Bible

 

Numero 23

Studie

   

1 At sinabi ni Balaam kay Balac, Ipagtayo mo ako rito ng pitong dambana, at ipaghanda mo ako rito ng pitong toro at ng pitong tupang lalake.

2 At ginawa ni Balac gaya ng sinalita ni Balaam; at si Balac at si Balaam ay naghandog sa bawa't dambana ng isang toro at ng isang tupang lalake.

3 At sinabi ni Balaam kay Balac, Tumayo ka sa tabi ng iyong handog na susunugin, at ako'y yayaon; marahil ang Panginoon ay paririto na sasalubungin ako: at anomang bagay na kaniyang ipakita sa akin ay aking sasaysayin sa iyo. At siya'y naparoon sa isang dakong mataas na walang tanim.

4 At sinalubong ng Dios si Balaam: at sinabi niya sa kaniya, Aking inihanda ang pitong dambana, at aking inihandog ang isang toro at ang isang tupang lalake sa bawa't dambana.

5 At nilagyan ng Panginoon ng salita ang bibig ni Balaam, at sinabi: Bumalik ka kay Balac, at ganito ang iyong sasalitain.

6 At siya'y bumalik sa kaniya, at, narito, siya'y nakatayo sa tabi ng kaniyang handog na susunugin, siya at ang lahat ng mga prinsipe sa Moab.

7 At kaniyang ibinadya ang kaniyang talinhaga, at sinabi, Mula sa Aram ay dinala ako rito ni Balac, Niyang hari sa Moab, na mula sa mga bundok ng Silanganan: Parito ka, sumpain mo sa akin ang Jacob. At parito ka, laitin mo ang Israel.

8 Paanong aking susumpain ang hindi sinumpa ng Dios? At paanong aking lalaitin ang hindi nilait ng Panginoon?

9 Sapagka't mula sa taluktok ng mga bato ay aking nakikita siya, At mula sa mga burol ay akin siyang natatanawan: Narito, siya'y isang bayang tatahang magisa, At hindi ibinibilang sa gitna ng mga bansa.

10 Sinong makabibilang ng alabok ng Jacob, O ng bilang ng ikaapat na bahagi ng Israel? Mamatay nawa ako ng kamatayan ng matuwid, At ang aking wakas ay magiging gaya nawa ng kaniya!

11 At sinabi ni Balac kay Balaam, Anong ginawa mo sa akin? Ipinagsama kita upang sumpain mo ang aking mga kaaway, at, narito, iyong pinagpala silang totoo.

12 At siya'y sumagot, at nagsabi, Hindi ba nararapat na aking pagingatang salitain yaong isinasa bibig ko ng Panginoon?

13 At sinabi sa kaniya ni Balac, Isinasamo ko sa iyo, na sumama ka sa akin sa ibang dako, na iyong pagkakakitaan sa kanila; ang iyo lamang makikita ay ang kahulihulihang bahagi nila, at hindi mo makikita silang lahat: at sumpain mo sila sa akin mula roon.

14 At dinala niya siya sa parang ng Sophim, sa taluktok ng Pisga, at nagtayo roon ng pitong dambana, at naghandog ng isang toro, at ng isang tupang lalake sa bawa't dambana.

15 At kaniyang sinabi kay Balac, Tumayo ka rito sa tabi ng iyong handog na susunugin, samantalang aking sinasalubong ang Panginoon doon.

16 At sinalubong ng Panginoon si Balaam, at pinapagsalita siya ng salita sa kaniyang bibig, at sinabi, bumalik ka kay Balac, at ganito ang iyong sasalitain.

17 At siya'y naparoon sa kaniya, at, narito, siya'y nakatayo sa tabi ng kaniyang handog na susunugin, at ang mga prinsipe sa Moab na kasama niya. At sinabi sa kaniya ni Balac, Anong sinalita ng Panginoon?

18 At kaniyang ibinadya ang kaniyang talinghaga, at sinabi, Tumindig ka, Balac, at iyong dinggin; Makinig ka sa akin, ikaw anak ni Zippor:

19 Ang Dios ay hindi tao na magsisinungaling, Ni anak ng tao na magsisisi; Sinabi ba niya, at hindi niya gagawin? O sinalita ba niya, at hindi niya isasagawa?

20 Narito, ako'y tumanggap ng utos na magpala: At kaniyang pinagpala, at hindi ko na mababago.

21 Wala siyang nakitang kasamaan sa Jacob, Ni wala siyang nakitang kasamaan sa Israel: Ang Panginoon niyang Dios ay sumasa kaniya, At ang sigaw ng hari ay nasa gitna nila.

22 Dios ang naglalabas sa kanila sa Egipto; Siya'y may lakas na gaya ng mabangis na toro.

23 Tunay na walang enkanto laban sa Jacob, Ni panghuhula laban sa Israel: Ngayo'y sasabihin tungkol sa Jacob at sa Israel, Anong ginawa ng Dios!

24 Narito, ang bayan ay tumitindig na parang isang leong babae, At parang isang leon na nagpakataas: Siya'y hindi mahihiga hanggang sa makakain ng huli, At makainom ng dugo ng napatay.

25 At sinabi ni Balac kay Balaam, Ni huwag mo silang pakasumpain ni pakapagpalain.

26 Nguni't si Balaam ay sumagot at nagsabi kay Balac, Di ba isinaysay ko sa iyo, na sinasabi, Yaong lahat na sinasalita ng Panginoon, ay siya kong nararapat gawin?

27 At sinabi ni Balac kay Balaam, Halika ngayon, ipagsasama kita sa ibang dako; marahil ay kalulugdan ng Dios na iyong sumpain sila sa akin mula roon.

28 At ipinagsama ni Balac si Balaam sa taluktok ng Peor, na nakatungo sa ilang.

29 At sinabi ni Balaam kay Balac, Ipagtayo mo ako rito ng pitong dambana, at ipaghanda mo ako rito ng pitong toro at ng pitong tupang lalake.

30 At ginawa ni Balac gaya ng sinabi ni Balaam, at naghandog ng isang toro at ng isang tupang lalake sa bawa't dambana.

   

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 8273

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

8273. 'Jehovah is a man of war' means that the Lord provides protection against all evils and falsities, which come from the hells. This is clear from the meaning of 'a man of war' as one who fights against falsities and evils, that is, against the hells, and overcomes them, at this point one who provides a person protection against them. For as shown already, the Lord alone fights on behalf of a person and protects him when he is under attack from the hells; He does so constantly, especially in temptations, which are spiritual conflicts. The Lord is called 'a man of war', primarily because when He was in the world He fought alone, that is, all by Himself, against the hells, which at that time were for the most part open. They were attacking and attempting to bring under their control all without exception who were entering the next life. The reason why the devil's crew, that is, the hells, were prowling around in that way then was that the Divine passing through heaven, which was the Divine Human before the Lord's Coming, was not powerful enough to oppose the evils and falsities which had increased so enormously. Therefore the Divine was pleased to take upon Himself a Human Form and make it Divine. At the same time - through the conflicts to which He allowed Himself to be subjected - He cast the devil's crew into the hells, shut them in there, and made them subject to the heavens; also at the same time He restored the heavens themselves to order. These conflicts are the primary reason for calling the Lord 'a man of war'. And after them, when He had thereby conquered the hells and made Himself righteousness, He has been called such because with Divine power He provides people protection, doing so constantly, and especially in the conflicts brought by temptations.

[2] The truth that the Lord alone, all by Himself, fought against the hells and overcame them is presented in the following way in Isaiah,

Judgement is cast away backwards, and justice stands afar off, for truth has stumbled in the street, and uprightness cannot come in; while truth has been removed, and he who retreats from evil is insane. Jehovah saw, and it was evil in His eyes that there was no judgement. And He saw that there was no man (vir), and wondered that there was no intercessor therefore His own arm brought salvation to Him, and His righteousness lifted Him up. Consequently He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation upon His head. Isaiah 59:14-17.

This describes conditions at that time in both worlds and declares that the Lord all by Himself, alone, re-established things that were in a state of collapse. The like is stated elsewhere in the same prophet,

Who is this who comes from Edom, with spattered clothes from Bozra, He that is glorious in His apparel, marching in the vast numbers of His strength? I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save. I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples not a man (vir) was with Me. Consequently their victory 1 has been sprinkled on My clothes. For the day of vengeance was in My heart, and the year of My redeemed had come. I had looked around, but there was no helper, and I wondered, but there was no one to uphold; therefore My own arm brought salvation to Me. Isaiah 63:1-5.

These quotations make it clear that when in the world, the Lord fought alone against the hells and overcame them.

[3] So far as conflicts with and victories over the hells are concerned, the truth is that anyone who overcomes them once does so for evermore; for through victory he gains power over them, since in the same measure he consolidates within himself, and makes his own, the good of love and the truth of faith against which the hells afterwards do not dare to attempt anything. When He was in the world the Lord allowed Himself to endure conflicts brought by temptations from all the hells, and through those conflicts He made Divine the Human within Him and at the same time reduced the hells to a state of obedience for evermore, see 1663, 1668, 1690, 1692, 1737, 1813, 1820, 2776, 2786, 2795, 2803, 2814, 2816, 4287. So it is that the Lord alone has power over the hells for ever, and with Divine power fights on behalf of a person. This now explains why the Lord is called 'a man of war' and also 'a mighty man', as again in Isaiah,

Jehovah will go forth as a mighty man, as a man of wars He will arouse zeal; He will prevail over His enemies. Isaiah 42:13.

And in David,

Who is this King of glory? Jehovah strong and a mighty man, Jehovah a mighty man of war. Who is this King of glory? Jehovah Zebaoth (Jehovah of Hosts or Armies). Psalms 24:8, 10.

[4] Wherever 'war' is mentioned in the Word, spiritual war against falsities and evils - or what amounts to the same thing, against the devil, that is, the hells - is meant in the internal sense, 1664, 2686. The wars or battles which the Lord fought against the hells are the subject in the internal sense both in the historical sections of the Word and in its prophetical parts; and no less the subject are the Lord's wars or battles fought on behalf of man. With the Ancients, with whom the Lord's Church existed, there also existed a Word, having both a historical section and a prophetical part, which is not extant at the present day. Its historical section was called The Book of the Wars of Jehovah and its prophetical part The Utterances. That Word is referred to in Moses, Numbers 21:14, 27. The fact that the expression used in Numbers 21:27 means prophetical utterances is evident from the meaning the expression is given at Numbers 23:7, 18; 24:3, 15. The Wars of Jehovah in that Word meant the Lord's battles against and His victories over the hells when He was in the world. They also meant the battles fought after that, and the everlasting victories won by Him, on behalf of man, the Church, and His kingdom. The hells desire constantly to puff themselves up, for they yearn only to dominate; but they are kept in check by the Lord alone. Their attempts to exert themselves are seen as bubbles boiling up or as a person arching his back. But every time they attempt such a thing a large number of them are cast further down.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. i.e. blood

  
/ 10837  
  

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

Ze Swedenborgových děl

 

Arcana Coelestia # 1691

Prostudujte si tuto pasáž

  
/ 10837  
  

1691. That 'a mountain' means self-love and love of the world becomes clear from the meaning of 'a mountain', dealt with immediately below. All evil and falsity arise from self-love and love of the world; they have no other origin. Indeed self-love and love of the world are the reverse of celestial and spiritual love. And being the reverse they are loves which endeavour all the time to destroy the celestial and spiritual things of God's kingdom. From self-love and love of the world all kinds of hatred arise, and from hatred all kinds of revenge and cruelty, and from both the former and the latter all kinds of deception, in short, all the hells.

[2] That 'mountains' in the Word means self-love and love of the world becomes clear from the following places: In Isaiah,

The eyes of man's (homo) loftiness will be humbled, and the height of men (homo) brought low; the day of Jehovah Zebaoth will be against everyone that is lofty and high, against all high mountains, and against all hills that are lifted up, and against every lofty tower. Isaiah 2:11-12, 14-15.

'High mountains' plainly stands for self-love, and 'hills that are lifted up' for love of the world.

[3] In the same prophet,

Every valley will be lifted up, and every mountain and hill made low. Isaiah 40:4.

This too plainly stands for self-love and love of the world. In the same prophet,

I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up every plant on them. Isaiah 42:15.

Here similarly 'mountains' stands for self-love, and 'hills' for love of the world. In Ezekiel,

The mountains will be overturned, and the terraced ridges will fall, and every wall will fall to the ground. Ezekiel 38:20.

[4] In Jeremiah,

Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, destroying the whole earth, and I will stretch out My hand against you and roll you down from the rocks and make you into a mountain of burning. Jeremiah 51:25.

This refers to Babel and Chaldea, which, as shown already, mean self-love and love of the world. In the Song of Moses,

A fire has flared up in My anger, and will burn right down to the lowest hell, and will devour the land and its increase, and will set on fire the foundations of the mountains. Deuteronomy 32:22.

'The foundations of the mountains' stands for the hells, as is explicitly stated. They are called 'the foundations of the mountains' because self-love and love of the world reign there and have their origin in them.

[5] In Jonah,

The waters surrounded me, even to my soul, the deep closed around me, seaweed was wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the bars of the land were upon me for ever. Yet You brought up my life 1 from the pit, O Jehovah my God. Jonah 2:5-6.

The Lord's temptations against the hells are described in this prophetic manner by Jonah when in the stomach of the great fish, as also in other parts of the Word, especially in David. A person undergoing temptation is within the hells. Being in the hells is not at all a question of place but of state.

[6] Since 'mountains' and 'towers' mean self-love and love of the world, it may therefore become clear what is meant by the reference to the Lord being led by the devil on to a high mountain and on to the pinnacle of the temple, namely that He was led into conflicts that constitute temptations - the most extreme conflicts of all - against self-love and love of the world, that is, against the hells. Mountains are also used, as is usual, in the contrary sense; in that sense they mean celestial and spiritual love, as shown already in 795, 796.

Poznámky pod čarou:

1. literally, my lives

  
/ 10837  
  

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