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Postanak 47

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1 Ode, dakle, Josip te obavijesti faraona: "Moj otac i moja braća stigoše sa svojim ovcama i govedima i sa svime što imaju iz zemlje kanaanske, i eno ih u gošenskom kraju."

2 I uzevši petoricu između svoje braće, uvede ih faraonu.

3 Onda faraon zapita njegovu braću: "Čime se bavite?" Odgovore faraonu: "Tvoje su sluge stočari, baš kao što su bili naši preci.

4 Došli smo da potražimo kratak boravak u ovoj zemlji", rekoše faraonu, "jer je nestalo paše za stada tvojih slugu, strašna glad pritište kanaansku zemlju. Dopusti da se tvoje sluge nastane u gošenskom kraju."

5 [5a] Faraon reče Josipu: [6b] "Neka se, dakle, nastane u gošenskom kraju. A ako znaš da među njima ima prikladnih, postavi ih za nadglednike moga osobnog blaga." [5b] Tako, kad Jakov i njegovi sinovi stigoše u Egipat i kad Faraon, kralj egipatski, to ču, reče Josipu: "Budući da su tvoj otac i tvoja braća došli k tebi,

6 [6a] egipatska ti je zemlja na raspolaganju: smjesti svoga oca i svoju braću u najboljem kraju."

7 Josip onda dovede svoga oca Jakova faraonu. Jakov blagoslovi faraona.

8 A faraon upita Jakova: "Koliko ti je godina?"

9 Jakov odgovori faraonu: "Godina moga lutalačkog življenja ima stotina i trideset. Malo ih je i nesretne su bile godine moga života; ne dostižu brojem godine življenja na zemlji mojih otaca."

10 Poslije toga Jakov se oprosti s faraonom i ode od njega.

11 Tako Josip nastani svoga oca i svoju braću davši im u vlasništvo najljepši kraj egipatske zemlje, u kraju Ramsesovu, kako je faraon naredio.

12 A Josip opskrbi hranom svoga oca, svoju braću i svu očevu obitelj sve do najmanjega.

13 Nigdje nije bilo hrane jer je pritisla strašna glad: izmuči ona i zemlju egipatsku i zemlju kanaansku.

14 Josip pobra sav novac što se nalazio u zemlji egipatskoj i zemlji kanaanskoj u zamjenu za žito koje se prodavalo i odnese novac u faraonov dvor.

15 Kad je nestalo novca u zemlji egipatskoj i zemlji kanaanskoj, svi Egipćani dođu k Josipu te mu reknu: "Daj nam kruha! Zašto da pomremo pred tvojim očima? Novca više nema."

16 Josip odgovori: "Predajte svoju stoku pa ću vam dati žita u zamjenu za stoku kad je novca nestalo."

17 Tako su oni dovodili svoju stoku Josipu, a Josip im davaše kruh u zamjenu za konje, za sitnu i krupnu stoku i za magarad. Tako ih je one godine opskrbljivao kruhom u zamjenu za sve njihovo blago.

18 Kad je ona godina prošla, dođu k njemu i druge godine te mu reknu: "Ne možemo sakriti od svoga gospodara: novca je nestalo, blaga su već ustupljena gospodaru; drugo ništa ne preostaje da gospodaru ustupimo nego sebe i svoje oranice.

19 Zašto da uništimo na tvoje oči i sebe i svoje zemlje? Uzmi i nas i naše zemlje u zakup za kruh, i tako ćemo zajedno sa svojom zemljom postati faraonovi kmetovi; daj sjemena da preživimo: da ne izginemo i da nam oranice ne postanu pustoš!"

20 Tako Josip steče faraonu u posjed sve egipatske oranice, jer je svaki Egipćanin, kako ih pritisnu glad, prodao svoje njive. Tako je zemlja postala faraonovo vlasništvo,

21 a narod od jednog kraja Egipta do drugoga njegovim robljem.

22 Jedino nije preuzeo svećeničkih imanja, jer je faraon davao svećenicima određeni dio, i tako su živjeli od prihoda što im ga je faraon davao. Stoga nisu prodali svojih imanja.

23 Onda Josip reče svijetu: "Budući da sam danas za faraona prekupio i vas i vašu zemlju, evo vam sjeme pa zasijte zemlju.

24 A kad bude pobiranje ljetine, faraonu ćete davati jednu petinu, dok će četiri petine ostajati vama: za zasijavanje polja, za hranu vama i onima koji su u vašim domovima i za hranu vašoj djeci."

25 Oni odgovore: "Život si nam spasio! Mi smo zahvalni svome gospodaru što možemo biti faraonovi robovi."

26 Tako Josip napravi za Egipat zemljišni zakon koji i danas vrijedi: petina pripada faraonu; jedino svećenička imanja nisu prešla faraonu.

27 Izraelci se nastaniše u zemlji egipatskoj, u kraju gošenskom; u njem stekoše vlasništvo; bijahu rodni i broj im se veoma umnoži.

28 U zemlji egipatskoj poživje Jakov sedamnaest godina. Tako je duljina Jakovljeva života iznosila sto četrdeset i sedam godina.

29 A kad se približi vrijeme Izraelu da umre, pozva svoga sina Josipa te mu reče: "Ako mi želiš ugoditi, stavi svoju ruku pod moje stegno kao jamstvo svoje odanosti meni: nemoj me sahraniti u Egiptu!

30 Kad legnem dolje sa svojim ocima, prenesi me iz Egipta gore i sahrani me u njihovu grobnicu!" "Učinit ću kako si rekao", odgovori.

31 "Zakuni mi se!" - reče. I on mu se zakle. Tada se Izrael duboko prignu na uzglavlju.

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 6125

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6125. 'In exchange for horses' means factual knowledge supplied from the understanding. This is clear from the meaning of 'horses' as ideas forming the understanding, dealt with in 2760-2762, 3217, 5321; and since they are spoken of in connection with Egypt, which means factual knowledge, 'horses' here are factual knowledge supplied from the understanding. But what factual knowledge supplied from the understanding is must be stated. There is an understanding part and there is a will part in the human mind, and these are situated not only in his internal man but also in his external. The human understanding is developing and growing from early childhood through to manhood, and it consists in a discernment of things gained from experience and formal knowledge, also a discernment of causes from effects as well as of consequences from a chain of causes. Thus the understanding part consists in a comprehension and perception of such things as are part of everyday life, public and private. An inflowing of light from heaven brings it into existence, and for that reason everyone's understanding is capable of being made more perfect. Understanding is given to everyone in accordance with his effort to make use of what he knows, in accordance with the life he leads, and in accordance with his individual character; no one lacks it provided he is of sound mind. A person is given it to the end that he may have freedom of choice, that is, have the freedom to choose good or evil. Unless he possesses an understanding like the one just described, he has no power of his own to make that choice; thus nothing could possibly be made his own.

[2] In addition to this it should be recognized that the understanding part of a person's mind is that which receives what is spiritual, so that it is the recipient of spiritual truth and good. For no good at all, that is, no charity, nor any truth at all, that is, any faith, can be instilled into anyone if he does not have that understanding part; but they are instilled in the measure that he does have it. This also explains why a person is not regenerated by the Lord until adult life when he does possess an understanding. Till then the good of love and the truth of faith fall like seed into utterly infertile soil. But once a person has been regenerated his understanding serves the function of enabling him to see and perceive what good is and from this what truth is. For the understanding converts things belonging to the superior light of heaven into those belonging to the inferior light of the natural world, as a consequence of which the former are then seen within the latter in the same way as a person's inner affections are seen in his face when it lacks all pretence. And because the understanding serves that function, many places in the Word where the spiritual side of the Church is referred to refer also to its power of understanding, a matter which will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with elsewhere.

[3] From all this one may now see what is meant by factual knowledge supplied from the understanding, namely known facts which lend support to the things a person grasps and perceives with his understanding, whether those things are bad or good. Such facts are what are meant in the Word by 'horses from Egypt', as in Isaiah,

Woe to those who go down into Egypt for help, and rely on horses and trust in chariots because they are many, and on horsemen because they are extremely strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel and do not seek Jehovah. For Egypt is man (homo), not God; and his horses are flesh, not spirit. Isaiah 31:1, 3.

'Horses from Egypt' stands for factual knowledge supplied from a perverted understanding.

[4] In Ezekiel,

He rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that ha might give him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will he who does this be rescued? Ezekiel 17:15.

'Horses from Egypt' again stands for factual knowledge supplied from a perverted understanding, which knowledge is resorted to in matters of faith, though there is no belief in the Word, that is, in the Lord, apart from what that knowledge provides. Thus no belief ever comes to exist, for within a perverted understanding a negative attitude reigns.

[5] The destruction which such factual knowledge underwent is represented by the drowning of Pharaoh's horses and chariots in the Sea Suph; and since that knowledge is meant by 'horses' and false matters of doctrine by 'chariots', his horses and chariots are mentioned so many times in the description of that event, see Exodus 14:17-18, 27, 26, 28. And the Song of Moses and Miriam consequently contains these words,

Pharaoh's horse went, also his chariot, also his horsemen, into the sea; but Jehovah made the waters of the sea come back over them. Sing to Jehovah, for He has highly exalted Himself; He has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea. Exodus 15:19, 21.

[6] Similar factual knowledge is also meant by the things required before-hand for a king over Israel, in Moses,

If they desire a king, from among their brothers shall a king be set over them. Only let him not multiply horses for himself nor lead the people back into Egypt in order to multiply horses. Deuteronomy 17:15-16.

'A king' represented the Lord as regards Divine Truth, 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4789, 4966, 5044, 5068, thus as regards intelligence since this comes, when it is genuine, from Divine Truth. The need for intelligence to be acquired through the Word, which is Divine Truth, and not through factual knowledge taken from one's own understanding is meant by the injunction that the king should not multiply horses or lead the people back into Egypt in order to multiply horses.

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