zebulun was a people that devoted the soul to death, and Naphtali upon the heights of the field. The kings came, they fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of silver. They fought from heaven; the stars from their courses fought with Sisera (Judges 5:14, 18-20).

This prophecy treats of the combat of truth from good against falsity from evil; "the king of Canaan" who reigned in Hazor, and "Sisera" the captain of his army who fought against Barak and Deborah, signify the falsity of evil, and "Barak and Deborah" the truth of good; and as "the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun" signify combat from truth that is from good, "the tribe of Naphtali" combat, and "the tribe of Zebulun" the conjunction of good and truth, therefore these two tribes only, and not the other tribes, were taken to fight (See Judges 4:6). That this was what this combat signified can be seen from the prophecy uttered by Barak and Deborah, which treats in the spiritual sense of the victory of truth from good over falsity from evil, and of the purification and reformation of the church. So here "Out of Machir shall come down lawgivers" signifies that the truths of good shall flow forth from the good of life, for "Machir" has a like signification as "Manasseh," because Machir was the son of Manasseh (Genesis 50:23; Joshua 13:31); and "lawgivers" signify those who are in the truths of good, and in an abstract sense the truths of good; "and out of Zebulun they that draw the staff of the scribe" signifies intelligence from the conjunction of truth and good, "Zebulun" signifying here, as above, the conjunction of truth and good, and the "staff of the scribe" intelligence. "Zebulun was a people that devoted the soul to death, and Naphtali upon the heights of the field," signifies combat in the natural man by means of truths from the spiritual man and from its influx and conjunction, "the heights of the field" signifying the interior things that are of the spiritual man, from which the natural man combats; "the kings came, they fought, then fought the kings of Canaan" signifies the falsities of evil against which is combat; "in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo" signifies those falsities and of what quality they are; "they took no gain of silver" signifies that they took and carried away nothing of truth from good, "silver" meaning truth from good; "they fought from heaven, the stars from their courses fought with Sisera" signifies combat by means of the knowledges of truth and good, which are from the Lord through heaven, "stars" meaning such knowledges, and "courses" truths.

[5] Again, "Zebulun and Naphtali" signify the conjunction of truth and good through combat against falsities and evils, and consequent reformation. In Matthew:

Jesus leaving Nazareth, came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the nations; the people sitting in darkness saw a great light; and to those sitting in the region and shadow of death to them did light spring up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent ye, for the kingdom of the heavens hath come nigh (Matthew 4:13-17; Isaiah 9:1, 2).

In Isaiah this was evidently said respecting the Lord, for it is said "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet;" therefore "the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and Galilee of the nations," signify the establishment of the church with the Gentiles that are in the good of life and that receive truths and are thus in the conjunction of good and truth, and in combat against evils and falsities. That this means the establishment of the church and the reformation of such nations is evident also from its being said "beyond Jordan, Galilee of the nations," and also "the people sitting in darkness saw a great light, and to those sitting in the region and shadow of death did light spring up."

[6] "Zebulun and Naphtali" signify in the highest sense the union of the Divine Itself and the Lord's Divine Human by means of temptations admitted into Himself, and victories gained by His own power; as in David, Psalms 68:27-29 (which may be seen explained above, n. 439. Because of this signification of "Zebulun":

The tribe of Judah, together with the tribe of Issachar and the tribe of Zebulun, pitched to the east about the tent of meeting (Numbers 2:3-10);

for the encampments of the sons of Israel about the tent of meeting represent and thence signify the arrangements of the angelic societies in heaven; and to the east in heaven are those who are in conjunction with the Lord through love to Him; for "the tribe of Judah" represented love to the Lord, and "the tribe of Zebulun" conjunction with Him.

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