Arcana Coelestia #46
46. That 'beasts' means affections residing with man - evil affections in evil men and good affections in good men - becomes clear from many examples in the Word, as in Ezekiel,
Behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, so that you will be tilled and sown; and I will multiply upon you man and beast, and they will be multiplied and be fruitful, and I will resettle you 1 to be as in your ancient times. Ezekiel 36:9-11.
This refers to regeneration. In Joel,
Fear not, you beasts of My field, for the dwelling-places of the wilderness have been made green. Joel 2:22.
In David,
I was stupid, a beast 2 was I with God. Psalms 73:12.
In Jeremiah,
Behold, the days are coming when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast, and I will watch over them to build and to plant. Jeremiah 31:27-28.
This refers to regeneration.
[2] 'Wild animals' (fera) has a similar meaning, as in Hosea,
I will make for them a covenant on that day, with the wild animals of the field, and with the birds of the air, 3 and with the creeping things of the earth. Hosea 2:18.
In Job,
You will not fear the wild animals of the earth, for your covenant will be with the stones of the field, and the wild beasts of the field will be at peace with you. Job 5:22-23.
In Ezekiel,
I will make with them 4 a covenant of peace, and I will banish the evil wild animal from the land, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness. Ezekiel 34:25.
In Isaiah,
The wild animals of the field will honour me, for I have given water in the desert. Isaiah 43:20.
In Ezekiel,
In its branches all the birds of the air 3 made their nests and under its branches every wild animal of the field gave birth, and in its shadow dwelt all great nations. Ezekiel 31:6.
This refers to Assyria, which means the spiritual man and is compared to the Garden of Eden. In David,
Praise Jehovah, all his angels, praise Him from the earth, sea monsters, fruit trees, wild animals, and all beasts, creeping things, and flying birds! Psalms 148:2-4, 7, 9-10.
Here the list is precisely the same - sea monsters, fruit trees, wild animals, beasts, creeping things, and birds. Unless they all mean things that are alive in human beings, they cannot possibly be referred to as praising Jehovah.
[3] A careful distinction is made in the Prophets between beasts and wild animals of the earth, and between beasts and wild animals of the field. The practice of calling goods 'beasts' extends to calling people in heaven who are nearest to the Lord 'living creatures', both in Ezekiel and in John,
All the angels stood around the throne, and the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God. 5 Revelation 7:11; 19:4.
The expression 'creatures' is also used of people who are to have the gospel preached to them because they are to be created anew, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15.
Footnotes:
1. literally, I will cause you to inhabit
2. literally, beasts
3. literally, bird of the heavens (or the skies)
4. The Latin means with you; but the Hebrew means with them which Swedenborg has in other places where he quotes this verse.
5. The Latin means the Lamb; but the Greek means God which Swedenborg has in other places where he quotes this verse.
Numbers 29
1
"'In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing of trumpets to you.
2
You shall offer a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish;
3
and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for the bull, two tenth parts for the ram,
4
and one tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs;
5
and one male goat for a sin offering, to make atonement for you;
6
besides the burnt offering of the new moon, and the meal offering of it, and the continual burnt offering and the meal offering of it, and their drink offerings, according to their ordinance, for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
7
"'On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; and you shall afflict your souls: you shall do no kind of work;
8
but you shall offer a burnt offering to Yahweh for a pleasant aroma: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old; they shall be to you without blemish;
9
and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for the bull, two tenth parts for the one ram,
10
a tenth part for every lamb of the seven lambs:
11
one male goat for a sin offering; besides the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of it, and their drink offerings.
12
"'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no servile work, and you shall keep a feast to Yahweh seven days:
13
and you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh; thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old; they shall be without blemish;
14
and their meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil, three tenth parts for every bull of the thirteen bulls, two tenth parts for each ram of the two rams,
15
and a tenth part for every lamb of the fourteen lambs;
16
and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it.
17
"'On the second day [you shall offer] twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish;
18
and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
19
and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of it, and their drink offerings.
20
"'On the third day eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish;
21
and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
22
and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it.
23
"'On the fourth day ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish;
24
their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
25
and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it.
26
"'On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish;
27
and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
28
and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it.
29
"'On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish;
30
and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
31
and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, the meal offering of it, and the drink offerings of it.
32
"'On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish;
33
and their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, according to their number, after the ordinance;
34
and one male goat for a sin offering; besides the continual burnt offering, the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it.
35
"'On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly: you shall do no servile work;
36
but you shall offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish;
37
their meal offering and their drink offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the ordinance:
38
and one male goat for a sin offering, besides the continual burnt offering, and the meal offering of it, and the drink offering of it.
39
"'You shall offer these to Yahweh in your set feasts, besides your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meal offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.'"
40
Moses told the children of Israel according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses.
