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2 Mose 26

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1 Die Wohnung sollst du machen von zehn Teppichen, von weißer gezwirnter Seide, von gelber Seide, von Scharlaken und Rosinrot. Cherubim sollst du dran machen künstlich.

2 Die Länge eines Teppichs soll achtundzwanzig Ellen sein, die Breite vier Ellen; und sollen alle zehn gleich sein.

3 Und sollen je fünf zusammengefüget sein; einer an den andern.

4 Und sollst Schläuflein machen von gelber Seide an jeglichen Teppichs Orten, da sie sollen zusammengefüget sein, daß je zween und zween an ihren Orten zusammengeheftet werden,

5 fünfzig Schläuflein an jeglichem Teppich, daß einer den andern zusammenfasse.

6 Und sollst fünfzig güldene Hefte machen, damit man die Teppiche zusammenhefte, einen an den andern, auf daß es eine Wohnung werde.

7 Du sollst auch eine Decke aus Ziegenhaar machen zur Hütte über die Wohnung von elf Teppichen.

8 Die Länge eines Teppichs soll dreißig Ellen sein, die Breite aber vier Ellen; und sollen alle elf gleich groß sein.

9 Fünf sollst du aneinanderfügen und sechs auch aneinander, daß du den sechsten Teppich zwiefältig machest vorne an der Hütte.

10 Und sollst an einem jeglichen Teppich fünfzig Schläuflein machen, an ihren Orten, daß sie aneinander bei den Enden gefüget werden.

11 Und sollst fünfzig eherne Hefte machen und die Hefte in die Schläuflein tun, daß die Hütte zusammengefüget und eine Hütte werde.

12 Aber das Überlänge an den Teppichen der Hütte sollst du die Hälfte lassen überhangen an der Hütte,

13 auf beiden Seiten eine Elle lang, daß das übrige sei an der Hütte Seiten und auf beiden Seiten sie bedecke.

14 Über diese Decke sollst du eine Decke machen von rötlichen Widderfellen, dazu über sie eine Decke von Dachsfellen.

15 Du sollst auch Bretter machen zu der Wohnung von Föhrenholz, die stehen sollen.

16 Zehn Ellen lang soll ein Brett sein und anderthalb Ellen breit.

17 Zween Zapfen soll ein Brett haben, daß eins an das andere möge gesetzt werden. Also sollst du alle Bretter der Wohnung machen.

18 Zwanzig sollen ihrer stehen gegen dem Mittag.

19 Die sollen vierzig silberne Füße unten haben, je zween Füße unter jeglichem Brett an seinen zween Zapfen.

20 Also auf der andern Seite, gegen Mitternacht, sollen auch zwanzig Bretter stehen

21 und vierzig silberne Füße, je zween Füße unter jeglichem Brett.

22 Aber hinten an der Wohnung, gegen dem Abend, sollst du sechs Bretter machen.

23 Dazu zwei Bretter hinten an die zwo Ecken der Wohnung,

24 daß ein jegliches der beiden sich mit seinem Ortbrett von unten auf geselle und oben am Haupt gleich zusammenkomme mit einer Klammer,

25 daß acht Bretter seien mit ihren silbernen Füßen; deren sollen sechzehn sein, je zween unter einem Brett.

26 Und, sollst Riegel machen von Föhrenholz, fünf zu den Brettern auf einer Seite der Wohnung

27 und fünf zu den Brettern auf der andern Seite der Wohnung und fünf zu den Brettern hinten an der Wohnung gegen dem Abend.

28 Und sollst die Riegel mitten an den Brettern durchhinstoßen und alles zusammenfassen von einem Ort zu dem andern.

29 Und sollst die Bretter mit Golde überziehen und ihre Rinken von Golde machen, daß man die Riegel drein tue.

30 Und die Riegel sollst du mit Gold überziehen. Und also sollst du denn die Wohnung aufrichten nach der Weise, wie du gesehen hast auf dem Berge.

31 Und sollst einen Vorhang machen von gelber Seide, Scharlaken und Rosinrot und gezwirnter weißer Seide; und sollst Cherubim dran machen künstlich.

32 Und sollst ihn hängen an vier Säulen von Föhrenholz, die mit Gold überzogen sind und güldene Knäufe und vier silberne Füße haben.

33 Und sollst den Vorhang mit Heften anheften und die Lade des Zeugnisses inwendig des Vorhangs setzen, daß er euch ein Unterschied sei zwischen dem Heiligen und dem Allerheiligsten.

34 Und sollst den Gnadenstuhl tun auf die Lade des Zeugnisses in dem Allerheiligsten.

35 Den Tisch aber setze außer dem Vorhange und den Leuchter gegen dem Tisch über, zu mittagwärts der Wohnung, daß der Tisch stehe gegen Mitternacht.

36 Und sollst ein Tuch machen in die Tür der Hütte, gewirkt von gelber Seide, Rosinrot, Scharlaken und gezwirnter weißer Seide.

37 Und sollst demselben Tuch fünf Säulen machen von Föhrenholz, mit Gold überzogen, mit güldenen Knäufen, und sollst ihnen fünf eherne Füße gießen.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #9468

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9468. 'And twice-dyed scarlet' means mutual love. This is clear from the meaning of 'scarlet' and 'twice-dyed' as celestial truth, which is the same thing as the good of mutual love. There are two kingdoms into which the angelic heaven is divided, the celestial kingdom and the spiritual kingdom. In both there is an internal and an external, the internal in the celestial kingdom being the good of love to the Lord and the external the good of mutual love. This external good is what 'twice-dyed scarlet' serves to mean, 'scarlet' the actual good and 'twice-dyed' its truth. But in the spiritual kingdom the internal is the good of charity towards the neighbour and the external the good of obedience that is the product of faith. 'Twice-dyed scarlet' means the good of mutual love and its truth on account of its appearance in the next life; for when the sphere of that good and truth is revealed visually in the lowest heaven it appears there as the colour scarlet. For what comes down from the celestial heaven and appears on a lower level begins as flaming red but is turned into scarlet on the lower level by the whiteness of light in the middle heaven through which it passes. This explains why twice-dyed scarlet was to be used among the other colours on the curtains of the dwelling-place, Exodus 26:1, on the veil before the ark, Exodus 26:31, on the screen to the door of the tent, Exodus 26:36, on the screen to the gate of the court, Exodus 27:16, on the ephod, Exodus 28:6, on the belt, Exodus 28:8, on the breastplate of judgement, Exodus 28:15, and on the hem of the robe of the ephod, Exodus 28:33.

[2] The fact that 'twice-dyed scarlet' means the good of mutual love, which is the external good of the celestial kingdom or Church, is evident from the consideration that over the table where the loaves of the Presence were laid a twice-dyed scarlet cloth was to be spread, which was then to be covered with a covering of badger skin, Numbers 4:8. The inmost things of the celestial kingdom or Church were meant by what lay on the table, chiefly the loaves, but more external things by its coverings. This also accounts for the order in which the materials that were to be gathered together are listed, that is to say, the inmost things, which were the violet and the purple, are mentioned first; the more external things, which were the twice-dyed scarlet, the fine linen, and the wool of she-goats, are mentioned secondly; and the completely external things, which were the skins of red rams and the skins of badgers, are mentioned last. The like applies everywhere else in what follows.

[3] Since external celestial good and its truth is meant by 'twice-dyed scarlet', this colour is used to portray the outward sense of the Word and teachings derived from it. The reason for this is that the Word is Divine Truth emanating from the Lord's Divine Good, appearing as flaming light in the inmost heaven and as brilliantly white light in the middle heaven.

[4] The Word and teachings derived from the Word are portrayed in this way in the second Book of Samuel,

David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan, and entitled it, To teach the children of Judah the bow. Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul who clothed you in twice-dyed delicately, 1 who placed an ornament of gold on your apparel. 2 Samuel 1:17-18, 24.

'Clothing in twice-dyed' stands for providing with truths that go with the good of mutual love, thus with truths from a celestial origin. This prophetic utterance refers to teachings about faith separated from teachings about love and charity; that is to say, it refers to truths which are snuffed out by such a separation but are then restored by those teachings about love and charity. For by 'the Philistines', who killed Saul and Jonathan, are meant those who champion teachings about faith separated from teachings about love and charity, 3412, 3413, 8093, 8096, 8099, 8313; and 'teaching the children of Judah the bow' means providing those who are governed by the good of love and charity with the truths that compose religious teachings.

'The children of Judah' are those governed by the good of love, see 3654, 3881, 5583, 5603, 5782, 5794, 5833, 6363.

'The bow' is teachings that send out the truth, 2686, 2709.

[5] In Jeremiah,

You who have therefore been laid waste, what will you do? If you clothe yourself in twice-dyed, if you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, in vain will you make yourself beautiful. Jeremiah 4:30.

This refers to the Church when it has been laid waste. 'Clothing oneself in twice-dyed and decking oneself with ornaments of gold' means pointing out the truths of doctrine from a celestial origin and the good ways to live, consequently pointing out truths and aspects of good derived from the Word. Something similar occurs in the same prophet,

Those who ate delicacies are desolate 2 in the streets; those brought up in scarlet have embraced the dunghill. Lamentations 4:5.

'Being brought up in scarlet' stands for receiving instruction since early childhood in the good of mutual love derived from the Word.

[6] Because those things contained in the outward sense of the Word appear in heaven as the colour scarlet, for the reason stated above, people who use the outward sense of the Word to substantiate falsities arising from the evils of selfish and worldly love, thus ideas contrary to truths and forms of the good of love to the Lord and of mutual love, are said to be clothed in purple and scarlet. For their externals, being from the Word, display such an appearance; but their internals are profane. Such things are meant by 'scarlet' in John,

I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names. She was clothed in purple and scarlet. Revelation 17:3-4.

This refers to Babylon, which means a religion in which the holy things of the Word are made profane by the use of them to support false ideas that favour the devilish kinds of love, which are self-love and love of the world, and so to exercise control in heaven and on earth. Like things are also meant in another part of the same book, [where it is called,]

The great city, which was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and covered 3 with gold and precious stones and pearls. Revelation 18:16.

Therefore also fine linen, purple, and scarlet are listed among Babylon's wares in Revelation 18:12.

[7] Since the outward aspect of the Word appears in heaven as the colour scarlet, and since there is an influx from heaven into the human memory, in which the things derived from the Word appear in that shade of colour, scarlet was used with objects that served as a reminder of something, as in Moses,

The children of Israel shall make for themselves a fringe on the hems of garments, and they shall put on the fringe of the hem a violet 4 thread, that by means of it they might remember all the commandments of Jehovah and do them. 5 Numbers 15:38-39.

[8] For the same reason also it was customary in ancient times, when meaningful signs were in common use, to tie on a scarlet thread as the memorial or reminder of something, as one reads about Tamar's son Zerah, 6 on whose hand the midwife tied a twice-dyed thread, Genesis 38:28, 30, and about the prostitute Rahab, who tied a scarlet thread on the window, so that the spies would remember the promise, Joshua 2:18, 21.

[9] Since a person cannot be released from evils and falsities except by means of the truths and forms of good that reside with the person from the Word, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop were used in cleansings from leprosy, Leviticus 14:4-7, 49-52. For 'leprosy' means truth when it has been rendered profane, and so has been falsified, 6963, and 'being cleansed' means being released from those ills by means of truths and forms of good which are derived from the Word. Scarlet was in like manner used in the preparation of the water of separation and expiation involving the red cow, Numbers 19:6; the water of separation and expiation served as well to mean purification and release from evils and falsities by means of truths and forms of good that are derived from the Word.

[10] As the majority of things in the Word can have a contrary meaning, so too can 'twice-dyed' and 'scarlet'. Then they mean falsities and evils, which are the opposites of those truths and forms of good, as in Isaiah,

Though your sins are like twice-dyed, they will be as white as snow. Though they are as red as scarlet, they will be like wool. Isaiah 1:18.

The same applies to 'red', 'blood', 'flame', and 'fire'. In the true sense they mean forms of the good of love and faith, but in the contrary sense the evils which are their opposites.

Footnotes:

1. literally, with delight

2. literally, have been laid waste

3. literally, gilded

4. In the first Latin edition and in his rough draft Swedenborg uses the word which has been rendered scarlet in the present paragraph. But the Hebrew word is that which has been rendered violet above in 9466.

5. Most of this quotation is really a paraphrase of the Hebrew.

6. The Latin says Perez.

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #3413

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3413. 'And filled them up with dust' means by means of earthly things, that is, by means of self-love and love of material gain. This is clear from the meaning of 'dust' as such, dealt with in 249. The meaning is that those who are called 'the Philistines', that is, who are not concerned with life but with doctrine, efface interior truths by means of earthly loves, which are self-love and love of gain. Because of those loves they are called 'the uncircumcised', 2039, 2049, 2056, 2632. Indeed people who are under the influence of those loves cannot avoid 'filling up the wells of Abraham with dust', that is, effacing the interior truths of the Word by means of earthly things, for there is no way in which they are able from these loves to see spiritual things, that is, things which belong to the light of truth from the Lord. In fact those loves introduce darkness, and this banishes that light, for as stated just above in 3412, as the light of truth from the Lord draws nearer, people who are concerned with doctrine alone and not with life are plunged into complete darkness and stupidity. Indeed they become like those in a rage, doing all they can to destroy truths in every way. For self-love and the love of gain are such that they do not allow any truth at all from the Divine to come anywhere near them. Nevertheless those people are able to boast of and pride themselves in the fact that they know truths; indeed they proclaim them with seeming zeal. It is however the fires of self-love and love of gain which inflame them and spur them on, and their zeal is merely the enthusiasm fired by those loves. This becomes quite clear from the fact that even though truths run counter to such persons' actual lives they are able to proclaim them with the selfsame zeal or enthusiasm. These are the earthly things which block the Word itself, the fountain of all truth.

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