Arcana Coelestia # 9397
9397. 'And read it in the ears of the people' means to be listened to and obeyed. This is clear from the meaning of 'reading' as to be listened to, for when something is read, it is in order that it may be heard, discerned, and obeyed, that is, listened to; and from the meaning of 'in the ears' as to be obeyed, for 'the ears' and 'hearing' mean obeying, 2542, 3869, 4551, 4652-4660, 5471, 5475, 7216, 8361, 8990, 9311.
[2] Since not only hearing and discerning are meant by 'the ears' but also obeying, expressions such as 'speak in their ears' and 'read in their ears' are used very often in the Word, not speak or read to them, as in Jeremiah,
Hear these words which I speak in your ears and in the ears of all the people. Jeremiah 28:7.
In the first Book of Samuel,
They spoke those words in the ears of the people. 1 Samuel 11:4.
And elsewhere in that book,
Let your maidservant speak in your ears. 1 Samuel 25:24.
In the Book of Judges,
Proclaim in the ears of the people, saying ... Judges 7:3.
In Moses,
Say in the ears of the people. Exodus 11:2.
In the same author,
Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgements which I speak in your ears today. Deuteronomy 5:1.
In the same author,
I speak in their ears these words. Deuteronomy 31:28.
In the same author,
And Moses spoke all the words of the song in the ears of the people. Deuteronomy 32:44.
In the second Book of Kings,
He read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant. 2 Kings 23:2.
In Jeremiah,
They said to him, Sit and read it in our ears. And Baruch read it in their ears. Jeremiah 36:15.
In Luke,
When Jesus had finished all the words in the people's ears ... Luke 7:1.
[3] Because 'the ear' and 'hearing' mean receiving, discerning, and obeying truth, thus mean belief from start to finish, it was said many times by the Lord, He who has an ear to hear, let him hear, as in Matthew 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; 7:16; Luke 14:35. And since 'the deaf' or 'those who do not hear' mean in the spiritual sense people with no belief in the truth because they have no knowledge nor consequently any discernment of it, 6989, 9209, the Lord, when He cured the one who was deaf, put His finger into his ears and said, Ephphatha (that is, Be opened), and immediately his ears were opened, Mark 7:32-35. All the Lord's miracles involved and were signs of states of the Church, see 8364, 9086.
Exodus 15
1
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to Yahweh, and said, "I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.
2
Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him; my father's God, and I will exalt him.
3
Yahweh is a man of war. Yahweh is his name.
4
He has cast Pharaoh's chariots and his army into the sea. His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.
5
The deeps cover them. They went down into the depths like a stone.
6
Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power. Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces.
7
In the greatness of your excellency, you overthrow those who rise up against you. You send forth your wrath. It consumes them as stubble.
8
With the blast of your nostrils, the waters were piled up. The floods stood upright as a heap. The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.
9
The enemy said, 'I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the spoil. My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.'
10
You blew with your wind. The sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
11
Who is like you, Yahweh, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?
12
You stretched out your right hand. The earth swallowed them.
13
"You, in your loving kindness, have led the people that you have redeemed. You have guided them in your strength to your holy habitation.
14
The peoples have heard. They tremble. Pangs have taken hold on the inhabitants of Philistia.
15
Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed. Trembling takes hold of the mighty men of Moab. All the inhabitants of Canaan are melted away.
16
Terror and dread falls on them. By the greatness of your arm they are as still as a stone-- until your people pass over, Yahweh, until the people pass over who you have purchased.
17
You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, the place, Yahweh, which you have made for yourself to dwell in; the sanctuary, Lord, which your hands have established.
18
Yahweh shall reign forever and ever."
19
For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and Yahweh brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea.
20
Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances.
21
Miriam answered them, "Sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea."
22
Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
23
When they came to Marah, they couldn't drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore its name was called Marah.
24
The people murmured against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?"
25
Then he cried to Yahweh. Yahweh showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested them;
26
and he said, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you."
27
They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
