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Kohtunikud 13

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1 Kui Iisraeli lapsed jälle tegid kurja Issanda silmis, siis andis Issand nad neljakümneks aastaks vilistite kätte.

2 Sorast, daanlaste suguvõsast, oli keegi mees, Maanoah nimi; tema naine oli sigimatu ega olnud sünnitanud.

3 Aga Issanda ingel ilmutas ennast naisele ja ütles temale: 'Vaata, sa oled sigimatu ega ole sünnitanud. Aga sa jääd lapseootele ja tood poja ilmale.

4 Hoia siis nüüd, et sa ei joo veini ja vägijooki ega söö midagi roojast!

5 Sest vaata, sa jääd lapseootele ja tood poja ilmale. Aga habemenuga ei tohi saada tema pea ligi, sest poiss peab olema emaihust alates Jumalale nasiiriks, ja tema hakkab Iisraeli päästma vilistite käest!'

6 Ja naine läks ning rääkis oma mehega, öeldes: 'Mu juurde tuli jumalamees ja tal oli nagu Jumala ingli välimus, kartustäratav! Mina ei küsinud temalt, kust ta oli, ja tema ei andnud mulle teada oma nime.

7 Aga ta ütles mulle: Vaata, sa jääd lapseootele ja tood poja ilmale; ära siis nüüd joo veini ega vägijooki ja ära söö midagi roojast, sest poiss peab olema Jumalale nasiiriks emaihust alates kuni oma surmapäevani!'

8 Siis Maanoah palus Issandat ja ütles: 'Oh Issand! Jumalamees, kelle sa läkitasid, tulgu veel kord meie juurde ja õpetagu meid, mida peame tegema poisiga, kes sünnib!'

9 Ja Jumal kuulis Maanoahi häält ning Jumala ingel tuli jälle naise juurde, kui see istus väljal, ja Maanoah, ta mees, ei olnud tema juures.

10 Siis naine ruttas, jooksis ning teatas oma mehele ja ütles temale: 'Vaata, mulle ilmutas ennast see mees, kes hiljuti mu juurde tuli.'

11 Ja Maanoah tõusis, läks oma naise järel ja tuli mehe juurde ning küsis temalt: 'Kas sina oled see mees, kes naisega rääkis?' Ja see vastas: 'Olen!'

12 Ja Maanoah küsis: 'Kui nüüd su sõna täide läheb, missugune peab siis olema poisi eluviis ja kuidas teda kohelda?'

13 Ja Issanda ingel vastas Maanoahile: 'Naine hoidugu kõigest, mis ma temale olen öelnud:

14 ta ei tohi süüa midagi, mis tuleb viinapuust; ta ei tohi juua veini ja vägijooki ega süüa midagi roojast; ta peab pidama kõike, mis ma teda olen käskinud!'

15 Siis Maanoah ütles Issanda inglile: 'Luba, et peame sind kinni, et saaksime sulle valmistada sikutalle!'

16 Aga Issanda ingel vastas Maanoahile: 'Kuigi sa pead mind kinni, ei söö ma ometi su leiba. Aga kui sa tahad valmistada põletusohvrit, siis ohverda see Issandale!' Sest Maanoah ei teadnud, et see oli Issanda ingel.

17 Ja Maanoah küsis Issanda inglilt: 'Mis su nimi on, et saaksime sind austada, kui su sõnad täide lähevad?'

18 Aga Issanda ingel vastas temale: 'Miks sa küsid mu nime? See on ju imeline!'

19 Siis Maanoah võttis sikutalle ja roaohvri ning ohverdas selle kalju peal Issandale, kes imeliselt talitab. Ja Maanoah ja ta naine nägid,

20 kui leek tõusis altarilt taeva poole, et Issanda ingel läks üles altari leegis Maanoahi ja ta naise nähes; ja nad heitsid silmili maha.

21 Kuigi Issanda ingel enam ei ilmutanud ennast Maanoahile ja tema naisele, teadis Maanoah, et see oli olnud Issanda ingel.

22 Ja Maanoah ütles oma naisele: 'Me peame surema, sest me oleme näinud Jumalat!'

23 Aga ta naine ütles temale: 'Kui Issand oleks tahtnud meid surmata, siis ei oleks ta meie käest vastu võtnud põletus- ja roaohvrit ega oleks meile näidanud kõike seda, samuti ei oleks ta meid lasknud nüüd seesugust kuulda.'

24 Ja naine tõi poja ilmale ning pani temale nimeks Simson; poiss kasvas suureks ja Issand õnnistas teda.

25 Ja Issanda Vaim hakkas teda mõjustama Daani leeris Sora ja Estaoli vahel.

   

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Exploring the Meaning of Judges 13

Napsal(a) New Christian Bible Study Staff, Julian Duckworth

Judges 13: The birth of Samson.

Chapters 13-16 of Judges tell the story of Samson, one of the greatest judges of Israel. At the time of Samson’s birth, Israel had been under Philistine oppression for forty years, because they had once again sinned against the Lord. As we have seen in previous chapters, the Lord appears to have punished them, but this is not the case; it is really our own waywardness that brings about these negative consequences.

This story begins with Samson’s parents, Manoah and his wife. Manoah’s wife was barren, but the angel of the Lord appeared to her, with news that she would have a son. The angel said that she was forbidden to drink alcohol or eat anything unclean, and that her son was never to have his hair cut, for he would be a Nazirite. And finally, the angel prophesied that her son would deliver Israel from the Philistines.

When Manoah’s wife told him what had happened, he prayed to the Lord for the man to return. The angel reappeared to Manoah’s wife, so she brought her husband to speak with the angel directly. Manoah asked what they should do for their child, but the angel only told Manoah that his wife must follow the instructions she had received.

Manoah offered a meal to the angel of the Lord, but the angel declined, saying that the burnt offering must be made to the Lord. Manoah brought out the meat of a young goat, placed it upon a rock, and gave it as a burnt offering to the Lord. The angel of the Lord ascended in the flames toward heaven, and the couple knew that they had seen God.

In time, Samson was born, and the Lord blessed him.

*****

Samson’s name literally means “sun-like”. He was a mighty warrior, a womaniser, and a powerful character prone to sudden outbursts and rage, but his intention was to defend Israel and defeat the Philistines. He was strong in his acknowledgement of his people and his God.

Samson represents the Lord in His divine human, and also the power of the Word in its literal sense. This is why Samson had strength in the abundance of his hair (see Swedenbrog’s works, Doctrine of Sacred Scripture 49[2], and Arcana Caelestia 9836[2]).

Spiritually, barrenness stands for a lack of personal doctrine or a spiritual path, representing how life can feel before regeneration begins. The angel of the Lord appeared to just the woman at first, because the purpose of regeneration is primarily to make us love what is good (represented by a woman). We do this by knowing and obeying truth (represented by a man).

The Nazarites, who vowed not to drink or cut their hair, represented the Lord as the Word in its ultimate and fullest sense (see Swedenborg’s work, Apocalypse Revealed 47). These customs are the marks of a natural and genuine life, as wine can lead us astray, and focusing on appearances can lead to vanity. Above all, Samson’s uncut hair represented this greatness of divine truths from the Word (see Swedenborg’s work, True Christian Religion 214).

The angel was reluctant to tell Manoah and his wife details about their son’s future, except that he would be a Nazarite, and would deliver Israel. He intentionally kept them from knowing what would take place, because if they knew the future, they would no longer be able to act in freedom. Divine Providence - the Lord’s plan for our world - cannot be disclosed to us, or we would no longer live in freedom to make our own decisions (Arcana Caelestia 2493).

Manoah asked the angel what his name was, so he could be honored. However, the angel declined to tell them, as his name was wonderful. A name describes a person’s spiritual qualities, and we are unable to fathom the extent of heavenly qualities because they are of God.

The spiritual meaning of Manoah’s sacrifice comes from the correspondence of a young goat (innocence within the human soul) and the rock (truth). The young goat, placed on the rock as a sacrifice, represents worshipping from our hearts in faith to the Lord. This is the Lord’s requirement of us (Doctrine of Sacred Scripture 18[3] and Arcana Caelestia 9393).

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Arcana Coelestia # 2493

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2493. I have spoken to angels about the memory of things of the past and about consequent anxiety concerning things of the future, and I have been informed that the more interior and perfect angels are the less do they care about things of the past or think about those of the future, and that this is also the origin of their happiness. They have said that the Lord provides them every moment with what to think, accompanied by blessing and happiness, and that this being so they have no cares and no worries. This also is what is meant in the internal sense by the manna being received 'day by day' from heaven, and by the 'daily [provision] of bread' in the Lord's Prayer, as well as by the statement that they must not worry about what they are to eat and drink, or what clothes they are to put on. But although angels have no care about things of the past and are not worried about those of the future they nevertheless have a most perfect recollection of things of the past and a most perfect insight into those of the future, because their entire present includes both the past and future within it. Thus they possess a more perfect memory than can possibly be imagined or put into words.

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