Bible

 

4 Mose 3

Studie

   

1 Und dies sind die Geschlechter Aarons und Moses, an dem Tage, da Jehova auf dem Berge Sinai mit Mose redete.

2 Und dies sind die Namen der Söhne Aarons: der Erstgeborene Nadab, und Abihu, Eleasar und Ithamar.

3 Das sind die Namen der Söhne Aarons, der gesalbten Priester, die geweiht worden waren, um den Priesterdienst auszuüben.

4 Und Nadab und Abihu starben vor Jehova, als sie in der Wüste Sinai fremdes Feuer vor Jehova darbrachten; (3. Mose 10,1) und sie hatten keine Söhne. Und Eleasar und Ithamar übten den Priesterdienst vor ihrem Vater Aaron aus.

5 Und Jehova redete zu Mose und sprach:

6 Laß den Stamm Levi herzunahen und stelle ihn vor Aaron, den Priester, daß sie ihm dienen;

7 und sie sollen seiner Hut warten und der Hut der ganzen Gemeinde (d. h. das besorgen, was für Aaron oder der Gemeinde zu besorgen war) vor dem Zelte der Zusammenkunft, um den Dienst der Wohnung zu verrichten;

8 und sie sollen warten aller Geräte des Zeltes der Zusammenkunft und der Hut der Kinder Israel, um den Dienst der Wohnung zu verrichten.

9 Und du sollst die Leviten dem Aaron und seinen Söhnen geben; ganz zu eigen sind sie ihm gegeben von seiten der Kinder Israel.

10 Und Aaron und seine Söhne sollst du bestellen, daß sie ihres Priestertums warten. Der Fremde aber, der herzunaht, soll getötet werden.

11 Und Jehova redete zu Mose und sprach:

12 Und ich, siehe, ich habe die Leviten aus der Mitte der Kinder Israel genommen, anstatt aller Erstgeburt, welche die Mutter bricht unter den Kindern Israel; und die Leviten sollen mir gehören.

13 Denn mein ist alle Erstgeburt: an dem Tage, da ich alle Erstgeburt im Lande Ägypten schlug, habe ich mir alle Erstgeburt in Israel geheiligt vom Menschen bis zum Vieh; mir sollen sie gehören, mir, Jehova.

14 Und Jehova redete zu Mose in der Wüste Sinai und sprach:

15 Mustere die Söhne Levis nach ihren Vaterhäusern, nach ihren Familien; alle Männlichen von einem Monat und darüber sollst du sie mustern.

16 Und Mose musterte sie nach dem Befehl Jehovas, so wie ihm geboten war.

17 Und dies waren die Söhne Levis nach ihren Namen: Gerson und Kehath und Merari.

18 Und dies sind die Namen der Söhne Gersons nach ihren Familien: Libni und Simei.

19 Und die Söhne Kehaths nach ihren Familien: Amram und Jizhar, Hebron und Ussiel.

20 Und die Söhne Meraris nach ihren Familien: Machli und Muschi. Das sind die Familien Levis nach ihren Vaterhäusern.

21 Von Gerson die Familie der Libniter und die Familie der Simeiter; das sind die Familien der Gersoniter.

22 Ihre Gemusterten nach der Zahl aller Männlichen von einem Monat und darüber, ihre Gemusterten: 7500.

23 Die Familien der Gersoniter lagerten hinter der Wohnung gegen Westen.

24 Und der Fürst des Vaterhauses der Gersoniter war Eljasaph, der Sohn Laels.

25 Und die Hut (d. h. das was ihnen zu besorgen oblag) der Söhne Gersons am Zelte der Zusammenkunft war: die Wohnung und das Zelt, seine Decke, (Vergl. 2. Mose 26,1. 7. 14) und der Vorhang vom Eingang des Zeltes der Zusammenkunft,

26 und die Umhänge des Vorhofs und der Vorhang vom Eingang des Vorhofs, der rings um die Wohnung und um den Altar ist, und seine (des Zeltes der Zusammenkunft) Seile zu (O. nach) all seinem Dienst.

27 Und von Kehath die Familie der Amramiter und die Familie der Jizhariter und die Familie der Hebroniter und die Familie der Ussieliter; das sind die Familien der Kehathiter.

28 Nach der Zahl aller Männlichen von einem Monat und darüber, 8600, welche der Hut des Heiligtums warteten.

29 Die Familien der Söhne Kehaths lagerten an der Seite der Wohnung gegen Süden.

30 Und der Fürst des Vaterhauses der Familien der Kehathiter war Elizaphan, der Sohn Ussiels.

31 Und ihre Hut war: die Lade und der Tisch und der Leuchter und die Altäre, und die Geräte des Heiligtums, mit welchen man den Dienst verrichtet, und der Vorhang, und dessen (des Heiligtums) ganzer Dienst.

32 Und der Fürst der Fürsten Levis war Eleasar, der Sohn Aarons, des Priesters; er war Aufseher über die, welche der Hut des Heiligtums warteten.

33 Von Merari die Familie der Machliter und die Familie der Muschiter: das sind die Familien Meraris.

34 Und ihre Gemusterten nach der Zahl aller Männlichen von einem Monat und darüber: 6200.

35 Und der Fürst des Vaterhauses der Familien Meraris war Zuriel, der Sohn Abichails. Sie lagerten an der Seite der Wohnung gegen Norden.

36 Und die Hut (W. das Amt der Hut) der Söhne Meraris war: die Bretter der Wohnung, und ihre iegel und ihre Säulen und ihre Füße und alle ihre Geräte und ihr ganzer Dienst,

37 und die Säulen des Vorhofs ringsum und ihre Füße und ihre Pflöcke und ihre Seile.

38 Und die vor der Wohnung gegen Osten, vor dem Zelte der Zusammenkunft gegen Sonnenaufgang Lagernden waren Mose und Aaron und seine Söhne, welche der Hut des Heiligtums warteten, betreffs desjenigen, was den Kindern Israel oblag. Der Fremde aber, der herzunaht, soll getötet werden.

39 Aller gemusterten Leviten, welche Mose und Aaron nach dem Befehl Jehovas nach ihren Familien musterten, aller Männlichen von einem Monat und darüber, waren 22000.

40 Und Jehova sprach zu Mose: Mustere alle männlichen Erstgeborenen der Kinder Israel, von einem Monat und darüber, und nimm die Zahl ihrer Namen auf.

41 Und du sollst die Leviten für mich, Jehova nehmen, anstatt aller Erstgeborenen unter den Kindern Israel, und das Vieh der Leviten anstatt alles Erstgeborenen unter dem Vieh der Kinder Israel.

42 Und Mose musterte, so wie Jehova ihm geboten hatte, alle Erstgeborenen unter den Kindern Israel.

43 Und es waren aller männlichen Erstgeborenen, nach der Zahl der Namen, von einem Monat und darüber, nach ihren Gemusterten, 22273.

44 Und Jehova redete zu Mose und sprach:

45 Nimm die Leviten anstatt aller Erstgeborenen unter den Kindern Israel und das Vieh der Leviten anstatt ihres Viehes; und mir, sollen die Leviten gehören, mir, Jehova.

46 Und was die Lösung der 273 betrifft, welche von den Erstgeborenen der Kinder Israel überzählig sind über die Leviten,

47 so sollst du je fünf Sekel auf den Kopf nehmen; nach dem Sekel des Heiligtums sollst du sie nehmen, zwanzig Gera der Sekel.

48 Und das Geld sollst du als Lösung der Überzähligen unter ihnen Aaron und seinen Söhnen geben.

49 Und Mose nahm das Lösegeld von denen, welche überzählig waren über die durch die Leviten Gelösten;

50 von den Erstgeborenen der Kinder Israel nahm er das Geld, 1365 Sekel, nach dem Sekel des Heiligtums.

51 Und Mose gab das Geld der Lösung Aaron und seinen Söhnen, nach dem Befehl Jehovas, so wie Jehova dem Mose geboten hatte.

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 6148

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

6148. 'Only the ground of the priests he did not buy' means that the internal obtained for itself from the natural every capacity to receive good, because every such capacity came from itself. This is clear from the representation of 'Joseph', about whom these things are said, as the internal, dealt with already; from the meaning of 'the ground' as the receptacle of truth, dealt with above in 6135-6137, at this point the capacity to receive good, for the capacity of something is its inherent ability to receive, which causes a receptacle to be a receptacle (that capacity comes from good, that is, from the Lord through good, for if the good of love did not flow in from the Lord no one would ever have the capacity to receive truth or good. That inflow of the good of love from the Lord causes everything present inwardly in a person to be of a receptive nature. The truth that the capacity to receive good comes from the natural is meant by the fact that the ground lay in Egypt, since 'Egypt' means the natural in respect of factual knowledge, 6142); from the meaning of 'the priests' as good, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'not buying' as not taking those capacities to itself - not in the way that it made truths and forms of the good of truth, together with their receptacles, its own, which came about through periods of desolation and sustainment - for the reason that those capacities came from itself, from the internal. All these meanings serve to show that 'only the ground of the priests he did not buy' means that the internal obtained for itself from the natural every capacity to receive good, because every such capacity came from itself.

[2] The implications of all this are that a person's capacities to receive truth and good come directly from the Lord; he obtains them without any help at all from himself. A person's capacity to receive goodness and truth is maintained in him unceasingly; and from that capacity he possesses understanding and will. But a person does not receive them if he turns to evil. The capacity to receive does, it is true, remain, but its access to thought and sensitivity is blocked, on account of which his capacity to see what is true and have a sensitive awareness of what is good perishes. And it perishes to the extent that he turns to evil and in faith and life becomes firmly settled in it. The fact that a person contributes nothing whatever to his capacity to receive truth and good is well known from the Church's teaching that nothing at all of the truth of faith and nothing at all of the good of charity comes from man but from the Lord. Yet a person can destroy that capacity residing with him. From all this one may now see how one should understand the idea that the internal obtained for itself from the natural every capacity to receive good, because every such capacity came from itself. The expression 'from the natural' is used because the inflow of good from the Lord is effected by the Lord through the internal into the natural; and once the capacity to receive has been obtained from there, the inflow takes place, for now there is reception, see 5828.

[3] So far as the meaning of 'the priests' as forms of good is concerned, it should be recognized that there are two realities which go forth from the Lord - goodness and truth. Divine Good was represented by priests, and Divine Truth by kings; and this is why 'the priests' means forms of good and 'the kings' truths. Regarding the attribution of Priesthood and Kingship to the Lord, see 1728, 2015 (end), 3670. In the representative Ancient Church those two offices of priest and king existed jointly in one personage, the reason for this being that goodness and truth which go forth from the Lord are united; and they are also joined together in heaven among the angels.

[4] A personage in the Ancient Church in whom the two offices existed joined together was called Melchizedek, a name meaning king of righteousness. This may be seen from the following statement about Melchizedek who came to Abraham, 1

Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; and he was a priest to God Most High. And he blessed Abraham. Genesis 14:18-19.

His representation of the Lord in both offices is evident from the fact that he was a king and at the same time a priest, and from the fact that he was allowed to bless Abraham and offer him bread and wine, which even at that time were the symbols of the good of love and the truth of faith. His representation of the Lord in both offices is further evident in David,

Jehovah has sworn and will not repent, You are a priest for ever after the manner of Melchizedek. Psalms 110:4.

These words were spoken in reference to the Lord. 'After the manner of Melchizedek' means that He is both King and Priest, that is, in the highest sense that Divine Good and Divine Truth go forth together from Him.

[5] Because a representative Church was going to be established also among the descendants of Jacob, they too were to have a single personage to represent jointly Divine Good and Divine Truth, which go forth from the Lord united. But on account of the wars and the idolatry of that people the two were in fact divided right from the start; those who ruled over the attended to sacred duties were referred to as the priests, who belonged to the seed of Aaron and were the Levites. At a later time the two functions were joined together in a single person, as they were in Eli and Samuel. Yet because the nature of the people was such that the representative Church could not be established among them, only a representative of the Church, on account of the practice of idolatry prevalent among them, the two functions were allowed to be separated. The Lord was then represented in respect of Divine Truth by kings and in respect of Divine Good by priests. The separation took place because the people desired it, not because the Lord took any pleasure in it, as is clear from the Word of Jehovah to Samuel,

Obey the voice of the people in all that they have said to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them; and show them the right of the king. 1 Samuel 8:7-end; 12:19-20.

[6] The reason why the two functions were not meant to be separated was that Divine Truth separated from Divine Good condemns all people, whereas Divine Truth united to Divine Good saves them. Judged by Divine Truth a person is condemned to hell, but Divine Good brings him out of there and raises him into heaven. Salvation comes of mercy and so sprigs from Divine Good; but damnation exists when a person rejects mercy and so casts Divine Good away from himself, as a consequence of which he is left to be judged by Truth. As regards 'kings' representing Divine Truth, see 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068.

[7] 'The priests' represented the Lord in respect of Divine Good, and for that reason good is meant by them. This becomes clear from the internal sense of all that was prescribed regarding the priesthood when Aaron was chosen, and after him the Levites, such as these prescriptions:

The High Priest alone should enter the Holy of holies and minister there. [Leviticus 16.]

Things holy to Jehovah were to be for the priest. Leviticus 23:20; 27:21.

They were not to have any portion or inheritance in the land, but Jehovah would be their portion and inheritance. Numbers 18:20; Deuteronomy 10:9; 18:1.

The Levites were given to Jehovah instead of the firstborn, and they were given by Jehovah to Aaron. Numbers 3:9, 12-13, Numbers 3:40-end; 8:16-19.

The high priest and the Levites were to be in the middle of the camp when they pitched it and when they were journeying. Numbers 1:50-54; 2:17; 3:23-38; 4:1-end.

No one from the seed of Aaron who had a blemish in himself was to approach to offer burnt offerings or sacrifices. Leviticus 21:17-20.

And there are many other prescriptions besides these, such as those in Leviticus 21:9-13, and elsewhere.

[8] In the highest sense all these prescriptions relating to the priests represented the Lord's Divine Good and therefore in the relative sense the good of love and charity. Aaron's vestments however, called 'vestments of holiness', represented Divine Truth from Divine Good. These matters will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with in the explanations of what appears in Exodus.

[9] Since truth is meant by 'kings' and good by 'priests', 'kings and priests' are mentioned together many times in the Word, as in John, Jesus Christ has made us kings and priests to His God and Father. Revelation 1:6; 5:10.

By virtue of the truth of faith we are said to have been made 'kings', and by virtue of the good of charity to have been made 'priests', so that the truth and good residing with those who abide in the Lord have been joined together, in the way they are in heaven, as stated above. This is what is meant by 'being made kings and priests'.

[10] In Jeremiah,

It will happen on that day, that the heart of the king and of the princes will perish, and the priests will be dumbfounded and the prophets left wondering. Jeremiah 4:9.

In the same prophet,

The house of Israel is ashamed, they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets. Jeremiah 2:26.

In the same prophet,

The kings of Judah, the princes, the priests, and the prophets, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Jeremiah 8:1.

In these places 'kings stands for truths, 'princes' for first and foremost truths, 1482, 1089, 5044, 'priests' for forms of good, and 'prophets' for those who teach, 2534.

[11] Quite apart from this it should be recognized that Joseph did not buy the ground of the priests. The fact that this was representative of the consideration that the whole of a person's capacity to receive truth and good comes from the Lord is evident from a similar law in Moses regarding the fields belonging to the Levites,

The field of the country surrounding the cities of the Levites shall not be sold, for it is their eternal possession. Leviticus 25:34.

The meaning here in the internal sense is that no one ought to lay any claim to the good of the Church, which is the good of love and charity, because that good is from the Lord alone.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. At this time the patriarch's name was still Abram.

  
/ 10837  
  

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