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Deuteronômio 32

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1 Inclinai os ouvidos, ó céus, e falarei; e ouça a terra as palavras da minha boca.

2 Caia como a chuva a minha doutrina; destile a minha palavra como o orvalho, como chuvisco sobre a erva e como chuvas sobre a relva.

3 Porque proclamarei o nome do Senhor; engrandecei o nosso Deus.

4 Ele é a Rocha; suas obras são perfeitas, porque todos os seus caminhos são justos; Deus é fiel e sem iniqüidade; justo e reto é ele.

5 Corromperam-se contra ele; não são seus filhos, e isso é a sua mancha; geração perversa e depravada é.

6 É assim que recompensas ao Senhor, povo louco e insensato? não é ele teu pai, que te adquiriu, que te fez e te estabeleceu?

7 Lembra-te dos dias da antigüidade, atenta para os anos, geração por geração; pergunta a teu pai, e ele te informará, aos teus anciãos, e eles to dirão.

8 Quando o Altíssimo dava às nações a sua herança, quando separava os filhos dos homens, estabeleceu os termos dos povos conforme o número dos filhos de Israel.

9 Porque a porção do Senhor é o seu povo; Jacó é a parte da sua herança.

10 Achou-o numa terra deserta, e num erma de solidão e horrendos uivos; cercou-o de proteção; cuidou dele, guardando-o como a menina do seu olho.

11 Como a águia desperta o seu ninho, adeja sobre os seus filhos e, estendendo as suas asas, toma-os, e os leva sobre as suas asas,

12 assim só o Senhor o guiou, e não havia com ele deus estranho.

13 Ele o fez cavalgar sobre as alturas da terra, e comer os frutos do campo; também o fez chupar mel da rocha e azeite da dura pederneira,

14 coalhada das vacas e leite das ovelhas, com a gordura dos cordeiros, dos carneiros de Basã, e dos bodes, com o mais fino trigo; e por vinho bebeste o sangue das uvas.

15 E Jesurum, engordando, recalcitrou (tu engordaste, tu te engrossaste e te cevaste); então abandonou a Deus, que o fez, e desprezou a Rocha da sua salvação.

16 Com deuses estranhos o moveram a zelos; com abominações o provocaram à ira:

17 Ofereceram sacrifícios aos demônios, não a Deus, a deuses que não haviam conhecido, deuses novos que apareceram há pouco, aos quais os vossos pais não temeram.

18 Olvidaste a Rocha que te gerou, e te esqueceste do Deus que te formou.

19 Vendo isto, o Senhor os desprezou, por causa da provocação que lhe fizeram seus filhos e suas filhas;

20 e disse: Esconderei deles o meu rosto, verei qual será o seu fim, porque geração perversa são eles, filhos em quem não hà fidelidade.

21 A zelos me provocaram cem aquilo que não é Deus, com as suas vaidades me provocaram à ira; portanto eu os provocarei a zelos com aquele que não é povo, com uma nação insensata os despertarei à ira.

22 Porque um fogo se acendeu na minha ira, e arde até o mais profundo do Seol, e devora a terra com o seu fruto, e abrasa os fundamentos dos montes.

23 Males amontoarei sobre eles, esgotarei contra eles as minhas setas.

24 Consumidos serão de fome, devorados de raios e de amarga destruição; e contra eles enviarei dentes de feras, juntamente com o veneno dos que se arrastam no pó.

25 Por fora devastará a espada, e por dentro o pavor, tanto ao mancebo como à virgem, assim à criança de peito como ao homem encanecido.

26 Eu teria dito: Por todos os cantos os espalharei, farei cessar a sua memória dentre os homens,

27 se eu não receasse a vexação da parte do inimigo, para que os seus adversários, iludindo-se, não dissessem: A nossa mão está exaltada; não foi o Senhor quem fez tudo isso.

28 Porque são gente falta de conselhos, e neles não há entendimento.

29 Se eles fossem sábios, entenderiam isso, e atentariam para o seu fim!

30 Como poderia um só perseguir mil, e dois fazer rugir dez mil, se a sua Rocha não os vendera, e o Senhor não os entregara?

31 Porque a sua rocha não é como a nossa rocha, sendo até os nossos inimigos juízes disso.

32 Porque a sua vinha é da vinha de Sodoma e dos campos de Gomorra; as suas uvas são uvas venenosas, seus cachos são amargos.

33 O seu vinho é veneno de serpentes, e peçonha cruel de víboras.

34 Não está isto encerrado comigo? selado nos meus tesouros?

35 Minha é a vingança e a recompensa, ao tempo em que resvalar o seu ; porque o dia da sua ruína está próximo, e as coisas que lhes hão de suceder se apressam a chegar.

36 Porque o Senhor vindicará ao seu povo, e se arrependerá no tocante aos seus servos, quando vir que o poder deles já se foi, e que não resta nem escravo nem livre.

37 Então dirá: Onde estão os seus deuses, a rocha em que se refugiavam,

38 os que comiam a gordura dos sacrifícios deles e bebiam o vinho das suas ofertas de libação? Levantem-se eles, e vos ajudem, a fim de que haja agora refúgio para vós.

39 Vede agora que eu, eu o sou, e não há outro deus além de mim; eu faço morrer e eu faço viver; eu firo e eu saro; e não há quem possa livrar da minha mão.

40 Pois levanto a minha mão ao céu, e digo: Como eu vivo para sempre,

41 se eu afiar a minha espada reluzente, e a minha mão travar do juízo, então retribuirei vingança aos meus adversários, e recompensarei aos que me odeiam.

42 De sangue embriagarei as minhas setas, e a minha espada devorará carne; do sangue dos mortes e dos cativos, das cabeças cabeludas dos inimigos

43 Aclamai, ó nações, com alegria, o povo dele, porque ele vingará o sangue dos seus servos; aos seus adversários retribuirá vingança, e fará expiação pela sua terra e pelo seu povo.

44 Veio, pois, Moisés, e proferiu todas as palavras deste cântico na presença do povo, ele e Oséias, filho de Num.

45 E, acabando Moisés de falar todas essas palavras a todo o Israel,

46 disse-lhes: Aplicai o vosso coração a todas as palavras que eu hoje vos testifico, as quais haveis de recomendar a vossos filhos, para que tenham cuidado de cumprir todas as palavras desta lei.

47 Porque esta palavra não vos é vã, mas é a vossa vida, e por esta mesma palavra prolongareis os dias na terra à qual ides, passando o Jordão, para a possuir.

48 Naquele mesmo dia falou o Senhor a Moisés, dizendo:

49 Sobe a este monte de Abarim, ao monte Nebo, que está na terra de Moabe, defronte de Jericó, e a terra de Canaã, que eu dou aos filhos de Israel por possessão;

50 e morre no monte a que vais subir, e recolhe-te ao teu povo; assim como Arão, teu irmão, morreu no monte Hor, e se recolheu ao seu povo;

51 porquanto pecastes contra mim no meio dos filhos de Israel, junto às águas de Meribá de Cades, no deserto de Zim, pois não me santificastes no meio dos filhos de Israel.

52 Pelo que verás a terra diante de ti, porém lá não entrarás, na terra que eu dou aos filhos de Israel.

   

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Apocalypse Explained #314

Studere hoc loco

  
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314. Stood a Lamb. That this signifies the Lord as to the Divine Human, is evident from the signification of a lamb, when predicated of the Lord, as denoting Himself as to the Divine Human. The Lord as to the Divine Human is called a lamb, because a lamb signifies the good of innocence, and the good of innocence is the very good of heaven which proceeds from the Lord; and in proportion as the angels receive this good, in the same proportion they are angels. This good reigns with the angels who are in the third or inmost heaven; therefore those who are in that heaven appear as infants before the eyes of other angels. What the good of innocence is, and that the angels of heaven are in that good, may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell, in the article which treats concerning the State of Innocence of the Angels of Heaven (n.276-283, also n. 285, 288, 341, 382). It is believed in the world that the Lord is called a lamb from this, that the continual burnt-offering, or what was offered every day, evening and morning, was that of lambs; and especially on the days of the passover, when a lamb was also eaten; and that the Lord suffered Himself to be sacrificed. But this reason of His being so called is for those in the world who do not think beyond the sense of the letter of the Word; nevertheless, in heaven no such thing is perceived by a lamb when it is predicated of the Lord; but when a lamb is named or read of in the Word, the angels, because all of them are in the spiritual sense of the Word, perceive the good of innocence; and when the Lord is thus called, they perceive His Divine Human, and at the same time the good of innocence which is from Him. I know that it will be believed with difficulty that it is so, but yet it is the truth.

[2] That the lamb, in the Word, signifies the good of innocence, and, when predicated of the Lord, signifies His Divine Human, is evident from the following passages. In Isaiah:

"Behold, the Lord Jehovih cometh in might. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs into his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead the sucklings" (40:10, 11).

This is spoken of the Lord's advent; by the flock which He shall feed like a shepherd, are signified those who are in the good of charity; and by the lambs which He shall gather into His arm, are signified those who are in love to Him. This love is that which strictly regarded, is innocence, therefore all those who are in it are in the heaven of innocence, which is the third heaven; and because that love is signified by lambs, it is therefore said also, "He shall gently lead the sucklings." By sucklings and infants in the Word are meant those who are in innocence, as may be seen in the work concerning Heaven and Hell 277, 280, 329-345).

[3] In the same:

"The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy shall lead them. And the she-calf and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; the suckling shall play on the hole of the adder, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den" (11:6-8).

These things are said concerning the Lord's advent, and concerning His kingdom, also concerning those therein who are in the good of innocence, that they shall have nothing to fear from the hells and the evils thence, because guarded by the Lord. The Lord's kingdom is here described, by innocences of various kinds, and by their opposites from which they shall be defended; the lamb denotes innocence of the inmost degree, its opposite is the wolf: the kid denotes innocence of the second degree, of which the opposite is the leopard: the calf denotes innocence of the last degree, of which the opposite is the young lion. (That a lamb, a ram or sheep, and a calf, signify three degrees of innocence, may be seen, n. Arcana Coelestia 10132.) Innocence of the inmost degree is such as belongs to those who are in the third or inmost heaven, and the good thereof is called celestial good; innocence of the second degree is such as belongs to those who are in the second or middle heaven, and the good thereof is called spiritual good; and innocence of the last degree is such as belongs to those who are in the first or ultimate heaven, and the good thereof is called natural-spiritual good. (That all those who are in the heavens are in some good of innocence, may be seen, n. Arcana Coelestia 4797.) Because as the goods of innocence are described by these, it is therefore also said, "And a little boy shall lead them," also, "the suckling shall play on the hole of the adder the weaned child shall put his hand upon the cockatrice' den." By a boy, a suckling a weaned child, are in like manner signified those degrees of innocence. (That a boy [signifies a degree of innocence], Arcana Coelestia 430, 5236; that a suckling or infant of the first age, and a weaned child or an infant of the second age, see n. 3183, 4563, 5608, 6740, 6745.)

[4] Because the lamb signifies innocence or those who are innocent, and a wolf those who are opposed to innocence, therefore it is said elsewhere in the same prophet:

"The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; they shall not do evil in the whole mountain of holiness" (65:25).

The mountain of holiness denotes heaven, specifically the inmost heaven; and therefore the Lord said to the seventy whom He sent forth,

"I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves" (Luke 10:3).

[5] Because lambs signify those who are in love to the Lord, which love is one with innocence, and because sheep signify those who are in love towards the neighbour, which love is charity, therefore the Lord said to Peter,

"Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs; and afterwards, Feed my sheep" (John 21:15-17).

These things were said to Peter, because by him was meant truth from good, or faith from charity, and truth from good teaches; to feed denoting to teach.

[6] In Ezekiel:

"Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, these were the merchants of thy hand, in lambs, rams, and goats" (27:21).

This is said concerning Tyre, by which are meant those who are in the knowledges of truth and good. By Arabia and the princes of Kedar, who are the merchants of her hand, are signified those who are in truths and goods from knowledges; and by merchants are signified those who communicate and teach them; by lambs, rams, and goats, are signified three degrees of the good of innocence, similarly as by lambs, rams, and calves. That by these are signified the three degrees of the good of innocence, may be seen, n. Arcana Coelestia 10042, 10132.

[7] Also in Moses:

"He made him to ride on the high places of the earth, and fed him with the produce of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the stone of the rock; butter of the herd, and milk of the flock, with the fat of lambs, of the rams of Bashan, and of goats, with the fat of the kidneys of wheat; and thou drinkest the pure blood of the grape" (Deuteronomy 32:13, 14).

These things are said concerning the establishment of the Ancient Church, which was the first church after the flood, and by all these things are described its various kinds of good; but because without explanation scarcely any one will understand them, a few words will be said. To ride on the high places of the earth, signifies that the intelligence of those who belonged to that church was interior; he fed him with the produce of the fields, signifies that they were instructed in every truth and good; He made him to suck honey out of the rock, signifies that by means of truths they had natural good; oil out of the stone of the rock, signifies that they had also spiritual good by means of truths; honey and oil signify those goods, and a rock, a flinty rock, and a stone signify truths. Butter of the herd, and milk of the flock, signify the good of external and internal truth; the fat of lambs, of the rams of Bashan, and of goats, signifies the goods of innocence of three degrees (as mentioned above); the fat of the kidneys of wheat, and the blood of the grape, signify that thus they had genuine good and genuine truth.

[8] In Isaiah:

"The sword of Jehovah is filled with blood; it is made fat with fatness, with the blood of lambs and of goats, and with the fat of the kidneys of rams" (34:6).

Here also by lambs, rams, and goats, are signified the three degrees of the good of innocence (mentioned above); but the subject here treated of is concerning their destruction by the falsities of evil; for a sword signifies falsity destroying truth and good; the blood with which it shall be filled signifies destruction.

[9] Because by lamb is signified innocence, which, strictly regarded, is love to the Lord, therefore by lamb, in the highest sense, is signified the Lord as to the Divine Human, for the Lord as to that was Innocence itself; as may be seen in the following passages. In Isaiah:

"He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter" (53:7).

In the same:

"Send ye the lamb of the ruler of the land from the rock toward the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion" (16:1).

In John:

"John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." And afterwards seeing Jesus walking, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God" (1:29, 36).

In the Apocalypse:

"The Lamb [which is] in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters" (7:17).

And in another place:

"They have overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of the testimony" (12:11),

besides also elsewhere in the Apocalypse (as chap. 13:8; 14:1, 4; 17:14; 19:7, 9; 21:22, 23; 22:1, 3).

[10] Because the burnt-offerings and sacrifices signified all representative worship from the good of love and from the truths thence, burnt-offerings from the good of love, and sacrifices specifically from the truths thence, therefore,

Every day, evening and morning, a burnt-offering was made of lambs (Exodus 29:38-43; Num. 28:1-9).

On every Sabbath, of two lambs, besides the continual burnt-offering of them (Num. 28:9, 10).

In the beginnings of the months, of seven lambs (Num. 28:11-15).

In like manner, on the day of the first-fruits (Num. 28:26 to end).

In like manner in the seventh month, when there was a holy convocation (Num. 29:1-7).

In like manner of seven lambs on each day of the passover, besides of two calves, one ram, and one goat (Num. 28:16-24).

[The burnt-offering was] of seven lambs, because by seven is signified all and full, and it is said of what is holy; and because by burnt-offerings in general was signified the worship of the Lord from the good of love, and the good of love to the Lord from the Lord is the essential good of innocence; and by lamb, in the highest sense, was signified the Lord as to the Divine Human. (That burnt-offerings signified all worship grounded in the good of love from the Lord to the Lord, may be seen, n. 923, 6905, 8680, 8936, 10042.) Because of this representation the supper of the passover of lambs or kids was also instituted (Exodus 12:1-29); for by the feast of the passover was represented the glorification of the Lord's Human (as may be seen, n. 10655). Because infants signified innocence, it was therefore also commanded, that

After a birth, on the day of purification, they should sacrifice a lamb, a young pigeon, or a turtle dove; or, instead of a lamb, two young pigeons or two turtle doves (Leviticus 12:6, 8).

By young pigeons and by turtle doves is signified the same as by lambs, namely, innocence.

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

from the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg

 

Arcana Coelestia #2184

Studere hoc loco

  
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2184. That 'butter' is the celestial part of the rational, 'milk' the spiritual deriving from this, and 'the young bull' the corresponding natural part, is clear from the meaning of 'butter', and of 'milk', and also of 'a young bull'. As regards 'butter', this in the Word means that which is celestial, and this because of the fat present in butter; for 'fat' means that which is celestial, as shown in Volume One, in 353, and 'oil', being fat, means the celestial itself, in 886. That 'butter' has the same meaning becomes clear in Isaiah,

Behold, a virgin is bearing a son, and will call His name Immanuel. Butter and honey will he eat that he may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. Isaiah 7:14-15.

This refers to the Lord, who is Immanuel; and anyone may see that butter is not meant by 'butter', nor honey by 'honey'. But by 'butter' is meant His celestial, and by 'honey' that which is derived from that celestial.

[2] In the same chapter,

And it will be, because of the abundance of milk which they give, that he will eat butter, for butter and honey will everyone eat that is left in the midst of the land. Isaiah 7:22.

This refers to the Lord's kingdom, and to those on earth who are members of the Lord's kingdom. 'Milk' here stands for spiritual good, 'butter' for celestial good, and 'honey' for the happiness derived from this.

[3] In Moses,

Jehovah alone leads him, and there is no foreign god with him. He causes him to ride on the heights of the land, and He feeds [him] with the produce of the fields, and He causes him to suck honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock - butter from the herd, and milk from the flock, with the fat of lambs and of rams, the breed 1 of Bashan, and of goats, with the kidney-fat of wheat; and of the blood of the grape you will drink unmixed wine. Deuteronomy 32:12-14.

No one is able to understand what all these things mean unless he knows the internal sense of each one. It seems like a pile of expressions such as belong to the oratory employed by the wise men of the world. But yet each expression means that which is celestial and that which is spiritual going with it, and also the blessing and happiness which flow from these, and all of them in a co-ordinated sequence. 'Butter from the herd' is the celestial-natural, 'milk from the flock' the celestial-spiritual of the rational.

[4] As regards 'milk' however, this means, as has been stated, that which is spiritual derived from that which is celestial, that is, the celestial-spiritual. What the celestial-spiritual is, see Volume One, in 1577, 1824, and in various other places. The reason 'milk' means that which is spiritual derived from that which is celestial is that 'water' means that which is spiritual, 680, 739, while milk, because of the fat in it, means the celestial-spiritual; or (what amounts to the same) truth rooted in good; or (also amounting to the same) faith grounded in love or charity; or (yet the same) the understanding part of the good present in the will; or (likewise amounting to the same) the affection for truth that has the affection for good within it; or (still yet the same) the affection for cognitions and facts that springs from the affection that belongs to charity towards the neighbour, such as exists with those who love the neighbour and confirm themselves in this love from the cognitions of faith and also from factual knowledge, which they love because they love the neighbour. All these are the same as the celestial-spiritual, and may be used in reference to any particular matter under discussion.

[5] That the celestial-spiritual is meant is also evident from the Word, as in Isaiah,

Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters, and he who has no money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money on that which is not bread? Isaiah 55:1-2.

Here 'wine' stands for the spiritual element of faith, 'milk' for the spiritual element of love. In Moses,

He washes his garment in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes. His eyes are redder than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk. Genesis 49:11-12.

This is the prophecy of Jacob, who by now was Israel, regarding Judah - 'Judah' being used here to describe the Lord. By 'teeth whiter than milk' is meant the celestial-spiritual which belonged to His Natural.

[6] In Joel,

It will be, on that day, that the mountains will drip new wine, and the hills will run with milk, and all the streams of Judah will run with water. Joel 3:18.

Here, where the subject is the Lord's kingdom, 'milk' stands for the celestial-spiritual. Also in the Word the land of Canaan, which represents and means the Lord's kingdom, is called 'a land flowing with milk and honey', as in Numbers 13:27; 14:8; Deuteronomy 26:9, 15; 27:3; Jeremiah 11:5; 32:22; Ezekiel 20:6, 15. In these places nothing else is meant by 'milk' than the abundance of celestial-spiritual things, and by 'honey' the abundant happiness derived from these. 'Land' is the celestial part itself of the kingdom from which they come.

[7] As regards 'a young bull' meaning the celestial-natural, this has been shown just above in 2180. The celestial-natural is the same as natural good, that is, good within the natural. Man's natural, like his rational, has its own good and its own truth, for then a marriage of good and truth exists everywhere, as stated above in 2173. The good that belongs to the natural is the delight which is perceived from charity, that is, from the friendship that is the product of charity; and from that delight springs the joy or satisfaction which belongs properly to the body. The truth of the natural consists in that factual knowledge which gives support to that delight. All this shows what the celestial-natural is.

V:

1. literally, sons

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