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Bereshit 4

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1 וְהָאָדָם יָדַע אֶת־חַוָּה אִשְׁתֹּו וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד אֶת־קַיִן וַתֹּאמֶר קָנִיתִי אִישׁ אֶת־יְהוָה׃

2 וַתֹּסֶף לָלֶדֶת אֶת־אָחִיו אֶת־הָבֶל וַיְהִי־הֶבֶל רֹעֵה צֹאן וְקַיִן הָיָה עֹבֵד אֲדָמָה׃

3 וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ יָמִים וַיָּבֵא קַיִן מִפְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה מִנְחָה לַיהוָה׃

4 וְהֶבֶל הֵבִיא גַם־הוּא מִבְּכֹרֹות צֹאנֹו וּמֵחֶלְבֵהֶן וַיִּשַׁע יְהוָה אֶל־הֶבֶל וְאֶל־מִנְחָתֹו׃

5 וְאֶל־קַיִן וְאֶל־מִנְחָתֹו לֹא שָׁעָה וַיִּחַר לְקַיִן מְאֹד וַיִּפְּלוּ פָּנָיו׃

6 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־קָיִן לָמָּה חָרָה לָךְ וְלָמָּה נָפְלוּ פָנֶיךָ׃

7 הֲלֹוא אִם־תֵּיטִיב שְׂאֵת וְאִם לֹא תֵיטִיב לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רֹבֵץ וְאֵלֶיךָ תְּשׁוּקָתֹו וְאַתָּה תִּמְשָׁל־בֹּו׃

8 וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל־הֶבֶל אָחִיו וַיְהִי בִּהְיֹותָם בַּשָּׂדֶה וַיָּקָם קַיִן אֶל־הֶבֶל אָחִיו וַיַּהַרְגֵהוּ׃

9 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־קַיִן אֵי הֶבֶל אָחִיךָ וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא יָדַעְתִּי הֲשֹׁמֵר אָחִי אָנֹכִי׃

10 וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה עָשִׂיתָ קֹול דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ צֹעֲקִים אֵלַי מִן־הָאֲדָמָה׃

11 וְעַתָּה אָרוּר אָתָּה מִן־הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר פָּצְתָה אֶת־פִּיהָ לָקַחַת אֶת־דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ מִיָּדֶךָ׃

12 כִּי תַעֲבֹד אֶת־הָאֲדָמָה לֹא־תֹסֵף תֵּת־כֹּחָהּ לָךְ נָע וָנָד תִּהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ׃

13 וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל־יְהוָה גָּדֹול עֲוֹנִי מִנְּשֹׂא׃

14 הֵן גֵּרַשְׁתָּ אֹתִי הַיֹּום מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה וּמִפָּנֶיךָ אֶסָּתֵר וְהָיִיתִי נָע וָנָד בָּאָרֶץ וְהָיָה כָל־מֹצְאִי יַהַרְגֵנִי׃

15 וַיֹּאמֶר לֹו יְהוָה לָכֵן כָּל־הֹרֵג קַיִן שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם וַיָּשֶׂם יְהוָה לְקַיִן אֹות לְבִלְתִּי הַכֹּות־אֹתֹו כָּל־מֹצְאֹו׃

16 וַיֵּצֵא קַיִן מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ־נֹוד קִדְמַת־עֵדֶן׃

17 וַיֵּדַע קַיִן אֶת־אִשְׁתֹּו וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד אֶת־חֲנֹוךְ וַיְהִי בֹּנֶה עִיר וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הָעִיר כְּשֵׁם בְּנֹו חֲנֹוךְ׃

18 וַיִּוָּלֵד לַחֲנֹוךְ אֶת־עִירָד וְעִירָד יָלַד אֶת־מְחוּיָאֵל וּמְחִיּיָאֵל יָלַד אֶת־מְתוּשָׁאֵל וּמְתוּשָׁאֵל יָלַד אֶת־לָמֶךְ׃

19 וַיִּקַּח־לֹו לֶמֶךְ שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים שֵׁם הָאַחַת עָדָה וְשֵׁם הַשֵּׁנִית צִלָּה׃

20 וַתֵּלֶד עָדָה אֶת־יָבָל הוּא הָיָה אֲבִי יֹשֵׁב אֹהֶל וּמִקְנֶה׃

21 וְשֵׁם אָחִיו יוּבָל הוּא הָיָה אֲבִי כָּל־תֹּפֵשׂ כִּנֹּור וְעוּגָב׃

22 וְצִלָּה גַם־הִוא יָלְדָה אֶת־תּוּבַל קַיִן לֹטֵשׁ כָּל־חֹרֵשׁ נְחֹשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל וַאֲחֹות תּוּבַל־קַיִן נַעֲמָה׃

23 וַיֹּאמֶר לֶמֶךְ לְנָשָׁיו עָדָה וְצִלָּה שְׁמַעַן קֹולִי נְשֵׁי לֶמֶךְ הַאְזֵנָּה אִמְרָתִי כִּי אִישׁ הָרַגְתִּי לְפִצְעִי וְיֶלֶד לְחַבֻּרָתִי׃

24 כִּי שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקַּם־קָיִן וְלֶמֶךְ שִׁבְעִים וְשִׁבְעָה׃

25 וַיֵּדַע אָדָם עֹוד אֶת־אִשְׁתֹּו וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמֹו שֵׁת כִּי שָׁת־לִי אֱלֹהִים זֶרַע אַחֵר תַּחַת הֶבֶל כִּי הֲרָגֹו קָיִן׃

26 וּלְשֵׁת גַּם־הוּא יֻלַּד־בֵּן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת־שְׁמֹו אֱנֹושׁ אָז הוּחַל לִקְרֹא בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה׃ ף

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #420

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420. In the Word mention is made of various instruments, each having its own signification, as will be shown, of the Lord’s Divine mercy, in its proper place; here however we shall adduce only what is said in David:

I will sacrifice in the tent of Jehovah sacrifices of shouting, I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto Jehovah (Psalms 27:6),

where by “tent” is expressed what is celestial, and by “shouting” “singing” and “singing praises” what is spiritual thence derived. Again:

Sing unto Jehovah, O ye righteous, for His praise is comely for the upright; confess ye to Jehovah on the harp, sing unto Him with the psaltery, an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto Him a new song, play skillfully with a loud noise; for the Word of Jehovah is right, and all His work is in the truth (Psalms 33:1-4),

denoting the truths of faith, concerning which these things are said.

[2] Spiritual things, or the truths and goods of faith, were celebrated with the harp and psaltery, with singing and analogous instruments, but the holy or celestial things of faith were celebrated with wind instruments, such as trumpets and the like; and this was why so many instruments were used about the temple and so often, in order that this or that subject might be celebrated with certain instruments; and in consequence of this the instruments came to be taken and understood for the subjects that were celebrated with them.

[3] Again:

I will confess to Thee with the psaltery, even Thy truth, O my God; unto Thee will I sing praises with the harp, O Thou Holy One of Israel; my lips shall sing when I sing praises unto Thee, and my soul which Thou hast redeemed (Psalms 71:22-23), where also the truths of faith are signified. Again:

Answer to Jehovah in confession, sing praises upon the harp unto our God (Psalms 147:7)

“confession” has respect to the celestial things of faith, and therefore mention is made of “Jehovah;” and to “sing praises upon the harp” has reference to the spiritual things of faith, wherefore “God” is spoken of. Again:

Let them praise the name of Jehovah in the dance, let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp (Psalms 49:3), where the “timbrel” signifies good, and the “harp” truth, which they praise.

[4] Again:

Praise God with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the psaltery and harp; praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and the organ; praise Him upon the loud cymbals; praise Him upon the cymbals of shouting (Psalms 150:3-4, 5).

These instruments denote the goods and the truths of faith which were the subjects of praise; for let no one believe that so many different instruments would have been here mentioned unless each had a distinct signification. Again, referring to the knowledges of good and truth:

O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me, let them bring me unto the mountain of Thy holiness, and to Thy habitations, and I will go in to the altar of God, unto God, the gladness of my exultation; yea, I will confess unto Thee upon the harp, O God, my God (Psalms 43:3-4).

[5] In Isaiah, referring to the things that are of faith, and the knowledges thereof:

Take a harp, go about the city, play well, sing many songs, that thou mayest be called to remembrance (Isaiah 23:16).

The same is expressed still more plainly in John:

The four animals and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having everyone of them harps, and golden vials full of incense offerings, which are the prayers of the saints (Revelation 5:8),

where it must be evident to everyone that the animals and elders had not harps, but that by “harps” are signified the truths of faith, and by “golden vials full of incense offerings” the goods of faith.

In David the performances on the instruments are called “praises” and “confessions” (Psalms 42:5; 69:31). And in another place in John:

I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters, and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps, and they sang a new song (Revelation 14:2-3).

And in another place:

I saw them standing by the sea of glass having the harps of God (Revelation 15:2).It is worthy of mention that angels and spirits distinguish sounds according to their differences with respect to good and truth, not only those produced in singing and by instruments, but also those of voices; and they admit none but such as are in accord, so that there may be a concord of the sounds, and consequently of the instruments, with the nature and essence of the good and the true.

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

The Bible

 

Psalms 71

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1 In you, Yahweh, I take refuge. Never let me be disappointed.

2 Deliver me in your righteousness, and rescue me. Turn your ear to me, and save me.

3 Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may always go. Give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

5 For you are my hope, Lord Yahweh; my confidence from my youth.

6 I have relied on you from the womb. You are he who took me out of my mother's womb. I will always praise you.

7 I am a marvel to many, but you are my strong refuge.

8 My mouth shall be filled with your praise, with your honor all the day.

9 Don't reject me in my old age. Don't forsake me when my strength fails.

10 For my enemies talk about me. Those who watch for my soul conspire together,

11 saying, "God has forsaken him. Pursue and take him, for no one will rescue him."

12 God, don't be far from me. My God, hurry to help me.

13 Let my accusers be disappointed and consumed. Let them be covered with disgrace and scorn who want to harm me.

14 But I will always hope, and will add to all of your praise.

15 My mouth will tell about your righteousness, and of your salvation all day, though I don't know its full measure.

16 I will come with the mighty acts of the Lord Yahweh. I will make mention of your righteousness, even of yours alone.

17 God, you have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wondrous works.

18 Yes, even when I am old and gray-haired, God, don't forsake me, until I have declared your strength to the next generation, your might to everyone who is to come.

19 Your righteousness also, God, reaches to the heavens; you have done great things. God, who is like you?

20 You, who have shown us many and bitter troubles, you will let me live. You will bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

21 Increase my honor, and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God. I sing praises to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips shall shout for joy! My soul, which you have redeemed, sings praises to you!

24 My tongue will also talk about your righteousness all day long, for they are disappointed, and they are confounded, who want to harm me. By Solomon.

   

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