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Josué 21

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1 Então os cabeças das casas paternas dos levitas chegaram a Eleazar, o sacerdote, e a Josué, filho de Num, e aos cabeças das casas paternas nas tribos dos filhos de Israel,

2 em Siló, na terra de Canaã, e lhes falaram, dizendo: O Senhor ordenou, por intermédio de Moisés, que se nos dessem cidades em que habitássemos, e os seus arrabaldes para os nossos animais.

3 Pelo que os filhos de Israel deram aos levitas, da sua herança, conforme a ordem do Senhor, as seguintes cidades e seus arrabaldes.

4 Saiu, pois, a sorte às famílias dos coatitas; e aos filhos de Arão, o sacerdote, que eram dos levitas, caíram por sorte, da tribo de Judá, da tribo de Simeão e da tribo de Benjamim, treze cidades;

5 aos outros filhos de Coate caíram por sorte, das famílias da tribo de Efraim, da tribo de e da meia tribo de Manassés, dez cidades;

6 aos filhos de Gérson caíram por sorte, das famílias da tribo de Issacar, da tribo de Aser, da tribo de Naftali e da meia tribo de Manassés em Basã, treze cidades;

7 e aos filhos de Merári, segundo as suas familias, da tribo de Rúben, da tribo de Gade e da tribo de Zebulom, doze cidades.

8 Assim deram os filhos de Israel aos levitas estas cidades e seus arrabaldes por sorte, como o Senhor ordenara por intermédio de Moisés.

9 Ora, deram, da tribo dos filhos de Judá e da tribo dos filhos de Simeão, estas cidades que por nome vão aqui mencionadas,

10 as quais passaram a pertencer aos filhos de Arão, sendo estes das famílias dos coatitas e estes, por sua vez, dos filhos de Levi; porquanto lhes caiu a primeira sorte.

11 Assim lhes deram Quiriate-Arba, que é Hebrom, na região montanhosa de Judá, e seus arrabaldes em redor (Arba era o pai de Anaque).

12 Mas deram o campo da cidade e suas aldeias a Calebe, filho de Jefoné, por sua possessão.

13 Aos filhos de Arão, o sacerdote, deram Hebrom, cidade de refúgio do homicida, e seus arrabaldes, Libna e seus arrabaldes,

14 Jatir e seus arrabaldes, Estemoa e seus arrabaldes,

15 Holom e seus arrabaldes, Debir e seus arrabaldes,

16 Aim e seus arrabaldes, Jutá e seus arrabaldes, Bete-Semes e seus arrabaldes; nove cidades dessas duas tribos.

17 E da tribo de Benjamim, Gibeão e seus arrabaldes, Geba e seus arrabaldes,

18 Anatote e seus arrabaldes, Almom e seus arrabaldes; quatro cidades.

19 Todas as cidades dos sacerdotes, filhos de Arão, foram treze cidades e seus arrabaldes.

20 As famílias dos filhos de Coate, levitas, isto é, os demais filhos de Coate, receberam as cidades da sua sorte; da tribo de Efraim

21 deram-lhes Siquém, cidade de refúgio do homicida, e seus arrabaldes, na região montanhosa de Efraim, Gezer e seus arrabaldes,

22 Quibzaim e seus arrabaldes, Bete-Horom e seus arrabaldes; quatro cidades.

23 E da tribo de , Elteque e seus arrabaldes, Gibetom e seus arrabaldes,

24 Aijalom e seus arrabaldes, Gate-Rimon e seus arrabaldes; quatro cidades.

25 E da meia tribo de Manassés, Taanaque e seus arrabaldes, e Gate-Rimon e seus arrabaldes; duas cidades.

26 As famílias dos demais filhos de Coate tiveram ao todo dez cidades e seus arrabaldes.

27 Aos filhos de Gérsom das famílias dos levitas, deram, da meia tribo de Manassés, Golã, cidade de refúgio do homicida, em Basã, e seus arrabaldes, e Beesterá e seus arrabaldes; duas cidades.

28 E da tribo de Issacar, Quisiom e seus arrabaldes, Daberate e seus arrabaldes,

29 Jarmute e seus arrabaldes, En-Ganim e seus arrabaldes; quatro cidades.

30 E da tribo de Aser, Misal e seus arrabaldes, Abdom e seus arrabaldes,

31 Helcate e seus arrabaldes, Reobe e seus arrabaldes; quatro cidades.

32 E da tribo de Naftali, Quedes, cidade de refúgio do homicida, na Galiléia, e seus arrabaldes, Hamote-Dor e seus arrabaldes, Cartã e seus arrabaldes; três cidades.

33 Todas as cidades dos gersonitas, segundo as suas famílias, foram treze cidades e seus arrabaldes.

34 Âs famílias dos filhos de Merári, aos demais levitas, deram da tribo de Zebulom, Jocneão e seus arrabaldes, Cartá e seus arrabaldes,

35 Dimna e seus arrabaldes, Naalal e seus arrabaldes; quatro cidades.

36 E da tribo de Rúben, Bezer e seus arrabaldes, Jaza e seus arrabaldes,

37 Quedemote e seus arrabaldes, Mefaate e seus arrabaldes; quatro cidades.

38 E da tribo de Gade, Ramote, cidade de refúgio do homicida, em Gileade, e seus arrabaldes, Maanaim e seus arrabaldes,

39 Hesbom e seus arrabaldes, Jazer e seus arrabaldes; ao todo, quatro cidades.

40 Todas essas cidades couberam por sorte aos filhos de Merári, segundo as suas famílias, o restante das familias dos levitas; foram, ao todo, doze cidades.

41 Todas as cidades dos levitas, no meio da herança dos filhos de Israel, foram quarenta e oito cidades e seus arrabaldes.

42 Cada uma dessas cidades tinha os seus arrabaldes em redor; assim foi com todas elas.

43 Desta maneira deu o Senhor a Israel toda a terra que, com juramento, prometera dar a seus pais; e eles a possuíram e habitaram nela.

44 E o Senhor lhes deu repouso de todos os lados, conforme tudo quanto jurara a seus pais; nenhum de todos os seus inimigos pôde ficar de pé diante deles, mas a todos o Senhor lhes entregou nas mãos.

45 Palavra alguma falhou de todas as boas coisas que o Senhor prometera à casa de Israel; tudo se cumpriu.

   

Komentar

 

Exploring the Meaning of Joshua 21

Po New Christian Bible Study Staff, Julian Duckworth

Joshua 21: The cities of the Levite priests and the end of the settlement.

In this chapter, the last remaining part of the settlement was completed: the provision for the Levites, the priests of Israel. This tribe had been appointed priests because only they had answered the call, “Who is on the side of the Lord?” when the Israelites had been worshipping the golden calf in the wilderness (see Exodus 32:26).

Much of the chapter is spent listing the cities given to the three sons of Aaron, who was appointed high priest. Each extended family of Aaron’s sons was given about sixteen cities. It seems very significant that a lot of these cities were the same ones given to the other tribes, and were also the cities of refuge.

Levi’s name means ‘joined’, which is very suitable for the Levite priests, who received cities in every tribal territory. This meant that the presence of priests was everywhere (see Swedenborg’s work, Arcana Caelestia 342).

Spiritually speaking, this distribution is a wonderful illustration that our spirit lives throughout our whole body. Every part of us is alive! Every single thing in our body, from one blood cell to our heart and lungs, is maintained by our spirit, which itself is maintained by the influx of the Lord’s life. The function of everything in our body is in a perfect correspondence with the kingdom of heaven.

So, spiritually, the Levites stand for the presence of the Lord everywhere, in everything. This underlines the point that everything in the natural world - even the cities and territories described in this chapter of Joshua - reflect something about God and heaven (see Swedenborg’s Apocalypse Revealed 194). But there is another important meaning for the distribution of the priestly Levites in cities all through the tribal territories: we must keep on acknowledging that everything is a blessing from the Lord, that everything we do is for God, and that the Lord alone does what is truly good (see Swedenborg’s work, Divine Providence 91).

After the distribution of cities to the Levites, Israel was fully established in the land of Canaan. The rest of this chapter is a consolidating statement which is worth including in full:

v43. “So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it.

v44. The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that he had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.

v45. Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.”

These are words of fulfillment, culmination, assurance and blessing. Everything here traces back to the Lord. The Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, granted them victory over their enemies, and gave them the Land of Canaan; the Lord had spoken in complete truth. “All came to pass.”

This final statement is a promise of our own capacity for regeneration and spiritual progress. We are able to overcome our natural desires and selfish states; we have been established in our life with the ability to understand and do what is good. In devoting ourselves to the Lord, we find strength to see that He will never fail us, and will change us for the better. ‘All came to pass’ is our affirmation that our life is always under God’s care and providence (Arcana Caelestia 977).

Iz Swedenborgovih djela

 

Arcana Coelestia #343

Proučite ovaj odlomak

  
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343. 'A shepherd of the flock' means someone who practises good flowing from charity. Anyone can know this, for it is a recurrent feature of the Old Testament and of the New. He who leads and teaches is called the Shepherd, those who are led and taught are called the flock. One who does not lead to good flowing from charity, and does not teach that good is not a true shepherd; and one who is not being led to good and learning it is not the flock. Really it is superfluous to confirm from the Word that this is the meaning of the Shepherd and flock; but even so let the following be referred to: In Isaiah,

The Lord will give rain for your seed with which you sow the ground, and bread of the produce of the ground. On that day, He will pasture your cattle in a broad grassland. Isaiah 30:23.

Here 'bread, the produce of the ground' means charity. In the same the prophet, The Lord Jehovih will pasture His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs into His arm, and will carry them in His bosom: He will gently lead those that are with young. 1 Isaiah 40:11.

In David,

Harken, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock. You who are seated on the cherubim, shine forth. Psalms 80:1.

In Jeremiah,

I have likened the daughter of Zion to one comely and delicately bred. Shepherds and their flocks will come against her; they will pitch their tents near her round about; they will pasture each in his own space. Jeremiah 6:2-3.

In Ezekiel,

The Lord Jehovah has said, I will multiply them like the flock of mankind, like the flock of holy things, like the flock of Jerusalem, in her appointed seasons. Thus will the deserted cities be filled with the flock of mankind. Ezekiel 36:37-38.

In Isaiah,

The whole flock of Arabia will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will minister to you. Isaiah 60:7

Those who lead the flock to the good of charity are those who 'gather the flock together', but those who do not lead to such good are those who scatter it, for all bringing together and unity is the product of charity, while all scattering and disunity result from the lack of it.

Bilješke:

1. i.e. those ewes that are in milk

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