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1 Tada Jahve reče Aronu: "Ti, tvoji sinovi i tvoj pradjedovski dom s tobom bit ćete odgovorni za grijehe u Svetištu; ti i tvoji sinovi s tobom bit ćete odgovorni za grijehe svoga svećeništva.

2 Pridruži k sebi i svoju braću od Levijeva plemena - tvoga pradjedovskog doma - neka ti se priključe da ti poslužuju, tebi i tvojim sinovima s tobom, pred Šatorom svjedočanstva.

3 Neka stoje na službu tebi i svemu Šatoru, ali neka se ne približuju pokućstvu u Svetištu niti žrtveniku, da ne poginu i oni i vi.

4 Neka su, dakle, tebi pridruženi i neka preuzmu brigu za Šator sastanka, svaku službu oko Šatora. I neka se ni jedan svjetovnjak ne približuje vama,

5 a vi vršite službu u Svetištu i službu oko žrtvenika da se više ne izlijeva gnjev na Izraelce.

6 Uzeh, evo, vašu braću levite između Izraelaca vama za dar; kao darovani pripadaju Jahvi da obavljaju službu oko Šatora sastanka.

7 Ti i tvoji sinovi s tobom preuzmite svećeničke poslove oko svega što spada na žrtvenik i iza zavjese. Službu koju dajem na dar vašem svećeništvu vi obavljajte. A svjetovnjak koji se primakne neka se pogubi."

8 Još reče Jahve Aronu: "Tebi, evo, povjeravam brigu o onom što se meni prinosi. Sve što Izraelci posvećuju dodjeljujem tebi i tvojim sinovima kao baštinu trajnim zakonom.

9 Ovo neka pripadne tebi od svetinja nad svetinjama: od paljenih žrtava svi njihovi darovi, za sve njihove prinosnice, za sve njihove okajnice i za sve njihove naknadnice što ih budu meni uzvraćali; ta vrlo sveta stvar neka pripadne tebi i tvojim sinovima!

10 Blagujte ih kao najveće svetinje! Svaki muškarac može ih jesti. Neka ti budu svete!

11 I ovo neka bude za te: ono što se uzima od izraelskih prinosa da se prinese kao prikaznica - trajnim zakonom predajem tebi, tvojim sinovima i tvojim kćerima s tobom. Svatko tko u tvome domu bude čist može od toga jesti.

12 Najbolje od novoga ulja i najbolje od novoga vina i žita - prvine koje se prinose Jahvi - predajem tebi.

13 Prvi rodovi svega u njihovoj zemlji što ih budu donosili Jahvi neka budu tvoji. Tko je god čist u tvome domu može ih jesti.

14 Sve što u Izraelu bude određeno za 'herem' neka je tvoje.

15 Svako prvorođenče svih bića - kako ljudi tako i životinja - što se prinose Jahvi neka bude tvoje. Samo pusti da se otkupi prvenac od ljudi i prvenče od nečiste stoke.

16 Kad budu stari mjesec dana, pusti da ih otkupljuju. A njihovu otkupnu cijenu odredi: pet srebrnih šekela, prema hramskom šekelu, a to je dvadeset gera.

17 Ali prvenče kravlje, prvenče ovčje i prvenče kozje neka se ne otkupljuje. Oni su svetinja. Krv njihovu izlij na žrtvenik, a pretilinu njihovu sažeži u kad kao žrtvu spaljenu na ugodan miris Jahvi.

18 Njihovo meso neka pripadne tebi; kao i grudi žrtve prikaznice i desno pleće.

19 Sve posvećene prinose što ih Izraelci podižu Jahvi predajem trajnim zakonom tebi, tvojim sinovima i tvojim kćerima s tobom. To je savez osoljen, trajan pred Jahvom, tebi i tvome potomstvu s tobom."

20 "Nemoj imati baštine u zemlji njihovoj", reče Jahve Aronu, "niti sebi stječi posjeda među njima! Ja sam tvoj dio i tvoja baština među Izraelcima."

21 "Levijevim sinovima, evo, predajem u baštinu sve desetine u Izraelu za njihovu službu - za službu što je obavljaju u Šatoru sastanka.

22 A Izraelci neka se više ne primiču Šatoru sastanka, da ne navuku na se grijeh i ne poginu.

23 Neka samo leviti obavljaju službu u Šatoru sastanka; i neka oni budu odgovorni za svoj grijeh. Trajna je to odredba za vaše naraštaje; među Izraelcima neka nemaju posjeda,

24 jer ja im predajem u posjed desetine što ih Izraelci prinose na dar Jahvi. Stoga sam za njih rekao: neka oni nemaju posjeda među Izraelcima."

25 Jahve reče Mojsiju:

26 "Levitima govori i reci im: 'Kad od Izraelaca primate desetinu, koju ja od njih dajem vama u baštinu, od toga onda vi prinesite podizanicu Jahvi: desetinu od desetine.

27 Prinos će vam biti zaračunan kao da je prinos s gumna i Óotoka iz badnja.

28 Tako isto prinosite podizanicu Jahvi i od svih svojih desetina što ih primate od Izraelaca. Od toga davajte podizanicu Jahvinu svećeniku Aronu.

29 Od svih darova koje budete primali podižite podizanicu Jahvi; od svega ono najbolje - onaj dio koji treba posvećivati.'

30 Još im reci: 'Pošto od toga prinesete najbolji dio, neka se to levitima uračuna kao prihod s gumna i prihod iz badnja.

31 Na svakome ga mjestu možete jesti, i vi i vaši ukućani, jer to vam je nagrada za vašu službu u Šatoru sastanka.

32 Pošto prinesete njegov najbolji dio, nećete navući na se grijeha; svetinja Izraelaca nećete oskvrnjivati te nećete ginuti.'"

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 2959

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2959. 'The land [is worth] four hundred shekels of silver' means the price of redemption by means of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'four hundred shekels', dealt with below, and from the meaning of 'silver' as truth, dealt with in 1551, 2048, 2937. The reason 'four hundred shekels' means the price of redemption is that 'four hundred' means vastation and 'a shekel' price. What vastation is, see 2455 (end), 2682, 2694, 2699, 2702, 2704, where it is shown that there are two types of vastation. The first takes place when the Church altogether ceases to exist, that is, when there is no longer any charity or faith. At that point the Church is said to be vastated or laid waste. The second takes place when those who belong to the Church are reduced to a state of ignorance and also of temptation, for the reason that the evils and falsities residing with them are to be set apart and so to speak dissipated. Those who emerge from this vastation are those who are specifically called the redeemed, for at that point they are taught the goods and truths of faith, and are reformed and regenerated by the Lord, as shown in the paragraphs quoted. Now since the number four hundred, when used to specify a period of time - such as four hundred years - means the duration and also the state of vastation, so that same number, when used to specify the number of shekels, means the price of redemption; and when the word 'silver' is mentioned together with this number, the price of redemption by means of truth is meant.

[2] That 'four hundred years' means the duration and the state of vastation becomes clear also from what Abraham was told,

Jehovah said to Abraham, 1 Know for sure that your seed will be strangers in a land not theirs. And they will serve them, and these will afflict them for four hundred years. Genesis 15:13.

There it may be seen that 'four hundred years' is used to mean the duration of the stay of the children of Israel in Egypt. Yet it is not the duration of their stay in Egypt that is meant but something that is not evident to anyone except from the internal sense. This becomes clear from the fact that the duration of the stay of the children of Israel in Egypt was no more than half the stated period, as becomes quite clear from the descendants of Jacob down to Moses. For the facts are that Levi was descended from Jacob, Kohath from Levi, Amram from Kohath, and Aaron and Moses from Amram, Exodus 6:16-20; Levi and his son Kohath went down to Egypt together with Jacob, Genesis 46:11; and Moses came two generations later, and was eighty years old when he spoke to Pharaoh, Exodus 7:7. These facts show that the period of time from Jacob's entry into Egypt until his sons' departure from that land was approximately two hundred and fifteen years.

[3] That 'four hundred' is used in the Word to mean something other than its numerical value in the historical sense is clearer still from its being said that

The length of time that the children of Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years, and at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, it happened on that same day, that all the armies of Jehovah went out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:40-41.

The duration of the stay of the children of Israel in that land was in fact only half that number of years; but it was from Abraham's entry into Egypt that the four hundred and thirty years were measured. Consequently what is said at this point in Exodus is for the sake of the internal sense Lying within those words. In the internal sense the sojourn of the sons of Jacob in Egypt represents and means the vastation of the Church, the state and duration of which are described by the number four hundred and thirty years. Thirty describes the state of vastation of the sons of Jacob as being no vastation at all, for they were such as could not be reformed through any state of vastation (for the meaning of the number thirty, see 2276); and 'four hundred years' represents the general state of vastation of those who belonged to the Church.

[4] Those therefore who come out of that vastation are referred to as the redeemed, as is also evident from the words addressed to Moses,

Therefore say to the children of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I will bring you out from beneath the burdens of Egypt, and I will rescue you from their slavery, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgements. Exodus 6:6.

And elsewhere,

Jehovah has brought you out by means of a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slaves, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Deuteronomy 7:8; 13:5.

And elsewhere,

You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, but Jehovah your God redeemed you. Deuteronomy 15:15; 24:18.

In Samuel,

Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt. 2 Samuel 7:23.

Since those who emerge from the state of vastation are referred to as the redeemed, 'four hundred shekels' therefore means the price of redemption.

[5] As regards 'a shekel' meaning the price or valuation, this is clear from the following places in the Word: In Moses,

All your valuations shall be according to the shekel of holiness. Leviticus 27:25.

And elsewhere,

If a soul commits a trespass and has sinned inadvertently in the holy things of Jehovah, he shall bring his guilt offering to Jehovah, a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to your valuation in silver shekels, according to the shekel of holiness. Leviticus 5:15.

From this it is evident that 'a shekel' means the price or valuation. It is called 'the shekel of holiness' because the price or valuation has regard to truth and good from the Lord - truth and good from the Lord being, within the Church, holiness itself. Consequently it is called 'the shekel of holiness' many times elsewhere, as in Exodus 30:24; Leviticus 27:3; Numbers 3:47, 50; 7:13, 19, 25, 31, 37, 43, 49, 55, 61, 67, 73; 18:16.

[6] That 'a shekel' is the price of what is holy is quite evident in Ezekiel when the holy land and the holy city are the subject. There the shekel is referred to as follows,

The shekel there shall be twenty gerahs; twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh (pound). Ezekiel 45:12.

Anyone may see that here 'shekel', 'pound', and the numbers mentioned mean holy things, that is, good and truth, for the holy land and the holy city or new Jerusalem, which are the subject there, mean nothing else than the Lord's kingdom where neither shekel, nor gerahs, nor pound, nor the numbering of them occurs. But the number itself, from the meaning it has in the internal sense, determines the valuation or price of good and truth.

[7] In Moses it is said that every man (vir) should give a ransom for his soul, so that there would be no plague. He had to give half a shekel, according to the shekel of holiness, a shekel being twenty gerahs. Half a shekel was to be the thruma (offering) to Jehovah, Exodus 30:12-13. Here ten gerahs, which make half a shekel, are remnants which are received from the Lord. Remnants are goods and truths stored away with a person - such remnants, being meant by 'ten', see 576, 1738, 1906, 2284. That remnants are goods and truths from the Lord that are stored away with a person, see 1906, 2284. Consequently they are also called 'the thruma (or offering) to Jehovah', and it is said that by means of this a soul will be redeemed. The reason it is stated several times that a shekel was twenty gerahs, as in these verses from Exodus, and also in Leviticus 27:25; Numbers 3:47; 18:16; and elsewhere, is that the shekel of twenty gerahs means the valuation of the good preserved in remnants - twenty meaning the good preserved in remnants, see 2280. Also therefore a shekel was a weight according to which the price of both gold and silver was determined, Genesis 24:22; Exodus 38:24; Ezekiel 4:10; 45:12 - the price of gold because 'gold' means good, 113, 1551, 1552, and the price of silver because 'silver' means truth, 1551, 2048. From this it is now evident that 'the land [is worth] four hundred shekels of silver' means the price of redemption by means of truth. The reason it is called 'the land' is that the spiritual Church is the subject, which is reformed and regenerated by means of truth received from the Lord, 2954. That 'the land' means the Church, see 662, 1066, 1068, 1262, 1733, 1850, 2117, 2118 (end).

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. In Genesis 15 the patriarch's name is still Abram.

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