The Bible

 

Genesis 1:28

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28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Commentary

 

After many

  

In Exodus 23:2, this signifies to be consociated with the crowd, where the idea is not to follow the crowd, or listen to gossip. (Arcana Coelestia 9251)

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #9251

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9251. 'You shall not follow a multitude into evil things' means not being associated with such things, that is to say, with those mentioned above, namely listening to false ideas, obeying malevolent feelings, and affirming such things as are contrary to the good of charity. These are the 'evil things' that are meant. 'Following after a multitude' means being with many, thus being associated with them. For the original language speaks of 'being after', 'going after', and 'walking after', which are used to mean being with and following, and so being associated with, as in Jeremiah 7:9; 11:10; 1 Samuel 17:13; 1 Kings 14:8; Deuteronomy 4:3; 8:19; and elsewhere.

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