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Numbers 18

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1 καί-C εἶπον-VBI-AAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM πρός-P *ἀαρών-N---ASM λέγω-V1--PAPNSM σύ- P--NS καί-C ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM σύ- P--GS καί-C ὁ- A--NSM οἶκος-N2--NSM πατριά-N1A-GSF σύ- P--GS λαμβάνω-VF--FMI2P ὁ- A--APF ἁμαρτία-N1A-APF ὁ- A--GPM ἅγιος-A1A-GPM καί-C σύ- P--NS καί-C ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM σύ- P--GS λαμβάνω-VF--FMI2P ὁ- A--APF ἁμαρτία-N1A-APF ὁ- A--GSF ἱερατεία-N1A-GSF σύ- P--GP

2 καί-C ὁ- A--APM ἀδελφός-N2--APM σύ- P--GS φυλή-N1--ASF *λευί-N---GSM δῆμος-N2--ASM ὁ- A--GSM πατήρ-N3--GSM σύ- P--GS προςἄγω-VB--AMD2S πρός-P σεαυτοῦ- D--ASM καί-C προςτίθημι-VC--APD3P σύ- P--DS καί-C λειτουργέω-V2--PAD3P σύ- P--DS καί-C σύ- P--NS καί-C ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM σύ- P--GS μετά-P σύ- P--GS ἀπέναντι-P ὁ- A--GSF σκηνή-N1--GSF ὁ- A--GSN μαρτύριον-N2N-GSN

3 καί-C φυλάσσω-VF--FMI3P ὁ- A--APF φυλακή-N1--APF σύ- P--GS καί-C ὁ- A--APF φυλακή-N1--APF ὁ- A--GSF σκηνή-N1--GSF πλήν-D πρός-P ὁ- A--APN σκεῦος-N3E-APN ὁ- A--APN ἅγιος-A1A-APN καί-C πρός-P ὁ- A--ASN θυσιαστήριον-N2N-ASN οὐ-D προςἔρχομαι-VF--FMI3P καί-C οὐ-D ἀποθνήσκω-VF2-FMI3P καί-C οὗτος- D--NPM καί-C σύ- P--NP

4 καί-C προςτίθημι-VC--FPI3P πρός-P σύ- P--AS καί-C φυλάσσω-VF--FMI3P ὁ- A--APF φυλακή-N1--APF ὁ- A--GSF σκηνή-N1--GSF ὁ- A--GSN μαρτύριον-N2N-GSN κατά-P πᾶς-A1S-APF ὁ- A--APF λειτουργία-N1A-GSF ὁ- A--GSF σκηνή-N1--GSF καί-C ὁ- A--NSM ἀλλογενής-A3H-NSM οὐ-D προςἔρχομαι-VF--FMI3S πρός-P σύ- P--AS

5 καί-C φυλάσσω-VF--FMI2P ὁ- A--APF φυλακή-N1--APF ὁ- A--GPM ἅγιος-A1A-GPM καί-C ὁ- A--APF φυλακή-N1--APF ὁ- A--GSN θυσιαστήριον-N2N-GSN καί-C οὐ-D εἰμί-VF--FMI3S θυμός-N2--NSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DPM υἱός-N2--DPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM

6 καί-C ἐγώ- P--NS λαμβάνω-VX--XAI1S ὁ- A--APM ἀδελφός-N2--APM σύ- P--GP ὁ- A--APM *λευίτης-N1M-APM ἐκ-P μέσος-A1--GSM ὁ- A--GPM υἱός-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM δόμα-N3M-ASN δίδωμι-VM--XMPASN κύριος-N2--DSM λειτουργέω-V2--PAN ὁ- A--APF λειτουργία-N1A-APF ὁ- A--GSF σκηνή-N1--GSF ὁ- A--GSN μαρτύριον-N2N-GSN

7 καί-C σύ- P--NS καί-C ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM σύ- P--GS μετά-P σύ- P--GS διατηρέω-VF--FAI2P ὁ- A--ASF ἱερατεία-N1A-ASF σύ- P--GP κατά-P πᾶς-A3--ASM τρόπος-N2--ASM ὁ- A--GSN θυσιαστήριον-N2N-GSN καί-C ὁ- A--ASN ἔνδοθεν-D ὁ- A--GSN καταπέτασμα-N3M-GSN καί-C λειτουργέω-VF--FAI2P ὁ- A--APF λειτουργία-N1A-APF δόμα-N3M-ASN ὁ- A--GSF ἱερατεία-N1A-GSF σύ- P--GP καί-C ὁ- A--NSM ἀλλογενής-A3H-NSM ὁ- A--NSM προςπορεύομαι-V1--PMPNSM ἀποθνήσκω-VF2-FMI3S

8 καί-C λαλέω-VAI-AAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM πρός-P *ἀαρών-N---ASM καί-D ἐγώ- P--NS ἰδού-I δίδωμι-VX--XAI1S σύ- P--DP ὁ- A--ASF διατήρησις-N3I-ASF ὁ- A--GPF ἀπαρχή-N1--GPF ἀπό-P πᾶς-A3--GPM ὁ- A--GPM ἁγιάζω-VT--XPPGPN ἐγώ- P--DS παρά-P ὁ- A--GPM υἱός-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM σύ- P--DS δίδωμι-VX--XAI1S αὐτός- D--APN εἰς-P γέρας-N3--ASN καί-C ὁ- A--DPM υἱός-N2--DPM σύ- P--GS μετά-P σύ- P--AS νόμιμος-A1--ASN αἰώνιος-A1B-ASN

9 καί-C οὗτος- D--ASN εἰμί-V9--PAD3S σύ- P--DP ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GPN ἁγιάζω-VT--XPPGPN ἅγιος-A1A-GPN ὁ- A--GPN κάρπωμα-N3M-GPN ἀπό-P πᾶς-A3--GPN ὁ- A--GPN δῶρον-N2N-GPN αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C ἀπό-P πᾶς-A3--GPN ὁ- A--GPN θυσίασμα-N3M-GPN αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C ἀπό-P πᾶς-A1S-GSF πλημμέλεια-N1A-GSF αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C ἀπό-P πᾶς-A1S-GPF ὁ- A--GPF ἁμαρτία-N1A-GPF ὅσος-A1--APN ἀποδίδωμι-V8--PAI3P ἐγώ- P--DS ἀπό-P πᾶς-A3--GPN ὁ- A--GPN ἅγιος-A1A-GPN σύ- P--DS εἰμί-VF--FMI3S καί-C ὁ- A--DPM υἱός-N2--DPM σύ- P--GS

10 ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSN ἅγιος-A1A-DSN ὁ- A--GPN ἅγιος-A1A-GPN ἐσθίω-VF--FMI2P αὐτός- D--APN πᾶς-A3--NSN ἀρσενικός-A1--NSN ἐσθίω-VF--FMI3S αὐτός- D--APN σύ- P--NS καί-C ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM σύ- P--GS ἅγιος-A1A-NPN εἰμί-VF--FMI3S σύ- P--DS

11 καί-C οὗτος- D--NSN εἰμί-VF--FMI3S σύ- P--DP ἀπαρχή-N1--NSF δόμα-N3M-GPN αὐτός- D--GPM ἀπό-P πᾶς-A3--GPN ὁ- A--GPN ἐπίθεμα-N3M-GPN ὁ- A--GPM υἱός-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM σύ- P--DS δίδωμι-VX--XAI1S αὐτός- D--APN καί-C ὁ- A--DPM υἱός-N2--DPM σύ- P--GS καί-C ὁ- A--DPF θυγάτηρ-N3--DPF σύ- P--GS μετά-P σύ- P--GS νόμιμος-A1--ASN αἰώνιος-A1B-ASN πᾶς-A3--NSM καθαρός-A1A-NSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSM οἶκος-N2--DSM σύ- P--GS ἐσθίω-VF--FMI3S αὐτός- D--APN

12 πᾶς-A1S-NSF ἀπαρχή-N1--NSF ἔλαιον-N2N-GSN καί-C πᾶς-A1S-NSF ἀπαρχή-N1--NSF οἶνος-N2--GSM καί-C σῖτος-N2--GSM ἀπαρχή-N1--NSF αὐτός- D--GPM ὅσος-A1--APN ἄν-X δίδωμι-VO--AAS3P ὁ- A--DSM κύριος-N2--DSM σύ- P--DS δίδωμι-VX--XAI1S αὐτός- D--APN

13 ὁ- A--NPN πρωτογένημα-N3M-NPN πᾶς-A3--NPN ὅσος-A1--NPN ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF γῆ-N1--DSF αὐτός- D--GPM ὅσος-A1--APN ἄν-X φέρω-VA--AAS3P κύριος-N2--DSM σύ- P--DS εἰμί-VF--FMI3S πᾶς-A3--NSM καθαρός-A1A-NSM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSM οἶκος-N2--DSM σύ- P--GS ἐσθίω-VF--FMI3S αὐτός- D--APN

14 πᾶς-A3--NSN ἀναθεματίζω-VT--XMPNSN ἐν-P υἱός-N2--DPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM σύ- P--DS εἰμί-VF--FMI3S

15 καί-C πᾶς-A3--NSN δια ἀναοἴγω-V1--PAPNSN μήτρα-N1A-ASF ἀπό-P πᾶς-A1S-GSF σάρξ-N3K-GSF ὅς- --APN προςφέρω-V1--PAI3P κύριος-N2--DSM ἀπό-P ἄνθρωπος-N2--GSM ἕως-P κτῆνος-N3E-GSN σύ- P--DS εἰμί-VF--FMI3S ἀλλά-C ἤ-C λύτρον-N2N-DPN λυτρόω-VC--FPI3S ὁ- A--NPN πρωτότοκος-A1B-NPN ὁ- A--GPM ἄνθρωπος-N2--GPM καί-C ὁ- A--APN πρωτότοκος-A1B-APN ὁ- A--GPN κτῆνος-N3E-GPN ὁ- A--GPN ἀκάθαρτος-A1B-GPN λυτρόω-VF--FMI2S

16 καί-C ὁ- A--NSF λύτρωσις-N3I-NSF αὐτός- D--GSM ἀπό-P μηνιαῖος-A1A-GSM ὁ- A--NSF συντίμησις-N3I-NSF πέντε-M σίκλος-N2--GPM κατά-P ὁ- A--ASM σίκλος-N2--ASM ὁ- A--ASM ἅγιος-A1A-ASM εἴκοσι-M ὀβολός-N2--NPM εἰμί-V9--PAI3P

17 πλήν-D πρωτότοκος-A1B-APN μόσχος-N2--GPM καί-C πρωτότοκος-A1B-APN πρόβατον-N2N-GPN καί-C πρωτότοκος-A1B-APN αἴξ-N3G-GPM οὐ-D λυτρόω-VF--FMI2S ἅγιος-A1A-NPN εἰμί-V9--PAI3S καί-C ὁ- A--ASN αἷμα-N3M-ASN αὐτός- D--GPN προςχέω-VF2-FAI2S πρός-P ὁ- A--ASN θυσιαστήριον-N2N-ASN καί-C ὁ- A--ASN στέαρ-N3T-ASN ἀναφέρω-VF--FAI2S κάρπωμα-N3M-ASN εἰς-P ὀσμή-N1--ASF εὐωδία-N1A-GSF κύριος-N2--DSM

18 καί-C ὁ- A--APN κρέας-N3--APN εἰμί-VF--FMI3S σύ- P--DS καθά-D καί-C ὁ- A--NSN στηθύνιον-N2N-NSN ὁ- A--GSN ἐπίθεμα-N3M-GSN καί-C κατά-P ὁ- A--ASM βραχίων-N3N-ASM ὁ- A--ASM δεξιός-A1A-ASM σύ- P--DS εἰμί-VF--FMI3S

19 πᾶς-A3--NSN ἀφαίρεμα-N3M-NSN ὁ- A--GPN ἅγιος-A1A-GPN ὅσος-A1--APN ἄν-X ἀποαἱρέω-VB--AAS3P ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM κύριος-N2--DSM σύ- P--DS δίδωμι-VX--XAI1S καί-C ὁ- A--DPM υἱός-N2--DPM σύ- P--GS καί-C ὁ- A--DPF θυγάτηρ-N3--DPF σύ- P--GS μετά-P σύ- P--GS νόμιμος-A1--ASN αἰώνιος-A1B-ASN διαθήκη-N1--NSF ἅλς-N3--GSM αἰώνιος-A1B-GSM εἰμί-V9--PAI3S ἔναντι-P κύριος-N2--GSM σύ- P--DS καί-C ὁ- A--DSN σπέρμα-N3M-DSN σύ- P--GS μετά-P σύ- P--AS

20 καί-C λαλέω-VAI-AAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM πρός-P *ἀαρών-N---ASM ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF γῆ-N1--DSF αὐτός- D--GPM οὐ-D κληρονομέω-VF--FAI2S καί-C μερίς-N3D-NSF οὐ-D εἰμί-VF--FMI3S σύ- P--DS ἐν-P αὐτός- D--DPM ὅτι-C ἐγώ- P--NS μερίς-N3D-NSF σύ- P--GS καί-C κληρονομία-N1A-NSF σύ- P--GS ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM ὁ- A--GPM υἱός-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM

21 καί-C ὁ- A--DPM υἱός-N2--DPM *λευί-N---GSM ἰδού-I δίδωμι-VX--XAI1S πᾶς-A3--ASN ἐπιδέκατος-A1--ASN ἐν-P *ἰσραήλ-N---DSM ἐν-P κλῆρος-N2--DSM ἀντί-P ὁ- A--GPF λειτουργία-N1A-GPF αὐτός- D--GPM ὅσος-A1--APN αὐτός- D--NPM λειτουργέω-V2--PAI3P λειτουργία-N1A-ASF ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF σκηνή-N1--DSF ὁ- A--GSN μαρτύριον-N2N-GSN

22 καί-C οὐ-D προςἔρχομαι-VF--FMI3P ἔτι-D ὁ- A--NPM υἱός-N2--NPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM εἰς-P ὁ- A--ASF σκηνή-N1--ASF ὁ- A--GSN μαρτύριον-N2N-GSN λαμβάνω-VB--AAN ἁμαρτία-N1A-ASF θανατηφόρος-A1B-ASF

23 καί-C λειτουργέω-VF--FAI3S ὁ- A--NSM *λευίτης-N1M-NSM αὐτός- D--NSM ὁ- A--ASF λειτουργία-N1A-ASF ὁ- A--GSF σκηνή-N1--GSF ὁ- A--GSN μαρτύριον-N2N-GSN καί-C αὐτός- D--NPM λαμβάνω-VF--FMI3P ὁ- A--APN ἁμάρτημα-N3M-APN αὐτός- D--GPM νόμιμος-A1--ASN αἰώνιος-A1B-ASN εἰς-P ὁ- A--APF γενεά-N1A-APF αὐτός- D--GPM καί-C ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM υἱός-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM οὐ-D κληρονομέω-VF--FAI3P κληρονομία-N1A-ASF

24 ὅτι-C ὁ- A--APN ἐπιδέκατος-A1--APN ὁ- A--GPM υἱός-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM ὅσος-A1--APN ἄν-X ἀποὁρίζω-VA--AAS3P κύριος-N2--DSM ἀφαίρεμα-N3M-ASN δίδωμι-VX--XAI1S ὁ- A--DPM *λευίτης-N1M-DPM ἐν-P κλῆρος-N2--DSM διά-P οὗτος- D--ASN εἶπον-VX--XAI1S αὐτός- D--DPM ἐν-P μέσος-A1--DSM υἱός-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM οὐ-D κληρονομέω-VF--FAI3P κλῆρος-N2--ASM

25 καί-C λαλέω-VAI-AAI3S κύριος-N2--NSM πρός-P *μωυσῆς-N1M-ASM λέγω-V1--PAPNSM

26 καί-D ὁ- A--DPM *λευίτης-N1M-DPM λαλέω-VF--FAI2S καί-C εἶπον-VF2-FAI2S πρός-P αὐτός- D--APM ἐάν-C λαμβάνω-VB--AAS2P παρά-P ὁ- A--GPM υἱός-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM ὁ- A--ASN ἐπιδέκατος-A1--ASN ὅς- --NSN δίδωμι-VX--XAI1S σύ- P--DP παρά-P αὐτός- D--GPM ἐν-P κλῆρος-N2--DSM καί-C ἀποαἱρέω-VF2-FAI2P σύ- P--NP ἀπό-P αὐτός- D--GSM ἀφαίρεμα-N3M-ASN κύριος-N2--DSM ἐπιδέκατος-A1--ASN ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GSN ἐπιδέκατος-A1--GSN

27 καί-C λογίζομαι-VS--FPI3S σύ- P--DP ὁ- A--APN ἀφαίρεμα-N3M-APN σύ- P--GP ὡς-C σῖτος-N2--NSM ἀπό-P ἅλων-N3--GS καί-C ἀφαίρεμα-N3M-ASN ἀπό-P ληνός-N2--GSF

28 οὕτως-D ἀποαἱρέω-VF2-FAI2P καί-C σύ- P--NP ἀπό-P ὁ- A--GPN ἀφαίρεμα-N3M-GPN κύριος-N2--GSM ἀπό-P πᾶς-A3--GPN ἐπιδέκατος-A1--GPN σύ- P--GP ὅσος-A1--APN ἐάν-C λαμβάνω-VB--AAS2P παρά-P ὁ- A--GPM υἱός-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM καί-C δίδωμι-VF--FAI2P ἀπό-P αὐτός- D--GPM ἀφαίρεμα-N3M-ASN κύριος-N2--DSM *ἀαρών-N---DSM ὁ- A--DSM ἱερεύς-N3V-DSM

29 ἀπό-P πᾶς-A3--GPN ὁ- A--GPN δόμα-N3M-GPN σύ- P--GP ἀποαἱρέω-VF2-FAI2P ἀφαίρεμα-N3M-ASN κύριος-N2--DSM ἤ-C ἀπό-P πᾶς-A3--GPF ὁ- A--GPF ἀπαρχή-N1--GPF ὁ- A--ASN ἁγιάζω-VT--XMPASN ἀπό-P αὐτός- D--GSM

30 καί-C εἶπον-VF2-FAI2S πρός-P αὐτός- D--APM ὅταν-D ἀποαἱρέω-V2--PAS2P ὁ- A--ASF ἀπαρχή-N1--ASF ἀπό-P αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C λογίζομαι-VS--FPI3S ὁ- A--DPM *λευίτης-N1M-DPM ὡς-C γένημα-N3M-ASN ἀπό-P ἅλων-N3--GS καί-C ὡς-C γένημα-N3M-ASN ἀπό-P ληνός-N2--GSF

31 καί-C ἐσθίω-VF--FMI2P αὐτός- D--ASN ἐν-P πᾶς-A3--DSM τόπος-N2--DSM σύ- P--NP καί-C ὁ- A--NPM οἶκος-N2--NPM σύ- P--GP ὅτι-C μισθός-N2--NSM οὗτος- D--NSM σύ- P--DP εἰμί-V9--PAI3S ἀντί-P ὁ- A--GPF λειτουργία-N1A-GPF σύ- P--GP ὁ- A--GPF ἐν-P ὁ- A--DSF σκηνή-N1--DSF ὁ- A--GSN μαρτύριον-N2N-GSN

32 καί-C οὐ-D λαμβάνω-VF--FMI2P διά-P αὐτός- D--ASN ἁμαρτία-N1A-ASF ὅτι-C ἄν-X ἀποαἱρέω-V2--PAS2P ὁ- A--ASF ἀπαρχή-N1--ASF ἀπό-P αὐτός- D--GSM καί-C ὁ- A--APN ἅγιος-A1A-APN ὁ- A--GPM υἱός-N2--GPM *ἰσραήλ-N---GSM οὐ-D βεβηλόω-VF--FAI2P ἵνα-C μή-D ἀποθνήσκω-VB--AAS2P

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 4925

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4925. 'That behold, his brother came out' means the truth of good. This is clear from the meaning of 'brother' as that which is kindred, by virtue of good, dealt with in 3815, 4267, and so the truth of good. The truth of good is that truth which is rooted in good, or that faith which is rooted in charity. Dealt with here in the internal sense is the birthright in the case of those who are being born again or regenerated by the Lord, and therefore the birthright within the Church. It has been a matter of argument since most ancient times as to which is the firstborn, whether this is the good of charity or whether it is the truth of faith. Unseen while a person is being born again and becoming a Church, good conceals itself within the interior man and reveals itself solely within some affection which does not pass into the conscious feelings of the external or natural man until he has been born again. But truth reveals itself, for this does enter his conscious feelings and lodges in the memory belonging to the external or natural man. This explains why many have fallen into the error that truth is the firstborn, and at length even thinking that truth is the vital element of the Church, so vital that truth which is called faith can save a person without the good of charity.

[2] From this one error very many others have been derived which have infected not only what is taught but also life, such as the error that no matter what kind of life a person leads he can be saved provided he has faith. A further derivative error is that very wicked people are accepted into heaven provided that in the final hour before they die they declare their belief in those things which are matters of faith; and another such error is that, irrespective of the kind of life one has led, one is accepted into heaven solely by grace. Because people hold to this teaching they fail at length to know what charity is or to have any concern about what it is, till in the end they do not believe in the existence of it, or consequently in the existence of heaven and hell. The reason for this is that faith without charity, or truth without good, teaches a person nothing; and the more it departs from good, the more foolish it makes him. For good is what the Lord flows into and through which He flows, imparting intelligence and wisdom and consequently a superior ability to see, and also perception whether something is really true or not.

[3] From these considerations one may now see the position with regard to the birthright, namely that in actual fact it belongs to good but appears to belong to truth. This is what the birth of Tamar's two sons is used to describe in the internal sense. 'The twice-dyed thread' which the midwife bound on the hand that came out means good, as shown in 4922; 'coming out first' means priority of place, 4923; 'withdrawing the hand' means that good concealed its own power, as stated immediately above [in 4924]; 'his brother came out' means truth; 'you have made a breach upon yourself means this truth's apparent separation from good; 'afterwards his brother came out' means that good is in actual fact first; and 'on whose hand was the twice-dyed thread' means the acknowledgement that good is first. For it is not until after a person has been born again that good is acknowledged to be first, at which point that person's actions spring from good, and his view of truth and what this is like springs from the same.

[4] These are the matters contained within the internal sense, in which teaching is given regarding the good and truth with a person who is being born anew, namely that good in actual fact occupies first place but truth appears to do so, and that good is not seen to occupy the first place while a person is being regenerated but is plainly seen to do so once he has been regenerated. But there is no need to explain these matters any further since they have been explained already - see 3324, 3325, 3494, 3539, 3548, 3556, 3563, 3570, 3576, 3603, 3701, 4243, 4244, 4247, 4337; and the fact that controversy has taken place since ancient times over whether the birthright belonged to good or to truth, that is, to charity or to faith, 2435.

[5] Because in the highest sense the Lord is the firstborn, and therefore love to Him and charity towards the neighbour are the firstborn, the law was for that reason laid down in the representative Church that firstborn things were Jehovah's: in Moses,

Sanctify to Me all the firstborn, that which opens the womb among the children of Israel; with man and with beast let them be Mine. Exodus 13:2.

You shall make over to Jehovah all that opens the worm', and every firstling of a beast; however many males you have they shall be Jehovah's. Exodus 13:12.

All that opens the womb is Mine; therefore among all your cattle, you shall give the male. that among oxen and small cattle which opens [the womb]. Exodus 34:19.

All that opens the womb among all flesh which they bring to Jehovah, from men and from beasts, shall be yours. Nevertheless you shall surely redeem all the firstborn of men. Numbers 18:15.

Behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel, instead of every firstborn, that which opens the womb, from the children of Israel, so that the Levites may be Mine. Numbers 3:12.

[6] Because the firstborn is the one that opens the womb, the expression 'that which opens the womb' is therefore added, when the firstborn is mentioned in these places, so as to mean good. It is evident that this expression means good from the specific details contained in the internal sense, especially from those which are recorded regarding the sons of Tamar: Zerah is said to have opened the womb with his hand, and 'Zerah' represents good, as is also clear from the twice-dyed thread placed on his hand, dealt with in 4922. In addition to this 'the womb', to which the expression 'opened' is applied, means the place where good and truth, consequently the Church, lie, see 4918, while 'opening the womb' means supplying the power which enables truth to be born.

[7] Because the Lord is the only firstborn - He being Good itself, and His Good being the source of all truth - Jacob, who was not the firstborn, was therefore allowed to purchase the birthright from Esau his brother so that he might represent Him. Also, because this was not sufficient, he was called Israel, so that by this name he might represent the good of truth; for 'Israel' in the representative sense means good which comes through truth, 3654, 4286, 4598.

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