Bible

 

Genesis 49:22

Studie

       

22 υἱὸς ηὐξημένος ιωσηφ υἱὸς ηὐξημένος ζηλωτός υἱός μου νεώτατος πρός με ἀνάστρεψον

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 6432

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

6432. With blessings of the breasts. That this signifies with the affections of good and truth, is evident from the signification of the “breasts,” as being the affections of good and truth. That the “breasts” denote the affections of good and truth, is because they communicate with the organs of generation, and thereby also belong to the province of conjugial love (of which province see above, n. 5050-5062); and conjugial love corresponds to the heavenly marriage, which is the marriage of good and truth; for conjugial love descends from this marriage (n. 2618, 2728, 2729, 2803, 3132, 4434, 4835, 6179); hence by the “breasts” are signified the affections of good and truth. The same is also evident from the fact that infants are nourished by means of the breasts, and through this affection the “breasts” signify the conjunction of conjugial love with love toward offspring.

[2] These affections are also signified by the “breasts” in Isaiah:

Thou shalt suck the milk of the nations, and shalt suck the breasts of kings. For brass I will bring gold, and for iron silver (Isaiah 60:16-17);

“to suck the breasts of kings” denotes good from truth, for by “kings” are signified truths (see n. 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148). That by the “milk of the nations,” and by the “breasts of kings,” there is signified something hidden which is spiritual, is manifest, for otherwise they would be words without meaning; that good and truth are signified is plain from what follows: “for brass I will bring gold, and for iron silver”; “brass” being natural good (n. 425, 1551), “gold” celestial good (n. 113, 1551, 1552, 5658), “iron” natural truth (n. 425, 426), and “silver” spiritual truth (n. 1551, 2954, 5658, 6112).

[3] And in Ezekiel:

As to the increase I made thee as the bud of the field, whence thou didst increase and grow up, and thou attainedst to ornament of ornaments; thy breasts were made firm, and thy hair grew (Ezekiel 16:7);

this is said of Jerusalem, by which is here signified the Ancient Spiritual Church; the “breasts” being “made firm” denotes interior affections of good and truth; “thy hair grew” denotes exterior affections which are of the natural (that “hair” is the natural as to truth, see n. 3301, 5247, 5569-5573). That in these words there is a spiritual sense which does not appear in the letter, is plain; for without that sense what could be meant by saying of Jerusalem that “her breasts were made firm, and her hair grew?”

[4] In the same:

There were two women the daughters of one mother who committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth, there were their breasts pressed, and there they touched the teats of their virginity (Ezekiel 23:2-3).

That the “two women” are Jerusalem and Samaria, is there said, by whom in the internal sense are signified churches; by their “committing whoredoms in their youth with Egypt,” is signified that they falsified the truths of the church by means of memory-knowledges (that “to commit whoredom” is to falsify truths, see n. 2466, 4865; and that “Egypt” is memory-knowledge, n. 1164, 1165, 1186, 1462, 5700, 5702); hence “their breasts were pressed” denotes that the affections of good and truth were perverted by means of falsifications. That such things are signified by the “whoredom of the women,” and by the “pressing of their breasts,” is evident to those who look into the meaning of the description of these women.

[5] In Hosea:

Plead ye with your mother, let her put away her whoredoms from her faces, and her adulteries from between her breasts, lest I strip her naked, and make her as a wilderness, and set her as a land of drought, and slay her with thirst (Hos. 2:2-3);

“mother” denotes the church (n. 289, 2691, 2717, 3703, 4257, 5581); “whoredoms” denote falsifications of truth (n. 2466, 4865); “adulteries,” adulterations of good (n. 2466, 2729, 3399); hence “adulteries from between the breasts” denote the affections of good and truth adulterated; “to strip naked” denotes to deprive of all truth (n. 1073, 4958, 5433); “to make her as a wilderness, to set her as a land of drought, and to slay her with thirst” denotes to extinguish all truth.

[6] Again:

Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts (Hos. 9:14); where “dry breasts” denote affections not of truth and good. And in Isaiah:

Stand still ye women that are secure, hear my voice; ye daughters that are confident, with your ears perceive my discourse; strip and make thyself bare, and gird upon the loins; they smite themselves upon the breasts for the fields of pure wine and the fruitful vine (Isaiah 32:9, 11-12); where “daughters” denote affections (n. 2362, 3024, 3963); “to be made bare” denotes to be deprived of truth (n. 1073, 4958, 5433); “to gird themselves upon the loins” denotes to be in grief on account of lost good; “to smite upon the breasts,” denotes to be in grief on account of lost good of truth; and because these things are signified, it is said “for the fields of pure wine and the fruitful vine;” for a “field” denotes the church as to good, thus the good of the church (n. 2971, 3196, 3310, 3766), and a “vine” denotes the spiritual church, consequently the good of truth (n. 5113, 6375, 6376).

[7] In Revelation:

I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girded about at the breasts with a golden girdle (Revelation 1:12-13).

The “golden lampstands” denote the truths of good; the “Son of man” denotes the Divine truth; “girded about at the breasts with a golden girdle” denotes the good of love. That these things seen by John involve such things as are of the Lord’s kingdom and His church, everyone may conclude from the sanctity of the Word; for what sanctity would there be in making predictions about the kingdoms of this world? Hence it may be seen that heavenly things are signified by the “lampstands,” and by the “Son of man being clad with a garment down to the feet, and being girded about at the breasts with a golden girdle.”

[8] In Luke:

A certain woman from the people lifted up her voice and said concerning Jesus, Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the breasts which Thou hast sucked. But Jesus said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it (Luke 11:27-28);

from the Lord’s answer it is plain what is signified by a “blessed womb,” and what by “breasts,” namely, those who hear the Word of God and keep it; thus the affections of truth which those have who hear the Word of God; and the affections of good which those have who keep or do it.

  
/ 10837  
  

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

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 4581

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

4581. And he poured out a drink-offering thereon. That this signifies the Divine good of truth, is evident from the signification of a “drink-offering,” as being the Divine good of truth, of which below; but first I will state what the good of truth is. The good of truth is that which has elsewhere been called the good of faith, and is love toward the neighbor, or charity. There are two universal kinds of good, one of which is called the good of faith, and the other the good of love. The good of faith is what is signified by a “drink-offering,” and the good of love by “oil.” They who are brought by the Lord to good by an internal way are in the good of love, but they who are brought by an external way are in the good of faith. The men of the celestial church, and likewise the angels of the inmost or third heaven, are in the good of love; but the men of the spiritual church, and likewise the angels of the middle or second heaven, are in the good of faith. For this reason the former good is called celestial good, but the latter spiritual good. The difference is the same as that between willing well from good will, and willing well from good understanding. The latter therefore, namely, spiritual good, or the good of faith, or the good of truth, is what is signified by a “drink-offering;” but the former, namely, celestial good, or the good of love, is what is understood in the internal sense by “oil.”

[2] That such things were signified by the “oil” and the “drink-offering” cannot indeed be seen except from the internal sense, and yet it must be apparent to everyone that holy things were represented, for otherwise what else would be the pouring out of a drink-offering and of oil upon a pillar of stone than a ridiculous and idolatrous performance? And so in the making of a king, unless holy things were signified and involved in the putting of a crown on his head, anointing him with oil from a horn upon his forehead and upon his wrists, putting a scepter into his hand besides a sword and keys, investing him with a crimson robe and then seating him upon a throne of silver; and afterwards in his riding on a horse in royal trappings and being served at table by those of highest rank, not to mention other formalities, unless all these ceremonies represented holy things, and were venerable through their correspondence with the things of heaven and thence of the church, they would be like babies’ plays on a larger scale, or like plays on the stage.

[3] Nevertheless all these rituals derived their origin from the most ancient times, when rituals were holy from their representing holy things, and from correspondence with the holy things in heaven and thence in the church. Moreover, at the present day they are regarded as venerable, not because it is known what they represent, or to what they correspond, but by an interpretation as of emblems that are in use. But if it were known what each of these things represents, and to what holy thing it corresponds—the crown, the oil, the horn, the scepter, the sword, the keys, riding upon a white horse, and eating while nobles are serving-men would think of them with much more reverence. But this they do not know, and wonderful to say, do not desire to know, to such a degree have the representatives and significatives which are in such things and everywhere in the Word been at the present day destroyed in the minds of men.

[4] That a “drink-offering” signifies the good of truth, or spiritual good, may be seen from the sacrifices in which it was employed. Sacrifices were made from the herd or from the flock, and were representative of the internal worship of the the Lord, (n. 922, 923, 1823, 2180, 2805, 2807, 2830, 3519). To these were added the meat-offering and the drink-offering. The meat-offering, which consisted of fine flour mingled with oil, signified celestial good, or what is the same, the good of love, “oil” signifying love to the Lord, and “fine flour” charity toward the neighbor. But the drink-offering, which consisted of wine, signified spiritual good, or what is the same, the good of faith. Both together therefore (namely, the meat-offering and the drink-offering) signified the same things as the bread and wine in the Holy Supper.

[5] That these were added to the burnt-offerings and sacrifices is evident in Moses:

Thou shalt offer two lambs of the first year day by day continually; the one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer between the evenings; and a tenth of fine flour mingled with beaten oil, a fourth of a hin, and drink offering of the fourth of a hin of wine for the first lamb; and so also for the second lamb (Exodus 29:38-41).

In the day when ye wave the sheaf of the firstfruits of the harvest, ye shall offer a lamb without blemish of the first year, for a burnt-offering unto Jehovah, the meat-offering whereof shall be two tenths of fine flour mingled with oil, and the drink offering whereof shall be of wine, the fourth of a hin (Leviticus 23:12-13, 18).

On the day when the days of his Naziriteship are fulfilled, he shall offer his gift unto Jehovah (sacrifices), and a basket of unleavened things of fine flour, cakes mingled with oil, with unleavened wafers anointed with oil, with their meat-offering and their drink-offerings (Numbers 6:13-15, 17).

Upon the burnt-offering they shall offer a meat-offering of a tenth of fine flour mingled with the fourth of a hin of oil; and wine for the drink offering, the fourth of a hin, in one manner for the burnt-offering of a ram, and in another manner for that of an ox (Numbers 15:3-5, 11).

With the burnt-offering of the daily sacrifice thou shalt offer a drink-offering, the fourth of a hin for a lamb; in the holy place shalt thou pour out a drink-offering of wine unto Jehovah (Numbers 28:6-7).

Moreover concerning the meat-offerings and drink-offerings in the sacrifices of various kinds, see Numbers 28:7-31 29:1-40.

[6] That the meat-offering and the drink-offering had this signification may be seen from the fact that love and faith effect everything of worship; and it may be seen above that the bread (which here is of fine flour mingled with oil) and the wine in the Holy Supper signify love and faith, thus everything of worship (n. 1798, 2165, 2177, 2187, 2343, 2359, 3464, 3735, 3813, 4211, 4217).

[7] But when the people fell away from the genuine representative of the worship of the Lord, and turned away to other gods and poured out drink-offerings to them, then by the drink-offerings were signified things which are opposite to charity and faith, namely, the evils and falsities of the love of the world, as in Isaiah:

Ye did become heated with gods under every green tree, thou hast also poured out to them a drink-offering, thou hast offered a meat-offering (Isaiah 57:5-6);

“to become heated with gods” denotes the concupiscences of falsity (that “gods” denote falsities, n. 4402, 4544); “under every green tree” denotes from the belief of all falsities (n. 2722, 4552); “to pour out to them a drink-offering and offer a meat-offering” denotes the worship of them. Again:

Ye that forsake Jehovah, that forget the mountain of My holiness, that prepare a table for Gad, and fill a drink-offering to Meni (Isaiah 65:11).

In Jeremiah:

The sons gather wood, and the fathers kindle a fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes to the queen of the heavens, and to pour out a drink-offering to other gods (Jeremiah 7:18).

[8] Again:

Doing we will do every word that is gone forth out of our mouth, to burn incense to the queen of the heavens, and to pour out drink-offerings to her as we and our fathers have done, and our princes in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 44:17-19);

“the queen of the heavens” denotes all falsities, for in the genuine sense the “armies of the heavens” are truths, but in the opposite sense falsities, and in like manner the “king and queen;” thus the “queen” denotes all of them, and “to pour drink-offerings to her” is to worship.

[9] Again:

The Chaldeans shall burn the city, and the houses upon whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal, and have poured out drink-offerings to other gods (Jeremiah 32:29);

“the Chaldeans” denote those who are in worship in which there is falsity; “to burn the city” denotes to destroy and vastate those who are in doctrinal things of what is false; “to offer incense to Baal upon the roofs of the houses” denotes the worship of what is evil; “to pour out drink-offerings to other gods” denotes the worship of what is false.

[10] In Hosea:

They shall not dwell in Jehovah’s land, and Ephraim shall return into Egypt, and they shall eat what is unclean in Assyria; they shall not pour out wine to Jehovah (Hos. 9:3-4);

“not to dwell in Jehovah’s land” denotes not to be in the good of love; “Ephraim shall return into Egypt” denotes that the intellectual of the church will become mere knowledge and sensuous; “they shall eat what is unclean in Assyria” denotes impure and profane things from reasoning; “they shall not pour out wine to Jehovah” denotes no worship from truth.

[11] In Moses:

It shall be said, Where are their gods, the rock in which they trusted, that did eat the fat of the sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink-offering? Let them arise and help them (Deuteronomy 33:37-38 [NCBSW: 32:37-38]);

“gods,” as above, denote falsities; “that did eat the fat of the sacrifices” denotes that they destroyed the good of worship; “that drank the wine of their drink-offering” denotes that they destroyed the truth of worship. Drink-offerings are also predicated of blood, in David:

They shall multiply their griefs, they have hastened to another, lest I pour out their drink-offerings of blood, and lest I take up their names upon my lips (Psalms 16:4);

and by these words are signified the profanations of truth; for in this sense “blood” denotes violence offered to charity (n. 374, 1005), and profanation (n. 1003).

  
/ 10837  
  

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