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1 Samuel 15

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1 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM πρός-P *σαούλ-N---ASM ἔγω- P--AS ἀποστέλλω-VAI-AAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM χρίω-VA--AAN σύ- P--AS εἰς-P βασιλεύς-N3V-ASM ἐπί-P *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM καί-C νῦν-D ἀκούω-V1--PAD2S ὁ- A--GSF φωνή-N1--GSF κύριος-N2--GSM

2 ὅδε- D--APN εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM σαβαωθ-N---NSM νῦν-D ἐκδικέω-VF--FAI1S ὅς- --APN ποιέω-VAI-AAI3S *αμαληκ-N---NSM ὁ- A--DSM *ἰσραήλ-N---DSM ὡς-C ἀποἀντάω-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--DSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF ὁδός-N2--DSF ἀναβαίνω-V1--PAPGSM αὐτός- D--GSM ἐκ-P *αἴγυπτος-N2--GSF

3 καί-C νῦν-D πορεύομαι-V1--PMD2S καί-C πατάσσω-VF--FAI2S ὁ- A--ASM *αμαληκ-N---ASM καί-C *ιεριμ-N---ASM καί-C πᾶς-A3--APN ὁ- A--APN αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C οὐ-D περιποιέω-VA--AAS3S ἐκ-P αὐτός- D--GS καί-C ἐκὀλεθρεύω-VF--FAI2S αὐτός- D--ASM καί-C ἀναθεματίζω-VF2-FAI2S αὐτός- D--ASM καί-C πᾶς-A3--APN ὁ- A--APN αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C οὐ-D φείδομαι-VA--AMS2S ἀπό-P αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C ἀποκτείνω-VF2-FAI2S ἀπό-P ἀνήρ-N3--GSM καί-C ἕως-P γυνή-N3K-GSF καί-C ἀπό-P νήπιος-A1A-GSM ἕως-P θηλάζω-V1--PAPGSM καί-C ἀπό-P μόσχος-N2--GSM ἕως-P πρόβατον-N2N-GSN καί-C ἀπό-P κάμηλος-N2--GSM ἕως-P ὄνος-N2--GSF

4 καί-C παραἀγγέλλω-VAI-AAI3S *σαούλ-N---NSM ὁ- A--DSM λαός-N2--DSM καί-C ἐπισκέπτομαι-V1--PMI3S αὐτός- D--APM ἐν-P *γάλγαλα-N---DPF τετρακόσιοι-A1A-APF χιλιάς-N3D-APF τάγμα-N3M-GPN καί-C ὁ- A--ASM *ἰούδας-N---ASM τριάκοντα-M χιλιάς-N3D-APF τάγμα-N3M-GPN

5 καί-C ἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3S *σαούλ-N---NSM ἕως-P ὁ- A--GPF πόλις-N3I-GPF *αμαληκ-N---GSM καί-C ἐνεδρεύω-VAI-AAI3S ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSM χειμάρρους-N2--DSM

6 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαούλ-N---NSM πρός-P ὁ- A--ASM *κιναῖος-N2--ASM ἀποἔρχομαι-VB--AAD2P καί-C ἐκκλίνω-VA--AAD2S ἐκ-P μέσος-A1--GSN ὁ- A--GSM *αμαληκίτος-N---GSM μή-D προςτίθημι-VE--AAS1S σύ- P--AS μετά-P αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C σύ- P--NS ποιέω-VAI-AAI2S ἔλεος-N3E-NSM μετά-P ὁ- A--GPM υἱός-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN ἀναβαίνω-V1--PAN αὐτός- D--APM ἐκ-P *αἴγυπτος-N2--GSF καί-C ἐκκλίνω-V1I-IAI3S ὁ- A--NSM *κιναῖος-N2--NSM ἐκ-P μέσος-A1--GSN *αμαληκ-N---GSM

7 καί-C πατάσσω-VAI-AAI3S *σαούλ-N---NSM ὁ- A--ASM *αμαληκ-N---ASM ἀπό-P *ευιλατ-N---GS ἕως-P *σουρ-N---GS ἐπί-P πρόσωπον-N2N-GSN *αἴγυπτος-N2--GSF

8 καί-C συνλαμβάνω-VBI-AAI3S ὁ- A--ASM *αγαγ-N---ASM βασιλεύς-N3V-ASM *αμαληκ-N---GSM ζάω-V3--PAPASM καί-C πᾶς-A3--ASM ὁ- A--ASM λαός-N2--ASM *ιεριμ-N---GS ἀποκτείνω-VAI-AAI3S ἐν-P στόμα-N3M-DSN ῥομφαία-N1A-GSF

9 καί-C περιποιέω-VAI-AMI3S *σαούλ-N---NSM καί-C πᾶς-A3--NSM ὁ- A--NSM λαός-N2--NSM ὁ- A--ASM *αγαγ-N---ASM ζάω-V3--PAPASM καί-C ὁ- A--APN ἀγαθός-A1--APN ὁ- A--GPN ποίμνιον-N2N-GPN καί-C ὁ- A--GPN βουλόλιον-N2--GPN καί-C ὁ- A--GPN ἔδεσμα-N3M-GPN καί-C ὁ- A--GPM ἀμπελών-N3W-GPM καί-C πᾶς-A3--GPN ὁ- A--GPN ἀγαθός-A1--GPN καί-C οὐ-D βούλομαι-V1I-IMI3S αὐτός- D--APN ἐκὀλεθρεύω-VA--AAN καί-C πᾶς-A3--ASN ἔργον-N2N-ASN ἀτιμόω-VMI-XPPASN καί-C ἐκοὐθενόω-V4--PPPASN ἐκὀλεθρεύω-VAI-AAI3P

10 καί-C γίγνομαι-VCI-API3S ῥῆμα-N3M-NSN κύριος-N2--GSM πρός-P *σαμουηλ-N---ASM λέγω-V1--PAPNSM

11 παρακλίνω-VX--XMI1S ὅτι-C βασιλεύω-VAI-AAI1S ὁ- A--ASM *σαούλ-N---ASM εἰς-P βασιλεύς-N3V-ASM ὅτι-C ἀποστρέφω-VAI-AAI3S ἀπό-P ὄπισθε-D ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C ὁ- A--APM λόγος-N2--APM ἐγώ- P--GS οὐ-D τηρέω-VAI-AAI3S καί-C ἀθύμέω-VAI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM καί-C βοάω-VAI-AAI3S πρός-P κύριος-N2--ASM ὅλος-A1--ASF ὁ- A--ASF νύξ-N3--ASF

12 καί-C ὀρθρίζω-VAI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM καί-C πορεύομαι-VCI-API3S εἰς-P ἀπάντησις-N3I-ASF *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM πρωΐ-D καί-C ἀποἀγγέλλω-VDI-API3S ὁ- A--DSM *σαμουηλ-N---DSM λέγω-V1--PAPNPM ἥκω-V1--PAI3S *σαούλ-N---NSM εἰς-P *κάρμηλον-N---AS καί-C ἀναἵστημι-VXI-XAI3S αὐτός- D--DSM χείρ-N3--ASF καί-C ἐπιστρέφω-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--ASN ἅρμα-N3M-ASN καί-C καταβαίνω-VZI-AAI3S εἰς-P *γάλγαλα-N---ASF πρός-P *σαούλ-N---ASM καί-C ἰδού-I αὐτός- D--NSM ἀναφέρω-V1I-IAI3S ὁλοκαύτωσις-N3I-ASF ὁ- A--DSM κύριος-N2--DSM ὁ- A--APN πρῶτος-A1--APNS ὁ- A--GPN σκῦλον-N2N-GPN ὅς- --GPN φέρω-VAI-AAI3S ἐκ-P *αμαληκ-N---GSM

13 καί-C παραγίγνομαι-VBI-AMI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM πρός-P *σαούλ-N---ASM καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--DSM *σαούλ-N---NSM εὐλογητός-A1--NSM σύ- P--NS ὁ- A--DSM κύριος-N2--DSM ἵστημι-VAI-AAI1S πᾶς-A3--APN ὅσος-A1--APN λαλέω-VAI-AAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM

14 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM καί-C τίς- I--NSM ὁ- A--NSF φωνή-N1--NSF ὁ- A--GSN ποίμνιον-N2N-GSN οὗτος- D--GSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DPN οὖς-N3T-DPN ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C φωνή-N1--NSF ὁ- A--GPM βοῦς-N3--GPM ὅς- --GPM ἐγώ- P--NS ἀκούω-V1--PAI1S

15 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαούλ-N---NSM ἐκ-P *αμαληκ-N---GSM φέρω-VAI-AAI1S αὐτός- D--APN ὅς- --APN περιποιέω-VAI-AMI3S ὁ- A--NSM λαός-N2--NSM ὁ- A--APN κρείσσων-A1--APNS ὁ- A--GSN ποίμνιον-N2N-GSN καί-C ὁ- A--GPM βοῦς-N3--GPM ὅπως-C θύω-VC--APS3S ὁ- A--DSM κύριος-N2--DSM θεός-N2--DSM σύ- P--GS καί-C ὁ- A--APN λοιπός-A1--APN ἐκὀλεθρεύω-VAI-AAI1S

16 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM πρός-P *σαούλ-N---ASM ἀναἵημι-VB--AAD2S καί-C ἀποἀγγέλλω-VF2-FAI1S σύ- P--DS ὅς- --APN λαλέω-VAI-AAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM πρός-P ἐγώ- P--AS ὁ- A--ASF νύξ-N3--ASF καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--DSM λαλέω-VA--AAD2S

17 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM πρός-P *σαούλ-N---ASM οὐ-D μικρός-A1A-NSM σύ- P--NS εἰμί-V9--PAI2S ἐνώπιον-P αὐτός- D--GSM ἡγέομαι-V2--PMPNSM σκῆπτρον-N2N-GSN φυλή-N1--GSF *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM καί-C χρίω-VAI-AAI3S σύ- P--AS κύριος-N2--NSM εἰς-P βασιλεύς-N3V-ASM ἐπί-P *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM

18 καί-C ἀποστέλλω-VAI-AAI3S σύ- P--AS κύριος-N2--NSM ἐν-P ὁδός-N2--DSF καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S σύ- P--DS πορεύομαι-VC--APD2S καί-C ἐκὀλεθρεύω-VA--AAD2S ὁ- A--APM ἁμαρτάνω-V1--PAPAPM εἰς-P ἐγώ- P--AS ὁ- A--ASM *αμαληκ-N---ASM καί-C πολεμέω-VF--FAI2S αὐτός- D--APM ἕως-P συντελέω-VA--AAS2S αὐτός- D--APM

19 καί-C ἵνα-C τίς- I--ASN οὐ-D ἀκούω-VAI-AAI2S ὁ- A--GSF φωνή-N1--GSF κύριος-N2--GSM ἀλλά-C ὁρμάω-VAI-AAI2S ὁ- A--GSN τίθημι-VE--AMN ἐπί-P ὁ- A--APN σκῦλον-N2N-APN καί-C ποιέω-VAI-AAI2S ὁ- A--ASN πονηρός-A1A-ASN ἐνώπιον-P κύριος-N2--GSM

20 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαούλ-N---NSM πρός-P *σαμουηλ-N---ASM διά-P ὁ- A--ASN ἀκούω-VA--AAN ἐγώ- P--AS ὁ- A--GSF φωνή-N1--GSF ὁ- A--GSM λαός-N2--GSM καί-C πορεύομαι-VCI-API1S ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF ὁδός-N2--DSF ὅς- --DSF ἀποστέλλω-VAI-AAI3S ἐγώ- P--AS κύριος-N2--NSM καί-C ἄγω-VBI-AAI1S ὁ- A--ASM *αγαγ-N---ASM βασιλεύς-N3V-ASM *αμαληκ-N---GSM καί-C ὁ- A--ASM *αμαληκ-N---ASM ἐκὀλεθρεύω-VAI-AAI1S

21 καί-C λαμβάνω-VBI-AAI3S ὁ- A--NSM λαός-N2--NSM ὁ- A--GPN σκῦλον-N2N-GPN ποίμνιον-N2N-APN καί-C βουκόλιον-N2N-APN ὁ- A--APN πρῶτος-A1--APNS ὁ- A--GSN ἐξολέθρευμα-N3M-GSN θύω-VA--AAN ἐνώπιον-P κύριος-N2--GSM θεός-N2--GSM ἐγώ- P--GP ἐν-P *γάλγαλα-N---DPF

22 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM εἰ-X θελητός-A1A-ASN ὁ- A--DSM κύριος-N2--DSM ὁλοκαύτωμα-N3M-APN καί-C θυσία-N1A-NPF ὡς-C ὁ- A--ASN ἀκούω-VA--AAN φωνή-N1--GSF κύριος-N2--GSM ἰδού-I ἀκοή-N1--NSF ὑπέρ-P θυσία-N1A-ASF ἀγαθός-A1--NSF καί-C ὁ- A--NSF ἐπακρόασις-N3I-NSF ὑπέρ-P στέαρ-N3--ASN κριός-N2--GPM

23 ὅτι-C ἁμαρτία-N1A-NSF οἰώνισμα-N3M-NSN εἰμί-V9--PAI3S ὀδύνη-N1--ASF καί-C πόνος-N2--APM θεραφις-N3I-ASF ἐπιἄγω-V1--PAI3P ὅτι-C ἐκοὐδενόω-VA--AAI2S ὁ- A--ASN ῥῆμα-N3M-ASN κύριος-N2--GSM καί-C ἐκοὐδενόω-VA--AAI3S σύ- P--AS κύριος-N2--NSM μή-D εἰμί-V9--PAN βασιλεύς-N3V-ASM ἐπί-P *ἰσραήλ-N---ASM

24 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαούλ-N---NSM πρός-P *σαμουηλ-N---ASM ἁμαρτάνω-VX--XAI1S ὅτι-C παραβαίνω-VZI-AAI1S ὁ- A--ASM λόγος-N2--ASM κύριος-N2--GSM καί-C ὁ- A--ASN ῥῆμα-N3M-ASN σύ- P--GS ὅτι-C φοβέω-VCI-API1S ὁ- A--ASM λαός-N2--ASM καί-C ἀκούω-VAI-AAI1S ὁ- A--GSF φωνή-N1--GSF αὐτός- D--GPM

25 καί-C νῦν-D αἴρω-VA--AAD2S δή-X ὁ- A--ASN ἁμάρτημα-N3M-ASN ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C ἀναστρέφω-VF--FAPASN μετά-P ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C προςκυνέω-VA--AAS1S κύριος-N2--DSM ὁ- A--DSM θεός-N2--DSM σύ- P--GS

26 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM πρός-P *σαούλ-N---ASM οὐ-D ἀναστρέφω-V1--PAI1S μετά-P σύ- P--GS ὅτι-C ἐκοὐδενόω-VA--AAI2S ὁ- A--ASN ῥῆμα-N3M-ASN κύριος-N2--GSM καί-C ἐκοὐδενόω-VA--AAI3S σύ- P--AS κύριος-N2--NSM ὁ- A--GSN μή-D εἰμί-V9--PAN βασιλεύς-N3V-ASM ἐπί-P ὁ- A--ASM *ἰσραήλ-N---ASM

27 καί-C ἀποστρέφω-VAI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM ὁ- A--ASN πρόσωπον-N2N-ASN αὐτός- D--GSM ὁ- A--GSN ἀποἔρχομαι-VB--AAN καί-C κρατέω-VAI-AAI3S *σαούλ-N---NSM ὁ- A--GSN πτερυγίον-N2N-GSN ὁ- A--GSF διπλοΐς-N3D-GSF αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C διαῥήγνυμι-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--ASN

28 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S πρός-P αὐτός- D--ASM *σαμουηλ-N---NSM διαῥήγνυμι-VAI-AAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM ὁ- A--ASF βασιλεία-N1A-ASF *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM ἐκ-P χείρ-N3--GSF σύ- P--GS σήμερον-D καί-C δίδωμι-VF--FAI3S αὐτός- D--ASF ὁ- A--DSM πλησίον-D σύ- P--GS ὁ- A--DSM ἀγαθός-A1--DSM ὑπέρ-P σύ- P--AS

29 καί-C διααἱρέω-VC--FPI3S *ἰσραήλ-N---NSM εἰς-P δύο-M καί-C οὐ-D ἀποστρέφω-VF--FAI3S οὐδέ-C μετανοέω-VF--FAI3S ὅτι-C οὐ-D ὡς-C ἄνθρωπος-N2--NSM εἰμί-V9--PAI3S ὁ- A--GSN μετανοέω-VA--AAN αὐτός- D--NSM

30 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαούλ-N---NSM ἁμαρτάνω-VX--XAI1S ἀλλά-C δοξάζω-VF--FAPASN ἐγώ- P--AS δή-X ἐνώπιον-P πρεσβύτερος-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM καί-C ἐνώπιον-P λαός-N2--GSM ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C ἀναστρέφω-VF--FAPASN μετά-P ἐγώ- P--GS καί-C προςκυνέω-VA--AAS1S ὁ- A--DSM κύριος-N2--DSM θεός-N2--DSM σύ- P--GS

31 καί-C ἀναστρέφω-VAI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM ὀπίσω-P *σαούλ-N---GSM καί-C προςκυνέω-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--DSM κύριος-N2--DSM

32 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM προςἄγω-VA--AAD3P ἐγώ- P--DS ὁ- A--ASM *αγαγ-N---ASM βασιλεύς-N3V-ASM *αμαληκ-N---GSM καί-C προςἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3S πρός-P αὐτός- D--ASM *αγαγ-N---NSM τρέμω-V1--PAPNSM καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *αγαγ-N---NSM εἰ-X οὕτως-D πικρός-A1A-NSM ὁ- A--NSM θάνατος-N2--NSM

33 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM πρός-P *αγαγ-N---ASM καθότι-D ἀτεκνόω-VAI-AAI3S γυνή-N3K-APF ὁ- A--NSF ῥομφαία-N1A-NSF σύ- P--GS οὕτως-D ἀτεκνόω-VC--FPI3S ἐκ-P γυνή-N3K-GPF ὁ- A--NSF μήτηρ-N3--NSF σύ- P--GS καί-C σφάζω-VAI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM ὁ- A--ASM *αγαγ-N---ASM ἐνώπιον-P κύριος-N2--GSM ἐν-P *γαλγαλ-N---DSF

34 καί-C ἀποἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM εἰς-P *αρμαθαιμ-N---AS καί-C *σαούλ-N---NSM ἀναβαίνω-VZI-AAI3S εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASM οἶκος-N2--ASM αὐτός- D--GSM εἰς-P *γαβαα-N---AS

35 καί-C οὐ-D προςτίθημι-VEI-AMI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM ἔτι-D ὁράω-VB--AAN ὁ- A--ASM *σαούλ-N---ASM ἕως-P ἡμέρα-N1A-GSF θάνατος-N2--GSM αὐτός- D--GSM ὅτι-C πενθέω-VAI-AAI3S *σαμουηλ-N---NSM ἐπί-P *σαούλ-N---ASM καί-C κύριος-N2--NSM μεταμελέω-VCI-API3S ὅτι-C βασιλεύω-VAI-AAI3S ὁ- A--ASM *σαούλ-N---ASM ἐπί-P *ἰσραήλ-N---ASM

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 9409

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9409. 'And on the children of Israel who had been set apart' means those restricted to the outward sense, separated from the inward. This is clear from the representation of 'the children of Israel who had been set apart' - that is, those who had been separated from Moses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders, and about whom verse 2 above says 'they shall not come up' - as those restricted to the outward sense of the Word, separated from the inward, dealt with above in 9380. Something brief must be stated here about who exactly those people are, and what they are like, who are restricted to the outward sense of the Word, separated from the inward. They are those who draw no teachings about charity and faith from the Word but confine themselves to the sense of the letter. Teachings about charity and faith compose the inward substance of the Word, while the sense of the letter composes its outward form. The worship too of those restricted to the outward sense of the Word without the inward is something outward devoid of anything inward. They venerate outward things as being holy and Divine, and also believe that these things are in themselves holy and Divine, when in fact they are holy and Divine by virtue of inner realities. This was what the children of Jacob were like, see 3479, 4281, 4293, 4307, 4429, 4433, 4680, 4844, 4847, 4865, 4868, 4874, 4899, 4903, 4911, 4913, 6304, 8588, 8788, 8806, 8871.

[2] But let some examples serve to illustrate this matter. They believed that they were pure, free from all sin and all guilt, when they offered sacrifices and ate from them. For they thought that the sacrifices in their outward form alone, without the inward, were the most holy things of worship, that when used in those sacrifices the oxen, young bulls, lambs, she-goats, sheep, rams, and he-goats were holy, and that the altar was the most holy thing of all. And they thought of the bread of the minchahs and the wine of the drink-offerings in a similar way. They also believed that when they had washed their clothes and their bodies they were altogether clean, and in like manner that the perpetual fire on the altar and the fires in the lamps were in themselves holy, also the loaves of the presence, the anointing oil, and all else. This was what they believed because they rejected everything internal, so completely that they were unwilling even to hear about internal things, such as that they should love Jehovah for His sake and not their own, that is to say, not in order that they might be raised to important positions and wealth above all nations and peoples throughout the world. Nor therefore were they willing to hear that the Messiah was going to come for the sake of their eternal salvation and happiness, only for the sake of their pre-eminence over all in the world. Nor were they willing to hear about mutual love and charity towards the neighbour for the neighbour's sake and good, only for their own, so far as the neighbour was favourably disposed towards them. They thought nothing of entertaining feelings of enmity, harbouring hatred, taking vengeance, acting savagely, so long as they could lay hold of some reason.

[3] Their beliefs and actions would have been altogether different if they had been willing to accept teachings about love to and faith in the Lord and charity towards the neighbour. They would then have known and believed that burnt offerings, sacrifices, minchahs, drink-offerings, and feasting on sacrifices would not purify them from any guilt or sin, but that worship of God and heartfelt repentance would do so, Deuteronomy 33:19; Jeremiah 7:21-23; Micah 6:6-8; Hosea 6:6; Psalms 40:6, 8; 51:16-17; 1 Samuel 15:22. They would in a similar way have known that the washing of clothes and body rendered no one clean, only purification of the heart; and in like manner that the fire on the altar and fires in the lamps, also the loaves of the presence, and the anointing oil were not holy of themselves but by virtue of the inner realities which they were the signs of. They would have known too that when they were governed by those holy and inner realities they would be holy people, not on their own account, but on that of the Lord from whom everything holy springs. The children of Israel would have known these inner realities if they had received teachings about love and charity, because these declare what it is that outward things include within them. Those teachings also provide knowledge of the internal sense of the Word, because the internal sense of the Word constitutes true teachings about love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour. It is also what the Lord teaches, when He says that on both these commands all the Law and the Prophets depend, Matthew 22:36, 40.

[4] The situation is virtually the same today in the Christian world. Here people are restricted to outward things, without anything inward, because teachings about love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour are lacking, so much so that there is scarcely any knowledge of what celestial love is and what spiritual love is, which is charity. For the good of celestial and spiritual love, and consequently the truth of faith, constitute the inner level in a person. So it is that even at the present day the outward sense of the Word, without doctrinal teachings as regulator and guide, can be distorted as much as anyone likes. For teachings about faith without teachings about love and charity are like the darkness of night, whereas teachings about faith arising out of teachings about love and charity are like the light of day. For the good that belongs to love and charity is like the flame, while the truth of faith is like the light radiating from it.

[5] This being what people in the Christian world are like at the present day, that is to say, people restricted to outward things without anything inward, scarcely any have an affection for truth for its own sake. Here also is the reason why they are not even aware of what good, charity, or the neighbour is. They are not even aware of what the inner level in a person is, nor of what heaven is and hell is, nor of the fact that everyone is alive immediately after death. And those among them who keep to the teachings of their Church do not care whether those teachings are false or true. They learn them and endorse them not for the sake of exercising the good of charity from the heart, nor for the sake of the salvation of their soul and eternal happiness, but for the sake of getting on in the world, that is, to earn reputation, important positions, and wealth. For this reason they receive no enlightenment when they read the Word, and so will altogether deny the existence of anything inwardly present in the Word apart from what stands out in the letter. But more on this subject from experience will in the Lord's Divine mercy be stated elsewhere.

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