La Biblia

 

Nombroj 23

Estudio

   

1 Kaj Bileam diris al Balak:Konstruu al mi cxi tie sep altarojn, kaj pretigu al mi cxi tie sep bovidojn kaj sep virsxafojn.

2 Kaj Balak faris, kiel diris Bileam; kaj Balak kaj Bileam oferis po unu bovido kaj po unu virsxafo sur cxiu altaro.

3 Kaj Bileam diris al Balak:Staru cxe via brulofero, kaj mi iros; eble la Eternulo venos al mi renkonte, kaj kion Li montros al mi, tion mi diros al vi. Kaj li iris sur la altajxon.

4 Kaj Dio renkontigxis al Bileam, kaj cxi tiu diris al Li:La sep altarojn mi pretigis, kaj mi oferis po unu bovido kaj po unu virsxafo sur cxiu altaro.

5 Kaj la Eternulo enmetis vorton en la busxon de Bileam, kaj diris:Reiru al Balak kaj parolu tiel.

6 Kaj li revenis al tiu, kaj jen tiu staras cxe sia brulofero, li kaj cxiuj cxefoj de Moab.

7 Kaj li komencis sian inspiritajxon, kaj diris: El Aram venigis min Balak, Regxo de Moab, el la montoj orientaj: Venu, malbenu al mi Jakobon, Kaj venu, malbondiru kontraux Izrael.

8 Kiel mi tiun malbenos, kiun ne malbenas Dio? Kiel mi tiun malbondiros, kiun ne malbondiras la Eternulo?

9 De la supro de rokoj mi vidas lin, Kaj de altajxoj mi rigardas lin; Jen la popolo logxas aparte Kaj ne estas kalkulata inter la nacioj.

10 Kiu kalkulis la polvon de Jakob Kaj la nombron de kvarono de Izrael? Mortu mia animo per la morto de justuloj, Kaj mia fino estu simila al ilia!

11 Tiam Balak diris al Bileam:Kion vi faris al mi? por malbeni miajn malamikojn mi prenis vin, kaj jen vi ilin benas.

12 Kaj li respondis kaj diris:CXu ne tion, kion la Eternulo metas en mian busxon, mi devas precize diri?

13 Kaj Balak diris al li:Venu do kun mi al alia loko, de kiu vi ilin vidos; nur ilian parton vi vidos, la tutan vi ilin ne vidos; kaj malbenu ilin al mi de tie.

14 Kaj li prenis lin sur la kampon de cxirkauxrigardantoj, sur la supron de Pisga, kaj li konstruis sep altarojn kaj oferis po unu bovido kaj unu virsxafo sur cxiu altaro.

15 Kaj li diris al Balak:Staru cxi tie cxe via brulofero, kaj mi iros renkonte tien.

16 Kaj la Eternulo renkontigxis al Bileam kaj metis vorton en lian busxon, kaj diris:Reiru al Balak kaj parolu tiel.

17 Kaj li venis al li, kaj jen li staras cxe sia brulofero, kaj kun li la cxefoj de Moab. Kaj Balak diris al li:Kion parolis la Eternulo?

18 Kaj li komencis sian inspiritajxon, kaj diris: Levigxu, Balak, kaj auxskultu; Atentu min, filo de Cipor.

19 Dio ne estas homo, ke Li mensogus, Kaj ne homido, ke Li pentus. CXu Li dirus kaj ne farus, Parolus kaj ne plenumus?

20 Jen beno estas komisiita al mi; Li benas, kaj mi ne povas tion sxangxi.

21 Li ne vidis pekon cxe Jakob, Kaj Li ne rimarkis malpiecon cxe Izrael; La Eternulo, lia Dio, estas kun li, Kaj regxa aklamado estas cxe li.

22 Dio, kiu elkondukis ilin el Egiptujo, Estas por ili kiel la forto de bubalo.

23 CXar ne ekzistas sorcxado en Jakob, Nek auxgurado en Izrael; Siatempe estas dirate al Jakob kaj al Izrael, kion faras Dio.

24 Jen la popolo starigxas kiel leonino Kaj levigxas kiel leono; GXi ne kusxigxos, antaux ol gxi mangxos rabakiron Kaj antaux ol gxi trinkos sangon de mortigitoj.

25 Kaj Balak diris al Bileam:Nek per malbeno malbenu ilin, nek per beno benu ilin.

26 Sed Bileam respondis kaj diris al Balak:CXu mi ne diris al vi, ke cxion, kion diros la Eternulo, tion mi faros?

27 Kaj Balak diris al Bileam:Venu, mi prenos vin sur alian lokon; eble placxos al Dio, kaj vi malbenos ilin al mi de tie.

28 Kaj Balak prenis Bileamon sur la supron de Peor, kiu estas turnita al la dezerto.

29 Kaj Bileam diris al Balak:Konstruu al mi cxi tie sep altarojn, kaj pretigu al mi cxi tie sep bovidojn kaj sep virsxafojn.

30 Kaj Balak faris, kiel diris Bileam, kaj oferis po unu bovido kaj po unu virsxafo sur cxiu altaro.

   

Comentario

 

Moab

  

In Numbers 22:4, 7 and Jeremiah 48:38, Moab signifies people in natural good who easily permit themselves to be led astray. (Arcana Coelestia 3242[3], 10184[2]) In an opposite sense, it signifies people who adulterate what is good. 'Moab and Ammon' signify people with whom good is adulterated and truth falsified.

(Referencias: Arcana Coelestia 3242)


De obras de Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #3242

Estudiar este pasaje

  
/ 10837  
  

3242. 'And the sons of Midian, Ephah and Epher, and Enoch, and Abida, and Eldaah' means the derivatives from the third division. This becomes clear from the representation of 'Midian' as those governed by the truth of faith, to be dealt with below; and since those governed by the truth of faith are 'Midian', it follows that 'sons' are derivatives from it. With regard to those governed by the truth of faith the position is that no one is admitted into the Lord's kingdom except him with whom the good of faith is present since the good of faith is the life of faith. The life of faith remains, but not the doctrine of faith except insofar as it makes one with life. Nevertheless people governed by the truth of faith, that is, who profess faith and refer to it as the essential thing because they have been taught that it is, but who, in spite of that teaching have goodness of life, that is, who are Christians in their hearts and not just on their lips, are in the Lord's spiritual kingdom. For anyone can easily be made to believe that faith is the essential thing if such an idea is handed on to him by teachers and at an early age he becomes steeped in that way of thinking. He is also made to believe because those who are reputed to be very learned, even church-leaders, say the same, some of whom are afraid to talk about the good of life because when life is the criterion they stand condemned, and also - in addition - because matters of faith, when they display themselves, are perceptible, whereas matters of charity are less so. Those therefore who are governed by the truth of faith, and yet also by the good of life are called Midian. But the truths which govern their lives are 'the sons of Midian'.

[2] Just as those in whom the truth of faith is joined to the good of that faith are meant by Midian so also in the contrary sense Midian means those under the influence of falsity because the good of life is lacking in them - as becomes clear from the following: In Isaiah,

A drove of camels will cover you, dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba will come. They will bring gold and frankincense, and will proclaim the praises of Jehovah. Isaiah 60:6.

This refers to the Lord's spiritual kingdom. 'Dromedaries of Midian and Ephah' stands for matters of doctrine. Matters of doctrine concerning good are meant by 'gold', those concerning truth by 'frankincense'; and both by 'the praises of Jehovah'. From this also it is evident what 'Ephah' means. 'The Midianites' who pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him to Ishmaelites, and to Potiphar in Egypt, Genesis 37:28, 36, means people governed by truth coupled to simple good, as will in the Lord's Divine mercy be seen later on when those verses are dealt with.

[3] As regards 'Midian' also meaning those under the influence of falsity because the good of life is lacking in them, this may be seen from what is said about Midian in Moses,

The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian with deceptions in their hand came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak. Numbers 22:4, 7, and following verses.

In the good sense 'Moab' stands for people with whom natural good exists and who easily allow themselves to be misled, but in the contrary sense stands for those who adulterate goods, 2468. 'Midian' in the good sense, as has been stated, stands for those who are governed by truth coupled to simple good, and so who are easily led to believe things, but in the contrary sense, as here, stands for those who falsify truths. Falsifications are meant by 'deceptions in their hand', and deeds which are the product of falsities by their sending to Balaam to act against the children of Israel, who are the goods, and from these the truths, of faith.

[4] The acts of whoredom committed by the sons of Israel with Midianite women which brought about the plague that Phinehas checked by running through with his spear the Midianite woman and the Israelite man in the brothel, Numbers 25:6-8, and following verses, has a similar meaning, for acts of whoredom represented falsifications of truth, 2466, 2729. And because falsifications of truth are what are meant in the internal sense by acts of whoredom, therefore by command twelve thousand of the children of Israel assailed them, killed their kings, all the males, and the women they had taken captive who had had carnal knowledge of a man, and divided the booty among themselves, Numbers 25:16-17; 31:1-end. The reason why 'twelve thousand' were involved was that 'twelve' means all things of faith, 577, 2089, 2129 (end), 2130 (end), by means of which falsities are destroyed. 'The kings' they killed are falsities, as also are 'the males', 'the women who had had carnal knowledge of a man' are affections for falsity, and 'the booty' which consisted of gold, silver, and cattle, are truths that have been falsified. From this it is evident that every single thing mentioned there is representative of the punishment and destruction of falsity by means of truths.

[5] The same is meant by the facts related about the Midianites in the Book of Judges,

Because the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of Jehovah they were given into the hand of Midian for seven years.

On account of Midian the children of Israel made dens for themselves in the mountains, also caves, and strongholds. And whenever Israel put in seed, Midian and Amalek and the sons of the east came up and destroyed the produce of their land.

After that they were liberated by Gideon by means of the three hundred who had lapped water with their tongue like a dog, whereas those who had sunk down on their knees to drink had been sent home.

Further references to them, in addition to these, are made in Genesis 6 Chapters-8.

Here too every single detail is representative of the falsification of truth, and on that account of punishment even to the point of their being destroyed by the kind of things meant by 'lapping water with their tongue like a dog'. But what each detail means in the internal sense would take too long to explain here. All this will in the Lord's Divine mercy be dealt with in its proper place. In Habakkuk,

He looked and scattered the nations, and the mountains of time were dissolved, and the hills of old sank down. Below Aven I saw the tents of Cushan, the curtains of the land of Midian trembled. Habakkuk 3:6-7.

This refers to the Coming of the Lord. 'The tents of Cushan' stands for a religion raised up out of evil, 'the curtains of the land of Midian' for a religion raised up out of falsity.

  
/ 10837  
  

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