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Mga Hukom 8

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1 At sinabi ng mga lalake ng Ephraim sa kaniya, Bakit ginawa mo sa amin ang ganyan, na hindi mo kami tinawag nang ikaw ay yumaong makipaglaban sa Madian? At siya'y pinagwikaan nilang mainam.

2 At sinabi niya sa kanila, Ano ang aking ginawa ngayon na paris ng inyo? Di ba mainam ang pagsimot ng ubas ng Ephraim kay sa pagaani ng sa Abiezer?

3 Ibinigay ng Dios sa inyong kamay ang mga prinsipe sa Madian, si Oreb, at si Zeeb, at ano ang aking magagawa na paris ng inyo? Nang magkagayo'y ang kanilang galit sa kaniya ay lumamig, nang kaniyang sabihin yaon.

4 At si Gedeon ay dumating sa Jordan, at siya'y tumawid, siya, at ang tatlong daang lalake na mga kasama niya, mga pagod na, ay humahabol pa.

5 At sinabi niya sa mga lalake sa Succoth, Isinasamo ko sa inyo na bigyan ninyo ng mga tinapay ang bayan na sumusunod sa akin; sapagka't sila'y mga pagod, at aking hinahabol si Zeba at si Zalmunna, na mga hari sa Madian.

6 At sinabi ng mga prinsipe sa Succoth, Nasa iyo na bang kamay ngayon ang mga kamay ni Zeba at ni Zalmunna, upang bigyan namin ng tinapay ang iyong hukbo?

7 At sinabi ni Gedeon, Kaya, pagka ibinigay ng Panginoon, si Zeba at si Zalmunna sa aking kamay, ay akin ngang gagalusan ang inyong laman ng mga tinik sa ilang at ng mga dawag.

8 At inahon niya mula roon ang Penuel, at siya'y nagsalita sa kanila ng gayon din: at sinagot siya ng mga lalake sa Penuel na gaya ng isinagot ng mga lalake sa Succoth.

9 At sinalita niya naman sa mga lalake sa Penuel, na sinasabi, Pagbabalik kong payapa, ay aking ilalagpak ang moog na ito.

10 Ngayo'y si Zeba at si Zalmunna ay nasa Carcor, at ang kanilang mga hukbo na kasama nila, na may labing limang libong lalake, yaong lahat na nalabi sa buong hukbo ng mga anak sa silanganan: sapagka't nabuwal ang isang daan at dalawang pung libong lalake na humahawak ng tabak.

11 At si Gedeon ay umahon sa daan ng mga tumatahan sa mga tolda sa silanganan ng Noba at Jogbea, at sinaktan ang hukbo; sapagka't ang hukbo ay tiwasay.

12 At si Zeba at si Zalmunna ay tumakas; at kaniyang hinabol sila: at kaniyang hinuli ang dalawang hari sa Madian, na si Zeba at si Zalmunna, at nalito ang buong hukbo.

13 At tinalikdan ni Gedeon na anak ni Joas ang pagbabaka, mula sa sampahan sa Heres.

14 At hinuli niya ang isang may kabataan sa mga lalake sa Succoth, at nagusisa siya sa kaniya: at ipinaalam sa kaniya ang mga prinsipe sa Succoth, at ang mga matanda niyaon na pitong pu't pitong lalake.

15 At sila'y naparoon sa mga lalake sa Succoth, at sinabi, Narito si Zeba at si Zalmunna, na tungkol sa kanila, ay inyo akong tinuya na inyong sinasabi, Nasa iyo na bang kamay ngayon ang mga kamay ni Zeba at ni Zalmunna, upang bigyan namin ng tinapay ang iyong mga lalake na mga pagod?

16 At kaniyang kinuha ang mga matanda sa bayan, at mga tinik sa ilang at mga dawag, at sa pamamagitan ng mga yaon ay kaniyang tinuruan ang mga lalake sa Succoth.

17 At kaniyang inilagpak ang moog ng Penuel, at pinatay ang mga lalake sa bayan.

18 Nang magkagayo'y kaniyang sinabi kay Zeba at kay Zalmunna. Anong mga lalake yaong inyong pinatay sa Tabor? At sila'y sumagot, Kung ano ikaw ay gayon sila; bawa't isa'y nahuhuwad sa mga anak ng isang hari.

19 At kaniyang sinabi, Sila'y aking mga kapatid, na mga anak ng aking ina: buhay ang Panginoon, kung inyong iniligtas sana silang buhay, disin hindi ko kayo papatayin.

20 At sinabi niya kay Jether na kaniyang panganay, Bangon, at patayin mo sila. Nguni't ang bata'y hindi humawak ng tabak: sapagka't siya'y natakot, dahil sa siya'y bata pa.

21 Nang magkagayo'y sinabi ni Zeba at ni Zalmunna, Bumangon ka, at daluhungin mo kami: sapagka't kung paano ang pagkalalake ay gayon ang kaniyang lakas. At bumangon si Gedeon, at pinatay si Zeba at si Zalmunna, at kinuha ang mga pahiyas na may anyong kalahating buwan na nasa mga leeg ng kanilang mga kamelyo.

22 Nang magkagayo'y sinabi ng mga lalake ng Israel kay Gedeon, Magpuno ka sa amin ngayon, ikaw at ang iyong anak, sapagka't iniligtas mo kami sa kamay ng Madian.

23 At sinabi ni Gedeon sa kanila, Hindi ako magpupuno sa inyo, o magpupuno man ang aking anak sa inyo: ang Panginoon ang magpupuno sa inyo.

24 At sinabi ni Gedeon sa kanila, Hangad ko ang isang kahilingan sa inyo, na bigyan ako ng bawa't isa sa inyo ng mga hikaw na kaniyang samsam. (Sapagka't sila'y may mga gintong hikaw, dahil sa sila'y mga Ismaelita.)

25 At sumagot sila, Ibibigay namin ng buong pagibig. At sila'y naglatag ng isang balabal, at inilagay roon ng bawa't isa ang mga hikaw na kaniyang samsam.

26 At ang timbang ng mga gintong hikaw na kaniyang hiniling, ay isang libo at pitong daang siklong ginto; bukod pa ang mga pahiyas na may anyong kalahating buwan, at ang mga hikaw at ang mga damit na morado na suot ng mga hari sa Madian, at bukod pa ang mga tanikala na nangasa leeg ng mga kamelyo.

27 At ginawang epod ni Gedeon at inilagay sa kaniyang bayan, sa makatuwid baga'y sa Ophra: at ang buong Israel ay naparoroon na sumasamba sa kaniya roon: at siyang naging ikinasilo ni Gedeon at ng kaniyang sangbahayan.

28 Gayon napasuko ang Madian sa harap ng mga anak ni Israel, at hindi na nila itinaas pa ang kanilang ulo. At ang lupain ay nagpahingang apat na pung taon sa mga araw ni Gedeon.

29 At si Jerobaal na anak ni Joas ay yumaon at tumahan sa kaniyang sariling bahay.

30 At nagkaroon si Gedeon ng pitong pung anak na lumabas sa kaniyang mga balakang: sapagka't siya'y mayroong maraming asawa.

31 At ang kaniyang babae na nasa Sichem ay nagkaanak naman sa kaniya ng isang lalake, at kaniyang tinawag ang pangalan na Abimelech.

32 At namatay si Gedeon na anak ni Joas na may mabuting katandaan at inilibing sa libingan ni Joas na kaniyang ama, sa Ophra ng mga Abiezerita.

33 At nangyari, pagkamatay ni Gedeon, na ang mga anak ni Israel ay bumalik at sumamba sa mga Baal, at ginawang kanilang dios ang Baal-berith.

34 At hindi naalaala ng mga anak ni Israel ang Panginoon nilang Dios, na siyang nagpapaging laya sa kanila sa kamay ng lahat nilang mga kaaway sa buong palibot:

35 O gumanti man lamang ng kagandahang loob sa sangbahayan ni Jerobaal, na siyang Gedeon ayon sa lahat ng kabutihan na kaniyang ipinakita sa Israel.

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 3242

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3242. 'And the sons of Midian, Ephah and Epher, and Enoch, and Abida, and Eldaah' means the derivatives from the third division. This becomes clear from the representation of 'Midian' as those governed by the truth of faith, to be dealt with below; and since those governed by the truth of faith are 'Midian', it follows that 'sons' are derivatives from it. With regard to those governed by the truth of faith the position is that no one is admitted into the Lord's kingdom except him with whom the good of faith is present since the good of faith is the life of faith. The life of faith remains, but not the doctrine of faith except insofar as it makes one with life. Nevertheless people governed by the truth of faith, that is, who profess faith and refer to it as the essential thing because they have been taught that it is, but who, in spite of that teaching have goodness of life, that is, who are Christians in their hearts and not just on their lips, are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom. For anyone can easily be made to believe that faith is the essential thing if such an idea is handed on to him by teachers and at an early age he becomes steeped in that way of thinking. He is also made to believe because those who are reputed to be very learned, even church-leaders, say the same, some of whom are afraid to talk about the good of life because when life is the criterion they stand condemned, and also - in addition - because matters of faith, when they display themselves, are perceptible, whereas matters of charity are less so. Those therefore who are governed by the truth of faith, and yet also by the good of life are called Midian. But the truths which govern their lives are 'the sons of Midian'.

[2] Just as those in whom the truth of faith is joined to the good of that faith are meant by Midian so also in the contrary sense Midian means those under the influence of falsity because the good of life is lacking in them - as becomes clear from the following: In Isaiah,

A drove of camels will cover you, dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba will come. They will bring gold and frankincense, and will proclaim the praises of Jehovah. Isaiah 60:6.

This refers to the Lord's spiritual kingdom. 'Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah' stands for matters of doctrine. Matters of doctrine concerning good are meant by 'gold', those concerning truth by 'frankincense'; and both by 'the praises of Jehovah'. From this also it is evident what 'Ephah' means. 'The Midianites' who pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him to Ishmaelites, and to Potiphar in Egypt, Genesis 37:28, 36, means people governed by truth coupled to simple good, as will in the Lord's Divine mercy be seen later on when those verses are dealt with.

[3] As regards 'Midian' also meaning those under the influence of falsity because the good of life is lacking in them, this may be seen from what is said about Midian in Moses,

The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian with deceptions in their hand came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. Numbers 22:4, 7, and following verses.

In the good sense 'Moab' stands for people with whom natural good exists and who easily allow themselves to be misled, but in the contrary sense stands for those who adulterate goods, 2468. 'Midian' in the good sense, as has been stated, stands for those who are governed by truth coupled to simple good, and so who are easily led to believe things, but in the contrary sense, as here, stands for those who falsify truths. Falsifications are meant by 'deceptions in their hand', and deeds which are the product of falsities by their sending to Balaam to act against the children of Israel, who are the goods, and from these the truths, of faith.

[4] The acts of whoredom committed by the sons of Israel with Midianite women which brought about the plague that Phinehas checked by running through with his spear the Midianite woman and the Israelite man in the brothel, Numbers 25:6-8, and following verses, has a similar meaning, for acts of whoredom represented falsifications of truth, 2466, 2729. And because falsifications of truth are what are meant in the internal sense by acts of whoredom, therefore by command twelve thousand of the children of Israel assailed them, killed their kings, all the males, and the women they had taken captive who had had carnal knowledge of a man, and divided the booty among themselves, Numbers 25:16-17; 31:1-end. The reason why 'twelve thousand' were involved was that 'twelve' means all things of faith, 577, 2089, 2129 (end), 2130 (end), by means of which falsities are destroyed. 'The kings' they killed are falsities, as also are 'the males', 'the women who had had carnal knowledge of a man' are affections for falsity, and 'the booty' which consisted of gold, silver, and cattle, are truths that have been falsified. From this it is evident that every single thing mentioned there is representative of the punishment and destruction of falsity by means of truths.

[5] The same is meant by the facts related about the Midianites in the Book of Judges,

Because the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of Jehovah they were given into the hand of Midian for seven years.

On account of Midian the children of Israel made dens for themselves in the mountains, also caves, and strongholds. And whenever Israel put in seed, Midian and Amalek and the sons of the east came up and destroyed the produce of their land.

After that they were liberated by Gideon by means of the three hundred who had lapped water with their tongue like a dog, whereas those who had sunk down on their knees to drink had been sent home.

Further references to them, in addition to these, are made in Genesis 6 Chapters-8.

Here too every single detail is representative of the falsification of truth, and on that account of punishment even to the point of their being destroyed by the kind of things meant by 'lapping water with their tongue like a dog'. But what each detail means in the internal sense would take too long to explain here. All this will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with in its proper place. In Habakkuk,

He looked and scattered the nations, and the mountains of time were dissolved, and the hills of old sank down. Below Aven I saw the tents of Cushan, the curtains of the land of Midian trembled. Habakkuk 3:6-7.

This refers to the Coming of the Lord. 'The tents of Cushan' stands for a religion raised up out of evil, 'the curtains of the land of Midian' for a religion raised up out of falsity.

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