Bible

 

Brojevi 31

Studie

   

1 Jahve reče Mojsiju:

2 "Iskali osvetu Izraelaca na Midjancima, a poslije toga pridružit ćeš se svojim precima."

3 A Mojsije reče narodu: "Opremite ljude između sebe za pohod na Midjance,

4 da na Midjancima izvrše Jahvinu osvetu. Na vojnu opremite po jednu tisuću od svakoga izraelskog plemena!"

5 I tako su iz izraelskih porodica - tisuću po plemenu - za vojnu skupili dvanaest tisuća.

6 Posla ih Mojsije - tisuću po plemenu - na vojnu zajedno s Pinhasom, sinom svećenika Eleazara. On je nosio posvećene stvari i trube.

7 Oni zavojuju na Midjance, kako je Jahve naredio Mojsiju, i pobiju sve muškarce.

8 Među ostalima pobili su i midjanske kraljeve: Evija, Rekema, Sura, Hura i Rebu - pet midjanskih kraljeva. Mačem pogube i Bileama, Beorova sina.

9 Odvedu tada Izraelci u ropstvo midjanske žene s njihovom djecom i svu njihovu stoku, krupnu i sitnu, i zaplijene sve njihovo blago.

10 Ognjem spale sve gradove njihove u kojima se živjeli i sva njihova naselja,

11 a sve njihovo uzmu za plijen i pljačku, i ljude i životinje.

12 Onda u tabor na Moapskim poljanama uz Jordan, nasuprot Jerihonu, dovedu Mojsiju, svećeniku Eleazaru i svoj izraelskoj zajednici zarobljenike, plijen i pljačku.

13 Mojsije, svećenik Eleazar i svi glavari zajednice izađu im u susret izvan tabora.

14 Mojsije se razljuti na zapovjednike vojske, tisućnike i satnike, koji se bijahu vratili s toga bojnog pohoda.

15 Reče im: "Što! Na životu ste ostavili sve ženskinje!

16 A baš su žene, po nagovoru Bileamovu, zavele Izraelce da u Peorovu slučaju istupe protiv Jahve. Tako dođe pomor na Jahvinu zajednicu.

17 Stoga svu mušku djecu pobijte! A ubijte i svaku ženu koja je poznala muškarca!

18 A sve mlade djevojke koje nisu poznale muškarca ostavite na životu za se.

19 Vi pak proboravite izvan tabora sedam dana; svi vi koji ste koga ubili i koji ste se ubijenoga dotakli. Čistite se i vi i vaši zarobljenici trećega i sedmoga dana;

20 očistite svu odjeću, sve mješine, sve od kostrijeti napravljeno i sve drvene predmete."

21 Zatim svećenik Eleazar progovori borcima koji su se vratili iz boja: "Ovo je odredba koju je izdao Jahve Mojsiju:

22 'Zlato, srebro, bakar, gvožđe, mjed i olovo -

23 sve što podnosi vatru - provucite kroz vatru i bit će očišćeno.' Ipak, neka se očisti i vodom očišćenja. A sve što ne podnosi vatru provucite kroz vodu.

24 Sedmoga dana operite svoju odjeću i bit ćete čisti. Poslije toga možete se vratiti u tabor."

25 Jahve reče Mojsiju:

26 "Ti, svećenik Eleazar i obiteljske starješine zajednice napravite popis ratnoga plijena, ljudstva i stoke,

27 a onda ratni plijen podijeli napola: na borce koji su išli u borbu i na svu ostalu zajednicu.

28 Od boraca koji su išli u borbu ustavi ujam za Jahvu: jednu glavu od svakih pet stotina, bilo ljudi, bilo krupnog blaga, magaradi ili sitne stoke.

29 Uzmi to od njihove polovice i podaj svećeniku Eleazaru kao podizanicu za Jahvu.

30 A od polovice što zapadne druge Izraelce uzmi po glavu od pedeset, bilo ljudi, bilo krupnog blaga, magaradi ili sitne stoke - od svih životinja - pa ih podaj levitima koji vode brigu o Jahvinu prebivalištu."

31 Mojsije i svećenik Eleazar učine kako je Jahve naredio Mojsiju.

32 Ratnoga je plijena bilo, osim pljačke što su vojnici napljačkali: šest stotina sedamdeset i pet tisuća grla sitne stoke,

33 sedamdeset i dvije tisuće grla krupne stoke,

34 šezdeset i jedna tisuća magaradi,

35 a ljudskih duša - žena koje nisu poznale muškarca - bijaše u svemu trideset i dvije tisuće.

36 Prema tome, polovica što je dodijeljena onima koji su išli u borbu bila je: tri stotine trideset i sedam tisuća i pet stotina grla sitne stoke;

37 ujam za Jahvu od sitne stoke šest stotina sedamdeset i pet grla;

38 krupne je stoke bilo trideset i šest tisuća grla, a njihov ujam za Jahvu sedamdeset i dva grla;

39 magaradi je bilo trideset tisuća i pet stotina, a njihov ujam za Jahvu šezdeset i jedno.

40 Ljudskih je duša bilo šesnaest tisuća, a njihov ujam za Jahvu trideset i dvije osobe.

41 Ujam predade Mojsije svećeniku Eleazaru za podizanicu Jahvi, kako je Jahve naredio Mojsiju.

42 A od polovice koja je zapala druge Izraelce i koju Mojsije odijeli od one što je pripala ljudima koji su se borili -

43 dakle, polovica što je pripala zajednici iznosila je: trista trideset i sedam tisuća i pet stotina grla sitne stoke,

44 a krupne stoke trideset i šest tisuća grla;

45 magaradi trideset tisuća i pet stotina,

46 a ljudskih duša šesnaest tisuća.

47 Tako, od polovice što je pripala Izraelcima Mojsije ostavi po jedno od pedeset, i od ljudstva i od stoke, te ih predade levitima koji su se brinuli o Jahvinu prebivalištu, kako je Jahve naredio Mojsiju.

48 Onda pristupiše k Mojsiju vojnički zapovjednici, tisućnici i satnici,

49 i rekoše mu: "Tvoje sluge prebrojile su borce što bijahu pod našim zapovjedništvom i od nas nitko nije izgubljen.

50 Uz to smo donijeli svoje darove Jahvi: narukvica, orukvica, prstenja, naušnica i ogrlica - na kakvu je tko zlatninu već naišao - da se nad nama obavi obred pomirenja pred Jahvom."

51 Mojsije i svećenik Eleazar prime od njih to zlato, to jest sve te izrađene predmete.

52 Bilo je svega zlata što su kao svoju podizanicu Jahvi donijeli tisućnici i satnici: šesnaest tisuća sedam stotina i pedeset šekela.

53 Svaki je vojnik za se zadržao svoj plijen.

54 Tako Mojsije i svećenik Eleazar uzmu zlato od tisućnika i satnika te ga donesu u Šator sastanka na spomen Izraelcima pred Jahvom.

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 3242

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

3242. 'And the sons of Midian, Ephah and Epher, and Enoch, and Abida, and Eldaah' means the derivatives from the third division. This becomes clear from the representation of 'Midian' as those governed by the truth of faith, to be dealt with below; and since those governed by the truth of faith are 'Midian', it follows that 'sons' are derivatives from it. With regard to those governed by the truth of faith the position is that no one is admitted into the Lord's kingdom except him with whom the good of faith is present since the good of faith is the life of faith. The life of faith remains, but not the doctrine of faith except insofar as it makes one with life. Nevertheless people governed by the truth of faith, that is, who profess faith and refer to it as the essential thing because they have been taught that it is, but who, in spite of that teaching have goodness of life, that is, who are Christians in their hearts and not just on their lips, are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom. For anyone can easily be made to believe that faith is the essential thing if such an idea is handed on to him by teachers and at an early age he becomes steeped in that way of thinking. He is also made to believe because those who are reputed to be very learned, even church-leaders, say the same, some of whom are afraid to talk about the good of life because when life is the criterion they stand condemned, and also - in addition - because matters of faith, when they display themselves, are perceptible, whereas matters of charity are less so. Those therefore who are governed by the truth of faith, and yet also by the good of life are called Midian. But the truths which govern their lives are 'the sons of Midian'.

[2] Just as those in whom the truth of faith is joined to the good of that faith are meant by Midian so also in the contrary sense Midian means those under the influence of falsity because the good of life is lacking in them - as becomes clear from the following: In Isaiah,

A drove of camels will cover you, dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba will come. They will bring gold and frankincense, and will proclaim the praises of Jehovah. Isaiah 60:6.

This refers to the Lord's spiritual kingdom. 'Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah' stands for matters of doctrine. Matters of doctrine concerning good are meant by 'gold', those concerning truth by 'frankincense'; and both by 'the praises of Jehovah'. From this also it is evident what 'Ephah' means. 'The Midianites' who pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him to Ishmaelites, and to Potiphar in Egypt, Genesis 37:28, 36, means people governed by truth coupled to simple good, as will in the Lord's Divine mercy be seen later on when those verses are dealt with.

[3] As regards 'Midian' also meaning those under the influence of falsity because the good of life is lacking in them, this may be seen from what is said about Midian in Moses,

The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian with deceptions in their hand came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. Numbers 22:4, 7, and following verses.

In the good sense 'Moab' stands for people with whom natural good exists and who easily allow themselves to be misled, but in the contrary sense stands for those who adulterate goods, 2468. 'Midian' in the good sense, as has been stated, stands for those who are governed by truth coupled to simple good, and so who are easily led to believe things, but in the contrary sense, as here, stands for those who falsify truths. Falsifications are meant by 'deceptions in their hand', and deeds which are the product of falsities by their sending to Balaam to act against the children of Israel, who are the goods, and from these the truths, of faith.

[4] The acts of whoredom committed by the sons of Israel with Midianite women which brought about the plague that Phinehas checked by running through with his spear the Midianite woman and the Israelite man in the brothel, Numbers 25:6-8, and following verses, has a similar meaning, for acts of whoredom represented falsifications of truth, 2466, 2729. And because falsifications of truth are what are meant in the internal sense by acts of whoredom, therefore by command twelve thousand of the children of Israel assailed them, killed their kings, all the males, and the women they had taken captive who had had carnal knowledge of a man, and divided the booty among themselves, Numbers 25:16-17; 31:1-end. The reason why 'twelve thousand' were involved was that 'twelve' means all things of faith, 577, 2089, 2129 (end), 2130 (end), by means of which falsities are destroyed. 'The kings' they killed are falsities, as also are 'the males', 'the women who had had carnal knowledge of a man' are affections for falsity, and 'the booty' which consisted of gold, silver, and cattle, are truths that have been falsified. From this it is evident that every single thing mentioned there is representative of the punishment and destruction of falsity by means of truths.

[5] The same is meant by the facts related about the Midianites in the Book of Judges,

Because the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of Jehovah they were given into the hand of Midian for seven years.

On account of Midian the children of Israel made dens for themselves in the mountains, also caves, and strongholds. And whenever Israel put in seed, Midian and Amalek and the sons of the east came up and destroyed the produce of their land.

After that they were liberated by Gideon by means of the three hundred who had lapped water with their tongue like a dog, whereas those who had sunk down on their knees to drink had been sent home.

Further references to them, in addition to these, are made in Genesis 6 Chapters-8.

Here too every single detail is representative of the falsification of truth, and on that account of punishment even to the point of their being destroyed by the kind of things meant by 'lapping water with their tongue like a dog'. But what each detail means in the internal sense would take too long to explain here. All this will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with in its proper place. In Habakkuk,

He looked and scattered the nations, and the mountains of time were dissolved, and the hills of old sank down. Below Aven I saw the tents of Cushan, the curtains of the land of Midian trembled. Habakkuk 3:6-7.

This refers to the Coming of the Lord. 'The tents of Cushan' stands for a religion raised up out of evil, 'the curtains of the land of Midian' for a religion raised up out of falsity.

  
/ 10837  
  

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