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Brojevi 22

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1 Odatle se podigoše sinovi Izrailjevi, i stadoše u logor u polju moavskom s one strane Jordana prema Jerihonu.

2 I vide Valak, sin Seforov sve što učini Izrailj Amoreju.

3 I uplaši se Moav od naroda veoma; jer ga beše mnogo, i prituži Moavu od sinova Izrailjevih.

4 Pa reče Moav starešinama madijanskim: Sada će ova množina pojesti sve što je oko nas kao vo travu u polju. A Valak, sin Seforov beše u ono vreme car moavski.

5 I posla poslanike k Valamu, sinu Veorovom u Faturu, koja je na reci u zemlji naroda njegovog, govoreći: Evo narod iziđe iz Misira, evo prekrilio je zemlju, i stoji prema meni.

6 Nego hodi, prokuni mi ovaj narod, jer je jači od mene, e da bih mu odoleo i pobio ga ili isterao iz zemlje ove; jer znam, koga blagosloviš biće blagosloven, a koga prokuneš biće proklet.

7 I otidoše starešine moavske i starešine madijanske noseći darove za vračanje; i dođoše k Valamu, i kazaše mu reči Valakove.

8 A on im reče: Ostanite ovde ovu noć, i odgovoriću vam kako mi Gospod kaže. I ostaše knezovi moavski kod Valama.

9 A Bog dođe k Valamu i reče mu: Kakvi su to ljudi kod tebe?

10 I reče Valam Bogu: Valak sin Seforov, car moavski, posla ih k meni govoreći:

11 Evo narod iziđe iz Misira i prekrili zemlju; nego hodi, prokuni mi ga, e da bih ga nadbio i oterao ga.

12 A Bog reče Valamu: Ne idi s njima, niti kuni taj narod, jer je blagosloven.

13 I ujutru ustavši Valam reče knezovima Valakovim; vratite se u svoju zemlju jer mi ne da Bog da idem s vama.

14 I ustavši knezovi moavski dođoše k Valaku, i rekoše: Ne hte Valam poći s nama.

15 Tada opet posla Valak više knezova i veće od prvih.

16 I oni došavši k Valamu rekoše mu: Ovako veli Valak, sin Seforov: Nemoj se zatezati, molim te, nego dođi k meni.

17 Jer ću te dobro darivati, i šta mi god kažeš činiću; zato dođi, molim te, prokuni mi ovaj narod.

18 A Valam odgovori i reče slugama Valakovim: Da mi da Valak kuću svoju punu srebra i zlata, ne bih mogao prestupiti reči Gospoda Boga svog da učinim šta malo ili veliko.

19 Ali opet ostanite ovde i vi ovu noćda vidim šta će mi sada kazati Gospod.

20 I dođe Bog noću k Valamu i reče mu: Kad su došli ti ljudi da te zovu, ustani, idi s njima, ali šta ti kažem ono da činiš.

21 A ujutru ustavši Valam osamari magaricu svoju, i pođe s knezovima moavskim.

22 Ali se razgnevi Bog što on pođe; i stade anđeo Gospodnji na put da mu ne da; a on seđaše na magarici svojoj i imaše sa sobom dva momka svoja.

23 A kad magarica vide anđela Gospodnjeg gde stoji na putu s golim mačem u ruci, svrnu magarica s puta i pođe preko polja. A Valam je stade biti da je vrati na put.

24 A anđeo Gospodnji stade na stazu među vinogradima, a beše zid i odovud i odonud.

25 I magarica videći anđela Gospodnjeg pribi se uz drugi zid, i pritište nogu Valamovu o zid; a on je stade opet biti.

26 Potom anđeo Gospodnji otide dalje, i stade u tesnacu, gde ne beše mesta da se svrne ni nadesno ni nalevo.

27 I magarica videći anđela Gospodnjeg pade pod Valamom, a Valam se vrlo razljuti, i stade biti magaricu svojim štapom.

28 Tada Gospod otvori usta magarici, te ona reče Valamu: Šta sam ti učinila, te me biješ većtreći put?

29 A Valam reče magarici: Što mi prkosiš? Da imam mač u ruci, sad bih te ubio.

30 A magarica reče Valamu: Nisam li tvoja magarica? Jašeš me od kako sam postala tvoja do danas; jesam li ti kad tako učinila? A on reče: Nisi.

31 Tada Gospod otvori oči Valamu, koji ugleda anđela Gospodnjeg gde stoji na putu s golim mačem u ruci. I on savi glavu i pokloni se licem svojim.

32 I reče mu anđeo Gospodnji: Zašto si bio magaricu svoju većtri puta? Evo ja iziđoh da ti ne dam, jer tvoj put nije meni po volji.

33 Kad me ugleda magarica, ona se ukloni ispred mene većtri puta; a da se nije uklonila ispred mene, tebe bih većubio, a nju bih ostavio u životu.

34 A Valam reče anđelu Gospodnjem: Zgrešio sam, jer nisam znao da ti stojiš preda mnom na putu; ako tebi nije po volji, ja ću se vratiti.

35 A anđeo Gospodnji reče Valamu: Idi s tim ljudima, ali samo ono govori što ti ja kažem. Tada Valam otide s knezovima Valakovim.

36 A kad ču Valak da ide Valam, iziđe mu na susret u grad moavski na međi arnonskoj nakraj međe.

37 I reče Valak Valamu: Nisam li slao k tebi i zvao te? Zašto mi ne dođe? Eda li te ne mogu darivati?

38 A Valam reče Valaku: Evo sam došao k tebi; ali hoću li moći šta govoriti? Šta mi Bog metne u usta, ono ću govoriti.

39 I otide Valam s Valakom, i dođoše u grad Uzot.

40 I nakla Valak volova i ovaca, i posla Valamu i knezovima, koji behu s njim.

41 A ujutru uze Valak Valama i odvede ga na visinu Valovu, i odande mu pokaza jedan kraj naroda.

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 1343

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1343. That 'Eber' was a nation, the Hebrew nation, which took its name from 'Eber' as its forefather, and which means the worship in general of the second Ancient Church, is clear from the references to him in the historical sections of the Word. Because a new form of worship began with that nation, all those were called Hebrews whose worship was similar to it. Their worship was like that re-established at a later time among the descendants of Jacob, its chief features being that they called their God Jehovah and held sacrifices. The Most Ancient Church was of one mind in acknowledging the Lord and calling Him Jehovah, as is clear also from the early chapters of Genesis and elsewhere in the Word. The Ancient Church, that is, the Church after the Flood also acknowledged the Lord and called Him Jehovah, especially those who possessed internal worship and were called 'the sons of Shem'. The remainder whose worship was external also acknowledged Jehovah and worshipped Him. But when internal worship became external, and still more when it became idolatrous, and when each nation started to have its own god to worship, the Hebrew nation retained the name of Jehovah and called their own God Jehovah. In this they were different from all other nations.

[2] Along with external worship, Jacob's descendants in Egypt, including Moses himself, lost knowledge even of this fact, that their God was called Jehovah. Consequently they had first of all to be taught that Jehovah was the God of the Hebrews, and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as becomes clear from the following in Moses,

Jehovah said to Moses, You and the elders of Israel shall go in to the king of Egypt, and you shall say to him, Jehovah the God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now let us go, pray, a three days' journey into the wilderness, and let us sacrifice to Jehovah our God. Exodus 3:18.

In the same author,

Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah that I should hearken to His voice to send Israel away? I do not know Jehovah, and moreover I will not send Israel away. And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us; let us go, pray, a three days' journey into the wilderness, and let us sacrifice to Jehovah our God. Exodus 5:2-3.

[3] The fact that Jacob's descendants lost in Egypt, along with the worship, even the name of Jehovah becomes clear from the following in Moses,

Moses said to God, Behold, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they say to me, What is His name? What shall I tell them? And God said to Moses, I Am Who I Am. And He said, Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, I Am has sent me to you. And God said moreover to Moses, Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, Jehovah the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you; this is My name for ever. Exodus 3:13-15.

[4] From this it is evident that even Moses did not know it and that they were distinguished from everyone else by the name of Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews. Hence also Jehovah is elsewhere called the God of the Hebrews,

You shall say to Pharaoh, Jehovah the God of the Hebrews has sent me to you. Exodus 7:16.

Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews. Exodus 9:1, 13.

Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, Thus said Jehovah the God of the Hebrews Exodus 10:3.

In Jonah,

I am a Hebrew, and I fear Jehovah, the God of heaven. Jonah 1:9.

And also in Samuel,

The Philistines heard the noise of the shouting and said, What does the noise of this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean? And they learned that the Ark of Jehovah had come to the camp. The Philistines said, Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who smote the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. Acquit yourselves like men, O Philistines, lest you be slaves to the Hebrews. 1 Samuel 4:6, 8-9.

Here also it is evident that nations were distinguished from one another by the gods whose names they called on, and that the Hebrew nation was distinguished by that of Jehovah.

[5] The fact that sacrifices were the second essential feature of the worship of the Hebrew nation is also evident from the words from Exodus 3:18; 5:2-3, quoted above, as well as from the fact that the Egyptians abhorred the Hebrew nation on account of this form of worship, as is clear from the following in Moses,

Moses said, It is not right to do so, for we would be sacrificing to Jehovah our God what is abhorrent to the Egyptians; behold, we would be sacrificing what is abhorrent to the Egyptians in their eyes; will they not stone us? Exodus 8:26.

Consequently the Egyptians also abhorred the Hebrew nation so much that they refused even 'to eat bread' with them, Genesis 43:32. From this it is also evident that not merely the descendants of Jacob constituted the Hebrew nation but everybody who possessed that kind of worship. This also was why in Joseph's day the land of Canaan was called the land of the Hebrews,

Joseph said. By theft I have been taken away out of the land of the Hebrews. Genesis 40:15.

[6] The fact that sacrifices took place among the idolaters in the land of Canaan becomes clear from many references, for they used to sacrifice to their gods - to the baals and to others What is more, Balaam, who came from Syria where Eber had lived, that is, where the Hebrew nation had originated, before Jacob's descendants entered the land of Canaan, not only offered sacrifices but also called his God Jehovah. As to the fact that Balaam came from Syria where the Hebrew nation had originated, see Numbers 23:7; that he offered sacrifices, Numbers 22:39-40; 23:1-3, 14, 29; that he called his God Jehovah, Numbers 22:18, and elsewhere in those chapters. And Genesis 8:20 speaks of Noah offering burnt offerings to Jehovah - though this is not true history but made-up history - for 'burnt offerings' means the holiness of worship, as may be seen in that story. These considerations now show what 'Eber' or 'the Hebrew nation' means.

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