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Δικαστές 14

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1 Και κατεβη ο Σαμψων εις Θαμναθ, και ειδε γυναικα εν Θαμναθ εκ των θυγατερων των Φιλισταιων.

2 Και ανεβη και ανηγγειλε προς τον πατερα αυτου και προς την μητερα αυτου, λεγων, Ειδον γυναικα εν Θαμναθ εκ των θυγατερων των Φιλισταιων· και τωρα λαβετε αυτην εις εμε δια γυναικα.

3 Ειπον δε προς αυτον ο πατηρ αυτου και η μητηρ αυτου, Μηπως δεν υπαρχει μεταξυ των θυγατερων των αδελφων σου και μεταξυ παντος του λαου μου γυνη, και υπαγεις συ να λαβης γυναικα εκ των Φιλισταιων των απεριτμητων; Ο δε Σαμψων ειπε προς τον πατερα αυτου, Ταυτην λαβε εις εμε· διοτι αυτη ειναι αρεστη εις τους οφθαλμους μου.

4 Αλλ' ο πατηρ αυτου και η μητηρ αυτου δεν εγνωρισαν οτι παρα Κυριου ητο τουτο, οτι αυτος εζητει αφορμην εναντιον των Φιλισταιων· διοτι κατ' εκεινον τον καιρον οι Φιλισταιοι εδεσποζον επι τον Ισραηλ.

5 Τοτε κατεβη ο Σαμψων μετα του πατρος αυτου και μετα της μητρος αυτου εις Θαμναθ, και ηλθον εως των αμπελωνων της Θαμναθ· και ιδου, σκυμνος λεοντος ωρυομενος συναπηντησεν αυτον.

6 Και επηλθεν επ' αυτον το πνευμα του Κυριου, και διεσπαραξεν αυτον ως εαν ηθελε διασπαραξει εριφιον, μη εχων μηδεν εν ταις χερσιν αυτου· πλην δεν ανηγγειλε προς τον πατερα αυτου η προς την μητερα αυτου τι ειχε καμει.

7 Και κατεβη και ελαλησε προς την γυναικα· και ηρεσεν εις τους οφθαλμους του Σαμψων.

8 Και επεστρεψε μεθ' ημερας να λαβη αυτην· και εξεκλινεν εκ της οδου δια να ιδη το πτωμα του λεοντος· και ιδου, σμηνος μελισσων εν τω πτωματι του λεοντος, και μελι.

9 Και ελαβεν εκ τουτου εις τας χειρας αυτου και επροχωρει τρωγων, και ηλθε προς τον πατερα αυτου και προς την μητερα αυτου και εδωκεν εις αυτους και εφαγον· πλην δεν ειπε προς αυτους οτι εκ του πτωματος του λεοντος ελαβε το μελι.

10 Και κατεβη ο πατηρ αυτου προς την γυναικα· και εκαμεν εκει ο Σαμψων συμποσιον· διοτι ουτως εσυνειθιζον οι νεοι.

11 Και οτε ειδον αυτον, ελαβον τριακοντα συντροφους δια να ηναι μετ' αυτου.

12 Και ειπεν ο Σαμψων προς αυτους, Τωρα θελω σας προβαλει αινιγμα· εαν δυνηθητε να λυσητε αυτο εις εμε εν ταις επτα ημεραις του συμποσιου και να ευρητε αυτο, τοτε εγω θελω δωσει εις εσας τριακοντα χιτωνας λινους και τριακοντα στολας φορεματων·

13 αλλ' εαν δεν δυνηθητε να λυσητε αυτο εις εμε, τοτε σεις θελετε δωσει εις εμε τριακοντα χιτωνας λινους και τριακοντα στολας φορεματων. Και ειπον προς αυτον, Προβαλε το αινιγμα σου, δια να ακουσωμεν αυτο.

14 Και ειπε προς αυτους, Εκ του τρωγοντος εξηλθε τροφη, και εκ του ισχυρου εξηλθε γλυκυτης. Και αυτοι δεν ηδυναντο να λυσωσι το αινιγμα δια τρεις ημερας.

15 Και την εβδομην ημεραν ειπαν προς την γυναικα του Σαμψων, Κολακευσον τον ανδρα σου, και ας μας φανερωση το αινιγμα, δια να μη κατακαυσωμεν σε και τον οικον του πατρος σου εν πυρι· δια να γυμνωσητε ημας προσεκαλεσατε ημας; δεν ειναι ουτω;

16 Και εκλαυσεν γυνη του Σαμψων εμπροσθεν αυτου και ειπε, Βεβαιως με μισεις και δεν με αγαπας· επροβαλες αινιγμα προς τους υιους του λαου μου, και εις εμε δεν εφανερωσας αυτο. Ο δε ειπε προς αυτην, Ιδου, προς τον πατερα μου και προς την μητερα μου δεν εφανερωσα αυτο· και εις σε θελω φανερωσει;

17 Αλλ' αυτη εκλαιεν εμπροσθεν αυτου τας επτα ημερας, καθ' ας ητο το συμποσιον αυτων· την δε εβδομην ημεραν εφανερωσεν αυτο προς αυτην, διοτι παρηνοχλησεν αυτον· η δε εφανερωσε το αινιγμα προς τους υιους του λαου αυτης.

18 Τοτε ειπον προς αυτον οι ανδρες της πολεως την εβδομην ημεραν, πριν δυση ο ηλιος, Τι γλυκυτερον του μελιτος; και τι ισχυροτερον του λεοντος; Ο δε ειπε προς αυτους, Εαν δεν ηθελετε αροτριασει με την δαμαλιν μου, δεν ηθελετε ευρει το αινιγμα μου.

19 Και επηλθεν επ' αυτον πνευμα Κυριου· και κατεβη εις Ασκαλωνα και εφονευσε τριακοντα ανδρας εξ αυτων, και ελαβε τα ιματια αυτων, και εδωκε τας στολας εις τους εξηγησαντας το αινιγμα. Και εξηφθη ο θυμος αυτου, και ανεβη εις τον οικον του πατρος αυτου.

20 Η δε γυνη του Σαμψων εδοθη εις τον συντροφον αυτου, τον οποιον ειχε φιλον αυτου.

   

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Exploring the Meaning of Judges 14

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

Judges 14: Samson’s Philistine wife.

At the time of Samson, the Philistines were fiercely oppressing Israel. The Philistines lived on the coast, and they may well have come from overseas. They lived in the region for about 600 years, and the Old Testament refers to many later conflicts with the Philistines.

One day, Samson saw a young Philistine woman in Timnath, and he asked his parents to get her for his wife. They asked why he did not choose an Israelite woman, but he insisted on marrying the woman he saw in Timnath, so they all went to meet her. On the way, Samson was attacked by a lion, and he tore it apart with his bare hands. After some time, when he passed by the same place, there was a swarm of bees and honey inside the lion’s carcass. He ate some of the honey, and even brought some of it to his parents, but he did not tell them where it came from.

The woman pleased Samson, and he arranged a feast to which thirty companions were invited. At the feast, Samson told them a riddle: “Out of the eater came something to eat, out of the strong came something sweet.” He said that if they solved the riddle in the seven days of the feast, he would give them thirty linen sheets and thirty changes of clothing. If not, they were to give him the same. They could not solve the riddle for three days, so they convinced Samson’s wife to beg him for the answer. At the end of seven days, the men answered Samson’s riddle, and he was furious.

Then the Lord’s spirit came upon Samson, and he killed thirty Philistine men from Ashkelon, took their garments, and gave these to the thirty men at the feast. His wife was given to his companion.

*****

The spiritual meaning of the powerful Philistines is believing faith is all-important, and does not require charity or good works in life — a fundamental spiritual error. This way of thinking is called ‘faith alone’ spirituality, and it can take many forms. The proximity of the Philistines to Israel is also significant, as it suggests that the temptation to prefer faith without considering charity is never far away (see Swedenborg’s work, True Christian Religion 200[3]).

The pursuit of a Philistine wife reflects the alluring nature of faith without charity, an easy, complacent spirituality. The young lion represents the force of faith alone to hold us in its grip. The honey stands for the spiritual sweetness following regeneration, as we use our faith to expand our hearts and minds (see Swedenborg’s work, Arcana Caelestia 5620[1]).

Samson’s riddle stands for the puzzling nature of the Word’s teachings to those living by faith alone. The number thirty stands for what is whole, in this instance, the completely opposing nature of faith alone and true spiritual living. The linen sheets and changes of clothing mean taking up a genuine spiritual life which involves repentance, living the by the Word, and acknowledging the Lord. Linen is the material of a priest’s robes, and stands for the highest spiritual truths (Arcana Caelestia 5319[7]).

This end of this story shows us that faith alone doubles back on itself, and leads to a completely external understanding of the Lord. This is seen in taking garments from the thirty dead Philistines and giving them to the Philistines from the feast. Samson’s wife, who was given to his Philistine companion, stands for the complete divide between faith alone and love for the Lord. Samson’s apparent anger is really the zeal of protecting the nature of true spiritual life, which comes from the Lord (see Swedenborg’s work, Apocalypse Revealed 365).

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Arcana Coelestia # 5319

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5319. 'And clothed him in robes of fine linen' means an outward sign denoting the celestial of the spiritual, 'robes of fine linen' being truths going forth from the Divine. This is clear from the meaning of 'robes' as truths, dealt with in 1073, 2576, 4545, 4763, 5248. The reason 'robes of fine linen' means truths going forth from the Divine is that a robe made of fine linen was absolutely white and at the same time shining, and truth going forth from the Divine is represented by robes which have that kind of brightness and splendour. And the reason for this is that heaven derives its brightness and splendour from the light that flows from the Lord; and the light that flows from the Lord is Divine Truth itself, 1053, 1521-1533, 1619-1632, 1776, 3195, 3222, 3339, 3485, 3636, 3643, 3862, 4415, 4419, 4526, 5219. This explains why, when the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, His clothing appeared as the light, Matthew 17:2; glistening, intensely white like snow, as no fuller on earth could bleach them, Mark 9:3; and dazzling, Luke 9:29. It was Divine Truth itself going forth from the Lord's Divine Human that was represented in this manner. But they are exterior truths that are represented in heaven by the brightness of robes, whereas interior truths are represented by the brightness and splendour of the face. This is why 'being clothed in robes of fine linen' at this point means an outward sign denoting truth going forth from the celestial of the spiritual, for this was what the Lord's Divine consisted in at this time.

[2] There are other places too in the Word where truth going forth from the Divine is meant by 'fine linen' and 'robes of fine linen', as in Ezekiel,

I clothed you with embroidered cloth, and shed you with badger, and swathed you in fine linen, and covered you in silk. Thus were you adorned with gold and silver, and your robes were fine linen, and silk, and embroidered cloth. Ezekiel 16:10, 13.

This refers to Jerusalem, which is used in these verses to mean the Ancient Church. The truths of this Church are described by robes made of embroidered cloth, fine linen, and silk, and by being adorned with gold and silver. 'Embroidered cloth' means truths existing as facts, 'fine linen' natural truths, and 'silk' spiritual truths.

[3] In the same prophet,

Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt was your sail, that it might be to you an ensign; violet and purple from the islands of Elishah was your covering. Ezekiel 27:7.

This refers to Tyre, which too is used to mean the Ancient Church, but so far as cognitions of good and truth are concerned. 'Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt, which was its sail' means truth obtained from factual knowledge, which was the outward sign of that Church.

[4] In John,

The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over Babylon, since no one buys their wares any more, wares of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and every vessel of ivory, and every vessel made of most precious wood, and bronze, and iron, and marble. Revelation 18:11-12.

All the specific commodities mentioned here mean the kinds of things that have to do with the Church and so truth and goodness. Here however they are used in the contrary sense because they are spoken of in reference to Babylon. Anyone may see that such commodities would never have been listed in the Word which has come down from heaven unless each one held something heavenly within it. What other reason can there be for a list of worldly wares when Babylon, meaning an unholy Church, is the subject? Similarly in the same book,

Woe, woe, the great city, you that were clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, covered 1 with gold, and precious stones, and pearls. Revelation 18:16.

[5] The fact that each commodity means something Divine and heavenly is quite evident in the same book where it states what fine linen is, namely the righteous acts of the saints,

The time of the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. At that time she was given fine linen, clean and shining, to wear; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Revelation 19:7-8.

'Fine linen' is 'the righteous acts of the saints' for the reason that all those with whom truth received from the Divine exists are clothed with the Lord's righteousness. For their robes which are bright and shining are products of the light which flows from the Lord. Therefore in heaven truth itself is represented by 'brightness', 3301, 3997, 4007; and people who are being raised to heaven from a state of vastation are seen to be clothed with brightness because they are at this point casting off the robe of their own righteousness and putting on that of the Lord's righteousness.

[6] So that truth from the Divine might be represented in the Jewish Church, they were commanded to use cotton or fine linen in Aaron's vestments, and also in the curtains around the Ark, referred to in Moses as follows,

You shall make in chequered pattern for Aaron a tunic of cotton, and you shall make a turban of cotton. Exodus 28:39.

They made tunics of cotton, the work of a weaver, for Aaron and his sons. Exodus 39:27.

You shall make the Dwelling-place, ten curtains - fine-twined cotton, violet and purple and twice-dyed scarlet. Exodus 26:1; 36:8.

You shall make the court of the Dwelling-place. The hangings for the court shall be of fine-twined cotton. Exodus 27:9, 18; 38:9.

The screen for the gate of the court, the work of an embroiderer, violet and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine-twined cotton. Exodus 38:18.

Cotton is fine linen, which they were commanded to use because each object in the Ark and around the Ark, also every detail of Aaron's vestments, were representative of spiritual and celestial realities. From this one may see that a person has only a meagre understanding of the Word if he does not know what such things represent, and scarcely any understanding at all if he thinks that the Word possesses no holiness other than that which presents itself in the letter.

[7] When angels with whom truth from the Divine is present are seen by anyone they are clothed so to speak in fine linen, that is, in shining brightness, as is evident in John where 'a white horse' is referred to,

The One seated on a white horse was clothed in a garment dyed with blood, and His name is called the Word. His armies in heaven were following Him on white horses; they were clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Revelation 19:11, 13-14.

These words show quite plainly that 'fine linen' is an outward sign denoting truth from the Divine, for 'the One seated on a white horse' is the Lord as to the Word; indeed those words state quite explicitly that He is the Word. The Word is truth itself received from the Divine, and 'a white horse' is the internal sense of the Word, see 2760-2762. Consequently truths received from the Divine are meant by 'white horses', for such truths constitute the whole of the internal sense of the Word. This was why His armies were seen 'on white horses' and why 'they were clothed in fine linen, white and clean'.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, gilded

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