39
Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the isles, shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.
Jeremiah 50:39
Arcana Coelestia # 4117
4117. 'And he set his face towards mount Gilead' means good within it. This is clear from the meaning of 'mount' as the celestial element of love, which is good, dealt with in 795, 1430, to which the good meant by 'Jacob' was joined - 'Gilead' meaning the essential nature of it. Since the river was the boundary and, as has been stated, meant the first phase of the joining together, 'mount Gilead', which lay in this part away from the Jordan, means the good involved in that first stage of the joining together.
[2] The land of Gilead where the mountain was situated lay within the confines of the land of Canaan understood in a wide sense. It was situated on this side of the Jordan, and was granted as an inheritance to the Reubenites and the Gadites, and in particular to the half-tribe of Manasseh. And since the inheritances stretched out that far, it is said that it was situated within the confines of the land of Canaan understood in a wide sense. The fact that this territory was granted as an inheritance to those tribes is clear in Moses, Numbers 32:1, 26-41; Deuteronomy 3:8, 10-16; Joshua 13:24-31. For this reason when the land of Canaan was envisaged in its entirety it was said to stretch from Gilead even to Dan, and in another sense from Beersheba even to Dan, for Dan also was a boundary, 1710, 3923. Regarding its stretching from Beersheba even to Dan, see 2858, 2859; and reference to its doing so from Gilead to Dan occurs in Moses,
Moses went up from the plains of Moab onto mount Nebo, the top of Pisgah, which is in the direction of Jericho. There Jehovah showed him the whole land, Gilead even to Dan. Deuteronomy 34:1.
And in the Book of Judges,
Gilead dwelling at the crossing of the Jordan; and Dan, why will he fear ships? Judges 5:17.
[3] Because it was a boundary, 'Gilead' in the spiritual sense means the good that comes first, which is that of the bodily senses, for it is the good or delight of the senses that a person who is being regenerated is introduced into first of all. This is the sense in which 'Gilead' is taken in the Prophets, as in Jeremiah 8:22; 22:6; 46:11; 50:19; Ezekiel 47:18; Obad. verse 19; Micah 7:14; Zechariah 10:10; Psalms 60:7; and in the contrary sense, in Hosea 6:8; 12:11.
Psalms 22
1
To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2
O my God, I cry in the day-time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
3
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4
Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5
They cried to thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
6
But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
7
All they that see me deride me: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8
He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
9
But thou art he that brought me forth into life: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
10
I was cast upon thee from my birth: thou art my God from the time I was born.
11
Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12
Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13
They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15
My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17
I may number all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18
They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19
But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20
Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21
Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22
I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23
Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24
For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.
25
My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26
The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27
All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28
For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.
29
All they that are fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30
A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31
They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
