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Γένεση 35:14

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14 Και εστησεν ο Ιακωβ στηλην εν τω τοπω οπου ελαλησε μετ' αυτου, στηλην λιθινην· και εκαμεν επ' αυτην σπονδην και επεχυσεν επ' αυτην ελαιον.

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Arcana Coelestia #4606

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4606. 'And Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun' means the essential characteristics of these, that is to say, of external Divine Goods and Truths. This is clear from the representation of each of these sons - from the representation of 'Simeon' in the highest sense as providence, in the internal sense faith within the will, and in the external sense obedience, dealt with in 3869-3872; of 'Levi' in the highest sense as love and mercy, in the internal sense charity or spiritual love, and in the external sense a joining together, dealt with in 3875, 3877; of 'Judah' in the highest sense as the Divinity of the Lord's Love, in the internal sense the Lord's celestial kingdom, and in the more exterior sense doctrine from the Word which the celestial Church has, dealt with in 3881; of 'Issachar' in the highest sense as Divine Good wedded to Truth, and Truth wedded to Good, in the internal sense heavenly conjugial love, and in the external sense mutual love, dealt with in 3956, 3957; and from the representation of 'Zebulun' in the highest sense as the Lord's Divine itself and His Divine Human, in the internal sense the heavenly marriage, and in the external sense conjugial love, dealt with in 3960, 3961. These are the essential characteristics within the Lord's external Divine Goods and Truths; but no one is able to explain how each one is present within them except him who dwells in heavenly light. For in that light they reveal themselves like the replies seen in the Urim and Thummim as flashes of light and fire, from which answers given by the Lord were perceived. For the Urim and Thummim contained twelve precious stones in conformity with the twelve tribes of Israel.

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

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Arcana Coelestia #3956

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3956. 'And Leah said, God has given me my reward, because I gave my servant-girl to my husband' in the highest sense means Divine Good wedded to Truth, and Truth wedded to Good; in the internal sense heavenly conjugial love; and in the external sense mutual love. This becomes clear from the meaning of 'reward'. 'Reward' is mentioned in various places in the Word, but few know what is meant there by 'reward'. It is well known in the Churches that man can merit nothing through the good deeds which he performs, for the good deeds which he performs are not his but the Lord's, and that merit-seeking or the earning of merit has man himself in view and so joins itself to self-love and to thought of superiority over others, consequently to contempt for others. Works therefore which are done for the sake of reward are not good in themselves since they do not spring from a genuine source, that is to say, out of charity towards the neighbour. Charity towards the neighbour holds within itself the desire that the neighbour will fare as well as oneself, and in the case of the angels the desire that he will fare better than themselves. Such is the nature of the affection that goes with charity. Consequently the affection that goes with charity loathes all idea of merit and so every good action done with a view to reward. Reward for people who have charity consists in their having the ability to do good, in being allowed to do it, and in the recipient's willing acceptance of it. This is the actual delight, indeed blessing, that is present with people with whom the affection that goes with charity exists.

[2] This shows what is meant by 'reward' which is mentioned in the Word, namely the delight and blessing belonging to the affection that goes with charity, or what amounts to the same, the delight and blessing belonging to mutual love, 3816, for the affection that goes with charity is one and the same as mutual love; see what has been stated already on these matters in 1110, 1111, 1774, 1835, 1877, 2027, 2273, 2340, 2373, 2400. From these paragraphs it is evident that at this point 'reward' in the external sense means mutual love. In the sense higher than this, which is the internal sense, 'reward' means heavenly conjugial love, as may be seen from what has been stated already about the heavenly marriage in 2618, 2739, 2741, 2803, 3024 (end), 3132, 3952 - that is to say, it is the joining together of good and truth, and mutual love is the offspring of that conjunction or marriage, 2737, 2738. From all this one may see that in the internal sense 'reward' means heavenly conjugial love.

[3] As regards 'reward' meaning in the highest sense Divine Good wedded to Truth, and Truth wedded to Good, this is evident from the fact that from these comes the heavenly marriage. For that union of the two exists within the Lord and proceeds from Him; and when it passes into heaven, the conjugial relationship between good and truth is effected, and through this relationship mutual love exists. From what has been stated here and in what has gone before one may see what is meant in the internal sense by these words spoken by Leah, 'God has given me my reward, because I gave my servant-girl to my husband'; 'a servant-girl' has meant an affirmative means that serves in the joining together of the external man and the internal man, 3913, 3917, 3931. So until those things meant by the sons of the servant-girls have been affirmed and acknowledged no joining together of good and truth, and so no mutual love, is able to come about, for those affirmations must of necessity come first. These are the considerations meant by these words.

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