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Tredje Mosebog 1

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1 HE EN kaldte på Moses og talede til ham fra Åbenbaringsteltet og sagde:

2 Tal til Israeliterne og sig til dem: Når nogen af eder vil bringe HE EN en Offergave af Kvæget, da skal Offergaven, I vil bringe, tages at Hornkvæget eller Småkvæget.

3 Skal hans Offergave af Hornkvæget være et Brændoffer, så skal det være et lydefrit Handyr, han bringer; til Åbenbaringsteltets Indgang skal han bringe det for at vinde HE ENs Velbehag.

4 Så skal han lægge sin Hånd på Brændofferdyrets Hoved, for at det kan vinde ham HE ENs Velbehag, idet det skaffer ham Soning.

5 Derpå skal han slagte den unge Okse for HE ENs Åsyn, og Arons Sønner, Præsterne, skal frembære Blodet, og de skal sprænge Blodet rundt om på Alteret, som står ved Indgangen til Åbenbaringsteltet.

6 Så skal han flå Huden af Brændofferdyret og skære det i Stykker,

7 og Arons Sønner, Præsterne, skal gøre Ild på Alteret og lægge Brænde på Ilden;

8 og Arons Sønner, Præsterne, skal lægge Stykkerne tillige med Hovedet og Fedtet til ette på Brændet over Ilden på Alteret.

9 Men Indvoldene og Skinnebenene skal han tvætte med Vand, og Præsten skal bringe det hele som øgoffer på Alteret; det er et Brændoffer, et Ildoffer til en liflig Duft for HE EN.

10 Hvis hans Offergave, der skal bruges som Brændoffer, tages at Småkvæget, af Fårene eller Gederne, så skal det være et lydefrit Handyr, han bringer.

11 Han skal slagte det for HE ENs Åsyn ved Alterets Nordside, og Arons Sønner, Præsterne skal sprænge Blodet deraf rundt om på Alteret.

12 Så skal han skære det i Stykker, og Præsten skal lægge Stykkerne tillige med Hovedet og Fedtet til ette på Brændet over Ilden på Alteret.

13 Men Indvoldene og Skinnebenene skal han tvætte med Vand. Så skal Præsten frembære det hele og bringe det som øgoffer på Alteret; det er et Brændoffer, et Ildoffer til en liflig Duft for HE EN.

14 Er hans Offergave til HE EN et Brændoffer af Fuglene, da skal Offergaven, han vil bringe, tages af Turtelduerne eller Dueungerne;

15 Præsten skal frembære den til Alteret og knække Halsen på den og bringe Hovedet som øgoffer på Alteret, og dens Blod skal udpresses mod Alterets Side.

16 Så skal han udtage Kroen med dens Indhold og kaste den på Askedyngen ved Alterets Østside.

17 Derpå skal han rive Vingerne løs på den uden dog at skille dem fra Kroppen. Så skal Præsten bringe den som øgoffer på Alteret på Brændet over Ilden; det er et Brændoffer, et Ildoffer til en liflig Duft for HE EN.


The Project Gutenberg Association at Carnegie Mellon University

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Arcana Coelestia # 925

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925. 'Jehovah smelled an odour of rest' means that worship stemming from these was pleasing to the Lord, that is to say, worship stemming from charity and from faith deriving from charity, meant by 'a burnt offering', as stated in the previous verse. In various places in the Word it is said that 'Jehovah smelled an odour of rest', especially that from burnt offerings, and wherever this occurs that which is pleasing or acceptable is meant. For references to His smelling an odour of rest from burnt offerings, see Exodus 29:18, 25, 41; Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17; 23:12-13, 18; Numbers 28:6, 8, 13; 29:2, 6, 8, 13, 36; also from other sacrifices, Leviticus 2:2, 9; 6:15, 21; 8:21, 28; Numbers 15:3, 7, 13. They are also called 'that which has been made by fire as an odour of rest to Jehovah' which means that it stems from love and charity. In the Word when 'fire' or 'made by fire' is used in reference to the Lord and to worship of Him, it means love. And the same applies to 'bread', which also is why representative worship by means of burnt offerings and sacrifices is called 'bread offered by fire to Jehovah as an odour of rest', Leviticus 3:11, 16.

[2] The reason why 'an odour' means that which is pleasing and acceptable, and so why in the Jewish Church an odour was also representative of that which is pleasing and is ascribed to Jehovah or the Lord, is that good stemming from charity, and the truth of faith deriving from charity, correspond to sweet and pleasant odours. What the correspondence itself is and the character of it becomes clear from the spheres in heaven which surround spirits and angels. The spheres there are spheres of love and faith, and are clearly perceived. These spheres are such that when a good spirit or angel, that is, a community of good spirits or angels, approaches, the nature of the spirit or angel - that is, of the community - as regards love and faith is, as often as the Lord pleases, instantly perceived. It is perceived even when they are a long way off, more so still when they are closer at hand. This is unbelievable but nevertheless perfectly true. Such is the communication in the next life, and such the perception. Consequently, when the Lord pleases there is no necessity to make extensive enquiries to discover the character of a soul or spirit, for it is recognizable the moment he approaches. It is to these spheres that spheres belonging to odours in the world correspond. That they do correspond in this way becomes clear from the fact that when the Lord pleases the spheres of love and faith are readily converted in the world of spirits into spheres of sweet and pleasant odours, which are clearly perceived.

[3] From these considerations it is now clear from where and why 'an odour of rest' means that which is pleasing, why in the Jewish Church an odour became a representative, and why 'an odour of rest' is here ascribed to Jehovah or the Lord. 'An odour of rest' is descriptive of peace, that is, of the pleasantness of peace. Peace in one embrace takes in every single feature of the Lord's kingdom; for the state of the Lord's kingdom is a state of peace. It is within the state of peace that all the happy states occur which flow from love and faith in the Lord. All that has now been stated shows not only what representatives were essentially, but also why the Jewish Church had an altar for burning incense in front of the veil and the Mercy-seat, why offerings of frankincense accompanied sacrifices, and also why so many fragrant substances were used in incense, in frankincense, and in the anointing oil too. It shows therefore what 'an odour of rest', 'incense', and 'fragrances' mean in the Word, namely celestial things of love, and spiritual things of faith deriving from these, in general everything pleasing that derives from love and faith.

[4] As in Ezekiel,

On My holy mountain, on the mountain height of Israel, there all the house of Israel, all of it in the land, will serve Me; there I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions, and the first fruits comprising your gifts in all your holy acts. Through the odour of rest I will accept you. Ezekiel 20:40-41.

Here 'an odour of rest' has reference to burnt offerings and gifts, that is, to worship stemming from charity and attendant faith, which worship is meant by burnt offerings and gifts, and is consequently acceptable, which is meant by 'the odour'. In Amos,

I hate, I reject your feasts, and I will not smell your solemn assemblies 1 [as a pleasant odour], for though you offer Me your burnt offerings and gifts, they will not be accepted. Amos 5:21-22.

This clearly means that which is pleasing or acceptable. The passage which describes Isaac's blessing Jacob instead of Esau reads,

Jacob went near and Isaac kissed him. He smelled the odour of his clothes, and he blessed him and said, See, the odour of my son, like the odour of a field that Jehovah has blessed. Genesis 27:26-27.

'The odour of his clothes' means natural good and truth whose pleasantness stems from their harmony with celestial and spiritual good and truth. Their pleasantness is described by 'the odour of the field'.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, cessations i.e. cessations from work

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