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Josua 24

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1 Und Josua versammelte alle Stämme Israels nach Sichem, und er berief die Ältesten von Israel und seine Häupter und seine Richter und seine Vorsteher; und sie stellten sich vor Gott.

2 Und Josua sprach zu dem ganzen Volke: So spricht Jehova, der Gott Israels: Eure Väter wohnten vor alters jenseit des Stromes, Tarah, der Vater Abrahams und der Vater Nahors, und sie dienten anderen Göttern.

3 Und ich nahm Abraham, euren Vater, von jenseit des Stromes und ließ ihn durch das ganze Land Kanaan wandern, und ich mehrte seinen Samen und gab ihm Isaak.

4 Und dem Isaak gab ich Jakob und Esau; und dem Esau gab ich das Gebirge Seir, es zu besitzen; und Jakob und seine Söhne zogen nach Ägypten hinab.

5 Und ich sandte Mose und Aaron und schlug Ägypten, so wie ich in seiner Mitte getan habe; und danach führte ich euch heraus.

6 Und ich führte eure Väter aus Ägypten hinweg, und ihr kamet an das Meer; und die Ägypter jagten euren Vätern nach mit Wagen und mit Reitern bis an das Schilfmeer.

7 Da schrieen sie zu Jehova, und er setzte Finsternis zwischen euch und die Ägypter und führte das Meer über sie und bedeckte sie; und eure Augen haben gesehen, was ich an den Ägyptern getan habe. Und ihr wohntet in der Wüste eine lange Zeit.

8 Und ich brachte euch in das Land der Amoriter, die jenseit des Jordan wohnten, und sie stritten wider euch; und ich gab sie in eure Hand, und ihr nahmet ihr Land in Besitz, und ich vertilgte sie vor euch.

9 Da stand Balak auf, der Sohn Zippors, der König von Moab, und stritt wider Israel; und er sandte hin und ließ Bileam, den Sohn Beors, rufen, um euch zu verfluchen.

10 Aber ich wollte nicht auf Bileam hören, und er segnete euch vielmehr; und ich errettete euch aus seiner Hand.

11 Und ihr zoget über den Jordan und kamet nach Jericho; und die Bürger von Jericho und die Amoriter und die Perisiter und die Kanaaniter und die Hethiter und die Girgasiter und die Hewiter und die Jebusiter stritten wider euch, und ich gab sie in eure Hand.

12 Und ich sandte die Hornissen vor euch her, und sie vertrieben sie vor euch, die beiden Könige der Amoriter; nicht mit deinem Schwert und nicht mit deinem Bogen.

13 Und ich habe euch ein Land gegeben, um das du dich nicht gemüht, und Städte, die ihr nicht gebaut habt, und ihr wohnet darin; von Weinbergen und Olivenbäumen, die ihr nicht gepflanzt habt, esset ihr. -

14 Und nun fürchet Jehova und dienet ihm in Vollkommenheit und in Wahrheit; und tut die Götter hinweg, welchen eure Väter jenseit des Stromes und in Ägypten gedient haben, und dienet Jehova.

15 Und wenn es übel ist in euren Augen, Jehova zu dienen, so erwählet euch heute, wem ihr dienen wollt, ob den Göttern, welchen eure Väter gedient haben, die jenseit des Stromes wohnten, oder den Göttern der Amoriter, in deren Land ihr wohnet. Ich aber und mein Haus, wir wollen Jehova dienen!

16 Und das Volk antwortete und sprach: Fern sei es von uns, Jehova zu verlassen, um anderen Göttern zu dienen!

17 Denn Jehova, unser Gott, ist es, der uns und unsere Väter aus dem Lande Ägypten, aus dem Hause der Knechtschaft, heraufgeführt hat, und der vor unseren Augen diese großen Zeichen getan und uns behütet hat auf dem ganzen Wege, auf dem wir gegangen, und unter all den Völkern, durch deren Mitte wir gezogen sind.

18 Und Jehova hat alle Völker und die Amoriter, die Bewohner des Landes, vor uns vertrieben. Auch wir wollen Jehova dienen, denn er ist unser Gott!

19 Und Josua sprach zu dem Volke: Ihr könnet Jehova nicht dienen; denn er ist ein heiliger Gott, er ist ein eifernder Gott; er wird eure Übertretung und eure Sünden nicht vergeben.

20 Wenn ihr Jehova verlasset und fremden Göttern dienet, so wird er sich wenden und euch Übles tun und euch vernichten, nachdem er euch Gutes getan hat.

21 Und das Volk sprach zu Josua: Nein, sondern Jehova wollen wir dienen!

22 Da sprach Josua zu dem Volke: Ihr seid Zeugen gegen euch, daß ihr selbst euch Jehova erwählt habt, um ihm zu dienen. Und sie sprachen: Wir sind Zeugen!

23 So tut nun die fremden Götter hinweg, die in eurer Mitte sind, und neiget euer Herz zu Jehova, dem Gott Israels.

24 Und das Volk sprach zu Josua: Jehova, unserem Gott, wollen wir dienen und auf seine Stimme hören!

25 Und Josua machte einen Bund mit dem Volke an selbigem Tage und stellte ihm Satzung und Recht zu Sichem.

26 Und Josua schrieb diese Worte in das Buch des Gesetzes Gottes; und er nahm einen großen Stein und richtete ihn daselbst auf unter der Terebinthe, die bei dem Heiligtum Jehovas steht.

27 Und Josua sprach zu dem ganzen Volke: Siehe, dieser Stein soll Zeuge gegen uns sein; denn er hat alle Worte Jehovas gehört, die er mit uns geredet hat; und er soll Zeuge gegen euch sein, damit ihr euren Gott nicht verleugnet.

28 Und Josua entließ das Volk, einen jeden in sein Erbteil.

29 Und es geschah nach diesen Dingen, da starb Josua, der Sohn Nuns, der Knecht Jehovas, hundertzehn Jahre alt;

30 Und man begrub ihn im Gebiete seines Erbteils zu Timnath-Serach auf dem Gebirge Ephraim, nördlich vom Berge Gaasch.

31 Und Israel diente Jehova alle Tage Josuas und alle Tage der Ältesten, welche ihre Tage nach Josua verlängerten, und die das ganze Werk Jehovas kannten, das er für Israel getan hatte.

32 Und die Gebeine Josephs, welche die Kinder Israel aus Ägypten heraufgebracht hatten, begruben sie zu Sichem auf dem Stück Feld, welches Jakob von den Söhnen Hemors, des Vaters Sichems, gekauft hatte um hundert Kesita; und sie wurden den Kindern Joseph zum Erbteil.

33 Und Eleasar, der Sohn Aarons, starb; und sie begruben ihn auf dem Hügel seines Sohnes Pinehas, der ihm gegeben worden war auf dem Gebirge Ephraim.

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 4197

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4197. And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day; therefore he called the name of it Galeed. That this signifies that it will be so to eternity, hence its quality again, is evident from the signification of a “heap,” as being good (see n. 4192); and from the signification of a “witness,” as being the confirmation of good by truth (concerning which below); from the signification of “this day,” as being eternity (n. 2838, 3998); and from the signification of “calling a name,” as being the quality (n. 144, 145, 1754, 2009, 2724, 3421). The quality itself is contained in the name “Galeed;” for in ancient times the names imposed contained the quality (n. 340, 1946, 2643, 3422). From this it is manifest what is signified by, “Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day; therefore he called the name of it Galeed,” namely, a testification of the conjunction of the good here signified by “Laban” with the good Divine of the Lord’s natural, consequently the conjunction of the Lord with the Gentiles by good; for this good is what is now represented by Laban (n. 4189). The truths of this good are what testify of the conjunction; and yet so long as they live in the world their good is aside, because they have not truths Divine. But they who live in this good (that is, in mutual charity), although they have no truths Divine direct from the Divine fountain (that is, from the Word), they nevertheless have not their good closed up, but such that it can be opened; and it also is opened in the other life, when they are there instructed in the truths of faith, and concerning the Lord. It is otherwise with Christians, of whom those who are in mutual charity, and still more those who are in love to the Lord, are in direct good while living in the world, because they are in truths Divine; and therefore they enter into heaven without such instruction, provided there have not been in their truths falsities, which must first be dispelled. But those Christians who have not lived in charity have closed heaven against themselves, and very many of them to such a degree that it cannot be opened; for they know truths, and deny them, and also harden themselves against them, if not with the mouth, yet in the heart.

[2] Laban’s first calling the heap “Jegar-sahadutha” in his own idiom, and then “Galeed” in the idiom of Canaan, when both have nearly the same meaning, is for the sake of the application, and of the conjunction thereby. To speak in the idiom of Canaan, or “with the lip of Canaan,” is to apply one’s self to the Divine; for by “Canaan” is signified the Lord’s kingdom, and in the supreme sense the the Lord, (n. 1607, 3038, 3705); as is manifest in Isaiah:

In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak with the lips of Canaan, and that swear to Jehovah Zebaoth. In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to Jehovah. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness to Jehovah Zebaoth in the land of Egypt (Isaiah 19:18-20).

[3] That a “witness” denotes the confirmation of good by truth, and of truth by good, and that hence a “testimony” denotes the good from which is truth, and the truth which is from good, may be seen from the Word in other passages. That a “witness” denotes the confirmation of good by truth and of truth by good, is evident from the following passages.

In Joshua:

Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves, that ye have chosen Jehovah to serve Him. And they said, We are witnesses. Now therefore put away the strange gods which are in the midst of you, and incline your heart unto Jehovah the God of Israel. And the people said unto Joshua, Jehovah our God will we serve, and unto His voice will we be obedient. And Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and a judgment in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak that was in the sanctuary of Jehovah. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be for a witness to us, for it hath heard all the words of Jehovah which He spake unto us; and it shall be to you for a witness, lest ye deny your God (Josh. 24:22-27).

That a “witness” here is confirmation, is manifest, and indeed the confirmation of a covenant, and accordingly of conjunction; for a “covenant” signifies conjunction (n. 665, 666, 1023, 1038, 1864, 1996, 2003, 2021). And as conjunction with Jehovah or the Lord is not possible except by good; nor the good which conjoins except that which has its quality from truth; it follows that a “witness” denotes the confirmation of good by truth. The good here meant is conjunction with Jehovah or the Lord by their choosing Him to serve Him; the truth by which the confirmation was made being the “stone.” (That a “stone” denotes truth may be seen above, n. 643, 1298, 3720) In the supreme sense, the “stone” is the Lord Himself, because all truth is from Him, and therefore He is called the “Stone of Israel” (Genesis 49:24); and it is also said, “Behold, this stone shall be for a witness to us, for it hath heard all the words of Jehovah which He spake unto us.”

[4] In John:

I will give unto my two witnesses, that they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive-trees and the two lampstands that stand before the God of the earth. And if any man desire to hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies; these have power to shut heaven. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and shall overcome them, and shall kill them. And after three days and a half, the breath of life from God entered into them, so that they stood upon their feet (Revelation 11:3-7, 11).

That the “two witnesses” here mentioned are good and truth (that is, the good in which is truth, and the truth which is from good), both confirmed in hearts, is manifest from its being said that the two witnesses are the two olive-trees and the two lampstands. (That an “olive-tree” is such good, may be seen above, n. 886.) The “two olive-trees” denote celestial good and spiritual good. Celestial good is that of love to the Lord, and spiritual good is that of charity toward the neighbor. The “lampstands” are the truths of these goods, as will appear when of the Lord’s Divine mercy the subject of lampstands is treated of. That these goods and truths have power to shut heaven and to open heaven may be seen in the preface to the twenty-second chapter. That “the beast out of the abyss (that is, out of hell) will kill them,” signifies the vastation of good and truth within the church; and that “the spirit of life from God entered into them, so that they stood upon their feet,” signifies a new church.

[5] That as in ancient times heaps were placed as witnesses, so afterwards were altars, is evident in Joshua:

The Reubenites and the Gadites said, Behold the pattern of the altar of Jehovah which our fathers made, not for burnt-offering, and not for sacrifice; but it is a witness between us and you. And the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar, A witness between us that Jehovah is God (Josh. 22:28, 34).

(An “altar” is the good of love, and in the supreme sense the Lord Himself, n. 921, 2777, 2811.) In the internal sense a “witness” denotes the confirmation of good by truth.

[6] As by a “witness” is signified the confirmation of good by truth and of truth by good, therefore in the supreme sense by a “witness” is signified the Lord, because He is the Divine truth that confirms; as in Isaiah:

I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the true mercies of David; behold I have given Him for a Witness to the peoples, a prince and commander to the peoples (Isaiah 55:4).

In John:

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful Witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth (Revelation 1:5).

In the same:

These things saith the faithful and true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God (Revelation 3:14).

[7] The command given in the representative church, that all truth shall stand on the word of two or three witnesses, and not on that of one (Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6-7; 19:15; Matthew 18:16), is founded on the Divine law that one truth does not confirm good, but a number of truths; for one truth without connection with others is not confirmatory, but a number together, because from one may be seen another. One does not produce any form, and thus not any quality, but only a number that are connected in a series. For as one tone does not produce any melody, still less harmony, so neither does one truth. These are the things on which the law in question is founded, although in the outward form it appears to be founded in the civic state; the one however is not contrary to the other, as is also the case with the precepts of the Decalogue, concerning which see above (n. 2609).

[8] That a “testimony” denotes the good from which is truth, and the truth which is from good, follows from what has been said; and also from the fact that the ten precepts of the Decalogue written upon the tables of stone are called in one word the “testimony,” as in Moses:

Jehovah gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God (Exodus 31:18).

In the same:

Moses went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand, tables that were written on their two sides (Exodus 32:15).

And as the tables were placed in the ark, the ark is called the “ark of the testimony,” as in Moses:

Jehovah said to Moses, Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee (Exodus 25:16, 21).

Moses took and put the testimony into the ark (Exodus 40:20).

In the same:

I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the mercy-seat from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony (Exodus 25:22).

In the same:

That the cloud of incense may cover the mercy-seat, that is upon the testimony (Leviticus 16:13).

In the same:

The rods of the twelve tribes were left in the tent of meeting before the testimony (Numbers 17:4).

(That from this the ark was also called the “ark of the testimony,” see, besides the passage cited, Exodus 25:22; 31:7; Revelation 15:5)

[9] The precepts of the Decalogue were therefore called the “testimony,” because they were of the covenant, thus of the conjunction between the Lord and man; which conjunction cannot come into existence unless man keeps the precepts, not only in external form, but also in internal. What the internal form of these precepts is, may be seen above (n. 2609); and therefore it is good confirmed by truth, and truth derived from good, which is signified by the “testimony.” Because this is so, the tables were also called the “tables of the covenant;” and the ark, the “ark of the covenant.” From all this it is manifest what in the genuine sense is signified in the Word by the “testimony” (as in Deuteronomy 4:45; 6:17, 20; Isaiah 8:16; 2 Kings 17:15; Psalms 19:7; 25:10; 78:5; 93:5; 119:2, 22, 24, 59, 79, 88, 138, 167; 122:3-4; Revelation 6:9; 12:17; 19:10).

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

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Deuteronomy 17:6-7

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6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he who is to die be put to death; at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

7 The hand of the witnesses shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall put away the evil from the midst of you.