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maastamuutto 8

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1 Sitten Herra sanoi Moosekselle: "Mene faraon luo ja sano hänelle: 'Näin sanoo Herra: Päästä minun kansani palvelemaan minua.

2 Mutta jos kieltäydyt päästämästä heitä, niin katso, minä rankaisen koko sinun maatasi sammakoilla.

3 Ja Niilivirta on vilisevä sammakoita, ja ne nousevat maalle ja tulevat sinun taloosi ja makuuhuoneeseesi ja vuoteeseesi, sekä sinun palvelijaisi taloihin ja kansasi sekaan, sinun leivinuuneihisi ja taikinakaukaloihisi.

4 Jopa sinun ja sinun kansasi ja kaikkien sinun palvelijaisi päälle hyppii sammakoita.'"

5 Ja Herra sanoi Moosekselle: "Sano Aaronille: 'Ojenna kätesi sauvoinensa jokien, kanavien ja lammikkojen yli ja nostata sammakoita Egyptin maahan'".

6 Niin Aaron ojensi kätensä Egyptin vetten yli, ja sammakoita nousi, ja ne peittivät Egyptin maan.

7 Ja tietäjät tekivät samoin taioillansa ja nostattivat sammakoita Egyptin maahan.

8 Niin farao kutsui Mooseksen ja Aaronin ja sanoi: "Rukoilkaa Herraa, että hän ottaisi pois sammakot vaivaamasta minua ja minun kansaani, niin minä päästän kansan uhraamaan Herralle".

9 Mooses sanoi faraolle: "Suvaitse määrätä minulle aika, jonka kuluessa minun on rukoiltava, sinun itsesi, sinun palvelijaisi ja kansasi puolesta, sammakot hävitettäviksi luotasi ja taloistasi, niin että niitä jää ainoastaan Niilivirtaan".

10 Hän vastasi: "Huomiseksi". Niin Mooses sanoi: "Tapahtukoon, niinkuin sanoit, tietääksesi, ettei kukaan ole niinkuin Herra, meidän Jumalamme.

11 Sammakot katoavat luotasi ja taloistasi ja sinun palvelijaisi ja kansasi luota, ja niitä jää ainoastaan Niilivirtaan."

12 Niin Mooses ja Aaron lähtivät faraon luota. Ja Mooses huusi Herran puoleen sammakkojen tähden, jotka hän oli pannut faraon vaivaksi.

13 Ja Herra teki Mooseksen sanan mukaan: sammakot kuolivat huoneista, pihoilta ja kedoilta.

14 Ja he kokosivat niitä läjittäin, ja maa rupesi haisemaan.

15 Mutta kun farao näki päässeensä hengähtämään, kovensi hän sydämensä eikä kuullut heitä, niinkuin Herra oli sanonutkin.

16 Sitten Herra sanoi Moosekselle: "Sano Aaronille: 'Ojenna sauvasi ja lyö maan tomua, niin siitä tulee sääskiä koko Egyptin maahan'".

17 Ja he tekivät niin: Aaron ojensi kätensä ja sauvansa ja löi maan tomua; niin sääsket ahdistivat ihmisiä ja karjaa. Kaikki maan tomu muuttui sääskiksi koko Egyptin maassa.

18 Ja tietäjät tekivät samoin taioillansa saadakseen sääskiä syntymään, mutta he eivät voineet. Ja sääsket ahdistivat ihmisiä ja karjaa.

19 Niin tietäjät sanoivat faraolle: "Tämä on Jumalan sormi". Mutta faraon sydän paatui, eikä hän kuullut heitä, niinkuin Herra oli sanonutkin.

20 Ja Herra sanoi Moosekselle: "Astu huomenaamuna varhain faraon eteen, kun hän menee veden luo, ja sano hänelle: 'Näin sanoo Herra: Päästä minun kansani palvelemaan minua.

21 Sillä jos et päästä minun kansaani, niin katso, minä lähetän paarmoja sinun, sinun palvelijaisi ja sinun kansasi kimppuun ja sinun taloihisi, niin että egyptiläisten talot, jopa se maa, jonka päällä ne ovat, tulevat paarmoja täyteen.

22 Mutta minä erotan sinä päivänä Goosenin maan, jossa minun kansani asuu, ettei sinne paarmoja tule, tietääksesi, että minä olen maan Herra.

23 Näin minä panen pelastuksen erottamaan oman kansani sinun kansastasi. Huomenna on tämä ihme tapahtuva.'"

24 Ja Herra teki niin: paarmoja tuli suuret parvet faraon ja hänen palvelijainsa taloihin; ja paarmat tulivat maan turmioksi koko Egyptin maassa.

25 Niin farao kutsutti Mooseksen ja Aaronin ja sanoi: "Menkää ja uhratkaa Jumalallenne tässä maassa".

26 Mutta Mooses sanoi: "Ei sovi niin tehdä; sillä me uhraamme Herralle, Jumalallemme, sellaista, joka on egyptiläisille kauhistus. Jos me nyt uhraamme egyptiläisten nähden sellaista, joka on heille kauhistus, niin eivätkö he kivitä meitä?

27 Salli meidän mennä kolmen päivän matka erämaahan uhraamaan Herralle, Jumalallemme, niinkuin hän on meille sanonut."

28 Farao sanoi: "Minä päästän teidät uhraamaan Herralle, Jumalallenne, erämaassa; älkää vain menkö kovin kauas. Rukoilkaa minun puolestani."

29 Niin Mooses sanoi: "Katso, kun olen lähtenyt sinun luotasi, rukoilen minä Herraa, ja paarmat häviävät pois huomenna faraolta, hänen palvelijoiltansa ja hänen kansaltaan. Älköön vain farao enää pettäkö, niin ettei hän päästäkään kansaa uhraamaan Herralle."

30 Ja Mooses lähti faraon luota ja rukoili Herraa.

31 Ja Herra teki, niinkuin Mooses oli sanonut: hän vapautti faraon, hänen palvelijansa ja hänen kansansa paarmoista, niin ettei niitä jäänyt ainoatakaan.

32 Mutta farao kovensi sydämensä tälläkin kerralla eikä päästänyt kansaa.

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Apocalypse Revealed # 503

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503. We will now say what Egypt symbolizes in the Word: Egypt symbolizes the natural self joined to the spiritual self, and its affection for truth then and consequent knowledge and intelligence. And in an opposite sense it symbolizes the natural self divorced from the spiritual self, and its conceit in its own intelligence then and consequent irrationality in spiritual matters.

Egypt symbolizes the natural self joined to the spiritual self, and its affection for truth then and consequent knowledge and intelligence, in the following passages:

In that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt... swearing an oath to Jehovah of Hosts... In that day there will be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt... Then Jehovah will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the Lord in that day... (Isaiah 19:18-21)

In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, so that the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria - a blessing in the midst of the land, whom Jehovah of Hosts shall bless, saying, "Blessed is My people Egypt, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance." (Isaiah 19:23-25)

Egypt there is the natural component, Assyria the rational one, and Israel the spiritual one. These three form a person of the church.

That is why the king of Egypt is called "the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings," and Egypt is called "the cornerstone of (the) tribes." (Isaiah 19:11, 13) And regarding Solomon we are told that his wisdom excelled the wisdom of the Egyptians (1 Kings 4:30). We are also told that he "took Pharaoh's daughter as a wife, and brought her into the city of David" (1 Kings 3:1), and that he "built a house for Pharaoh's daughter next to the porch" (1 Kings 7:8).

[2] For this reason Joseph was carried down into Egypt and there became the ruler of the whole land (Genesis 41).

Since Egypt symbolized the natural self in respect to its affection for truth and consequent knowledge and intelligence, therefore Joseph, the husband of Mary, having been warned by an angel, went with the infant Lord into Egypt (Matthew 2:14-15), in fulfillment of the prophecy,

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. (Hosea 11:1)

You caused a vine to come out of Egypt; You... planted it... and caused it to send forth its roots... (Psalms 80:8-9)

For a person is born natural, becomes rational, and later spiritual. Thus is a vine from Egypt planted and caused to take root.

For the sake of this representation, moreover, Abraham sojourned in Egypt (Genesis 12:10ff.). And Jacob was commanded to go with his sons into Egypt, and they also abode there (Genesis 46ff.).

So, too, the land of Canaan, which symbolizes the church, is described to extend "even to the river of Egypt" (Genesis 15:18, 1 Kings 4:21, Micah 7:12). And Egypt is compared to the Garden of Eden, the garden of God (Ezekiel 31:2, 8, Genesis 13:10).

The knowledge of the natural self is also called "the precious things of Egypt" (Daniel 11:43), and "fine embroidered linen from Egypt" (Ezekiel 27:7).

And so on elsewhere where Egypt is spoken of affirmatively, as in Isaiah 27:12-13.

[3] On the other hand, in an opposite sense Egypt symbolizes the natural self divorced from the spiritual self, and its conceit in its own intelligence then and consequent irrationality in spiritual matters, in the following places:

Because...(Pharaoh's) heart was lifted up in its height, and it set its top among the thick boughs..., aliens... will cut him off and cast him down... In the day when he went down to hell..., I covered the deep over him...(and) you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised... (Ezekiel 31:10-18)

...the foundations (of Egypt) shall be overthrown... ...the pride of her power shall come down... ...and shall be laid waste... her cities... in the midst of the desolate cities... I will set fire to Egypt..., and I will disperse Egypt among the nations, and scatter them throughout the lands. (Ezekiel 30:1ff.)

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help..., and do not look to the Holy One of Israel... For the Egyptians are men, and not God, and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. (Isaiah 31:1, 3)

Egypt rises up like a flood... He says, "I will go up, I will cover the earth, (and) I will destroy... Come up, O horses, and rage, O chariots! ...The sword shall devour (you), and be... made drunk with blood...; there is no healing for you. (Jeremiah 46:2, 8-11)

How do you say to Pharaoh, "I am the son of the wise, and the son of ancient kings?" Where are your wise men now? ...let them know... The princes of Zoan have become fools...; they have led Egypt astray..., the cornerstone of (the) tribes... Neither will there be any work for Egypt, which may form the head or the tail... (Isaiah 19:1-17)

...prophesy against... Egypt..., O great whale who lie in the midst of your rivers. Because he said, "My river, and I have made myself," (therefore) I will put hooks in your jaws, and cause the fish of your rivers to stick to your scales... And I will leave you in the wilderness... Therefore... the land of Egypt shall become desolate and waste. (Ezekiel 29:1-12)

And so on elsewhere, as in Isaiah 30:1, 2, 7; 2 Kings 18:21.

[4] Since the Egyptians became of such a character, therefore they were rendered desolate as regards all the goods and truths of the church. Their desolations are described by the miracles done there, which were plagues, and these symbolized the many lusts of the natural self divorced from the spiritual self, a natural self which acts only in accordance with its own intelligence and its conceit. The plagues symbolic of its lusts were these:

That the water in the river turned to blood so that the fish died and the river stank. (Exodus 7)

That the streams and ponds brought forth frogs upon the land of Egypt. That the dust of the ground turned into lice. That a swarm of noxious flying insects was sent. (Exodus 8)

[That a pestilence occurred so that the livestock of Egypt died.] That sores were caused to break out with pustules on man and beast. That a downpour of hail mixed with fire rained down. (Exodus 9)

That locusts were sent. That darkness occurred through all the land of Egypt. (Exodus 10).

That all the firstborn in the land of Egypt died. (Exodus 11,12)

And finally, that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea (Exodus 14), which symbolizes hell.

To find what all these things symbolize specifically, see Arcana Coelestia (The Secrets of Heaven), published in London, where they are explained.

It is apparent from this what is symbolically meant by the plagues and diseases of Egypt in Deuteronomy 7:15; 28:60; what is symbolically meant by drowning in the river of Egypt in Amos 8:8; 9:5; and why it is that Egypt is called a land of bondage in Micah 6:4, the land of Ham in Psalms 106:22, and an iron furnace in Deuteronomy 4:20, 1 Kings 8:51.

[5] The reason Egypt symbolizes both intelligence and irrationality in spiritual matters was that the Ancient Church, which extended through many kingdoms in Asia, existed also in Egypt, and at that time the Egyptians, more than any others, cultivated a study of the correspondences between spiritual and natural things, as is apparent from the hieroglyphs there. But when that study among them was turned into magic and became idolatrous, then their intelligence in spiritual matters became irrational. Egypt symbolizes this, therefore, in an opposite sense.

It can be seen from this what the great city means, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt.

  
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Many thanks to the General Church of the New Jerusalem, and to Rev. N.B. Rogers, translator, for the permission to use this translation.

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1 Kings 8

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1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers' [houses] of the children of Israel, to king Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh out of the city of David, which is Zion.

2 All the men of Israel assembled themselves to king Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

3 All the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.

4 They brought up the ark of Yahweh, and the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; even these did the priests and the Levites bring up.

5 King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.

6 The priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.

7 For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and its poles above.

8 The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place before the oracle; but they were not seen outside: and there they are to this day.

9 There was nothing in the ark except the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, when Yahweh made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

10 It came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of Yahweh,

11 so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh.

12 Then Solomon said, "Yahweh has said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

13 I have surely built you a house of habitation, a place for you to dwell in forever."

14 The king turned his face about, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood.

15 He said, "Blessed is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to David your father, and has with his hand fulfilled it, saying,

16 'Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, that my name might be there; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.'

17 "Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

18 But Yahweh said to David my father, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart.

19 Nevertheless, you shall not build the house; but your son who shall come forth out of your body, he shall build the house for my name.'

20 Yahweh has established his word that he spoke; for I have risen up in the place of David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.

21 There I have set a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of Yahweh, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt."

22 Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;

23 and he said, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keep covenant and loving kindness with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart;

24 who have kept with your servant David my father that which you promised him. Yes, you spoke with your mouth, and have fulfilled it with your hand, as it is this day.

25 Now therefore, may Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with your servant David my father that which you have promised him, saying, 'There shall not fail you a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children take heed to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.'

26 "Now therefore, God of Israel, please let your word be verified, which you spoke to your servant David my father.

27 But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can't contain you; how much less this house that I have built!

28 Yet have respect for the prayer of your servant, and for his supplication, Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant prays before you this day;

29 that your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which you have said, 'My name shall be there;' to listen to the prayer which your servant shall pray toward this place.

30 Listen to the supplication of your servant, and of your people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place. Yes, hear in heaven, your dwelling place; and when you hear, forgive.

31 "If a man sins against his neighbor, and an oath is laid on him to cause him to swear, and he comes and swear before your altar in this house;

32 then hear in heaven, and do, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

33 "When your people Israel are struck down before the enemy, because they have sinned against you; if they turn again to you, and confess your name, and pray and make supplication to you in this house:

34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which you gave to their fathers.

35 "When the sky is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against you; if they pray toward this place, and confess your name, and turn from their sin, when you afflict them:

36 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on your land, which you have given to your people for an inheritance.

37 "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague, whatever sickness there is;

38 whatever prayer and supplication is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, who shall each know the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:

39 then hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart you know; (for you, even you only, know the hearts of all the children of men;)

40 that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land which you gave to our fathers.

41 "Moreover concerning the foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for your name's sake

42 (for they shall hear of your great name, and of your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm); when he shall come and pray toward this house;

43 hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by your name.

44 "If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to Yahweh toward the city which you have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for your name;

45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

46 If they sin against you (for there is no man who doesn't sin), and you are angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near;

47 yet if they shall repent in the land where they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication to you in the land of those who carried them captive, saying, 'We have sinned, and have done perversely; we have dealt wickedly;'

48 if they return to you with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city which you have chosen, and the house which I have built for your name:

49 then hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven, your dwelling place, and maintain their cause;

50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions in which they have transgressed against you; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them

51 (for they are your people, and your inheritance, which you brought forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron);

52 that your eyes may be open to the supplication of your servant, and to the supplication of your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they cry to you.

53 For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be your inheritance, as you spoke by Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, Lord Yahweh."

54 It was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication to Yahweh, he arose from before the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth toward heaven.

55 He stood, and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying,

56 "Blessed be Yahweh, who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. There has not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by Moses his servant.

57 May Yahweh our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. Let him not leave us, nor forsake us;

58 that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our fathers.

59 Let these my words, with which I have made supplication before Yahweh, be near to Yahweh our God day and night, that he may maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as every day shall require;

60 that all the peoples of the earth may know that Yahweh, he is God. There is none else.

61 "Let your heart therefore be perfect with Yahweh our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day."

62 The king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before Yahweh.

63 Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to Yahweh, two and twenty thousand head of cattle, and one hundred twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of Yahweh.

64 The same day did the king make the middle of the court holy that was before the house of Yahweh; for there he offered the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before Yahweh was too little to receive the burnt offering, and the meal offering, and the fat of the peace offerings.

65 So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt, before Yahweh our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.

66 On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David his servant, and to Israel his people.