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Josue 24

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1 At pinisan ni Josue ang lahat ng mga lipi ng Israel sa Sichem, at tinawag ang mga matanda ng Israel at ang kanilang mga pangulo, at ang kanilang mga hukom, at ang kanilang mga pinuno; at sila'y nagsiharap sa Dios.

2 At sinabi ni Josue sa buong bayan, Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon, ng Dios ng Israel, Ang inyong mga magulang ay tumahan nang unang panahon sa dako roon ng Ilog, na dili iba't si Thare, na ama ni Abraham at ama ni Nachor: at sila'y naglingkod sa ibang mga dios.

3 At kinuha ko ang inyong amang si Abraham mula sa dako roon ng Ilog at pinatnubayan ko siya sa buong lupain ng Canaan, at pinarami ko ang kaniyang binhi at ibinigay ko sa kaniya si Isaac.

4 At ibinigay ko kay Isaac si Jacob at si Esau: at ibinigay ko kay Esau ang bundok ng Seir upang ariin; at si Jacob at ang kaniyang mga anak ay bumabang pumasok sa Egipto.

5 At aking sinugo si Moises at si Aaron, at sinalot ko ang Egipto, ayon sa aking ginawa sa gitna niyaon: at pagkatapos ay inilabas ko kayo.

6 At inilabas ko ang inyong mga magulang sa Egipto: at kayo'y naparoon sa dagat; at hinabol ng mga taga Egipto ang inyong mga magulang, ng mga karo at ng mga nangangabayo hanggang sa Dagat na Mapula.

7 At nang sila'y dumaing sa Panginoon ay nilagyan niya ng kadiliman ang pagitan ninyo at ang mga taga Egipto, at itinabon ang dagat sa kanila, at tinakpan sila; at nakita ng inyong mga mata kung ano ang aking ginawa sa Egipto at kayo'y tumahan sa ilang na malaon.

8 At ipinasok ko kayo sa lupain ng mga Amorrheo, na tumatahan sa dako roon ng Jordan, at sila'y nakipagbaka sa inyo; at ibinigay ko sila sa inyong kamay, at inyong inari ang kanilang lupain: at nilipol ko sila sa harap ninyo.

9 Nang magkagayo'y tumindig si Balac na anak ni Zippor, na hari sa Moab, at dumigma laban sa Israel; at siya'y nagsugo at tinawag si Balaam na anak ni Beor, upang sumpain kayo:

10 Nguni't hindi ko dininig si Balaam; kaya't binasbasan nga niya kayo: gayon iniligtas ko kayo sa kaniyang kamay.

11 At kayo'y tumawid sa Jordan at dumating sa Jerico: at ang mga tao sa Jerico ay nakipaglaban sa inyo, ang Amorrheo, at ang Pherezeo, at ang Cananeo, at ang Hetheo, at ang Gergeseo, ang Heveo, at ang Jebuseo, at ibinigay ko sila sa inyong kamay.

12 At sinugo ko ang malalaking putakti sa unahan ninyo, na siyang nagtaboy sa kanila sa harap ninyo, sa makatuwid baga'y sa dalawang hari ng mga Amorrheo: hindi sa pamamagitan ng inyong tabak, ni ng inyong busog.

13 At aking binigyan kayo ng lupain na hindi ninyo binukid, at ng mga bayang hindi ninyo itinayo, at inyong tinatahanan; at mga ubasan at mga olibohan na hindi ninyo itinanim ay inyong kinakain.

14 Ngayon nga ay matakot kayo sa Panginoon, at paglingkuran ninyo siya sa pagtatapat at sa katotohanan: at inyong alisin ang mga dios na mga pinaglingkuran ng inyong mga magulang sa dako roon ng Ilog at sa Egipto; at inyong paglingkuran ang Panginoon.

15 At kung inaakala ninyong masama na maglingkod sa Panginoon, ay piliin ninyo sa araw na ito kung sino ang inyong paglilingkuran; kung ang mga dios ng inyong mga magulang na pinaglingkuran sa dako roon ng Ilog, o ang dios ng mga Amorrheo na ang lupain nila ay inyong tinatahanan: nguni't sa ganang akin at ng aking sangbahayan ay maglilingkod kami sa Panginoon.

16 At ang bayan ay sumagot at nagsabi, Malayo nawa sa amin na aming pabayaan ang Panginoon sa paglilingkod sa ibang mga dios:

17 Sapagka't ang Panginoon nating Dios ay siyang nagsampa sa atin at sa ating mga magulang mula sa lupain ng Egipto, mula sa bahay ng pagkaalipin, at siyang gumawa ng mga dakilang tandang yaon sa ating paningin, at iningatan tayo sa lahat ng daan na ating pinaroonan, at sa gitna ng lahat ng mga bayan na ating dinaanan:

18 At itinaboy ng Panginoon sa harap natin ang lahat ng mga bayan, ang mga Amorrheo na tumahan sa lupain: kaya't kami ay maglilingkod din sa Panginoon; sapagka't siya'y ating Dios.

19 At sinabi ni Josue sa bayan, Kayo'y hindi makapaglilingkod sa Panginoon; sapagka't siya'y isang banal na Dios; siya'y mapanibughuing Dios; hindi niya ipatatawad ang inyong pagsalangsang ni ang inyong mga kasalanan.

20 Kung inyong pabayaan ang Panginoon, at maglingkod sa ibang mga dios: ay hihiwalay nga siya at gagawan kayo ng kasamaan at lilipulin kayo pagkatapos na kaniyang nagawan kayo ng mabuti.

21 At sinabi ng bayan kay Josue, Hindi: kundi kami ay maglilingkod sa Panginoon.

22 At sinabi ni Josue sa bayan, Kayo'y mga saksi laban sa inyong sarili na inyong pinili sa inyo ang Panginoon, upang paglingkuran siya. At sinabi nila, Kami ay mga saksi.

23 Ngayon nga'y alisin ninyo, sabi niya, ang ibang mga dios na nasa gitna ninyo at ikiling ninyo ang inyong puso sa Panginoon, na Dios ng Israel.

24 At sinabi ng bayan kay Josue, Ang Panginoon nating Dios ay aming paglilingkuran, at ang kaniyang tinig ay aming didinggin.

25 Sa gayo'y nakipagtipan si Josue sa bayan nang araw na yaon, at nilagdaan niya sila ng palatuntunan at ng ayos sa Sichem.

26 At sinulat ni Josue ang mga salitang ito sa aklat ng kautusan ng Dios; at siya'y kumuha ng malaking bato, at inilagay sa lilim ng encina na nasa tabi ng santuario ng Panginoon.

27 At sinabi ni Josue sa buong bayan, Narito, ang batong ito ay magiging saksi laban sa atin, sapagka't narinig nito ang lahat ng mga salita ng Panginoon, na kaniyang sinalita sa atin: ito nga'y magiging saksi laban sa inyo, baka ninyo itakuwil ang inyong Dios.

28 Sa gayo'y pinapagpaalam ni Josue ang bayan, bawa't isa sa kaniyang mana.

29 At nangyari, pagkatapos ng mga bagay na ito, na si Josue, na anak ni Nun na lingkod ng Panginoon, ay namatay na may isang daan at sangpung taon ang gulang.

30 At inilibing nila siya sa hangganan ng kaniyang mana sa Timnath-sera, na nasa lupaing maburol ng Ephraim sa hilagaan ng bundok ng Gaas.

31 At naglingkod ang Israel sa Panginoon sa lahat ng mga araw ni Josue, at sa lahat ng mga araw ng mga matandang natirang nabuhay kay Josue at nakilala ang lahat na gawa ng Panginoon, na kaniyang ginawa sa Israel.

32 At ang mga buto ni Jose, na isinampa ng mga anak ni Israel mula sa Egipto ay inilibing nila sa Sichem, sa putol ng lupa na binili ni Jacob sa mga anak ni Hemor na ama ni Sichem ng isang daang putol na salapi: at mga naging mana ng mga anak ni Jose.

33 At namatay si Eleazar na anak ni Aaron; at inilibing nila siya sa burol ni Phinees na kaniyang anak na nabigay sa kaniya sa lupaing maburol ng Ephraim.

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 1992

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1992. 'I am God Shaddai' means, in the sense of the letter, the name of Abram's God, by means of which the Lord was represented before them at first. This is clear from references in the Word to Abram and his father's house worshipping other gods. Surviving in Syria, where Abram came from, there were remnants of the Ancient Church, and many families there retained its worship, as is clear in the case of Eber who came from those parts and from whom the Hebrew nation descended. They likewise retained the name Jehovah, as is evident from what has been shown in Volume One, in 1343, and from Balaam, who also came from Syria, and who offered sacrifices and called his God Jehovah. That he came from Syria is indicated in Numbers 23:7; that he offered sacrifices, in Numbers 22:39-40; 23:1-3, 14, 29; and that he called his God Jehovah, in Numbers 2:8, 13, 18, 31; 23:8, 12, 16.

[2] But in the case of the house of Terah, Abram and Nahor's father, this was not so. That house was one of the gentile families there which had not only lost the name of Jehovah but also served other gods; and instead of Jehovah they worshipped Shaddai, whom they called their own god. The fact that they had lost the name of Jehovah is clear from the places quoted in Volume One, in 1343; and the fact that they served other gods is explicitly stated in Joshua,

Joshua said to all the people, Thus said Jehovah, the God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt of old beyond the River, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods. Now fear Jehovah, and serve Him in sincerity and truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River, and in Egypt, and serve Jehovah. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve Jehovah, choose this day whom you are to serve, whether the gods which your fathers served who were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites. Joshua 24:2, 14-15.

The fact that Nahor as well, Abram's brother, and the nation that descended from him, served other gods is also clear from Laban the Syrian, who lived in the city of Nahor and worshipped the images or teraphim which Rachel stole, Genesis 24:10; 31:19, 30, 32, 34 - see what has been stated in Volume One, in 1356. That instead of Jehovah they worshipped Shaddai, whom they called their god, is plainly stated in Moses,

I, Jehovah, appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Shaddai, and by My name Jehovah I was not known to them. Exodus 6:2-3.

[3] These references show what Abram was by disposition in his younger days, namely an idolater like other gentiles, and that even up to and during the time he was in the land of Canaan he had not cast the god Shaddai away from his mind; and this accounts for the declaration here, 'I am God Shaddai', which in the sense of the letter means the name of Abram's god. And from Exodus 6:2-3, that has just been quoted, it is evident that it was by this name that the Lord was first represented before them - before Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

[4] The reason the Lord was willing to be represented before them first of all through the name Shaddai is that the Lord is never willing to destroy quickly, still less immediately, the worship implanted in someone since earliest childhood. He is unwilling to destroy it because it would be an uprooting and so a destroying of the deeply implanted feeling for what is holy which is expressed in adoration and worship, a feeling which the Lord never crushes but bends. The holiness which is expressed in worship and has been inrooted since earliest childhood is such that it does not respond to violence but to gentle and kindly bending. The same applies to gentiles who during their lifetime have worshipped idols and yet have led charitable lives one with another. Because the holiness expressed in their worship has been inrooted since earliest childhood it is not removed all of a sudden in the next life but gradually. For people who have led charitable lives one with another are able to have implanted in them without difficulty the goods and truths of faith; these they subsequently receive with joy, charity being the soil itself. This is what happened in the case of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that is to say, the Lord allowed them to retain the name God Shaddai; indeed He went so far as to speak of Himself as God Shaddai, which He did because of what that name meant.

[5] Some translators render Shaddai as the Almighty, others as the Thunderbolt-hurler. But strictly speaking it means the Tempter, and the One who does good following temptations, as is clear in Job who, because he suffered many temptations, mentions Shaddai so many times, such as the following places in his book make clear,

Behold, blessed is the man whom God reproves; and despise not the chastening of Shaddai. Job 5:17.

The arrows of Shaddai are with me, the terrors of God are arrayed against me. Job 6:4.

He will forsake the fear of Shaddai. Job 6:14.

I will speak to Shaddai, and I desire to dispute with God. Job 13:3.

He has stretched forth his hand against God, and emboldens himself against Shaddai. Job 15:25.

His eyes will see his destruction and he will drink of the wrath of Shaddai. Job 21:20.

As for Shaddai, you will not find him. He is great in power and judgement, and in the abundance of righteousness. He will not afflict. Job 37:23.

Also in Joel,

Alas for the day! For the day of Jehovah is near, and as destruction from Shaddai will it come. Joel 1:15.

This becomes clear also from the actual word Shaddai, which means vastation, thus temptation, for temptation is a variety of vastation. But because the name had its origins among the nations in Syria, he is not called Elohim Shaddai but El Shaddai; and in Job he is called simply Shaddai, with El, or God, mentioned separately.

[6] Because comfort follows temptations people also attributed the good that comes out of temptations to the same Shaddai, as in Job 22:17, 23, 25-26; and they also attributed to him the understanding of truth which resulted from those temptations, 32:8; 33:4. And because in this way he was regarded as a god of truth, for vastation, temptation, chastisement, and reproving belong in no way to good but to truth, and because the Lord was represented by means of it before Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the name was retained even among the Prophets. But with the latter Shaddai was used to mean truth, as in Ezekiel,

I heard the sound of the cherubs' wings, like the sound of many waters, like the sound of Shaddai as they were coming, a sound of tumult, like the sound of a camp. Ezekiel 1:24.

In the same prophet,

The court was full of the brightness of the glory of Jehovah, and the sound of the wings of the cherubs was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of the god Shaddai when he speaks. Ezekiel 10:4-5.

Here Jehovah stands for good, Shaddai for truth. 'Wings' likewise in the Word means in the internal sense things that are matters of truth.

[7] Isaac and Jacob too used the name God Shaddai in a similar way, namely as one who tempts, rescues from temptation, and after that does good to them. Isaac addressed his son Jacob when he was about to flee on account of Esau,

God Shaddai bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you. Genesis 28:3.

Jacob addressed his sons when they were about to journey into Egypt to buy grain and were so greatly afraid of Joseph,

May God Shaddai grant you mercy before the man, and may He send back with you your other brother and Benjamin. Genesis 43:14.

Jacob, by now Israel, when blessing Joseph, who had experienced the evils of temptation more than his brothers and had been released from them, declared,

By the God of your father, and He will help you; and with Shaddai, and He will bless you. Genesis 49:25.

This then explains why the Lord was willing to be represented at first as God Shaddai whom Abram worshipped when He declared,

I am God Shaddai.

And later on He referred to Himself in a similar way before Jacob, I am God Shaddai; be fruitful and multiply. Genesis 35:11.

And a further reason is that the subject of the internal sense in what has gone before has been temptations.

[8] The worship of Shaddai with them had its origin, as it did with a certain nation which in the Lord's Divine mercy will be described later on, and also with those who belonged to the Ancient Church, in the fact that quite often they heard spirits who reproached them and who also afterwards consoled them. The spirits who reproached them were perceived as being on the left side below the arm; at the same time angels were present from the head who overruled the spirits and toned down the reproaching. And because they imagined that everything declared to them through the spirits was Divine, they called the reproaching spirit Shaddai. And because he also afterwards gave consolation they called him God Shaddai. Since they had no understanding of the internal sense of the Word, people in those days, including the Jews, possessed that kind of religion in which they imagined that all evil and so all temptation came from God just as all good and thus all comfort did. But that in actual fact this is not at all the case, see Volume One, in 245, 592, 696, 1093, 1874, 1875.

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