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Exodus 38

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1 Hij maakte ook het brandofferaltaar van sittimhout; vijf ellen was deszelfs lengte, en vijf ellen zijn breedte, vierkant, en drie ellen zijn hoogte.

2 En hij maakte deszelfs hoornen op zijn vier hoeken; uit hetzelve waren zijn hoornen; en hij overtrok het met koper.

3 Hij maakte ook al het gereedschap des altaars, de potten, en de schoffelen, en de besprengbekkens, en de krauwelen, en de koolpannen; en al zijn vaten maakte hij van koper.

4 Ook maakte hij aan het altaar een rooster van koperen netwerk, onder zijn omloop, van beneden tot zijn midden toe.

5 En hij goot vier ringen aan de vier einden des koperen roosters, tot plaatsen voor de handbomen.

6 En hij maakte de handbomen van sittimhout, en hij overtrok ze met koper.

7 En hij deed de handbomen in de ringen, aan de zijden des altaars, dat men het met dezelve droeg; hij maakte hetzelve hol van planken.

8 Hij maakte ook het koperen wasvat, met zijn koperen voet, van de spiegels der te hoop komende vrouwen, die te hoop kwamen voor de deur van de tent der samenkomst.

9 Hij maakte ook den voorhof, aan den zuidhoek zuidwaarts; de behangselen tot den voorhof waren van fijn getweernd linnen, van honderd ellen.

10 Hun twintig pilaren en derzelver twintig voeten, waren van koper; de haken dezer pilaren en hun banden waren van zilver.

11 En aan den noorderhoek honderd ellen, hun twintig pilaren en derzelver twintig voeten waren van koper; de haken der pilaren en derzelver banden waren van zilver.

12 En aan den westerhoek waren behangselen van vijftig ellen, hun pilaren tien en derzelver voeten tien; de haken der pilaren en hun banden waren van zilver.

13 En aan den oosterhoek tegen den opgang waren vijftig ellen.

14 De behangselen aan deze zijde waren vijftien ellen, derzelver pilaren drie en hun voeten drie.

15 En aan de andere zijde van de deur des voorhofs, van hier en van daar, waren behangselen van vijftien ellen; hun pilaren drie en derzelver voeten drie.

16 Al de behangselen des voorhofs waren rondom van fijn getweernd linnen.

17 De voeten nu der pilaren waren van koper, de haken der pilaren, en hun banden waren van zilver, en het overdeksel hunner hoofden was van zilver, en al de pilaren des voorhofs waren met zilver omtogen.

18 En het deksel van de poort des voorhofs was van geborduurd werk, van hemelsblauw, en purper, en scharlaken, en fijn getweernd linnen; en twintig ellen was de lengte, en de hoogte in de breedte was vijf ellen, tegenover de behangselen des voorhofs.

19 En hun vier pilaren en derzelver vier voeten waren van koper, hun haken waren van zilver; ook was het overdeksel hunner hoofden en hun banden van zilver.

20 En al de pennen des tabernakels en des voorhofs rondom waren van koper.

21 Dit zijn de getelde dingen van den tabernakel, van den tabernakel der getuigenis, die geteld zijn naar den mond van Mozes, ten dienste der Levieten, door de hand van Ithamar, de zoon van den priester Aaron.

22 Bezaleel nu, de zoon van Uri, den zoon van Hur, van den stam van Juda, maakte al, dat de HEERE aan Mozes geboden had.

23 En met hem Aholiab, de zoon van Ahisamach, van den stam van Dan, een werkmeester en vernuftig kunstenaar, en een borduurder in hemelsblauw, en in purper, en in scharlaken, en in fijn linnen.

24 Al het goud, dat tot het werk verarbeid is, in het ganse werk des heiligdoms, te weten, het goud des beweegoffers, was negen en twintig talenten, en zevenhonderd en dertig sikkelen, naar den sikkel des heiligdoms.

25 Het zilver nu van de getelden der vergadering was honderd talenten, en duizend zevenhonderd vijf en zeventig sikkelen, naar den sikkel des heiligdoms.

26 Een beka voor elk hoofd, dat is een halve sikkel, naar den sikkel des heiligdoms, van een ieder, die overging tot de getelden, van twintig jaren oud en daarboven, namelijk zeshonderd drie duizend, vijfhonderd vijftig.

27 En er waren honderd talenten zilver, om te gieten de voeten des heiligdoms, en de voeten des voorhangs; tot honderd voeten waren honderd talenten, een talent tot een voet.

28 Maar uit de duizend zevenhonderd vijf en zeventig sikkelen maakte hij de haken aan de pilaren, en hij overtrok hun hoofden, en omtoog ze met banden.

29 Het koper nu des beweegoffers was zeventig talenten, en twee duizend vierhonderd sikkelen.

30 En hij maakte daarvan de voeten der deur van de tent der samenkomst, en het koperen altaar, en den koperen rooster, dien het had, en al het gereedschap des altaars.

31 En de voeten des voorhofs rondom, en de voeten van de poort des voorhofs, ook al de pennen des tabernakels, en al de pennen des voorhofs rondom.

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 9688

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9688. 'The work of an embroiderer' means things that belong to factual knowledge. This is clear from the meaning of 'the work of an embroiderer', or embroidery, as factual knowledge. A large number of places in the Word speak of that which has been embroidered and of embroidery, and in every case factual knowledge is meant by it. The reason for this goes back to representatives in the next life; there garments embroidered in various ways are seen, and by these garments truths on the level of factual knowledge are meant.

[2] Truths on the level of factual knowledge differ from those on the level of the understanding in the same way as outward things differ from inward ones, or as the natural level with a person differs from the spiritual. Facts serve the understanding as objects from which it may deduce truths; for the power of understanding is the internal or spiritual man's power of sight, and known facts are its objects in the external or natural man. These facts are meant by 'the work of an embroiderer' whereas that power of understanding is meant by 'the work of a designer', 9598, for designing is a function of the understanding, and embroidering a function of the knowledge and skill employed by the understanding. This explains why the objects within the dwelling-place, which were signs meaning inner realities, were the work of a designer, such as the curtains that formed it, verse 1, and the veil between the holy place and the holy of holies, verse 31. But the objects which were signs meaning outer realities were the work of an embroiderer, such as the screen in place of a tent door, and the screen in place of a gate of the court, Exodus 38:18, and also the girdle, Exodus 39:29, 'the girdle' being what is external linking everything internal, 'the court' being the lowest part of heaven, and 'the tent door' the place where there is an exit from the middle heaven into the lowest.

[3] The fact that 'embroidery' and that which has been 'embroidered' mean factual knowledge belonging to the external or natural man is clear from the following places in the Word: In Ezekiel,

Fine linen with embroidery from Egypt was your sail; violet and purple from the islands of Elishah was your covering. Syria was your merchant by reason of the multitude of your handiworks; [they exchanged for your wares] chrysoprase and purple, and embroidered work, and fine linen. The merchants of Sheba [came] with balls of violet and with embroidered work. Ezekiel 27:7, 16, 24.

This refers to Tyre, by which those in possession of cognitions or knowledge of truth and good are meant, and in the abstract sense those cognitions themselves, 1201. 'Fine linen with embroidery' means truth on the level of factual knowledge, for 'fine linen' means truth from a celestial origin, 5319, 9469, and 'embroidery' is factual knowledge. This also is the reason why it says that it came from Egypt - for 'Egypt' means factual knowledge, 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 2588, 4749, 4964, 4966, 5700, 5702, 6004, 6015, 6125, 6651, 6679, 6683, 6692, 6750, 7779 (end), 9391 - and also from Syria and from Sheba, since cognitions of truth and good are meant by 'Syria', 1232, 1234, 3051, 3249, 3664, 3680, 4112, and in like manner by 'Sheba', 1171, 3240. Cognitions of truth and good constitute the Church's factual knowledge. Anybody endowed with the ability to think intelligently and weigh things up can see that in these verses from Ezekiel one should not understand embroidery, fine linen, violet, or purple, but that these commodities mean things such as are worthy of mention in the Word, namely spiritual realities that belong to heaven and the Church.

[4] In the same prophet,

All the princes of the sea will step down from upon their thrones, and will cast away their robes and will strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with tremblings. Ezekiel 26:16.

This too refers to Tyre. 'The princes of the sea' are the first and foremost known facts, which are called dogmas, 'princes' meaning things which are first and foremost, see 1482, 2089, 5044, and 'the sea' factual knowledge in general 28, 2850. 'Robes' are external truths, 'embroidered' are truths on the level of factual knowledge, which too are external ones. For the meaning of 'garments' as truths, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6917, 6918, 9093, 9158, 9212, 9216.

[5] In the same prophet,

I clothed you with embroidered cloth, and shod you with badger; I swathed you in fine linen and covered you with silk. Thus were you adorned with gold and silver; and your garments were fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. But you took your embroidered garments and covered the images, with which you committed whoredom. 1 Ezekiel 16:10, 13, 18.

This refers to Jerusalem, by which the Church is meant. 'Embroidered garments' stands for truths on the level of factual knowledge. 'Covering the images, with which she committed whoredom' stands for giving strength to falsities, for 'committing whoredom' means perverting truths by bringing them into contact with falsities or with evils. Is there anyone who cannot see that since these verses describe Jerusalem 'fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth' are not used to mean fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth? Yet what they really mean the Christian world does not seek to know, because it supposes that heavenly and spiritual matters in the Word reside in its literal sense; the more internal contents of the Word it calls mystical, but has no interest in them.

[6] In the same prophet,

A great eagle with great wings, with long pinions, full of feathers, 2 which had embroidery ... Ezekiel 17:3.

This refers to the house of Israel, which means the spiritual Church; and this Church is called 'an eagle' by virtue of its perception of truth, 3901, 8764, 'which had embroidery' standing for its possession of factual knowledge. In David,

All glorious is the king's daughter within, in her clothing with gold interweavings; in an embroidered [robe] she will be led to the king. Psalms 45:13-14.

'The king's daughter' stands for an affection for truth, 'an embroidered [robe]' for factual knowledge of truth. In the Book of Judges,

Will they not divide the spoil, ... the spoil of colours for Sisera, the spoil of colours of embroidered work, embroiderers' colour - on the necks of the spoil? 3 Judges 5:30.

In this verse, which is part of the Song of Deborah and Barak, 'embroidered [work]' stands for factual knowledge belonging to the natural man.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. Here verse 18 of Ezekiel 16 has become confused with the preceding verse 17.

2. literally, A great eagle, great with wings, long with pinions, and full with feathers,

3. The meaning in the Hebrew of this verse is very obscure. The Latin rendering by Sebastian Schmidt, which Swedenborg relies on here, is literal and equally difficult to make sense of.

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

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Arcana Coelestia # 6344

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6344. 'And the beginning of my strength' means that through that faith comes the initial power which truth possesses. This is clear from the meaning of 'the beginning of strength' as initial power; and since 'strength' is used with reference to truth, the initial power that truth possesses is what is meant. A similar usage occurs in Isaiah,

Jehovah imparts might to the weary, and to him who has no strength He gives greater power. Isaiah 40:29.

Here 'might' is used with reference to good and 'strength' to truth, 'power' with reference to both.

A brief statement will be made about how one should understand the explanation that through faith comes the power which good possesses, and the initial power which truth possesses, meant by 'Reuben my firstborn, you are my might and the beginning of my strength'. In the spiritual world all power comes from good through truth; without good truth has no power at all. For truth is so to speak the body, and good so to speak the soul of that body, and to accomplish anything the soul must act through the body. From this it is evident that truth without good has no power at all, even as the body without the soul has none at all. A body without its soul is a corpse; so too is truth without good.

[2] As soon as good effects the birth of faith that is composed of truth, power reveals itself in truth. This power is what is called the initial power that truth possesses through faith and is what is meant by 'the beginning of strength', as in other places in the Word where the condition of the firstborn is referred to, for example in David,

He smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the beginning of strength in the tents of Ham. Psalms 78:51.

And in another place,

He smote all the firstborn in their land, the beginning of all their strength. Psalms 105:36.

Also in Deuteronomy,

He must acknowledge the firstborn son of her that is hated, to give him two parts of all that will be found for him, in that he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the first born is his. Deuteronomy 21:17.

[3] The genuine meaning of 'the firstborn' is the good of charity, though the apparent meaning is the truth of faith, 3325, 4925, 4926, 4928, 4930. And because both that good and this truth are the fundamental qualities of the Church, the ancients spoke of the firstborn as his 'father's might and the beginning of his strength'. The fact that those fundamental qualities were meant by 'the firstborn' is quite evident from the considerations that everything which was a firstborn was Jehovah's or the Lord's and that the tribe of Levi was taken instead of all the firstborn and became the priesthood.

[4] Scarcely anyone in the world can know what the power possessed by truth coming from good is; but it is known to those in the next life, and so can be known through revelation from there. People in possession of truth that comes from good, that is, of faith derived from charity, possess power that comes through truth from good. All angels possess that power, which also is why in the Word angels are called 'powers'. For they have the power to restrain evil spirits; even one angel can restrain a thousand together. Their power they use most especially among men; sometimes they protect a person from numerous hells, in thousands of ways.

[5] This power that angels possess comes to them through the truth of faith derived from the good of charity. But because the faith they have comes from the Lord, the Lord alone is the power that resides with them. This power which comes from the Lord through faith is meant by the Lord's words to Peter,

On this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Matthew 16:18-19.

These words were addressed to Peter because he represented faith, see Preface to Genesis 22, as well as 3750, 4738, 6000, 6073 (end). Also wherever 'rock', 1 as Peter is called here, occurs in the Word, faith is meant in its internal sense, and the Lord in respect of faith in its highest sense.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. Reading petram (rock), which Swedenborg has in his rough draft, for Petrum (Peter).

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