323. Having every one harps, signifies confession from spiritual truths. This is evident from the signification of a "harp," as being confession from spiritual truths. This is signified by "harps," because the harp was a stringed instrument, and by such instruments spiritual things, or those that are of truth, are signified, while wind instruments signify celestial things, or those that are of good. Such things are signified by musical instruments because of their sounds, for sound corresponds to the affections; moreover in heaven affections are perceived by sounds; and because there are various affections, and various sounds are produced by musical instruments, therefore these instruments, by correspondence and consequent agreement, signify affections. In general, stringed instruments signify such things as belong to the affections of truth, and wind instruments such as belong to the affections of good; or, what is the same, some instruments belong to the spiritual class, and some to the celestial class. That sounds correspond to the affections has been made evident to me by much experience, so also musical tones; also that angels are affected in accordance with sounds and their variations; but to recite all such experience would occupy too much space. I will mention only, what is a matter of general observation, that discrete sounds excite the affections of truth, that is, those are affected by them who are in the affections of truth; while continuous sounds excite the affections of good, that is, those are affected by them who are in the affections of good. Whether you say the affections of truth or things spiritual, it is the same, or whether you say the affections of good or things celestial, it is the same. (But these things can be better comprehended from what has been related from experience respecting sounds and their correspondence with affections, in the work on Heaven and Hell 241.)

From this it can now be seen why in the Word, and especially in David, so many kinds of musical instruments are mentioned, as psalteries, harps, flutes, cymbals, timbrels, horns, organs, and others, namely, that it is because of their correspondence with the affections, and at the same time with articulations that are expressions containing things, and flowing from them.

[2] That harps especially signify the affections of truth because they excite such affections, consequently that they also signify confession made from spiritual truths with a cheerful heart, can be seen from the following passages. In Isaiah:

The new wine shall mourn, the vine shall languish, all the glad of heart shall sigh. The joy of timbrels shall cease, the noise of the merry shall leave off; the joy of the harp shall cease. They shall not drink wine with a song (Isaiah 24:7-9).

This treats of the vastation of the spiritual church, that is, of the good and truth thereof. Spiritual good, which is about to cease, is signified by "the new wine shall mourn," and "the joy of timbrels shall cease;" and that its truth is about to cease is signified by "the vine shall languish," and "the joy of the harp shall cease;" for "new wine" signifies spiritual good, and its joy is signified by the "timbrel;" and the "vine" signifies spiritual truth, and its joy is signified by the "harp." Since it is the affection of these that is about to cease, it is said, "all the glad of heart shall sigh," and "the noise of the merry shall leave off;" "gladness" and "mirth" in the Word signifying spiritual gladness and mirth, all of which are from the affections of truth and good. It is added, "they shall not drink wine with a song," because "song" signifies the testification of gladness from the affection of truth, and "wine" signifies truth.

[3] In David:

Confess unto Jehovah with the harp; sing psalms unto Him with the psaltery of ten strings. Sing unto Him a new song; play well with a loud noise. For the word of Jehovah is right; and His work is done in truth (Psalms 33:2-4).

As a "harp" signifies confession from spiritual truths, it is said, "confess unto Jehovah with the harp;" "a psaltery of ten strings" signifies the corresponding spiritual good; therefore it is said, "sing psalms unto Him upon a psaltery of ten strings;" and for the same reason also it is said, "for the word of Jehovah is right, and all His work is done in truth;" "the word of Jehovah is right" signifying the truth of good; "His work is done in truth" signifying the good of truth; the truth of good is the truth that proceeds from good, and the good of truth is the good which is produced by truth.

[4] In the same:

Send Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; let them bring me unto the mountain of holiness, and to Thy tabernacles, that I may confess unto Thee upon the harp, O God, my God (Psalms 43:3-4);

the "harp" evidently signifying confession from spiritual truths, for it is said "I will confess unto Thee with the harp, O God, my God;" and it is also said before, "send Thy light and Thy truth; let them lead me."

[5] In the same:

I will confess unto Thee with the instrument of psaltery, even Thy truth, O my God; unto Thee will I sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel (Psalms 71:22).

As the "psaltery" signifies spiritual good, that is, the good of truth, and the "harp" spiritual truth, that is, the truth of good, and confession is made from each, it is said, "I will confess unto Thee with the instrument of psaltery; unto Thee will I sing with the harp."

[6] In the same:

I will sing, and I will sing psalms. Arouse me, ¹ my glory, arouse me, psaltery and harp. I will confess unto Thee, O Lord, among the nations, I will sing psalms unto Thee among the peoples (Psalms 57:7-9; 108:1-3).

Confession and glorification from the good of truth or from spiritual good, and from truth of good or from spiritual truth, are expressed in these several things, the good of truth by "singing," "being aroused by the psaltery," and "confessing among the nations;" and the truth of good by "singing psalms," "being aroused by the harp," and "singing psalms among the peoples;" for "nations" in the Word mean those who are in good, and "peoples" those who are in truth; here those in spiritual truth. It is so said because where good is spoken of, in the Word, truth also is spoken of, and this because of the marriage of these in every particular of the Word (See above, n. 238 end, 288).

[7] In the same:

Answer unto Jehovah by confession; sing psalms with the harp unto our God (Psalms 147:7).

Here also confession from spiritual good and from spiritual truth is expressed by "answer unto Jehovah by confession," and "sing psalms with the harp unto our God;" from spiritual good by "answer unto Jehovah;" and from spiritual truth by "sing psalms with the harp unto God;" "Jehovah" being used where good is treated of, and "God" where truth is treated of (See Arcana Coelestia n. 709, 732, 2586, 2769, 2807, 2822, 3921, 4287, 4402, 7010, 9167).

[8] In Ezekiel:

I will cause the noise of the songs to cease; and the voice of thy harps shall be no more heard; I will give thee to the parchedness of the cliff (Ezekiel 26:13-14).

This is said of Tyre, which signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of good and truth. Its vastation is described by these words; the vastation in respect to the knowledges of good by "I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease;" and the vastation in respect to the knowledges of truth by "the voice of harps shall be no more heard;" desolation of all truth by "I will give thee to the parchedness of the cliff;" "cliff" signifying truth, and its "parchedness" desolation.

[9] In David:

Make a loud noise unto Jehovah, all the earth; break forth, shout for joy, and sing psalms. Sing psalms unto Jehovah with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and the sound of a cornet, make a loud noise before the King, Jehovah (Psalms 98:4-6).

The various kinds of affections from which the Lord is confessed and glorified are here expressed by various kinds of sounds and instruments; the various kinds of sounds in "making a loud noise," "breaking forth," "shouting for joy," and "singing psalms," and the various kinds of instruments, by "harps," "trumpets," and "cornets;" but to explain the signification of the particulars is not in place here, but only what relates to the harp. "To sing unto Jehovah with the harp, with the harp and the voice of a psalm," signifies confession from the affection of spiritual good and truth; for every affection, since it is from love, when it falls into sound, produces a sound in accord with itself; consequently from the sound that is in the speech, and in which, as it were, the expressions of speech flow, the affection of the other is heard, and thus becomes known to his companion; this is manifestly so in the spiritual world, where all sounds of speech make manifest the affections.

[10] So elsewhere in David, as the following:

Shout for joy unto God our strength; make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob. Lift up the psalm and strike the timbrel, the pleasant harp, with the psaltery. Blow the cornet at the new moon (Psalms 81:1-3).

It is good to confess unto Jehovah, and to sing psalms unto Thy name, O Most High; with an instrument of ten strings, and with the psaltery; and with resounding music on the harp (Psalms 92:1-3).

Let the sons of Zion exult in their King; let them praise His name in the dance; let them sing psalms unto Him with the timbrel and harp (Psalms 149:2-3).

Praise God with the sound of the cornet; praise Him with the psaltery and harp; praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and organ. Praise Him with cymbals of soft sound; praise Him with cymbals of loud sound (Psalms 150:3-5).

[11] Because musical instruments and also dances signify varieties of joy and gladness that spring from the affections, as well as the affections themselves of the mind which their sounds excite, both singly and in combination, therefore:

David and the whole house of Israel played before Jehovah upon wooden instruments of every kind, and upon harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels; and on sistra, and on cymbals (2 Samuel 6:5).

[12] Because the "harp" signifies confession from spiritual truths, and spiritual truths are those by which angels who are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom are affected, and which disperse the falsities of evil, and with these the spirits themselves who are in them, so:

When the evil spirit was upon Saul, David took a harp and played with his hand; and so rest was given to Saul, and the evil spirit departed from him (1 Samuel 16:23).

This was done because kings represented the Lord in respect to the spiritual kingdom, and therefore signified spiritual truths (See above, n. 31); but Saul then represented the falsities that are opposed to these truths; and these were dispersed by the sound of the harp, because the "harp" signified the spiritual affection of truth. This then took place because with the sons of Israel all things were representative and thus significative; it is otherwise at this day. From the passages here quoted it can be seen what the "harp" signifies, also in other places (as Isaiah 30:31, 32; Psalms 49:3, 4; 137:1, 2; 1 Samuel 10:5; Revelation 14:2; 18:22; Job 30:31).

[13] As most things in the Word have also a contrary meaning, so do musical instruments, in which sense they signify varieties of gladness and joy that spring from the affections of falsity and evil; thus the "harp" signifies the confession of falsity and the consequent exultation over the destruction of truth. As in Isaiah:

At the end of seventy years the song of Tyre shall be even as the song of a harlot; take a harp, walk in the city, thou harlot delivered over to forgetfulness; play elegantly, multiply the song (Isaiah 23:15-16).

"Tyre" signifies the church in respect to the knowledges of spiritual truth and good (as was said above), here the church in which these are falsified; "harlot" signifies the falsification of truth (See above, n. 141); and "to take a harp, walk in the city," "play elegantly, and multiply the song," signifies the exultation and boasting of falsity over the destruction of truth.

[14] In the same:

Woe to them that rise early in the morning that they may follow strong drink; to them that tarry until twilight till the wine inflame them. And the harp and the psaltery and the timbrel and the pipe and wine are at their feasts; but they do not look upon the work of Jehovah, and they see not the working of His hands (Isaiah 5:11-12).

Here "harp," "psaltery," "timbrel," "pipe," and also "wine," have the contrary meaning, in which they signify exultation and boastings from the falsities of evil. Such is evidently the meaning, for it is said, "Woe to them; they do not look upon the work of Jehovah, and they see not the working of His hands."

Poznámky pod čarou:

10176. [10175(a)] Exodus 30

1. And you shall make an altar for burning incense; with pieces of shittim wood you shall make it.

2. A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth; square shall it be. And two cubits shall its height be. Its horns shall be of one piece with it ¹ .

3. And you shall overlay it with pure gold, its roof and its walls ² round about and its horns; and you shall make for it a rim of gold round about.

4. And two rings of gold you shall make for it under its rim on its two ribs; you shall make [them] on its two sides. And they shall serve as ³ receptacles for the poles, to carry it on them.

5. And you shall make the poles from pieces of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.

6. And you shall put it before the veil that is over the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy-seat which is above the Testimony, where I will meet with you.

7. And Aaron shall burn on it incense of spices morning by morning ⁴ ; when adorning ⁵ the lamps he shall burn it.

8. And when Aaron causes the lamps to go up ⁶ between the evenings he shall burn it; incense shall be continual before Jehovah throughout ⁷ your generations.

9. You shall not cause strange ⁸ incense to go up on it, or a burnt offering, or a minchah; and you shall not pour a drink offering on it.

10. And Aaron shall make expiation on its horns once a year with the blood of the sin [offering] of expiations; once a year he shall make expiation on it throughout ⁷ your generations. It is the holy of holies ⁹ to Jehovah.

11. And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

12. When you take the sum of the children of Israel, as they have been numbered ¹⁰ , they shall give - each one - an expiation for his soul to Jehovah when they are numbered ¹¹ , that there may be no plague among them when they are numbered ¹⁰ .

13. This is what they shall give, everyone passing over to those who have been numbered - half a shekel according to the shekel of holiness (a shekel is twenty obols ¹² ). Half a shekel shall be the offering to Jehovah.

14. Everyone passing over to those who have been numbered, from a son of twenty years ¹³ and over, shall give the offering of Jehovah.

15. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel when they give the offering of Jehovah, to make expiation for your souls.

16. And you shall take the silver of expiations from the children of Israel, and give it to the work of the tent of meeting; and to the children of Israel it shall be as a remembrance before Jehovah, to make expiation for your souls.

17. And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

18. And you shall make a laver of bronze, and its pedestal from bronze, for washing; and you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.

19. And Aaron and his sons shall wash in it ¹⁴ their hands and their feet.

20. When they go into the tent of meeting they shall wash with water, that they may not die, or when they approach the altar to minister, to burn a fire offering to Jehovah.

21. And they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they may not die; and it shall be the statute of an age ¹⁵ to them - for him and his seed [throughout] their generations.

22. And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

23. And you, take for yourself the chief spices - the best myrrh, five hundred [shekels]; and sweet-smelling cinnamon, half of that, two hundred and fifty; and sweet-smelling calamus, two hundred and fifty;

24. And cassia, five hundred, according to the shekel of holiness; and olive oil, a hin.

25. And you shall make it a holy anointing oil ¹⁶ , a compounded ointment ¹⁷ , the work of an ointment-maker; it shall be the holy anointing oil ¹⁶ .

26. And with it you shall anoint the tent of meeting, and the ark of the Testimony,

27. And the table and all its vessels, and the lampstand and its vessels, and the altar of incense,

28. And the altar of burnt offering and all its vessels, and the laver and its pedestal.

29. And you shall sanctify them, and they shall be the holy of holies ¹⁷ ; everyone touching them will be sanctified.

30. And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them to serve Me in the priestly office.

31. And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, This shall be a holy anointing oil ¹⁹ to Me throughout ²⁰ your generations.

32. It shall not be poured onto the flesh of a person, and as to the composition of it, you shall not make any other like it ²¹ . It is holy; it shall be holy to you.

33. The man who makes an ointment like it, and he who puts any of it on a foreigner, shall be cut off from his people.

34. And Jehovah said to Moses, Take for yourself sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum - [these] sweet ones, and pure frankincense; amount for amount there shall be ²² .

35. And you shall make this an incense, an ointment, the work of an ointment-maker - salted, pure, holy.

36. And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Testimony in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. The holy of holies ²³ it shall be to you.

37. And the incense which you make, according to its composition ²⁴ , you shall not make for yourselves; it shall be to you holy for Jehovah.

38. The man who makes any like it, to make an odour with it, will be cut off from his people.

CONTENTS

This chapter deals with the altar of incense, the expiation of everyone by means of silver, the laver and washing [with water] from it, and the preparation of the anointing oil and of the incense. The burning of incense in the internal sense means the Lord, His hearing and receiving with pleasure everything of worship that springs from love and charity. Expiating every person by means of silver means ascribing everything of worship to the Lord and none of it to self, in order that no one may claim merit. The laver and washing mean the purification from evils that comes first in all worship. The preparation of the anointing oil means the essential nature of the love in worship, and the preparation of the incense the essential nature of worship arising from it.

THE INTERNAL SENSE

Verses 1-10 And you shall make an altar for burning incense; with pieces of shittim wood you shall make it. A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth; square shall it be. And two cubits shall its height be. Its horns shall be of one piece with it ²⁵ . And you shall overlay it with pure gold, its roof and its walls ²⁶ round about and its horns; and you shall make for it a rim of gold round about. And two rings of gold you shall make for it under its rim on its two ribs; you shall make [them] on its two sides. And they shall serve as receptacles for the poles, to carry it on them. And you shall make the poles from pieces of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. And you shall put it before the veil that is over the ark of the Testimony, before the mercy-seat which is above the Testimony, where I will meet with you. And Aaron shall burn on it incense of spices morning by morning ²⁷ ; when adorning ²⁸ the lamps he shall burn it. And when Aaron causes the lamps to go up ²⁹ between the evenings he shall burn it; incense shall be continual before Jehovah throughout ³⁰ your generations. You shall not cause strange ³¹ incense to go up on it, or a burnt offering, or a minchah; and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. And Aaron shall make expiation on its horns once a year with the blood of the sin [offering] of expiations; once a year he shall make expiation on it throughout ³⁰ your generations. It is the holy of holies ³² to Jehovah.

'And you shall make an altar for burning incense' means that which is representative of the Lord, of His hearing and receiving with pleasure everything of worship that springs from love and charity. 'With pieces of shittim wood you shall make it' means from love that is Divine. 'A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth' means consisting equally of good and of truth. 'Square shall it be' means that which is therefore perfect. 'And two cubits shall its height be' means degrees of the good and truth, and the joining together of them. 'Its horns shall be of one piece with it' means the powers of truth derived from the good of love and charity. 'And you shall overlay it with pure gold' means a representative sign of everything of worship that arises from good. 'Its roof' means what is inmost. 'Its walls' means inner levels. 'And its horns' means outer levels. 'And you shall make for it a rim of gold round about' means a border of good, serving to defend them from the approach of evils and the harm these can do. 'And two rings of gold you shall make for it under the rim' means the sphere of Divine Good by means of which a joining together and preservation are effected. 'On its two ribs' means with truths lying in one direction. 'You shall make [them] on its two sides' means with good lying in the other. 'And they shall serve as receptacles for the poles' means the power there of truth derived from good. 'To carry it on them' means the resulting preservation in that condition. 'And you shall make the poles from pieces of shittim wood' means the power derived from the good of the Lord's love. 'And overlay them with gold' means the founding of all things on good. 'And you shall put it before the veil that is over the ark of the Testimony' means in the inner heaven, at the point where it is joined to the inmost heaven. 'Before the mercy-seat which is above the Testimony' means where the Lord hears and receives everything of worship arising from the good of love. 'Where I will meet with you' means the resulting presence and influx of the Lord. 'And Aaron shall burn on it' means the raising up by the Lord of worship springing from love and charity. 'Incense of spices' means hearing and receiving with pleasure. 'Morning by morning' means whenever a state of love in clearness exists. 'When adorning the lamps he shall burn it' means whenever truth as well comes into its own light. 'And when Aaron causes the lamps to go up between the evenings he shall burn it' means the raising up also in an obscure state of love, when also truth exists in its shade. 'Incense shall be continual before Jehovah' means in all worship springing from love received from the Lord. 'Throughout your generations' means to eternity among those with faith springing from love. 'You shall not cause strange incense to go up on it' means no worship springing from any love other than that of the Lord. 'Or a burnt offering, or a minchah' means that nothing representative of regeneration by means of the truths and forms of good belonging to celestial love should be there. 'And you shall not pour a drink offering on it' means that nothing representative of regeneration by means of the truths and forms of good belonging to spiritual love should be there. 'And Aaron shall make expiation on its horns' means purification from evils by means of the truths of faith which spring from the good of love. 'Once a year' means everlastingly. 'With the blood of the sin [offering] of expiations' means by means of truths which spring from the good of innocence. 'Once a year he shall make expiation on it' means the everlasting removal of evils. 'Throughout your generations' means members of the Church with whom the truths and forms of the good of faith are present. 'It is the holy of holies to Jehovah' means since it comes from the Divine Celestial.

Poznámky pod čarou: