Arcana Coelestia # 4606
4606. 'And Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun' means the essential characteristics of these, that is to say, of external Divine Goods and Truths. This is clear from the representation of each of these sons - from the representation of 'Simeon' in the highest sense as providence, in the internal sense faith within the will, and in the external sense obedience, dealt with in 3869-3872; of 'Levi' in the highest sense as love and mercy, in the internal sense charity or spiritual love, and in the external sense a joining together, dealt with in 3875, 3877; of 'Judah' in the highest sense as the Divinity of the Lord's Love, in the internal sense the Lord's celestial kingdom, and in the more exterior sense doctrine from the Word which the celestial Church has, dealt with in 3881; of 'Issachar' in the highest sense as Divine Good wedded to Truth, and Truth wedded to Good, in the internal sense heavenly conjugial love, and in the external sense mutual love, dealt with in 3956, 3957; and from the representation of 'Zebulun' in the highest sense as the Lord's Divine itself and His Divine Human, in the internal sense the heavenly marriage, and in the external sense conjugial love, dealt with in 3960, 3961. These are the essential characteristics within the Lord's external Divine Goods and Truths; but no one is able to explain how each one is present within them except him who dwells in heavenly light. For in that light they reveal themselves like the replies seen in the Urim and Thummim as flashes of light and fire, from which answers given by the Lord were perceived. For the Urim and Thummim contained twelve precious stones in conformity with the twelve tribes of Israel.
Genesis 15
1
After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward."
2
Abram said, "Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"
3
Abram said, "Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir."
4
Behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir, but he who will come forth out of your own body will be your heir."
5
Yahweh brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." He said to Abram, "So shall your seed be."
6
He believed in Yahweh; and he reckoned it to him for righteousness.
7
He said to him, "I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it."
8
He said, "Lord Yahweh, how will I know that I will inherit it?"
9
He said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
10
He brought him all of these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn't divide the birds.
11
The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
12
When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.
13
He said to Abram, "Know for sure that your seed will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.
14
I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth,
15
but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried in a good old age.
16
In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full."
17
It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.
18
In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:
19
the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,
20
the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,
21
the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."
