Bibliorum

 

Esodo 28

Study

   

1 E TU, fa’ accostare a te, d’infra i figliuoli d’Israele, Aaronne tuo fratello, e i suoi figliuoli con lui, per esercitarmi il sacerdozio; Aaronne, dico, e Nadab, e Abihu, ed Eleazaro, e Itamar, figliuoli di Aaronne.

2 E fa’ ad Aaronne, tuo fratello, de’ vestimenti sacri, a gloria ed ornamento.

3 E parla a tutti gli uomini industriosi, i quali io ho ripieni di spirito d’industria, che facciano i vestimenti di Aaronne, per consacrarlo, acciocchè mi eserciti il sacerdozio.

4 E questi sono i vestimenti che hanno da fare; il Pettorale, e l’Efod, e il Manto, e la Tonica trapunta; la Benda, e la Cintura. Facciano adunque i vestimenti sacri ad Aaronne, tuo fratello, e a’ suoi figliuoli, per esercitarmi il sacerdozio.

5 E prendano di quell’oro, di quel violato, porpora, scarlatto, e fin lino;

6 e facciano l’Efod, d’oro, di violato, di porpora, di scarlatto, e di fin lino ritorto, di lavoro di disegno.

7 Sienvi due omerali che si accoppino insieme da’ due capi di esso; e così sia l’Efod accoppiato.

8 E sia il disegno del fregio che sarà sopra l’Efod, col quale egli si cingerà, del medesimo lavoro, tirato dall’Efod istesso, d’oro, di violato, di porpora, di scarlatto, e di fin lino ritorto.

9 Piglia ancora due pietre onichine, e scolpisci sopra esse i nomi de’ figliuoli d’Israele;

10 sei de’ nomi loro sopra una pietra, e gli altri sei nomi sopra l’altra pietra, secondo le lor nascite.

11 Scolpisci sopra quelle due pietre i nomi de’ figliuoli d’Israele, a lavoro di scultor di pietre, come s’intagliano i suggelli; falle intorniate di castoni d’oro.

12 E metti quelle due pietre sopra gli omerali dell’Efod, acciochè sieno pietre di ricordanza per i figliuoli d’Israele; porti Aaronne i nomi loro davanti al Signore, sopra le sue due spalle, per memoria.

13 E fai de’ castoni d’oro.

14 E due catenelle di oro puro; falle a capi, di lavoro intorcicchiato; e attacca quelle catenelle intorcicchiate a’ castoni.

15 Fa’, oltre a ciò, il Pettorale del giudicio, di lavoro di disegno; fallo del lavoro dell’Efod, d’oro, e di violato, e di porpora, e di scarlatto, e di fin lino ritorto.

16 Sia quadrato, e doppio; e abbia in lunghezza una spanna, e una spanna in larghezza.

17 E incastra in esso delle pietre preziose in castoni, in quattro ordini; nel primo siavi un sardonio, un topazio, e uno smeraldo.

18 E nel secondo, un carbonchio, uno zaffiro, e un diamante.

19 E nel terzo, un ligurio, un’agata, e un’amatista.

20 E nel quarto un grisolito, una pietra onichina, e un diaspro. Sieno quelle pietre incastrate nei lor castoni d’oro.

21 E sieno quelle pietre in numero di dodici, secondo i nomi de’ figliuoli d’Israele; abbia ciascuna il suo nome intagliato a lavoro d’intagli di suggello; e sieno per le dodici tribù.

22 Fa’ eziandio al Pettorale delle catenelle a capi, di lavoro intorcicchiato, d’oro puro.

23 Fa’ ancora al Pettorale due anelli d’oro, e metti que’ due anelli a due de’ capi del Pettorale.

24 E metti quelle due catenelle d’oro intorcicchiate a que’ due anelli, a’ capi del Pettorale.

25 E attacca i due capi di quelle due catenelle intorcicchiate a que’ due castoni, e metti il Pettorale, e le sue catenelle, sopra i due omerali dell’Efod, in su la parte anteriore di esso.

26 Fa’ ancora due anelli d’oro, e mettili agli altri due capi del Pettorale, all’orlo di esso che sarà allato all’Efod, in dentro.

27 Fa’ parimente due anelli d’oro, e mettili a’ due omerali dell’Efod, al disotto, nella parte anteriore di esso, allato alla giuntura di esso, disopra al fregio lavorato dell’Efod.

28 E giungasi il Pettorale serrato da’ suoi anelli agli anelli dell’Efod, con una bendella di violato, acciocchè stia disopra al fregio lavorato dell’Efod, e non sia il Pettorale rimosso d’in su l’Efod.

29 E porti Aaronne i nomi de’ figliuoli d’Israele nel Pettorale del giudicio, in sul suo cuore, quando egli entrerà nel Santuario, per ricordanza, nel cospetto del Signore, del continuo.

30 E metti Urim e Tummim nel Pettorale del giudicio; sieno in sul cuore di Aaronne, quando egli entrerà nel cospetto del Signore; e porti Aaronne il Giudicio de’ figliuoli d’Israele sopra il suo cuore, del continuo.

31 Fa’ ancora il Manto dell’Efod, tutto di violato.

32 E siavi nel mezzo di esso una scollatura da passarvi dentro il capo; abbia quella sua scollatura un orlo d’intorno, di lavoro tessuto; a guisa di scollatura di corazza, acciocchè non si schianti.

33 E fa’ alle fimbrie di esso Manto, attorno attorno, delle melagrane di violato, di porpora, e di scarlatto; e de’ sonagli d’oro per mezzo quelle d’ogni intorno.

34 Un sonaglio di oro, poi una melagrana; un sonaglio di oro, poi una melagrana, alle fimbrie del Manto d’ogn’intorno.

35 Ed abbia Aaronne quel Manto addosso quando farà il servigio divino; e odasi il suono di esso quando egli entrerà nel luogo Santo, nel cospetto del Signore, e quando ne uscirà, acciocchè non muoia.

36 Fa’ ancora una lama d’oro puro, e scolpisci sopra essa, a lavoro d’intagli di suggello: LA SANTITÀ DEL SIGNORE.

37 E metti quella piastra in sur una bendella di violato, sicchè sia sopra la Benda, in su la parte anteriore di essa.

38 E sia in su la fronte di Aaronne: acciocchè Aaronne porti l’iniquità delle sante offerte, le quali i figliuoli d’Israele avranno consacrate in tutte le offerte ch’essi consacrano; e sia in su la fronte di esso del continuo, per renderli grati nel cospetto del Signore.

39 Fa’ ancora la Tonica di fin lino, trapunta; fa’ parimente la Benda di fin lino; e fa’ la Cintura di lavoro di ricamatore.

40 Fa’ ancora a’ figliuoli di Aaronne, delle toniche, e delle cinture, e delle mitrie, a gloria ed ornamento.

41 E vesti di questi vestimenti Aaronne, tuo fratello, e i suoi figliuoli; e ungili, e consacrali, e santificali, acciocchè mi esercitino il sacerdozio.

42 Fa’ loro ancora delle mutande line, per coprir la carne delle vergogne; giungano quelle mutande dai lombi fino al disotto delle cosce.

43 E abbianle Aaronne ed i suoi figliuoli addosso, quando entreranno nel Tabernacolo della convenenza; ovvero, quando si accosteranno all’Altare, per fare il servigio nel luogo Santo; acciocchè non portino pena d’iniquità, e non muoiano. Questo è uno statuto perpetuo per lui, e per la sua progenie dopo lui.

   


To many Protestant and Evangelical Italians, the Bibles translated by Giovanni Diodati are an important part of their history. Diodati’s first Italian Bible edition was printed in 1607, and his second in 1641. He died in 1649. Throughout the 1800s two editions of Diodati’s text were printed by the British Foreign Bible Society. This is the more recent 1894 edition, translated by Claudiana.

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #9466

Studere hoc loco

  
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9466. 'And violet' means the celestial love of truth. This is clear from the meaning of 'violet' as the celestial love of truth, the reason why 'violet' has this meaning being that it is a celestial colour, and by this colour truth from a celestial origin is meant, that is, truth springing from the good of love to the Lord. This good predominates in the inmost heaven, revealing itself in the middle or second heaven as the colours purple and violet. The actual good reveals itself as purple, and the truth springing from it as violet. For when colours appear in the next life, and in heaven itself, they are most beautiful ones; and they all have their origin in goodness and truth. For the sphere of affections for goodness and truth is revealed to the eyes of angels and of spirits also by means of colours, specific things being revealed by means of objects variously coloured, and also to their nostrils by means of odours. For every celestial reality belonging to good or spiritual reality belonging to truth is represented in the lower heavens by means of the kinds of things that appear in the natural order, and by this means is revealed to the actual external senses of spirits and angels in those heavens. The reason why the spheres of affection for goodness and truth are revealed visually by means of colours is that colours are modifications of heavenly light, and so of intelligence and wisdom, see 4530, 4677, 4742, 4922.

[2] This now explains why the materials that were to be gathered together for the tabernacle and Aaron's garments included violet, purple, twice-dyed scarlet, and skins of red rams; for the tabernacle represented the Lord's heaven, the materials which were used to construct and cover it represented the celestial and spiritual realities that belong to goodness and truth, and Aaron's garments had a like representation, 9457. It explains why the veil within which the ark of the Testimony was placed was woven from violet, purple, twice-dyed scarlet, and fine linen thread, Exodus 26:31, as likewise was the covering for the door of the tent, Exodus 26:36, and the covering for the gate of the court as well, Exodus 27:16, and why the loops on the edge of the curtain were made of violet, Exodus 26:4. It also explains why the ephod was made of gold, violet, purple, twice-dyed scarlet, and linen thread woven together, as was the breastplate of judgement, Exodus 28:6, 15.

[3] 'Violet' means the celestial love of truth, and 'garments made of violet' cognitions or knowledge of truth present as a result of that love, in Ezekiel,

Fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt was your sail, that it might be to you an ensign; violet and purple from the islands of Elishah was your covering. They were your traders with choice wares, 1 with balls of violet, and embroidery, and with chests of precious garments. Ezekiel 27:7, 24.

This refers to Tyre, by which cognitions of truth and good are meant, 1201. Knowledge and understanding acquired from these is described by 'embroidered work from Egypt', and by 'violet and purple from the islands of Elishah'. 'Embroidered work from Egypt' is factual knowledge of truth, and 'violet and purple from the islands of Elishah' is an understanding of truth and good.

[4] In the same prophet,

Two women, the daughters of one mother, in their youth committed whoredom in Egypt - Oholah and Oholibah. Oholah committed whoredom under Me and doted on the Assyrians her neighbours - clothed in violet, governors and leaders, horsemen riding on horses. Ezekiel 23:2-6.

'Oholah' stands for Samaria, and 'Oholibah' for Jerusalem, Samaria in this instance being the corrupted spiritual Church. 'Committing whoredom in Egypt' means falsifying truths by means of factual knowledge, 'doting on the Assyrians her neighbours' stands for having a love of reasonings based on those falsifications, and 'clothed in violet' stands for ideas which look like truth springing from good because they are derived from the literal sense of the Word interpreted wrongly.

[5] Something similar occurs in Jeremiah,

Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the smith and of the hands of the molder. Their clothing is violet and purple. These are all the work of the wise. Jeremiah 10:9.

This refers to the idols of the house of Israel, by which false teachings, supported by distortions of the outward sense of the Word, are meant, 9424. 'The work of the smith and of the hands of the molder', and also 'these are all the work of the wise', stand for the fact that they are the product of self-intelligence. 'Silver from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz' stands for their seeming to outward appearance to be true and good because they are taken from the Word; and much the same is meant by 'violet and purple' of which their clothing consisted.

[6] In John,

I saw horses in the vision, and those seated on them had breastplates of fire and violet and brimstone, by whom a third part of mankind was killed. Revelation 9:17-18.

'Horses' and 'those seated on them' stand for a topsy-turvy and corrupted understanding of truth. 'Breastplates of fire, violet, and brimstone' stands for defence of falsities that arise from the evils of devilish kinds of love. In this instance therefore 'fire' stands for the hellish love of evil, and 'violet' for the hellish love of falsity. They are accordingly used in the contrary sense; for the majority of things in the Word also have a contrary meaning.

V:

1. literally, with perfections

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

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #4677

Studere hoc loco

  
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4677. 'And he made him a tunic of various colours' means the resulting appearances of truth by which the spiritual of the natural is recognized and distinguished. This is clear from the meaning of 'a tunic' as the truth of the natural, dealt with below; and from the meaning of 'various colours' as appearances of truth by which the spiritual of the natural is recognized and distinguished. No one can know that these things are meant by 'various colours' unless he knows that colours may be seen in the next life no less than in the world - colours which are far more beautiful and various - and unless he knows the origins of those colours. Colours seen in the next life are produced by the variegation of light there and are so to speak modifications of intelligence and wisdom, for the light which is seen there is a manifestation of Divine Truth received from the Lord, that is, it is the Divine Spiritual from Him, or what amounts to the same, is Divine Intelligence and Wisdom. These two are seen as light before the eyes of angels and spirits. From this one may see what is meant by the colours being products of that light, namely different kinds and so appearances of truth that are due to varying affections for good and truth. Regarding colours in the next life, see 1042, 1043, 1053, 1624, 3993, 4530.

[2] It has been stated already in 3301 that 'a tunic' means the truth of the natural, but as this meaning was not substantiated there from other places in the Word, let these be mentioned here. Because kings in the Jewish Church represented the Lord as regards the Divine Spiritual or Divine Truth, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, their daughters therefore wore tunics of various colours, for 'daughters' meant affections for good and truth, and so meant Churches, 2362, 3963. The following is said of them in the second Book of Samuel,

On Tamar, David's daughter, there was a tunic of various colours, for virgin daughters of the king wore such clothes. 2 Samuel 13:18.

[3] And because high priests represented the Lord as regards the Divine

Celestial or Divine Good, Aaron therefore wore vestments which represented Divine Truth that was derived from the Lord's Divine Good; for Divine Good exists within the Lord, whereas Divine Truth proceeds from Him. This was what those vestments represented. Something similar was represented when the Lord was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, in that Divine Good was seen as the sun, and Divine Truth was manifested by means of His garments which had the appearance of light, Matthew 17:2.

[4] Regarding the vestments worn by Aaron and his sons, the following is said in Moses,

You shall make for Aaron a tunic of fine linen, and a turban of fine linen; and you shall make a girdle, the work of an embroiderer. And you shall make tunics for Aaron's sons, and you shall make girdles for them, and you shall make head-coverings for them, for glory and adornment. Exodus 28:39-40.

Each article of clothing here meant something connected with Divine Truth derived from the Lord's Divine Good, 'a tunic of fine linen' meaning specifically the Divine Spiritual. The same applies elsewhere in the same author,

You shall take the vestments, and put the tunic on Aaron, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and you shall clothe him with the girdle of the ephod. Then you shall cause his sons to come near, and you shall put them in tunics. Exodus 29:5, 8; 40:14.

What each article of clothing means here will in the Lord's Divine mercy be stated when those verses come up for consideration. 'Garments' in general are truths, see 297, 1073, 2576, 4545.

[5] Prophets too wore tunics, though theirs were made of hair. This was because prophets represented the Lord as regards truths of doctrine, and since truths belong to the natural or external man, their tunics were made of hair - 'hair' meaning the natural, see 3301.

[6] The fact that 'a tunic' means Divine Truth received from the Lord is evident further still from those places where a tunic is mentioned in the New Testament, as in John,

The soldiers took His garments and made four parts, a part for each soldier, and His tunic. But the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. Therefore they said to one another, Let us not divide it - so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saying They divided My garments for themselves, and for My tunic they cast lots. John 19:23-24.

Anyone reading this description supposes that it does not hold anything deeper within it than the facts that the garments were divided among the soldiers and that lots were cast for the tunic. But each detail described here represented and meant spiritually something Divine - that is to say, those two details about the garments being divided into four and about the tunic not being divided but having lots cast for it, and above all the detail about the tunic being without seam and woven from the top throughout. 'The tunic' meant the Lord's Divine Truth, which being singular - derived from Good - was represented by the tunic's being without seam and woven from the top throughout.

[7] Much the same was meant by Aaron's tunic which, as is evident in Moses, was woven or the work of a weaver,

They made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver, for Aaron and his sons Exodus 39:27.

Also represented by the tunic without seam was the fact that the Lord did not allow Divine Truth to be torn apart, as was done by the Jews to the lower truths of the Church.

[8] Because Divine Truth is singular - that is to say, it is derived solely from Divine Good - the twelve disciples were commanded, when they were being sent out to preach the gospel of the kingdom, not to have two tunics. This is recorded in Luke as follows,

Jesus sent the twelve disciples to preach the kingdom of God. And He said to them, Take nothing for the way, neither staves, nor bag, nor bread, nor silver, nor have two tunics each. Luke 9:2-3.

In Mark,

He charged them to take nothing for the way except a staff; not a bag, nor bread, nor bronze in the belt, but to wear sandals; and do not put on two tunics. Mark 6:8-9.

And in Matthew,

Do not possess gold, nor silver, nor bronze in your belts, nor bag for the way, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staves. Matthew 10:9-10.

[9] All the individual instructions given in these places are representative of the celestial and spiritual things of the Lord's kingdom which the disciples were sent to preach. The reason they were not to take gold, silver, bronze, bag, or bread with them was that those things meant different kinds of good and truth received from the Lord alone. 'Gold' means good, 113, 1551, 1552, while 'silver' means truth derived from that good, 1551, 2954; 'bronze' means natural good, 425, 1551, and 'bread' the good of love, which is heavenly good, 276, 680, 2165, 2177, 3478, 3735, 4211, 4217. 'Tunic' however and 'sandal' meant the truths with which they were to be endued, and 'staff the power of truth derived from good. For 'staff' means that power, see 4013, 4015; 'sandal' the lowest natural, 1748, here its truth; and 'tunic' interior natural truth. Now because these things had to be not twofold but singular, they were forbidden to have two staves, two pairs of sandals, or two tunics. These are the arcana contained in what the Lord commanded, but no one can possibly know about them except from the internal sense.

[10] All the detailed instructions spoken by the Lord were representative of Divine things, and consequently of the celestial and spiritual things of His kingdom. They were accordingly suited to the mental grasp of men and at the same time to the understanding of spirits and angels. Therefore the things spoken by the Lord pervaded the whole of heaven and continue to do so. From this it is also evident how valuable and important it is to know the internal sense of the Word. Without it anyone can use the Word to support whatever dogma he likes; and because this is seen to be so by those who are subject to evil, they therefore deride the Word and think it is anything but Divine.

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