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Exodus 19

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1 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone forth out of the land of Egypt, on that same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.

2 When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain.

3 Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him out of the mountain, saying, "This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:

4 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to myself.

5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine;

6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."

7 Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Yahweh commanded him.

8 All the people answered together, and said, "All that Yahweh has spoken we will do." Moses reported the words of the people to Yahweh.

9 Yahweh said to Moses, "Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever." Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh.

10 Yahweh said to Moses, "Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments,

11 and be ready against the third day; for on the third day Yahweh will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai.

12 You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, 'Be careful that you don't go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death.

13 No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live.' When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain."

14 Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

15 He said to the people, "Be ready by the third day. Don't have sexual relations with a woman."

16 It happened on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.

17 Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain.

18 Mount Sinai, all it, smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.

19 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.

20 Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

21 Yahweh said to Moses, "Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish.

22 Let the priests also, who come near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break forth on them."

23 Moses said to Yahweh, "The people can't come up to Mount Sinai, for you warned us, saying, 'Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it.'"

24 Yahweh said to him, "Go down and you shall bring Aaron up with you, but don't let the priests and the people break through to come up to Yahweh, lest he break forth on them."

25 So Moses went down to the people, and told them.

   

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Arcana Coelestia # 8814

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8814. 'And a heavy cloud on the mountain' means the Divine state in relation to those about to receive. This is clear from the meaning of 'a cloud' as truth adjusted for those about to receive, that is, the Word in the letter, dealt with in 8443, 8781, at this point God's truth adjusted for the people descended from Jacob. Because they were in great darkness so far as God's truths were concerned, 'a heavy cloud' is spoken of here, 'in the thickness of a cloud' above in verse 9, and the smoke of the fire 'like the smoke of a furnace' in verse 18 below. How much darkness they were in may be recognized from what has been mentioned above regarding that nation in 8788, and also from the consideration that things involving the internal man were not revealed to them, only those involving the external. For they did not apprehend or have any wish to apprehend internal things, because these were contrary to their kinds of love, which were that they should be highest of all in the world and also richest of all, and that all nations elsewhere should be as nothing in comparison with themselves. Where these kinds of love prevail heavenly kinds cannot be received, for the former snuff out and smother the latter. This is the reason why Jehovah, that is, the Lord, appeared to them in a dense and heavy cloud. A similar situation exists in the next life, where those steeped in falsities arising from evil are surrounded by a dense, black cloud, how dense and black being determined by the nature and amount of the falsities. This sight appears before the eyes of everyone there; even so, the sun there is shining constantly. Regarding these matters, see what has been stated already in 6832, 8137, 8138. Ordinarily the Divine appears in the next life to everyone according to the nature of their faith and love.

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