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Arcana Coelestia #3795

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3795. 'For she was a shepherdess' or one who feeds the flock means that the affection for interior truth contained in the Word is that which teaches. This is clear from the meaning of 'a shepherd' or one who feeds the flock 1 as one who leads and teaches, dealt with in 343, and from the representation of Rachel, to whom 'she' refers here, as the affection for interior truth, dealt with just above in 3793. The reason why interior truth is said to come from the Word is that it was the well to which Rachel came with the flock - 'a well' meaning the Word, see 3765. What is more, it is the affection for interior truth that teaches, for it is by virtue of that affection that the Church is the Church and a shepherd or pastor is a pastor. The reason 'a shepherd' and one who feeds the flock means in the Word those who lead and teach is that 'the flock' means those who are led and taught, and therefore means Churches and also the doctrines which a Church teaches, 3767, 3768, 3783. The fact that shepherd or pastor and flock have these meanings is very well known in the Christian world, for these are the terms used for those who teach and those who learn. It is therefore superfluous to confirm these points from the Word.

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1. The Latin word pastor, translated shepherdess above, is used of anyone - male or female - who tends a flock or herd. But in the original Hebrew the word is taken to be feminine.

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

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Arcana Coelestia #10705

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10705. 'And the children of Israel saw Moses' face, that the skin of Moses' face was gleaming' means that the Israelite nation did, it is true, acknowledge the presence in the Word of something inward, but that they had no wish to know the nature of it. This is clear from the meaning of 'seeing' as perception, understanding, and faith, dealt with in 2150, 2325, 2807, 3764, 3863, 3869, 4403-4421, 4567, 4723, 5114, 5400, 6805, 7650, 9128, consequently acknowledgement as well, 897, 3796; from the meaning of 'the face of Moses' as the inward things of the Word, dealt with above in 10703; and from the meaning of 'the gleaming of the skin of his face' as the shining forth of what is inward in what is outward, also dealt with above in 10703. It is well known that this nation acknowledges the presence in the Word of something inward, for they speak of the concealment of Divine arcana or secrets there within every letter. But when they are told that those secrets have regard to the Lord, to His kingdom in heaven and on earth, and to loving Him and believing in Him, they do not wish to know these things. This is what should be understood when it is said that this nation did, it is true, acknowledge the presence in the Word of something inward, but that they had no wish to know the nature of it. This also accounts for what is stated next, that Moses drew the veil back over his face, meaning that therefore what was inward was closed off from them.

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

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Arcana Coelestia #8069

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8069. 'For with a strong hand Jehovah has brought you out of Egypt' means that they were delivered by Divine power. This is clear from the meaning of 'the strong hand of Jehovah' as the Lord's Divine power, and from the meaning of 'bringing out' as delivering, both of which are dealt with above in 8050.

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