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Genesis 48:20

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20 Ja ta õnnistas neid sel päeval, öeldes: 'Sinu nimel õnnistatagu Iisraelis, öeldagu: Jumal tehku sind Efraimi ja Manasse sarnaseks!' Nõnda seadis ta Efraimi Manassest ettepoole.

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Arcana Coelestia # 5973

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5973. 'And Israel said' means spiritual good now. This is clear from the representation of 'Israel' as spiritual good, as in 5801, 5803, 5806, 5817, 5819, 5826, 5832, 5833. For what spiritual good is, represented by 'Israel', and what natural good is, represented by 'Jacob', see above in 5965. Anyone unacquainted with the internal sense of the Word cannot possibly know why Jacob is called Jacob at one point and Israel at another; for within a single chapter, even within a single verse, one name may be used, then the other. This shows quite plainly that the Word has an internal sense, as it does at this point where one reads,

The spirit of Jacob their father revived, and Israel said . . .

Similar examples appear elsewhere, such as the following,

Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob did not send with his brothers. And the sons of Israel came to buy in the midst of others who came. Genesis 42:4-5.

And Israel set out. God said to Israel in visions in the night, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Behold, here I am. Genesis 46:1-2.

Jacob rose up from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father. Genesis 46:5.

All the souls of the house of Jacob as he came into Egypt were seventy. Joseph harnessed his chariot, and went up to meet Israel. And Israel said to Joseph . . . Genesis 46:26, 29-30.

Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. And Israel's days drew near when he must die. Genesis 47:27-29.

And someone told Jacob and said, Behold, your son Joseph has come to you; and Israel strengthened himself and sat up on his bed. And Jacob said to Joseph... Genesis 48:2-3.

Jacob called his sons, and said, Assemble together and hear, O sons of Jacob; hear Israel your father. Genesis 49:1-2.

Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is hard. 1 I will divide them in Jacob, and will scatter them in Israel. Genesis 49:7.

The arms of his hands will be made strong by the hands of the powerful Jacob; from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel. Genesis 49:24.

The same use of the two names also occurs frequently in the Prophets.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. i.e. cruel

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

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Arcana Coelestia # 1010

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1010. That 'shedding man's blood in man' means destroying charity, and 'in man' means residing with man, is clear from the meaning of 'blood', dealt with already, as the holiness of charity, and from the fact that the expression 'man's blood in man' is used, that is, his internal life, which does not reside in him but with him. For the Lord's life is charity, which does not reside within man, since man is filthy and unholy, but with him. That 'shedding blood' is doing violence to charity is clear from places in the Word, including those quoted already in 374, 376, where it has been shown that violence done to charity is called 'blood'.

[2] In the sense of the letter 'shedding blood' is killing, but in the internal sense it is hating the neighbour, as the Lord teaches in Matthew,

You have heard that it was said to the men of old, You shall not kill, and whoever skills will be liable to judgement. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without cause will be liable to judgement. Matthew 5:21-22.

Here 'being angry' means departing from charity - about which see what has been said already in 357 - and consequently hatred. Someone who hates not only has no charity but also does violence to it, that is, he 'sheds blood'. It is in hatred that murder lies, as is quite clear from the fact that the one desire of him who hates another is to have him killed. And but for the external restraints holding him back he would kill him. This is why killing 'a brother' and 'shedding his blood' is hatred. And being hatred, it is present in every idea he has against him. It is similar with profanation. As has been stated, a person who profanes the Word not only hates the truth but also annihilates it or slays it. This is quite clear in the next life from people who have been guilty of profanation. Although in outward appearance they have been honest, wise, and devout during their lifetime, in the next life they hold in deadly hatred the Lord, and also all goods that stem from love, and all truths of faith, the reason being that these are contrary to all their inner hatred, robbery, and adultery which they have covered over with a display of holiness while adulterating those goods and truths to their own advantage.

[3] That profanation is meant by 'blood' is clear from the following in Moses, in addition to the places quoted already in 374,

Anyone from the house of Israel who slays an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or who slays it outside the camp, and does not bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting, to offer it as a gift to Jehovah before the dwelling-place of Jehovah, blood will be imputed to that man; he has shed blood, and that man will be cut off from among his people. Leviticus 17:3-4.

Sacrificing anywhere else than on the altar at the Tent of Meeting represented profanation, for 'offering sacrifice' was holy, but offering it 'in the camp' or 'outside the camp' was unholy.

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