The Bible

 

Exodus 11

Study

   

1 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.

2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask every man of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.

3 And Jehovah gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.

4 And Moses said, Thus saith Jehovah, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:

5 and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of cattle.

6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there hath not been, nor shall be any more.

7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that Jehovah doth make a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel.

8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.

9 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Pharaoh will not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.

10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and Jehovah hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

   

Commentary

 

Throne

  

'The Lord's throne' signifies, in general, the whole heaven, and specifically, the spiritual heaven, and by extension, divine truth proceeding, and so, everything of heaven and the church.

In Genesis 41:40, this signifies things that are natural. (Arcana Coelestia 5313)

In Exodus 11:5, this signifies the falsified truths of faith that have wrongly receive attention. (Arcana Coelestia 7779)

'The throne built by Solomon,' as mentioned in 1 Kings 10:18-20, signifies both royalty and judgment.

In Isaiah 66:1, this signifies celestial and spiritual things which when they relate to the Divine are like natural things to man's spiritual and celestial. (Arcana Coelestia 2162[8])

In Matthew 25:31, this signifies judgment. (Arcana Coelestia 4809[3])

In Revelation 1:4, this signifies the universal heaven. 'Throne' signifies heaven and judgment.

'Throne,' as in Revelation 4:2, signifies a representation of judgment, because the things which John saw were representative visions. He saw them as he described them, but they were forms representative of things to come.

In Revelation 8:2, this signifies the church regarding doctrine.

'Throne,' as in Revelation 12:5, signifies the angelic heaven.

'Throne' also signifies the government of falsity and evil in Revelation 2:13, 8:2, Daniel 7:9, Haggai 2:22, and Isaiah 14:13.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 8 [2], 289)


From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #2805

Study this Passage

  
/ 10837  
  

2805. 'Where is the animal for a burnt offering?' means, Where are those members of the human race who are to be sanctified? This is clear from the representation of sacrifices, in particular burnt offerings. Burnt offerings and sacrifices were representative of internal worship, see 922, 923; they were made from the flock and from the herd - when from the flock, lambs, sheep, she-goats, kids, rams, or he-goats were used, when from the herd, oxen, young bulls, or calves, all of which meant various kinds of celestial and spiritual things - see 922, 1823, 2180; and by means of them people were sanctified, 2776. From all this it may become clear that Isaac's question, 'Where is the animal for the burnt offering?' means, Where are those members of the human race who are to be sanctified? The same is more plainly evident from what comes next, that is to say, from the reply made by Abraham his father, 'God will see for Himself to the animal for a burnt offering', verse 8, which means that the Divine Human will provide those who are to be sanctified; from the fact that later on he saw a ram behind him caught by its horns in a thicket, and offered that as the burnt offering, verse 13, which means members of the human race who belong to the Lord's spiritual Church; as well as from the details that follow after this in verses 14-17.

  
/ 10837  
  

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