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Judges 18

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1 ἐν-P ὁ- A--DPF ἡμέρα-N1A-DPF ἐκεῖνος- D--DPF οὐ-D εἰμί-V9--IAI3S βασιλεύς-N3V-NSM ἐν-P *ἰσραήλ-N---DSM καί-C ἐν-P ὁ- A--DPF ἡμέρα-N1A-DPF ἐκεῖνος- D--DPF ὁ- A--NSF φυλή-N1--NSF *δαν-N---GSM ζητέω-V2I-IAI3S ἑαυτοῦ- D--DSF κληρονομία-N1A-ASF καταοἰκέω-VA--AAN ὅτι-C οὐ-D ἐνπίπτω-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--DSF ἕως-P ὁ- A--GSF ἡμέρα-N1A-GSF ἐκεῖνος- D--GSF ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM φυλή-N1--GPF *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM κληρονομία-N1A-NSF

2 καί-C ἀποστέλλω-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM *δαν-N---GSM ἀπό-P δῆμος-N2--GPM αὐτός- D--GPM πέντε-M ἀνήρ-N3--APM υἱός-N2--APM δύναμις-N3I-GSF ἀπό-P *σαραα-N---GS καί-C ἀπό-P *εσθαολ-N---GS ὁ- A--GSN κατασκέπτομαι-VA--AMN ὁ- A--ASF γῆ-N1--ASF καί-C ἐξιχνιάζω-VA--AAN αὐτός- D--ASF καί-C εἶπον-VAI-AAI3P πρός-P αὐτός- D--APM πορεύομαι-V1--PMD2P καί-C ἐξιχνιάζω-VA--AAD2P ὁ- A--ASF γῆ-N1--ASF καί-C ἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3P ἕως-P ὄρος-N3E-GSN *ἐφράιμ-N---NSM ἕως-P οἶκος-N2--GSM *μιχαιας-N---GSM καί-C αὐλίζω-VCI-API3P ἐκεῖ-D

3 αὐτός- D--NPM ἐν-P οἶκος-N2--DSM *μιχαιας-N---GSM καί-C αὐτός- D--NPM ἐπιγιγνώσκω-VZI-AAI3P ὁ- A--ASF φωνή-N1--ASF ὁ- A--GSM νεανίσκος-N2--GSM ὁ- A--GSM *λευίτης-N1M-GSM καί-C ἐκκλίνω-VAI-AAI3P ἐκεῖ-D καί-C εἶπον-VAI-AAI3P αὐτός- D--DSM τίς- I--NSM φέρω-VAI-AAI3S σύ- P--AS ὧδε-D καί-C τίς- I--ASN σύ- P--NS ποιέω-V2--PAI2S ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSM τόπος-N2--DSM οὗτος- D--DSM καί-C τίς- I--ASN σύ- P--DS ὧδε-D

4 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S πρός-P αὐτός- D--APM οὕτως-D καί-C οὕτως-D ποιέω-VAI-AAI3S ἐγώ- P--DS *μιχαιας-N---NSM καί-C μισθόω-VAI-AMI3S ἐγώ- P--AS καί-C γίγνομαι-VBI-AMI1S αὐτός- D--DSM εἰς-P ἱερεύς-N3V-ASM

5 καί-C εἶπον-VAI-AAI3P αὐτός- D--DSM ἐρωτάω-VA--AAD2S δή-X ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSM θεός-N2--DSM καί-C γιγνώσκω-VF--FMI1P εἰ-X εὐοδόω-VC--FPI3S ὁ- A--NSF ὁδός-N2--NSF ἐγώ- P--GP ἐν-P ὅς- --DSF ἐγώ- P--NP πορεύομαι-V1--PMI1P ἐν-P αὐτός- D--DSF

6 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--DPM ὁ- A--NSM ἱερεύς-N3V-NSM πορεύομαι-V1--PMD2P ἐν-P εἰρήνη-N1--DSF ἐνώπιον-P κύριος-N2--GSM ὁ- A--NSF ὁδός-N2--NSF σύ- P--GP ἐν-P ὅς- --DSF πορεύομαι-V1--PMI2P ἐν-P αὐτός- D--DSF

7 καί-C πορεύομαι-VCI-API3P ὁ- A--NPM πέντε-M ἀνήρ-N3--NPM καί-C ἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3P εἰς-P *λαις-N---AS καί-C ὁράω-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--ASM λαός-N2--ASM ὁ- A--ASM ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM αὐτός- D--GSF καταἧμαι-V5--PMPASM ἐπί-P ἐλπίς-N3D-DSF ὡς-C κρίσις-N3I-NSF *σιδώνιος-N2--GPM ἡσυχάζω-V1--PAPNSF καί-C οὐ-D εἰμί-V9--PAI3S διατρέπω-V1--PAPNSM ἤ-C κατααἰσχύνω-V1--PAPNSM λόγος-N2--ASM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF γῆ-N1--DSF κληρονόμος-N2--NSM ἐκπιέζω-V1--PAPNSM θησαυρός-N2--GSM καί-C μακράν-D εἰμί-V9--PAI3P *σιδώνιος-N2--GPM καί-C λόγος-N2--ASM οὐ-D ἔχω-V1--PAI3P πρός-P ἄνθρωπος-N2--ASM

8 καί-C ἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3P ὁ- A--NPM πέντε-M ἀνήρ-N3--NPM πρός-P ὁ- A--APM ἀδελφός-N2--APM αὐτός- D--GPM εἰς-P *σαραα-N---AS καί-C *εσθαολ-N---AS καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3P ὁ- A--DPM ἀδελφός-N2--DPM αὐτός- D--GPM τίς- I--NSN σύ- P--NP καταἧμαι-V5--PMI2P

9 καί-C εἶπον-VAI-AAI3P ἀναἵστημι-VH--AAD2P καί-C ἀναβαίνω-VZ--AAS1P ἐπί-P αὐτός- D--APM ὅτι-C ὁράω-VBI-AAI1P ὁ- A--ASF γῆ-N1--ASF καί-C ἰδού-I ἀγαθός-A1--NSF σφόδρα-D καί-C σύ- P--NP ἡσυχάζω-V1--PAI2P μή-D ὀκνέω-VA--AAS2P ὁ- A--GSN πορεύομαι-VC--APN καί-C εἰςἔρχομαι-VB--AAN ὁ- A--GSN κληρονομέω-VA--AAN ὁ- A--ASF γῆ-N1--ASF

10 καί-C ἡνίκα-D ἄν-X ἔρχομαι-VB--AAS2P εἰςἔρχομαι-VF--FMI2P πρός-P λαός-N2--ASM ἐπί-P ἐλπίς-N3D-DSF καί-C ὁ- A--NSF γῆ-N1--NSF πλατεῖα-N1A-NSF ὅτι-C δίδωμι-VAI-AAI3S αὐτός- D--ASF ὁ- A--NSM θεός-N2--NSM ἐν-P χείρ-N3--DSF σύ- P--GP τόπος-N2--NSM ὅπου-D οὐ-D εἰμί-V9--PAI3S ἐκεῖ-D ὑστέρημα-N3M-NSN πᾶς-A3--GSN ῥῆμα-N3M-GSN ὁ- A--GPM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF γῆ-N1--DSF

11 καί-C ἀποαἴρω-VAI-AAI3P ἐκεῖθεν-D ἀπό-P δῆμος-N2--GPM ὁ- A--GSM *δαν-N---GSM ἀπό-P *σαραα-N---GS καί-C ἀπό-P *εσθαολ-N---GS ἑξακόσιοι-A1A-NPM ἀνήρ-N3--NPM ζώννυμι-VMI-XMPNPM σκεῦος-N3E-APN παράταξις-N3I-GSF

12 καί-C ἀναβαίνω-VZI-AAI3P καί-C παρα ἐνβάλλω-VBI-AAI3P ἐν-P *καριαθιαριμ-N---DS ἐν-P *ιουδα-N---DSM διά-P οὗτος- D--ASN καλέω-VCI-API3S ἐν-P ἐκεῖνος- D--DSM ὁ- A--DSM τόπος-N2--DSM παρεμβολή-N1--NSF *δαν-N---GSM ἕως-P ὁ- A--GSF ἡμέρα-N1A-GSF οὗτος- D--GSF ἰδού-I ὀπίσω-P *καριαθιαριμ-N---GS

13 καί-C παραἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3P ἐκεῖθεν-D ὄρος-N3E-ASN *ἐφράιμ-N---GSM καί-C ἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3P ἕως-P οἶκος-N2--GSM *μιχαιας-N---GSM

14 καί-C ἀποκρίνω-VCI-API3P ὁ- A--NPM πέντε-M ἀνήρ-N3--NPM ὁ- A--NPM πορεύομαι-VM--XMPNPM κατασκέπτομαι-VA--AMN ὁ- A--ASF γῆ-N1--ASF *λαις-N---GS καί-C εἶπον-VAI-AAI3P πρός-P ὁ- A--APM ἀδελφός-N2--APM αὐτός- D--GPM γιγνώσκω-VZI-AAI2P ὅτι-C εἰμί-V9--PAI3S ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSM οἶκος-N2--DSM οὗτος- D--DSM εφωδ-N---NSN καί-C θεραφιν-N---NSN καί-C γλυπτός-A1--NSN καί-C χωνευτός-A1--NSN καί-C νῦν-D γιγνώσκω-VZ--AAD2P ὅς- --ASN τις- I--ASN ποιέω-VF--FAI2P

15 καί-C ἐκκλίνω-VAI-AAI3P ἐκεῖ-D καί-C εἰςἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3P εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASM οἶκος-N2--ASM ὁ- A--GSM νεανίσκος-N2--GSM ὁ- A--GSM *λευίτης-N1M-GSM οἶκος-N2--ASM *μιχαιας-N---GSM καί-C ἐρωτάω-VAI-AAI3P αὐτός- D--ASM εἰς-P εἰρήνη-N1--ASF

16 καί-C ὁ- A--NPM ἑξακόσιοι-A1A-NPM ἀνήρ-N3--NPM ὁ- A--NPM ἀναζώννυμι-VMI-XMPNPM ὁ- A--APN σκεῦος-N3E-APN ὁ- A--GSF παράταξις-N3I-GSF αὐτός- D--GPM ἵστημι-VXI-XAPNPM παρά-P θύρα-N1A-GSF ὁ- A--GSF πύλη-N1--GSF ὁ- A--NPM ἐκ-P ὁ- A--GPM υἱός-N2--GPM *δαν-N---GSM

17 καί-C ἀναβαίνω-VZI-AAI3P ὁ- A--NPM πέντε-M ἀνήρ-N3--NPM ὁ- A--NPM πορεύομαι-VC--APPNPM κατασκέπτομαι-VA--AMN ὁ- A--ASF γῆ-N1--ASF

18 καί-C εἰςἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3P ἐκεῖ-D εἰς-P οἶκος-N2--ASM *μιχαιας-N---GSM καί-C ὁ- A--NSM ἱερεύς-N3V-NSM ἵστημι-VXI-XAPNSM καί-C λαμβάνω-VBI-AAI3P ὁ- A--ASN γλυπτός-A1--ASN καί-C ὁ- A--ASN εφωδ-N---ASN καί-C ὁ- A--ASN θεραφιν-N---ASN καί-C ὁ- A--ASN χωνευτός-A1--ASN καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S πρός-P αὐτός- D--APM ὁ- A--NSM ἱερεύς-N3V-NSM τίς- I--NSN σύ- P--NP ποιέω-V2--PAI2P

19 καί-C εἶπον-VAI-AAI3P αὐτός- D--DSM κωφεύω-VA--AAD2S ἐπιτίθημι-VE--AAD2S ὁ- A--ASF χείρ-N3--ASF σύ- P--GS ἐπί-P ὁ- A--ASN στόμα-N3M-ASN σύ- P--GS καί-C δεῦρο-D μετά-P ἐγώ- P--GP καί-C γίγνομαι-VB--AMD2S ἐγώ- P--DP εἰς-P πατήρ-N3--ASM καί-C εἰς-P ἱερεύς-N3V-ASM μή-D ἀγαθός-A1--ASM εἰμί-V9--PAN σύ- P--AS ἱερεύς-N3V-ASM οἶκος-N2--GSM ἀνήρ-N3--GSM εἷς-A3--GSM ἤ-C γίγνομαι-VB--AMN σύ- P--AS ἱερεύς-N3V-ASM φυλή-N1--GSF καί-C οἶκος-N2--GSM εἰς-P δῆμος-N2--ASM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM

20 καί-C ἀγαθύνω-VCI-API3S ὁ- A--NSF καρδία-N1A-NSF ὁ- A--GSM ἱερεύς-N3V-GSM καί-C λαμβάνω-VBI-AAI3S ὁ- A--ASN εφωδ-N---ASN καί-C ὁ- A--ASN θεραφιν-N---ASN καί-C ὁ- A--ASN γλυπτός-A1--ASN καί-C ὁ- A--ASN χωνευτός-A1--ASN καί-C ἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3S ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM ὁ- A--GSM λαός-N2--GSM

21 καί-C ἐπιστρέφω-VAI-AAI3P καί-C ἀποἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3P καί-C τίθημι-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--APN τέκνον-N2N-APN καί-C ὁ- A--ASF κτῆσις-N3I-ASF καί-C ὁ- A--ASN βάρος-N3E-ASN ἔμπροσθεν-P αὐτός- D--GPM

22 αὐτός- D--NPM ἐμάκρυναν-D ἀπό-P οἶκος-N2--GSM *μιχαιας-N---GSM καί-C ἰδού-I *μιχαιας-N---NSM καί-C ὁ- A--NPM ἀνήρ-N3--NPM ὁ- A--NPM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DPF οἰκία-N1A-DPF ὁ- A--DPF μετά-P οἶκος-N2--GSM *μιχαιας-N---GSM βοάω-VAI-AAI3P καί-C καταλαμβάνω-VBI-AMI3P ὁ- A--APM υἱός-N2--APM *δαν-N---GSM

23 καί-C ἐπιστρέφω-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--ASN πρόσωπον-N2N-ASN αὐτός- D--GPM υἱός-N2--NPM *δαν-N---GSM καί-C εἶπον-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--DSM *μιχαιας-N---DSM τίς- I--NSN εἰμί-V9--PAI3S σύ- P--DS ὅτι-C βοάω-VAI-AAI2S

24 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S *μιχαιας-N---NSM ὅτι-C ὁ- A--ASN γλυπτός-A1--ASN ἐγώ- P--GS ὅς- --ASN ποιέω-VAI-AAI1S λαμβάνω-VBI-AAI2P καί-C ὁ- A--ASM ἱερεύς-N3V-ASM καί-C πορεύομαι-VCI-API2P καί-C τίς- I--ASN ἐγώ- P--DS ἔτι-D καί-C τίς- I--ASN οὗτος- D--ASN λέγω-V1--PAI2P πρός-P ἐγώ- P--AS τίς- I--NSN κράζω-V1--PAI2S

25 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3P πρός-P αὐτός- D--ASM ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM *δαν-N---GSM μή-D ἀκούω-VC--APS3S δή-X φωνή-N1--NSF σύ- P--GS μετά-P ἐγώ- P--GP μήποτε-D συνἀντάω-VA--AAS3P ἐν-P ἐγώ- P--DP ἀνήρ-N3--NPM πικρός-A1A-NPM ψυχή-N1--DSF καί-C προςτίθημι-VF--FAI3P ψυχή-N1--ASF καί-C ὁ- A--ASF ψυχή-N1--ASF ὁ- A--GSM οἶκος-N2--GSM σύ- P--GS

26 καί-C πορεύομαι-VCI-API3P ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM *δαν-N---GSM εἰς-P ὁδός-N2--ASF αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C ὁράω-VBI-AAI3S *μιχαιας-N---NSM ὅτι-C δυνατός-A1--NPMC εἰμί-V9--PAI3P ὑπέρ-P αὐτός- D--ASM καί-C στρέφω-VAI-AAI3S εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASM οἶκος-N2--ASM αὐτός- D--GSM

27 καί-C ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM *δαν-N---GSM λαμβάνω-VBI-AAI3P ὅς- --ASN ποιέω-VAI-AAI3S *μιχαιας-N---NSM καί-C ὁ- A--ASM ἱερεύς-N3V-ASM ὅς- --NSM εἰμί-V9--IAI3S αὐτός- D--DSM καί-C ἔρχομαι-VBI-AAI3P ἐπί-P *λαις-N---AS ἐπί-P λαός-N2--ASM ἡσυχάζω-V1--PAPASM καί-C πείθω-VX--XAPASM ἐπί-P ἐλπίς-N3D-DSF καί-C πατάσσω-VAI-AAI3P αὐτός- D--APM ἐν-P στόμα-N3M-DSN ῥομφαία-N1A-GSF καί-C ὁ- A--ASF πόλις-N3I-ASF ἐνπίμπρημι-VAI-AAI3P ἐν-P πῦρ-N3--DSN

28 καί-C οὐ-D εἰμί-V9--IAI3S ὁ- A--NSM ῥύομαι-V1--PMPNSM ὅτι-C μακράν-D εἰμί-V9--PAI3S ἀπό-P *σιδώνιος-N2--GPM καί-C λόγος-N2--NSM οὐ-D εἰμί-V9--PAI3S αὐτός- D--DPM μετά-P ἄνθρωπος-N2--GSM καί-C αὐτός- D--NSF ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF κοιλάς-N3D-DSF ὁ- A--GSM οἶκος-N2--GSM *ρααβ-N---GS καί-C οἰκοδομέω-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--ASF πόλις-N3I-ASF καί-C κατασκηνόω-VAI-AAI3P ἐν-P αὐτός- D--DSF

29 καί-C καλέω-VAI-AAI3P ὁ- A--ASN ὄνομα-N3M-ASN ὁ- A--GSF πόλις-N3I-GSF *δαν-N---NSM ἐν-P ὄνομα-N3M-DSN *δαν-N---GSM πατήρ-N3--GSM αὐτός- D--GPM ὅς- --NSM τίκτω-VQI-API3S ὁ- A--DSM *ἰσραήλ-N---DSM καί-C *ουλαμαις-N---NS ὁ- A--NSN ὄνομα-N3M-NSN ὁ- A--GSF πόλις-N3I-GSF ὁ- A--NSN πρότερος-A1A-NSNC

30 καί-C ἵστημι-VAI-AAI3P ἑαυτοῦ- D--DPM ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM *δαν-N---GSM ὁ- A--ASN γλυπτός-A1--ASN καί-C *ιωναθαμ-N---NSM υἱός-N2--NSM *γηρσομ-N---GSM υἱός-N2--NSM *μανασσή-N---GSM αὐτός- D--NSM καί-C ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM αὐτός- D--GSM εἰμί-V9--IAI3P ἱερεύς-N3V-NPM ὁ- A--DSF φυλή-N1--DSF *δαν-N---GSM ἕως-P ἡμέρα-N1A-GSF ἀποικία-N1A-GSF ὁ- A--GSF γῆ-N1--GSF

31 καί-C τίθημι-VAI-AAI3P αὐτός- D--DPM ὁ- A--ASN γλυπτός-A1--ASN ὅς- --ASN ποιέω-VAI-AAI3S *μιχαιας-N---NSM πᾶς-A1S-APF ὁ- A--APF ἡμέρα-N1A-APF ὅς- --APF εἰμί-V9--IAI3S ὁ- A--NSM οἶκος-N2--NSM ὁ- A--GSM θεός-N2--GSM ἐν-P *σηλωμ-N---DSF

   

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Exploring the Meaning of Judges 18

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

The Tribe of Dan Adopts Micah’s Idolatry

This chapter shows the way in which one person’s distortion of truth, turning it into a falsity, can have severe consequences on a larger scale.

The tribe of Dan – one of the twelve tribes of Israel – was given land to the west, by the coast, but they found it hard to hold on to. The name of the tribe of Dan means ‘to judge’, but if judgment isn't based on the Word there will be chaos. (Arcana Caelestia 842)

Faced with competition for their homeland, the tribal leaders of Dan went looking for a place for themselves elsewhere. They sent five men of valour to spy out the land. These men came to Micah’s house, and they recognised the voice of the young Levite there. They questioned him about his situation, and he told them that Micah had hired him to be a priest to his household. The men of Dan asked the Levite to ask the Lord if their search would be prosperous, and he told them that it would be.

The spiritual meaning of this part of the chapter is to do with an intensifying wrongness. At the textual level, there is reference to the Lord, and an apparent normality in what takes place. But underlying it, there's a wrongness, which will become apparent later in the chapter. The pointers to it here are the five men from Dan, them coming straight to Micah’s house, and the hiring of a priest.

The number ‘five’ has a good meaning in many parts of the Word, but it can also have a bad meaning, as it does here. In this context, it stands for only a little, for disunion and the destruction of the Word (Apocalypse Revealed 738).

Coming directly to Micah’s house and recognising the Levite brings together two evil intentions: Micah’s idol and the men of Dan’s search to take a home for themselves. An example for us could be where two people plot to seek the harm of a third person. (Arcana Caelestia 4724)

The hiring of a priest is something disallowed, for priests are there to serve the Lord and they are provided for by the people, not to be hired. Hiring, spiritually, stands for seeking reward for what you do, whereas the true reward is heaven for those who serve without expecting a reward. (Arcana Caelestia 8002)

The five men leave Micah's house, and go on to Laish in the far north, where there are people who dwell securely in peace and without rulers, far from others and with no ties. Laish means ‘fearless and kneaded together’. It is a picture of perfection, of heaven. (Divine Love and Wisdom 200)

The five men then return to their tribe of Dan and report about Laish. They say that it is ideal for the taking because it has plenty of land and its people are secure. They say that “God has given it into your hands”.

Six hundred men of the tribe of Dan set out and they too, come to the house of Micah. The five spies tell them about the idols and they meet and greet the young Levite. Then the five spies go in and take all the idols in the house. The Levite joins up with the men from Dan and they go on together.

One spiritual meaning in the story is that evil (Dan, gone bad) loves to destroy peace and innocence (Laish).

The complete loss to Micah of all his idols and his hired priest, shows, too, that in fully turning to evil, there is the final loss of everything that might bring a person back. (Arcana Caelestia 9039)

People living near Micah go and accost the men of Dan about what they have taken -- but Micah is told to stop complaining or his household will be killed.

The Danites leave, and go and capture Laish, killing and burning, and re-naming the city Dan. There they set up the images and appoint priests. These images remain in Dan all the time that the house of God is in Shiloh.

The spiritual meaning of one evil or falsity becoming greater or more numerous is in the way that we might hold a negative emotion or a distorted view in our mind where it then spreads to other emotions and views we have and brings them into greater evil and falsity. This is the intention of evil and also of hell’s influence, to extend it to be as widespread as possible.

This is the outcome of everything that has developed through this and the previous chapter. It describes the spread of evil to become a terrible force for destruction and spiritually, for an individual person, for self-destruction. In the context of the decline of Israel to where ‘everyone did what was right in their own eyes’ this progression presents the pathway and process of that spiritual loss. (Divine Providence 19)

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Divine Providence # 19

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19. 8. If something is focused on what is both good and true, then it is something; but if it is focused on what is both evil and false, it is not anything at all. Section 11 above shows that whatever is focused on what is both good and true is something, and it follows from this that anything that is both evil and false is nothing. "Being nothing" means having no power, no trace of spiritual life.

People who are focused on what is evil and false together (all of whom are in hell) do have a kind of power among themselves. An evil individual can do harm and in fact does harm in thousands of ways, though it is only from evil that an evil individual can harm evil people. Still, an evil person can do no harm whatever to good people. If that happens (which it sometimes does), it is through the evil one identifying with something evil in the good.

[2] This gives rise to temptations that are attacks by evil people among themselves, resulting in the struggles that enable good people to be freed from their evils.

Because evil people have no power, all hell is a virtual nothing in the Lord's sight, an absolute nothing when it comes to power. I have seen this quite convincingly time after time.

The remarkable thing is, though, that all the evil people believe they are powerful and all the good people believe they themselves are not. This is because evil people ascribe everything to their own power, their own deviousness and malice, and nothing to the Lord, while good people ascribe nothing to their own prudence and everything to the Lord, who is omnipotent.

Another reason anything both evil and false is nothing is that it has no trace of spiritual life. This is why a hellish life is called "death" rather than "life"; so since anything that exists belongs to life, nothing that exists can belong to death.

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