The Bible

 

Exodus 34

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1 και ειπεν κυριος προς μωυσην λαξευσον σεαυτω δυο πλακας λιθινας καθως και αι πρωται και αναβηθι προς με εις το ορος και γραψω επι των πλακων τα ρηματα α ην εν ταις πλαξιν ταις πρωταις αις συνετριψας

2 και γινου ετοιμος εις το πρωι και αναβηση επι το ορος το σινα και στηση μοι εκει επ' ακρου του ορους

3 και μηδεις αναβητω μετα σου μηδε οφθητω εν παντι τω ορει και τα προβατα και αι βοες μη νεμεσθωσαν πλησιον του ορους εκεινου

4 και ελαξευσεν δυο πλακας λιθινας καθαπερ και αι πρωται και ορθρισας μωυσης ανεβη εις το ορος το σινα καθοτι συνεταξεν αυτω κυριος και ελαβεν μωυσης τας δυο πλακας τας λιθινας

5 και κατεβη κυριος εν νεφελη και παρεστη αυτω εκει και εκαλεσεν τω ονοματι κυριου

6 και παρηλθεν κυριος προ προσωπου αυτου και εκαλεσεν κυριος ο θεος οικτιρμων και ελεημων μακροθυμος και πολυελεος και αληθινος

7 και δικαιοσυνην διατηρων και ποιων ελεος εις χιλιαδας αφαιρων ανομιας και αδικιας και αμαρτιας και ου καθαριει τον ενοχον επαγων ανομιας πατερων επι τεκνα και επι τεκνα τεκνων επι τριτην και τεταρτην γενεαν

8 και σπευσας μωυσης κυψας επι την γην προσεκυνησεν

9 και ειπεν ει ευρηκα χαριν ενωπιον σου συμπορευθητω ο κυριος μου μεθ' ημων ο λαος γαρ σκληροτραχηλος εστιν και αφελεις συ τας αμαρτιας ημων και τας ανομιας ημων και εσομεθα σοι

10 και ειπεν κυριος προς μωυσην ιδου εγω τιθημι σοι διαθηκην ενωπιον παντος του λαου σου ποιησω ενδοξα α ου γεγονεν εν παση τη γη και εν παντι εθνει και οψεται πας ο λαος εν οις ει συ τα εργα κυριου οτι θαυμαστα εστιν α εγω ποιησω σοι

11 προσεχε συ παντα οσα εγω εντελλομαι σοι ιδου εγω εκβαλλω προ προσωπου υμων τον αμορραιον και χαναναιον και χετταιον και φερεζαιον και ευαιον και γεργεσαιον και ιεβουσαιον

12 προσεχε σεαυτω μηποτε θης διαθηκην τοις εγκαθημενοις επι της γης εις ην εισπορευη εις αυτην μη σοι γενηται προσκομμα εν υμιν

13 τους βωμους αυτων καθελειτε και τας στηλας αυτων συντριψετε και τα αλση αυτων εκκοψετε και τα γλυπτα των θεων αυτων κατακαυσετε εν πυρι

14 ου γαρ μη προσκυνησητε θεω ετερω ο γαρ κυριος ο θεος ζηλωτον ονομα θεος ζηλωτης εστιν

15 μηποτε θης διαθηκην τοις εγκαθημενοις προς αλλοφυλους επι της γης και εκπορνευσωσιν οπισω των θεων αυτων και θυσωσι τοις θεοις αυτων και καλεσωσιν σε και φαγης των θυματων αυτων

16 και λαβης των θυγατερων αυτων τοις υιοις σου και των θυγατερων σου δως τοις υιοις αυτων και εκπορνευσωσιν αι θυγατερες σου οπισω των θεων αυτων και εκπορνευσωσιν τους υιους σου οπισω των θεων αυτων

17 και θεους χωνευτους ου ποιησεις σεαυτω

18 και την εορτην των αζυμων φυλαξη επτα ημερας φαγη αζυμα καθαπερ εντεταλμαι σοι εις τον καιρον εν μηνι των νεων εν γαρ μηνι των νεων εξηλθες εξ αιγυπτου

19 παν διανοιγον μητραν εμοι τα αρσενικα πρωτοτοκον μοσχου και πρωτοτοκον προβατου

20 και πρωτοτοκον υποζυγιου λυτρωση προβατω εαν δε μη λυτρωση αυτο τιμην δωσεις παν πρωτοτοκον των υιων σου λυτρωση ουκ οφθηση ενωπιον μου κενος

21 εξ ημερας εργα τη δε εβδομη καταπαυσεις τω σπορω και τω αμητω καταπαυσεις

22 και εορτην εβδομαδων ποιησεις μοι αρχην θερισμου πυρων και εορτην συναγωγης μεσουντος του ενιαυτου

23 τρεις καιρους του ενιαυτου οφθησεται παν αρσενικον σου ενωπιον κυριου του θεου ισραηλ

24 οταν γαρ εκβαλω τα εθνη προ προσωπου σου και πλατυνω τα ορια σου ουκ επιθυμησει ουδεις της γης σου ηνικα αν αναβαινης οφθηναι εναντιον κυριου του θεου σου τρεις καιρους του ενιαυτου

25 ου σφαξεις επι ζυμη αιμα θυμιαματων μου και ου κοιμηθησεται εις το πρωι θυματα της εορτης του πασχα

26 τα πρωτογενηματα της γης σου θησεις εις τον οικον κυριου του θεου σου ου προσοισεις αρνα εν γαλακτι μητρος αυτου

27 και ειπεν κυριος προς μωυσην γραψον σεαυτω τα ρηματα ταυτα επι γαρ των λογων τουτων τεθειμαι σοι διαθηκην και τω ισραηλ

28 και ην εκει μωυσης εναντιον κυριου τεσσαρακοντα ημερας και τεσσαρακοντα νυκτας αρτον ουκ εφαγεν και υδωρ ουκ επιεν και εγραψεν τα ρηματα ταυτα επι των πλακων της διαθηκης τους δεκα λογους

29 ως δε κατεβαινεν μωυσης εκ του ορους και αι δυο πλακες επι των χειρων μωυση καταβαινοντος δε αυτου εκ του ορους μωυσης ουκ ηδει οτι δεδοξασται η οψις του χρωματος του προσωπου αυτου εν τω λαλειν αυτον αυτω

30 και ειδεν ααρων και παντες οι πρεσβυτεροι ισραηλ τον μωυσην και ην δεδοξασμενη η οψις του χρωματος του προσωπου αυτου και εφοβηθησαν εγγισαι αυτου

31 και εκαλεσεν αυτους μωυσης και επεστραφησαν προς αυτον ααρων και παντες οι αρχοντες της συναγωγης και ελαλησεν αυτοις μωυσης

32 και μετα ταυτα προσηλθον προς αυτον παντες οι υιοι ισραηλ και ενετειλατο αυτοις παντα οσα ελαλησεν κυριος προς αυτον εν τω ορει σινα

33 και επειδη κατεπαυσεν λαλων προς αυτους επεθηκεν επι το προσωπον αυτου καλυμμα

34 ηνικα δ' αν εισεπορευετο μωυσης εναντι κυριου λαλειν αυτω περιηρειτο το καλυμμα εως του εκπορευεσθαι και εξελθων ελαλει πασιν τοις υιοις ισραηλ οσα ενετειλατο αυτω κυριος

35 και ειδον οι υιοι ισραηλ το προσωπον μωυση οτι δεδοξασται και περιεθηκεν μωυσης καλυμμα επι το προσωπον εαυτου εως αν εισελθη συλλαλειν αυτω

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Apocalypse Explained #330

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330. Out of every tribe and tongue. That this signifies from all those who are in truths as to doctrine and as to life, is clear from the signification of a tribe, as denoting all truths and goods in the aggregate (concerning which see above, n. 39); for those things are signified by the twelve tribes, and hence by every tribe is signified something of truth and good, therefore by out of every tribe is signified from all those who are in any kind of truth and good; and from the signification of tongue as denoting the doctrine of life and faith. That tribes signify all truths and goods in the aggregate, will be shown more fully in its proper article below. Similarly, that tongue signifies the doctrine of life and faith, thus religion. (Those [passages] only shall be adduced here that are shown in the Arcana Coelestia concerning the signification of the tribes, namely, the twelve tribes of Israel represented, and thence signified, all truths and goods in the aggregate, n. 3858, 3926, 4060, 6335; similarly the twelve apostles of the Lord the like, n. 2129, 3354, 3488, 6397. There were twelve, because twelve signifies all, n. 577, 2089, 2129, 2130, 3272, 3858, 3913. Because the twelve tribes represented, and thence signified, all truths and goods in the aggregate, therefore they represented heaven and the church, n. 6337, 6637, 7836, 7891, 7996. The twelve tribes signify various things according to the order in which they are named, and thus also all things of heaven and the church with variety, n. 3862, 3926, 3939, 4603 et seq., 6337, 6640, 10335; therefore, replies could be given and were given by the Urim and Thummim, on which the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were engraven in precious stones, n. 3858, 6335, 6640, 9863, 9865, 9873, 9874, 9905.)

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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #9093

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9093. 'And divide the silver from it' means that its truth will be dispersed. This is clear from the meaning of 'dividing' as banishing and dispersing, dealt with in 6360, 6361; and from the meaning of 'silver' as truth, dealt with in 1551, 2048, 5658, 6112, 6914, 6917, 7999. The reason why 'dividing' means dispersing is that if things existing in association are divided they are also scattered, as when a person destroys his mind by dividing it. For the human mind consists of two parts existing in association; one part is called the understanding, the other part is called the will. A person who divides these two parts scatters what belongs to each part individually; for one part must receive its life from the other, and therefore when one perishes, so does the other. It is similar when someone divides truth from good, or what amounts to the same thing, faith from charity; when anyone does this he destroys both. In short, all the things which ought to be a single whole perish if they are divided.

[2] This division is meant by the Lord's words in Luke,

No one can serve two masters; either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will prefer the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Luke 16:13.

That is, it is not possible to serve the Lord through belief in Him and at the same time serve the world by loving it, thus to acknowledge truth and at the same time to do evil. Anyone who behaves in this way has his mind divided, as a result of which it is destroyed. From all this it is evident why it is that 'dividing' means dispersing; and the same is clearly the meaning in Matthew also,

The master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and in an hour he does not know. And he will divide him and assign him his part with the hypocrites. Matthew 24:50-51.

'Dividing' here means separating and removing from forms of good and truths, 4424, thus dispersing them.

[3] In Moses,

Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath, for it is hard. 1 I will divide them in Jacob, and will scatter them in Israel. Genesis 49:7.

These words occur in Israel's prophetic utterance regarding Simeon and Levi. 'Simeon' and 'Levi' here represent those steeped in faith separated from charity, 6352; and 'Jacob' and 'Israel' represent the external and the internal Church, also the external and the internal man, 4286, 4598, 5973, 6360, 6361. 'Dividing them in Jacob' means banishing them from the external Church, and 'scattering them in Israel' from the internal Church, thus dispersing the Church's forms of good and its truths residing with them.

[4] It is also evident that 'dividing' has this meaning from the words written on the wall when Belshazzar king of Babel, together with his nobles, wives, and concubines, drank wine out of the vessels of gold and of silver that had belonged to the Temple in Jerusalem, Daniel 5:2-4, 25, 28. What was written said, 'Numbered, numbered, weighed, and divided,' 'divided' here meaning separated from the kingdom. Those verses show how all things at that time were representative. They describe the profanation of goodness and truth, which is meant by 'Babel'. Profanation is meant by 'Babel', see 1182, 1283, 1295, 1304-1308, 1321, 1322, 1326. Forms of the good of love, also the truths of faith, received from the Lord, are meant by 'the vessels of gold and silver', 1551, 1552, 5658, 6914, 6917. Profanation is meant by drinking out of them, and by praising then the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone (as verse 4 says there), which are a string of evils and falsities, 4402 (end), 4544, 7873, 8941. 'The Temple in Jerusalem' from which the vessels had come means in the highest sense the Lord, and in the representative sense His kingdom and Church, 3720. Belshazzar's kingdom when it had been divided was a sign of the dispersion of goodness and truth, and his being killed that very night a sign of deprivation of the life of truth and good, which is damnation. For 'being divided' is being dispersed; 'king' is the truth of good, 1672, 2015, 2069, 3009, 3670, 4575, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148, the same thing being meant by 'kingdom', 1672, 2547, 4691; 'being killed' means being deprived of the life of truth and good, 3607, 6767, 8902; and 'the night' in which he was killed is a state of evil and falsity, 2353, 7776, 7851, 7870, 7947. From this it is evident that all things there were representative.

[5] It says in David,

They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing cast lots. Psalms 22:18.

And in Matthew,

They divided the garments (the Lord's), casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was said by the prophet. Matthew 27:35.

Also in John,

The soldiers took the garments and made four parts; and the tunic. The tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said regarding it Let us not divide it, but cast lots for it, whose it may be - so that the Scripture might be fulfilled. John 19:23-24.

The person who reads these things, knowing nothing about the internal sense of the Word, is unaware of any arcanum that lies concealed within them, when in fact every detail holds a Divine arcanum. The arcanum was that Divine Truths had been dispersed by the Jews. For the Lord was Divine Truth, which is why He is called the Word in John 1:1 and the following verses, 'the Word' being Divine Truth. His garments represented truths in the outward form they take, His tunic truths in their inward form; and the dividing of the garments represented the dispersing of the truths of faith by the Jews. For the meaning of 'garments' as truths in the outward form they take, see 2576, 5248, 5954, 6918, and for that of 'tunic' as truth in its inward form, 4677. Truths in their outward form are truths as they exist in the literal sense of the Word, but truths in their inward form are truths as they exist in the spiritual sense of the Word. 'Dividing the garments into four parts' meant total dispersion, in the same way that dividing does in Zechariah 14:4, and elsewhere. Dividing into two parts - as it says in Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38, regarding the veil of the Temple - has a like meaning. The splitting apart of the rocks also at that time, Matthew 27:51, represented the dispersing of all matters of faith; for 'rock' means the Lord in respect of faith, and therefore means faith received from the Lord, 8581.

Footnotes:

1. i.e. cruel

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