The Bible

 

Αριθμοί 14

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1 Και πασα η συναγωγη υψωσασα την φωνην αυτης εβοησε· και εκλαυσεν ο λαος την νυκτα εκεινην.

2 Και παντες οι υιοι Ισραηλ εγογγυζον κατα του Μωυσεως και του Ααρων, και ειπε προς αυτους πασα η συναγωγη, Ειθε να απεθνησκομεν εν γη Αιγυπτου· η εν τη ερημω ταυτη ειθε να απεθνησκομεν·

3 και δια τι μας εφερεν ο Κυριος εις την γην ταυτην να πεσωμεν δια μαχαιρας, να γεινωσι διαρπαγη αι γυναικες και τα τεκνα ημων; δεν ητο καλητερον εις ημας να επιστρεψωμεν εις την Αιγυπτον;

4 Και ελεγεν ο εις προς τον αλλον, Ας καμωμεν αρχηγον και ας επιστρεψωμεν εις την Αιγυπτον.

5 Τοτε επεσεν ο Μωυσης και ο Ααρων κατα προσωπον αυτων ενωπιον ολου του πληθους της συναγωγης των υιων Ισραηλ.

6 Και Ιησους ο υιος του Ναυη και Χαλεβ ο υιος του Ιεφοννη, εκ των κατασκοπευσαντων την γην, διεσχισαν τα ιματια αυτων·

7 και ειπον προς πασαν την συναγωγην των υιων Ισραηλ λεγοντες, Η γη, την οποιαν διεπερασαμεν δια να κατασκοπευσωμεν αυτην, ειναι γη αγαθη σφοδρα σφοδρα·

8 εαν ο Κυριος ευαρεστηται εις ημας, τοτε θελει φερει εμας εις την γην ταυτην και θελει δωσει αυτην εις ημας, γην ρεουσαν γαλα και μελι·

9 μονον μη αποστατειτε κατα του Κυριου μηδε φοβεισθε τον λαον της γης· διοτι αυτοι ειναι ψωμιον δι' ημας· η σκεπη αυτων απεσυρθη επανωθεν αυτων, και ο Κυριος ειναι μεθ' ημων· μη φοβεισθε αυτους.

10 Και ειπε πασα η συναγωγη να λιθοβολησωσιν αυτους με λιθους· Και η δοξα του Κυριου επεφανη επι τη σκηνη του μαρτυριου εις παντας τους υιους Ισραηλ.

11 Και ειπε Κυριος προς τον Μωυσην, Εως ποτε θελει με παροργιζει ο λαος ουτος; και εως ποτε δεν θελουσι πιστευει εις εμε, μετα παντα τα σημεια τα οποια εκαμα εν μεσω αυτων;

12 θελω παταξει αυτους με θανατικον και θελω εξολοθρευσει αυτους, και σε θελω καμει εις εθνος μεγαλητερον και δυνατωτερον αυτων.

13 Και ειπεν ο Μωυσης προς τον Κυριον, Τοτε η Αιγυπτος θελει ακουσει διοτι συ ανεβιβασας τον λαον τουτον εν τη δυναμει σου εκ μεσου αυτων·

14 και θελουσιν ειπει τουτο προς τους κατοικους της γης ταυτης· οιτινες ηκουσαν οτι συ, Κυριε, εισαι εν μεσω του λαου τουτου, οτι συ, Κυριε, φαινεσαι προσωπον προς προσωπον, και η νεφελη σου ισταται επ' αυτους, και συ προπορευεσαι αυτων την ημεραν εν στυλω νεφελης, την δε νυκτα εν στυλω πυρος.

15 Εαν λοιπον θανατωσης τον λαον τουτον ως ενα ανθρωπον, τοτε τα εθνη, τα οποια ηκουσαν το ονομα σου, θελουσιν ειπει λεγοντες,

16 Επειδη δεν ηδυνατο ο Κυριος να φερη τον λαον τουτον εις την γην, την οποιαν ωμοσε προς αυτους, δια τουτο κατεστρεψεν αυτους εν τη ερημω.

17 Και τωρα, δεομαι σου, ας μεγαλυνθη η δυναμις του Κυριου μου καθ' ον τροπον ειπας λεγων,

18 Ο Κυριος ειναι μακροθυμος και πολυελεος, συγχωρων ανομιαν και παραβασιν, και οστις κατ' ουδενα τροπον δεν θελει αθωωσει τον ενοχον, ανταποδιδων την ανομιαν των πατερων επι τα τεκνα εως τριτης και τεταρτης γενεας.

19 Συγχωρησον, δεομαι, την ανομιαν του λαου τουτου κατα το μεγα ελεος σου και καθως συνεχωρησας τον λαον τουτον απο της Αιγυπτου μεχρι του νυν.

20 Και ειπε Κυριος, Συνεχωρησα αυτους κατα τον λογον σου·

21 αλλα ζω εγω, και θελει εμπλησθη πασα η γη απο της δοξης του Κυριου.

22 Επειδη παντες οι ανδρες, οι ιδοντες την δοξαν μου και τα σημεια μου, τα οποια εκαμον εν τη Αιγυπτω και εν τη ερημω, με παρωργισαν ηδη δεκακις και δεν υπηκουσαν εις την φωνην μου,

23 βεβαιως δεν θελουσιν ιδει την γην, την οποιαν ωμοσα προς τους πατερας αυτων· ουδεις εκ των παροργισαντων με θελει ιδει αυτην.

24 Τον δε δουλον μου Χαλεβ, επειδη εχει εν εαυτω αλλο πνευμα και με ηκολουθησεν εντελως, τουτον θελω φερει εις την γην εις την οποιαν εισηλθε, και το σπερμα αυτου θελει κληρονομησει αυτην.

25 Οι δε Αμαληκιται και οι Χαναναιοι κατοικουσιν εν τη κοιλαδι. Αυριον στρεψατε και υπαγετε εις την ερημον κατα την οδον της Ερυθρας θαλασσης.

26 Και ειπε Κυριος προς τον Μωυσην και προς τον Ααρων λεγων,

27 Εως ποτε θελω υποφερει την συναγωγην ταυτην την πονηραν, οσα αυτοι γογγυζουσιν εναντιον μου; ηκουσα τους γογγυσμους των υιων Ισραηλ, τους οποιους γογγυζουσιν εναντιον μου.

28 Ειπε προς αυτους, Ζω εγω, λεγει ο Κυριος, καθως σεις ελαλησατε εις τα ωτα μου, ουτω βεβαιως θελω καμει εις εσας·

29 τα πτωματα σας θελουσι πεσει εν τη ερημω ταυτη· και παντες οι απηριθμημενοι απο σας καθ' ολον τον αριθμον σας, απο εικοσι ετων και επανω, οσοι εγογγυσαν εναντιον μου,

30 βεβαιως δεν θελετε εισελθει σεις εις την γην, περι της οποιας ωμοσα να σας κατοικισω εν αυτη, εκτος του Χαλεβ υιου του Ιεφοννη και του Ιησου υιου του Ναυη·

31 αλλα τα παιδια σας, τα οποια ειπετε οτι θελουσι γινει εις διαρπαγην, ταυτα θελω εισαγαγει, και θελουσι γνωρισει την γην την οποιαν σεις κατεφρονησατε·

32 τα δε πτωματα υμων θελουσι πεσει εν τη ερημω ταυτη·

33 και τα τεκνα σας θελουσι περιπλανασθαι εν τη ερημω τεσσαρακοντα ετη και θελουσι φερει εαυτα την ποινην της πορνειας σας, εωσου διαφθαρωσι τα πτωματα σας εν τη ερημω·

34 κατα τον αριθμον των ημερων εις τας οποιας κατεσκοπευσατε την γην, ημερας τεσσαρακοντα, εκαστης ημερας λογιζομενης δι' εν ετος, τεσσαρακοντα ετη θελετε φερει εφ' εαυτους τας ανομιας σας, και θελετε γνωρισει την εγκαταλειψιν μου.

35 Εγω ο Κυριος ελαλησα· βεβαιως θελω καμει τουτο εις πασαν την συναγωγην την πονηραν ταυτην, την επισυνηγμενην επ' εμε· εν τη ερημω ταυτη θελουσιν εξολοθρευθη και εκει θελουσιν αποθανει.

36 Και οι ανθρωποι, τους οποιους απεστειλεν ο Μωυσης δια να κατασκοπευσωσι την γην, οιτινες επιστρεψαντες εκαμον πασαν την συναγωγην να γογγυση εναντιον αυτου, δυσφημουντες την γην,

37 και οι ανθρωποι εκεινοι, οιτινες εδυσφημησαν την γην, απεθανον εν τη πληγη ενωπιον του Κυριου.

38 Ιησους δε ο υιος του Ναυη και Χαλεβ ο υιος του Ιεφοννη εζησαν, εκ των ανθρωπων εκεινων οιτινες υπηγαν να κατασκοπευσωσι την γην.

39 Και ελαλησεν ο Μωυσης τους λογους τουτους προς παντας τους υιους Ισραηλ· και επενθησεν ο λαος σφοδρα.

40 Και σηκωθεντες ενωρις το πρωι, ανεβησαν εις την κορυφην του ορους, λεγοντες, Ιδου, ημεις, και θελομεν αναβη εις τον τοπον τον οποιον μας υπεσχεθη ο Κυριος· διοτι ημαρτησαμεν.

41 Και ειπεν ο Μωυσης, Δια τι σεις παραβαινετε την προσταγην του Κυριου; τουτο βεβαιως δεν θελει ευοδοθη·

42 μη αναβαινετε· διοτι δεν ειναι ο Κυριος μεθ' υμων· δια να μη κτυπηθητε εμπροσθεν των εχθρων σας·

43 διοτι οι Αμαληκιται και οι Χαναναιοι ειναι εκει εμπροσθεν σας και θελετε πεσει εν μαχαιρα· επειδη εξεκλινατε απο του Κυριου, δια τουτο ο Κυριος δεν θελει εισθαι μεθ' υμων.

44 Αλλ' αυτοι απετολμησαν να αναβωσιν εις την κορυφην του ορους· η κιβωτος ομως της διαθηκης του Κυριου και ο Μωυσης δεν εκινηθησαν εκ μεσου του στρατοπεδου.

45 Τοτε οι Αμαληκιται και οι Χαναναιοι οι κατοικουντες εν τω ορει εκεινω, κατεβησαν και επαταξαν αυτους και κατεδιωξαν αυτους εως Ορμα.

   

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Arcana Coelestia #4763

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4763. 'And he rent his clothes' means mourning. This is clear from the meaning of 'rending clothes' as mourning, that is to say, mourning on account of the loss of truth, or the fact that no faith exists. In the Word, especially the historical part, one often reads about people rending their clothes, but the origin of that practice is not known at the present day. Nor is it known that it was representative of grief on account of the loss of truth. This practice became representative from the fact that 'clothes' meant truths, as has been shown and may be seen in 4545. Further on in this chapter it is also said that when Jacob recognized his son's tunic he rent his clothes, verse 34, by which mourning for lost truth is meant. Similar instances of this practice occur elsewhere in the Word, where it is stated that when the Rabshakeh was sent by Sennacherib king of Asshur and uttered insults against Jerusalem, Eliakim who was over the king's house, and Shebna the secretary, and Joash the recorder 1 rent their clothes and reported these things to king Hezekiah; and when he heard them the king too rent his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth, Isaiah 36:22; 37:1; 2 Kings 18:37; 19:1. The insults he uttered were directed against God, the king, and Jerusalem, and so against Divine Truth, as is even more evident from the internal sense of this narrative. It was to express mourning therefore that their clothes were rent.

[2] When Jehudi had read before the king the scroll which Jeremiah wrote, it is said that he threw it into the fire, but the king and his servants who were listening to all those words did not tear their clothes apart, Jeremiah 36:23-24. 'They did not tear their clothes apart' meant that they did not mourn on account of the non-acceptance of Divine Truth. Something similar is implied by Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh rending their clothes, when the spies spoke in opposition to them, by speaking unfavourably about the land of Canaan, Numbers 14:6; for 'the land of Canaan' means the Lord's kingdom, and 'to speak in opposition to this' describes falsity in opposition to Divine Truth. Mourning over the loss of Divine Truth and Divine Good is meant where it is said, in 1 Samuel 4:11-12, that when the ark of God was captured by the Philistines and both of Eli's sons died, a man ran from the line of battle to Shiloh, with rent clothes and dust on his head. Because 'the ark' represented the Lord's kingdom, and in the highest sense the Lord Himself, and consequently represented everything holy in the Church, 'rent clothes' meant grief over the loss of Divine Truth, while 'dust on his head' meant grief over the loss of Divine Good.

[3] In the narrative about Samuel and Saul one reads,

When Samuel turned to go away Saul took hold of the skirt of his tunic, and it was torn away. Therefore Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from upon you this day and has given it to your companion. I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of Jehovah, and Jehovah has rejected you from being king over Israel. 1 Samuel 15:26-28.

The tearing away by Saul of the skirt of Samuel's tunic represented that which Samuel then stated - that the kingdom would be torn from him and that he would not be the king of Israel any longer. For 'the kingdom' in the internal sense means Divine Truth, 1672, 2547, 4691, as also does 'king' and 'kingship', 1672, 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, especially the king and the kingdom of Israel, since 'Israel' represented the Lord's kingship. The meaning is similar in what is recorded concerning Jeroboam and Ahijah the prophet,

When Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, and Ahijah the prophet found him on the road, when he was covered with a new garment and both were alone in the field, Ahijah took hold of the new garment that was on him and rent it into twelve pieces; and he said to Jeroboam, Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus said Jehovah, the God of Israel, behold, I am rending [the kingdom] from the hand of Solomon and I will give you ten tribes. 1 Kings 11:29-31.

[4] The second Book of Samuel likewise records that when Saul was killed in battle they tore their clothes apart,

When Saul was killed in battle, on the third day a man came from the camp, whose clothes had been rent. And when David heard about the death of Saul, David took hold of his garments and tore them apart; and so did all his servants who were with him. 2 Samuel 1:2, 10-12.

This too represented mourning because of Divine Truth, lost and cast away by those who adhered to faith separated from charity. For as stated above, 'kingship' meant Divine Truth, while 'the Philistines' by whom Saul was slain represented adherents to faith separated from charity, 1197, 1198, 3412, 3413. The same is also evident from David's lament over him, in verses 18-27 of the same chapter.

[5] When Absalom had slain Amnon his brother and the news reached David that Absalom had slain all the king's sons, David tore his clothes apart and lay on the ground; and all his servants standing by tore their clothes apart, 2 Samuel 13:28, 30-31. This too was done for the sake of the representation that truths from the Divine were lost, those truths being meant in the internal sense by 'the king's sons'. A similar meaning exists in the reference to Hushai the Archite who with his tunic torn apart came to meet David when he fled from Absalom, 2 Samuel 15:32; for in the Word 'a king', and in particular David, represents Divine Truth. The meaning is also very similar in the reference to Ahab, who tore his clothes apart and put sackcloth over his flesh when Elijah told Ahab the king of Israel the words of Jehovah, to the effect that he would be completely wiped out for the evil he had done, 1 Kings 21:27-29.

[6] The fact that tearing apart or rending clothes represented mourning the loss of Truth is additionally clear from the following: Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the law in the house of Jehovah. When Shaphan read it before king Josiah and the king heard the words of the Book of the law, he tore his clothes apart, 2 Kings 22:11. Plainly the king did so because the Word, that is, Divine truth, had been lost for so long and in their hearts and life had been blotted out.

[7] The tearing apart of his own clothes by the high priest, when the Lord confessed He was the Christ the Son of God, and his declaration that He had spoken utter blasphemy, Matthew 26:63-65; Mark 14:63-64, meant that the high priest was absolutely convinced that the Lord had spoken against the Word and so against Divine truth. When Elijah went up in the whirlwind, and Elisha saw it, it is said,

He took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. And he took up Elijah's tunic that had fallen from upon him, and he struck the waters and they were divided this way and that, and Elisha went over. 2 Kings 2:11-14.

Elisha tore his own clothes apart at that time to express mourning the loss of the Word, that is, of Divine Truth; for 'Elijah' represents the Lord as regards the Word, that is, Divine Truth, 2762. When the tunic fell from Elijah and was picked up by Elisha, the continuation of Elijah's representation by Elisha was represented, 'the tunic' meaning Divine Truth, see 4677. This also explains why the garment torn apart when such mourning took place was the tunic, as is evident from some of the places that have been quoted. Because 'a garment' meant the truth possessed by the Church, and in the highest sense Divine Truth, it was therefore shameful, except when one was mourning, to go about with clothes that were torn. This is evident from what was done to David's servants by Hanun king of the children of Ammon, when he cut off half the beard of each one, and their garments at the middle even to their buttocks, for which reason they were not allowed to come to David, 2 Samuel 10:4-5.

Footnotes:

1. Reading commemorator (recorder) for commentator (interpreter)

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

The Bible

 

1 Kings 12

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1 Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

2 It happened, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt,

3 and they sent and called him), that Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came, and spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

4 "Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you."

5 He said to them, "Depart for three days, then come back to me." The people departed.

6 King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, "What counsel do you give me to return answer to this people?"

7 They spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever."

8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.

9 He said to them, "What counsel do you give, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, 'Make the yoke that your father did put on us lighter?'"

10 The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, "Thus you shall tell this people who spoke to you, saying, 'Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us;' you shall say to them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.

11 Now whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.'"

12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king asked, saying, "Come to me again the third day."

13 The king answered the people roughly, and forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him,

14 and spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, "My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions."

15 So the king didn't listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about of Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 When all Israel saw that the king didn't listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, "What portion have we in David? Neither do we have an inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, Israel! Now see to your own house, David." So Israel departed to their tents.

17 But as for the children of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the men subject to forced labor; and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. King Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.

20 It happened, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was returned, that they sent and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none who followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

21 When Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

23 "Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying,

24 'Thus says Yahweh, "You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers, the children of Israel. Everyone return to his house; for this thing is of me."'" So they listened to the word of Yahweh, and returned and went their way, according to the word of Yahweh.

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived in it; and he went out from there, and built Penuel.

26 Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David.

27 If this people goes up to offer sacrifices in the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah."

28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said to them, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look and see your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt!"

29 He set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

30 This thing became a sin; for the people went [to worship] before the one, even to Dan.

31 He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

32 Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah, and he went up to the altar; so did he in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made.

33 He went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart: and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up to the altar, to burn incense.