Bibliorum

 

2 Mose 16

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1 Von Elim zogen sie, und kam die ganze Gemeine der Kinder Israel in die Wüste Sin, die da liegt zwischen Elim und Sinai, am fünfzehnten Tage des andern Monden, nachdem sie aus Ägypten gezogen waren.

2 Und es murrete die ganze Gemeine der Kinder Israel wider Mose und Aaron in der Wüste

3 und sprachen: Wollte Gott, wir wären in Ägypten gestorben durch des HERRN Hand, da wir bei den Fleischtöpfen saßen und hatten die Fülle Brot zu essen! Denn ihr habt uns darum ausgeführet in diese Wüste, daß ihr diese ganze Gemeine Hungers sterben lasset.

4 Da sprach der HERR zu Mose: Siehe, ich will euch Brot vom Himmel regnen lassen, und das Volk soll hinausgehen und sammeln täglich, was es des Tages bedarf, daß ich's versuche, ob es in meinem Gesetz wandele oder nicht.

5 Des sechsten Tages aber sollen sie sich schicken, daß sie zwiefältig eintragen, weder sie sonst täglich sammeln.

6 Mose und Aaron sprachen zu allen Kindern Israel: Am Abend sollt ihr inne werden, daß euch der HERR aus Ägyptenland geführet bat,

7 und des Morgens werdet ihr des HERRN HERRLIchkeit sehen; denn er hat euer Murren wider den HERRN gehöret. Was sind wir, daß ihr wider uns murret?

8 Weiter sprach Mose: Der HERR wird euch am Abend Fleisch zu essen geben und am Morgen Brots die Fülle, darum daß der HERR euer Murren gehöret hat, das ihr wider ihn gemurret habt. Denn was sind wir? Euer Murren ist nicht wider uns, sondern wider den HERRN.

9 Und Mose sprach zu Aaron: Sage der ganzen Gemeine der Kinder Israel: Kommt herbei vor den HERRN; denn er hat euer Murren gehöret.

10 Und da Aaron also redete zu der ganzen Gemeine der Kinder Israel, wandten sie sich gegen die Wüste; und siehe, die HERRLIchkeit des HERRN erschien in einer Wolke.

11 Und der HERR sprach zu Mose:

12 Ich habe der Kinder Israel Murren gehöret. Sage ihnen: Zwischen Abend sollt ihr Fleisch zu essen haben und am Morgen Brots satt werden und inne werden, daß ich der HERR, euer Gott bin.

13 Und am Abend kamen Wachteln herauf und bedeckten das Heer. Und am Morgen lag der Tau um das Heer her.

14 Und als der Tau weg war, siehe, da lag es in der Wüste rund und klein, wie der Reif auf dem Lande.

15 Und da es die Kinder Israel sahen, sprachen sie untereinander: Das ist Man; denn sie wußten nicht, was es war. Mose aber sprach zu ihnen: Es ist das Brot, das euch der HERR zu essen gegeben hat.

16 Das ist's aber, das der HERR geboten hat: Ein jeglicher sammle des, soviel er für sich essen mag, und nehme ein Gomor auf ein jeglich Haupt, nach der Zahl der Seelen in seiner Hütte.

17 Und die Kinder Israel taten also und sammelten, einer viel, der andere wenig.

18 Aber da man's mit dem Gomor maß, fand der nicht drüber, der viel gesammelt hatte, und der nicht drunter, der wenig gesammelt hatte, sondern ein jeglicher hatte gesammelt, soviel er für sich essen mochte.

19 Und Mose sprach zu ihnen: Niemand lasse etwas davon über bis morgen.

20 Aber sie gehorchten Mose nicht. Und etliche ließen davon über bis morgen; da wuchsen Würmer drinnen, und ward stinkend. Und Mose ward zornig auf sie.

21 Sie sammelten aber desselben alle Morgen, soviel ein jeglicher für sich essen mochte. Wenn aber die Sonne heiß schien, zerschmolz es.

22 Und des sechsten Tages sammelten sie des Brots zwiefältig, je zwei Gomor für einen. Und alle Obersten der Gemeine kamen hinein und verkündigten es Mose.

23 Und er sprach zu ihnen: Das ist's, das der HERR gesagt hat: Morgen ist der Sabbat der heiligen Ruhe des HERRN; was ihr backen wollt, das backet, und was ihr kochen wollt, das kochet; was aber übrig ist, das lasset bleiben, daß es behalten werde bis Morgen.

24 Und sie ließen's bleiben bis morgen, wie Mose geboten hatte; da ward es nicht stinkend, und war auch kein Wurm drinnen.

25 Da sprach Mose: Esset das heute, denn es ist heute der Sabbat des HERRN; ihr werdet es heute nicht finden auf dem Felde.

26 Sechs Tage sollt ihr sammeln, aber der siebente Tag ist der Sabbat, darinnen wird's nicht sein.

27 Aber am siebenten Tage gingen etliche vom Volk hinaus zu sammeln, und fanden nichts.

28 Da sprach der HERR zu Mose: Wie lange weigert ihr euch, zu halten meine Gebote und Gesetze?

29 Sehet, der HERR hat euch den Sabbat gegeben; darum gibt er euch am sechsten Tage zweier Tage Brot. So bleibe nun ein jeglicher in dem Seinen, und niemand gehe heraus von seinem Ort des siebenten Tages!

30 Also feierte das Volk des siebenten Tages.

31 Und das Haus Israel hieß es Man. Und es war wie Koriandersamen und weiß, und hatte einen Schmack wie Semmel mit Honig.

32 Und Mose sprach: Das ist's, das der HERR geboten hat: Fülle ein Gomor davon, zu behalten auf eure Nachkommen, auf daß man sehe das Brot, damit ich euch gespeiset habe in der Wüste, da ich euch aus Ägyptenland führte.

33 Und Mose sprach zu Aaron: Nimm ein Krüglein und tu ein Gomor voll Man drein; und laß es vor dem HERRN, zu behalten auf eure Nachkommen.

34 Wie der HERR Mose geboten hat, also ließ es Aaron daselbst vor dem Zeugnis, zu behalten.

35 Und die Kinder Israel aßen Man vierzig Jahre, bis daß sie zu dem Lande kamen, da sie wohnen sollten; bis an die Grenze des Landes Kanaan aßen sie Man.

36 Ein Gomor aber ist das zehnte Teil eines Epha.

   

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #8443

Studere hoc loco

  
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8443. 'And behold, the glory of Jehovah was seen in the cloud' means the Lord's presence within truth adjusted to their discernment. This is clear from the meaning of 'the glory of Jehovah' as the presence and arrival of the Lord, dealt with above in 8427; and from the meaning of 'the cloud' as the literal sense of the Word, dealt with in the Preface to Genesis 18, and in 4391, 5922, 6343 (end), 6752, 8106, thus truth adjusted to people's discernment, for the Word in the letter is that kind of truth. But 'the glory that is in the cloud' is Divine Truth, which is not adjusted in that way to people's discernment, because it is above illusions and appearances of the senses; so it is also the internal sense of the Word, Preface to Genesis 18, and 5922, 8427. The reason why 'the glory' is the internal sense of the Word is that this sense deals with the Church and the Lord's kingdom, and the highest sense with the Lord Himself, which sense also contains Divine Truth in its absolute form.

[2] There are many levels of God's truth, not just one. The first level of God's truth, and also the second, is that truth going forth directly from the Lord; it is above angels' understanding. But the third level of God's truth is that truth as it exists in the inmost or third heaven; its nature is such that man can grasp nothing whatever of it. The fourth level of God's truth is as it exists in the middle or second heaven; this is not intelligible to man either. But the fifth level of God's truth is that truth as it exists in the lowest or first heaven; this may to some small extent be perceived by man, but only if he is enlightened, though even then it is such that human language is incapable of expressing a large part of it. When it passes into ideas it generates the ability to perceive it and also to believe that it is indeed the truth. But the sixth level of God's truth is as it exists with man; it is adjusted to his discernment, thus it is the sense of the letter of the Word. This sense or kind of truth is represented by 'the cloud' and inner truths by 'the glory in the cloud'.

[3] This explains why Jehovah, that is, the Lord, appeared so many times to Moses and the children of Israel in a cloud, as at Exodus 24:15-16; 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:10-11; Matthew 24:30; and elsewhere. When the Lord is making His appearance He does so through Divine Truth; indeed what is appearing is Divine Truth. The meaning of 'a cloud' as truth adjusted to human discernment has its origin in representatives in the next life. There the speech of angels in the higher heavens manifests itself to those below as light and also as the brilliance of light; but the speech of angels belonging to a lower heaven manifests itself as a bright cloud, the shape of which varies, and the thick or thin texture of which is determined by the character of truths. From all this it becomes clear that 'the glory of Jehovah was seen in the cloud' means the Lord's presence within truth adjusted to their discernment.

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

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #6752

Studere hoc loco

  
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6752. 'And she called his name Moses' means the essential nature of the state then. This is clear from the meaning of 'name' and 'calling the name as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2714, 3006, 3421, 6674, at this point the essential nature of a state because when someone's name is mentioned, that particular name used then means the state, 1946, 2643, 3422, 4298. This essential nature of a state that is meant is the nature of the state of the law of God as it was in the beginning with the Lord, and the nature of the state of God's truth as it is in the beginning with a person who is being regenerated. There are two people primarily who represent the Lord with respect to the Word, namely Moses and Elijah. Moses represents the Lord with respect to the historical books, Elijah with respect to the Prophets. In addition to those two there is Elisha, and lastly John the Baptist, who is therefore the one who is meant by 'the Elijah who is to come', Matthew 17:10-13; Luke 1:17. But before one can show that Moses represents the law of God, one must say what the law of God is. In a broad sense God's law means the whole Word; in a narrower sense it means the historical section of the Word; in a restricted sense it means what was written through Moses; and in a very restricted sense it means the Ten Commandments written upon Mount Sinai on tablets of stone. Moses represents the law in the narrower sense as well as in the restricted sense and also in the very restricted.

[2] In a broad sense the Law is the whole Word, both the historical section and the prophetical part. This is clear in John,

We have heard from the Law that the Christ (the Messiah) remains forever. John 12:34.

The fact that 'the Law' here is used to mean the prophetical part as well is self-evident, for this is a reference to what is written in Isaiah 9:6-7; in David, Psalms 110:4; and in Daniel 7:13-14. In the same gospel,

In order that the Word written in the Law might be fulfilled, They hated Me without a cause. John 15:25.

Much the same applies here, for it is a reference to what is written in David, Psalms 35:19. In Matthew,

Truly I say to you, Even until heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one small part of a letter will not pass from the Law till all things are done. Matthew 5:18.

Here 'the Law' in a broad sense stands for the whole Word.

[3] The Law in a narrower sense is the historical section of the Word. This is clear in Matthew,

All things whatever you wish people to do to you, do also to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12.

Here the Word is divided into 'the Law' and 'the Prophets'; and as the Word has been divided into the historical section and the prophetical part, it follows that 'the Law' is used to mean the historical section of the Word, and 'the Prophets' to mean the prophetical part. A similar example occurs in the same gospel,

On these two commandments hang the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 22:40.

And in Luke,

The Law and the Prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God is proclaimed. Luke 16:16; Matthew 11:13.

[4] In a restricted sense the Law is the Word that was written through Moses. This is clear in Moses,

When Moses had finished writing the words of this Law in a book, even until he had completed them, Moses commanded the Levites carrying the ark of Jehovah, saying, Take the book of this Law, and put it at the side of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God. Deuteronomy 31:14-26.

'The book of the Law' stands for the Books of Moses. In the same book,

If you do not take care to do all the words of this Law which are written in this book, Jehovah will send 1 upon you every sickness and every plague that is not written in the book of this Law, until you are destroyed. Deuteronomy 28:58, 61.

The meaning is similar here. In David,

In the Law of Jehovah is his delight, and in His Law he meditates day and night. Psalms 1:2.

'The Law of Jehovah' stands for the Books of Moses, for the prophetical books had not yet been written; nor had the historical books apart from the Book of Joshua and the Book of Judges. In addition this restricted meaning of 'the Law' occurs in places containing the expression 'the Law of Moses', which are dealt with immediately below.

[5] In a very restricted sense the Law is the Ten Commandments written upon Mount Sinai on the tablets of stone, as is well known, see Joshua 8:32. This Law is also called the Testimony, Exodus 25:16, 21.

[6] Moses represents the Law in the narrower sense, which is the historical section of the Word, also the Law in the restricted sense, and in the very restricted sense too. This is clear from those places in the Word in which the name Moses is used instead of the Law, and those in which the Law is called the Law of Moses, as in Luke,

Abraham said to him, They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them. If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead. Luke 16:29, 31.

Here 'Moses and the Prophets' has the same meaning as 'the Law and the Prophets', which is the historical section and the prophetical part of the Word. From this it is evident that 'Moses' is the Law or historical section of the Word. In the same gospel,

Jesus beginning at Moses and all the prophets explained in all the scriptures the things that concerned Himself. Luke 24:27.

In the same chapter,

All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me. Luke 24:44.

In John,

Philip said, We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the Law - Jesus. John 1:45.

In the same gospel,

In the Law Moses commanded us. John 8:5.

In Daniel,

The curse and the oath which was written in the Law of Moses the servant of God has come down onto us, because we have sinned against Him. As it is written in the Law of Moses, All this evil has come upon us. Daniel 9:11, 13.

In Joshua,

Joshua wrote on the stone of the altar a copy of the Law of Moses. Joshua 8:32.

[7] The expression 'the Law of Moses' is used because Moses represents the Lord with respect to the Law, that is, the Word, and in a narrower sense the historical section of the Word. This explains why what is the Lord's is ascribed to Moses, as in John,

Moses gave you the Law, Moses gave you circumcision. If a man (homo) receives circumcision on the sabbath, so that the Law of Moses may not be broken... John 7:19, 22-23.

In Mark,

Moses said, Honour your father and your mother. Mark 7:10.

In the same gospel,

Jesus answering said to them, What did Moses command you? They said, Moses permitted him to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away. Mark 10:3-4.

And because what is the Lord's is ascribed to Moses on account of his representation, both 'the Law of Moses' and 'the Law of the Lord' are used in Luke,

When the days of their purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it has been written in the Law of the Lord, that every male opening the womb is to be called holy to the Lord) and to offer a sacrifice according to what has been stated in the Law of the Lord, A pair of turtle doves and two young pigeons. Luke 2:22-24, 39.

[8] Because Moses represented the Law he was allowed to go in to the Lord on Mount Sinai, not only to receive there the tablets containing the Law but also to hear the statutes and judgements belonging to the Law, and to enjoin these commands on the people. It is also said that the people should therefore believe in Moses forever,

Jehovah said to Moses, Behold, I will come to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak to you, and also may believe in you forever. Exodus 19:9.

The expression 'in a thick cloud' is used because 'cloud' means the letter of the Word. Here also is the reason why it says, when Moses went in to the Lord on Mount Sinai, that he went 'into the cloud', Exodus 20:21; 14:2, 18; 34:2-5. For the meaning of 'the cloud' as the literal sense of the Word, see the Preface to Genesis 18, and also 4060, 4391, 5922, 6343 (end).

[9] And since Moses represented the Law or the Word, it also says that when he came down from Mount Sinai the skin on his face shone whenever he spoke, and so he would put a veil over his face, Exodus 34:28-end. 'The shining of his face' meant the inner spirit of the Law, for this dwells in the light of heaven and is therefore called the glory, 5922. While 'the veil' meant the outward form of the Law. The reason why he veiled his face whenever he spoke to the people was that the inner spirit was concealed from them, and had become so obscure to that people that they could not bear any light from it. For the meaning of 'the face' as that which is internal, see 1999, 2434, 3527, 7577, 4066, 4796-4805, 5102, 5695. Since 'Moses' represented the Lord with respect to the historical section of the Word and 'Elijah' represented the Lord with respect to the prophetical part, Moses and Elijah were therefore seen talking to the Lord at His transfiguration, Matthew 17:3. No others except those who represented the Word could have talked to the Lord when He manifested His Divinity in the world; for talking to the Lord is done through the Word. Regarding Elijah's representation of the Lord with respect to the Word, see 1762, 5247 (end).

[10] And since these two together, both Moses and Elijah, represented the whole Word, both are mentioned in Malachi where the sending of Elijah before the Lord is referred to,

Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel - the statutes and judgements. Lo, I am sending you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrifying day of Jehovah comes. Malachi 4:4-6.

These words imply that one was to go before who was to announce the [Lord's] Coming, in accordance with the Word.

V:

1. Following the Latin version of Sebastian Schmidt Swedenborg adds a word meaning secretly, which does not represent any word in the Hebrew.

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