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Números 31

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1 Y el SEÑOR habló a Moisés, diciendo:

2 Haz la venganza de los hijos de Israel sobre los madianitas; después serás recogido a tus pueblos.

3 Entonces Moisés habló al pueblo, diciendo: Armaos algunos de vosotros para la guerra, e irán contra Madián, y harán la venganza del SEÑOR en Madián.

4 Mil de cada tribu de todas las tribus de los hijos de Israel, enviaréis a la guerra.

5 Así fueron dados de los millares de Israel, mil por cada tribu, doce mil a punto de guerra.

6 Y Moisés los envió a la guerra; mil por cada tribu envió; y Finees, hijo de Eleazar sacerdote, fue a la guerra con los santos instrumentos, con las trompetas del júbilo en su mano.

7 Y pelearon contra Madián, como el SEÑOR lo mandó a Moisés, y mataron a todo varón.

8 Mataron también, entre los muertos de ellos, a los reyes de Madián: Evi, y Requem, y Zur, y Hur, y Reba, cinco reyes de Madián; también a Balaam, hijo de Beor, mataron a cuchillo.

9 Y llevaron cautivas los hijos de Israel las mujeres de los madianitas, y sus chiquitos y todas sus bestias, y todos sus ganados; y arrebataron toda su hacienda.

10 Y todas sus ciudades por sus habitaciones, y todos sus palacios quemaron a fuego.

11 Y tomaron todo el despojo, y toda la presa, así de hombres como de bestias.

12 Y lo trajeron a Moisés, y a Eleazar el sacerdote, y a la congregación de los hijos de Israel, los cautivos y la presa y los despojos, al campamento en los llanos de Moab, que estaba junto al Jordán de Jericó.

13 Y salieron Moisés y Eleazar el sacerdote, y todos los príncipes de la congregación, a recibirlos fuera del campamento.

14 Y se enojó Moisés contra los capitanes del ejército, contra los tribunos y centuriones que volvían de la guerra;

15 y les dijo Moisés: ¿Todas las mujeres habéis reservado?

16 He aquí, ellas fueron a los hijos de Israel, por consejo de Balaam, para causar prevaricación contra el SEÑOR en el negocio de Peor; por lo que hubo mortandad en la congregación del SEÑOR.

17 Matad, pues, ahora todos los machos entre los niños; matad también toda mujer que haya conocido varón carnalmente.

18 Pero a todas las niñas entre las mujeres, que no hayan conocido ayuntamiento de varón, os guardaréis vivas.

19 Y vosotros quedaos fuera del campamento siete días; y todos los que hubieren matado persona, y cualquiera que hubiere tocado muerto, os expiaréis al tercero y al séptimo día, vosotros y vuestros cautivos.

20 Asimismo expiaréis todo vestido, y toda prenda de pieles, y toda obra de pelos de cabra, y todo vaso de madera.

21 Y Eleazar el sacerdote dijo a los hombres de guerra que venían de la guerra: Esta es la ordenanza de la ley que el SEÑOR ha mandado a Moisés:

22 Ciertamente el oro, y la plata, el bronce, hierro, estaño, y plomo,

23 todo lo que resiste el fuego, por fuego lo haréis pasar, y será limpio, bien que en las aguas de expiación habrá de purificarse; mas haréis pasar por agua todo lo que no aguanta el fuego.

24 Además lavaréis vuestros vestidos el séptimo día, y así seréis limpios; y después entraréis en el campamento.

25 Y el SEÑOR habló a Moisés, diciendo:

26 Toma la cuenta de la presa que se ha capturado, así de las personas como de las bestias, tú y el sacerdote Eleazar, y las cabezas de los padres de la congregación;

27 y partirás por mitad la presa entre los que pelearon, los que salieron a la guerra, y toda la congregación.

28 Y apartarás para el SEÑOR el tributo de los hombres de guerra, que salieron a la guerra; de quinientos uno, así de las personas como de los bueyes, de los asnos, y de las ovejas.

29 De la mitad de ellos lo tomarás; y darás a Eleazar el sacerdote la ofrenda del SEÑOR.

30 Y de la mitad perteneciente a los hijos de Israel tomarás uno de cincuenta, de las personas, de los bueyes, de los asnos, y de las ovejas, de todo animal; y los darás a los levitas, que tienen la guarda del tabernáculo del SEÑOR.

31 E hicieron Moisés y Eleazar el sacerdote como el SEÑOR mandó a Moisés.

32 Y fue la presa, el resto de la presa que tomaron los hombres de guerra, seiscientas setenta y cinco mil ovejas,

33 y setenta y dos mil bueyes,

34 y setenta y un mil asnos;

35 y en cuanto a personas, de mujeres que no habían conocido ayuntamiento de varón, en todas treinta y dos mil.

36 Y la mitad, la parte de los que habían salido a la guerra, fue el número de trescientas treinta y siete mil quinientas ovejas.

37 Y el tributo para el SEÑOR de la ovejas, fue seiscientas setenta y cinco.

38 Y de los bueyes, treinta y seis mil; y de ellos el tributo para el SEÑOR, setenta y dos.

39 Y de los asnos, treinta mil quinientos; y de ellos el tributo para el SEÑOR, setenta y uno.

40 Y de las personas, dieciséis mil; y de ellas el tributo para el SEÑOR, treinta y dos personas.

41 Y dio Moisés el tributo, por elevada ofrenda al SEÑOR, a Eleazar el sacerdote, como el SEÑOR lo mandó a Moisés.

42 Y de la mitad para los hijos de Israel, que apartó Moisés de los hombres que habían ido a la guerra;

43 (la mitad para la congregación fue: de las ovejas, trescientas treinta y siete mil quinientas;

44 y de los bueyes, treinta y seis mil;

45 y de los asnos, treinta mil quinientos;

46 y de las personas, dieciséis mil.)

47 De la mitad, pues, para los hijos de Israel, Moisés tomó uno de cada cincuenta, así de las personas como de los animales, y los dio a los levitas, que tenían la guarda del tabernáculo del SEÑOR; como el SEÑOR lo había mandado a Moisés.

48 Y llegaron a Moisés los capitanes de los millares de aquel ejército, los tribunos y centuriones;

49 y dijeron a Moisés: Tus siervos han tomado razón de los hombres de guerra que están en nuestro poder, y ninguno ha faltado de nosotros.

50 Por lo cual hemos ofrecido al SEÑOR ofrenda, cada uno de lo que ha hallado, vasos de oro, brazaletes, manillas, anillos, zarcillos, y cadenas, para reconciliar nuestras personas delante del SEÑOR.

51 Y Moisés y el sacerdote Eleazar recibieron el oro de ellos, todos vasos obrados.

52 Y todo el oro de la ofrenda que ofrecieron al SEÑOR de los tribunos y centuriones, fue dieciséis mil setecientos cincuenta siclos.

53 (Porque los varones del ejército habían tomado botín cada uno para sí.)

54 Recibieron, pues, Moisés y el sacerdote Eleazar, el oro de los tribunos y centuriones, y lo trajeron al tabernáculo del testimonio, por memoria de los hijos de Israel delante del SEÑOR.

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 5954

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5954. And to all of them he gave each changes of garments. That this signifies truths initiated in good, is evident from the signification of “garments” as being truths (of which below). Thus “changes of garments” are truths which are new; and truths become new when they are initiated in good, because they then receive life. For the subject treated of is the conjunction of the natural man with the spiritual, or of the external man with the internal. When the conjunction is being effected, then truths are changed and become new, for they receive life from the influx of good (as just above, n. 5951). (That to change the garments was representative of holy truths being put on, and that hence came changes of garments, see n. 4545.)

[2] That by “garments” in the Word are signified truths, is because truths clothe good almost as the vessels do the blood, and the fibers the [animal] spirit. That a “garment” is a significative of truth is because spirits and also angels appear clothed in garments, and each according to the truths appertaining to him. Those appear in white garments who are in the truths of faith through which is good, but those appear in bright shining garments who are in the truths of faith that are from good; for good shines through the truth, and gives the resplendence (see n. 5248).

[3] That spirits and angels appear in garments can also be seen from the Word, where it is mentioned that angels were seen, as in Matthew:

The appearance of the angel sitting at the Lord’s sepulcher was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow (Matthew 28:3).

In John:

Upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white garments (Revelation 4:4).

In the same:

He that sat upon the white horse was clothed in a garment dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. His armies which are in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:11, 13-14);

“garments white as snow,” and “fine white linen,” signify holy truths, for whiteness and shining white are predicated of truths (n. 3301, 3993, 4007, 5319), for the reason that they approach nearest to light, and the light which is from the Lord is Divine truth; and therefore when the Lord was transfigured, His garments appeared as the light, of which in Matthew:

When Jesus was transfigured His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became as the light (Matthew 17:2).

That “light” is Divine truth is known in the church, and that it is compared to a “garment” is evident in David:

Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment (Psalms 104:2).

[4] That “garments” are truths is plain from many passages in the Word, as in Matthew:

When the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man not clad with a wedding garment; and he said to him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? wherefore he was cast out into the outer darkness (Matthew 22:11-13);

who are meant by “him not clad in a wedding-garment” may be seen at n. 2132.

In Isaiah:

Wake up! wake up! put on thy strength, O Zion; put on the garments of thine ornament, O Jerusalem, the city of holiness; because there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean (Isaiah 52:1);

“garments of ornament” denote truths from good.

[5] In Ezekiel:

I clothed thee with broidered work, and shod thee with badger (taxo), and I girded thee with fine linen, and covered thee with silk. Thy garments were of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, honey, and oil (Ezekiel 16:10, 13);

speaking of Jerusalem, by which is there meant the Ancient spiritual Church which was set up by the Lord after the Most Ancient celestial Church had expired. The truths with which this church was endowed are described by the “garments;” “broidered work” is memory-knowledge, which when genuine also appears in the other life like broidered work, and like lace, as also it has been given to see; “fine linen and silk” are truths from good; but in heaven, being in the light there, these are intensely bright and are transparent.

[6] In the same:

Fine linen in broidered work from Egypt was thy sail; blue and crimson from the isles of Elishah were thy covering (Ezekiel 27:7);

speaking of Tyre, by which are represented the knowledges of truth and good (n. 1201), which when genuine are “fine linen in broidered work from Egypt;” the derivative good, or good of truth, is the “blue and crimson.”

[7] In David:

The king’s daughter is all glorious; of inweavings of gold is her garment; in embroideries shall she be brought to the king (Psalms 45:13-14).

The “king’s daughter” denotes the affection of truth; “of inweavings of gold is her garment” denotes the truths wherein is good; “embroideries” denote the lowest truths.

In John:

Thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white ones, because they are worthy. He that overcometh shall be clothed in white garments (Revelation 3:4-5);

“not to defile the garments” denotes not to befoul truths with falsities.

[8] In the same:

Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, that he walk not naked, and they see his shame (Revelation 16:15);

“garments” in like manner denote truths. It is the truths of faith from the Word which are properly signified by “garments.” He who has not acquired these from that source, or he who has not acquired truths or semblances of truths from his religiosity, as the Gentiles, and applied them to life, is not in good, howsoever he supposes himself to be. For as he has no truths from the Word, or from his religiosity, he suffers himself to be led by means of reasonings equally by evil spirits as by good spirits, and thus cannot be defended by the angels. This is meant by the exhortation “to watch and to keep his garments, that he walk not naked and they see his shame.”

[9] In Zechariah:

Joshua was in defiled garments; thus he stood before the angel, who said to those who stood before him, Remove the defiled garments from before him. And unto him he said, See I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and am clothing thee with changes of garments (Zech. 3:3-4);

“defiled garments” denote truths polluted by falsities which are from evil; wherefore when these garments are removed, and others are put on, it is said, “See, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee.” Anyone can know that iniquity does not pass away by a change of garments, and hence also anyone can conclude that a change of garments was representative, as was also the washing of garments, which was commanded when the people were being purified, as when they came near unto Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:14), and when they were being cleansed from things impure (Leviticus 11:25, 40; 14:8-9; Numbers 8:6-7; 19:21; 31:19-24).

[10] For cleansings from things impure are effected through the truths of faith, because these teach what good is, what charity, what the neighbor, what faith, that there is a Lord, that there is a heaven, that there is eternal life. Without truths which teach, it is not known what these things are, nor even that they are. Who from himself knows otherwise than that the good of the love of self and of the world is the only good appertaining to man; for both are the delight of his life? And who can know except from the truths of faith that there is another good which can be applied to man, namely, the good of love to God and the good of charity toward the neighbor, and that in these goods is heavenly life; and also that this good flows in through heaven from the Lord insofar as the man does not love himself more than others, and insofar as he does not love the world more than heaven? From all this it is evident that the purification which was represented by the washing of garments is effected through the truths of faith.

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