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Numbers 7

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1 And when Moses had put up the House completely, and had put oil on it and made it holy, with all the things in it, and had made the altar and all its vessels holy with oil;

2 Then the chiefs of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, made offerings; these were the chiefs of the tribes, who were over those who were numbered.

3 And they came with their offerings before the Lord, six covered carts and twelve oxen; a cart for every two of the chiefs, and for every one an ox.

4 And the Lord said to Moses,

5 Take the things from them, to be used for the work of the Tent of meeting; and give them to the Levites, to every man what is needed for his work.

6 So Moses took the carts and the oxen and gave them to the Levites.

7 Two carts and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon for their work;

8 And four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari for their work, under the direction of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.

9 But to the sons of Kohath he gave nothing; because they had the care of the holy place, taking it about on their backs.

10 And the chiefs gave an offering for the altar on the day when the holy oil was put on it; they made their offering before the altar.

11 And the Lord said to Moses, Let every chief on his day give his offering to make the altar holy.

12 And he who made his offering on the first day was Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah:

13 And his offering was one silver plate, a hundred and thirty shekels in weight, one silver basin of seventy shekels, by the scale of the holy place; the two of them full of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering;

14 One gold spoon of ten shekels, full of spice for burning;

15 One young ox, One male sheep, One he-lamb of the first year, for a burned offering;

16 One male of the goats for a sin-offering;

17 And for the peace-offerings, two oxen, five male sheep, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab.

18 On the second day Nethanel, the son of Zuar, chief of Issachar, made his offering:

19 He gave one silver plate, a hundred and thirty shekels in weight, one silver basin of seventy shekels, by the scale of the holy place; the two of them full of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering;

20 One gold spoon of ten shekels, full of spice;

21 One young ox, One male sheep, One he-lamb of the first year, for a burned offering;

22 One male of the goats for a sin-offering;

23 And for the peace-offerings, two oxen, five male sheep, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nethanel, the son of Zuar.

24 On the third day Eliab, the son of Helon, chief of the children of Zebulun:

25 His offering was one silver plate, a hundred and thirty shekels in weight, one silver basin of seventy shekels, by the scale of the holy place; the two of them full of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering;

26 One gold spoon of ten shekels, full of spice;

27 One young ox, One male sheep, One he-lamb of the first year, for a burned offering;

28 One male of the goats for a sin-offering;

29 And for the peace-offerings, two oxen, five male sheep, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliab, the son of Helon.

30 On the fourth day Elizur, the son of Shedeur, chief of the children of Reuben:

31 His offering was one silver plate, a hundred and thirty shekels in weight, one silver basin of seventy shekels, by the scale of the holy place; the two of them full of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering;

32 One gold spoon of ten shekels, full of spice;

33 One young ox, One male sheep, One he-lamb of the first year, for a burned offering;

34 One male of the goats for a sin-offering;

35 And for the peace-offerings, two oxen, five male sheep, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elizur, the son of Shedeur.

36 On the fifth day Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai, chief of the children of Simeon:

37 His offering was one silver plate, a hundred and thirty shekels in weight, one silver basin of seventy shekels, by the scale of the holy place; the two of them full of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering;

38 One gold spoon of ten shekels, full of spice;

39 One young ox, One male sheep, One he-lamb of the first year, for a burned offering;

40 One male of the goats for a sin-offering;

41 And for the peace-offerings, two oxen, five male sheep, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Shelumiel, the son of Zurishaddai.

42 On the sixth day Eliasaph, the son of Reuel, chief of the children of Gad:

43 His offering was one silver plate, a hundred and thirty shekels in weight, one silver basin of seventy shekels, by the scale of the holy place; the two of them full of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering;

44 One gold spoon of ten shekels, full of spice;

45 One young ox, One male sheep, One he-lamb of the first year, for a burned offering;

46 One male of the goats for a sin-offering;

47 And for the peace-offerings, two oxen, five male sheep, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliasaph, the son of Reuel

48 On the seventh day Elishama, the son of Ammihud, chief of the children of Ephraim:

49 His offering was one silver plate, a hundred and thirty shekels in weight, one silver basin of seventy shekels, by the scale of the holy place; the two of them full of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering;

50 One gold spoon of ten shekels, full of spice;

51 One young ox, One male sheep, One he-lamb of the first year, for a burned offering;

52 One male of the goats for a sin-offering;

53 And for the peace-offerings, two oxen, five male sheep, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elishama, the son of Ammihud.

54 On the eighth day Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur, chief of the children of Manasseh:

55 His offering was one silver plate, a hundred and thirty shekels in weight, one silver basin of seventy shekels, by the scale of the holy place; the two of them full of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering;

56 One gold spoon of ten shekels, full of spice;

57 One young ox, One male sheep, One he-lamb of the first year, for a burned offering;

58 One male of the goats for a sin-offering;

59 And for the peace-offerings, two oxen, five male sheep, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Gamaliel, the son of Pedahzur.

60 On the ninth day Abidan, the son of Gideoni, chief of the children of Benjamin:

61 His offering was one silver plate, a hundred and thirty shekels in weight, one silver basin of seventy shekels, by the scale of the holy place; the two of them full of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering;

62 One gold spoon of ten shekels, full of spice;

63 One young ox, One male sheep, One he-lamb of the first year for a burned offering;

64 One male of the goats for a sin-offering;

65 And for the peace-offerings, two oxen, five male sheep, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Abidan, the son of Gideoni.

66 On the tenth day Ahiezer; the son of Ammishaddai, chief of the children of Dan:

67 His offering was one silver plate, a hundred and thirty shekels in weight, one silver basin of seventy shekels, by the scale of the holy place; the two of them full of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering;

68 One gold spoon of ten shekels, full of spice;

69 One young ox, One male sheep, One he-lamb of the first year, for a burned offering;

70 One male of the goats for a sin-offering;

71 And for the peace-offerings, two oxen, five male sheep, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahiezer, the son of Ammishaddai.

72 On the eleventh day Pagiel, the son of Ochran, chief of the children of Asher:

73 His offering was one silver plate; a hundred and thirty shekels in weight, one silver basin of seventy shekels, by the scale of the holy place; the two of them full of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering;

74 One gold spoon of ten shekels, full of spice;

75 One young ox, One male sheep, One he-lamb of the first year, for a burned offering;

76 One male of the goats for a sin-offering;

77 And for the peace-offerings, two oxen, five male sheep, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Pagiel, the son of Ochran.

78 On the twelfth day Ahira, the son of Enan, chief of the children of Naphtali:

79 His offering was one silver plate, a hundred and thirty shekels in weight, one silver basin of seventy shekels, by the scale of the holy place; the two of them full of the best meal mixed with oil for a meal offering;

80 One gold spoon of ten shekels, full of spice;

81 One young ox, One male sheep, One he-lamb of the first year, for a burned offering;

82 One male of the goats for a sin-offering;

83 And for the peace-offerings, two oxen, five male sheep, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahira, the son of Enan.

84 These were the offerings given for the altar by the chiefs of Israel, when the holy oil was put on it: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve gold spoons;

85 The weight of every silver plate was a hundred and thirty shekels, and of every basin seventy; the weight of all the silver of the vessels was two thousand and four hundred shekels, by the scale of the holy place;

86 The weight of the twelve gold spoons of spice for burning was ten shekels for every one, by the scale of the holy place; all the gold of the spoons was a hundred and twenty shekels;

87 All the oxen, for the burned offering were twelve, the male sheep twelve, the he-lambs of the first year twelve, with their meal offering; and the males of the goats for sin-offering twelve;

88 And all the oxen for the peace-offerings, twenty-four oxen, the male sheep sixty, and the he-goats sixty, the he-lambs of the first year sixty. This was given for the altar after the holy oil was put on it.

89 And when Moses went into the Tent of meeting to have talk with him, then the Voice came to his ears from over the cover which was on the ark of witness, from between the two winged ones. And he had talk with him.

   

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Apocalypse Explained #283

Studere hoc loco

  
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283. Verse 8. And the four animals, each by itself, had six wings round about, signifies the appearance of the spiritual Divine on all sides about the celestial Divine. This is evident from the signification of the four animals, which were the cherubim, as being the Lord's Divine guard and providence that the higher heavens be not approached except from the good of love and of charity; and as this is the significance of the four animals as regards their bodies, they signify also the celestial Divine (of which presently). It is evident also from the signification of "six wings round about," as meaning the spiritual Divine round about the celestial Divine (of which also presently). The "cherubim" in respect to their bodies signify the celestial Divine, and in respect to their wings the spiritual Divine; because all things that represent heavenly things signify in respect to their bodies what is essential, and in respect to what is about them what is formal. So man also, in respect to his body signifies good in essence, and in respect to the encompassing things good in form. Celestial good is good in essence, and spiritual good is good in form; and this for the reason that the will, in which good resides, is man himself, or the man in essence; while the understanding in which is truth, which is the form of good, is the man thence derived, thus man in form; this good also is round about the other.

[2] But let it be told first what the celestial Divine is, and what the spiritual Divine is. The heavens are divided into two kingdoms, one of which is called the celestial kingdom, and the other the spiritual kingdom. They differ in this, that those in the celestial kingdom are in the good of love to the Lord, and those in the spiritual kingdom are in the good of charity towards the neighbor. Therefore the celestial Divine is the good of love to the Lord, and the spiritual Divine is the good of charity towards the neighbor. Moreover, according to these goods the heavens are arranged; the highest or third heaven consists of those who are in celestial good, or in the good of love to the Lord; and the heaven that succeeds this, and is called the middle or second heaven, consists of those who are in spiritual good, or in the good of charity towards the neighbor; and as celestial good is good in the highest place, and spiritual good is good in the second place, therefore the latter is round about the former; for that which is above is also within, and that which is below is also without, and what is without is round about. This is why in the Word higher things, and things in the midst, signify things interior; and lower things, and things round about, signify things exterior. Now as each good, the celestial and the spiritual, guards, and as the "animals," that is, the cherubim, in respect to their bodies signify the celestial Divine, and in respect to their wings the spiritual Divine, it is clear that by "the four animals, each by itself, were seen to have six wings round about," the appearance of the spiritual Divine on all sides round about the celestial Divine is signified. (But a fuller idea of these things can be had from what is said and shown in the work on Heaven and Hell; first, from the chapter where it is shown that The Divine of the Lord makes Heaven, n. 7-12; then from the chapter, The Divine of the Lord in Heaven is Love to Him, and Charity towards the Neighbor, n. 13-19; and lastly, in the chapter, Heaven is divided into two Kingdoms, a Celestial Kingdom and a Spiritual Kingdom, n. 20-28.)

[3] The cherubim were seen as animals because heavenly things are represented in ultimates in various ways, as can be seen from many passages in the Word; as:

That the Holy Spirit appeared as a dove over Jesus when He was baptized (Matthew 3:16-17).

And that the Divine of the Lord appeared as a lamb (Revelation 5:6, 8, 13).

And from this the Lord was also called a Lamb (Revelation 6:1, 16, 7:9-10, 14, 17, 12:11, 13:8, 14:1, 4, 17:14; 19:7, 9, 21:22-23, 27).

There were "four cherubim," and "each had six wings," because "four" signifies celestial good, and "six" spiritual good; for "four" signifies conjunction, and inmost conjunction with the Lord is through love to Him; but "six" signifies communication, and communication with the Lord is by means of charity towards the neighbor.

[4] That "wings" signify the spiritual Divine, which in its essence is truth from good, can be seen from the following passages. In David:

If ye have lain among the ranks, [ye shall have] the wings of a dove overlaid with silver, and her pinions with the yellow of gold; when Thou, Shaddai, dost spread out, kings shall be in it (Psalms 68:13-14).

What it means that "those who lie among the ranks shall have the wings of a dove overlaid with silver, and her pinions with the yellow of gold," and that "kings shall be in it when Shaddai spreadeth out," can be understood only from the internal sense; in that sense "to lie among the ranks" signifies to live according to the statutes; "the wings of a dove overlaid with silver" signify spiritual truths; her "pinions with the yellow of gold" signify spiritual good from which are those truths; "Shaddai" signifies a state of temptations; "kings in it" signify truths in that state and after it. "The wings of a dove overlaid with silver" signify spiritual truths, because "wing" signifies the spiritual, "dove" signifies truth from good, and "silver" the truth itself; "pinions overlaid with the yellow of gold" signify spiritual good from which are those truths, because "pinions" and "the yellow of gold" signify spiritual good from which are truths. "When Shaddai spreadeth out" signifies a state of temptations because "God Shaddai" signifies temptations and consolations after them; and as truths from good are implanted in man by temptations it is said, "kings shall be in it," for "kings" signify truths from good (See above, n. 31).

[5] In the same:

God rode upon a cherub, He did fly, and was borne upon the wings of the wind (Psalms 18:10).

"God rode upon a cherub" signifies the Lord's Divine Providence; "He did fly" signifies omnipresence in the spiritual world; "He was borne upon the wings of the wind" signifies omnipresence in the natural world; "wings of the wind" are things spiritual, from which are things natural.

[6] In the same:

Jehovah covereth thee under His pinion, and under His wings shalt thou trust; truth is a shield and a buckler (Psalms 91:4).

"To cover under the pinion" signifies to guard by Divine truth, which is the spiritual Divine; and "to trust under His wings" signifies under truth known [verum scientificum], which is the spiritual natural Divine; and as both signify truth, and "to cover" signifies guarding by means of it, it is said, "truth is a shield and a buckler." This makes clear what is signified:

By being hidden under the shadow of God's wings (Psalms 17:8);

By putting trust under the shadow of His wings (Psalms 36:7; 57:1);

Also by singing under the shadow of His wings (Psalms 63:7).

[7] That "wing" in reference to the Lord signifies the spiritual Divine is further evident from the following passages. In Ezekiel:

When I passed by thee, and saw thee, that behold thy time was the time of loves, I spread My wing over thee, and I covered thy nakedness (Ezekiel 16:8).

Here Jerusalem is treated of, and by it the church is meant, here its reformation; "the time of loves" signifies the state when it could be reformed; "I spread My wing over thee" signifies spiritual truth by which reformation is effected; "I covered thy nakedness" signifies putting evil out of sight thereby; for the evil that man has by heredity and afterwards from what is his own [ex proprio] is put out of sight, that is, so removed as not to appear, by spiritual truths, which are truths from good.

[8] In David:

Jehovah covereth Himself with light as with a garment; He stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain; He layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters; He maketh the clouds His chariot; He walketh upon the wings of the wind (Psalms 104:2, 3).

The "light with which Jehovah covereth Himself" signifies Divine truth in the heavens; it is called His "garment" because it proceeds from Him as a sun, and is thus outside of Him and about Him. This has a like meaning with the "light" and "the garments" of the Lord, when He was transfigured (Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:3; Luke 9:28-37). "He stretcheth out the heavens like a curtain" signifies filling heaven and them that are therein with Divine truth, and thereby with intelligence; "He layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters" means to fill those who are in the ultimate heaven and in the church with the knowledges of truth and good; "He maketh the clouds His chariot" signifies the doctrine of truth from the literal sense of the Word, "clouds" mean that sense, and "chariot" doctrine; "to walk upon the wings of the wind" signifies the spiritual sense of the Word contained in the literal sense.

[9] In Malachi:

Unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise, and healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2).

"The Sun of righteousness" signifies the good of love, which is the celestial Divine; and the "wings of Jehovah, in which there is healing," signify truth from that good, which is the spiritual Divine; "healing" is reformation thereby.

[10] In Moses:

As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, beareth them on her wings, so Jehovah doth lead him (Deuteronomy 32:11, 12).

Here comparison is made with an "eagle," because "eagle" signifies intelligence, and "wing" the spiritual Divine, which is Divine truth, from which is intelligence.

[11] In Isaiah:

They that wait upon Jehovah renew their strength, they mount up with a wing like eagles (Isaiah 40:31).

"To mount up with a wing like eagles" is to ascend into the light of heaven, which is Divine truth or the spiritual Divine from which is intelligence.

[12] In Ezekiel:

The mountain of height will I plant it; that it may lift up the bough and bear fruit, and become a magnificent cedar; that under it may dwell every bird of every wing (Ezekiel 17:23). "A magnificent cedar" signifies the spiritual church; "every bird of every wing" signifies things intellectual which are from spiritual truths.

From this it can be seen what "the wings of the cherubim," both here and elsewhere in the Word, signify, namely, the spiritual Divine, which is Divine truth instructing, regenerating, and protecting.

[13] As also in Ezekiel:

Each cherub had four faces: and each had four wings, their wings were erect one toward the other, each had two wings covering their bodies. I heard the sound of the wings like the sound of great waters, as the voice of Shaddai; when they went, the voice of a tumult like the voice of a camp; when they stood they let down their wings. I heard the voice of their wings kissing each the other, and the voice of wheels beside them; the voice of the wings of the cherubim was heard even unto the court without, as the voice of God Shaddai. The likeness of hands was under their wings (Ezekiel 1:4, 6, 23-24; 3:12-13; 10:5, 21).

That "wings" here signify the spiritual Divine, which is the Lord's Divine truth in His celestial kingdom, is evident from the particulars of the description here; that there were "four wings" signifies the spiritual Divine in that kingdom; that "their wings were erect one toward the other," and "kissed each other" signifies consociation and conjunction from the Lord of all in that kingdom; that "the wings covered their bodies" signifies the spiritual Divine there encompassing the celestial Divine; that "the sound of their wings was heard as the sound of great waters," and "as the voice of wheels," and "as the voice of Shaddai," and that "the voice of the wings was heard even unto the court without" signifies the quality of the spiritual Divine, that is, of Divine truths in the ultimate heaven; for "voice" is predicated of truth; "waters" signify truths and the perception of truths; "wheels" the truths of doctrinals, because a "chariot" signifies doctrine; and "God Shaddai" means truth rebuking in temptations, and afterwards consoling; the "court without" is the ultimate heaven; the "likeness of hands under the wings" signifies the power of Divine truth.

[14] From this also can be seen what the "wings" of the cherubim, that were over the mercy-seat which was upon the ark, signified, which are thus described in Moses:

Make one cherub from the one end, and the other cherub from the other end; out of the mercy-seat shall ye make the cherubim on the two ends thereof. And the cherubim shall spread out the wings upwards, covering over the mercy-seat with the wings, and their faces shall be a man to his brother; towards the mercy-seat shall be the faces of the cherubim. And thou shalt put the mercy-seat above the ark; and to the ark thou shalt commit the testimony that I shall give thee (Exodus 25:18-21).

Here, too, "cherubim" in like manner signify the Lord's Providence in respect to guarding, that the highest heaven or the celestial kingdom be not approached except through the good of love from the Lord and to the Lord. The "testimony" or the "law," in the ark, signifies the Lord Himself; the "ark" the inmost or the highest heaven; the "mercy-seat" the hearing and reception of all things of worship which are from the good of love, and then expiation; the "wings of the cherubim" signify the spiritual Divine in that heaven or in that kingdom; that "the wings were spread out upwards," and that "they covered the mercy-seat," and that "their faces were toward the mercy-seat" signify the reception itself and hearing. (But all this can be seen more fully explained in Arcana Coelestia 9506-9546.) And as the "wings of the cherubim" and their direction signify Divine truth heard and received by the Lord, therefore it follows in Moses:

And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from above the mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, all things which I will command unto the sons of Israel (Exodus 25:22, and Numbers 7:89).

[15] As most expressions in the Word have a contrary sense also, so do "wings," in which sense they signify falsities and reasonings from them; as in Revelation:

Out of the smoke [of the pit of the abyss] went forth locusts. And the voice of their wings was as the voice of chariots of many horses running to war (Revelation 9:2-3, 9).

"Locusts" signify falsities in extremes, and "horses" reasonings from them, and "war" signifies the combat of falsity against truth; it is therefore said, "the voice of the wings of the locusts was as the voice of chariots of many horses running to war."

[16] In Hosea:

Ephraim is joined to idols. Their wine is gone; in whoring they have committed whoredom. The wind hath bound her up in its wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices (Hosea 4:17-19).

"Ephraim" signifies the intellectual, such as it is with those within the church who are illustrated when they read the Word; "idols" signify the falsities of doctrine; therefore "Ephraim joined to idols" signifies a perverted intellectual seizing upon falsities; that "their wine is gone" signifies that the truth of the church is gone, "wine" meaning that truth; "in whoring they have committed whoredom" signifies that they have falsified truths, "whoredom" meaning the falsification of truth; "the wind hath bound up in its wings" signifies reasonings from fallacies, from which are falsities. (What fallacies in respect to things spiritual are, see The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem 53.) "Wind in the wings" has a like signification in Zechariah 5:9.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Teachings #53

Studere hoc loco

  
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53. The fallacies arising from the senses that preoccupy the merely earthly and sense-oriented people mentioned in §45 above. People who are completely earthly and sense-oriented derive their thinking and reasoning from fallacies arising from the senses: 5084, 5700, 6948, 6949, 7693. The nature of fallacies arising from the senses: 5084, 5094, 6400, 6948. To this I may add the following: There are fallacies arising from the senses that concern earthly matters, others that concern civic matters, others moral matters, and still others spiritual matters, and there are many of each kind; at this point I would like to list a few that concern spiritual matters.

If we base our thinking on fallacies arising from the senses, we cannot understand the idea that after death people still look human, that they enjoy the use of their senses as they did before, and that they can become angels. We think [instead] that

1. The soul is simply something barely alive, something purely ethereal, and we can have no concept of it.

2. It is only the body that feels, sees, and hears.

3. We are just like animals except that we can say what we are thinking.

4. Nature is all there is-it came first and is the source of everything.

5. We learn to think and we develop that ability because the inner things of nature and its order flow into us.

6. Spiritual reality does not exist; or if it does it is just a purer aspect of earthly reality.

7. It would be impossible for us to enjoy any sense of blessedness if we were deprived of the gratifications that come from loving glory, high rank, and profit.

8. Conscience is nothing but a feeling of distress caused by physical weakness or lack of success.

9. The Lord's divine love is a love of glory.

10. There is no such thing as providence; everything depends on our own prudence 1 and intelligence.

11. High rank and wealth are the real blessings granted by God.

Not to mention many more such things.

These are just some of the fallacies arising from the senses that concern spiritual matters. These examples show that what is heavenly cannot be grasped by people who are completely earthly and sense-oriented. And we become completely earthly and sense-oriented when our inner spiritual self is closed and only our earthly self is open.

V:

1. In general English use, prudence only rarely has a negative sense-for instance, in the case of a Falstaffian coward who acts "prudently" with a view to his or her own survival. But in Christian authors the term often has a negative denotation. This negative aspect derives from the Vulgate translation of passages such asRomans 8:6, Prudentia carnis mors, prudentia autem spiritus vita et pax ("The prudence of the flesh is death, but the prudence of the spirit is life and peace"), and1 Corinthians 1:19 (quoting Isaiah 29:14), Prudentiam prudentium reprobabo ("I will condemn the prudence of the prudent"). The Bible often distinguishes between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God (for example,Isaiah 47:10; Jeremiah 4:22; Romans 1:22; 1 Corinthians 2:6; 3:19; James 1:5). Swedenborg, following this tradition, generally uses the term prudence to refer to an overweening belief in one's ability to foresee and take measures to meet the difficulties of life without divine assistance. This belief typically stands in contrast to reliance on divine providence (see, for example, Secrets of Heaven 950, 4214:4, 6316, 8717:3; Divine Providence 206). In some passages Swedenborg defines prudence as speaking or acting with cunning deceit in order to hide one's evil intentions (see, for example, Secrets of Heaven 3573[4], 6655). In other passages, however, he understands prudence as the use of cunning and deception to achieve good ends; see for example, Secrets of Heaven 3993[12]; Marriage Love 1 155b:3, 187. He does approve the use of prudential thinking when it is properly understood to be wisdom that derives from the Lord rather than one's self (see Divine Providence 191), especially in the collocation "Christian prudence" (see, for example, New Jerusalem 85; Secrets of Heaven 6704). For extensive discussion of the topic of divine providence as opposed to human prudence, see Secrets of Heaven 8478, and especially Divine Providence 191-213. For examples of discussion of these issues by other Christian authors, see Aquinas Summa Theologiae 2:2:55 (= Aquinas 2012, 17:507-521); Saarinen 2006, 206-209 (on Luther). [SS]

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.