Bibliorum

 

Genezo 48

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1 Post tiuj okazintajxoj oni sciigis al Jozef: Jen, via patro estas malsana. Kaj li prenis kun si siajn du filojn, Manase kaj Efraim.

2 Kaj oni sciigis al Jakob, dirante: Jen via filo Jozef venas al vi. Tiam Izrael strecxis siajn fortojn kaj sidigxis sur la lito.

3 Kaj Jakob diris al Jozef: Dio la Plejpotenca aperis al mi en Luz, en la lando Kanaana, kaj benis min.

4 Kaj Li diris al mi: Mi fruktigos vin kaj multigos vin kaj faros vin amaso da popoloj, kaj Mi donos cxi tiun landon al via idaro post vi kiel eternan posedajxon.

5 Kaj nun viaj du filoj, kiuj naskigxis al vi en la lando Egipta antaux mia alveno al vi en Egiptujon, estas miaj; Efraim kaj Manase estu al mi, kiel Ruben kaj Simeon.

6 Sed viaj infanoj, kiuj naskigxos al vi post ili, estu viaj; per la nomo de siaj fratoj ili estos nomataj en sia hereda parto.

7 Kiam mi venis el Mezopotamio, mortis cxe mi Rahxel en la lando Kanaana, dum la vojo, kiam restis ankoraux iom da tero gxis Efrata; kaj mi enterigis sxin tie sur la vojo al Efrata, kiu estas nomata ankaux Bet-Lehxem.

8 Kaj Izrael ekvidis la filojn de Jozef, kaj diris: Kiuj estas cxi tiuj?

9 Kaj Jozef diris al sia patro: Ili estas miaj filoj, kiujn donis al mi Dio cxi tie. Kaj tiu diris: Alkonduku ilin al mi, kaj mi benos ilin.

10 La okuloj de Izrael malfortigxis de maljuneco, li ne povis bone vidi. Jozef alkondukis ilin al li, kaj li kisis ilin kaj cxirkauxprenis ilin.

11 Kaj Izrael diris al Jozef: Vidi vian vizagxon mi ne esperis, kaj jen Dio vidigis al mi ecx vian idaron.

12 Kaj Jozef forigis ilin de liaj genuoj, kaj klinigxis antaux li vizagxaltere.

13 Kaj Jozef prenis ambaux, Efraimon per sia dekstra mano, kontraux la maldekstra de Izrael, kaj Manasen per sia maldekstra mano, kontraux la dekstra de Izrael, kaj alkondukis ilin al li.

14 Sed Izrael etendis sian dekstran manon kaj metis gxin sur la kapon de Efraim, kvankam li estis la pli juna, kaj sian maldekstran sur la kapon de Manase; li intence tiel faris per siaj manoj, cxar Manase estis la unuenaskito.

15 Kaj li benis Jozefon, kaj diris: Dio, antaux kiu iradis miaj patroj Abraham kaj Isaak, Dio, kiu pasxtis min de mia naskigxo gxis la nuna tago,

16 la angxelo, kiu savis min de cxia malbono-Li benu la knabojn; oni nomu ilin per mia nomo kaj per la nomo de miaj patroj Abraham kaj Isaak, kaj ili kresku kaj multigxu sur la tero.

17 Jozef vidis, ke lia patro metis sian dekstran manon sur la kapon de Efraim, kaj tio ne placxis al li; kaj li prenis la manon de sia patro, por deturni gxin de la kapo de Efraim sur la kapon de Manase.

18 Kaj Jozef diris al sia patro: Ne tiel, mia patro, cxar cxi tiu estas la unuenaskito; metu vian dekstran manon sur lian kapon.

19 Sed lia patro rifuzis, kaj diris: Mi scias, mia filo, mi scias; li ankaux farigxos popolo kaj li ankaux farigxos granda, sed lia pli juna frato estos pli granda ol li, kaj lia idaro estos multenombra inter la popoloj.

20 Kaj li benis ilin en tiu tago, dirante: Per vi benados Izrael, dirante: Dio vin faru kiel Efraim kaj Manase. Kaj li metis Efraimon antaux Manase.

21 Kaj Izrael diris al Jozef: Jen mi mortas; kaj Dio estos kun vi kaj revenigos vin en la landon de viaj patroj.

22 Kaj mi donas al vi unu pecon da lando preferece antaux viaj fratoj, kiun mi prenis el la manoj de la Amoridoj per mia glavo kaj pafarko.

   

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #6390

Studere hoc loco

  
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6390. Lying down between the burdens. That this signifies a life among works, is evident from the signification of “lying down,” as being life, but obscure life; and from the signification of “burdens,” as being works. That “burdens” denote such works is because those here treated of do not do goods from the affection of love toward the neighbor, but from the affection of love toward self. The works which flow from the affection of this love are like the burdens carried by the meaner asses, for they belong to the lowest services. For all servitude is from the affection of the love of self and of the world, and all freedom is from the affection of love to the Lord and toward the neighbor. The reason is that the affection of the former love flows in from hell, which commands with violence; whereas the affection of the latter love flows in from the Lord, who does not command, but leads. Hence again it is plain that they who do what is good for the sake of reward are lowest services, and their works are “burdens.” The like is signified by “burdens” in the book of Judges:

The princes in Issachar were with Deborah; and Issachar so with Barak; in the valley he shall be put under his feet, in the classes of Reuben great as to the resolves of heart. Why satest thou between the burdens, to hear the hissings of the flocks? (Judg. 5:15-16);

here also “Issachar” denotes those who desire to be rewarded for works; “to be put in the valley under the feet” is to serve in lowest things; the “classes of Reuben” denote those who are in the knowledges of the truth of faith, among whom are those here signified by “Issachar,” but in a place beneath them; “to hear the hissings of the flocks” denotes contempt from those who are in the good of charity, who are the “flocks;” to “sit between burdens” denotes among self-meritorious works.

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

Bibliorum

 

Genesis 49

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1 Jacob called to his sons, and said: "Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which will happen to you in the days to come.

2 Assemble yourselves, and hear, you sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel, your father.

3 "Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength; excelling in dignity, and excelling in power.

4 Boiling over as water, you shall not excel; because you went up to your father's bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch.

5 "Simeon and Levi are brothers. Their swords are weapons of violence.

6 My soul, don't come into their council. My glory, don't be united to their assembly; for in their anger they killed men. In their self-will they hamstrung cattle.

7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

8 "Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies. Your father's sons will bow down before you.

9 Judah is a lion's cub. From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down, he crouched as a lion, as a lioness. Who will rouse him up?

10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs. To him will the obedience of the peoples be.

11 Binding his foal to the vine, his donkey's colt to the choice vine; he has washed his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes will be red with wine, his teeth white with milk.

13 "Zebulun will dwell at the haven of the sea. He will be for a haven of ships. His border will be on Sidon.

14 "Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the saddlebags.

15 He saw a resting place, that it was good, the land, that it was pleasant. He bows his shoulder to the burden, and becomes a servant doing forced labor.

16 "Dan will judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

17 Dan will be a serpent in the way, an adder in the path, That bites the horse's heels, so that his rider falls backward.

18 I have waited for your salvation, Yahweh.

19 "A troop will press on Gad, but he will press on their heel.

20 "Asher's food will be rich. He will yield royal dainties.

21 "Naphtali is a doe set free, who bears beautiful fawns.

22 "Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a spring. His branches run over the wall.

23 The archers have severely grieved him, shot at him, and persecute him:

24 But his bow remained strong. The arms of his hands were made strong, by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, (from there is the shepherd, the stone of Israel),

25 even by the God of your father, who will help you; by the Almighty, who will bless you, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb.

26 The blessings of your father have prevailed above the blessings of your ancestors, above the boundaries of the ancient hills. They will be on the head of Joseph, on the crown of the head of him who is separated from his brothers.

27 "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey. At evening he will divide the spoil."

28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them and blessed them. He blessed everyone according to his blessing.

29 He instructed them, and said to them, "I am to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,

30 in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite as a burial place.

31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and there I buried Leah:

32 the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth."

33 When Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the spirit, and was gathered to his people.