21
屬革順的，有立尼族、示每族。這是革順的二族。
Apocalypse Explained # 28
28. The Firstborn from the dead, signifies from whom is all good in heaven. This is evident from the signification of the "firstborn," as being, in reference to the Lord, Divine good in heaven, thus all good there. The "firstborn" signifies this, because by generations, in general and in particular, spiritual generations are signified, which are the generations of good and truth or of love and faith; from this it is, that by "father," "mother," "sons," "daughters," "sons-in-law," "daughters-in-law," and "son's sons," are signified goods and truths which generate and are generated in their order (Arcana Coelestia 10490), for in heaven there are no other nativities. This being so, by "firstborn" is not meant the firstborn, but the good of heaven and of the church, because this is in the first place. And since it is the Lord from whom all good in heaven is, He is called the "Firstborn." He is called "the Firstborn from the dead," because, when He arose from the dead, He made His Human to be Divine good by union with the Divine that was in Him from conception.
[2] This is why He is called "the Firstborn from the dead," and says of Himself in David:
I will make Him the Firstborn, high above the kings of the earth (Psalms 89:27).
What is meant by His being "high above the kings of the earth" will be seen in a subsequent article.
(That the Lord, when He departed from the world, made His Human Divine good, see Arcana Coelestia 3194, 3210, 6864, 7499, 8724, 9199, 10076; thus that He came forth from the Father and returned to the Father, n. 3194, 3210; and that after the union, the Divine truth, which is the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, proceeds from Him, n. 3704, 3712, 3969, 4577, 5704, 7499, 8127, 8241, 9199, 9398, 9407. But this arcanum may be seen more fully explained in the small work on The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 293-295; and in the passages there cited from the Arcana Coelestia 303-305.)
As the Lord in respect to the Divine Human is called "the Firstborn," for the reason that all good proceeds from Him, so all the firstborn in the Israelitish church were holy to Jehovah; so also the Levites were received in place of all the firstborn in Israel; for by the sons of Levi were represented those of the church who are in the good of charity: therefore also a double portion of inheritance was allotted to the firstborn; all this for the reason that the firstborn signified the good that is from the Lord, and in the highest sense, the Lord Himself in respect to the Divine Human from which is all good. For all things that were commanded in the Israelitish church were representative of Divine things, spiritual and celestial.
[3] That all the firstborn in the Israelitish church were holy to Jehovah appears from Moses, in the following passages:
Sanctify unto Me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is Mine (Exodus 13:2).
Thou shalt cause to pass over unto Jehovah all that openeth the womb, and every firstling that cometh of a beast, as many as thou hast, the males shall be Jehovah's (Exodus 13:12).
Thou shalt not delay to offer the firstfruits of thy produce, and the firstfruits of thy wine. The firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto Me. Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen and with thy sheep; seven days it shall be with its dam: on the eighth day thou shalt give it Me. And ye shall be men of holiness unto Me (Exodus 22:29-31).
They were to give also the firstborn of beasts, because these, too, were representative; and because they represented they were also made use of in burnt-offerings and sacrifices.
(What the various beasts in these services represented, see Arcana Coelestia 1823, 3519, 9280, 9980, 10042. Why the Levites were accepted in place of all the firstborn in Israel, see Numbers 3:12, 13, 41, 45; 8:15-20, was, as was said above, because the "sons of Levi" represented, and therefore signified, the good of charity, and "Levi," in the highest sense, signified the Lord as to that good, see Arcana Coelestia 3875, 3877, 4497, 4502, 4503, 10017. A double portion of the inheritance was given to the firstborn, Deuteronomy 21:17, because a "double portion" signified the good of love, Arcana Coelestia 720, 1686, 5194, 8423)
Numbers 3
1
Now this is the history of the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that Yahweh spoke with Moses in Mount Sinai.
2
These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3
These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.
4
Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh, when they offered strange fire before Yahweh, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father.
5
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
6
"Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him.
7
They shall keep his requirements, and the requirements of the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle.
8
They shall keep all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting, and the obligations of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
9
You shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons. They are wholly given to him on the behalf of the children of Israel.
10
You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death."
11
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
12
"Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the womb among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine:
13
for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal. They shall be mine. I am Yahweh."
14
Yahweh spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
15
"Count the children of Levi by their fathers' houses, by their families. You shall count every male from a month old and upward."
16
Moses numbered them according to the word of Yahweh, as he was commanded.
17
These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
18
These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.
19
The sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, and Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20
The sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers' houses.
21
Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimeites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
22
Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those who were numbered of them were seven thousand five hundred.
23
The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle westward.
24
The prince of the fathers' house of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.
25
The duty of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting shall be the tabernacle, and the Tent, its covering, and the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting,
26
and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and around the altar, and its cords for all of its service.
27
Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.
28
According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand six hundred, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary.
29
The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the south side of the tabernacle.
30
The prince of the fathers' house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
31
Their duty shall be the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all its service.
32
Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be prince of the princes of the Levites, with the oversight of those who keep the requirements of the sanctuary.
33
Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites. These are the families of Merari.
34
Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred.
35
The prince of the fathers' house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They shall encamp on the north side of the tabernacle.
36
The appointed duty of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle's boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its service,
37
the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, and their cords.
38
Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward, in front of the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary for the duty of the children of Israel. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.
39
All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of Yahweh, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.
40
Yahweh said to Moses, "Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
41
You shall take the Levites for me (I am Yahweh) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel."
42
Moses numbered, as Yahweh commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
43
All the firstborn males according to the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.
44
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
45
"Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am Yahweh.
46
For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, who exceed the number of the Levites,
47
you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; after the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs):
48
and you shall give the money, with which the remainder of them is redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons."
49
Moses took the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites;
50
from the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
51
and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of Yahweh, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
