The Bible

 

Levitico 27

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1 IL Signore parlò ancora a Mosè, dicendo:

2 Parla a’ figliuoli d’Israele, e di’ loro: Quando alcuno avrà fatto qualche singolar voto; quando egli avrà fatto voto di persone al Signore, sotto la tua estimazione;

3 l’estimazione che tu farai, d’un maschio di età di venti anni fino a sessant’anni, sia a cinquanta sicli d’argento, a siclo di Santuario.

4 E d’una femmina, sia la tua estimazione a trenta sicli.

5 E se è una persona di età da cinque anni a venti, sia la tua estimazione a venti sicli per lo maschio, e a dieci sicli per la femmina.

6 E se è una persona di età da un mese a cinque anni, sia la tua estimazione a cinque sicli d’argento per lo maschio, e a tre sicli d’argento per la femmina.

7 E se è una persona di età da sessant’anni in su, sia la tua estimazione a quindici sicli per lo maschio, e a dieci sicli per la femmina.

8 E se colui che avrà fatto il voto sarà così povero, che non possa pagar la tua estimazione, presenti la persona votata davanti al Sacerdote, il qual ne faccia l’estimazione; facciala secondo la possibilità di colui che avrà fatto il voto.

9 E se il voto è di bestia della quale si offerisce offerta al Signore, tutto ciò che egli avrà di quella specie donato al Signore sia sacro.

10 Non cambila, e non permutila, buona per cattiva, nè cattiva per buono; e se pur permuta quella bestia con un’altra, così la bestia votata, come la bestia messa in iscambio suo, saranno sacre.

11 E se il voto è di qualunque bestia immonda, della quale non si offerisce offerta al Signore, presenti quella bestia davanti al Sacerdote.

12 E facciane il Sacerdote l’estimazione secondo che sarà buona o cattiva; facciasene secondo l’estimazione, che tu, o Sacerdote, ne avrai fatta.

13 E se pure egli vuol riscattarla, sopraggiunga il quinto del prezzo di essa, oltre alla tua estimazione.

14 E quando alcuno avrà consacrata la casa sua, per esser cosa sacra al Signore, apprezzila il Sacerdote, secondo che sarà buona o cattiva; resti fermo il suo prezzo, quale il Sacerdote le avrà posto.

15 E se pur colui che avrà consacrata la sua casa la vuol riscattare, sopraggiunga alla tua estimazione il quinto del prezzo di essa, e sia sua.

16 E se alcuno consacra al Signore dei campi della sua eredità, sia la tua estimazione a ragione della sementa di esso; la sementa d’un omer d’orzo sia estimata a cinquanta sicli di argento.

17 Se egli consacra il suo campo fin dall’anno del Giubileo, stia fermo il prezzo di esso, come tu l’avrai tassato.

18 Ma, se egli lo consacra dopo il Giubileo, faccia il Sacerdote ragion de’ danari col comperatore secondo gli anni che resteranno fino all’anno del Giubileo, e secondo il numero di essi diffalchisi della tua estimazione.

19 E se colui che ha consacrato il campo, pur vuol riscattarlo, sopraggiunga alla tua estimazione il quinto dei danari di essa, e resti il campo suo.

20 Ma, se egli non riscatta il campo, e il campo è venduto ad un altro, non possa più riscattarlo.

21 E quando il comperatore ne uscirà al Giubileo, sia cosa sacra al Signore, come campo d’interdetto; appartenga esso in proprio al Sacerdote.

22 E se alcuno ha consacrato al Signore un campo da sè comperato, il qual non sia de’ campi della sua eredità;

23 faccia il Sacerdote ragione col comperatore della somma della tua estimazione, secondo il tempo che vi sarà fino all’anno del Giubileo; e dia colui in quello stesso giorno il prezzo da te posto; è cosa sacra al Signore.

24 Nell’anno del Giubileo ritorni il campo a colui da chi esso l’avrà comperato, a colui di cui sarà la proprietà del terreno.

25 Or sia ogni tua estimazione a siclo di Santuario; sia il siclo di venti oboli.

26 Ma niuno consacri alcun primogenito di bestie, delle quali s’offeriscono i primogeniti al Signore; o vitello, o agnello, o capretto ch’egli sia, già appartiene al Signore.

27 Ma, se è degli animali immondi, riscattilo secondo la tua estimazione, e sopraggiungavi il quinto di essa; e se pur non è riscattato, vendasi secondo il prezzo da te posto.

28 Ma niuna cosa consacrata per interdetto, che l’uomo abbia consacrata al Signore per interdetto, di tutto ciò ch’è suo, così degli uomini, come del bestiame, e de’ campi della sua eredità, non si potrà vendereriscattare; ogni interdetto è cosa santissima, appartenente al Signore.

29 Niuno interdetto, consacrato d’infra gli uomini, si possa riscattare; del tutto sia fatto morire.

30 Tutte le decime eziandio della terra così delle semenze della terra, come dei frutti degli alberi, appartengono al Signore; son cosa sacra al Signore.

31 E se pure alcuno vuol riscattar delle sue decime, sopraggiunga il quinto al prezzo di esse.

32 Parimente sia cosa sacra al Signore ogni decima di buoi, e di pecore, e di capre; ogni decimo animale di tutti quelli che passano sotto la verga.

33 Non discernasi tra buono e cattivo; e non permutisi l’un con l’altro; e se pure alcuno permuta l’un con l’altro, quel decimo, e quell’altro messo in suo scambio, saranno cosa sacra; non si potranno riscattare.

34 Questi sono i comandamenti che il Signore diede a Mosè, nel monte di Sinai, per proporli a’ figliuoli d’Israele.

   


To many Protestant and Evangelical Italians, the Bibles translated by Giovanni Diodati are an important part of their history. Diodati’s first Italian Bible edition was printed in 1607, and his second in 1641. He died in 1649. Throughout the 1800s two editions of Diodati’s text were printed by the British Foreign Bible Society. This is the more recent 1894 edition, translated by Claudiana.

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #548

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548. But that they should torment them five months.- That this signifies that the understanding should be darkened by the falsities of evil, and be drawn away from seeing truth, so long as they are in that state, is evident from the signification of tormenting, which denotes to darken as to the understanding, and to be withdrawn from seeing truth, of which we shall treat presently; and from the signification of five months, as denoting so long as they remain in that state. To torment here signifies to darken as to the understanding, and to be drawn away from seeing truth, because it is stated of the locusts, and their power of hurting like scorpions, and by the locusts is meant the ultimate of the life of man, which is called the Sensual, and by the power of hurting like scorpions is signified the persuasive [power], which is of such a nature, as to take away from the understanding the light of truth, and bring on infernal darkness; therefore it now follows, that their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he strikes a man, for the scorpion signifies such a persuasive [power], as may be seen above (n. 544). This is said to torment, because it is said above, that the locusts should hurt men, but should not kill them; and he who hurts, and does not kill, torments. The persuasive [power] also in the sensual man, that is in the falsities of evil, hurts the understanding by darkening and drawing it away from seeing truth, although it does not deprive it of the power of understanding and perceiving; and because it is compared with the pain inflicted by a scorpion when it strikes a man, it is said to torment.

[2] The reason why five months signify so long as men are in that state, is, that a month signifies a state, and the number five signifies somewhat, and hence also, so long as. Months signify states, because all times, in the Word, as ages, years, weeks, days, and hours, signify states of life; hence also months, see the Heaven and Hell 162-169).

That five signifies somewhat, is evident from those passages in the Word, where that number occurs. For the numbers 10, 100, 1000, signify much and all, hence five signifies somewhat. For those numbers which signify much, arise from the number five, which signifies somewhat, and the numbers that are compounded and derived, take their signification from the simple numbers, from which, by multiplication, they are compounded and derived, see above (n. 429, 430:2). The number five also signifies so long as, because it is said, five months, and by five months is there signified a state of duration. This signification of five months appears to be a remote one, from this fact, that man so long as he lives in the world, is in natural thought, and natural thought derives its ideas from spaces and times, and also from numbers and measures; for these things are proper to nature, because all things in nature are determined by them. But spiritual thought is without any fixed idea of space, time, number, and measure; and therefore it appears far fetched and strange to man in the world, that five months should signify "so long as that state continues," that is to say, so long as the state of the persuasion of falsity continues, for so long is the understanding darkened, and drawn away from seeing the truth; but when the persuasion of falsity is removed, man comes into the faculty of seeing truth, if he desire to see it, and this faculty is given to every man.

[3] That five, in the Word, signifies somewhat and some, also all of such a quality, and similar things, is clear from the following: Jesus said that the kingdom of the heavens is like to ten virgins of whom "five were wise, and five were foolish" (Matthew 25:1, 2). The Lord compared the kingdom of the heavens to ten virgins, because the kingdom of the heavens signifies the church, and a virgin has a similar signification; and ten virgins signify all who are of the church. It is said, that five were wise and five foolish, because five signifies some of them, or all who are of such a quality on one part. That a virgin signifies the church, is evident from many passages in the Word, where mention is made of the virgin of Zion, the virgin of Jerusalem, the virgin of Israel, for these signify the church.

[4] The same is signified by ten, and by five, in the parable of the Lord concerning the nobleman who gave talents (minoe, mna [Greek]) to his servants to trade with, and one made of his talent ten talents, and another made five talents of his talents, and therefore they had authority over as many cities (Luke 19:13-20). The numbers ten and five were mentioned by the Lord, because ten signifies much, and five, somewhat; but by their trading is signified the acquisition and procuring of heavenly intelligence; and by their having authority over cities, is signified intelligence and wisdom, for a city signifies in the Word, doctrine, and to have authority over it, signifies to be intelligent and wise, and over ten cities, signifies much, and over five, signifies some.

[5] Also some, and all who are of such quality, are signified by the number five in the parable of the Lord concerning the rich man and Lazarus, in which it is said that the rich man told Abraham that he had five brethren, and he besought that Lazarus might be sent to them (Luke 16:27, 28). The rich man said that he had five brethren because by five are signified all who are of such a quality.

Similarly, in the parable of the Lord concerning those who were invited to the great supper, one of them excused himself on the ground that he had bought five yoke of oxen, and must go to prove them (Luke 14:19). By oxen in the Word are signified the natural affections, and by five yoke of oxen are signified all those affections or disorderly desires that lead away from heaven; heaven and the church, in regard to spiritual nourishment or instruction, are signified by the great supper to which they were invited. Who cannot see that the number five in these four parables involves some interior truth, since it is used by the Lord?

[6] So again, in Isaiah:

"In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking with the lips of Canaan, and swearing to Jehovah of hosts. In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt" (19:18, 19).

In that day, signifies the coming of the Lord; "five cities in the land of Egypt speaking with the lips of Canaan," signifies, that some who are then natural shall become spiritual, and shall acknowledge the truths of genuine doctrine, and shall worship the Lord from the good of charity. These things are explained in detail above (n. 223:14). Here, therefore, mention is made of five cities, as some at that time are meant, and also some truths of doctrine.

[7] So again:

"Gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two-three berries in the top of the bough, four-five in the branches of the fruitful tree" (17:6).

And Jesus said in Luke:

"From henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three" (12:52).

That in these passages five also signifies some, and all who are of such a quality, may be seen above (n. 532), where both these passages are explained.

A law was given to the Israelites that he who stole, or slew, or sold an ox, should restore five oxen (Exodus 22:1). Here an ox, in the spiritual sense, means the good of the natural man; by restoring five oxen for an ox, is signified that he shall sufficiently amend what he had perverted and extinguished. To steal means to take away, to kill is to extinguish, and to sell is to pervert.

[8] By the fifth part also is signified as much as is sufficient in the following passages: Leviticus 5:16; 6:5; 22:14; 27:13, 15, 19, 27, 31; Num. 5:6-8. The same is also signified by the fifths which Pharaoh took up from the land of Egypt during the seven years of plenty (Genesis 41:34; 47:24). Again, the same is signified by Abner's smiting Asahel with the hinder end of his spear at the fifth [rib] (2 Sam. 2:23); at the fifth rib signifies as much as was sufficient for death; for the same number that signifies somewhat, and the all of one part, also signifies as much as is sufficient, when it is used of quantity, and so long as, when it is used of time.

[9] Since this number signifies some, and the all of one part, therefore it also signifies little and few, when a great quantity, which is also marked by numbers, follows or precedes; for then the all of one part is respectively few.

Thus in Isaiah:

"One thousand at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee" (30:17).

And in Moses it is said among the curses that five should chase a hundred, and a hundred, ten thousand (Leviticus 26:8). And in the Evangelists it is stated that the Lord fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes (Matthew 14:15-22; Mark 6:38-43; Luke 9:13-16; John 6:9-13). The taking up of twelve baskets of the fragments on that occasion signifies fulness, thus fulness of instruction, and also full benediction.

[10] In Luke by five are signified few, where it is said,

"Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? Fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows" (12:6, 7).

Here five sparrows are mentioned, because five denotes what is few and of little value compared to men, for it is afterwards said, "ye are of more value than many sparrows." Any one can see that this number would not have been mentioned so often by the Lord unless it had been significative. Since five signifies all of one part, therefore it was also commanded that over the tabernacle they should make ten curtains, five curtains to be coupled together one to another, and five curtains to be coupled one to another (Exodus 26:1, 3). That ten signifies all in the aggregate, and five the all of one and of the other part, may be seen in the Arcana Coelestia 9595, 9604).

  
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Translation by Isaiah Tansley. Many thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.

The Bible

 

Leviticus 27

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1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

2 "Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, 'When a man makes a vow, the persons shall be for Yahweh by your valuation.

3 Your valuation shall be of a male from twenty years old even to sixty years old, even your valuation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.

4 If it is a female, then your valuation shall be thirty shekels.

5 If the person is from five years old even to twenty years old, then your valuation shall be for a male twenty shekels, and for a female ten shekels.

6 If the person is from a month old even to five years old, then your valuation shall be for a male five shekels of silver, and for a female your valuation shall be three shekels of silver.

7 If the person is from sixty years old and upward; if it is a male, then your valuation shall be fifteen shekels, and for a female ten shekels.

8 But if he is poorer than your valuation, then he shall be set before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to the ability of him who vowed shall the priest value him.

9 "'If it is an animal, of which men offer an offering to Yahweh, all that any man gives of such to Yahweh becomes holy.

10 He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good: and if he shall at all change animal for animal, then both it and that for which it is changed shall be holy.

11 If it is any unclean animal, of which they do not offer as an offering to Yahweh, then he shall set the animal before the priest;

12 and the priest shall value it, whether it is good or bad. As you the priest values it, so shall it be.

13 But if he will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of it to its valuation.

14 "'When a man dedicates his house to be holy to Yahweh, then the priest shall evaluate it, whether it is good or bad: as the priest shall evaluate it, so shall it stand.

15 If he who dedicates it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of your valuation to it, and it shall be his.

16 "'If a man dedicates to Yahweh part of the field of his possession, then your valuation shall be according to the seed for it: the sowing of a homer of barley shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.

17 If he dedicates his field from the Year of Jubilee, according to your valuation it shall stand.

18 But if he dedicates his field after the Jubilee, then the priest shall reckon to him the money according to the years that remain to the Year of Jubilee; and an abatement shall be made from your valuation.

19 If he who dedicated the field will indeed redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of your valuation to it, and it shall remain his.

20 If he will not redeem the field, or if he has sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more;

21 but the field, when it goes out in the Jubilee, shall be holy to Yahweh, as a field devoted; it shall be owned by the priests.

22 "'If he dedicates to Yahweh a field which he has bought, which is not of the field of his possession,

23 then the priest shall reckon to him the worth of your valuation up to the Year of Jubilee; and he shall give your valuation on that day, as a holy thing to Yahweh.

24 In the Year of Jubilee the field shall return to him from whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land belongs.

25 All your valuations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs to the shekel.

26 "'Only the firstborn among animals, which is made a firstborn to Yahweh, no man may dedicate it; whether an ox or sheep, it is Yahweh's.

27 If it is an unclean animal, then he shall buy it back according to your valuation, and shall add to it the fifth part of it: or if it isn't redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation.

28 "'Notwithstanding, no devoted thing, that a man shall devote to Yahweh of all that he has, whether of man or animal, or of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy to Yahweh.

29 "'No one devoted, who shall be devoted from among men, shall be ransomed; he shall surely be put to death.

30 "'All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is Yahweh's. It is holy to Yahweh.

31 If a man redeems anything of his tithe, he shall add a fifth part to it.

32 All the tithe of the herds or the flocks, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to Yahweh.

33 He shall not search whether it is good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he changes it at all, then both it and that for which it is changed shall be holy. It shall not be redeemed.'"

34 These are the commandments which Yahweh commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai.