1441. That these things are meant by 'Shechem' becomes clear also from the fact that Shechem is so to speak the first stopping-place in the land of Canaan that one comes to when journeying from Syria, or Haran. And since 'the land of Canaan' means the celestial things of love it is clear that 'Shechem' means the first stage in the appearance of celestial things. When Jacob returned from Haran to the land of Canaan he likewise came to Shechem, as becomes clear from the following,

Jacob travelled on to Succoth and built a house for himself, and made shelters ¹ for his cattle; therefore he called the name of the place Succoth. And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-Aram; and he camped before the city. And he set up an altar there. Genesis 33:17-20.

Here also 'Shechem' means the first appearance of light. In David,

God has spoken in His holiness, I will exult, I will divide up Shechem and portion out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is Mine, and Manasseh is Mine; and Ephraim is the strength of My head, Judah is My lawgiver, Moab is My washbasin, upon Edom I will cast My shoe, over Philistia I will make a loud noise. Psalms 60:6, 8; 108:7, 9.

Here also 'Shechem' has a similar meaning. That names, including Shechem therefore, mean nothing other than real things becomes quite clear from these prophetic utterances of David. Otherwise they would be scarcely more than a heap of names. References to Shechem becoming a city of refuge, Joshua 20:7, and also a priestly city, Joshua 21:21, and a place where the covenant was made, Joshua 24:1, 25, also embody the same.

Poznámky pod čarou:

In Genesis 19:37; 21:26; 30:32; 40:7; Matthew 6:30; Luke 12:28, this signifies the perpetuity and eternity of a state. (Arcana Coelestia 2838)

In Psalm 2:7, this signifies in time; for with Jehovah the future is present. (True Christian Religion 101)

The expression 'even to this day' or 'today' sometimes appears in the Word, as in Genesis 19:37-38, 22:14, 26:33, 32:32, 35:20, and 47:26. In a historical sense, these expressions have respect to the time when Moses lived, but in an internal sense, 'this day' and 'today' signify the perpetuity and eternity of a state. 'Day' denotes state, and likewise 'today,' which is the current time. Anything related to time in the world is eternal in heaven, and to represent this, 'today' or 'to this day' is added. Although, in the historical sense, this appears as if the expressions only have a literal meaning, just like it says in other parts of the Word, such as Joshua 4:9, 6:25, 7:20, Judges 1:21, 26, etc. 'Today' means something perpetual and eternal in Psalms 2:7, 119:89-91, Jeremiah 1:5, 10, 18, Deuteronomy 29:9-14, Numbers 28:3, 23, Daniel 8:13, 11:31, 12:11, Exodus 16:4, 19, 20, 23, John 6:31, 32, 49, 50, 58, Matthew 6:11, and Luke 11:3.

(Odkazy: Arcana Coelestia 2838 [1-4], Genesis 47:26)